Category Archives: Local News
Native American mascot ban clears the Illinois House, heads to Senate
Bill requires some K-12 schools to pick new mascots, team names, logos By BRIDGETTE FOX Capitol News Illinois bfox@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD - Illinois K-12 schools may soon be required to p...
Apr 13, 2025 Dozens of Illinois schools have mascots that feature Native American imagery or names. A bill that would have banned them stalled in the Senate. From left to right, top to bottom: Logos for the Stockton Blackhawks, Calumet Indians, Altamont Indians, Bremen Braves, Deer Creek Chiefs, Mt. Zion Braves, Annawan Braves, Marengo Indians. (Capitol News Illinois illustration)
Prisoner Review Board reform bill clears Senate
Updated from last year's bill, it aims to increase transparency of prisoner releases By JADE AUBREY Capitol News Illinois jaubrey@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD - A bill that would reform the Pri...
Apr 13, 2025 Senate President Don Harmon, D-Oak Park, right, speaks with a Senate staffer a few hours before debating a bill to reform the Prisoner Review Board. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Legislature kills bill that would have expanded resentencing for youth offenders
Illinois expanded release options for certain youth offenders in 2023 By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com SPRINGFIELD - The Illinois House shot down legislation T...
Apr 13, 2025 Rep. Theresa Mah, D-Chicago, rushes across the House floor shortly after her bill failed — a rare embarrassment for a lawmaker in the legislature’s supermajority. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
City of Centralia remains it's against the law to blow grass clippings onto the streets
The City of Centralia would like to remind all residents and mowing contractors that citations can and will be issued to those who blow grass clippings onto the city streets. Clippings left on the str...
Apr 12, 2025
Sen. Jones sent spending money to former intern before getting him job feds say was a bribe
'I want to see u': As trial continues, jury sees texts between Jones and former intern By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com CHICAGO - Christopher Katz didn't question...
Apr 12, 2025 The federal corruption trial of State Sen. Emil Jones III at Chicago’s Dirksen Federal Courthouse, pictured in November, saw testimony from the senator’s former intern and an FBI agent before the jury was dismissed for the weekend Friday afternoon. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Driver killed in I-57 crash near Farina is identified
A 32-year-old Lakeland, Tennessee man was killed when his car ran into the rear of a semi truck stopped in traffic on I-57 at the 139 marker near Farina. The victim is identified as Cody Becker, who w...
Apr 12, 2025
Junction City man receives minor injury in one-vehicle rollover crash
A 21-year-old Junction City man was treated on the scene for apparent minor injuries following a single-vehicle rollover crash on Old U.S. 51 at the Red Stripe Road intersection. Marion County Sheriff...
Apr 12, 2025
Illinois State Police release limited details on a bus-car crash in Vernon
The driver of a car went to a local hospital for treatment after colliding with a small school bus in Vernon Friday afternoon. State Police say the car was traveling northbound on US 51 at the Lair St...
Apr 12, 2025 ISP FILE PHOTO: An Illinois State Police squad car is pictured in a file photo.(Capitol News Illinois file photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Police Beat for Saturday, April 12th, 2025
Centralia Police have arrested 43-year-old Joshua Turner of Locust Street in Centralia for aggravated criminal sexual abuse. He was taken to the Marion County Jail. No other details are yet available....
Apr 12, 2025
Entries into the Marion County Fair Queen Pageants accepted beginning Saturday
Entries for the 2025 Little Miss Marion County, Junior Miss Marion County, and Miss Marion County Pageants will be accepted online beginning at eight Saturday morning. The first 40 Little Miss entrees...
Apr 11, 2025 Mairon County 2024 Fair Queen Preslee Harris.
