Category Archives: Local News
State Senator Jason Plummer holding Town Hall Meeting in Salem Monday
State Senator Jason Plummer will hold an end of session town hall event on Monday in Salem to provide residents with an update on recent legislative activity from the 2026 spring season. The Town Hall...
Jun 11, 2026 File photo: State Senator Jason Plummer speaks at Reagan Day Dinner in Salem.
Police Beat for Thursday, June 11th, 2026
A 57-year-old Carbondale man, Kerry Dowell, was arrested in Pinckneyville and transported back to the Marion County Jail on a Marion County felony no bond failure to appear warrant. Salem Police arres...
Jun 11, 2026
Damaging storms hit Northern and Central Illinois
Damaging storms swept through the Midwest, knocking out power to hundreds of thousands of customers and causing more than a thousand flight delays or cancellations at Chicago airports with more potent...
Jun 11, 2026 Grounds crew remove water from the field after severe thunderstorms came through the Chicago area before a baseball game between the Chicago White Sox and the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, June 10, 2026, in Chicago. (AP Photo/David Banks)
Local FFA Members Honored at State Convention with American and Illinois FFA Degrees
A number of local FFA members were honored for completion of their American and Illinois State FFA degrees at the state FFA convention being held this week in Springfield. Winning the American FFA deg...
Jun 11, 2026
Marion County Board to Consider Drone Package for Emergency Management Agency
The Marion County Board's Law Enforcement Committee on Tuesday night voted to recommend to the full county board at its June 23rd meeting that the newly reformed Emergency Management Agency be allowed...
Jun 10, 2026 Andrew Strong speaks to the Marion County Board Law Enforcement Committee. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Marion County Highway Engineer Concerned About Leaning Radio Tower
Marion County Highway Engineer Alex Kreke is concerned about the radio tower at the highway garage that is now leaning towards one of their buildings and has had one of its guy wire supports break. Kr...
Jun 10, 2026 File photo: Marion County Courthouse.
Improvements Continue to be made at Marion County Animal Pound
Marion County Animal Control Officer Whitney Purcell says improvement work is underway at the county's new animal control facility on Woods Lane in Centralia. She told the County Board's Community Com...
Jun 10, 2026
Woman who ran into Lincoln Liquors building arrested for DUI
A Centralia woman who allegedly ran into the side of the Lincoln Liquors building at East Broadway and South Lincoln in Centralia early Monday night has been arrested for driving under the influence. ...
Jun 10, 2026
Dry Cleaning Machine Explodes inside Flemming Cleaners; One minor Injury Reported
A dry cleaning machine exploded late Tuesday morning at Fleming Cleaners at 903 North Poplar in Centralia. Centralia Fire Chief Blake Perez says debris, including the front door of the machine, flew a...
Jun 10, 2026 Centralia City Fire Truck. File Photo.
Truck Cab Destroyed in Fire on I-57 near Dix
The cab of a semi-truck was destroyed by fire while traveling on I-57 at mile marker 103 near Dix Monday morning. Jefferson Fire officials say the driver was able to pull to the side of the road and g...
Jun 10, 2026
