THE
Daily Egyptian SERVING THE SOUTHERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY COMMUNITY SINCE 1916.
DAILYEGYPTIAN.COM
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 20, 2025
VOL. 109, ISSUE 1
WSIU faces uncertainty after public media defunded
Jackson Brandhorst jbrandhorst@dailyegyptian.com
meeting out at the airport,” Phelps said. “So many of our students, so many of our senators have never even been out to the airport, and I think that’s a shame. That’s such a big part of campus. It’s such a big recruitment part of campus. It’s important that our Senate, at the very minimum, goes out there and sees what happens out there
The U.S. Congress voted last month to approve a Trump administration plan that eliminates $1.1 billion in federal funds previously allocated to the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and $8.3 billion in select foreign aid programs as part of a $9.4 billion rescission bill. Critics claim that the cuts threaten public access to local news, undermine humanitarian efforts and that it may even violate the First Amendment. The bill, which has since been signed into law, was backed by U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, a Republican from Murphysboro who represents Illinois’ 12th congressional district. It cuts all federal support for NPR, PBS and all of their member stations — including WSIU in Carbondale. Without federal funding for public media, the already arid southern Illinois news desert faces the threat of becoming even more bare — but there may be a silver lining. In what could be the loss of multiple national programming options on WSIU radio and television waves may be an opportunity for the station to ramp up its local coverage — just so long as they have enough money to continue operating. Of the $9.4 billion that was rescinded in this bill, all $1.1 billion of federal funding for the CPB was cut — $1.4 million of which was set to supplement southern Illinois programming come the start of the new fiscal year. Proponents of the rescission continually use one word to explain why they voted for these programs to be defunded: “woke.” Bill cosponsor Rep. James Comer explained that this bill makes cuts to “wasteful, woke spending in the federal government… including funds NPR and PBS have used to push leftist propaganda.” Bost similarly said in a post on the social platform X that he
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WSIU | 3
Attendees dance as the Ivas John Band performs during the re-re-re-opening night of Hangar 9 Aug. 16, 2025 in Carbondale, Illinois. Amilia I. Estrada | aestrada@dailyegyptian.com
Hangar 9 is back: Strip staple reopens with live music, big vibes Yahri Edmond yedmond@dailyegyptian.com
After a highly anticipated wait, one of Carbondale’s favorite nightlife destinations, Hangar 9, officially reopened its doors on the downtown Strip in Carbondale. Long known for its lively musical atmosphere, craft beer
selection and unique bar environment, the Hangar is back with a refreshed look and renewed energy — just in time to welcome SIU students back for the fall semester. Hangar 9 temporarily closed at the end of 2024 after nearly 50 years under the ownership of Sally Carter,
marking the end of an era for the beloved Carbondale venue. It has now reopened under new ownership by Saluki alumni Scott Moller and Andrew Perlmutter. Hangar 9 has undergone several key upgrades while staying true to the charm and grit that made it a local favorite.
Updates include the removal of a main staircase (and the addition of a new one), new TV screens behind the bar that display an all new drink menu, the removal of a downstairs pool table and the addition of three dart boards, the removal of downstairs booths and an overall
rearrangement of seating both upstairs and downstairs. The DJ booth moved, the lighting booth moved, the dancefloor has been expanded and the beginning of an outdoor beer garden has commenced. Patrons can expect the return of live music, karaoke HANGAR | 3
USG talks fall semester plans Carly Gist cgist@dailyegyptian.com
If there’s one thing Lydia Phelps took away from her successful campaign for SIU Undergraduate Student Government President, it’s that college students love stickers. Which is why she and her fellow board members decided to order stickers with the organization’s social media information, with plans to
hand them out to students early in the semester. “That’s (social media) how we reach people now, and so I think it’s important that we grab students from Day 1, and put them on track for success — to know what’s going on, to know who they need to reach out to, and to help build that community,” Phelps said. “If we’re all connected, we’re all in communication, community
comes just subsequently.” The USG executive board is focusing on outreach and connection this semester, Phelps said. But a sticker campaign is just the beginning. The organization is looking to create a larger presence on campus by showing up at student and sporting events, renovating the student center and expanding their existing programs to new locations
and dates. They’ve started meeting with prominent figures in the community, such as Scott Moller, the new owner of Hangar 9, a beloved bar on the Strip, to “bridge the gap between alumni and community and campus.” They’re also looking to move Senate meetings to new locations once a semester. “I’d really like to have a