SHOP ’TIL YOU DROP
Alexa Rogals | DAILY EGYPTIAN Greg and Charity Bathon, of Pinckneyville, take a break outside JC Penny at University Mall on Friday while they check items off their Black Friday shopping list. Charity Bathon said the couple had been out shopping through Marion and Carbondale since late Thursday. “We started at Toys ‘R’ Us last night at 7 p.m. and have been shopping for 12 hours straight,” she said. “We have just a few more stores left, and then we can finally go home and sleep.”
Fresh produce buyers will now be able to purchase this season’s best area fruits and vegetables at southern Illinois’ first winter farmers market. The market will begin Dec. 1 and will be held every Saturday through March 23, excluding Dec. 29, at Thomas School in Carbondale. Sarah Heyer, executive director of Keep Carbondale Beautiful, said she and Elissa Johnson, a produce buyer and employee at the Neighborhood Co-op in Carbondale, began working on the winter market’s development in June. “The produce growers always focused on growing the right products for each season,” she said. “We want people to continue healthy eating habits throughout the entire year, not just the summer months.” Heyer said the available produce will include kale, greens, turnips, carrots and much more. She said the market’s goals are to get people to buy locally, become aware of available area products, shorten the connection between farmer and buyer and draw community members together. “When we buy products from the store, we never really know whose food we’re purchasing,” Heyer said. “This will give people a chance to get to know many of the local farmers.”
Johnson said while there are winter farmers markets in Chicago and St. Louis areas, this is southern Illinois’ first. “This winter market is thanks to the farmers who have knowledge of growing produce in the winter whether it be growing in a greenhouse, indoor or outdoor farming,” she said. Johnson said though the market begins next Saturday, the organizers would like to hear from any farmer who has fresh produce during the months the market is open. “Every farmer knows that you can’t make bets on the weather,” she said. “If at any point they grow seasonal produce, they are more than welcome to come and solidify a spot.” Heyer said she and Johnson created a blog to keep buyers updated on the market’s progress and provide an agenda for visitors of which vendors will attend on which days and what produce they will sell. The blog can be found at carbondalewintermarket. blogspot.com Carbondale resident Jonathon Baker said he has shopped at farmers markets and the Neighborhood Co-op for the past five years, and he and his wife shop at the farmers market every Saturday during summer and fall months. Please see MARKET | 2
The Graduate and Professional Student Council discussed research grant funding and the housing of student organizations during a brief meeting last week. Although GPSC did not make quorum for its Tuesday meeting, the group held informal discussions regarding several campus issues. Blaine Tisdale, GPSC president, said in an email the council was also introduced to John Koropchak, vice chancellor of research and graduate dean. GPSC discussed the university’s grant research policy at an October meeting. The policy, which was enacted in August, altered both the way research grant funds are administered and the cost for graduate students who work as research assistants. Koropchak said the university remains competitive as a research institution, and many institutions follow similar methods for grants and funding, Tisdale said. “The representatives seemed to really appreciate (Koropchak’s) input, and had some of their concerns addressed,” Tisdale said. “It was a beneficial visit.” Tisdale said he recently met with Chancellor Rita Cheng as well as representatives from Undergraduate Student Government and the Graduate Council to discuss organizational matters. He said he advocated to move Registered Student Organizations into vacant Student Center offices after other organizations move into the new Student Services building, which is expected to be completed in fall 2013. He said although it would be a small change, the move may make RSO members feel more valuable. Tisdale said Cheng confirmed more space would be available to RSOs once the move is finished. Tisdale also announced at the meeting that the Carbondale Human Relations Commission would hold a dialogue to discuss how Carbondale police handled an Aug. 26 house party, during which police allegedly used pepper spray to disperse students. Tisdale said the dialogue will occur during the commission’s regular meeting at 6:30 p.m. Dec. 3 in room 103 of Carbondale City Hall. Karsten Burgstahler can be reached at kburgstahler@dailyegyptian.com or 536-3311 ext. 254.