The Marion County Board's budget committee is recommending to the full county board that a company be hired to determine why Marion County is nearly the worst in the state for the differential between property tax assessments and sale prices of real estate. One of the principals of Property Evaluation and Tax Advisors, LLC, Gary Twists, explained what the $14,800 study will give the county. "A countywide reassessment by an outside firm can be expensive. This study will provide multiple ...

The Salem Fire Protection District Board is expressing frustration with Salem's new large TIF-4 district. Board President Mike Squibb says the district 'will hammer' the assessed valuation growth in their property taxes, which is needed to keep up with a 15-percent increase in cost structure each year and to replace equipment qualified as 'antique'. He notes fire trucks over 25 years old qualify as antiques, and five of the department's vehicles are in that category. TIF districts capture p...

Democratic candidates for Senate disagree over receiving contributions from corporations By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Gov. JB Pritzker and Illinois Democrats say they've delivered for middle-class residents and that's the blueprint their party should follow in 2026. Democratic candidates for Illinois Senate disagree whether it's right to receive contributions from corporations as they seek to set themselves apart in the primary rac...

U.S. House Minority Leader was keynote speaker at annual Democratic county chairs brunch By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary U.S. House Minority Leader Hakeem Jeffries, D-New York, was the keynote speaker at the state's largest annual downstate gathering of Democrats on Wednesday. Jeffries is poised to become U.S. House speaker if Democrats retake the chamber in 2026. He said President Donald Trump is a threat to American democracy and tha...

EAST ST. LOUIS, Ill. - A district judge sentenced a Centralia man to 204 months of federal imprisonment after he admitted to distributing pound quantities of meth and fentanyl. Jackie T. Scanlan, 54, pleaded guilty to one count of possession with intent to distribute controlled substances: meth and fentanyl and one count of possession with intent to distribute a controlled substance: meth. "This career offender built a life around selling dangerous narcotics and has a criminal history sp...

A Solar Farm valued at nearly 15 million dollars has been proposed near U.S. 50 a mile east of Sandoval. The Project Development Manager for Dimension Energy Paul Irby is requesting the Marion County Board take action on the application at its August meeting so they can meet the September 1st deadline to seek state funding for the community solar project. "It's a 30-acre community solar project located east of Sandoval here in Marion County," Irby said. "It's got about 12,600 s...

Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps doesn't feel taxpayers should have to pick up the cost of One Hope United residents who are detained for crimes while at the Centralia campus. He told the Law Enforcement Committee of the county board Tuesday night that One Hope has now agreed to pay half the cost, but that isn't enough. "One Hope United is the problem," Cripps said. "If the state of Illinois wants to continue to send kids there and One Hope United cannot maintain control of t...

Those who want to learn more about ballooning and would like to help crew a balloon during this weekend's Balloon Fest are invited to crew training Wednesday night. Chamber Executive Director Marcus Holland says all you need to do is show up at 5:30 Wednesday night at Foundation Park. "We will have local pilots and friendly pilots to explain how ballooning works even if you're just interested in that," Holland said. "Then we'll have last minute sign up for crew. Some of our spo...