MARION COUNTY, IL — A 24-year-old Salem man was arrested Sunday afternoon after taking area law enforcement on a pursuit that ended when his vehicle left the road on U.S. Highway 51 south of Centralia. John E. Phillips was wanted on an Illinois Department of Corrections warrant for an alleged parole violation for a 2018…… Read more…
Sesser-Valier School Board Approves Blended Learning Plan for Return to School
SESSER — The Sesser-Valier School Board approved a blended learning plan for their return to school at their meeting Thursday night. Students will be divided into two groups and will attend in-person classes either on Monday and Thursday or on Tuesday and Friday. The days they do not attend school physically, they will attend remotely.…… Read more…
Franklin County Board Begins Process of Reviewing Bids for Courthouse Construction
FRANKLIN COUNTY — The Franklin County Board opened and discussed bids for construction of the new Franklin County Courthouse in Benton at a special meeting Thursday afternoon. Board Chairman Randall Crocker says there were six bids all within budget. Crocker says he was very pleased with the bids and the contractors who chose to participate. Crocker says…… Read more…
Xenia Woman Not Hurt After Being Trapped by Car That Crashed into Salem Dollar Tree
SALEM — A Xenia woman reportedly escaped serious injury Thursday when a vehicle crashed through the window of the Salem Dollar Tree store and pinned her behind the greeting card racks she was standing near. According to Salem police, 77-year-old Edward Kincaid of Salem was parking in the Spectra Shopping Center when he accidentally stepped on the…… Read more…
$750,000 Bond Set for Mt. Vernon Man Charged In Connection With Wednesday Shooting
JEFFERSON COUNTY — Bail was set Friday at $750,000 for a 44-year-old Mt. Vernon man charged in Jefferson County Court with multiple Class X felonies in connection with the shooting of two people Wednesday in Mt. Vernon. Alvin Clay Smallwood was arrested shortly after Mt. Vernon police officers responded to a 911 call reporting shots fired in the 2800…… Read more…
Caritas Family Solutions Celebrates over 70 decades of service to their communities
MT. VERNON, IL — Caritas Family Solutions is celebrating their 73rd anniversary as an Illinois, nonprofit, human services agency. Caritas Family Solutions’ services include care for women who are homeless and pregnant, counseling, independent living for adults with developmental disabilities (CILA), and assisted living and employment assistance for low-income seniors. CEO Gary Huelsmann says this year’s…… Read more…
Multiple Southeastern Illinois Counties Placed at Warning Level for COVID-19 Spread
SOUTHEAST ILLINOIS — Multiple counties in southeast Illinois have been placed at a warning level for COVID-19 by the Illinois Department of Public Health. Saline, Gallatin, and White counties are just three of the 11 counties now considered to be at warning level because these areas have seen an increase in at least two of…… Read more…
About $950k Award to Jefferson County Government Entities for Transportation Projects
ILLINOIS — About $950,000 of the $250 million Governor J.B. Pritzker awarded to local government entities for transportation projects Thursday will be coming to Jefferson County. The county will receive about $218,500, townships in the county will split about $502,000 and municipalities in the county will split about $230,000. The money has been divided between…… Read more…
Bluford School Board Approves Return to School Plan at Thursday Meeting
BLUFORD — The Bluford School Board approved their tentative return to school plan Thursday night at their board meeting. Students and staff will be in attendance every day from 8:10 a.m. to 3:10 p.m. with CDC and IDPH protocols in place for the health and safety of everyone in the building. Bluford Schools Superintendent Shane…… Read more…
JEFFERSON COUNTY ARREST REPORTS 7-31-2020
MT. VERNON, IL — On Friday, the Jefferson County Sheriff’s Office reported the following arrests to WMIX/WDML News: 58-year-old Walter Williams of Madisonville, KY was arrested Thursday for Driving on a Revoked License. 36-year-old Cody Frierson of Hattiesburg, MS was arrested Thursday for Controlled Substance Trafficking. 44-year-old Vincent Levy of Lexington, MS was arrested Thursday…… Read more…
August Jury Trial Date Confirmed for Mulberry Grove Man Accused of Murder
FAYETTE COUNTY — Prosecution and defense attorneys in Fayette County confirmed on Tuesday an August jury trial date in a case accusing a 71-year-old Mulberry Grove man of murder. David Bright was found mentally fit last July to stand trial for the September 2017 murder of a Brownstown man. Bright is charged with first-degree murder for allegedly shooting James…… Read more…
McClellan Grade School Superintendent Shares Re-Opening Plan
JEFFERSON COUNTY — Local grade schools are putting their plans in place for what their return to the classrooms are going to look like in just a few weeks. McClellan School Superintendent Terry Milt says they plan to offer in-person instruction and online learning for any student, and letting the parents choose which they would…… Read more…
Centralia Man Accused of Murder Set for Bench Trial Next Month
MARION COUNTY — A 27-year-old Centralia man accused of murder waived his right on Tuesday to a jury trial in his Marion County case and agreed to a bench trial that’s scheduled to be held next month. Mantez Duncan is charged with first-degree murder in the December 2019 shooting death of 39-year-old Clendar Edmond, of East St. Louis. Duncan…… Read more…
State Meth Charges Against Centralia Man Dropped After Federal Charges Filed
CENTRALIA — Meth-related charges against a 33-year-old Centralia man were dropped Wednesday morning in Clinton County Court after federal prosecutors indicted him in connection with the seizure of more than one pound of methamphetamine earlier this year. Centralia police arrested Jacob Williamson in April after he sped away from an attempted traffic stop near the Fairview Shopping…… Read more…
Former Centralia Attorney Being Sued in Madison County
MADISON COUNTY — A former Centralia attorney is being sued in Madison County Court by a couple claiming he represented them in an auto crash lawsuit and then left Illinois with their settlement money. According to a lawsuit filed July 13 by Denise and Valjean Lueking, Jack S. Paker represented them in a suit filed in Clinton…… Read more…