Category Archives: Local News
Balloon Fest opens Friday afternoon; continues through Sunday
Balloon Fest opens at its new location in Fairview Park at three Friday afternoon. The Centralia High School Band and Choir will perform at the opening ceremony at 3:30 pm. The evening balloon flight ...
Aug 21, 2026 Balloons going up in Fairview Park Thursday evening. Photo by Pat Hodges.
Continental Tire breaks ground on $76-million warehouse in Mt. Vernon
Continental Tire broke ground on its new $76-million warehouse expansion at its Mt. Vernon facility on Thursday. The project announced in May will cover an area larger than six football fields and wil...
Aug 21, 2026 One of the current production areas of Continental Tire.
Amazon set to expand drone delivery of lightweight packages to 500 US cities
By JOSH FUNK AP Business Writer Millions more people may be able to get smaller, lightweight Amazon packages delivered by drones by the end of the year under a plan the company announced Wednesday to ...
Aug 20, 2026 FILE - An Amazon company logo marks the facade of a building, March 18, 2022, in Schoenefeld near Berlin. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn, File)
Crew training held ahead of Balloon Fest
Crew training for this year's Balloon Fest was held on Wednesday evening, led by local pilot Kevin Hinzman. Crew members were instructed on safety gear, equipment care, chase and landing protocols, an...
Aug 20, 2026 Balloon Fest crew volunteers receive instructions from pilot Kevin Hinzman at crew training in Foundation Park. Photo by Pat Hodges.
Marion County Sheriff not to seek re-election; to reopen Penny's Cafe in Iuka
Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps has announced he has withdrawn from the ballot to run for re-election for sheriff in the November election and will instead retire at the end of his current term on ...
Aug 20, 2026 File photo: Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
South Central School District using new options to expand offerings
The South Central School Board was told Wednesday night a new program is allowing 40 students to take Spanish online this year since the district no longer has a Spanish teacher. Superintendent Sara R...
Aug 20, 2026 South Central FFA gives a presentation at Wednesday night's school board meeting. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Salem man injured in eastside Centralia crash
A 68-year-old Salem man was injured in a single vehicle crash in the 1700 block of East McCord Street in Centralia Wednesday morning. Initial information from Centralia Police indicates Larry Mouser o...
Aug 20, 2026
In Illinois, Warren urges Democrats to unite behind all party nominees
by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois August 19, 2026 Article Summary Massachusetts Sen. Elizabeth Warren delivered the keynote address at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs' Association annual b...
Aug 20, 2026 U.S. Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-Massachusetts, gestures during her speech at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association brunch on Aug. 19, 2026, in Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Illinois Democrats focused on Trump as they seek third sweep of statewide races
by Ben Szalinski and Brenden Moore, Capitol News Illinois August 19, 2026 Article Summary Democrats slammed President Donald Trump as their common enemy during State Fair festivities in Springfield on...
Aug 20, 2026 Gov. JB Pritzker, right, is joined by his running mate Christian Mitchell on stage at the Illinois Democratic County Chairs’ Association brunch in Springfield on Aug. 19, 2026. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
Remains of two people identified from grave of unidentified victim of 1971 Tonti Train Wreck (last update 8 am Thursday)
Two people whose partial remains had gone unidentified since the 1971 Tonti train wreck have been identified as mother and daughter, 35-year-old Katherine Marcelin Adams and her three-year-old daughte...
Aug 20, 2026 Screenshot
