Category Archives: Local News
First Community Easter Dinner Deemed A Success
Nearly 2,000 meals were served at the first ever Salem Community Easter Dinner on Saturday. SWAG combined with the Grace United Methodist Church to put on the dinner. The organizer of SWAG Chris Watki...
Apr 21, 2025 File photo: Dinner is served at the first Community Easter Dinner at Grace United Methodist Church. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Four Menomonie, Wisconsin, Residents Killed in Plane Crash South of Mattoon
The Coles County Coroner has released the names of the four people killed in a small single plane crash three miles south of Mattoon Saturday morning. They are all from Menomonie, Wisconsin are identi...
Apr 21, 2025 Vovashevchuk / Depositphotos.com
Salem's new Police Chief starts work
Salem's new Police Chief will be officially sworn in at Monday night's city council meeting. A meet and greet with Todd Boles is scheduled for 5:30 at City Hall, ahead of the council meeting at six. B...
Apr 21, 2025 Salem Police Chief Todd Boles.
More Details Released on Fatal Motorcycle-SUV Crash in Centralia (updated 2pm Monday)
A 51-year-old Centralia woman was pronounced dead at the scene of an SUV-motorcycle crash on the east side of Centralia Sunday afternoon. Marion County Coroner Claude Howell identified the victim as E...
Apr 21, 2025 stockhouse / Depositphotos.com
Salem Community Theatre mystery resolved ahead of renovation
The Salem Theatre Board took up the carpeting inside the theatre during a work day on Saturday ahead of the major renovation that includes new seats, which is set to begin on July 20th. Chair Drew Joh...
Apr 21, 2025 Wood aisle floors at the Salem Community Theatre. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Latest line of severe thunderstorms lose intensity over Marion County
The latest line of severe thunderstorms lost intensity as it moved over South Central Illinois late Sunday night. Due to rotation in the upper clouds, the National Weather Service issued tornado warni...
Apr 21, 2025 File photo
Police Beat for Monday, April 21st, 2025
A 27-year-old Charleston man has been arrested by Illinois State Police for possession of a stolen motor vehicle. Presley Randolph was taken to the Marion County Jail. 55-year-old Rex Rose of South Lo...
Apr 21, 2025
Small plane crash nearl Charleston kills all 4 on board
Trilla, Ill. (AP) - A single-engine plane crashed in a field in central Illinois on Saturday, killing all four people on board. Coles County Coroner Ed Schniers said the victims were two women and two...
Apr 20, 2025
More rain and potential for severe weather late Sunday afternoon and evening
After a break from the rain for most of the day Sunday, the National Weather Service says another round of heavy rain and potential severe weather is possible between five pm and midnight Sunday. Most...
Apr 20, 2025
Police Beat for Sunday, April 20th, 2025
Centralia Police arrested 40-year-old Kyle Roe of South Cherry in Centralia for disorderly conduct. He was brought to the Marion County Jail. Two others remain in the Marion County Jail following Satu...
Apr 20, 2025
