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Daily Egyptian SERVING THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1916.
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WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 29, 2025
Federal agency drains Little Grassy Lake to repair 81-year-old dam
Enan Chediak @enanchediak
The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service is draining Little Grassy Lake to conduct studies and repair its infrastructure, as the result of “massive flooding, erosion and deterioration due to climate change,” the agency said in a Dec. 5 press release. But some in southern Illinois are concerned about what will happen with the lake and how long the repairs will take. The December press release came after the FWS and the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers announced that they would conduct studies on the Little Grassy Lake Dam beginning in September of 2024. The FWS conducted a dam and spillway safety modification study to “address structural deficiencies and improve functionality,” according to an article by Justin Sexton, the refuge manager of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge. “The Little Grassy Lake dam and spillway structure on the refuge has
LITTLE GRASSY | 3
Justin Sexton, Refuge Manager of Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge and Cyprus Creek National Refuge, poses for a portrait in front of Crab Orchard Lake Jan. 24, 2025 at the Crab Orchard National Wildlife Refuge headquarters in Marion, Illinois. Enan Chediak | @enanchediak
Carbondale City Manager The City of Carbondale announced on Friday that Police Chief and acting City Manager Stan Reno has accepted a conditional offer for the full-time, permanent position of City Manager, pending final approval of an employment agreement by the Carbondale City Council. “Serving the City of Carbondale as police chief has been one of the greatest
WSIL ownership reverses decision to axe weather department Jackson Brandhorst @jacksondothtml
Stan Reno named
Jackson Brandhorst @jacksondothtml
VOL. 108, ISSUE 19
honors of my career,” said Reno in Friday’s press release. “I look forward to continuing to serve our community in this new capacity as city manager.” Reno had been the city’s chief of police since 2021 and assumed the interim city manager role in March of 2024 after the resignation of former City Manager Gary Williams. Outside of Reno, other candidates being considered for the role were Thomas Thomas and Shawn Metcalf.
When asked what made Reno stand out among the other candidates, Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey said simply “he was the most qualified.” Reno will now lead the way on multiple projects in Carbondale – some of which are currently ongoing and many of which are upcoming. “I’m looking forward to working with him on completing current projects and bringing on new ones that will help the city grow RENO | 4
Photo provided by the City of Carbondale.
Allen Media Group (AMG), the parent company of The Weather Channel, WSIL-TV and 28 total news stations across the country, has informed some of their member stations that the media group will be reversing its decision to lay off their meteorology teams. As of Thursday morning, what had appeared to be the propagation of an even more barren news desert in southern Illinois has been seemingly avoided. Earlier this week on Jan. 18, AMG announced in a press release that it is “rolling out a groundbreaking format for local weather coverage powered by The Weather Channel across local markets nationwide,” which, for AMG, would have streamlined operations and reduced costs. That decision would have subsequently ended the WSIL careers for local meteorologists Nick Boynton, Jacie Brianne and Garett Hamilton, but this is no longer the case. “When I first heard about our jobs being taken away, I was shocked but saddened for the people of this community who would lose local severe weather coverage,” Boynton told the Daily Egyptian. “Thankfully, now that the decision has been reversed, the people of southern Illinois will still have a place to turn to for live, local, severe coverage when they need it most.” Before being informed of the company’s decision to cancel her layoff, Brianne had made her free agency public on LinkedIn, writing “I’m on the job hunt! While a lot of my experience is in a newsroom, I’m open to jobs outside of news and weather.” Hamilton also recently took to LinkedIn, posting his highlight reel with a thank-you message to the tristate area. “It’s hard to believe that I have now been working in the PaducahHarrisburg-Cape Girardeau market at WSIL for almost 2 years,” Hamilton wrote. “Moreover, I feel privileged WEATHER | 4