Category Archives: Local News
Little Miss Candidates announced for Junior Miss competition
There will be Little Miss candidates in both the Marion County Queen and Junior Miss Competition again this year. They perform a dance, then have a crowning moment and receive a tiara and scepter. The...
Jul 22, 2026
Salem Mayor gives an update on effort to identify unknown person from 1971 Tonti Train wreck
Salem Mayor Nic Farley read a statement at the end of Monday's city council meeting updating the effort to identify the unknown person buried in East Lawn Cemetery following the 1971 Tonti train wreck...
Jul 21, 2026 File photo: Gravestone of the unidentified Tonti Train Wreck victim at East Lawn Cemetery. Photo by Henry Morton.
The Salem City Council Approves Voluntary Leave Transfer Program
The Salem City Council has approved a voluntary leave transfer program. Mayor Nic Farley sees a lot of value in the program. "The employees will be able to donate to a bank within their department tha...
Jul 21, 2026
Salem High School Board gets update on summer projects
Salem Community High School Superintendant Dr. Brad Detering provided an update to the school board Monday night on summer construction projects. He reports all but one should be completed before the ...
Jul 21, 2026
Centralia Dry Cleaner Back in Operation Following June Explosion
A Centralia dry cleaning business is back in full operation after a new $90,000 dry-cleaning machine was installed on Monday. The co-owner of Fleming Cleaners at 903 North Poplar, Virgilia Detering, h...
Jul 21, 2026 Front of the business
More details released on fire last week on Clinmar in Centralia
The owner of a home at 115 Clinmar in Centralia that was heavily damaged in a fire last week has provided more information on those living in the home at the time of the blaze. While Centralia City Fi...
Jul 21, 2026 Centralia City Fire Truck. File Photo.
FDA Recall Announcement says Illinois lettuce recall related to Walmart Marketside products
The Food and Drug Administration recall of Taylor Farms iceberg lettuce products to Illinois and 26 other states is related to their distribution to Walmart Stores. The products are Marketside Iceberg...
Jul 21, 2026 wolterke / Depositphotos.com
Another area Hardee's has closed
Hardee's has closed its second restaurant in Mt. Vernon. Signage posted outside the Hardee's at 4333 Broadway just off I-57 indicated the closing. Hardee's had closed its second restaurant in Mt. Vern...
Jul 21, 2026
Sandoval Superintendent Absent from School Board Meeting
Sandoval Superintendent Matt Dannaman was not in attendance at the regular school board meeting on Monday, where his continued role with the district was called into question due to an ongoing investi...
Jul 21, 2026 Sandoval Junior-Senior High School. Photo from District website.
Lake Centralia algaecide treatment scheduled for Thursday
With the warm air and water temperatures, the City of Centralia will once again be applying a commercial algaecide known as EarthTec at Lake Centralia on Thursday July 23rd to prevent growth of nuisan...
Jul 20, 2026 alexeys / Depositphotos.com
