Dominique Martinez-Powell
Roberts and Bost face off in race for Congress
Carly Gist CGist@dailyeGyptian Com
On Nov. 5, the 12th District of Illinois will elect its next delegate for the U.S. House of Representatives. The district houses 34 counties in southern Illinois, including Jackson County. It has been represented in Congress by Republican Mike Bost since 2015, but he now has a new opponent to face: Democrat Brian Roberts.
According to the official website of the House of Representatives, the candidate elected to the position will serve a two-year term in congress, where they will “introduce bills and resolutions, offer amendments
personal views cloud their decision-making,” he said. “And I think that our current representative does that; he takes his personal views and/or the views of his party and votes along those lines, even in situations where it’s a detriment to the people of southern Illinois.”
Illinois has become a primarily democratic state throughout the past few decades, according to an article by U.S. News. Illinois has 17 congressional districts, which have been measured in terms of performance at presidential elections and compared to the nation as a whole by the Cook Partisan Voting Index (Cook PVI). According to the released 2023
“I think that the responsibility of our representative is to represent everybody and not let their own personal views cloud their decision-making.”
- Brian Roberts Democratic candidate for Illinois’ 12th Congressional District
and serve on committees.” The qualifications for the position include being at least 25 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least seven years and a resident of the state being represented.
Roberts was born in Iowa, but he came to Southern Illinois University for law school in 1994. He said he fell in love with the town and has stayed there ever since. He is an attorney and owner of a law firm that serves Carbondale.
He said he is running for Congress because he does not believe the votes Bost has cast during his term are representative of the citizens of southern Illinois.
“I think that the responsibility of our representative is to represent everybody and not let their own
scores, over 80% of the districts performed higher democratically in the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections. The 12th District, however, was the highest performing Republican district, with a score of R+24, meaning the district performed an average of 24 points more Republican than the nation did.
Bost, who is a native of Murphysboro, said that while not everyone in the district will agree with him, he believes he represents the majority of it.
“I do believe that the views of my district lean towards Republican and…I’m in constant communication with my district,” he said.
Among a monthly newsletter and tele-town halls, Bost said his staff holds office hours to stay in touch
with the members of the district.
“Even in the smallest counties, we have held office hours…to make sure we’re not only finding out where people are at and what they’re thinking, but also to provide them the constituent service they need, which is exactly what the representative is supposed to do,” he said.
Roberts’ campaign stems from a desire to “represent and advocate for the people of southern Illinois,” he said. He said he has always been interested in politics and how legislation affects everyday lives, but when the issue of providing affordable health care skyrocketed with the
and prayers or whatever obviously aren’t working.”
He said that he believes it is important for the representative to be open-minded when deciding on what to vote for.
“I think I have an objective mindset, and I think I have the patience and diligence to listen and learn, to try to get good outcomes for people,” he said.
Bost said that his priorities include improving the economy; ensuring the U.S. borders are secure; and strengthening ties with allies.
“I want to see this nation continue to be great, swing back into a place where it is our enemies fear us, our allies trust us, that we’re respected in the world
“If you look at my job as what I do, I’m not a show horse, I’m a work horse.”
- Mike Bost Republican candidate for Illinois’ 12th Congressional District
pandemic, he started becoming more involved.
Now running for congressman, Roberts said his main focuses are as follows: securing private and public investment into southern Illinois; finding a solution to gun violence; and creating sponsored visa programs.
“I know immigration is a hot-button issue for a lot of people, but I think there’s also solutions to that,” he said. “There’s guest workers, visas and things like that, programs that could be expanded so that we can have legal immigration, because we do need some of that legal immigration. You talk to the winery people and people that own orchards, and you know, they need people to fill those jobs, and they tell me they can’t fill those jobs without the immigrants. So you could have sponsored visa programs that would allow people to come in to fill those jobs.”
Regarding gun violence in America, Roberts said that he feels as though the country is not trying to find a solution.
“I don’t know what the solution to gun violence is, but there’s data out there,” he said. “There are people that study that data out there. There are mental health professionals out there that look at people that do mass shootings, and so there’s information out there that we could use, or potentially use to try to make things better, and not perfect. But right now, we’re not utilizing what I can see anyway. We’re not listening to those people. We’re not paying attention to those people.”
Roberts noted that he is not opposed to guns, however.
“I’m a gun owner. I’m a FOID (Firearms Owners Identification) card holder. I’m a concealed-carry holder,” he said. “So I’m not anti-gun, but there’s violence and carnage in our country and thoughts
as the strength and superpower that we are, that our economy is booming and that we hand it off better to our children and grandchildren,” he said.
Bost served in the Illinois House of Representatives prior to serving for Congress, and he said he originally had doubts about running for Congress because the district used to be a Democratic area. He said he was encouraged to run in 2012, but did not feel it was the right timing. He later decided to run in 2014, because he was “not happy” with the job thenDemocratic Rep. William Enyart was doing.
“It was a case where, look, I’m concerned about this nation,” he said. “And a lot of these people that run for these jobs do it because they want time on social media, they want time on 24-hour news networks, and they want to be show horses. If you look at my job as what I do, I’m not a show horse, I’m a work horse.”
Reflecting on the past four years in Congress, he said he feels as though the outbreaks of war that have occurred is “a sign of weak administration.”
Last week, protestors gathered at the Carbondale Civic Center to host a rally called “No Votes for Genocide.” Participants promoted voting for thirdparty candidates and protested voting for candidates former President Donald Trump and Vice President Kamala Harris due to their support of Israel in its conflict with Palestine.
Bost said he is supportive of Israel, and that he doesn’t think any actions can be taken at the local level regarding the conflict.
“If you’re not happy with Israel, then I’m probably not your guy,” he said. “I’m a big supporter of Israel. I have friends over there. I am a very big supporter. I believe my district is as well. A majority of my district
Maynor and Hale share their priorities in the race for Jackson County Circuit Clerk
AnnAlise schmidt Aschmidt@dAilyegyptAin com
After nearly three decades of service, Jackson County Circuit Clerk Cindy Svanda has announced her retirement, bringing an end to a 28-year tenure that began in 1996. As the community reflects on Svanda’s years in office and long-standing leadership, two candidates are now stepping forward, each with their own vision for the future of the Circuit Clerk’s office: Christian Hale and Chris Maynor.
The Circuit Clerk is responsible for maintaining court records, managing the flow of cases and providing assistance to judges. This elected position ensures the efficient operation of the judicial system.
Chris Maynor, a Republican, is a U.S. Army veteran with 14 years of service. He said that his military experience and leadership skills will help him manage the office effectively.
“The position is a manager leadership position. I spent 14 years in the United States Army and three tours in Iraq. So I learned the best leadership from the greatest army in the world,” Maynor said. “So I’ve got the leadership background for it, but I’ve also been training in multiple counties, how the circuit clerk’s office works and everything.”
In addition to his leadership experience, Maynor has been active in advocating for veteran-owned businesses, even testifying before Congress.
“I gave testimony in front of the U.S. Congress about veteran-owned businesses, and I felt that if I would be able to do that, I should be helping my community more too,” he said.
He has established a local business, Daniel Deans, a clothing store in Murphysboro. The store was founded with a focus on accessible, community-centered retail, offering clothing tailored to the local market.
Maynor said he believes the current Circuit Clerk’s Office is functioning well and aims to build on that foundation.
“The Circuit Clerk’s Office is working great right now, so I just want to continue that,” he said. “With the different things coming through the courts, like the SAFE-T Act that came through last year, got rid of the bonds, we need a way to get grants to start paying our employees a little bit more and not use so much tax dollars.”
The SAFE-T Act is an Illinois law passed in 2021 aimed at criminal justice reform, focusing on police accountability, eliminating cash bail, enhancing protections for juveniles, providing mental health support and promoting community-based safety solutions.
Maynor said that grant funding represents a promising path for addressing budgetary needs regarding the act.
“There’s a lot of grants out there we can get to. I mean, even down in Union County, the difference between Union County and Jackson County is that Jackson County pays the employees, Union County, the circuit clerk pays,” Maynor said.
