Category Archives: Local News
Marion County mobile home tax bills mailed
The Marion County Treasurer has announced the 2025 Mobile Home Tax Bills mailing. 1,649 Mobile Home Privilege Tax bills are being mailed, down from 1,700 last year, with a total amount due of $142,939...
Apr 30, 2025 File photo: Marion County Courthouse.
Driver of deadly crash at after-school camp is a former State Police employee
by Beth Hundsdorfer and Jade Aubrey, Capitol News Illinois April 29, 2025 CHATHAM - The driver of a vehicle involved in a deadly crash Monday at an after-school program formerly worked for the Illinoi...
Apr 30, 2025 Tracks through a farmer’s field show the path of a black Jeep that hit a building housing an after-school program in Chatham. The Jeep was driven by Marianne Akers, a former employee of the Illinois State Police. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Jade Aubrey)
Salem Lions Club seeking donations for post prom
The Salem Lions Club is seeking donations for the Salem Community High School Post Prom early Saturday morning. Retired Salem High Athletic Director Scott Steward remains involved because he feels the...
Apr 30, 2025 Salem Lions Club members taking part in Post Prom 2022.
Centralia man arrested on child pornography charges
A 39-year-old Centralia man has been arrested for a Class X felony charge of Production of Child Pornography and multiple Class 2 felony charges of possession of child pornography. Lucas Connaway of N...
Apr 30, 2025
Centralia man sentenced to prison for theft of air conditioner units
A 36-year-old Centralia man has been sentenced to three years in prison after pleading guilty in Marion County Court to felony theft of air conditioning units from a West Second Street address last Ju...
Apr 30, 2025
Barn and apartment destroyed by fire west of Mt. Vernon
A barn that contained an apartment on the Richard Jones property at 10099 East Richview Road west of Mt. Vernon was heavily damaged by fire Tuesday morning. Jefferson Fire officials say the 30 by 40 f...
Apr 30, 2025
Heavy rains and severe storms cross South Central Illinois
Two lines of severe thunderstorms pushed through South Central Illinois on Tuesday bringing considerable rain and flooding in low lying areas. The Salem Water Plant recorded 2.41 inches of rain and th...
Apr 30, 2025 Storm damage to a home on Meadow Lane off Raccoon Lake. Photo by PJ Norville
$771,263 grant awarded to start work on Hoffman-Hart Building renovation
Re:purpose Development has been awarded a $771,263 state Community Revitalization Grant to begin work on restoration of the Hoffman-Hart building on 122 East Broadway in downtown Centralia. Mindy-Kuhl...
Apr 29, 2025 Hoffman Hart building. Photo by Pat Hodges.
Police say driver likely did not target after-school camp in crash that killed 3 kids and 1 teen
By JOHN O'CONNOR Associated Press CHATHAM, Ill. (AP) - Three young children and a teenager were killed when a car barreled through a building used for an after-school camp in central Illinois, but aut...
Apr 29, 2025 Jennifer Walston, 43, hugs daughter Lexi Walston, 6, while sisters Briley Walston, 9 and Madison Foster, 10, place flowers and stuffed animals at the site where several were killed Monday, when a car barreled through a building used for an after-school camp in Chatham, Ill., on Tuesday, April 29, 2025. (AP Photo/John O'Connor)
Kaskaskia College Board welcomes new student trustee
The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees saluted its outgoing student trustee at Monday night's meeting and welcomed the board's student trustee for the 2025-2026 school year. Board Chairman Bill Hawle...
Apr 29, 2025 Meagan Mahlandt (left) shakes hands with Kaskaskia College Board Chairman Bill Hawley after being sworn in as student trustee on Monday. Photo by Steven Stilt
