Category Archives: Local News

Illinois interstate shootings decrease for fourth straight year with zero fatal shootings in 2025
For the fourth year in a row, the number of shootings on Illinois interstates has dropped. The Illinois State Police (ISP) is reporting interstate shootings statewide decreased 31% in 2025, compared t...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026

Parts of two bodies found in casket of unknown victim of Tonti Train Wreck
There were parts of two bodies removed from a casket of an unknown victim of the Amtrak train wreck at Tonti. The person coordinating the effort to identify the unknown person, Henry Morton, says DNA ...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026 File photo: The casket containing the partial remains of the unknown victim of the 1971 Tonti Train wreck was removed from the ground ln June 2025. Photo by Cole Wimberly.

Get Covered Illinois gives residents more time to enroll in health insurance, deadline now January 31
Get Covered Illinois announced today that it is giving residents an additional 16 days to enroll in health insurance through the state's official marketplace. Customers now have until January 31 to ap...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026

Centralia Native Dr. Tron Young to Highlight Dr. Martin Luther King Program at Kaskaskia College
Kaskaskia College will host a public lecture and student workshop featuring Tron Young, educator, motivational speaker, and school leader, on Tuesday, January 20, 2026, as part of the College's Martin...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026

State Police release details on East Main Street crash in Salem
State Police have released further details on the Friday night crash on East Main Street near Lackey Street that resulted in eight injuries and five were eventually transported by medical helicopter t...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026

Three injured Sunday afternoon in crash on south side of Centralia
Three people were injured in a crash at the US 51 turnaround north of Walnut Hill Road on the south side of Centralia Sunday afternoon. Centralia Police Lieutenant Steve Whritenour says a van driven b...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026

One person hurt in Vernon fire
One person was injured in a fire in Vernon early Monday morning. Patoka Fire Chief Blake Hyde says the fire was in a two car garage that was converted into a residence at 124 North Elm west of Joyce's...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026 File photo: Patoka fire truck.
Police Beat for Monday, January 12th, 2026
Centralia Police arrested a 27-year-old Centralia woman on Sunday on a no bond failure to appear felony warrant. Markesha Reed of South Sycamore was taken to the Marion County Jail to await court acti...
Austin Williams Jan 12, 2026

Centralia City Council Monday Night to Deal with Animal Pound, Street, and Drainage Improvements
The Centralia City Council Monday night will be asked to consider a Memorandum of Understanding that would allow the Marion County Board to take over the Centralia animal pound as the new county facil...
Bruce Kropp Jan 12, 2026

Salem Police Department Names Officer and Telecommunicator of the Year
The Salem Police Department has named its officer and telecommunicator of the year. Chief Todd Boles presented Ian King with the Officer of the Year Award and Emily Meador-Day with the Telecommunicato...
Bruce Kropp Jan 11, 2026 Salem Police Sergeant Ian King is 2025 Officer of the Year and Emily Meador-Day is 2025 Telecommunicator of the Year.
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