A 34-year-old Centralia man has been sentenced to 20 years in prison for aggravated criminal sexual abuse to a person under the age of 18 while in a position of trust. Jerad Peoples entered the plea to the new Class 1 felony in Marion County Court on Monday after the Appellate Court in Mt. Vernon had earlier thrown out his 35-year prison term on the Class X predatory criminal sexual assault charge to a person under the age of 13. Peoples had been found guilty of that charge during a 2017 be...

The Salem Police Department has announced approximately 45 bicycles currently in their possession will be given away on Saturday, May 4th. The bicycles were never registered with the police department nor has anyone who has reported a bicycle stolen or missing given a physical description or serial number that matched any of the bikes in the police department's possession. There are bicycles in good or fair shape, some need minor repair, and a few would likely only be good for parts. The bic...

A 21-year-old Glendale, Arizona man has been arrested by Centralia Police for alleged motor vehicle theft, possession of stolen property, and criminal damage to property. William Allen was taken to the Marion County Jail.

The Alma Consignment Auction resulted in sales totaling $22,000. Mayor Russell Swift is still awaiting the final amount the village will make from the consignments. "There weren't quite as many people as in the past, but we had about the same amount of vendors and still about the same amount of money. This all goes to Christmas lighting for the town every year." Swift says they should make enough to be able to place lighted Christmas decorations on several additional blocks. The...

The Greater Salem Chamber of Commerce handed out seven awards at its second annual Gala Celebration Saturday night at A Fair Barn. The earlier announced Partners in Progress Award was presented to Roy and Beth Landers for their ongoing business development in Salem, leading to tourism activity. The business started as a tow and body shop and grew into automotive repair and development of the Iron Saddle which includes a restaurant, bar, and arena for rodeos, as well as trailer and clothing s...

The Sandoval Fire Department was called to a shed fire during the noon hour Sunday that had spread from a landscape waste fire. Fire Chief Chad Parson says the vacant property at 408 South Mulberry was being cleaned up when a landscape fire spread to the three-bay metal outbuilding due to brisk winds. The fire was knocked down quickly. A vehicle inside sustained fire damage as well. The property is owned by Oceans Capital Investments. Odin Firemen were called for mutual aid assistance. Fir...

Three youth organizations provided much of the manpower Saturday when Sleep in Heavenly Peace built 26 beds for children who otherwise would not have a bed to sleep. President Kevin Rakers says the need in the multi-county area they now serve never seems to end. "We are at 1,320 beds built. And we have delivered the 1,173 and I can remember back in 2021 we were still building in the horse farm and we built our 200th bed and we thought this will be great, we will build these, put them in...

Two young girls who ran to the Salem Fire Protection District to report the fire in the rear of Steve's Antiques at East Main and Washington Streets on April 7th were honored for their actions on Friday afternoon. Both the Salem Fire Protection District Chief Jim Cerny and Mayor Nick Farley made presentations to 11-year-old fifth grader Ayla Crawford and 12-year-old seventh grader London Robbers. Cerny noted the significance of what the girls did. Cerny said, "These young ladies provided...