Category Archives: Local News
Odin School K-3 Class wins Pumpkin Drop at Odin School
The Odin School held their first ever pumpkin drop on Friday. Nine classes competed by packaging their pumpkin in a box in hopes it could survive a 50-foot drop from a helicopter without cracking. Onl...
Oct 23, 2026 The winning class at the Odin Pumpkin Drop. 1. Paraprofessional, Amber Roldan 2. Leiland Sleger, 3. (back) Hudson Price 4. (Front) Grantley Hodge 5.Hazleigh Vanhoutin 6. Aspen Planitz 7. Bryleigh Wooward 8. Serayne Tate. Back row: (center) Teacher Samantha White, Paraprofessional Ashton George
Centralia Community Youth Center and WJBD Adopt-a-Family expects to help more in 2026
The Centralia Community Center Youth Center and WJBD Radio Adopt a Family program looks to help more this Christmas season. The Executive Director of the Centralia Community Center Josh Favors told th...
Oct 22, 2026
Repainting of Sweney Corner Mural is complete
Work has been completed on the repainting of the Sweney Corner mural at Main and Broadway in Salem. Bernie Gietl of Carlinville was hired to complete the project after being recommended by the origina...
Oct 22, 2026 Repainting of the Sweney Corner mural in progress. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
St. Louis man accused of Metro East massage parlor arsons
A 36-year-old St. Louis man is facing a federal charge for allegedly setting fire to two massage parlors in the Metro East. Quentin Hanks was charged via complaint with one count of arson. U.S. Attorn...
Oct 22, 2026
South Central School Board approves school maintenance grant to help pay for new roof on middle school
The South Central School Board has voted to submit a state maintenance grant to help pay for the reroofing of the Middle School. Superintendent Sara Rose says the state is guaranteeing the $50,000 mat...
Oct 22, 2026
Fourth candidate files for two year unexpired city council seat in Centralia
A fourth candidate has filed for the two-year unexpired term on the Centralia City Council that will be up for election in April. Richard Neikes, who owns Colden Brewery in downtown Centralia, joins P...
Oct 22, 2026
Kinmundy man dies after falling through skylight on maintenance building
Marion County Coroner Claude Howell says an 80-year-old Kinmundy man fell to his death on Wednesday at a maintenance building on Hotze Road north of Salem. Howell pronounced William Hawkey dead at the...
Oct 22, 2026
Salem now has contested race for two open city council seats
Three candidates have now filed for the two open seats on the Salem City Council. Incumbent Craig Morton and appointed councilman Royce Bringwald have both filed their nomination petitions along with ...
Oct 22, 2026
Police Beat for Thursday, October 22nd, 2026
Area police departments arrested three on outstanding out of county warrants on Thursday. Marion County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 22-year-old Jacob Miller of South Pine in Salem was arrested on a Cl...
Oct 22, 2026
Stratton, Tracy clash over Trump, affordability in lone U.S. Senate forum
by Brenden Moore, Capitol News Illinois October 21, 2026 Article Summary Gov. Juliana Stratton vowed to serve as a check on President Donald Trump, while Republican Don Tracy largely defended the pres...
Oct 22, 2026 Democrat Juliana Stratton and Republican Don Tracy, the state’s major-party candidates for U.S. Senate. (Capitol News Illinois photos by Jerry Nowicki)