By utilizing grants, Maynor hopes to acknowledge the hard work and dedication of circuit clerk employees.
“Some of them only make $30,000 a year,” he said. “They’re doing an incredible job.”
He said his approach is beneficial not only to the staff but to the broader community, which he believes would welcome a reduced reliance on tax dollars.
“Everybody’s complaining about taxes and stuff like that,” Maynor said. “So if we can cut down the tax money we’re spending in there without damaging anything going on good in
the office, that’s what we strive for,” he said.
As part of his potential leadership strategy, Maynor is interested in getting an initial, firsthand understanding of how the office currently
I love the core work, I love public service and I love the whole process.”
Hale’s top priorities also include the budget concerns arising from the SAFE-T Act.
“I gave testimony in front of the U.S. Congress about veteran-owned businesses, and I felt that if I would be able to do that, I should be helping my community more too.”
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Chris Maynor Republican Circuit Clerk Candidate
functions, with plans to incorporate staff input.
“First I just want to see how the office is running, see if there’s anything changing,” he said.
He intends to meet regularly with team members as a group and individually, seeking input to ensure that decisions reflect the expertise of those directly involved in daily operations.
Maynor said, “I plan to have team meetings and even meetings with each individual and see if they have ideals. Because they are doing the job. Who knows better than the people actually do the job? I want to see what they think would work better and then start adjusting, but it’s mostly going to be just straight going with how it’s going now.”
Maynor said he wants to remain versatile, especially in managing any future changes that may arise within the office.
“I have to be able to adapt and get our employees trained and moving forward,” he said. “We’re not moving backwards or throwing a fit about something changing, because when it comes to that, you got a lot of political stuff. It shouldn’t be political. It should be what’s best for the office and the employees there. You’ve got to take care of them.”
In terms of maintaining accountability and transparency through his position, Maynor said he emphasizes fairness and equal treatment for all residents.
“After the election, we’re all back to Jackson residents, and everybody needs to be treated as a Jackson County resident. So just fairness to everybody, no matter what the race or creed is. I served in the army, and race is not a thing for me. We’re all Americans,” Maynor said.
In urging residents to learn more about his background and priorities, he said, “I urge them to do the research about me…with the right leadership, I know I’m the right person for the job.”
Christian Hale, a Democrat, offers experience from his time as a deputy circuit clerk, having served from 2006 to 2019.
“I have 13 years as the deputy circuit clerk,” Hale said. “The way that I got into being a circuit clerk was, I was a cops and courts reporter and academy editor at the now-defunct Murphysboro American. And then…I caught the bug at the Daily Egyptian. Once you got it, you got the fever.”
He said that his experience as a reporter, combined with his understanding of court operations, has prepared him to take on the role of clerk, where he would be responsible for scheduling and managing the entire criminal docket and assisting the judge.
Hale has long aspired to this position, and said, “I had been planning to run probably since 2012…But what’s inspired me was that I’ve been working towards this goal for so long.
Hale said, “Well, number one will be to figure out some budget concerns that will come up due to the SAFE-T Act, some budget concerns with the pages that come with that legislation. The other is just keeping the high level of service that the office has a reputation for.”
He too praised Svanda for her leadership and service to the community.
“Cindy’s run a great office,” Hale said. “It’s been clean audits. It’s just above board, and they’re the best circuit clerk’s office in southern Illinois.”
The need to adapt to the community’s changing needs is a fundamental focus for Hale as well.
He said, “The third priority would be to keep ourselves open to help people out, especially with the changing community, for such things like name changes, or people going through transition [transgender people]...And also just continuing to just be of service to everybody at that level that they’ve accustomed to.”
He said his experience in that role has provided him with insight into the management and operations of an organization, which he believes is essential for leading the circuit clerk’s office effectively.
“I’ve worked with this team for a lot of years. Most of the team that is there now were people that were my colleagues and I worked with before we’ve all kind of came up together, and this is kind of a natural progression of things. So I believe that I’m going to be a pretty good leader. I think a lot of it’s because I understand these people and believe in compassion and empathy, while at the same time being assertive,” Hale said.
He said he believes accountability comes from honesty and openness and that is integral to effective leadership.
“When it comes to keeping transparency and accountability you just have to do it. It comes down to just keeping yourself honest and being open to people’s questions,” he said. “And the nice thing too about the modern court is everything is so digital, including the financing, that it’s a lot easier to maintain that accountability and transparency because this isn’t being done in books by somebody. It’s all right there in the open.”
As he aims to uphold the legacy of Svanda’s office, Hale emphasizes the importance of building on established trust with the community.
Hale said, “I’ve got 13 years of experience, I’m integrated with the team that’s already in there. We’re going to hit the ground running on day one, and we’re going to continue the legacy that’s been in the last 28 years.”
Election day is Nov. 5, 2024. Early voting is currently available. For information regarding
“…But what’s inspired me was that I’ve been working towards this goal for so long. I love the core work, I love public service and I love the whole process.”
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Christian Hale Democratic Circuit Clerk
Candidate
If elected for office, Hale said, “I’m going to continue the level of service that I always did when I was there before, since I’ve been working as an executive assistant to one of the vice presidents at the regional healthcare organization.”
in-person voting opportunities or absentee ballot applications, visit jacksoncounty-il.gov.
Staff reporter Annalise Schmidt can be reached at aschmidt@dailyegyptian.com.
Vigil held in remembrance of SIU student who died in weekend crash
Morrigan Carey MCarey@dailyegyptian CoM
EDITOR’S NOTE — Mental health support is available to SIU students through Counseling and Psychological Services at 618-4535371. An after-hours support line is available at 1-833-434-1217.
Registered student organization
Share the Bread held a vigil on Thursday, Oct. 22 in Faner Plaza to honor the life of SIU freshman Lyric Irby. Irby, an active member of the RSO, died Oct. 20 in a car crash on Illinois 13/127.
The vigil was organized in part by Share the Bread member Daniya Tate.
“She was always so outgoing, she was never shy or afraid to do anything,” Tate said of Irby. “She made sure that everybody knew her name.”
Representing Peoria, Irby’s hometown, at the vigil was Taylor Hughes, a member of Delta Sigma Theta Alumni.
“She was a recipient of our scholarship. She was committed to her studies, she was committed to making herself a better woman and a better person,” Hughes said. “Peoria’s a small town, everybody knows everybody, and everybody loves and supports everybody. I hate that it happened this way, but I’m so thankful for the community that she had built here.”
Daniyah Tate speaks to a crowd of people who came to the vigil for Lyric Irby Oct. 22, 2024 on the fountain outside of the Parkinson Building at SIU in Carbondale, Illinois. “She was a member of my RSO,” Tate said. “But they don’t prepare you for things like this.” Enan Chediak | @enanchediak
More than 40 students attended the event, holding electric candles in honor of Irby.
“[Irby’s family] needs to know that she was loved here and that she was cared for here,” Tate said.
According to an Oct. 21 press release from the Jackson County Sheriff’s Office, Irby was one of three southbound drivers. She collided with a northbound vehicle in an attempt to pass the other southbound vehicles in Vergennes, Illinois. The engine of her vehicle caught fire shortly after.
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is. There are a whole lot of people that don’t protest in the street, but are very vocal about how we need to support our greatest ally, and our greatest ally is Israel. And how you can tell someone after they’ve been punched in the face to cease fire – remember what happened to them in the brutal, heinous attack?”
Bost was referring to Oct. 7, 2023, when the militant group Hamas, which governs Gaza, launched a surprise attack on Israel. According to the Council on Foreign Relations, the attack killed more than 1,300 Israelis and injured 3,300, with hundreds of hostages also being taken. The next day, the Israeli cabinet declared war against Hamas, and the defense minister of the Israel Defense Forces later ordered for a “complete siege” of Gaza.
“That was nothing but a terrorist attack,” Bost said. “The percentage, that would have been 10 9/11s.”
