Category Archives: Local News
State education board OKs $10.9B budget request
by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois January 14, 2026 Article Summary The Illinois State Board of Education is seeking only a modest increase in funding next year in light of uncertainty about futu...
Jan 15, 2026 The Illinois State Board of Education’s headquarters is pictured in Springfield. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)
Labor, voting rights groups intervene in Illinois voter data lawsuit
by Peter Hancock, Capitol News Illinois January 13, 2026 Article Summary The U.S. Department of Justice is seeking access to the state's complete, unredacted voter registration database, including sen...
Jan 14, 2026 A voting booth is pictured in Sangamon County. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Campbell)
Greenview Golf Course undergoing major upgrade
The Greenview Golf Course in Centralia will undergo a million dollars in improvements over the next three years. Owner Steve Whritenour took the major step to hire Turf Guru of St. Louis to complete t...
Jan 14, 2026 miflippo / Depositphotos.com
Wamac home heavily damage in fire
A Wamac home and an RV parked outside were heavily damaged by fire early Wednesday morning. Centralia Fire Protection District Chief Ross Boshera says the initial call was to an RV on fire at the home...
Jan 14, 2026
Autopsy planned to determine cause of death of two-month-old Salem female infant
Marion County Coroner Claude Howell says an autopsy is planned Wednesday for a two-month-old female infant that was pronounced dead shortly after arriving at the Salem Township Hospital Emergency Room...
Jan 14, 2026
Police Beat for Wednesday, January 14th, 2026
A 39-year-old Salem man has been arrested by Salem Police for domestic battery. Police say they were called to the home of Brandon Starr on North Jefferson after an argument was reported outside the r...
Jan 14, 2026
Centralia City Schools to replace copy machines
The Centralia City Schools Board of Education approved a 60-month lease agreement with WATTS for replacement of outdated copy machines in the school district. The district's current copy machines were...
Jan 14, 2026
Lawsuit puts Illinois on offensive against 'menacing' immigration raids
by Brenden Moore, Capitol News Illinois January 12, 2026 Article Summary Illinois filed a 103-page lawsuit that seeks to severely limit federal immigration agents' authority to execute the types of ag...
Jan 13, 2026 Border Patrol Commander Gregory Bovino gets into a truck after he was called to testify in a hearing in Chicago in October. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
One person burned in flash fire that destroyed barn in rural Kinmundy
One person was burned in a flash fire that destroyed a barn in rural Kinmundy late Monday afternoon. Kinmundy-Alma Fire Chief Kevin Day says Trevor Robins was using a cooker inside the barn at 7110 Me...
Jan 13, 2026 liz west / CC
SSM Health announces completion of phase II solar projects in Mt. Vernon and Centralia
SSM Health has announced major progress in its sustainability initiatives with the completion of Phase II solar energy projects at SSM Health Good Samaritan Hospital in Mt. Vernon and the soon-to-be-c...
Jan 13, 2026
