The Salem City Council has approved a zoning change to allow for the development of a 72-unit apartment complex on Airport Road south of the current apartments. Scott Conant is the developer. "As soon as we get everything approved we hope to start pretty much immediately so it just depends on how fast that can move along. Three phases are the plan, starting with 6 buildings and 24 units. We put it in the contract we signed with the city that it could take up to five years but I'm reall...

The Jefferson County Sheriff's Department is asking for the public's help in locating a vehicle that struck a man riding an ATV that had been thrown off in an initial crash seconds earlier. Jefferson County Coroner Roger Hayse pronounced 34-year-old Daniel Montgomery of Bonnie dead at the scene of the crash at the intersection of North Markham Lane and East Short Street in downtown Bluford Sunday night. The Sheriff's Department reports indicate Montgomery was traveling westbound on Short Stre...

Salem Economic Development Director Lea Dellicarpini is working with the Salem Tourism Commission on a three year $300,000 lighting improvement program for downtown and the Christmas season. Dellicarpini explains the downtown lighting project. "Asked tourism if they would be willing to fund lining the downtown buildings with lights. Sort of like Marion or Lebanon have some of their downtown buildings lined with lights. I just think its going to spruce up downtown a bit, maybe class it ...

The City of Salem is in the process of finalizing the purchase of a lot in the 200 block of West McMackin Street to use as the focal point of downtown events. Economic Development Director Leah Dellicarpini told the quarterly meeting to update progress on the strategic plan that the city was able to purchase the lot for $45,000 and is working towards closure of the sale. She says the next step is to put some money in a future budget to develop a plan and building for the lot. "Bouncing a...

The Salem City Council Monday night will be asked to give final approval to the city budget for the fiscal year beginning May 1st and to approve rezoning for a 72 unit apartment complex. Interim City Manager Annette Sola says the city's budget is balanced and contains a number of public infrastructure and other improvement projects. The council will be asked to approve the Planning Commission's recommendation for a change in residential zones to allow for construction of a new 72-unit apartm...

By SOPHIA TAREEN Associated Press CHICAGO (AP) - Pro-Palestinian demonstrators blocked a freeway leading to three Chicago O'Hare International Airport terminals Monday morning, temporarily stopping vehicle traffic into one of the nation's busiest airports and causing headaches for travelers. Protesters linked arms and blocked lanes of Interstate 190 around 7 a.m., a demonstration they said was part of a global "economic blockade to free Palestine," according to Rifqa Falaneh, one o...

State Senator Jason Plummer says an effort is underway in Springfield to enact legislation similar to the controversial "Waters of the US" that was deemed unconstitutional via a US Supreme Court ruling. Plummer says environmental activists are behind the effort that could provide one more reason for people to choose not to build a home or start a business in Illinois. "It greatly expands the state's powers on private property. The state can deem a tremendous amount of waterway...

Details are sketchy about a 47-year-old rural Centralia man who appears to have been hit by a vehicle. Michael Allison of Medlin Road was taken to SSM Health St. Mary's Hospital in Centralia for treatment of injuries. He reportedly sustained a head injury and could not remember what had happened. The Marion County Sheriff's Department is planning to talk to Allison after he is released from the hospital to see if they can determine what happened to lead to Allison's injuries. The sheriff's d...