The Sept. 11, 2001 attacks on the United States killed 3,000 people and injured more than 6,000, according to the U.S. Department of State. Since Oct. 7, 2023, over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed in the war in Gaza; 92,401 people have been injured; and over 85% of Gaza’s population has been displaced from their homes, according to AP News.
“And to tell a nation that they can’t defend themselves – and they’re doing a good job of defending themselves – and for people to give comment that they know nothing about?” Bost said. “They can have their opinion. We have freedom of speech, but it is almost – no, it is totally terrible – to watch what has occurred.”
Roberts offered a different perspective.
“I know that Israel has been an ally of the United States for a long time, and I think that we have to continue to support Israel,” he said. “But, you know, sometimes…you can still support your friends, but you can also tell them when they’re wrong. “I think what’s happening now is not right and not
The two other southbound drivers, Jerry Ward, 66, from Murphysboro and Trevor Turnbul, 18, from Rochester, got into a minor collision. Other drivers broke Irby’s window and pulled her out of the car. Irby was pronounced dead at the scene. The northbound driver was 71-year-old James Summers from St. Charles, Missouri.
Staff reporter Morrigan Carey can be reached at mcarey@dailyegyptian.com
fair. And I think the only way that we’re ever going to find peace in the Middle East is to come up with, what they call, a two-state solution…That’s what I would support. And again, I think that the majority of people in southern Illinois would support that as well, because we need the Middle East violence to end. It’s a huge drain on us as a nation.”
Another topic that is currently being debated in southern Illinois is the proposal to transfer Shawnee National Forest into Shawnee National Park. Roberts said he was not aware of this issue, and Bost said he strongly opposes it.
“I am adamantly, adamantly opposed,” he said.
“If it becomes a National Park and not a National Forest, I don’t want to have to tell my constituents ‘you can’t hunt there.’ I don’t want to have to tell my constituents ‘you can’t go there.’ Only (in) certain areas can you go. You wouldn’t be able to ride horses in it, the list goes on and on.”
According to the National Forest Foundation, National Parks focus on preserving the existing state, whereas National Forests manage wildlife, fishing, recreation and a variety of other uses.
“If it’s a park, there becomes all these different rules about ‘you can’t cut this, you can’t clear that.’ And so people speaking about this, most of them do not
understand what they’re asking for…The people that are out there that are enjoying the forest would not have the opportunity if it was made into a National Park,” he said.
When asked what they believe is the biggest issue in southern Illinois, both candidates mentioned the economy.
“I think the most important issue is to invest in our people, to invest in our infrastructure, to invest in our economy,” Roberts said. “When those things are fixed, that fixes a lot of other problems. A lot of gun violence is related to crime. A lot of crime is related
Congressional candidate Brian Robert poses for a portrait in his office Oct. 28, 2024 in Carbondale, Illinois. Enan Chediak | @enanchediak
Incumbent congressman Mike Bost poses for a headshot. Photo provided by Mike Bost campaign.
Experts raise concern over Project 2025’s impact on climate change
Morrigan Carey MCarey@dailyegyptian CoM
In April 2023, conservative think tank The Heritage Foundation released “Mandate for Leadership: the Conservative Promise.” Better known as Project 2025, the 922-page document is a comprehensive proposed plan for a future conservative administration, including policy suggestions, shifts in administrative values and complete restructuring of federal agencies. If implemented, these plans would have a tremendous impact on Americans at every level, positive or negative.
According to FactCheck.org, former President of the United States Donald Trump claimed that he knew nothing about the plan, and it should not be associated with his campaign. However, many of Trump’s senior advisors, such as Ben Carson, Christopher Miller and Russ Vought, are included as authors. They go on to claim that “at least 140 people who worked in the Trump administration had a hand in Project 2025.”
J. Tobin Grant is a professor of political science at SIU. He claims that the largest impact that Project 2025 will have is how it prepares the priorities and goals of a possible Trump administration before they would take office, as well as preparing a list of appointees to be ready on day one of the administration.
“Most of the things that are getting headlines in Project 2025 would actually have to go through Congress, something like eliminating education programs, eliminating the entire Department of Education, selling off the National Weather Service, defunding public broadcasting,” Grant said. “These are all things that would require congressional action, and they’re not things that
are necessarily going to get through even in a Republican majority.”
He added, “But where Project 2025 is going to get most of its impact is getting people in place in political appointed positions where they can make a lot of the on-theground decisions once they’re elected.”
On Oct. 23, 2024, Carbondale Public Library hosted an
event called “Project 2025: Implications for Our Planet.”
During this event, speakers came to talk about the possible effects of the policies included in Project 2025, with a focus on how it will affect the climate. One of the speakers, Teresa MachicaoHopkins, is a family law attorney and Carbondale local who took issue with the book’s proposition
to commercialize the National Weather Service’s forecasting operations, allowing private companies to fill the gap.
“What we forget is that the National Weather Service, for example, for those of us that were here last spring when the tornadoes were going through, if you had damage to your house and you turned it over to your
insurance company, one of the very first questions that was asked was, ‘what did the National Weather Service say about this particular incident?’” MachicaoHopkins said. “It’s the National Weather service that comes out after tornadoes to say what level the tornado is. It’s not just a matter of forecasting and telling us what the temperature is going to be the next day.”
In addition to changes to environmental agencies, the plan advocates for ending government programs aimed at curbing carbon emissions and pulling the United States out of the 2015 Paris Agreement.
Another speaker at the event was Kay Klinkenborg, a resident of Sun City, Arizona who’s taught several classes on Project 2025 and similar topics. Klinkenborg raised concerns over the global impacts of these proposals.
“They’re going to transfer environmental funding away from mission-based entities to state regulators who do not believe in climate change or science,” Klinkenborg said. “We have many state governments and state regulators who openly say they do not believe in climate change.
“They’re going to allow fossil fuel companies to drill on more prominent lands, drill into public waters, and onto indigenous reservation lands where they’re supposed to be protected. This will make more utility monopolies, and it will raise prices for consumers significantly.”
Election day will occur on Nov. 5, 2024. Early voting is currently available. For information regarding in-person voting opportunities or absentee ballot applications, visit jacksoncounty-il.gov.
Staff reporter Morrigan Carey can be reached at mcarey@dailyegyptian.com.
Kent Arnold and Amy Wilson-Dallas run for Jackson County coroner
Thomas Kupferer, has chosen not to seek reelection.
With elections underway, Jackson County is seeking its next county coroner. Two candidates are running for the position: Amy Wilson-Dallas and Kent Arnold.
The job of the county coroner is to investigate deaths which are, according to the Jackson County website, “suspicious, mysterious or otherwise unexplained” when it is determined that the circumstances of the death can only be determined by autopsy. The current coroner,
Arnold, a Republican, is an emergency room physician with 20 years of experience in emergency medicine, according to his campaign website, which his campaign says gives him an intimate understanding of “sudden loss of life, drug addiction, hospice care and death.” Arnold was contacted through his campaign email and his listed phone number, but did not respond to requests for comment.
Wilson-Dallas, a Democrat, is
the current chief deputy coroner, which is a position she has held since 2015. She has 25 years of experience working as a funeral home director. It is not required that a county coroner be a medical professional, and Jackson County is the only one of the 34 counties in southern Illinois that currently has a physician for a coroner.
Wilson-Dallas has also campaigned on a platform of empathy for the deceased and their loved ones.
“Whenever someone passes
away, for some people, the next of kin, it’s probably one of the worst times of their lives,” WilsonDallas said. “They don’t know where to turn, and they’re looking for that kind of help, and I have years of experience doing that.”
She also said that a core value that she wishes to bring into the office is availability.
“I know the time and dedication it takes to be a coroner,” WilsonDallas said. “I am on call 24/7 when I’m not out of town or at the funeral home and I fulfill my
duties no matter what time of day or night I am needed. I will do the same for the coroner’s office and I will give 110% for the people of Jackson County.”
Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024. Early voting is currently available. For information regarding inperson voting opportunities or absentee ballot applications, visit jacksoncounty-il.gov.
