The Evergreen Christian Church in Salem is undergoing half a million dollars' worth of expansion on a new 12,000 square foot multipurpose facility. The new facility will include a 5,000 square foot gymnasium, a brand new kitchen, foyer, storage space, classrooms, and a covered porch. The pastor of Evergreen Christian Church, Shannon Bopp, explains the new opportunities the youth will have with the new building. "Really, one of the reasons were building it is that we don't have a lot of y...

The Iuka Park BBQ Cook Off is happening this Saturday, June 21st With the sampling beginning at noon with wings, the event will have a $225 entry fee for cook-off teams. Public arm bands for sampling are $15, which include 1 chicken flat or drum, 1 rib bone, and 1 oz of pulled pork from each team. Homemade ice cream and drinks are sold separately. The grand champion will receive a $500 prize, and there will be prizes for the top three teams for each meat. For more information or to submit an ...

The Daffy-Dill Garden Club is holding their second Annual Festival of Flowers and Statue Garden Walk on Saturday, June 21st, from 9 am-3 pm. This event will showcase the garden of flowers by the Bryan Memorial Statue, including a guided tour showing the evolution of the park and the plants that have been planted there. Daffy-Dill Garden Club Member, Carrisa Coffie, expresses her appreciation for the club members and its garden. "The women who do this work hard, and we do more than just t...

Water and sewer rates in Sandoval are going up three percent on July 1st. The minimum water bill for in-town residents will now be $21.04 per month with the minimum sewer bill increasing to $10.37. Each additional thousand gallons of water will cost $8.47 and the cost for additional sewage service will be $7.79. The minimum water rates for out-of-town residents will be $24.24 and minimum sewer rates will jump to $12.70. The increase covers the 18-cent per one-thousand-gallon jump in pr...

The Sandoval Village Board plans to crack down on juveniles who are making people afraid to be at the village park. The group is reportedly firing Orbies with frozen pellets sometimes containing bleach around those at the ballgames. The frozen pellets are much more painful, and the bleach has caused stains on clothing and vehicles. Sandoval Police Chief Joe Lyons says as police locate the guns they are being seized and those involved placed on a dusk curfew. The board also complained about ...

A 32-year-old rural Odin man has been charged with 19 criminal offenses, including two Class X aggravated criminal sexual assault charges in connection with an incident last September in Wamac involving one female victim. David Bosler of Norton Road had initially been charged with six misdemeanor domestic battery counts before interviews had been completed with the victim on the sexual assault. Those will be dropped since they are included in ten new domestic battery counts. Other charges i...

Marion County Sheriff's Deputies have arrested 45-year-old Thomas McCarthy of Hotze Road in Salem for alleged domestic battery. Centralia Police arrested 27-year-old Jamaad Gardner of East Hausler in Centralia for domestic battery. 45-year-old Crystal Berkel of Eldorado was arrested in Saline County on an outstanding Marion County no bond felony failure to appear warrant. She has been transported to the Marion County Jail. 27-year-old William Rose of South Cherry in Centralia was arrested by...

There is a chance of thunderstorms through tonight. The National Weather Service says a few of these could be severe, particularly over southeast Missouri and southwest Illinois. The main threat will be damaging winds, with large hail and tornadoes also possible. After the storms move out, extreme hot weather and humidity move in Thursday through Tuesday. Afternoon heat indexes over 100 degrees will be possible over parts of the area from Friday through Monday. Actual air temperatures will ...