Category Archives: Local News
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
Hawley re-appointed chairman of Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees
By Steven Stilt The Kaskaskia College Board of Trustees swore in three of its members to new terms during Monday night's meeting, and voted to maintain the board's current leadership structure. Truste...
Apr 29, 2025 (From left) Bill Hawley, Linda Stover, and Craig Finke take the oath of office for new terms as Kaskaskia College trustees on Monday evening. Photo by Steven Stilt.
Centralia welcomes new recreation coordinator
The Centralia City Council welcomed Eli Cox as the new recreation coordinator for the city of Centralia at Monday night's council meeting. Cox, who previously worked for four years at the Clinton Coun...
Apr 29, 2025 Centralia recreation coordinator Eli Cox. Photo by Austin Williams.
Police Beat for Tuesday, April 29th, 2025
Centralia Police arrested 25-year-old Rayveion Crosby-Daniels for alleged domestic battery, criminal damage to property and theft. Crosby-Daniels told police he was homeless. He was taken to the Mario...
Apr 29, 2025
More than 1600 left without power after severe thunderstorm crosses Marion County
Ameren Illinois is reporting 1,600 lost power, mostly in the Centralia area when a fast-moving severe thunderstorm crossed Marion County around eight Tuesday morning. At 11:15 Tuesday morning, there w...
Apr 29, 2025
Salem Chamber Award Gala honors several businesses and individuals
The Salem Chamber of Commerce Award Gala honored a number of businesses and individuals for their work in the community on Saturday. A special award was presented to Produce Plus for all the help they...
Apr 28, 2025 Salem Chamber President Siretha Howe presents the Chamber's Partner in Progress Award to Little Egypt CEO Malory Crouse. Salem Community High School CEO student Kellen Bolen provided the music for the evening through the business he started through the program. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