Staff reporter Morrigan Carey can be reached at mcarey@dailyegyptian.com.
illustration by Yarauseth Zavala | @zavala.designs
Renewing Illinois Summit: the one where they talk about funding
Mylee Walker @MyleeWalkerWrites
The Paul Simon Public Policy Institute held its annual Renewing Illinois summit at SIU campus on Oct. 24 and 25. The Paul Simon Institute is a nonprofit organization that is dedicated to helping young people prepare for careers in public service. It holds this summit yearly, drawing in students from dozens of schools state-wide.
The event had speakers SIU system President Dan Mahony, Director of The Paul Simon Institute John Shaw, former Illinois Gov. Jim Edgar, Rep.Carol Ammons and former Illinois State Historian Sam Wheeler.
The event kicked off with Edgar, who talked about his time as governor and how important higher education was to the economy of Illinois.
“It’s my pleasure to be back on SIU’s campus and particularly to be with the Paul Simon Institute,” Edgar said. “I’ve always been a big supporter of public education, but higher education, to me, was very important.”
“Last year alone, 2% of the universities in the country went up,” Mahony said. “To some extent, I think some institutions are going to have to change the way they operate to survive.”
Ammons spoke on Oct. 25, giving a presentation of the General Assembly’s proposed plan to give funding to the universities of Illinois.
She talked about the budget Illinois passed that cut funding for higher education.
“If you asked me 20 years ago if Illinois would not fund higher education, I would have been laughing,” Ammons said. “Why would we not fund education? But, in Illinois right now, the funding approach is pretty much flat.”
Reporter Mylee Walker can be reached by email at mwalker@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram @myleewalkerwrites.
The following day, Shaw held a panel with SIU System President Mahony and author Jim Nowlan, who wrote Higher Education in Illinois: Facing a Tsunami of Change. An excerpt from the book was handed to attendees of the event. They discussed the future of higher education in Illinois.
Illinois Rep. Carol Ammons speaks to students about funding for higher education at the Paul Simons Institute Renewing Illinois Summit Oct. 25, 2024 at the Student Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Daylin Williams | dwilliams@dailyegyptian.com
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to poverty. So…we fix the economy, then we make those issues better.”
Bost focused on the issue at a national level, stating that we need to sell gas to our allies overseas.
“When that gives us an economy that starts growing again, removing over-burdensome regulation on almost every industry out there and encouraging economic growth the way…we were running hot prior to COVID, we need to get back to that so that we grow our GDP (gross domestic product), which will allow the true way that we can get ourselves out of the national debt,” he said.
Both candidates also mentioned working to get the Farm Bill passed and promoting Scott Air Force Base.
The U.S. government contains a system of checks and balances, meaning each branch has its own powers to prevent one from becoming too powerful. Roberts said he plans to maintain this by standing up to protect the constitution and providing bipartisan support to certain bills.
“I think if Trump gets elected, it’s even more important that I win the election, because I truly believe that democracy is at stake in this election,” he said, pointing to Jan. 6, 2021, when a mob attacked the United States Capitol in an attempt to stop the certification of the 2020 election results, in which current President Joe Biden defeated then-President Trump.
“(Bost) voted against certifying the election results, even though Joe Biden clearly won the state of Illinois, and…that’s what his constituents wanted. That’s what the people in southern Illinois wanted. They voted for Joe Biden. He should have cast his vote for Joe Biden in order to certify the election,” Roberts said.
Bost said he voted not to certify two states’ 2020 results because the rules for the election process were not set by the states legislatures.
“A couple states (had) the governors change the date of when the election would be without
the approval of the state legislature and/or change the way in which the votes would be taken in, and the other one did it with a board, but not the state legislature,” he said. “So that violated the Constitution right there…The other states got their state legislatures together and actually set their election in place the way it’s supposed to be ran so that there wasn’t any question.”
The Supreme Court rejected a lawsuit brought by Texas that claimed Pennsylvania and three other states violated the constitution when nonlegislative actors changed election procedures, finding that Texas had no standing to bring the case, according to the Texas Tribune.
In a follow-up email, a spokesperson provided the Daily Egyptian with a previous statement from Bost: “Two states in particular, Pennsylvania and Arizona, faced objections in the House and Senate to their electoral vote allocations, prompting floor votes in both chambers. I voted to object to the electoral votes of both states because, in my belief, they failed to meet that constitutional standard.”
If reelected, Bost said he will continue to maintain checks and balances by completing the same actions he is currently taking.
“I do have oversight over the VA (Department of Veterans Affairs) and with that, we (are) constantly making sure that they’re doing the job they’re supposed to do, and still have worked fairly well with them on occasion that we can’t,” he said. “That doesn’t mean I’m going to turn a blind eye to things that’s happening, but there are things you can work together on…But I will also be the first to stand up, and I fought both Republican and Democrat over the years on certain issues.”
Election Day is Nov. 5, 2024. For information regarding in-person voting opportunities or absentee ballot applications, visit jacksoncounty-il.gov.
News editor Carly Gist can be reached at cgist@dailyegyptian.com
Jamilah lewis Jlewis@dailyegyptian com
Early voting underway in Jackson County
Early voting in Jackson County is taking place now to Nov. 1 for voters with their minds made up going to the polls.
Voting in the county started in September. at the County Clerk’s office, occurring weekdays from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Polling centers were set up at the Carbondale Civic Center on Oct. 16, 18, 21, 22 and 23 from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m.
The SIU Student Center polls opened Oct. 17 with other days being the 24, 30, and 31 from 10 a.m. to 5 pm.
At the Student Center, voters fluctuated during the day, with many being students and SIU staff.
Lucy Jackson, a freshman majoring in Exercise Science who voted for Vice President Kamala Harris, said voting is important to her and her family and has been instilled in her from an early age.
“I think that personal opinions matter,”
Jackson said. “We should be able to get a majority of people’s opinions out.”
Jackson said she’s not a politicallyattuned person, so she doesn’t have specific opinions on any candidate and stays openminded.
Graduate student Zachariah Davis said he votes because it’s his responsibility as a citizen and for the chance to voice his opinion.
“I feel like I wanted to make sure I did
my civic duty this year and voted,” Davis said. “I think it’s just important to if you’re gonna be a citizen.”
Davis said this is the second election he’s participated in with his first one being in 2020. With Davis being from Mississippi, he said that voting feels similar to doing it here in Carbondale.
“When you go up and you’re like in your ID, even your ID and everything, still feels there’s almost like a little voter oppression when a black person coming up, specifically black male,” Davis said.
“They didn’t ask me, it’s more of just like the feeling, just like the presence.”
According to the American Civil Liberties Union, it is not required to present a photo ID to vote in the state of Illinois.
Davis said it’s a feeling he can’t define that’s trying to deter him but will always vote regardless. One of the things he worries about is civil unrest in the country.
“Just the nature of America, just like making sure there’s no civil unrest, because we’ve had a civil war before,” Davis said.
“If you forget our history, it can definitely happen again.”
Elizabeth Saunders, who works for SIU medical school, came to put her vote in because of the convenience of it being on the campus she works at, she said.
your political alliance,” Pasdertz said. “Political identity as like, the basis for maybe some of your social identity really harms folks and the ability to collaborate and see issues as not like, oh, this issue is a Republican issue or a Democratic issue, but rather, this is a systemic issue or an issue for our community.”
“I want my voice heard, and I’m an elected official myself (at the medical school), and so I think it’s very important for the community to have a voice and how they’re represented,” she said. Saunders said she has strong opinions on two candidates this election and didn’t want to miss the chance to vote against certain candidates.
“Public opinion surrounding this election feels very inflamed right now, “ Saunders said. “It does feel different than it ever has before. I’ve been voting for a very long time. I rarely miss an election but yeah, it does feel different this time.”
Jacob Pasdertz, a graduate student and staff member of the Student Affairs Department, said since he didn’t have a specific plan on when he was going to vote today was a good day to do so. He believes
local elections are more important to focus on than the general elections.
