The Daily Egyptian - February 4, 2026

Daily Egyptian

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 2026 VOL. 109,

SIU to host several Black History Month events

LEO CASTRO lcastro@dailyegyptian.com

Feb. 1 marked the beginning of Black History Month, a nationwide observance recognizing the achievements and often-overlooked contributions of Black Americans throughout history.

This year’s national theme is “A Century of Black History Commemorations” celebrating 100 years of Black History Month which originated in 1926. Southern Illinois University Carbondale will observe

Black History Month by hosting a series of events and activities throughout February.

The university kicked off the celebration Monday, Feb. 2, with a keynote address by Sarah Lewis in the Student Center Ballroom. Lewis is an award-winning author and a professor of African and African American studies and humanities at Harvard University. Her TED talk about embracing near wins has earned millions of views on YouTube and her writing has received multiple awards.

Celebrating Black-owned business

Jackson Funeral Home to turn 121 this October

PEYTON COOK

pcook@dailyegyptian.com

One of the oldest Black businesses in Carbondale, the Jackson Funeral Home, is everything to Larry Walton. Walton grew up in and around the home learning about the funeral business from James Walker and Etta Jackson. Jackson opened the home with her husband Frank in 1905. After Frank’s death in 1949, Jackson continued to run the business with the assistance of John E. Jones, until his death in 1964. In 1974, Walker took over the business with the help of Jackson and his wife Thelma. Jackson died in 1980 and the Walkers continued to run it until Thelma died in 2008 and James died in 2011.

After serving in the Navy, Walton came back to southern Illinois and now directs the home.

“The Jackson Funeral Home is one of the oldest Black funeral homes in the southern Illinois area, proudly serving Carbondale and the surrounding communities for generations,” Walton said in an interview in mid-January.

Walton keeps photos of the original owners, Etta and Frank Jackson, on the wall throughout the home.

“It serves as a daily reminder of our legacy, our roots and the longstanding commitment to service that continues to guide our work today,” employee Leanor Lewis said.

Throughout the years, they have made small updates and improvements to the business without taking away from the building’s heritage.

Larry Walton, owner of Jackson Funeral Home, stands by the sign of his nearly 121-year-old business Feb. 2, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual

“The building hasn’t changed much over the years,” Walton said.

From the chapel with an organ in the corner to the front entrance with photos of the owners throughout the home, Walton says that the overall structure and character of the funeral home has remained the same.

Walton said Etta Jackson treated everyone like family and that money isn’t the most important

thing – but that helping others in the community is. This idea has stayed with Walton throughout his life.

“I believe in providing a family the utmost care that we can afford to,” Walton said. “It is a service. Yeah, you want to make money, that’s true enough in a business, but sometimes, taking care of a family and serving a family and helping that

The City of Carbondale and the Carbondale Branch NAACP celebrated with an “At the Table” Dinner and Dialogue on Tuesday, Feb. 2, at the Carbondale Civic Center. Doors opened at 5 p.m., and

Navigating rural Illinois as a Black student

TREVOR JOHN

tjohn@dailyegyptian.com

Sierra Anderson, a junior nursing student at Southern Illinois University, said she adjusts her speech and behavior to fit into predominantly white environments, a practice known as code-switching.

Code-switching refers to the practice of voluntarily changing one’s behavior, speech, appearance or expression to fit into a specific environment — usually the dominant culture of the environment. According to research done by Danielle Dickens and Elizabeth Chavez in the journal “Sex Roles,” code switching is often a survival or coping strategy to avoid bias, be heard and feel safe.

For Black Americans, codeswitching has opened doors to professional success. On the flip side, it carries a heavy collective toll on mental health, community connection and personal identity.

“I feel like I’ve gotten so used to sort of code-switching,” Anderson said. “I kind of have to shrink myself down in a way to make myself palatable for my environment.” Anderson is from the Chicago

How southern Illinois is regulating kratom

The Jackson County Board’s ordinance banning the sale and distribution of kratom and kratombased products in unincorporated areas went into effect Jan. 1. The move comes as local officials raise concerns about the substance’s potential health risks, particularly among youth and other vulnerable populations.

Kratom is a plant-derived substance sometimes sold as an herbal

supplement. In low doses, it can act as a stimulant, while higher doses produce sedative effects. Kratom is not approved by the Food and Drug Administration and the agency recommends that the public avoid using kratom for medical purposes until its safety can be further evaluated since products are not standardized, and the potency can vary between brands and stores.

Federal agencies, including the FDA, Centers for Disease Control and

Prevention and National Institute on Drug Abuse, have linked the substance to seizures, liver damage, rapid heart rate, respiratory issues and, in some cases, hospitalization or death.

Jackson County Board Chairman C.J. Calandro described the ordinance as a proactive measure to safeguard public health in a press release.

“Our goal is to prevent avoidable harm and make sure people have accurate information about substances that can be dangerous,” he said.

Under the ordinance, it is now illegal to sell, distribute or give away kratom in unincorporated areas of Jackson County. Officials allowed a period of advance notice before enforcement to give businesses and residents time to remove products voluntarily.

