Category Archives: Local News
Police beat for Friday, June 16th, 2023
Central City Police have arrested 19-year-old Demarcus Funchess of Carbondale for felony theft. Police report the theft of cash took place in April, but Funchess was just located by Centralia Police o...
Jun 16, 2023
Salem man found guilty of four counts of predatory criminal sexual assault; faces 24 to 240 years in prison
A 27-year-old Salem man has been found guilty by Judge Mark Stedelin in a bench trial on four Class X felony charges of predatory criminal sexual assault of a child. Devon Q. Gibbs faces between 24 an...
Jun 16, 2023
Marion County property tax bills in the mail; collecting $2.2-million more this year
The Marion County Treasurer's office has mailed the 2022 payable 2023 Real Estate Tax Bills. Treasurer Gary Purcell says the total amount to be collected this year is $ 42 million, 819-thousand dollar...
Jun 16, 2023 DonkeyHotey / CC
Jobs up...unemployment down in May
Jobs were up and the unemployment rate was down last month in Illinois. Good news for May says State Department of Employment Security Acting Director Ray Marchiori. "This is the 8th consecutive month...
Jun 16, 2023 Innov8social / CC
Free Wi-Fi turned on at Marion County Courthouse
There is now free Wi-Fi on the Marion County Courthouse square during courthouse hours. Marion County Circuit Clerk Tiffany Schicker says the service is being provided through a grant. "You can bring ...
Jun 16, 2023
Centralia celebrates Juneteenth Saturday in Laura Leake Park
Centralia will celebrate Juneteenth on Saturday in Laura Leake Park. Activities will begin at one Saturday afternoon with a ribbon cutting for the park improvements and the announcement of another imp...
Jun 16, 2023 Centralia City Council presents Juneteenth proclamation to members of the Juneteenth committee. Left to right are Councilmen Izzy Fontanez, Jeff Castellari, and Rob Jackson, committee members Timothia Reid, Marla Webster and Julius Flagg, and Councilwoman Barri Allen. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
Downtown Salem Historic Farmers Market returns for summer on Saturday
The Downtown Salem Historic Farmers Market will open for the summer season on Saturday in the parking lot of the Benjamin Edwards building in the 200 block of West Main Street. Becky Timmerman says al...
Jun 16, 2023 A scene from the 2022 Historic Downtown Salem Farmer's Market.
Centralia man airlifted to St. Louis hospital following Gragg Street crash
A 20-year-old Centralia man was airlifted by Air Evac Medical Helicopter to a St. Louis hospital following a single-vehicle crash in the 1100 block of Gragg Street late Thursday afternoon. Centralia P...
Jun 16, 2023
Former Salem Community High School student pleads guilty to school fight that sent another student to the hospital
An 18-year-old former student at Salem Community High School has pleaded guilty to a reduced misdemeanor battery charge in connection with a fight at Salem Community High School last October that sent...
Jun 16, 2023
16 percent of Marion County and 65 percent of Illinois now in drought status
The weekly US Drought Monitor update on Thursday reports 16 percent of Marion County is now in the moderate drought category and the rest of the county is listed as abnormally dry. The area falling in...
Jun 16, 2023