“The General Election, I don’t feel (it’s) as important as the election for local congressmen and representatives in House to me,” Pasdertz said. “But all the way around, yeah, I think we should vote. It’s one of our civil rights and oh my gosh, how many people have been denied the right in the past to vote? I feel like we almost like we got to do this thing, right?”
Pasdertz said there isn’t a specific political focus that concerns him more than the other, but political identity is something that interests him with this election.
“I think that there’s this mindset that you must have an identity associated with
Pasdertz said he believes the political division is something that pressures others to be politically aligned with a certain party.
“I’ve been voting since I was 18. I am 29 now, so I’ve gotten a few elections in, but yeah, I always try to vote,” Pasdertz said. “One, kind of a novelty, and two, like, oh my gosh, it’s input on the system with which I swim in.”
With Pasdertz having a few elections under his belt, he said he doesn’t feel much of a difference in this elections than others in the realm of a voter.
“Maybe I’m not so bright-eyed and bushy-tailed as I was as a younger man, but I do feel that each vote is important, right?”
Pasdertz said. “It also creates this, maybe this idea that by doing things to interact with the system, I may see myself as more a part of the system, and that may empower me to actualize changes in other facets of my life.”
Luna and Matthew, who declined to give their last names, said with a busy schedule working at a hospital, they wanted to get their vote in because this election is very important to them.
“I feel like it’s gonna be a deciding factor for women everywhere, for people of color,
for LGBTQIA people, and it’s a very dangerous and scary time,”
Luna said.
Matthew said there’s instability not only in the U.S. but everywhere in the world, so his vote ensures his voice is heard during this time.
“Last time I voted was 2008,” Matthew said. “I hadn’t voted in the last election, but I feel like this one was pretty important to go ahead and cast.”
Luna said women’s rights are very important with this upcoming election and wants to make sure that Illinois stays safe for women, as she doesn’t see many other places in the country as safe for them.
Both said this is the first election they’re voting in again because this is the first time they’ve believed in a candidate’s message in a long time.
“Obama came to office, he had a message, yes, we can and believe in, you know, togetherness
and I liked his message a lot,” Matthew said. “When Hillary and Trump came into the fray, it was, I don’t know there’s, there’s a lot of uncertainty in my political preference.”
He said he was thrown off by the chaotic nature of the election at the time, but with the knowledge he has now of the re-selection of former President Donald Trump, he felt compelled to vote again.
Carbondale resident Micheal Miller voted early at the Civic Center because his mind was made up on his vote and plans to be out of town on Election Day.
“I feel it’s your duty at this point, our ancestors fought for that right,” Miller said. “I feel [like] Black women [should]… feel that way, even more than Black men, because obviously, they weren’t just second class. At one point, they were third class.”
Miller said he’s voted in the recent past elections and has
noticed how polarizing the climate is around the election.
“When I was a kid, my parents talked about not talking about religion and politics outside of the home, but still, you still kind of did it,” Miller said. “I feel like …it’s one of those things you don’t want to do, because it will definitely end friendships or alter relationships just based on your political beliefs.”
Miller said one of his biggest concerns is not having a dictator in office.
“That is what really keeps me awake at night, knowing that anyone can weaponize that office in the way that a certain candidate has talked about doing,” Miller said.
More information on voting and polling locations can be found on the Jackson County website.
Samantha Taylor poses for a portrait in front of the Civic Center after completing early voting Oct. 25, 2024 at the Carbondale Civics Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Dominique Martinez-Powell | @d.martinezphoto
Staff reporterJamilah Lewis can be reached at jlewis@dailyegyptian.com.
illustration by Dominique Martinez-Powell @d.martinezphoto
Elizabeth Saunders speaks on her opinions about voting.
Zachariah Davis speaks about his experiences voting. Jacob Pasdertz shares how important he feels voting is to him after submitting his early voting ballot.
Democratic Socialist of America hold
‘No Votes For Genocide’ protest
Jamilah lewis Jlewis@dailyegyptian com
The Southern Illinois Chapter of the Democratic Socialist of America (DSA) held a “No Votes For Genocide” rally Oct. 23 from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. at the Carbondale Town Square Pavilion, protesting voting for presidential candidates Vice President Kamala Harris and former President Donald Trump because of their support of Israel in the ongoing conflict with Palestine.
On Oct. 7, 2023, the militant group Hamas launched an attack on Israel killing over 1,300 Israelis with 3,300 injured and hundreds of hostages according to the Council on Foreign Relations. The Israeli cabinet declared war against Hamas the next day and the defense minister of the Israel Defense Forces ordered for a complete siege of Gaza, which is governed by Hamas. Since then, over 40,000 Palestinians have been killed and more than 92,000 people have been injured, according to AP News.
Around 20 participants gathered
just not vote at all and refuse to vote for both genocidal corporate parties, the Republicans and the Democrats,” Herron-Titus said.
Herron-Titus said many DSA chapters are pushing for an arms embargo and permanent cease-fire, which neither of the presidential candidates have called for.
“So, you know, that’s what we want to see, is the genocide ending,” HerronTitus said. “In the past, there have been cease-fires forced...in the Lebanon War in the ‘80s by (then-president Ronald) Reagan, or even when Israel invaded Lebanon in 2006 there was a cease-fire agreement, and that has not been able to produce now.”
According to the U.S. Office of the Historian, The Reagan Administration took action in fear of the conflict between Lebanese groups backed by Syria and Israel, as well as conflict between Israel and the Palestine Liberation Organization (PLO), creating an Arab-Israeli war.
When conflict between Israel and the
“People need to vote third party, or just not vote at all and refuse to vote for both genocidal corporate parties, the Republicans and the Democrats,”
- Luke Herron-Titus Chair of the Southern
around 4:50 p.m. to set up Palestinian flags and signs along the street. The signs included the protest name along with a photo of Harris with her eye blurred by a red line.
Chants that could be heard by passersby including “From the river to the sea, Palestine will be free” and “Kamala Harris you can’t hide, we charge you with genocide” along with switching Harris’ name out for Trump.
“Southern Illinois DSA has signed on to the no votes for genocide pledge,” said Chair of the Southern Illinois DSA chapter Luke Herron-Titus.
“It’s a national coalition of different DSA chapters… that came out of the uncommitted movement.”
According to its website, the Uncommitted Movement, which consists of pro-Palestine activists, started off in Michigan and expanded across the country. The movement focuses on not voting for either for the Democrats or Republicans to push the Democratic Party into hearing them and calling for a cease-fire.
The website’s front pagestates, “Our government’s funding of right-wing Netanyahu’s (Prime Minister of Israel) murderous campaign has mobilized a multi-faith, multi-generational, multiracial Democratic base in Michigan and nationwide. The movement has highlighted a clear disconnect between the Democratic party and key constituencies in their base.”
The movement is to put pressure on the government to take action
“People need to vote third party, or
Jewish people, their problem is with the Ideology of Zionism.
As it is defined on Vox, Zionism is Israel’s national ideology with the belief that Judaism is a nationality and a religion, and that Jews deserve their own ancestral land.
SIU alumni Abed Abukhdair who was in attendance supporting the cause of voting against the two-party candidates said without speaking up nothing will be done, and it’s important to speak for those who can’t do it for themselves.
“We’re not playing into the whole… the lesser of evil thing, the two-party system,” Abukhdair said. “It’s corrupt at this point. You know, you’ve got no way for other voices to be heard. So actually, a lot of us are going to be voting third party and third-party candidates.”
Abukhdair said he’s leaning towards voting for Dr. Cornel West who is not affiliated with any party, or Green Party’s Dr. Jill Stein.
Stein is known for being proPalestine and has links on her websites to pledge to stop the conflict with Israel and Palestine.
According to a Detroit News article, at a support rally for Arab Americans, she stressed wanting to stop the conflict that she characterizes as a genocide in Gaza. She drew differences between herself and the Democratic and Republican candidates urging voters also to not vote for the “lesser of two evils.”
Illinois DSA chapter
PLO escalated during July of 1981, the administration had concerns that Israel would invade Lebanon. They sent their Secretary of State for Political Affairs Phillip Habib to negotiate a cease-fire for the conflict.
