Featured Stories

Head-on collision results in death of Chrisman man

CHRISMAN – A fateful, head-on collision occurred shortly after 12:30 p.m. on Friday, March 15, resulting in the death of a Chrisman resident. Two vehicles collided on Illinois Route 1, …

Shiloh CUSD 1 and Myers part ways

The Shiloh Board of Education and its Superintendent, Bill Myers, decided to part ways during a special board meeting held Monday, March 4. Myers was not present at the meeting but the board …

Three vehicles involved in Route 1 accident

A three-vehicle accident shut down the east lane of state Route 1 on the northern edge of Paris on Friday, Feb. 23. The four occupants in the vehicles did not sustain any major injuries and received …

Husband of former coach calls for two resignations at Shiloh School amid harassment allegations

The Community Unit School District 1 school board’s monthly meeting for February might have been held on Valentine’s Day, but the Feb. 14 meeting was filled with sentiments of …

Edgar County man found dead

The body of missing rural Edgar County man Chad N. Brooks was found Feb. 8 by Cole County Sheriff’s Department investigators, near Westfield Road in rural Charleston. He was pronounced dead at …

PFD battles three fires this weekend

Saturday, Feb. 3 and Sunday, Feb. 4 were busy for the Paris Fire Department, with firefighters responding to three different fires over the weekend. Paris Fire Department Fire Chief Chad …

Chrisman resident facing charges connected to illegal videos

Publisher’s Note: This article transcribes courtroom testimony that references instances of sexual exploitation carried out against minors. Reader discretion is advised. A Chrisman man is …

Tile failure leaves massive hole on Paris square

Tile archway under the highway, at East Court and South Main Streets, failed Monday, Jan. 29, leaving a gaping car-sized hole on the corner in front of Paris Realty. Several small pipes feed …

Cutest Pet Contest finalists announced

The moment Edgar County's cat, dog, bunny and donkey parents have been anxiously waiting for has finally arrived. Finalists for each category in the 2024 Prairie Press Cutest Pet Contest are here and …

Equipment malfunction sparks urgent response at Chrisman natural gas substation

CHRISMAN – An equipment malfunction at a local natural gas substation caused quite a commotion over the weekend, resulting in the closure of an intersection and the evacuation of a nearby home. …

Weekend fire continues a troubling trend in Paris

Local firefighters and first responders have remained vigilant in the New Year. In less than four weeks, the Paris Fire Department has already responded to six different structure fires. The …

Gas leak forces evacuation of entire Paris block

Just before 5 p.m. on Wednesday, Jan. 10, first responders and utility crews responded to reports of a gas leak at the 300 block of E Adams Street in Paris. Residents near the site of the leak were …

Single-vehicle rollover briefly closes Route 16 near Kansas

Local paramedics, law enforcement and firefighters responded to the scene of a single-vehicle rollover at approximately noon on Tuesday, Jan. 9. The vehicle’s driver suffered only minor …

Edgar County state’s attorney resigns, Dobelstein to fill vacancy

During an Edgar County Board study session on Monday, Jan. 8, chairman Jeff Voigt revealed that Timothy Gilbert, Edgar County state’s attorney, has inked a resignation letter effective …

Fire, possible explosion, reported in Paris

Shortly after 3:30 p.m. on Thursday, Jan. 4, a structure on Douglas Street caught fire following a loud sound, possibly an explosion, that shook the neighborhood. The cause of the fire is currently under …

Firefighters close down Main Street to battle New Year's Day blaze

At approximately 11:15 a.m. on Monday, Jan. 1, 2024, members of the Paris Fire Department braved the cold to respond to a house fire at the corner of Main and Roberts Street in Paris.  As a …

Paris 95, Larson part ways

More than six months after audits revealed $3.24 million in grant funding reserved for Paris Union School District 95 (Paris 95) was misappropriated, the district and Superintendent Jeremy Larson are …

Local man charged with Christmas burglary

In the early morning hours of Monday, Dec. 25, local police intercepted a suspect wanted for a Grinch-esque crime. At 3:22 a.m., Matthew L. Smith, 39, was arrested at 211 W. Washington and …

Harvest House closes its doors after nearly three years of service

Harvest House, a non-profit located in the former HRC building at 118 East Court Street in downtown Paris, is closing its food pantry. The news first broke on the Harvest House Facebook page and was …

Two-vehicle crash in Paris briefly clogs Main Street, damages sign

Paris Police officers and Horizon Health emergency personnel responded to a two-vehicle crash at the corner of Main and Carroll Street in Paris around noon, Tuesday, Dec. 19. Emergency responders …

DG Market soft launches new location in Paris, generates excitement.

For residents living on the northern edge of Paris, shopping for groceries just became a whole lot easier. The cross-town crawl down High Street or Central Avenue to get to a grocery store is now a …

Herman Taylor plays the role of Santa year round

There are many men who put on a red Santa suit and mimic his jolly disposition, but Paris is fortunate to have a real Santa with all of the qualities and kindness it takes to be the “real …

Former “Shooters” location in downtown Paris demolished

Another derelict building on Paris’ town square is being demolished as of Monday, Dec. 4. Crews from Bell and Bell Demolition Inc. began their rapid disassembly of the building Monday morning …

More details emerge about abandoned school fire in Paris

A pre-trial detention hearing for Daniel L. Henson, 24, of Paris offered additional information regarding a structure fire that razed the old Redmon School over the weekend. Henson appeared before …

Paris 95 anticipates additional paybacks following new IDPH audit

Nearly nine months after a routine audit discovered unallowable grant expenses and six months after news broke of an FBI search at the home of Paris Union School District 95’s superintendent of …

Crestwood earns exemplary rating from ISBE

Crestwood Elementary School students and staff can enter the Christmas season knowing they made the nice list, at least according to the Illinois State Board of Education. Recently released ISBE …

Musician still remembered today by local residents

Moke Collins Owens was a well-rounded musician who wore many hats, including church pianist, solo accompanist, Mayo band director and friend to all. Owens was born April 18, 1922, in Paris, to …
Tigers roll past Champaign Central, Edge out SJ-O

Lady Tigers still unbeaten

After opening their season 3-0 during the first leg of the NAL tournament, the Paris Tigers girls basketball team remained undefeated against two tricky opponents: Champaign Central and St. …

Light display brings family and friends together

Bee Well of Edgar County has been offering the community a preview of the holiday season on the eve of Thanksgiving for several years now. Known as “Dashing Through the Lights”, the …

Underdogs take center stage

Paris High School is buzzing with excitement as it prepares for its upcoming drama production of “Puffs,” a whimsical and spellbinding journey into the world of wizardry. Set to …