Category Archives: Local News
Salem man hurt in Monday crash on Route 161 east of Centralia
A 51-year-old Salem man was injured when his car ran off Route 161 west of the Zion Hill Road east of Centralia during the noon hour Monday. State Police are now releasing additional preliminary infor...
May 30, 2025
Illinois program tries to rid people of medical debt, but for many help comes too late
The day before Christmas eve in 2023, Andrew Ciaccio was up all night trying to soothe his stomach pains. When he woke, he could barely sit up. Something was wrong. "It was pretty intense," he recalle...
May 30, 2025
Pritzker to consider bill mandating gun owners lock up firearms near minors
by Jade Aubrey and UIS Public Affairs Reporting (PAR), Capitol News Illinois May 29, 2025 SPRINGFIELD - A bill that would require gun owners to keep any firearms in a locked box whenever a minor is pr...
May 30, 2025
Pritzker threatens to veto any budget containing 'broad-based' tax increase
by Ben Szalinski and Jerry Nowicki, Capitol News Illinois May 28, 2025 SPRINGFIELD - Gov. JB Pritzker said Wednesday he will not sign a budget that includes broad tax hikes to fund new spending as law...
May 30, 2025
Apostolic Christian Academy Awards Night & Graduation
Apostolic Christian Academy held their Awards Night & Graduation on Thursday, May 22. Congratulations to Kindergarten graduates: Joelle Burner Mason Green Jaxon Grover Amira Hayes Lucas Smith Jax ...
May 30, 2025
Centralia Police Department announces 'Click It or Ticket' campaign numbers
The Centralia Police Department's Lieutenant Steve Whritenour announced that it issued 38 citations during the Memorial Day "Click It or Ticket" enforcement period. Whritenour explains, "Through the M...
May 29, 2025 Michael Sheehan / CC
Matt Donoho named Salem Community High School Foundation Teacher of the Year
An English teacher at Salem Community High School has been named the school's Academic Foundation Teacher of the Year. Superintendent Dr. Brad Detering announced Matt Donoho had won the annual award a...
May 29, 2025 SCHS Teacher of the Year Matt Donoho (left) receives a gift from Don Decker of the Academic Foundation (right). Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Bids to go out on Salem Township Hospital OR-ER renovation next Friday
Progress continues to be made on the $17 million Salem Township Hospital emergency and operating room renovation and expansion. Hospital CEO James Timpe hopes new construction work will be underway by...
May 29, 2025
Abandoned mobile home in Wamac destroyed by fire
An abandoned mobile home in Wamac that had been on fire several years ago burned again on Wednesday afternoon. The fire was at 109 Apple Street. All that is left now is a pile of ruble. The Centralia ...
May 29, 2025 Abandoned Wamac mobile home destroyed by fire. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
Bill would require police training for sexual assault, conflicts of interest
by Jade Aubrey and UIS Public Affairs Reporting (PAR), Capitol News Illinois May 27, 2025 SPRINGFIELD - Illinois police officers soon could be required to undergo trauma-informed sexual assault traini...
May 29, 2025 State Sen. Mary Edly-Allen is pictured on the Senate floor on Wednesday, May 21, 2025. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jerry Nowicki)