The Office of Historian noted that the cease-fire only delayed a larger future conflict.
Lebanon and Israel have a long history of conflicts. Herron-Titus referred to Israel and Lebanon’s armed conflicts during the summer of 2006.
According to the International Committee of the Red Cross, on Aug. 11, 2006 the United Nations Security Council called for a cease-fire and a full halt on both Hezbollah and Israel defenses.
“I am very, very concerned how Harris and Biden, their foreign policy, their policy on Palestine, which is like an occupied territory being colonized, settled right now, has moved so far to the right,” Herron-Titus said. “We have to have hard lines (and) just be like, we can’t let this go any farther.”
As cars passed, many honked in support of the protesters as they continued chanting. Some protesters walked through the streets with Palestinian flags.
Community member Steve, who didn’t provide the Daily Egyptian with a last name, was leading the chants and said he has a heavy heart and is very passionate about ending the conflict for the sake of Palestinian lives.
Steve said Palestinian people have the right to exist and that they don’t hate
Stein is also reportedly looking for a Palestinian American for her running mate position.
According to a Politico article from last year, West responded to the Harvard student activist protesting for Palestinians and was quoted saying, “Israel and (the) United States are primarily responsible,” and “Hamas must take responsibility for killing innocent folk.”
Member of the Southern Illinois DSA Adam Ashby said the uncommitted movement focuses on people who are anti-imperialist and pushes them to vote either Republican or Democratic to fully stand on their beliefs.
“Activism outside of the two-party system is important, but also just making sure you know people are going to the polls informed,” Ashby said. “We have a stance against both Trump and Kamala. Of course, I cannot tell you one way or the other how to vote. However, if you are going to vote for Kamala, we would hope that you know fully what her program entails.”
Ashby said when it comes to Harris’ support of Israel, many people think there’s nothing to do about it, so movements like these are here to show people there is something they can do.
“You can put pressure on these politicians. You can look for other politicians to support,” Ashby said. “You can get involved with community activism to build power within your community that circumvents the need for the federal elections.”
Protesters Gage McPhail (left) and Luke Herron-Titus (right) hold a No Votes for Genocide banner during the No Votes for Genocide rally and march held by the Southern Illinois chapter of Democratic Socalist of America Oct. 23, 2024 at the Carbondale Town Square Pavilion in Carbondale, Illinois. Libby Phelps | @libbyphelpsphotography
Protester Adam Ashby holds a No Votes for Genocide sign and the Palestine flag. The
Dawgs doomed by sloppy second half, drop fifth in a row
Nick PfaNNkuche NPfaNNkuche@dailyegyPtiaN com
The Salukis, coming off their bye week, traveled to Terre Haute saturday for a faceoff with the Indiana State Sycamores and lost their fifth game in a row with a final score of 20-17.
After Indiana State shrunk their deficit down to three with help from two turnovers, the Salukis needed to regrab the momentum with a score of their own. The Dawgs were on the verge of doing so, even picking up a fourth down conversion to the Sycamore 40 until the ball popped out and was recovered by the Sycamores.
“We can’t turn the ball over on our first three drives of the second half,” head Coach Nick Hill said.
SIU got the ball first and a sack had them go three-and-out. On the Sycamores’ first possession, they made their way into Saluki territory, led by their ground game, which would go on to pile up 219 yards on the day. On first down from the SIU 25, SIU defensive tackle Devin Love got to Indiana State quarterback Elijah Owens and forced a fumble. Linebacker Ben Bogle fell on the loose ball to bring the Dawgs offense back on the field.
The Salukis couldn’t take advantage of the turnover and punted the ball back to
the Sycamores.
Indiana State picked up a first down on the following drive, but would end the drive with a punt.
On a third down from the SIU 38, Jake Curry connected with Nah’shawn Hezekiah for a pick-up of 27. The Salukis wouldn’t move the ball any further and punted.
After moving the chains once, a chop block penalty put the Sycamores 15 yards behind the sticks and led to a punt.
After an uneventful first quarter, the Salukis put together a methodical, 14 play, 70-yard drive capped off by Michael Lindauer finding a wide open Keontez Lewis in the end zone for the first score of the game. The touchdown marked the first of Lindauer’s six-year recently resumed collegiate career.
The Saluki defense kept the positive momentum and forced another quick punt by Indiana State.
Under two minutes before halftime, SIU worked a fast, no-huddle, offense. Curry completed all four of his pass attempts for 56 yards before getting into the end zone with his legs.
The Sycamores looked to get something on the board before the break, but Bogle earned his second takeaway
of the game when he picked off Owens and set up a drive that ended with a Paul Geelen field goal.
The SIU defense continued to make life hard for the Sycamore offense after the break, only allowing them to reach the Indiana State 44 yard line before forcing a punt.
Starting from the shadow of their own goal line, SIU picked up a first down before Curry threw a pick six directly to an Indiana State linebacker, getting the Sycamores on the board.
Lindauer entered the game for Curry once again and picked up 52 yards all the way to the Sycamores 2 yard line on a QB keeper, but the ball was punched out at the end of the run and picked up by Indiana State.
Starting from their own 2, Indiana State would put together their best drive to that point of the afternoon. The Sycamores ran 17 plays, picked up 53 yards on the ground, and finished the drive with a two yard touchdown pass to make it a three point game.
“Credit to them, but we gotta find a way to get off the field,” Hill said.
Needing to regain momentum, the Salukis got around midfield before facing a fourth and short. The Dawgs elected to
go for it and picked it up, but fumbled the ball on the play, marking their third drive in a row ended with a turnover.
The Sycamores picked up some short yardage before their quarterback, Elijah Owens, broke off a 28-yard touchdown run to give Indiana State their first lead of the afternoon.
SIU was able to respond by getting into Sycamore territory on three plays before the Indiana State defense got a big sack. A miscue on the punt resulted in a turnover on downs, giving them good starting field position.
a three-andout, and gave the offense one last chance, but the SIU offense came up empty and turned the ball over on downs. The Sycamores ran out the remaining time and sealed the 20-17 victory.
The Salukis (2-6, 0-4 Missouri Valley Football Conference) will be back on the road next Saturday to take on the Missouri State Bears in Springfield, Missouri.
Sports reporter Nick Pfannkuche can be reached at npfannkuche@dailyegyptian.com
‘You don’t want to miss it’: New brand of Saluki basketball set to begin
RyaN gRieseR RgRieseR@dailyegyPtiaN com
Fans who dreaded the sometimes plodding Saluki offense of the past can look forward to an entirely different style of play on the court this season.
“I like to play fast,” new head coach Scott Nagy said. “I know the fans like to see it.”
“It’s constant movement offensively,” assistant coach Steve Hawkins said.
This movement is essential in Nagy’s system, which he describes as a motion offense, which is more similar to a professional-style offense. Some of the common characteristics of such an offense are running sets with five men out, a heavy dose of ball screens.
“We certainly play at a faster pace than most people do,” Nagy said.
In his prior stops, Nagy’s offense has been highly effective. During the 2023-24 season at Wright State in Dayton, Ohio, Nagy’s offense led the Horizon League by nearly five points per game, pouring in 86.5 points per game.
This is a stark contrast to the Salukis’ offense last season, when the Dawgs averaged only 72.7 points per game.
Kennard Davis, a returning guard said “getting used to the tempo” is the biggest change from last year.
Hawkins said that Nagy “gives the guys a lot of freedom” within the offense. Transfer guard Davion Sykes said he agrees.
“The offense kind of lets us play a little free, just being able to use our creativity and having each other’s back on offense and trusting each other’s shot… I think we’ll really succeed in that,” Sykes said.
The shots that players take won’t be
Head coach Scott Nagy speaks to Saluki basketball in a huddle during practice Oct. 25, 2024 at Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Emily Brinkman | erb_photos_
crazy just because they’re playing fast either.
“Last year (at Wright State), we led the country in field goal percentage playing fast… our length of possession is very quick, we’re going to take good, quick shots,” Nagy said.
