Judge Mark Stedelin Wednesday afternoon sentenced Ricky Norwood of Centralia to the maximum 20-year prison term for second-degree murder. He was found guilty in May by a Marion County Jury of the reduced murder charge in the August 2015 shooting death of Dustin Rhynes of Centralia. The original first-degree murder conviction reached in 2023 was thrown out due to misconduct by one of the jurors who had done their own investigation into the case while the trial was ongoing. State's Attorney ...

Mt. Vernon Police say two more people have been arrested in connection with the July 27th shooting that killed two and injured five others. 25-year-old Davonta Boyd of Mt. Vernon was arrested for aggravated discharge of a firearm. Dequan Hopkins of Wayne City was arrested for aggravated discharge of a firearm and unlawful possession of a firearm by a repeat offender. Police say the arrests are the result of a continued investigation and search warrants conducted on Wednesday. Mt. Vernon Poli...

SPRINGFIELD - State fairgoers can get a deal on camping at any Illinois state park or historic site with a campground through the end of the year in honor of the Illinois Department of Natural Resources' 100th anniversary in 2025. Visitors to Conservation World at the Illinois State Fair can stop by the Illinois State Parks: A Century of Fun tent to pick up a coupon good for one free night of camping at any Illinois Department of Natural Resources (IDNR) site with the purchase of at least one...

Marion County Treasurer Gary Purcell is reminding everyone the due date for the 2025 Mobile Home Tax Bills is Tuesday, August 12th, to avoid late charges. Payments can be made at local banks and credit unions. You can also pay by mail, provided they are postmarked by August 12th. A drop box for payments is located on the west side of the courthouse. Online Credit/Debit card payments and checking account ACH payments can be made at ILmarion.com. The treasurer's office at the courthouse is ...

The City of Centralia issued 58 building permits in July, 39 of them for rooftop solar arrays. There were no new home or commercial construction projects. Thirty of the solar arrays were at homes in the Hickory Meadows Subdivision. Permits were also issued for three wheelchair ramps to be installed free of charge by Mission Centralia, five portable sheds, three fences and four signs. The total cost of the building projects is $688,264. Two demolition permits were issued during the month. On...

A 28-year-old Salem man has been arrested on four charges after allegedly discharging a gun during a neighborhood dispute near Maplewood and Sycamore Streets just north of Salem late Thursday night. Marion County Sheriff Kevin Cripps says Alexander Brown of Maplewood Avenue allegedly pulled the firearm and pointed the gun in the area of a dog before discharging. No one was struck or injured. Brown was identified by those in the area as the person who fired the gun. Cripps says a person in a...

Centralia Police arrested a 26-year-old Centralia man for aggravated battery following an altercation with a person giving him a ride. Oslo White of Saddler Street allegedly refused to get out of the car when arriving at an address on Lincoln Street where he had requested to be dropped off. He allegedly struck the female driver several times with a closed fist. The victim drove herself to SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia for treatment. The hospital notified police of the incident...

Illinois State Police have arrested 18-year-old Stephen McCary of East Kell in Centralia for unlawful possession of a weapon and possession of a stolen firearm. Marion County Sheriff's Deputies arrested 34-year-old Charles Glick of Salem for battery. Glick reportedly struck an employee at a CILA home in the Salem area. Sandoval Police arrested 62-year-old Raydene Engquist of South Mulberry in Sandoval for alleged domestic battery following an incident at her home. Centralia Police arrested t...