The Daily Egyptian - April 15, 2026

THE Daily Egyptian

InsiDE CAMBRIA IN TURMOIL AFTER TOP COP ADMITS HE SHARED AN IMAGE HE SHOULDN’T HAVE

SIU photojournalism students capture weekend in Murphysboro

18 current and two former photojournalism students spent the weekend embedded in the Murphysboro community documenting the essence of the community as part of the school’s Weekend Workshop.

The Weekend Workshop is an intensive photojournalism experience in which students work on assigned stories while being coached by visiting professional photojournalists who are working in the industry.

The workshop, previously known as the “South of 64” workshop, was revamped when SIU photojournalism professor Julia Rendleman revived the workshop after taking over for previous professor Mark Dolan.

“The workshop is one of the best ways for students to learn quickly - it’s like a boot camp,” Rendleman said. “Plus they get to meet visiting professionals who are working in the industry. It’s just learning on steroids.”

Rendleman said what makes the Weekend Workshop special is how the students get constant feedback and critique on their work.

“It is the thing that helps set our students apart and advances them in the world of photography, so much more

than just traditional classroom learning,” Rendleman said.

Students spent their weekend shadowing stories ranging from 17th Street BBQ all the way to the Murphysboro police and fire departments.

Sheryl Tucker to step down as provost

SIUC Provost Sheryl Tucker is stepping down after three years in the role, but the announcement came months after the decision, prompting scrutiny among faculty about administrative transparency.

According to documents obtained by the Daily Egyptian, Tucker planned to announce her departure in early November 2025, but SIUC Chancellor Austin Lane told her in an email not to do so, saying that he would announce the departure after her contract ends in June 2026. While Lane said this was protocol, members of the Faculty Senate, the representative body of SIU faculty, expressed concern about what holding off on an announcement would mean for current initiatives and the search for a new provost.

Tucker joined the university in July of 2023. As provost and vice chancellor

of academic affairs, she reports directly to and collaborates with the chancellor to oversee various academic activities, “from faculty development and academic budgeting to technology, assessment, program review, and international student affairs,” according to her office’s website.

David Johnson, budget committee chair of the Faculty Senate, said Tucker’s departure from office was left an open secret, leading to widespread distrust on campus.

“Some knew she was on her way out; others didn’t, leading to confusion about who was in charge of what,” Johnson wrote in a statement to the DE. It is unclear at this time why Tucker decided to leave the role. She confirmed in a text to the DE that she would remain a professor of chemistry at SIU, but she declined to comment further. Chancellor Lane

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Former Daily Egyptian photo editor Bill West dies at 75

TAY ACREE tacree@dailyegyptian.com

William Alan “Bill” West, a Southern Illinois University Carbondale alumnus and former Daily Egyptian photo editor, passed away March 8, 2026, at LECOM Hospice in Erie, Pa., following complications from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). He was 75.

West earned a bachelor’s degree in photojournalism and political science from SIU in 1987. During his time on campus, he worked as a photo editor and police beat reporter for the DE, earning honors for both his writing and photography.

“He really loved photography and reporting and he cared deeply about people,” said his partner, Shirl Blancho.

After graduating, West worked at several newspapers in western New York, including the Jamestown Post-Journal and Dunkirk Observer and later at the Star Beacon in Ashtabula, Ohio. He also freelanced for the Buffalo News, where he covered the Buffalo Bills during their Super Bowl years, which he often described as a highlight of his career.

West later launched his own news and entertainment website, Ashtabula Current, in 2011. His work earned numerous Associated Press awards in Ohio, including honors for sports photography, news photography and feature images. His photography was

published in Life magazine, NFL GameDay, USA Today and The Washington Post.

“He was very particular about the quality of his work — the colors, the background, everything,” Blancho said.

West’s artistic work was also featured in galleries and art shows throughout the region. In retirement, he served as president of the Community Access Media Board of Directors in Erie.

“He loved SIU. It was a very important part of his life and he was very proud to have gone there,” Blancho said.

AJ Stoner Barrett, an emeritus journalism professor at SIU, said West had a strong instinct for sports photography.

“Bill was an extremely talented sports photographer who understood sports very well and had a way of getting to exactly the right place on the field at the right time,” Barrett said.

Born Feb. 15, 1951, in Jamestown, New York, West grew up in Bemus Point along Chautauqua Lake. He graduated from Maple Grove High School in 1969 and later served in the U.S. Navy as a third-class petty officer and electronics technician.

West is survived by his partner, Shirl Blancho of Erie; his sisters, Deborah West of Erie and Amy Fenno of Jamestown, New York; and his brother, Robert West

of Silver Spring, Maryland. He was preceded in death by his parents, Robert Sr. and Susan West.

“He would want students to take pride in their work and build connections because without that, it’s much harder to succeed,” Blancho said.

A celebration of life will be held at a later date.

Staff Reporter Tay Acree can be reached at tacree@dailyegyptian.com

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Cambria in turmoil after top cop admits he shared image he shouldn’t have

BRAYDEN GUY

Editor’s Note: In reporting on individuals who have experienced trauma, The Daily Egyptian remains consistent with best journalistic standards that allow for victims to choose anonymity. The woman in this story is deceased, so the DE has elected not to name her nor her family.

This story includes discussion of suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline in the U.S. is available by calling or texting 988. There is also an online chat at 988lifeline.org.

A southern Illinois police chief admitted he shared a photograph with other people and he shouldn’t have done it, village records show. Months later, there is no evidence the village has conducted an investigation it had publicly voted to approve.

In Cambria, a Williamson County town of about 1,500 people, allegations that the police chief showed village employees a photo of a nude woman have fractured local leadership, prompted resignations and drawn scrutiny over whether officials are withholding public records tied to the case.

Records, interviews and public comments in Cambria Village Board meetings show conflicting accounts of how the image was taken and shared — and raise broader questions about transparency, accountability and whether local officials followed Illinois public records law as scrutiny intensified.

A call, a photo and conflicting accounts

Williamson County Sheriff’s Office records show that on Oct. 16, 2025, Cambria Police Chief Phillip Boss responded to a call involving a woman who was naked in her neighbor’s vehicle. Two additional Williamson County law enforcement agencies also responded. The woman was subsequently taken by ambulance to Herrin Hospital.

At some point, a photograph was taken of the woman while she was naked, according to interviews. It remains unclear who took the photo, how it was transmitted or whether Boss obtained it as part of official police activity.

Accounts from village officials and others conflict.

