A 39-year-old Central City woman has been charged in Marion County Court on Tuesday with six counts of aggravated battery. Leann Harding of Richmond Heights Mobile Home Park is accused of striking three EMTs, two police officers, and a fireman on Monday night. Centralia Police Lieutenant Steve Whritenour says emergency help was initially called to the 400 block of North Cherry, where a female was found lying unconscious in the ditch. As Harding was being treated, she allegedly became angry ...

An 18-year-old Central City woman escaped serious injury when her car left the 3400 block of Iuka Road and overturned Monday evening. The Marion County Sheriff's Department reports Jayden Kelly of East Marvin swerved to miss an opossum, overcorrected, struck the roadside ditch, overturned on the side of the road, and came to a stop on the right side of the ditch. Kelly was out of her vehicle when emergency helped arrived and declined medical treatment. The vehicle sustained substantial damag...

A machine shed has been destroyed in Alma. Kinmundy-Alma Fire Chief Kevin Day says the 30 by 40 foot pole barn on the Mary Shuler property at 609 Illinois was fully engulfed upon their arrival. The roof fell in a short time later. Day says the cause of the fire has not been determined. The building was full of clothing and household items. No other buildings were threatened. The fire was discovered at 12:10 Tuesday morning. Firemen were on the scene for about two hours.

One person was injured in a rear end crash on Elm Street at the Broadway Street crossing in Centralia Monday morning. Centralia Police say 23-year-old Jacob Little of East Second in Centralia was stopped at the red light when he was struck in the rear by a car driven by 60-year-old Patricia Salisbury of Poplar Street in Centralia. Salisbury was injured and transported to SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital by Lifestar Ambulance. She was also ticketed for failure to reduce speed to avoid an accid...

A 64-year-old Centralia woman escaped with only minor injuries after her car ran off North Poplar and hit a power pole near Haussler Street. Centralia Police say the impact caused the power pole to break and the live power lines to fall across the car driven by Cassandra Hapke of West McCord Street. She got out of the car before emergency help arrived. She complained of pain to her chest and left hand. Hapke indicated she would seek treatment on her own. The crash occurred at 8:30 Sunday ...

A 58-year-old Centralia man has been arrested by Salem Police for violation of the sex offender registration act and failure to report an address change. Roger Johnston of North College was released on a notice to appear in court. 48-year-old Robert Salyers of North Beech in Centralia was arrested by Centralia Police on a no bond Marion County misdemeanor warrant. 42-year-old Katie Davita-Gaudet of Yards Road in Salem was arrested by Salem Police on a Clinton County felony failure to appear ...

Marion County Board Chair Steve Whritenour expects a merger of the Marion County, Salem, and Centralia Emergency Management Agencies. He told the county board talks have been underway with Salem and Centralia City Officials to bring the agencies together. "We're finding ways that we can save a little bit of money here and a little bit of money there," Whritenour said. "Having that under one umbrella versus three, it's not a done deal yet. We're still fine-tuning some things, bu...

Great attendance was reported at all the Christmas weekend events in Salem. An estimated 300 began the weekend on Friday at the Christmas Carnival at the Salem Community Center playing a number of activities put together by businesses and organization. Santa's arrival on Sweney Corner, which was the highlight of Saturday's Christmas on Broadway brought out more participants than ever before. Salem Recreation Director Jed Casburn watched the block long line to meet Santa and then receive a ...