Category Archives: Local News
State awards over $10 million to Southern Illinois Healthcare Cancer Institute
Infrastructure funding helps expand cancer treatment in far southern Illinois By COLE LONGCOR Capitol News Illinois clongcor@capitolnewsillinois.com A $10 million state grant will help complete an exp...
Jan 12, 2024 Governor Pritzker announcing award at Southern Illinois Healthcare. (Capitol News Illinois)
Kaskaskia College gets $525,000 grant to 'rev up' electric vehicle training
Kaskaskia College has received a $525,000 state grant to support the growing electric vehicle industry in Illinois. The money is part of $ 9.4 million being awarded to 25 community colleges in a compe...
Jan 12, 2024 Assistant Professor of Engineering Michael Geiger (left) and Assistant Professor of Automotive Tech Chuck DeBernardi show off an electric vehicle at Kaskaskia College during an earlier Manufacturing Celebration.
Knights of Columbus plan coat giveaway at St. Teresa's in Salem
The Knights of Columbus will hold their first-ever coat giveaway at the St. Teresa Catholic Church Parish Center on West Main and Ohio Streets in Salem on Saturday. Kids, women's, and men's coats will...
Jan 12, 2024
BCMW awards nine $1,000 scholarships to students
The Social Service Agency BCMW has awarded nine $1,000 scholarships this year through the education component of the Community Services Block Grant Program for the 2023-2024 academic years. The Marion...
Jan 12, 2024
Fire damages southeast side Salem home
A smoldering fire between the first and second floors of a southeast Salem home was discovered Thursday morning when one of the children stepped through the floor. Fortunately, Assistant Fire Chief Bi...
Jan 11, 2024 Salem Firemen remove damaged contents from a home on South Washington Street following a fire confined to the floor of the second story. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Former New Baden First Grade Teacher Admits to Asking Minors for Explicit Images on Snapchat
A former New Baden elementary school teacher pleaded guilty in federal court Thursday to soliciting child sexual abuse material (CSAM) from minors. 25-year-old Jonathan C. Villmer, Jr., of New Baden, ...
Jan 11, 2024
Washington County Sheriff's Department completes $500,000 drug bust on I-64
The Washington County Sheriff's Department is reporting a $500,000 drug bust on I-64. The bust came after a deputy and his K-9 partner made a traffic stop on eastbound I-64 near Okawville around the 4...
Jan 11, 2024 Washington County Deputy Andrew Howard with his canine Luna with the seized drugs from an I-64 traffic stop near Okawville. (Washington County Sheriff's Office Facebook Page)
Police Beat for Thursday, January 11th, 2024
A 28-year-old Centralia man has been arrested by Centralia Police for aggravated domestic battery. Anthony Hernandez of North Hickory was taken to the Marion County Jail to await a decision on formal ...
Jan 11, 2024
Marion County Fair Queen competing for state title this weekend
Marion County Fair Queen Kaitlyn Banning of Salem will compete for the Miss Illinois Fair County Queen 2024 title in Springfield this weekend. Banning is in Springfield Thursday for practices ahead of...
Jan 11, 2024 Marion County Fair Queen Kaitlyn Banning.
Centralia Community Youth Center seeks 2024 Wall of Honor nominees
The Centralia Community Youth Center is seeking nominations for the 2024 class of the Wall of Honor. Nomination forms are available at the Youth Center on East Rexford. They must be returned by five p...
Jan 11, 2024 Marva Bledsoe is earlier inducted into the Wall of Honor by Centralia Community Youth Center Board member Todd Gilespie. Photo by Bruce Kropp.