In an interview with the DE, Cambria Village Board Trustee Mike Ren said that he was told the image was taken by another officer and sent to Boss’ village-issued phone. Kacie Heggemeier, Boss’ daughter, said in a Feb. 3 village board meeting, a recording of which was provided to the DE, that the image was sent to that same device. Trustee Robin McFarlin said in an interview with the DE that she heard the image was taken by the woman’s neighbor and sent to Boss’ personal phone.

None of those accounts have been confirmed through the limited amount of records released by the village. The neighbor who reported the incident could not be reached in response to phone calls, social media messages and two visits to their home. Heggemeier told the DE she did not want to comment.

Village trustees Mark Phillips and Suzzette Coffey declined to comment for this story. Trustee Robbie Chitwood did not respond to multiple calls

seeking comment.

Before the Village Board voted to task its attorney, Webb Smith, to investigate the matter, Boss acknowledged showing an image to others, according to Jan. 6 meeting minutes.

“I think I know what this is about and it’s about the photograph and I realize I shouldn’t have shown it to the others,” the chief told the board, according to the meeting minutes, before they voted to investigate. The meeting minutes do not describe the contents of “the photograph” Boss referred to.

In a March 31 phone call with the DE, he denied the allegations against him.

“It’s all false,” he said, adding that he was being retaliated against for disciplinary action he took against a police officer in the department.

The chief would not elaborate further.

An investigation yet to materialize

In his statement to the DE, Trustee Marshall Brown said that he learned of the alleged incident last December and moved at the board’s January meeting that the village attorney investigate Boss’ alleged actions. According to meeting minutes, Brown, Coffey and McFarlin voted to approve the investigation, while trustees Mike Ren and Robby Chitwood voted against it. Trustee Mark Phillips was absent from the meeting.

Despite the board’s move to investigate Boss, Brown and McFarlin told the DE that the investigation has not taken place.

“I made a motion requesting that the matter be investigated. The motion passed,” Brown wrote in a statement to the DE. “However, to my knowledge, that investigation was never conducted.”

Both Brown and Ren told the DE that Boss showed the photograph of the woman to former Village Clerk Alisa Modglin.

“According to Alisa, ... Cambria police had been conducting a wellness check on the woman depicted in the image,” Brown wrote in his statement. “She did not tell me who had taken the photograph, only that the village employee had shared the image with her and (water superintendent) Bruce Hagler.”

Modglin and Hagler refused to comment for this story. Trustees Brown, Ren and McFarlin said in interviews that, in addition to the village clerk and water superintendent, the image was also shown to Fire Chief Randy Simmons, who also declined to comment on the incident.

Smith, the village attorney, declined to say whether or not any investigation into the chief has been conducted.

Since the vote and as of publication, the village has not released any findings or reports, nor have they produced any records detailing any sort of investigation to the DE, despite several Freedom of Information Act requests.

The woman at the center

By the time the board voted to investigate Boss in early January, the woman in the alleged photograph was dead.

According to Franklin County Coroner Marty Leffler, the woman had died by suicide on Dec. 12 — roughly two months after the October call that Boss responded to. There have been no findings suggesting that the October incident or the alleged photograph

contributed in any way to the suicide.

The DE spoke with the woman’s mother and her partner. The two said they were unaware that a nude photograph had allegedly been taken or shared of the woman.

The woman’s mother said she heard of an incident in Cambria last October, but was unaware of the details, and said her daughter had struggled with mental health and substance abuse.

The situation was jarring for her yearslong partner.

“I am kinda shocked,” he said. “You wouldn’t think somebody at that high of a level in law enforcement would do something like that.”

The woman and her partner had been together since 2017. He described her as warm and caring — someone who loved spending time with her young children and browsing thrift stores.

“She was very warm-hearted,” he said. “Very caring, very loving.”

For now, the woman’s partner said he has to wait and see what happens.

“Take it one day at a time,” he said. “ Keep breathing, keep praying.”

Records requests provide few answers

The Daily Egyptian in February and March filed four Freedom of Information Act requests with the village seeking records tied to the October incident, the photograph and the supposed investigation.

Other than Jan. 6 meeting minutes and a brief email from Boss to the DE, the village contends there are no records — including photographs, police records, official memos, emails, texts or other written communication — surrounding the controversy.

In a statement following one FOIA request, Boss wrote that no criminal complaint had been filed and that Cambria police “only assisted” on the call. Boss’ statement was provided to the DE in an email the village clerk sent to the newspaper.

The DE obtained a Cambria Police Department case log confirming Boss responded to the Oct. 16 call — a record that was not included in the village’s FOIA responses.

Call sheets from other agencies show multiple departments responded, and the existence of a case log suggests at least some internal documentation was created, which the chief denied.

A request for records documenting searches to locate correspondence related to the DE’s three prior FOIA requests yielded one responsive record.

“The attached email is the only record we have documenting the search,” Alisa Modglin wrote. The attached document was the previous statement from Boss, but no other correspondence or evidence of searches. McFarlin and Brown told the DE they were never asked to provide the village with any records.

The DE asked the Illinois Attorney General’s Public Access Counselor to review the Village of Cambria’s Freedom of Information Act responses last month. The PAC has assigned an attorney to the request, but it is unclear when the review board will issue an opinion.

Leadership’s fallout and a divided town

Village board meetings that would

previously only garner a handful of residents in the community’s board room have now been moved to the larger cafeteria, at times devolving into chaos from wall to wall. Trustees described meetings as toxic and divided, with disputes spilling beyond the allegations themselves into conflicts over residency, past conduct and political loyalties.

Some residents and community leaders have rallied behind the chief, urging trustees who supported the investigation to step down.

Former Trustee Christine Dakin in the March 3 village board meeting called on McFarlin to resign because of a situation a decade ago in which funds for community works were not properly recorded. McFarlin produced a letter from the Illinois Attorney General stating that the funds were accounted for.

Heggemeier, Boss’ daughter, in the March 3 meeting called Brown’s residency and ability to serve on the village board into question based on a county geographic survey. David Brown, the trustee’s father, said in a March 18 special meeting he annexed the property into Cambria by village ordinance in 1996 and served on the municipality’s board for several years after.

McFarlin told the DE that after entering executive session during the board’s Feb. 3 meeting, many attendees of the meeting were banging on windows and doors in an attempt to disrupt or intimidate board members. The board had entered executive session to discuss personnel matters, according to the meeting minutes.

The vote to retain or fire Boss ended in a tie. Village President Ron Modglin cast the tie-breaking vote weeks before his resignation, resulting in Boss being retained. Trustees Brown, Coffey and McFarlin voted in favor of the measure, while Ren, Chitwood and Phillips voted against it.

