Category Archives: Local News
Police Beat for Saturday, December 20th, 2025
Centralia Police arrested 32-year-old Brandon Marcum of Pullen Street in Centralia for alleged domestic battery. He was taken to the Marion County Jail. 56-year-old Kerri Dowell, who said he was homel...
Dec 20, 2025
Centralia band directors to march in Rose Parade
Centralia High School band director Stephanie Aarons-Dennison and Centralia Junior High School band director Brittany McFall will march alongside 350 band directors in the Pasadena Tournament of Roses...
Dec 20, 2025
Local churches to put on "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols"
A traditional "Festival of Nine Lessons and Carols" will be held on Saturday at St. Thomas Episcopal Church in Salem. The festival consists of nine readings from scripture which represent the broad ar...
Dec 19, 2025 David Geitgey Sierralupe / CC
Justice Department sues for access to Illinois voter rolls
by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois December 18, 2025 Article Summary The Trump administration is seeking access to the state's complete, unredacted voter registration database, including sensitiv...
Dec 19, 2025 The Paul Findley Federal Courthouse is pictured in Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois file photo by Hannah Meisel)
Accountability Commission hears testimony about excessive force by ICE agents. Felt like a 'war zone'
by Maggie Dougherty, Capitol News Illinois December 18, 2025 Article Summary The Illinois Accountability Commission held its first public meeting Thursday to review and document misconduct of federal ...
Dec 19, 2025 Illinois Accountability Commission Chair Judge Rubén Castillo, Vice Chair Patricia Brown Holmes and Commissioner Susan Gzesh listen to public comments at the Dec. 18 commission meeting. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Maggie Dougherty)
Greater Salem Area Chamber of Commerce executive director resigns
The Executive Director of the Greater Salem Area Chamber of Commerce has resigned. Chamber President Siretha Howe says Jessiycka Coleman has made the decision to step back and focus on her own busines...
Dec 19, 2025
Marion County Supervisor of Assessments announces retirement
Marion County Supervisor of Assessments Mark Miller has announced he will retire at the end of 2026 after serving as Marion County Supervisor of Assessments for 10 years. Miller says he is releasing h...
Dec 19, 2025 Marion County Supervisor of Assessments Mark Miller.
Odin Village Board gets clean audit and sets 2.79 percent tax levy increase
The Odin Village Board Thursday night approved a 2.79 percent property tax levy increase over last year's collections. Mayor Greg Smith says the village expects to collect $63,305 in property taxes th...
Dec 19, 2025 Odin Village Hall (credit: Odin Village Hall Facebook page)
Centralia High School approves annual audit and tax levy
The Centralia High School Board approved a 4.99% tax levy, staying below the threshold for requiring a Truth in Taxation hearing. Superintendent Chuck Lane noted that even though the district is raisi...
Dec 19, 2025
Flatbed semi truck overturns when missing driveway on Green Street Road
Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says the driver of a flat bed semi was not hurt when his rig overturned after the rear wheels missed a driveway on the Green Street Road a half mile west of the Odin...
Dec 19, 2025
