by Molly Parker and SI Source, Capitol News Illinois November 5, 2026 Article Summary Austin L. Knoob, 33, of Carbondale, has been in federal custody since Aug. 14, when he was arrested and charged by criminal complaint following an investigation that began in the FBI's Boston office. Knoob faces 10 felony charges in a superseding indictment returned by a federal grand jury this week. The allegations involve four minors. Prior charges against Knoob identified only one minor. He has pleaded no...

by Brenden Moore and Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois November 5, 2026 Article Summary House Speaker Emanuel "Chris" Welch issued a statement Thursday afternoon saying he will not seek another term as speaker. Twenty-six House Democrats signed a letter opposing another term of leadership for Welch. Several of the members told Capitol News Illinois they had concerns about his handling of sexual harassment allegations among members and his overall management of the caucus. The 26 ...

Salem resident and U.S. Army veteran Leonard Newcomb received $5,000 on Wednesday as the Illinois winner of Thrive Dispensaries' third annual Help on the Homefront campaign, which helps eligible veterans offset housing costs or vital home improvements. From July through October, Illinois community members submitted entries on behalf of themselves or eligible veterans, sharing their stories of service and how they would use the funds. Newcomb was presented with the check at Thrive Dispensary i...

by Ben Szalinski, Capitol News Illinois November 4, 2026 Article Summary JB Pritzker released a 200-point policy plan on Wednesday he wants the new Democrat-controlled Congress to take up. The plan is aimed at reversing many Trump administration policies that Pritzker believes harms Illinois. The plan's introduction comes as many political observers speculate Pritzker is considering running for president. He declined to offer any timeline for making a decision. This summary was written by the...

A national touring display of the American Revolutionary War Experience is in Salem now through November 19th. The Salem and Centralia chapters of Daughters of the American Revolution both applied to receive the display from the national organization and then elected to work together to bring the display to the area. The honorary Regent of the Isaac Hull Chapter of the DAR, Judy Beyers, says there is a lot of interesting information that should be of interest to students and adults. "The...

The Salem Community Thanksgiving Dinner has been set. It will be held on Saturday, November 14th, at the Salem Apostolic Church at Mills Cart and Airport Road. The dinners are available for everyone, with takeout, drive-thru and indoor seating options. Chris Watkins who is coordinating the dinner for SWAG, the Apostolics of Salem, and the Odd Fellows Lodge says it costs about $3,000 to put on the meal and they are in need of donations to cover the cost. "We're going to have either turk...

By JOSH KELETY Associated Press Authorities on Wednesday were still trying to piece together how an escaped Tennessee prisoner convicted of murder evaded capture for more than a week before being tracked down hundreds of miles away in Missouri. Jacob Morley, who was serving a life sentence for killing a co-worker four years ago, was apprehended Tuesday near Kansas City, Missouri, authorities said. Morley was found after troopers used roadside cameras and a helicopter to track him down and his...

A 51-year-old Vernon woman has been sentenced to four years probation and 90 days in the Marion County Jail for arson. Misty Podergois of Farthing Road had been found guilty of the charge by a Marion County Court Jury in June. State's Attorney Tim Hudspeth said at the time of the trial that video showed Potergois standing next to the truck in her sister's drive way in the 100 block of East 16th on March 15, 2022 when it caught fire and then became engulfed in flames. She didn't deny being th...