News Progress

•October 22, 2025•

Illinois youth deer hunters set a new record for the season, harvesting a preliminary total of 4,714 deer October 11th through 13th. Top harvest counties include Randolph, 259; Pike, 164; Adams, 155; Jefferson, 155; and Marion, 135. Comparatively, youth hunters took 4,097 deer during the season in 2024. 

Youth hunters with an unfilled, valid youth deer permit may still hunt with the permit during the upcoming firearm deer seasons, November 21st through 23rd and December 4th through 7th. This is the first year that unfilled youth permits are valid for both segments of the firearm season. Moultrie County numbers are as follows by year: 2025-30, 2024-36, 2023-28.

•October 22, 2025•

This engaging, hands-on, after-school workshop series is open to children in grades 3 through 8. Lessons taught will be about force, motion, electrical currents, positive/negative charges, and everyone will be invited to use their ‘problem-solving hats’ to build projects. Participation is open to the public for this free workshop. All workshops will occur at the Arcola Public Library, 407 E Main Street, Arcola. There are only twelve registration slots open. Douglas County DARE Officer Adam Brazzell will be assisting. Pre-register at https://go.illinois.edu/STEMWorkshopSeries.

•October 22, 2025•

On Friday, October 17th, Okaw Valley High School students and supporters came out in a big show of pride for their yearly Homecoming Event. 

The Little End of Nothing
•October 22, 2025•

by Janet Roney

Traveling across frontier central Illinois was not an easy task, whether in a group of wagons, on a stagecoach, or by horseback. It was uncomfortable and sometimes dangerous. Since inns like Lovington’s Black Horse Tavern were scarce, travelers often found refuge with pioneer families in isolated cabins to avoid camping out on the open prairie.

Travelers never knew what to expect when stopping at an isolated cabin. My great-great-grandfather described his experience in his journal when he spent the night at an isolated cabin in southern Illinois in 1819. He and his companion had not seen a house since breakfast. It was after sundown, and they were desperate to find a place to stay. “I was at the door but for a short time, but saw enough to satisfy myself we had drifted to the little end of nothing.. The housewife was sitting near a little fire, her dress very dirty, a child on her lap...and in her mouth was a corncob pipe. She looked happy.”

•October 15, 2025•

Halloween is an annual celebration that many children and adults look forward to each year. From the mysterious and the macabre to the goofy and gregarious, Halloween speaks to people in many different ways. And with the opportunity to accumulate several pounds of sugary treasure after a few hours of trick-or-treating, is it any wonder celebrants love Halloween? While Halloween hijinks may be ideal fun for plenty of ghosts and ghouls, companion animals may not be so enthusiastic come October 31. In fact, Halloween can be a source of stress and even dangerous for many pets. Here are some things pet parents should keep in mind before Halloween.