Williamson County social worker pleads not guilty

Southern Illinois Has 8 Small-Town Diners Worth The Long Drive For Breakfast Alone

Some of the best mornings start with a plain little building you almost drive right past. You walk in hungry, grab a booth, and suddenly the bacon, biscuits, and coffee turn an ordinary trip into a story you keep telling. Southern Illinois is full of these quiet breakfast spots, tucked...

Southern Illinois schools earn Exemplary ratings on 2026 Illinois Report Card

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (KBSI) — Several Southern Illinois schools have earned the state’s highest overall designation on the 2026 Illinois Report Card. Carterville High School, Tri-C Elementary School, Giant City School and Vienna High School were among the schools receiving an Exemplary designation. The report cards, released Oct. 30,...

These 10 Under-The-Radar Illinois Thrift Shops Keep Bargain Hunters Digging For Hours

Paperback books for a quarter each. Three full floors of secondhand stuff stacked inside an old house. A charity shop where your purchase helps pay vet bills for rescue dogs. I could stop right there and you’d probably already be reaching for your car keys. Illinois has a sneaky habit of hiding its best bargains in plain sight, from a former warehouse to a grocery-and-thrift combo.

Three Southern Illinois counties vote on proposal to form new state separate from Cook County

SOUTHERN ILLINOIS (KBSI) – Voters in three Southern Illinois counties are weighing in Tuesday on whether their county leaders should explore forming a new state separate from Cook County. Saline, Hamilton and Gallatin counties have advisory questions on their Nov. 3 general election ballots asking whether county officials should...

Johnson County voters weigh in on future of historic courthouse restoration

JOHNSON COUNTY, Ill. (KBSI) – The future of Johnson County’s historic courthouse is back in the hands of voters as residents consider whether county leaders should continue pursuing funding to restore the condemned building. The courthouse was evacuated in 2023 after a serious structural problem raised concerns about...

Anthony Decker elected next Marion County Sheriff

Marion County voters have selected Anthony Decker as their next sheriff. Unofficial vote tallies show Decker finishing election night with 8,061 votes. Cody Rose is anticipated to have gathered most of the 3,839 write-in votes cast. Decker thanked his supporters. “I’m just grateful and humbled by the amount of support...

Salem Army Veteran receives $5,000 at Thrive Mount Vernon

MOUNT VERNON, Ill. (KBSI) — Leonard Newcomb and his wife have four children and three bedrooms. They’re looking to sell their current home and buy one with more room. Now, a $5,000 check could help with the down payment. Newcomb, a U.S. Army veteran, is the Illinois winner...

Election Day live: Southern Illinois voters decide on local, statewide elections

A voter in Eldorado, Illinois, Kaylynn Owens, casted a democratic vote this midterm. “If we don’t, then who is choosing for us?” Owens said. Owens, working in a school district in Saline County, said she voted ‘no’ for the Property Tax Extension Limitation Law. PTELL is an Illinois law that limits the amount of how much local property taxes can go up.

Marion County Board remains all Republican, but will have five new members following Tuesday election

The Marion County Board will remain all Republican as two Democratic candidates lost in their attempts to break the strong hold. In District 3, appointed board member Josh Dunahee beat Democrat Kerry Hodge 1,721 to 818 votes. In District 5, the two Republicans running for the two open seats were...

Doody poised for reelection as campaign supporters celebrate in Anna

Despite the heavy rain pouring outside of Patron Grill in Anna, the atmosphere was celebratory as supporters of Republican incumbent Scott Doody gathered inside a backroom of the Mexican restaurant on Tuesday night. Election results point toward another term for Doody to represent Illinois’ 118th House District. Associated Press...

Marion County Clerk Steve Fox’s last election anything but normal

Marion County Clerk Steve Fox had some special surprises for his final election before retiring December first. It started with power problems. “Three precincts that had power outages for multiple hours during the day. I really want to thank the community for stepping up. We had generators, lights, and different things brought in so that we could get through the day, and I appreciate that.”

Carmi City Council Agrees to Pay Lashley and Baer Over $21,000

For months, Carmi City Council members have faced criticism from residents for not answering questions, in their view. FOIA requests had increased significantly, so the council felt it necessary to hire a law firm, Lashley and Baer, to process them. As a result, the council now owes a check for $21,531.50. Last month, the council tabled the bill due to the number of redactions and questions raised during the meeting. Now it was time for the council to decide.

Harrisburg High School asks parents for help following repeated restroom vandalism

HARRISBURG, Ill., (KBSI) — Harrisburg High School officials are asking parents and families for help following repeated incidents of vandalism in student restrooms throughout the school year. In a message shared with families, school officials said intentional damage has forced some restrooms to temporarily close, causing disruptions for students...

National display on Revolutionary War now in Salem

A national touring display of the American Revolutionary War Experience is in Salem now through November 19th. The Salem and Centralia chapters of Daughters of the American Revolution both applied to receive the display from the national organization and then elected to work together to bring the display to the area.

Paul Jacobs retains 59th District state senate seat

Paul Jacobs was reelected to his state senate seat Tuesday night after campaigning on business deregulation and his experience as a local business owner, optometrist and former 118th District Illinois House representative. Democratic nominee and Jackson County board member Tamiko Mueller lost after running on liberal issues and stimulating local tourism.

Oisín Dilger appointed carillonneur, Centralia Bell Tower

Oisín Dilger is appointed carillonneur for the Centralia Bell Tower, Centralia, Illinois. Originally from Galway, Ireland, he earned a music degree from University College Cork during which time he began studying carillon with Adrian Gebruers. He received the Quercus Scholarship of Performing Arts in 2023 and the following year the Staf Gebruers Memorial Award. Dilger has studied at the Royal Carillon School in Mechelen, Belgium, and has performed across Belgium, the Netherlands, and in the United States. He further studied organ at the conservatory of Mechelen.

More Illinois counties vote to explore new state, separating from Cook County

A group of Illinois counties has joined a growing list of areas that are open to exploring the idea of separating from Cook County and forming a new state. According to unofficial election results, all 11 counties that voted on the “separation referendums” voted in favor of the idea, instructing their respective county boards to potentially collaborate with other counties in exploring the idea of severing ties with Cook County and forming a new state.

Marion County General Election Results

Don Tracy (R)- 72%. JB Pritzker & Christian Mitchell (D)- 21% STATEWIDE WINNER. Representative in the General Assembly 116th District. Representative in the General Assembly 110th District. Blaine Wilhour (R)- 100% WINNER. COUNTY. County Clerk. Zach Rose (R)- 100% WINNER. County Treasurer. Gary L. Purcell (R)- 100% WINNER. County Sheriff.

$4.5 Million Announced For Rural Water Infrastructure Expansion Benefiting Seven Illinois Counties

Washington, DC-(Effingham Radio)- Congresswoman Mary Miller (IL-15) announced $4.5 million in federal funding to support the expansion of EJ Water Cooperative’s Delbert Mundt Water Treatment Plant. The investment will double the facility’s treatment capacity, strengthening access to reliable water service for families, farmers, and businesses across seven Central Illinois counties: Shelby, Effingham, Montgomery, Fayette, Cumberland, Christian, and Clay.