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DAILY EGYPTIAN West Nile mosquitoes in Jackson County

@dailyegyptian @dailyegyptianphoto Daily Egyptian

Graves and gazebos

MARISSA NOVEL Daily Egyptian

Routine mosquito testing found mosquitoes positive for the West Nile virus south of Carbondale in Jackson County but no human cases have been reported. The mosquitos were collected Friday. A dead crow found in the same area also tested positive for the virus earlier this month according to a press release from the Jackson County Health Department. Burt Hagston, environmental health director for Jackson County, said mosquitoes from the area are collected and tested weekly starting in April through October. “Typically we see our first batch of mosquitoes positive for the virus in Jackson County in mid to late June,” Hagston said. “We were a little behind the norm this year I think just because we’ve had a cooler summer.” Hagston said that mosquitoes start testing positive for the virus as the temperature rises. “The months of July, August and early September are when we typically see West Nile virus activity amplify in mosquito populations,” he said. “So this I think will be the first of many multiple mosquito batches that we get with West Nile virus in them” Douglas Fix, a microbiology professor, said Illinois had the highest number of cases of the virus in 2002, around 880. Since then, he said, the virus has been at lower levels and usually goes undetected. “There are obviously cases in which people die but the vast majority of people who are actually infected may never know it,” Fix said. In total, 18 Illinois counties have identified the virus in birds and mosquitoes. Last year, eleven deaths resulted from 117 cases in the state. Two cases were reported from Jackson County. The health department encourages individuals to reduce their risk by using the three “R’s”- reduce, repel, report. To reduce exposure, keep windows and doors closed and avoid being outdoors at dusk and dawn, when mosquitoes are most active. Eliminate sources of standing water and change birdbaths weekly. To repel mosquitoes, keep skin mostly covered with protective clothing and use repellants containing DEET, picaridin or IR3535 according to label instructions. To report, call the health department to report sick or dying crows, blue jays, robins or other perching birds. Also, report instances of stagnant water or similar locations that may produce mosquitos to the Carbondale Mosquito Abatement District. The abatement district is privately owned and operates through Carbondale Township. Symptoms of the virus are usually fever, nausea, headaches and body aches, and occur 3-14 days after being bitten. Other serious illnesses are possible, especially amongst people more than 50 years old. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, only one in five people infected will show symptoms and less than 1 percent of the infected develop serious illnesses. The abatement district can be reached at 618-549-2150. Marissa Novel can be reached at mnovel@dailyegyptian.com, on Twitter @MarissaNovelDE or at 536-3311 ext. 268.

BRANDA MITCHELL · DAILY EGYPTIAN

The Rose Hotel gazebo looks out onto the Ohio River, where Illinois and Kentucky meet. The structure was built in 1882 by the original architect James McFarlands son, James Junior after additionall renovations to the property were completed in the years prior. The gazebo is free for the public to visit and can also be rented to hold events, such as weddings.

FOR STORY, SEE PAGE 4

SIU McNair scholars dedicate their summer to research STOREY MAYER Daily Egyptian Most college students use their summer break to kick back and relax, but there are 14 students at SIU who have used their break quite differently. The students are a part of the McNair Scholars Program and have devoted nearly 320 hours of their summer to research. Karen Renzaglia, director of the McNair Scholars Program and a professor in plant biology, said the mission of the program is to give students the chance to explore research that normally would not have the opportunity. “The program targets underrepresented minorities in graduate school and low-income, first-generation students,” Renzaglia said. “It trains them to understand what it is like to get a more advanced degree.” To qualify to be a McNair scholar, a student has to be a junior or senior in college. As long as the student has earned at least 56 credit hours, there is no age restriction. A selection committee chooses the scholars based on their application, grade point average, educational goals and interview. Rhetta Seymour, associate director of SIU McNair Scholars Program, said the students begin the program by identifying a faculty member who is conducting research in an area the student finds interesting. “That faculty member will become their mentor and they will work

together to finalize a project that is doable,” Seymour said. “The mentor will supervise, suggest valuable reading and guide the student throughout the research process.” SIU became a part of the McNair program in 2003. The U.S. Department of Education funds the program at more than 150 institutions throughout the nation. The university recruits in fall and spring and is required to have 28 students in the program. “Every five years you have to apply again and they give you the money if they like what you have said and done,” Renzaglia said. “So we are well established in McNair.” Asia Lee, a senior studying marketing from Chicago, was encouraged to apply for the program by an alumni McNair scholar. She heeded the advice and is now a 2014 McNair scholar with a 3.74 grade point average. “He told me a lot about it and I took it from there,” Lee said. “The program is time-consuming, but has been extremely helpful and completely life-changing.” Lee focused her research on the ways gender identity influences the world of advertising. “I wanted to see how and why gender identity and biological sex effects our attitudes towards advertisements,” Lee said. “To discover in what ways we can break down some of the gender roles and stereotypes in marketing and advertising today.” Lee said her experience with McNair has placed her in a position where

she is above her classmates. She now takes her academic career seriously and has developed many beneficial characteristics. “It helped across the board,” Lee said. “I have built self-esteem, self-discipline, and communication skills that I didn’t have 8 weeks ago.” The program does not pay tuition costs, but does provide stipends and supply allowances during the research process. “They don’t particularly fund your academics,” Lee said. “But they implicitly help you get those resources to make you a prime candidate for scholarships.” The students’ research will be on display at the 11th annual McNair Summer Research Symposium. The symposium from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., Friday, July 25 in Morris Library’s John C. Guyon Auditorium. The scholars will reflect over what they have learned through the 8 weeks and present their research. They will be available for questions pertaining to their research topic after the presentation. Five judges will evaluate each presentation. First through fourth place will win cash prizes. “It is an amazing program and I am just so proud of it,” Renzaglia said. “It is designed around what the scholars’ interests are and the research is all theirs — completely original.” Storey Mayer can be reached at smayer@dailyegyptian.com


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