Salem Police have released details on the arrest of 24-year-old Mason Becker of Julia Drive in Salem early Saturday morning for motor vehicle theft. Police say Becker had gone to a relative's home on Kell Street asking for a ride, and after he was told not now, he reportedly took a vehicle belonging to a visitor and left the area. Marion County Sheriff's Deputies made contact with Becker after receiving a request to remove him from a home on Old Salem Road in rural Kell. He arrested only on...

The Centralia City Council on Monday night will be asked to approve its budget for the fiscal year beginning January 1st and the tax levy for next year's property tax bills. The budget is balanced and has total expenses of $31.9 million. City Manager Galen Mahle is recommending the tax levy remain the same since the city will be getting revenue from a new half-cent sales tax. The council will be asked to approve a resolution to hire Milano and Grunloh Engineers LLC to perform preliminary eng...

The St. Clare Foundation, a new nonprofit based in Centralia, has announced grants that will be available to local nonprofit organizations to help address youth mental health and substance abuse issues. The foundation's executive director, Clare Kessler, says that support is needed now more than ever. "Going back for the last ten to twenty, years, if you look at local community health needs assessment data, among the top needs in our area is all-around behavioral health," Kessler sa...

The Kell area was without power overnight following a one-car wreck near the intersection of Route 37 and Route 161 south of Salem late Saturday night. The Marion County Sheriff's Department reports a car driven by 25-year-old David Muench of Third Street in Centralia ran into a power pole, breaking it, and knocking down a power line near the bridge on the south side of Route 161. Muench was able to get out of the vehicle on his own and declined hospital treatment. In all, about 422 lost ele...

Marion County was on the south end of a major snowstorm that crossed the northern two-thirds of Illinois on Saturday. The Salem Water Plant recorded 2.5 inches of snow, while Chicago received eight inches, and Mt. Vernon received less than a half inch. The snow caused several crashes and vehicles to run off the road in Marion County. The sheriff's department reports US 50 was closed to traffic for two hours in the Skillet Fork Bottoms after a car and a semi ran off the road, avoiding each o...

Centralia Police arrested a 47-year-old Centralia man on multiple weapons charges on Saturday. Marcus Burke of Hickory Meadows was taken to the Marion County Jail for alleged possession of a weapon by a felon, possession of a weapon without a FOID card, and unlawful use of a weapon. Centralia Police arrested 33-year-old Lacie Linden of Choteau Avenue in Odin on a no-bond felony failure to appear warrant. Marion County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 34-year-old Forest Donaldson of Florida Street...

The ICC approved a $73 million rate increase for the utility By MAGGIE DOUGHERTY Capitol News Illinois mdougherty@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary Following the ICC's approval of a $73 million rate increase for Ameren, the company's residential customers can expect to see an average $3.65 increase on their monthly bills starting in January. This compares to $4.25 a month for customers of Nicor, the state's largest gas utility. Ameren says its natural gas storage fields allow it to d...

The Marion County Board has voted to approve a $13,452,049 budget with a 2.9-percent property tax levy increase and a new 1-percent state mandate levy to fund a county veterans commission. The decision came at a special meeting on Friday to get the budget passed before the county's new fiscal year begins on Monday, December 1st. The initial vote did not pass by the required two-thirds majority, but Brock Waggoner changed his initial no vote to yes to allow for passage by a nine-to-three ma...