Following the meeting in which Brown moved that the village terminate Boss, he wrote in a Facebook post that he had a responsibility to act in the best interest of the community.

“I will always choose accountability and the well-being of our residents over local politics,” he wrote.

Hours after the DE filed its first FOIA request into the Boss allegations on Feb.

27, Village President Ron Modglin resigned, citing health concerns. Village Clerk Alisa Modglin, his wife, resigned the same day, though she remains employed in the village’s water department.

Trustee Suzzette Coffey also quit on Feb. 4 following the vote to fire Boss, but later discovered her signature wasn’t notarized on her resignation letter, so she decided to return to the board on March 18.

The controversies have left the board on edge. Trustee Ren said the meetings have generally devolved from discussing items around maintenance to the allegation made against the police chief.

As for Boss’ claims that he is being retaliated against for personnel disciplinary decisions, the village’s meeting minutes show that in January and February, the same trustees who separately voted to suspend without pay the subordinate Boss had disciplined are the same ones who voted to investigate and terminate him.

Ren said he voted no on both the investigation and the subsequent move to fire the chief because everyone makes mistakes.

“He has been our police chief for a long time,” Ren said. “He does a good job. I don’t see firing a guy over making a mistake like that.”

Still, he said that Boss “should not have shown it to anybody.”

As of publication, the Village of Cambria has not taken any disciplinary action against the police chief. Instead, the board voted during a March 18 special meeting to approve additional pay for Boss to cover overtime work, despite being a salaried employee.

Brown was the only trustee who voted against the measure.

As of publication, Cambria remains without a village president. The board at its April 7 meeting failed to select a replacement as applications for the position had not been given to the trustees to review before the meeting. Guest speakers Jody Bailey and Scott Pelegrino, both Cambria residents, voiced their frustrations with the board of trustees. Bailey said she wanted “more transparency,” and Pelegrino said he wanted “answers.”

Staff Reporter Brayden Guy can be reached at bguy@dailyegyptian.com

SIU Baseball player charged with burglary

NOAH PETSCHKE npetschke@dailyegyptian.com

An SIU baseball player is facing a residential burglary charge after he allegedly broke into a woman’s apartment, stole multiple possessions and tampered with security cameras.

The woman reported that on the morning of March 11, 2026, Southern Illinois University student and baseball player Matthew Simay broke into her Carbondale apartment, according to an emergency order of protection she filed in Jackson County Circuit Court.

The alleged residential burglary followed roughly seven months of Simay attempting to contact her, according to the woman’s testimony in the protection order.

The first contact between the burglary victim and a person suspected to be Simay occurred at Finish Line Car Wash in Carbondale in late summer 2025, according to her statement to police. The

man approached her and asked for her phone number, which she declined.

The victim also said in the protection order that in December 2025, a man who fit the same description hollered at her and her friend from his car, once again asking for her number. This incident took place at the same car wash as the first reported encounter.

On or around Jan. 12, 2026, at John A. Logan College in Carterville, the same man from the car wash incident honked his horn, said “hey,” and stared at the victim before driving off, according to court documents. The victim contacted campus police, but no official report was made regarding the incident, according to the protection order.

According to the victim’s account in the court documents, the victim noticed a man of the same build as the one before, staring at her outside her apartment as recently as

“I look forward to working with you over the next few months.”

did not respond to multiple requests for comment, deferring to the campus’ chief communications officer, who provided a written statement.

Tucker’s departure was open secret on campus for months Johnson, a professor of languages, literatures, cultures and international studies, said he learned of the provost’s departure in early December 2025. He brought these concerns to the spring 2026 Faculty Senate meetings. During the Q&A session at the March 17 meeting, which Lane and Tucker attended via Microsoft Teams, Johnson asked Lane why he waited so long to announce the provost’s departure.

“It is my understanding, David, that someone gave you a copy of an email communication between me and the provost,” Lane said. “You would have to know the discussions that took place before and after the email to give it context, which you do not have.”

The Daily Egyptian filed a Freedom of Information Act request for copies of any written, email or text correspondence between Tucker and Lane regarding employment, departure, HR and leaving, taking place from Oct. 27, 2025, to Nov. 14, 2025. The DE received a copy of the email mentioned at the meeting, as well as three texts between Tucker and Lane.

In a Nov. 6, 2025 text message to Lane, Tucker wrote, “Just an FYI: I have spoken with my colleagues about not continuing as Provost after my contract expires and plan to send a message to campus tomorrow.”

In response, Lane wrote, “Thanks for heads up but that would not be appropriate and encourage you not to do so. When that time get close to end of contract, I will send note to campus.”

In a follow-up email to Tucker, Lane wrote, “Thank you for your FYI text regarding your plan to send an update to campus about your employment.

“I want to be clear on this directive. Do not send a note (email or written) to campus about your employment status or any update about you leaving after your contract expires in June. As I mentioned, I will handle that communication to campus after you and I meet in June.

“Also, please refrain from talking to anyone other than HR about your departure plans at the end of your contract.

two weeks before the burglary. The man was then seen running between nearby buildings. While there was no official identification of the man, the victim stated that he fit the same description as the one from the previous incidents.

The victim reported that on March 11, an Instagram account that appeared to belong to Simay sent a follow request to her account.

According to the victim’s account in the protection order, around an hour to an hour and a half later, at 2:56 a.m., Simay allegedly broke into her apartment, tampered with security cameras and stole items from the two residents of the apartment. The woman’s roommate reported the burglary to her around 6 a.m. that same day. Her roommate also went to the apartment complex office to check the security footage.

Simay was arrested later that same day after testimonies identified him and

determined that he lived in the building to which he fled based on the building’s list of residents and a physical description.

The victim has a no-contact order against Simay, which directs him to remain

at least 1,000 feet away from her, as well as her home, school and job. The order also states that Simay cannot contact the victim in any way.

A preliminary hearing in the case is set for May 19, 2026, according to court records website Judici. The hearing will take place at the Jackson County Courthouse in Murphysboro.

Regarding Simay’s status on the baseball team, “there is no update,” per Saluki Athletics administration. Simay is a Junior at SIU and plays the infield on the baseball team. He has not played in a game since March 8, and it is unclear whether or not he remains on the team.

Simay’s defense attorney did not return calls seeking comment.

The victim could not be reached for comment.

Sports Reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at npetschke@dailyegyptian.com

The first Faculty Senate meeting of 2026 took place Feb. 10. According to meeting minutes, Tucker was present but Lane was not, as he was traveling for the Saluki Takeover in Florida. Speaking during the Q&A session, Johnson asked if the SIU administration would clarify any plans for the Office of Provost. In response, Tucker confirmed that she spoke with Lane several months ago about her decision to leave the university.

