Centralia Police arrested a 24-year-old Centralia man for domestic battery. Toby Boughers of Fairway Drive was taken to the Marion County Jail to await a first court appearance on Monday. Centralia Police arrested 38-year-old Amanda Casner of South Vincent in Salem on an outstanding Marion County felony no-bond failure-to-appear warrant and a no-bond Clinton County misdemeanor failure-to-appear warrant. Centralia Police arrested 34-year-old Walter Mancinelli, who told them he was homeless, o...

Bill filed after Taylorville student was assaulted on bus By BEN SZALINSKI Capitol News Illinois bszalinski@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary The Illinois Senate advanced a bill that would ensure students who commit sexually violent crimes can be expelled from school. The bill filed by Sen. Steve McClure, R-Springfield, was in response to an incident in Taylorville where a girl was sexually assaulted by an older, male student on the bus. The proposal received strong support in the Senat...

A fire of unknown cause heavily damaged a Salem home Saturday morning. Salem Fire Chief Jim Cerny says the fire was at the Rocky Robinette home at 420 South Franklin. Firemen could see smoke coming from the home as they left the fire station several blocks away. "When I got there, they already had two lines pulled and were already putting water in the northwest corner, first floor, and second floor. They got it knocked down pretty quickly. It started in the northwest corner, but it ...

Continental has announced plans to construct a new, highly automated finished-goods warehouse in Mount Vernon, Illinois. The company plans to invest approximately $76 million in the project. The facility is designed primarily to meet the growing demand in North America while enhancing service levels and customer support. Covering an area larger than six American football fields, the warehouse will have capacity for approximately 500,000 passenger car tires. Construction is expected to start i...

A 38-year-old South Central High School teacher has been arrested for grooming and traveling to meet a minor. Shane Lother of Edgewood Road was taken into custody at his home on Friday afternoon by Kinmundy and Salem Police. South Central School Superintendent Kerry Herdes, in a release to parents, said they became aware of allegations of possible inappropriate relations between a student and a high school teacher on February 26th. The teacher was immediately placed on administrative leave, ...

The charges - alleging abuse to at least eight students from 2013 to 2015 - stem from a tip the FBI first received in 2024. By JACKSON BRANDHORST Saluki Reporting Lab jbrandhorst@dailyegyptian.com and MOLLY PARKER Capitol News Illinois mparker@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary John Wakey, an assistant football coach and teacher in Carterville, in deep southern Illinois, has been arrested on nine counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. A tip in the case came to the FBI in late 2024,...

Marion County Coroner Claude Howell has released the name of the 19-year-old Salem man killed in a one-vehicle crash Thursday night on Cross Road just west of Robin Road southeast of Salem. Howell pronounced Alexander Tate dead on the scene. He died from blunt force trauma. Howell says the vehicle apparently left the roadway, struck a power pole, and then rolled several times before the driver was thrown out. Alexander was the only one in the vehicle. State Police are investigating the cr...

Postal carriers in Salem, Centralia, Mt. Vernon, and Flora will join city carriers around the country in picking up food this Saturday in the annual Stamp Out Hunger drive. Those who want to help need to leave healthy, non-perishable food at their mailboxes, and the carriers will do the rest. While cards about the drive were not sent out to rural customers, the carriers on the rural routes in Salem and Centralia plan to pick up food as well. If you are missed or have a post office box, you ...

A 38-year-old South Central High School teacher has been arrested for grooming and traveling to meet a minor. Shane Lother of Edgewood Road was taken into custody at his home on Friday afternoon by Kinmundy and Salem Police. South Central School Superintendent Kerry Herdes, in a release to parents, said they became aware of allegations of possible inappropriate relations between a student and a high school teacher on February 26th. The teacher was immediately placed on administrative leave, ...

The charges - alleging abuse to at least eight students from 2013 to 2015 - stem from a tip the FBI first received in 2024. By JACKSON BRANDHORST Saluki Reporting Lab jbrandhorst@dailyegyptian.com and MOLLY PARKER Capitol News Illinois mparker@capitolnewsillinois.com Article Summary John Wakey, an assistant football coach and teacher in Carterville, in deep southern Illinois, has been arrested on nine counts of aggravated criminal sexual abuse. A tip in the case came to the FBI in late 2024,...

Marion County Coroner Claude Howell has released the name of the 19-year-old Salem man killed in a one-vehicle crash Thursday night on Cross Road just west of Robin Road southeast of Salem. Howell pronounced Alexander Tate dead on the scene. He died from blunt force trauma. Howell says the vehicle apparently left the roadway, struck a power pole, and then rolled several times before the driver was thrown out. Alexander was the only one in the vehicle. State Police are investigating the cr...

Postal carriers in Salem, Centralia, Mt. Vernon, and Flora will join city carriers around the country in picking up food this Saturday in the annual Stamp Out Hunger drive. Those who want to help need to leave healthy, non-perishable food at their mailboxes, and the carriers will do the rest. While cards about the drive were not sent out to rural customers, the carriers on the rural routes in Salem and Centralia plan to pick up food as well. If you are missed or have a post office box, you ...

by Jenna Schweikert and UIS Public Affairs Reporting (PAR), Capitol News Illinois May 7, 2026 Article Summary In an annual May ceremony, friends, family and supporters of law enforcement honored two Illinois police officers who died in the line of duty in 2025. The event included a squad car processional and interfaith church service, ending in a ceremony at the Illinois Police Officers Memorial outside the state capitol. Seven historic honorees and one K-9 historic honoree were also included...

A combined art show and band/chorus concert was held Thursday night at Salem Community High School. The show gave art students a chance to show off their best work of the year and for the band and chorus to show off their talent. Senior Art Student Laci Harrell of Salem was displaying her drawing that took fourth place in Congressman Mike Bost's art competition and will soon be on display at his Effingham office. "I don't really do faces, so I'm not used to it," Harrell said. "...

Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says a 25-year-old Salem man died last Saturday from an accidental shooting that had occurred at his home earlier in the day. The sheriff's department was called to the home of Matthew Billingsley on Hotze Road where he apparently was shot in the abdomen by a pistol he was placing into a concealed carry holder. Cripps says Billingsley was preparing to leave the home at the time. Billingsley was initially taken to Salem Township Hospital and later transferre...

A 21-year-old Salem woman has been charged with aggravated battery to a police officer and resisting/obstructing a police officer following an early Thursday morning traffic stop. Jordyn Chapman of Woodland Drive allegedly kicked a Salem Police officer in the chest and then fought getting into the squad car after being arrested for driving under the influence. Salem Police say they had received a report of a reckless driver when Chapman's car veered into the lane of a Salem Police Officer goi...