LATEST NEWS

The Marion County Sheriff’s Department has arrested 55-year-old Mary Travis of the 3500 block of Tonti Road in rural Salem for criminal damage to property after she allegedly set a neighbor’s trampoline on fire. Sheriff’s officials say the fire was part of an on-going dispute between the two. Travis was taken to the Marion County Jail.

A U.S. District judge sentenced a man from Texas to 57 months in federal prison after he admitted to transporting a kilogram of cocaine to Illinois. In addition to the prison sentence, 28-year-old Henry Garcia-Blanco, of Irving, Texas, will serve three years of supervised release. In late 2021, DEA agents...

A 25-year-old St. Peter woman has pleaded guilty in Marion County Court to a charge of aggravated unlawful use of weapons. Haley Sarchet admitted having an uncased, loaded, and immediately assessable gun not on her property and without a FOID card. She was placed on two years probation, ordered to...

EAST ST. LOUIS — A U.S. District judge for Southern Illinois sentenced a 28-year-old Texas man to nearly five years in federal prison after he admitted to transporting a kilogram of cocaine to Illinois. In addition to the prison sentence, Henry Garcia-Blanco, of Irving, Texas, will serve three years...

The long wait is over as Dollar General officially opened its doors in Kinmundy on Friday. Mayor Angie Diss says the 10,000-square-foot store went up quickly with construction starting in March but was a year and a half in planning. “It’s awesome. We have been trying to attract businesses to...

Joyce Ann Olmsted, 74, of Salem, passed away at 8:19 p.m., Thursday, June 1, 2023, in Patoka. She was born November 14, 1948, in Jefferson County, Illinois, the daughter of L.C. and Nona Mae (Simmons) Eller. On November 20, 1971, in Marion County, Illinois, she married Lloyd Olmsted, and he survives in Salem.

May weather was warmer and drier than normal in Illinois as parts of South Central Illinois fall into the abnormally dry category. In Salem, the water treatment plant reported 3.94 inches of rain, with 1.8 inches of that amount coming on one day May 8th. That brings the total for the first five months of the year to 19.62 inches. Both are under last year’s totals when 6.23 inches of rain fell in May and 22.15 inches of precipitation had fallen for the year to date.

Illinois State Police have released more details on a Tuesday night motorcycle crash on Route 37 at Cartter Road south of Salem. Preliminary information indicates the motorcyclist, 39-year-old Brian Schwartz of Irvington, and the operator of the John Deere Sprayer were traveling southbound on Route 37 near Cartter Road. The crash occurred when Schwartz passed the sprayer in a no-passing zone, went off the roadway into the ditch, and then came back onto the pavement before losing control and laying down the cycle near the Cartter Road intersection.

John Thomas Williams Jr., age 67, of St. Elmo, Illinois passed away at 10:04 a.m. Thursday, June 1, 2023 at St. Anthony Memorial Hospital. There will be a private memorial service at a later date. Memorials may go to the donor’s choice. Online condolences may be expressed at www.pagelfuneralhome.com.

The Effingham County Chamber celebrates the opening of new businesses or locations and welcomes new Chamber members with ribbon cuttings, new member pictures, and other events and activities. Enduring Freedom Ministries (EFM) in a non-profit, Christian organization located at 304 Southwest Street in Shumway, IL. EFM offers free services like...

SHELBYVILLE, Ill. (WCIA) — The Spillway Recreation Area at Lake Shelbyville will be closed for maintenance to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic beginning starting June 7, Lake Shelbyville officials announced. Officials said these closures are necessary to provide safety for workers and members of the general public while work is being conducted. They said the […]

Effingham City Police arrested 27 year old Isabella Gardner of Beecher City for domestic battery. Isabella was taken to the Effingham County Jail. Effingham City Police arrested 38 year old Derrick Morrell of Effingham for domestic battery. Derrick was taken to the Effingham County Jail. Altamont Police arrested 34 year...

(EFFINGHAM) The Illinois State Police Troop 9 has announced the results of Occupant Restraint Enforcement Patrols held in four area counties last month in May. Here’s a look at the combined results as Troopers checked drivers to make sure they are buckled up :. RICHLAND AND WHITE COUNTIES. *...

ST. LOUIS — It’s race week in the area as NASCAR is back for the second straight year. World Wide Technology Raceway in Madison hosts the Enjoy Illinois 300 NASCAR Cup Series race, meaning some of NASCAR’s biggest stars are in town. That includes Kyle Larson, who has a person on his staff with a […]

EFFINGHAM, Ill. (WCIA) — Four people were hurt in Effingham on Wednesday during a multi-vehicle crash on Interstate 57, State Police officials said. The crash happened around 5:16 p.m. on northbound I-57, just before the exit to U.S. Route 45. Officials said at least four vehicles were involved. Three of the drivers were hospitalized locally […]

The Spillway Recreation Area at Lake Shelbyville will be closed for maintenance June 7th to June 16th. The closure applies to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. These closures are necessary to provide safety for workers and members of the general public while work is being conducted. The closure is a result of performing periodic maintenance, milling the road surface and asphalting.

Allen Duane Huffman 62, of rural Neoga, Illinois passed away Monday May 29, 2023 in Neoga Twp., Illinois. He was born December 24, 1960 in Cando, North Dakota the son of James O. And Frances (Gartner) Huffman. Mr. Huffman was formerly married to Jill McKenna of Neoga, Illinois. Allen was a heavy equipment operator for Howell Asphalt of Mattoon, Illinois. He was member of the Heavy Equipment Operators Local 841.

Plans have been announced for the Second Annual ‘The Big Baldridge and Bonfire Music Festival’ in downtown Patoka. Drew Baldridge is excited about the line for the festival that has been set for Saturday, October 14th. “We have Diamond Rio coming with us which I think is awesome....

In men’s softball scored from Bryan Park, Pennington Chevrolet beat El Rancherito 16-3, El Ranch then lost to Iuka State Bank 14-4.