“So, that is well known, and given the potential litigation, I will make no additional public comments,” Tucker said, according to the minutes.

Ten days later, on Feb. 20, Lane sent an email update to campus announcing that Tucker would be leaving her role June 30, 2026.

“The faculty senate ultimately had to intervene to push the chancellor to make an announcement, which was essential to allow us to start the transition to an interim provost and eventual permanent replacement,” Johnson said in his statement to the DE. “This level of dysfunction is a real problem at a time when the university is facing budgetary pressures and enrollment growth has stagnated.”

In the email, Lane wrote that the process to identify an interim provost would “begin promptly” and “adhere to relevant and existing policies and processes.” He also said a process to launch a national search for a permanent provost would begin.

‘You don’t just announce something’

At the March 17 Faculty Senate meeting, Chancellor Lane said he held off on announcing Provost Tucker’s departure because they did not have a documented agreement in place.

“Professionally speaking, I only announce my administrative changes when I receive a letter of resignation or have a departure agreement in place, which is why my instructions on that email were not to be sent out to anyone,” Lane said. “As you know, it takes time to work through those things. You don’t just announce something. You have to have a letter of resignation or some form of an agreement in place, which we did not have.”

Lane said the decision was made with respect to Tucker as a human being. He also said that waiting to make the announcement did not violate any university policies.

“There’s no rule in place in our system or university that says when I need to put something out. I haven’t found it yet as I’ve talked to our legal group,” Lane said. “There’s nothing that says when I need to put something out. So I put it out after I had further confirmation about next steps.”

He said that as chancellor, it is his job to make the announcement — not anyone else’s.

The search for an interim provost and vice chancellor for academic affairs opened on March 26 with an email from Nicolas Wortman, associate vice chancellor for human resources, inviting qualified candidates to apply.

According to a summary report of a Feb. 17 meeting between Lane and the Faculty Senate Executive Council, Lane said he would commit to a formal search committee for identifying and recommending an interim provost and permanent replacement.

Jeff Harmon, chief marketing and communications officer of SIU, responded to a request for comment that was sent to Lane. Harmon proposed a meeting with the DE, himself and Lane’s chief of staff, David Shirley. Shirley did not attend the meeting. Harmon provided a written statement.

“On February 20, 2026, the University announced to the faculty and staff its thanks to Dr. Tucker for her service as Provost, which ends contractually on June 30, 2026,” Harmon wrote in the statement. “A diverse and representative group of faculty, staff and students are currently participating in an internal search for an interim Provost that will begin their duties on July 1, 2026. Search firm, AGB, is working with SIU to complete a national search for the permanent Provost to be identified by the end of 2026.”

The search for a new provost, however, has paused at least two programs Tucker began.

Interim provost search pauses initiatives

The Illinois Board of Higher Education conducts an annual report on New, Consolidated, Closed, and Low Producing Programs at Illinois public universities. Tucker was working on a program to reevaluate low-producing programs at SIU and identify programs that needed to be eliminated.

Matt Romero, president of the SIUC Faculty Association, the union that

represents tenure-track and tenured faculty at SIU, said the program had barely started to come into effect when they learned Tucker would be departing.

Romero said his experience working with Tucker was limited, but mostly positive.

“I thought we had a good partner in the faculty and the administration,” he said. “Dr. Tucker is kind of a conduit between the two, and I’m just disappointed that we’re going to lose a partner that was trustworthy.”

Now, he’s a member of the search committee for an interim provost, but he said many faculty are still disappointed.

“It still doesn’t eliminate the idea that we had Dr. Tucker who we had good rapport with and now we don’t,” Romero said. “And so, at least from the Faculty Association perspective, we are disappointed that we’re losing someone we have rapport with and we trust.”

At the Feb. 17 executive council meeting, in response to Faculty Senate concerns, Lane said the program reviews would not be allowed to continue. Additionally, Lane agreed that the search for a new dean for the College of Liberal Arts should be paused until a new provost is appointed. Joddy Murray served as dean of the college from 2022 to 2025. Two cointerim deans are currently serving in the role.

Romero said he believes there are divided opinions among faculty regarding the discontinuation of the low-producing programs review.

“I think there may be two types of faculty on campus: Those who wanted her to discontinue that, and those who think we need a way to measure our quality,” Romero said. “...Nobody wants an administrator to lead something that they’re not going to be able to see to the end. So I could see faculty saying, ‘yeah it’s better if she takes her hands off since she’s not going to be able to see it to conclusion,’ but there are also those faculty who, I believe, never want their program or its position on the IBHE underperforming programs list to be seen or to be critiqued or questioned.”

At the March 17 meeting, Lane said that Tucker would still be involved in tenure and promotion processes.

Randall Auxier, co-chair of the Faculty Senate’s governance committee, said communication from Tucker’s office has been poor. When the senate learned of her

departure, Auxier said, some members were “more than a little upset to have our future directed by someone who knew she would not have to live with the consequences of these momentous decisions.”

Faculty Senate passes resolution on campus instability

Tucker’s departure prompted a resolution from the Faculty Senate regarding “recent instability” in SIU’s academic leadership. The resolution, which was drafted by Auxier, passed unanimously at the March 17 meeting.

The resolution states that the original decision to not announce the provost’s departure until June violates the faculty’s right to a timely and collaborative search for a new provost. The resolution also cited a monthslong decline of confidence and trust between the faculty and administration.

“It passed without a single negative vote,” Auxier wrote in an email to the DE. “The administration had failed in basic transparency, competent planning, and had even lied to us. We were unhappy and we remain so.”

Auxier said the resolution is only advisory — not binding — but pointed to the university’s commitment to shared governance. The resolution suggests that no decisions impacting long-term academic programs or personnel, including program reviews and administrative searches at the dean level or higher, will be made until stable leadership is in place; that interim leaders will be appointed through collaboration with faculty and other constituencies; and that interim leaders will be chosen from current faculty at SIU and will be in charge of the searches for permanent replacements, without interference from Human Resources or external agencies.

“We cannot compel the administration to do things. But they are the most serious kind of advice,” Auxier said of the group’s resolution. “FS speaks for the Faculty (tenure track and non tenure track), and when we take our internal processes seriously, in originating, drafting, refining language in committee, and sending them to the full Senate for a vote, the language becomes quite meaningful.”

Staff Reporter Kristin Borchers contributed to reporting.

