'ComEd Four' defendants set for sentencing more than 2 years after convictions By HANNAH MEISEL Capitol News Illinois hmeisel@capitolnewsillinois.com Article summary Longtime Springfield lobbyist Mike McClain, who spent decades as a close friend and advisor to former Illinois House Speaker Michael Madigan, is scheduled for sentencing later this month as part of separate hearings for the "ComEd Four" beginning next week. McClain and his co-defendants were convicted in 2023 for their...

Zachery Meyer has announced he is running as a candidate for the State Representative in Illinois' 109th District election. Meyer is challenging the incumbent representative, Charlie Meier, in the March, 2026, Primary. Meyer is a lifelong resident of Southern Illinois, and is an attorney, professor, and a small business owner. Meyer explains, "After years of watching Springfield ignore the needs of downstate Illinois, I'm stepping up to bring real leadership, accountability, and common s...

The eight pm curfew for those 16 and under without a parent in Kinmundy has apparently worked in solving a vandalism problem with kids as young as eight in the community. Police Chief Joe Duffy says after the board created the curfew ordinance at its meeting last month, there has not been a single vandalism issue. "The parents are involved, and now that we have the parents out there with the children, when their out past curfew, their being held accountable for the kids actions. That has...

The City of Kinmundy will handle their own video gaming licensing beginning January first. Mayor Angie Diss says since they have not had an ordinance in the past, the two gaming facilities had to go through the state for licensing. As part of the new ordinance, video gaming facilities will have to pay $100 per machine per year. The board was told the gaming company providing the machines will pick up half the cost. The Kinmundy Board agreed to purchase an enclosed carport to park the city pol...

Centralia City Firemen say quick action by a homeowner likely kept a gas leak from turning into a major fire at the home early Thursday night. Firemen say after a flash fire had occurred at the point of the gas leak, James Felton of 230 South Maple quickly got the gas turned off the house ending the fire threat. Firemen checked the rest of the gas lines in the house for any other problems. The fire call came in at 5:13 Thursday afternoon.

Central City Police arrested 32-year-old Steven Bishop of South College Street in Salem for alleged domestic battery. He was taken to the Marion County Jail.

Electricity was out for up to three hours in parts of Northern Marion and Eastern Fayette County Friday morning. Ameren Illinois Spokesperson Brian Bretsch reports just over 2,000 customers were left without power beginning around five am when a piece of equipment malfunctioned in the Avena Township substation in Fayette County. Communities impacted by the electric outage were Laclede, St. Elmo, Kinmundy, Edgewood, Alma, St. Peter, Farina and Iola. Bretsch says the final customers received po...

A 32-year-old Centralia man has been arrested on 72 criminal and traffic charges following a high speed chase that reached 60 miles per hour in Sandoval and crossed the Sandoval Golf Course early Wednesday evening. Nathan Hale of North Hickory was able to get away when Sandoval Police did not follow Hale across the golf course after the chase left town on the old railroad right of way and crashed to a gate to get into the golf course. A number of police agencies were called to try and locate ...