Learning the system hasn’t come without challenges for both players and coaches. Only one person on the coaching staff or roster, player development coach Tae Gibbs, had ever worked with Nagy prior to SIU.
Hawkins, who has nearly four decades of coaching experience within the college ranks, said that it took “a lot of hours” for the coaches to pick up Nagy’s system and small ripples to the point where they could teach it to the players while also contributing their own expertise to help out the team.
“He’s the lead singer, the rest of us are the band. We have to pick up on what he’s doing,” Hawkins said. “Everybody’s bringing their own little sets of experiences
that are helping us.”
Part of the difference in how the offense runs is the personnel on the court. Nagy’s staff filled out a roster with seven players over 6 feet 6 inches and a lot of positional flexibility.
“There’s a lot of versatility,” Hawkins said. “The length, the athleticism, as long as they’re hustling, then it can cause problems.”
This length directly translates into a major ability to disrupt plays on the defensive side of the court. Jarrett Hensley, a returning, 6 foot 8 inch tall forward, spoke to how challenging it can be for a player of even his size to get to the basket.
“Just when I was driving, three or four dudes that kind of look like me, just long and athletic, it’s sometimes hard to get a shot up,” Hensley said. “I think it’s going to be a really big strength for us.”
Sykes talked about the emphasis that coaches put on guarding inside the arc and clogging the lane.
“We have to make sure we guard the ball, no paint touches,” Sykes said. Nagy hasn’t coached a team that can make things this difficult for opponents on defense and said he is excited for the possibilities it opens up.
“Compared to most teams I’ve coached, it’s much harder to score a basket on us. We block more shots and (are) just more athletic,” Nagy said.
Hawkins said that “we can switch a lot more” because of the height and flexibility. This also opens the door to a lot of different players being on the floor.
“We can play big, we can play small, a lot of different positions our players can play, so there’s a lot for our coaching staff to figure out,” Nagy said.
The competition among the players has been so tight that even with the season about to begin, there isn’t a defined starting lineup or rotation yet.
“We’re not close at all to figuring out who’s getting all the minutes,” Nagy said. “I expect it will be long into the season trying to figure out who’s going to compete for those minutes.”
The players aren’t shying away from the competition though.
“We wouldn’t want it any other way,” guard Damien Mayo said. “I wouldn’t really say we fight for starting positions. We just fight for time to play… we all want to get out there.”
While players like Davis, Hensley, Sykes and familiar Missouri Valley Conference foe-turned-Saluki Mayo may be some of the players that fans think will be on the court a lot, several others are drawing praise and attention.
Davis immediately mentioned “hard
worker” Rolyns Aligbe as a player he’s excited about.
“Some people might underestimate him, but he’s a dog. He plays really hard,” Davis said.
Hawkins also had high praise for the freshman forward.
“He’s got a college-ready body even though he’s a true freshman,” Hawkins said. “We went up and we scrimmaged Iowa this past weekend. He did not look out of place at all… he mixed it up with everybody he went in there with.”
Mayo also had high praise for Tyler Bey, who also transferred to SIU from Missouri State with Mayo.
“(SIU is) getting a good player, a long, athletic guard who can defend the one through four when he puts his mind to it, and he can score the ball at all three levels,” Mayo said. “When you have all that, the sky’s the limit.”
“He’s going to be exciting for us,” Mayo added.
With all of the physical abilities and talent in mind, Nagy has one goal for the season.
“We only have one goal here,” Nagy said. “That’s to win the league.”
The journey to winning the league will include 15 home games that according to Hawkins should be appointment viewing.
“You don’t want to miss it… the ball is going to be sprinting up and down the court,” Hawkins said. “I think they’re going to enjoy our style of basketball, we’re going to be a very up-tempo, exciting, hustling athletic team.”
Sports consultant Ryan Grieser can be reached at rgrieser@dailyegyptian.com.
The Saluki defense forced
Photo provided by Saluki Athletics.
Women’s Basketball looks forward to a season of wins & improvements
Joslyn Cole JCole@dailyegyptian Com
After last year’s 11-20 season, and being 6-14 in the Missouri Valley Conference, third-year Saluki Women’s Basketball Coach Kelly Bond-White does not want the team to focus solely on winning.
“All of us want those W’s and I’m like, ‘hey, the win will come if you stop focusing on (the) win,’” BondWhite said. “Just do what you were supposed to do. Create the habits and the process is going to be there in the school. Take care of yourself.”
There are 10 new women on the team and Bond-White is determined to elevate their shooting skills and make them more accurate with their shots.
“We have some shooters right now, I call them shooters, but I got to make sure they’re makers as well,” BondWhite said.
Kayla Cooper is a new member of the team who transferred from University of Oklahoma. Bond-White said that she has several useful qualities that she brings to the team.
“I don’t have to tell her to shoot the ball and coming in from the beginning, she brought that championship mindset to the team of telling our kids, ‘Hey, get your foot behind the line,’” Bond-White said.
When asked about what she wants to bring to the team, Cooper said, “Get them to understand the urgency of everything that has to be done to get ready for a season.”
“I just tell everybody that; we don’t really have any days off. I feel like we have so much talent on our team that there’s no time to waste any of it,” Cooper said.
Cooper doesn’t only want to bring her leadership qualities to the team, she also wants to bring some positivity.
“I would like to just bring happiness, positive energy, hard work and just being humble. Honestly, as long as I can just bring joy to everybody on the court as well as off the court,” Cooper said.
This is Bond-White’s third season coaching at SIU, and said that she has been seeing improvements from the team year over year.
“Certain reads off of pick and rolls are improving a little bit more. The rotations on defense in there because trust is being built, which with so many new faces you have to rely on the trust they got to know that Coach is asking me to play this way,” BondWhite said.
During the team’s media day on Oct. 23, Bond-White gave some insight about what she looks for when recruiting players.
“We’re very intentional on who we recruit. We’re recruiting because deflections are big for us. This is an offensive conference. There’s some pretty basketball played in this conference,” Bond-White said. “So for us to protect us inside, we have to be able to get deflections, to mess up teams’ timing, and that’s what we’re looking for.”
Jeniah Thompson is a graduate student who previously played basketball for SIU. Since then, she has been successful at two different colleges and has returned back to SIU.
“She has been a steady force for us, from the moment she walked through the door. And it helps that she can shoot that dang thing,” Bond-White said. “I’m just proud of her. Her grandparents are almost in every practice cheering her on, and I love that for the kid because she’s embracing being home.”
Thompson said that the young team is hard working.
“I see a lot of good development that can come from the freshman, underclassmen in general, they work hard,” Thompson said. “They’re really coachable, both with the coaching staff and with the upperclassmen. You know, they take game, what we feed them as well. So I feel like that helps with their development as far as making that transition, even if it’s from out of the country to playing in America or just from high school to college.”
When asked about the team’s chemistry, Thompson said,“I think our chemistry is really starting to merge together really well. We’re starting to learn each other’s strengths and weaknesses better.”
The team kicks off the season on the road by taking on Auburn on Nov. 4.
“They play a similar style, they’re tough minded, (defensive), first oriented. They’re probably going to be on the line up against us,” Coach Bond-White said. “They’re going to try to spread us out and attack; all the young ladies will probably not see that type of defense. They will probably not see that type of team in our conference but that’s who we are trying to be.”
Sports reporter Joslyn Cole can be reached at jcole@dailyegyptian.com
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Saluki freshman Alice Curman (20) reaches for the ball during practice Oct. 24, 2024 at the Banterra Center in Carbondale, Illinois. Photos by Libby Phelps @libbyphelpsphotography
Kelowna Ngoyi (8) guards assistant coach Cartaesha Macklin during practice.
‘It’s really good family fun.’ Howl-O-Ween Family Event
On Saturday Oct. 26, Murdale and Friends of Carbondale Community Dog Parks hosted Safe Howl-OWeen. The event had a bounce house, hayrides, a pet costume contest, food and lots of costumes.
“Everyone’s just having a really good time and the weather is awesome. I see cookies and cotton candy coming this way and hotdogs coming this way,” Siri LeBaron, employee of Neighborhood Co-Op, said.