The weekend began on Thursday, April 9 when students filed into the Murphysboro Youth & Recreation Center, which served as home base for the weekend, to meet and listen to the six visiting professionals speak on their career.

The visiting professionals included: St. Louis Public Radio visuals editor and SIU alum Brian Munoz, Tennessean staff photojournalists and SIU alum Nicole Hester, Eastern Illinois University professor Greg Cooper and independent journalists Justin Cook, Kenn Cook Jr. and Cornell Watson.

Cooper also brought three photojournalism students from EIU to participate.

“It’s really amazing,” Cooper said of the event. “There’s an opportunity to learn community journalism and how to build relationships and interact with members of the community and make meaningful stories.”

Friday morning as the sun rose, students went out to their assigned locations and began photographing their stories. Students would take breaks from their stories throughout the day and return to

home base for critiques from professionals before heading back out to the field. Once the sun set, students would gather around a projector to view the best stories during dinner. This routine continued through Saturday giving students 48 hours to work on their stories.

“It’s been super fun,” SIU journalism student and Daily Egyptian reporter Kristin Borchers said. “I’ve been going back and forth and getting feedback. I’m surprised that I have a picture being printed for the showcase on Sunday.”

Borchers followed the owners of George’s Resale Shop in Murphysboro and spent the day with them while they worked.

Munoz said students’ images leveled up over the course of the weekend.

“The students here are really taking the advice that the coaches are sharing and using those pieces of advice to really level up the images that they’re making in the community,” Munoz said. “Each time that student goes out and comes back with something new, you could see those techniques being applied. I think that’s really unique to this program, and honestly, this is the way that I think people learn the best.”

By sunset on Saturday, the students

Southern Illinois University

had mostly finished their stories and the recreation center was filled with freshly printed shots from all over the community.

“It’s been a really fun experience,” EIU photojournalism student Jacksen Adkins said. “I’ve learned a lot about the area, like a million things... Murphysboro is definitely interesting.”

Photos were displayed on Sunday at Faye, a local cafe, and members of the community flooded into the space to view the work and mingle with students and event organizers.

“This was really amazing,” Kenn Cook Jr. said. “I had a great time, and I hope I get to come back again because this needs to happen ... It’s a great program.”

SIU journalism student and DE reporter Yahri Edmond said the workshop was a stepping stone to her growth as a photographer.

“It’s not easy, but it’s impactful in the sense that it’s really pushed me,” Edmond said.

While it is currently biannual, Rendleman hopes to produce the workshop yearly, but it is all contingent upon fundraising.

“These workshops represent a real partnership between SIU photojournalism and local communities in southern

Tennessean photojournalist and SIU alum Nicole Hester gives a critique to DE photo editor Emily Brinkman about what she could focus on when she photographs April 10, 2026 in Murphysboro, Illinois. Soph Levison | @hpos.artz

Illinois,” Rendleman said. “We are always looking for communities to partner with and ways to collaborate and fundraise for the workshop. My line is always open for folks who want to discuss that.”

Capturing a

Images from SIU’s

LEFT: John Medwedeff forges a round bar April 10, 2026 by using a power hammer at his studio in Murphysboro, Illinois. The bar will be manipulated into a hand rail. Olivia Luesing oluesing@dailyegyptian.com

LEFT: Dax and Chase Hibbler drink water while they sit on a set of stairs as family members play basketball and grill food April 11, 2026 in Murphysboro, Illinois. Lylee Gibbs | @lyleegibbsphoto

a community

Weekend Workshop

Rinella, a longtime customer at

April 11, 2026 in

eat lunch while Josie Tretter places mason jars on the counter April 11, 2026 at their home in Murphysboro, Illinois. Emily Brinkman | erb_photo_

: Marcella Haney looks toward Victor Cummings during her first Communion April 11, 2026 at St. Andrew’s Catholic Church in Murphysboro, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual

Diamante Jackson, 28, owner of Murphysboro’s Southern Cremation and Burial Services, rolls a body to his hearse to prepare for cremation April 10, 2026 at Carbondale Memorial Hospital in Carbondale, Illinois. Amilia I. Estrada | @amiliaie.photo

Slosar, a designated airworthiness representative for the Federal Aviation Administration, peers into a compartment looking for corrosion April 11, 2026 at the Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro, Illinois. Riley Sembler | @riley_sembler

poses for a portrait with Hope the dog April 11, 2026 at the Wright-Way Rescue Shelter in Murphysboro, Illinois. McKenny is the adoption specialist and works to promote and organize the adoptions of animals at the shelter, such as Hope.

| oluesing@dailyegyptian.com

Iranian students at SIU react to the ongoing war at home

LEO CASTRO lcastro@dailyegyptian.com

Editor’s note: Some students from Iran who spoke to the DE for this story requested to remain anonymous or to be referred to only by their first names because they fear persecution from the Iranian government or deportation from the U.S. government.

The United States on Feb. 28 launched a full-scale military attack on Iran in conjunction with Israel called “Operation Epic Fury,” which killed Iranian Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and others — including civilians. In the aftermath of Khamenei’s death, Iranians — both in the U.S. and abroad — have taken to the streets to voice their opinions on the operation.

In southern Illinois, an Iranian Education Panel was held at The Varsity Center in Carbondale on Sunday, April 12, where the public was able to hear directly from Iranians in southern Illinois.

The event was an informational forum hosted by Iranians that detailed the country’s history and included a panel of students from Iran who shared their own experience and thoughts.

Ana, an Iranian PhD student that studies biology at Southern Illinois University, led the talk about Iran’s history, where the public learned about the country’s early civilization to its modern-day diaspora.

“The Iranian government uses the income of oil from Iran to fund religious sanctions,” Ana said.

Kahev, a PhD student studying agriculture, added that the current government “doesn’t spend money on Iranians.”

Ana explained that, not too long ago, Iran was a society much like the United States, where pop culture thrived, men and women dressed with the current fashion trends and both held seats in the government. It was not until the Islamic Revolution in 1979 that created the Islamic Republic of Iran that strict laws were enforced, especially upon women.

Ana said she was arrested when she was younger for not wearing her hijab. During the presentation, Ana brought up a notable case that happened in September 2022, when

an Iranian woman named Masha Amini was killed from a head injury while being arrested by the morality police — local enforcers that actively search for those violating the law — for not wearing a hijab. Her death prompted many Iranians to protest in what was one of the largest the country had ever seen, according to PBS.

Asi, who lived in Iran for about 30 years, said that she was once arrested in Tehran, Iran even though she did not violate the hijab rule. According to her, the police said that they simply didn’t like how she was wearing it.

“They humiliate you and make you feel like you’re nothing,” Asi said.

