Category Archives: Local News
Cell-phone ban, loosening foreign language requirements among education bills to pass
by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois June 2, 2026 Article Summary Several educations measures were among the hundreds of bills that cleared the General Assembly before it adjourned on June 1. Schoo...
Jun 03, 2026 Most public school students in Illinois will no longer be allowed to use their cell phones in school next year under legislation that Gov. JB Pritzker says he intends to sign. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)
Illinois' 'swipe fee' law on the brink after another delay, adverse court ruling
by Jerry Nowicki, Capitol News Illinois June 2, 2026 Article Summary The legislative and judicial branches dealt a pair of blows to a state law banning "swipe fees" being applied to the tax and tip po...
Jun 03, 2026 A “Credit Card Chaos” ad appears on a drivable billboard a few blocks from the Illinois Capitol during the legislature’s final stretch. The Illinois law that it targets suffered a pair of setbacks this week. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Police Beat for Wednesday, June 3rd, 2026
Centralia Police have arrested a 38-year-old Centralia man for alleged domestic battery. Steven Hall of West Kerr was taken to the Marion County Jail to await a decision on formal charges. 36-year-old...
Jun 03, 2026
One injured in motorcycle crash in front of Kell Fire Station
The Marion County Sheriff's Department reports a 17-year-old Kell juvenile boy was injured in a motorcycle crash late Tuesday afternoon in front of the Kell Fire Station. The 17-year-old was eastbound...
Jun 03, 2026
Centralia Issues $212,689 in Building Permits for May
The City of Centralia issued 14 building permits in May totaling $212,680. The biggest permit was to locate a mobile home at 535 North Beech. It totaled $162,989. A resident in the 100 block of Oak Pa...
Jun 03, 2026
Wamac to accept bids on city-owned properties
By Steven Stilt During its meeting Monday evening, the Wamac City Council voted to accept bids on three properties that are currently owned by the city. Those properties are located at 314 West 14th S...
Jun 03, 2026 File photo: Wamac City Hall
Centralia High School Honor Roll
Freshman - Fourth Quarter High Honors 3.895-above Ka'Leah R. Agin Eilee O. Ashford Tucker R. Aydt Layla R. Baker Jorja Mae Beasley Tillie E. Castleman Brookelyn R. Counts Aubrey L. Cullip Gaige B. Don...
Jun 03, 2026 Centralia High School Class of 2022. Photo by Pat Hodges.
Precautions to take with Tick and Mosquito season underway
Area health departments have begun tracking efforts to find mosquitoes and ticks that are infected with diseases their bite can spread to humans. Marion County Health Department Administrator Melissa ...
Jun 02, 2026
'We didn't have time': Pritzker, leaders defend adjourning without Bears deal
by Brenden Moore and Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois June 1, 2026 Article Summary Gov. JB Pritzker acknowledged Monday that the Chicago Bears may be on their way to Indiana. But he and Democratic...
Jun 02, 2026
Hungry Hearts begins 9th Year of Serving Summer Lunches to Kids
The Hungry Hearts Program is beginning its ninth year of providing summer bag lunches to any person under the age of 18 in the Salem area. Marilyn Lewis is heading the program again this year and repo...
Jun 02, 2026