At the event, many booths were open with food and candy. The businesses in Murdale shopping center had workers outside handing out candy as well as at the cash register.
“All the stores participate and give treats to the kids. We’ve seen so many cool costumes. Spider Man has been the number one costume so far, lots of minecraft too,” LeBaron said.
There were activities for families, kids and dogs alike to participate in, including photo opportunities and costume contests.
“We’ve got hayrides. They have a bounce house, the climbing wall and lots of cool stuff. There’s just festivities happening all up and down the street,” LeBaron said. “We’ve seen some awesome family
costumes and everybody’s just having a really good time. It’s really good family fun.”
The Carbondale Farmers Market was also being held as the event was happening. It is located in the Murdale Shopping Center and happens weekly on Saturday from 8 a.m. to 12 a.m.
“It’s great because it happens at the same time as the farmer’s market. It’s a cool thing going on and it’s fun to interact with the community,” LeBaron said.
One of the booths at the event was hosted by Southern Illinois Health’s (SIH) mission and values team. They came to boost morale in the community and give out goodies to everyone.
“We work with SIH, we’re on the mission and values team. We do a lot of outreach, fundraisers and programs for the greater community, not just the hospital. We do a lot of work for morale within the hospital too. COVID decimated the community, we’re kind of bringing out the morale within the hospital system,” ICU unit coordinator Chris Builderback said.
At the booth the organization had a life-size operation game for kids to play. As a reward, the kids could go up to the table and take a squishy toy.
“So we’re out here today and
we’ve got a live operation board game,” Builderback said. The kids are loving it so far. We’ve got our patient with candy. We’ve got to get rid of some of that candy inside him.”
Carbondale Community Dog Parks was located behind the SIH booth where attendees could sign their dog up for the costume contest or take a picture with their dog in front of the backdrop.
“I am not from here but I came with my friends for the dog costume contest. I dressed my dog, Baby, up as a hotdog,” said attendee Emma Brown.
Owners could sign their dogs up for the costume contest under four categories which had a first and second place winner. One winner was a Corgi dressed up as a Target shopping cart under the funniest and most clever category.
“Some of the costumes are hilarious, it’s so fun to see so many dogs dressed up in costumes. Everywhere you look you can see dogs dressed up in the craziest costumes like other animals,” Brown said.
Other categories included scariest costume, cutest costume and owner and pet dress-up duo. Two dogs dressed up as a cow and a chicken with their owner dressed as a farmer won the duo category.
“Even though my dog didn’t win, it was still fun to dress her up and take her out to see all the kids. She has gotten so much love from all of the little kids here,” Brown said.
The proceeds from the costume contest and photos went to the non-profit organization to purchase poop bags and keep their parks clean. The PetSafe Carbondale Community Dog Park is located at 2500 W Sunset Dr.
“Baby loves the dog park so I’m excited to take her to the one here,” Brown said.
The great pumpkin race of carbondale
erb_photos_
For food options, Carbondale Crime Stoppers were at the event serving hotdogs, burgers, chips and drinks for people to buy. They were grilling them at the event to be served fresh. The orgainzation is crime fighting and prevention based throughout the State of Illinois. There were also options for popcorn, nachos, cotton candy and of course, candy.
Staff reporter Alli Goering can be reached at agoering@dailyegyptian.com
Kids craft table at the pumpkin cut paper plates for race in Carbondale Illinois on Oct. 26th at the Mill Street Underpass in Carbondale, Illinois. Emily Brinkman |
Jeneva McCall Stevans weilds the Mallet-O-Justice to smash a cheater’s pumpkin at the race.
Police and fire department participate in the Pumpkin Race 2024.
Pumpkin racers wait with their pumpkins before the first race.
Foxy the dog as a spider for the Safe Howl-o-Ween event at the Murdale Shopping Center Oct. 26 in Carbondale, Illinois. Daylin Williams | dwilliams@dailyegyptian.com
Jack-O-Lanterns light the path
LyLee Gibbs | @LyLeeGibbsphoto
During the daylight hours, nearly 900 painted and carved pumpkins lined a trail at the Oakland Nature Preserve surrounded by the backdrop of a southern Illinois fall. Once the sun sets, the path was then illuminated by around 750 carved pumpkins, all lit by electric candles, inviting the southern Illinois community to walk through.
“There’s something for everybody,” Executive Director Stephanie Eichholz said. “The trail is just magical.”
Outside of the trail entrance was live music and concession treats for people to enjoy.
The annual Pumpkin Glow, a family-friendly Halloween event, took place on Oct. 24, 25 and 26 hosted by Green Earth who own and operate the Green Earth nature preserves in Carbondale.
“It’s a very family oriented event,” Eichholz said. “People really love to bring their kids. You know, there’s no jump scares, no gore, nothing
that wouldn’t suit little kids.”
The three-day event is a twomonth effort. It began with meetings with the city to plan through the details of volunteers, sponsorships and more. The physical work started Monday, Oct. 21 with three days of carving through the SIU campus, which is where most of the pumpkins come from. The event itself is set up Wednesday Oct. 23 and Thursday Oct. 24 before it opened to the public on Thursday through Saturday evenings.
They purchased the pumpkins through a local farmer in Carterville, Will McDaniel, who helped with the event.
The Pumpkin Glow has grown exponentially since it began seven years ago according to Eichholz.
“This is an event we started in 2017 just as a fun little community event, but it’s turned into something bigger and better.” she said.
Editor-in-Chief Lylee Gibbs can be reached at @lyleegibbsphotos
A skeleton is carved into a pumpkin that sits on the Pumpkin Glow trail Oct. 25, 2024 at the Oakland Nature Preserve in Carbondale, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto
Silas Browning of Carbondale places a pumpkin over a candle that he relit. Browning and his mother, Misty Browning, walked down the trail relighting any candles they noticed that had gone out in the pumpkins.
Lauren Koneski and Jamie Simelton walk through the Pumpkin Glow trail dressed as witches as they look at the 750 carved pumpkins along the paths edges.
Attendees of the annual Pumpkin Glow buzz around the entrance to hear live music played by Marty Merrill and Candy Davis and visit the concession stand before entering the trail.
Carved pumpkins sit on logs and hang from trees along the end of the path of the annual Pumpkin Glow.
GARFIELD GOES TO HELL
The third and last installment to the “Garfield and Friends” concert titled ‘Garfield goes to Hell’ is a blend of cover songs and story. Cryian Mills, who played Garfield, performed with fellow band members Grant Kentala (Odie), Brandon Gill (Jim Davis), Drake Martin (Fat Elvis) and Nathaniel Berger (Devil) at Hangar 9 on Oct. 25, 2024.
This installment is a loose sequel to the “Public Execution of Garfield,” which was performed in October of 2023. The concept allows viewers who have not seen any of the previous installments to still understand the concert but adds an extra enjoyment for those who have. It allowed for a smooth transition with the sequel ending with Garfield’s death and the third installment setting in Hell.
Hangar 9 was almost at max capacity and the crowd was very energetic, which included some mosh pits. Members of the community of all ages came to jump along with the songs and story.
Cyrian Mills created the show back in 2022 from being given the Garfield costume as a gift. He first performed at PK’s and the concerts grew from there.
Jim Davis, (Brandon Gill) hammers the drums at Garfield goes to Hell.
Fat Elvis (Drake Martin) taps to the beat with his tambourine.
Garfield, (Cyrian Mills) shakes his tail along to the band.
Viewers surround Garfield (Cyrian Mills) while he walks through the audience.
A group dressed in Halloween costumes jumps along to the music.
Garfield (Cyrian Mills) sings towards the audience.
Devil (Nathaniel Berger) shreds the Guitar.
Bass Guitarist Odie (Grant Kentala) prepares to play his bass guitar.
Photos by Peyton Cook | @_peytoncook_
Garfield (Cyrian Mills) sings down towards the audience.
Garfield (Cyrian Mills) spreads his arms out during the Garfield goes to Hell concert Oct. 25, 2024 at Hangar 9 in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @_peytoncook_