Early in January 2026, Prince Reza Pahlavi, the son of the last Shah of Iran Mohammad Reza Pahlavi, led an opposition movement, advising Iranians to go out into the streets and protest. Many did, but were advised by the Islamic government that they would be treated as hostiles. According to Ana, the Islamic government is notorious for their methods of silencing protestors and anyone who speaks out against them.

What followed was what Ana calls a “democide,” the intentional killing of civilians by its own government. While the death count reportedly reached 23,000, Ana believes the number was much higher. The deaths were accompanied by a blackout in Iran that has prevented contact between Iranian families, she said.

Mina, a PhD student in mathematics, said she has been personally affected by the blackout.

“Two days ago was my mother’s birthday and I couldn’t call her because of the internet shutdown,”

Mina said.

“When trauma goes up, tensions go higher,” Ana added. “We are hoping for a democratic party,” Ana said of what she hopes for Iran’s future.

Saba, a fine arts and media arts student, said that she tries to amplify Iranian voices through her work.

“Keep an eye on Iran and future generations, listen to the narratives, specifically now that the internet has shut down,” Saba said.

In interviews with the DE, a married couple who are both

Puzzle Answers (puzzles on 12)

graduate students at SIU requested to speak anonymously because they feared persecution from the Iranian government

“If they knew we spoke out against them or attended rallies, they would kill us,” the couple said. “They will execute us — I am not joking.”

They recalled memories of friends being shot and killed in protests. One of them was never allowed to participate in protests because their mother feared that they would be killed, however they would still go, serving as a clinician for those injured.

“I was seeing the people in the clinic beaten and shot,” she said.

The other attended numerous

government that is heavily affiliated with the IRGC (Islamic Revolutionary Guard Corps), that is basically this tyranny and ideological dictatorship that is not only governing us, but also feeding a lot of terrorists and proxies, disabling the peace around the world,” he said.

The male student strongly urged how many Iranians were oppressed by the Islamic Republic, as well as opposed to them.

“The strongest thing that they have is the propaganda,” he said. “They have the ability to change the narrative.”

After the recent internet blackouts were put into effect, all students

“When trauma goes up, tensions go higher...we are hoping for a democratic party.”

- Ana Iranian PhD biology student

events throughout their life, beginning in 1999 in the Iranian Student Protest. Most memorable to him was a June 20, 2009 protest after the death of an Iranian student, Neda Agha-Soltan.

An Iranian graduate student who grew up in Tehran said, “Mixing religion and politics is one of the most dangerous things in the world.

She recalled in school the customs that they participated in.

“We would shout Death to Israel and Death to America at the top of our lungs,” she said. According to her, this is one of many ways that the Iranian government has instilled its propaganda into the country.

Another SIU student from Iran said one thing in particular that bothered him about the topic was a misunderstanding of the difference between Iran and the Islamic Republic.

“Islamic Republic is the

they said. “Then it’s just you and you, that’s the hardest part.”

The student would read news of continued attacks, filled with fear of not knowing whether his family was safe or not.

During this time of anguish, the student noted how friends and colleagues were able to provide comfort and companionship. He credited Associate Professor Dust in Hoffman for being a major cornerstone of support who reached out and allowed him to “borrow an ear.”

“Knowing that people are here listening to you, that is a remedy,” the student said.

In an email to the DE, Hoffman wrote how he took the time to reach out and listen to the student speak in his office.

“I think that’s one of the most important things we can do — just to listen and learn and empathize,” Hoffman said.

Another student shared a similar sentiment. They explained how they shut down, and that it was difficult for them to process all that was going on. Fortunately, the student said that understanding advisers provided comfort during this time.

that were interviewed lost all contact with their family and are currently still struggling to maintain communication.

Two students both said they have severe anxiety about the well-being of their families and had difficulty processing the situation altogether.

One student said they would normally talk to their sister over the phone for about 10 minutes a day, as they are very close, but the blackouts made that difficult.

“The first day it was a shock, the second day I was losing my mind, and after three days I couldn’t function,” they said. “After a week I fell into a deep depression.”

They said that this semester was full of responsibilities, forcing them to pretend that everything was OK in front of other students and professors.

“The hardest part about it is coming home at night, where you have no one to pretend in front of,”

For both students, contact is still difficult as some civilians in Iran have to use Starlink or virtual private networks to communicate.

All students who were interviewed have actively participated in protests and advocate for the liberation of Iranians from the Islamic Republic through social media or other methods.

One student noted that in a protest in Carbondale, the reactions she got were mostly mixed, receiving honks in support from passerby. However, at one point during the protest, she recalled a man displaying a middle finger while shouting cusswords. She said she hopes that by using her voice, she can echo what she is seeing from civilian journalists and family members.

“Recently, the war for the first time is seen as the only last option to fight the regime and hope for liberation of the country from dictatorship,” the student said.

Staff Reporter Leo Castro can be reached at lcastro@dailyegyptian.com

NOAH

Salukis steal Game 3 to avoid sweep, drop series to Evansville

PETSCHKE npetschke@dailyegyptian.com

Following a heartbreaking loss to the Redhawks of Southeast Missouri State University, SIU Baseball traveled to Evansville, Indiana, on April 10-12. The Dawgs, looking to get back into the win column, took on the Purple Aces of the University of Evansville for a three-game weekend series. After two losses to start the series, the Salukis’ offense came around and took the third game with authority.

APRIL 10: UE 6, SIU 5

The Saluki offense wasted no time in getting on the board. A double, three singles, a fielder’s choice and a walk plated three firstinning runs for the Dawgs, giving their starter an early cushion.

Reigning MVC Pitcher of the Week Andrew Evans took to the mound for the Salukis in Game 1 of the three-game slate. The menacing righty went to work quickly, sending the first three Purple Aces down in order.

Third baseman Jaden Flores and first baseman Cecil Lofton tallied singles in the second inning. With two outs in the frame, shortstop Tim Simay pushed across the fourth SIU run of the game with a

single of his own.

Evans ran into some trouble in the bottom of the third after surrendering a homerun to begin the inning and two more via RBI singles.

Evans exited the sixth inning after striking out his 14th batter of the game, a total that surpassed his career high of 11, set in his last outing.

After a couple of scoreless frames, the Salukis’ hopes of closing out the game and snagging a one-run win were halted by a game-tying RBI double. The Purple Aces knotted the game up at four runs apiece, and the Friday-night contest was headed to extra innings.

