A home in the 100 block of South Wall in Wamac was destroyed by fire late Thursday night. The Centralia Fire Protection District initially responded to a report of a possible shed on fire and instead found a house engulfed in flames. At that point, mutual aid was called to the scene from the City of Centralia and the Sandoval Fire Protection District. Odin and Irvington were called to standby at the Centralia Fire District Station in the event of another fire. With the big head start, firef...

The Salem Fire Protection District fought a fire in the rear trailer of a semi-truck on northbound I-57 at the 112-mile marker four miles south of Salem Wednesday night. Assistant Fire Chief Bill Fulton says the rear of the second trailer on the R and L Transport Truck was engulfed in flames upon their arrival. The fire apparently began from the brakes locking up. The fireman was injured when a fluid used for embalming got into one of his eyes. He was taken to Salem Township Hospital via...

A 20 by 30-foot barn was destroyed by fire on the Johnny Horn property on North Pigeon Lane between Bluford and Mt. Vernon early Wednesday night. Bluford Fire Chief Marty Archer says the fire spread from a brush pile that got out of control. The fire call came in at five Wednesday night with firemen on the scene for an hour and a half. There were no injuries. Kell, Jefferson Fire, Wayne City, and Mt. Vernon City Firemen were all called to the scene for mutual aid assistance.

Centralia Police have arrested a Carlyle man on three counts of domestic battery. Anthony Bassett of 9th Street was taken to the Marion County Jail. Centralia Police arrested 54-year-old Gerald Phillips of East Broadway in Centralia for criminal trespass to property. Police took Phillips to the Marion County Jail after answering repeated complaints. 29-year-old Kerry Whipple Junior of Carter Road in Kell was arrested by Marion County Sheriff's Deputies on a no-bond felony Clay County warran...

The City of Centralia issued 17 building permits in April totaling $545,164. The biggest permit was a $440,000 permit for a new house and garage on Greenwood Lane. Permits were issued for two solar arrays. The largest is a $55,369 permit for the 1900 block of East McCord. The other is a $7,044 array for the 1900 block of East Sixth Street. Mission Centralia received permits to install ramps for three homes. They are for homes in the 500 block of West Second, 400 block of North Elm, and 900...

By ANDREW SELIGMAN AP Sports Writer CHICAGO (AP) - The Chicago Bears' proposal to fund a new lakefront stadium remains a "non-starter," Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker's office said after top aides met with team officials on Wednesday. The Bears unveiled a nearly $5 billion plan calling for public funding last week for an enclosed facility to be built next to their longtime home at Soldier Field. Though the governor did not rule out more discussions, the team clearly is facing an uphil...

Governor JB Pritzker has floated the idea that about a billion dollars is needed to rebuild and replace two prisons. One in suburban Will County and another in Logan County. There has been worry that the woman's correctional facility in Logan County would be torn down but not rebuilt in the same area and now a recent IDOC report says it prefers the woman's prison to be moved to Crest Hill and built next to a new Statesville Correctional facility. Governor JB Pritzker says a long process still...

The Salem Elks will host a display of emergency response vehicles in its parking lot on North Broadway Thursday afternoon. The event is scheduled from 3:30 to 5:30 pm. It has been organized by Elks Youth Activities Chairman Brad Hargis along with Salem Community High School Resource Officer Craig Vieira. The Salem Police Department, Salem Fire Protection District, United Medical Response, Salem Emergency Management Agency, Marion County Emergency Services and Disaster Agency and the Marion...