Category Archives: Uncategorized
Balloon Fest 2025 Car Show Results
The following are the results of the 2025 Balloon Fest Car Show. Best Car - Karen Bierman, 1957 Nash Metropolitan Best Truck - Greg Tate, 1955 Chevy 3100 Best Paint - Tom Wernsman, 1939 Ford Ca...
Aug 19, 2025 Award winners at this year's Balloon Fest car show take a group photo. Photo by Austin Williams.
Balloon Fest draws crowds despite hot weather
Balloon Fest endured the hot humid weather over the weekend as all events went off as scheduled. Chamber of Commerce Executive Director Marcus Holland feels the event was a success despite the tempera...
Aug 19, 2025 Crowds by Catfish Pond watch the Balloon Glow on Saturday. Photo by Pat Hodges.
Balloon Fest Saturday features flight and glow despite weather concerns
The threat of bad weather slowed but did not stop activities at Centralia Balloon Fest on Saturday. With light rain showers and nearby thunderstorms in the afternoon, pilots were uncertain for some ti...
Aug 17, 2025 Despite the warm temperatures, the crowd at Foundation Park was treated to a colorful balloon glow with reflections off Catfish Pond. Photo by Pat Hodges.
Texas GOP chairman calls Illinois a winnable 'purple state'
Republicans recruiting candidates and trying to hone message ahead of 2026 elections By PETER HANCOCK Capitol News Illinois phancock@capitolnewsillinois.com Story summary: Texas Republican Party Chair...
Aug 16, 2025 Texas GOP Chair Abraham George addresses Illinois Republicans at a party breakfast Thursday in Springfield ahead of the Illinois State Fair. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Peter Hancock)
Salem Aquatic Center Plans Special Promotions for Final Weekend
Some special promotions are planned for the final two days of operation of the Salem Aquatic Center this Saturday and Sunday. Salem Recreation Director Jed Casburn says the normal $7 admission charge ...
Aug 08, 2025
Salem centenarian receives Key to the City
Mayor Nic Farley presented Salem resident Charles Waller with the Key to the City on his 100th birthday, July 25, 2025. Farley says Waller was very excited and appreciative but more excited he was goi...
Aug 04, 2025 Charles Waller presented with Key to the City for his 100th birthday by Mayor Nic Farley.
Fire destroys standalone garage in Central City
Fire destroyed a standalone garage and two cars at 235 North Morrisson in Central City on Thursday morning. Flames were already coming through the roof when firefighters arrived. One car parked inside...
Aug 01, 2025 Centralia Fire Protection District responds to the garage fire on N Morrison. Photo by Tim Ferguson.
Alexsys Hammond wins Marion County Senior Showmanship Award
Two days of large animal judging concluded at the Marion County Fairgrounds on Sunday afternoon with the naming of the county's Senior Showmanship Award winner. The winner selected from the six finali...
Jul 28, 2025 Marion County Showmanship Junior winner Ashton Borcherding and senior winner Alexis Hammond. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
'You preferred secrecy and lies': Madigan confidant gets 2 years for role in ComEd bribery scheme
Longtime lobbyist and friend to ex-speaker sentenced after 2023 convictions By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Mike McClain, who spent decades as on...
Jul 26, 2025 Longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain, a former close friend and advisor to ex-Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, leaves the Dirksen Federal Courthouse on Thursday, July 24, after receiving a two-year prison sentence. McClain was convicted in 2023’s “ComEd Four” trial in which McClain and other lobbyists and executives for electric utility Commonwealth Edison were found guilty of having orchestrated a yearslong bribery scheme targeted at Madigan. (Capitol News Illinois photo by Andrew Adams)
Centralia Veterans Fourth of July Parade Draws 40 Entries and Good Crowd (corrected 7-9-25)
The 14th Annual Centralia Veterans Fourth of July Parade drew 40 entries and a crowd along the parade route Friday afternoon. The parade included five floats, a number of decorated golf carts, emergen...
Jul 04, 2025 Centralia Masonic Lodge #201 'Honoring the Brave' took 1st in Patriotic. Photo by Bruce Kropp.