Centerfielder Jackson Dibble drew a walk, and pinch-hitter Kyle Mager got hit by a pitch, putting two runners on with only one out. Flores drew a walk, loading the bases. Lofton reached on an error for the third consecutive time in the game, plating the go-ahead run for the Salukis.

The Purple Aces loaded the bases on two hit-by-pitches and a walk. With two outs, the ball was grounded in play, but a crucial SIU error allowed the tying and game-winning runs to score, giving Evansville a first-game victory 6-5.

APRIL 11: UE 7, SIU 3

Pitcher Troy Shepard got the nod in Game 2 of the series for the Salukis. The lefty, who strung together two very strong starts coming into the contest, faced some early adversity.

An RBI single and a two-run double put the Purple Aces in front 3-0 in the bottom of the second inning.

The Salukis gained a run back in the following inning with a Lofton RBI sacrifice fly.

The Dawgs continued to claw back in the fourth inning. Flores, second baseman Gabe Petrucelli, and left fielder Kaleb Hall loaded the bases with no outs. After two strikeouts, centerfielder Henry Kufa drew an RBI walk, plating the only run of the inning.

The Purple Aces extended their lead to 4-2 on a fifth-inning RBI single.

Hall stepped up to the plate in the top of the sixth inning and mashed the first pitch he saw over the left field wall, taking that run right back.

The Purple Aces regained a tworun lead in the bottom of the sixth inning and tacked on two more in the seventh. The four-run lead was too much for the Salukis to

overcome, and they dropped their fourth consecutive game.

APRIL 12: SIU 16, UE 3 Looking to shake off the last two games, the Salukis sent out pitcher Meade Johnson to face the Purple Aces. Johnson sent down the opposing offense easily in the first, but surrendered the first run of the game in the bottom of the second inning.

Right fielder Kristian Sprawling got hit by a pitch to begin the bottom of the third for the Salukis.

Catcher Mason Schwalbach singled, putting runners at the corners with no outs. Kufa and Simay laced back-to-back doubles, driving in three runs in the frame and taking a two-run lead.

Pitcher Blake Kimball stepped in for Johnson in the third inning.

The Purple Aces returned the favor with a pair of RBI walks, tying the game at three runs apiece.

Singles from Kufa and Simay kicked off the fifth inning for the Dawgs. Mager, who has produced runs at an elite rate recently, added two more to his total with a double into the left-center gap. Petrucelli got in on the action with an RBI single of his own. Sprawling delivered the big hit, sending a three-run homerun over the left

field wall. Schwalbach capped off the seven-run inning with a homerun of his own two pitches later.

Dibble drove in runs in the sixth and eighth innings, and the Salukis slugged themselves into a nine-run lead.

Already with three hits in the game, Simay came up and drove in his third, fourth and fifth RBI with a three-run homer. After a Petrucelli sacrifice fly, SIU was up 13 runs on the Purple Aces.

Pitcher Jackson Smith closed the game, and the Salukis reigned victorious in the last game of the series.

Eight of the nine Saluki starters notched at least one hit in Sunday’s contest.

With this series loss, the Salukis fall to 13-21 overall with a 4-5 record in MVC games. The Purple Aces improve to 13-20 overall and 6-3 in conference play. Coverage for The Salukis’ home game on April 14 against the Red Wolves of Arkansas State University can be found on the Daily Egyptian website.

Sports Reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at npetschke@dailyegyptian.com

Salukis bite Bulldogs in 2-1 series win over Drake

SIU Softball traveled north to Des Moines, Iowa to face off against the Drake Bulldogs in a three-game series on Friday, April 10 and Saturday, April 11. The Saluki offense showed off at Buel Field, hitting eight home runs in total. SIU led for the entirety of the first two games, but Drake was able to score first in the third game and a back and forth game with three lead changes followed.

APRIL 10: SIU 11, DRAKE 0

The Salukis wasted no time in the top of the first inning. Junior designated player Emily Williams reached on a Bulldog error that scored redshirt sophomore right fielder Moleah Blomenkamp. Blomenkamp was hitting the ball all over the yard, going 4-5 with two runs scored and three RBIs –including her first home run of the season.

Blomenkamp knocked in two runs on a single that scored junior center fielder Mikaela Coburn and senior co-captain second baseman Erin Lee. The Dawgs were up three heading into the top of the fourth, where Blomenkamp unloaded on a pitch and sent the ball soaring over the wall in center. Junior

third baseman Amanda Knutson belted a ball over the left field fence to score herself and junior catcher Sydney Potter. The Dawgs weren’t done in the fourth and freshman Jordan Stewart singled to score sophomore first baseman Hayden Kurtz.

A four run fourth inning gave the Salukis a commanding 7-0 advantage heading into the fifth. A four-run seventh inning finished the job for SIU.

Senior co-captain Hailey Wilkerson doubled down the left field line to score Sage Grann. Then Wilkerson capitalized off a Bulldog error and scored.

Lee followed with an RBI single to score Knuton, and Stewart displayed heads up baserunning when she scored on a wild pitch. As the game came to an end, the Salukis’ run total tallied 11.

Freshman pitcher Brookly Danielson took to the circle for the Dawgs, where she threw six scoreless innings, allowing just four hits and striking out nine Bulldog batters. Danielson had a streak of seven consecutive strikeouts and generated lots of swings and misses.

Junior pitcher Emily Delgado pitched an inning and struck out all three batters she faced without allowing any on base. Danielson got the victory and is now 9-1 this season.

APRIL 10: SIU 3, DRAKE 1

Freshman pitcher Hailey Lucas had the ball as the starting pitcher for the

Salukis in the second game. Lucas pitched six and a third innings and surrendered just six hits and only one run while striking out five Drake hitters and throwing 89 pitches. Delgado threw the final two thirds of an inning and picked up another strikeout without allowing anybody on base. Lucas won the game and improved to 7-6 on the season.

SIU struck first in the third, scoring on a Blomenkamp single up the middle that drove Kurtz home. Later that same half inning, Williams found a pitch that she liked and hit it a country mile for a solo home run to left field. Williams has 13 dingers on the year and with that big swing she gives the Salukis a 2-0 advantage after three innings.

The following inning in the top of the fourth, Cobrun showed off some of her opposite field power when she smoked a ball that cleared the fence in left. That home run put the Dawgs up 3-0 and gave Coburn her second homer of the 2026 season. The Salukis went on to win by a final score of 3-1.

APRIL 11: DRAKE 10, SIU 7

SIU had four pitchers throw in the final game of the series against the Bulldogs. Danielson threw the first two innings of the contest

and allowed two runs during her time in the circle. Lucas relieved Danielson in the third inning and pitched two innings allowing just one run. Lucas turned it over to Delgado in the fifth, where she struggled in her inning of work, allowing four runs. Sophomore pitcher Emma Gipson relieved Delgado, and threw an inning in which three runs scored, but none of them were earned.

