The Second Annual Salem Community Easter Meal is set for this Saturday. The free meal will be at the Grace United Methodist Church at 116 East Schwartz Street from ten to noon. Chris Watkins of Saved with Amazing Grace says you are invited to dine in and have fellowship with others attending the dinner, or you can carry out or request delivery. "We never know how many will show up, but we're ready for a large amount every year," Watkins said. "We're expecting anywhere from 700 ...

Both drivers were injured in a Wednesday morning crash on Illinois Route 161 west of I-57 near the entrance to Biggies. Marion County Sheriff's Deputies say 50-year-old Sheryl Watwood of Kingshighway in Kinmundy was westbound on Route 161 when she pulled to the shoulder in preparation for making a left turn. She was blinded by the sun when pulling back across the highway and didn't see an approaching westbound car driven by 21-year-old Lexie Draper of Deerwood Mobile Home Park in Centralia. ...

The Marion County Sheriff's Department is seeking a maroon minivan that struck a bicyclist Tuesday night on the Selmaville Road and failed to stop. Initial reports indicate 27-year-old Jenna Phillips of East McCord in Centralia was traveling southbound on the white line of the Selmaville Road near Lowery Lane when the passing van truck the bike. The impact was severe enough to break a mirror off the van. The van was last seen traveling southbound on the Selmaville Road. Phillips was transp...

The Kaskaskia College Welding Program recently hosted its 2026 Annual High School Welding Competition at the Harry L. Crisp Manufacturing and Trades Center, welcoming 51 skilled student welders from across the region for three days of hands-on competition. Students representing Salem, Nashville, Okawville, New Approach, Odin, Sandoval, Mulberry Grove, Carlyle, Breese Central, Centralia, and Greenville High Schools participated in the annual event, demonstrating their welding knowledge and tec...

The Franklin Park Middle School in Salem has collected 9,162 items in their recent two-week food drive to benefit the Salem Ministerial Alliance Food Pantry. Carol Ann Short at the food pantry welcomed the donation. "Franklin Park did an amazing job," Short said. "They collected all kinds of fruit and vegetables. It was so nice whenever they helped us line them up against the wall. We could see this great selection, just like you were in a grocery store. I know that we had gues...

Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps and State's Attorney Tim Hudspeth say Marion County residents are unfairly paying the cost of placement mistakes by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services. The two county officials say the expenses center around a juvenile placed by DCFS at the One Hope United facility in Centralia in March of last year and kept there despite multiple arrests and delays in a sentencing hearing because DCFS is not prepared to proceed. The 17-year-old is awai...

At Monday night's meeting, the Centralia City Council proclaimed the month of April as Sexual Assault Awareness month in partnership with SAFE Crisis Center to raise awareness and promote advocacy for victims of sexual assault and child abuse. Members and partners of SAFE were present at the meeting to share the organization's plans for April with the community. Jessica Palazzolo, coordinator for the Marion County Child Abuse Prevention Coalition, said there will be two community walks for aw...

The Centralia City Council has approved the sale of the Centralia animal control facility to Marion County. The county will pay the city $160,000 for the 2.5 acres of property. As part of the transaction, Centralia has entered into an intergovernmental agreement with Marion County to pay $30,000 for animal control service and enforcement in 2026, $15,000 in 2027 and $15,000 in 2028. The purpose of the payments is to support Marion County scaling up its animal control to be able to cover Cent...