After Drake took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, the Saluki bats responded in the top of the third when Blomenkamp put a charge into a ball and sent it out of the ballpark. Blomenkamp has two home runs on the season and 20 RBIs on the year.

The score was 2-1 Bulldogs over the Salukis heading into the top of the fourth. Kurtz took a strong swing and walloped a moonshot that left the park in a hurry. Kurtz’s solo shot tied the game at 2-2. Grann came to the plate in the top of the fifth and captured the lead for the Dawgs for the first time in the game. Grann demolished a softball to right that scored Cobrun and put the Salukis up two. Grann has two home runs on the year after that deep fly. Knutson singled up the middle to score graduate student outfielder

Pritchett. Kurtz followed that with an RBI double to right center to score Potter. SIU now commanded a 6-2 advantage after four and a half innings of softball. Drake responded immediately with a five-run bottom of the fifth to flip the game right back into the Bulldog’s favor, 7-6. Drake followed with three more runs in the bottom of the sixth, putting the Bulldogs on top 106. Knutson scorched a ball to center that exited the ballpark, but with no Salukis on base, Knutson brought the game to 107. Knutson now has six home runs on the season to go along with 22 RBIs.

The Salukis would fall short in the final game of the series and lose 10-7 to the Bulldogs. SIU moves to 25-14 overall and 14-5 in the Missouri Valley Conference. Putting SIU in second place in the MVC. Drake moves to 8-27 overall and 3-14 in the MVC. The Salukis return to action at Charlotte West Stadium on Friday, April 17 and Saturday April 18 for a three-game series with Northern Iowa.

SIU football takes spring practice on the road

HOOVER gus@dailyegyptian.com

It’s not very often that you get Friday night lights in the spring, but that’s exactly what southern Illinois football fans got on April 3 in DuQuoin and on April 10 in Marion.

The Saluki football squad only gets 15 spring practices, and only three with live tackling, so it isn’t lost on Marion head football coach Jason Dunning how much of an opportunity this is for the local communities.

“I’m honored that they would use one

of their days to come here,” he said. “I wish they would go to more places like Carterville or Harrisburg.”

Dunning said it’s not just an opportunity for Marion, but for the Salukis as well.

“They get to come here to a neighboring town, so it’s not too far, and it gets them out of the mundane of SIU every day,” he said.

At the start of practice in Marion, fans first got to take a look at the team in individual drills broken down by position. That gave Saluki fans their first

chance to see starting quarterback DJ Williams since his announcement that he’ll return to SIU to play one more year. Williams did not participate in the live scrimmage portion of either evening due to recovering from a torn ligament in his knee he suffered last fall.

Before the live scrimmage to end the night, kids in attendance were invited onto the field to catch passes from the quarterbacks, while some kids chose to go one-on-one with offensive linemen instead. That portion ended with Williams throwing a 35-yard touchdown

to a lucky fan.

The defense shined during the scrimmage, with safety Vinny Pierre Jr. forcing a fumble out of the hands of running back Ed Robinson in the first series. That was the first of seven straight stops to start the scrimmage.

The offense finally broke through when QB ET Harris threw a touchdown to UNLV transfer WR Traivon Dyson.

Running back Lem Wash added a rushing touchdown at the end of the night for the offense.

The Marion High School football

team was also in attendance, getting an up close and personal look at what a Division I football practice looks like.

“I think it motivates them,” Dunning said. “They think they can’t play at Alabama or Illinois but maybe they can play at this level.”

SIU will end their spring on Friday, April 17 with the annual Spring game at 6 p.m. at Saluki Stadium.

Sports Reporter Eli Hoover can be found at ehoover@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram @hoovermakesart

Rural Health Careers Virtual Panel Discussion

ACROSS

1- Spanish greeting

5- Intends

10- The geeky paleontologist, brother of 20A

14- Very dry

15- Left to simmer

16- Grand in scale

17- Film spool

18- Racket

19- Nothing

20- The responsible but neurotic one, sister of 10A

22- The sarcastic one, whose middle name is Muriel

24- Protrusion

26- How-___: instruction books

27- Faucet

30- Life story, for short

31- Trident-shaped Greek letter

32- Letters indicating amazement, in a text

35- First person in the Bible

37- Long story

39- Like the voice of someone congested

41- Gathering spot for the group in this puzzle, punnily named after a NYC landmark

44- Oil producing fruit

45- Land in the ocean

46- Outer layer

47- Brief period, briefly

48- Casual shirt

50- 4G ___

52- Batteries in a remote, often

53- Ask nosy questions

54- Events with tents

56- The kindhearted and ditzy musician

58- The stylish and slightly spoiled one

62- “That’s hilarious,” in a text

64- Extinguish

66- Assistant

67- Brought into the world

68- Nostalgic song

69- Prepare, as tea

70- The struggling actor, with the catchphrase “How you doin’?”

71- Expenses

72- Button to press when the email is done

DOWN

1- Damage

2- Layered black and white cookie

3- Lender’s security

4- Make it up as you go

5- Subject of a famous da Vinci painting

6- Ambient music pioneer Brian

7- Wonderland visitor

8- Snack

9- Gym outfits

10- Tears apart

11- Iridescent gem

12- Fries or slaw, for instance

13- Reminder of an old wound

21- Young bear

23- Error message on a printer

25- Last line of defense in soccer

27- Snacks from a Mexican food truck

28- Singer of “Hello” and “Someone Like You”

29- Freak out

31- Spanish rice dish named for the shallow pan in which it’s cooked

32- Tennis star Naomi, or the Japanese city where she was born

33- Criminal “family”

34- Secluded valleys

36- Cable channel launched with the words “Ladies and gentlemen, rock and roll!”

38- Navigation aid: Abbr.

40- Cooling units, for short

42- Nostalgically chic

43- Many seniors

49- Ophthalmologist, informally

51- Significant period

53- Fake

54- Long-lasting disputes

55- Reminders of not-so-old wounds

56- Whittle down

Weekly Event Calendar

Your

57- Cowboy’s tie

59- Put on the payroll

60- Garden from which 35A was exiled

61- Raunchy

62- JFK’s successor, who declared a war on poverty

63- Cow’s call

65- Take a load off Sudoku #7

Sudoku #7

*To play Sudoku, fill a 9x9 grid with digits 1 through 9 so that each row, each column, and each 3x3 subgrid contains each number exactly once.

Email