The Jackson County Health Department did not provide comment when reached by the Daily Egyptian. Kratom is sold directly to consumers through a variety of outlets. Specialty stores, such as head

shops, apothecaries and smoke shops, commonly stock these products along with herbal supplements and other smoking-related products and accessories. Some convenience stores also carry kratom, and it is available through online retailers that ship from regional or national distributors. Several local areas have already taken similar steps. Most recently, Murphysboro passed a city ordinance Oct. 28 banning both the sale and

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Published by the students of Southern Illinois University Carbondale on a weekly basis in print, and every day on dailyegyptian.com. Fall and spring semester editions run every Wednesday. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale, Carterville, and Springfield communities.

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Vote in primary elections

Dear Readers,

Are you concerned or feeling worried about the state of our government and our constitution? Do you feel like there’s nothing you can do?

Well, you’re not helpless and you CAN do something. You can vote in the Primary Election on Tuesday, March 17, 2026. You may think primaries are no big deal and that you can just wait for the “big one.” But top level positions are formulated by lower level actions. The party that wins the primaries guides the state and federal elections.

Change starts small, and from home, and grows bigger. Please vote in your local primaries on March 17. Contact your County Clerk to be sure you’re registered. Democracy begins at home. So VOTE!!

Have an opinion you’d like to share with the Daily Egyptian’s audience? Email editor@dailyegyptian.com to submit a letter to the editor.

Puzzle Answers (Puzzles on 12)

Submissions

Letters and guest columns must be submitted with author’s contact information, preferably via email. Phone numbers are required to verify authorship, but will not be published. Students must include their year and major. Faculty must include rank and department. Others include hometown. Submissions should be sent to editor@dailyegyptian.com

Maggie is a striking Husky mix who came to us from a Southern Illinois animal control and is now ready for a fresh start. With her beautiful looks and bright personality, she turns heads wherever she goes. Maggie is an intelligent, curious girl who enjoys staying active and being engaged with her people. She’s looking for a loving home that will give her the guidance, exercise, and affection she needs to thrive. In return, Maggie will be a loyal, fun-loving companion who brings energy and joy into everyday life.

SIU School of Journalism receives

CARLY GIST

cgist@dailyegyptian.com

$2.25 million estate gift

A $2.25 million estate gift from SIU alumnus Roy D. Franke will benefit the Charlotte Thompson Suhler School of Journalism and Advertising and its handson learning experiences.

According to a Jan. 30 blog post from the SIU Foundation, the gift ranks among the largest private contributions in the school’s history and is going to support the school’s professional labs, including the Daily Egyptian, Saluki AdLab, River Region Evening Edition, Saluki Sports View,

possession of kratom following a unanimous vote by the City Council.

Other nearby communities, including Marion and Herrin, have also enacted bans or restrictions on the sale and distribution of kratom, continuing a growing regional trend among local governments to address unregulated substances ahead of any statewide action.

The City of Carbondale has not enacted any jurisdiction concerning kratom.

Carolin Harvey, mayor of Carbondale, said that currently there are no regulations in Carbondale regarding kratom, and when the issue was previously discussed on the City Council agenda, no action was taken.

With Jackson County and other municipalities moving to restrict kratom, some users in the region have noted the impact on accessibility. Residents in banned areas who use the substance may need to travel to neighboring areas to obtain it, particularly after bans in places like Murphysboro, Marion and Herrin.

Some local business owners who sell kratom say that regulation, rather than prohibition, would better address safety concerns.

Rachel Phelps, owner and operator of CBD Wellness Center in Carbondale, said her perspective is shaped by more than two decades working in the cannabis and plant medicine industry and six and a half years working with kratom.

“I’m fairly politically involved in not just kratom but in cannabis too, and fighting the good fight, so to speak,” Phelps said. “The whole movement around cannabis was to get the medicine in the hands of the people in the most affordable, safe way possible. And there’s not as much attention and movement around kratom, so what I found is there’s a lot of off the hip reactions out of fear and uneducated fear reactions.”

Phelps said there is limited research available on kratom and how different strains or products affect individuals, which she said makes education especially important. She said their shop promotes responsible use of the plant by providing them with accurate description of what the plant is, along with safe consumption methods, and they limit sales to those 21 and older.

“Although there isn’t much official research to pull from, the plant has been used medicinally for hundreds of years, so there is that history to draw from and also from that of the last six and a half

Gateway Journalism Review, the Saluki Local Reporting Lab and weekend photojournalism workshops.

“We are deeply moved by this extraordinary act of generosity and profoundly grateful for the trust Mr. Roy Franke placed in CAM’s Charlotte Thompson Suhler School of Journalism and Advertising,” Hong Cheng, dean of the College of Arts and Media, said in the post. “This gift establishes a powerful and lasting legacy — one that strengthens the Suhler School’s academic mission and expands its opportunities for future generations. I have no doubt he will

years of my experience with it,” Phelps said. “We do not claim to be experts on the plant but do set an example on how it can remain available to the public in a responsible way.”

She said her approach to kratom mirrors the one she has used with cannabis, emphasizing consumer education and cautious use.

“We are known for education and a primary focus on safe consumption,” Phelps said. “We arm them with that, and then allow them to make a choice for themselves.”

A study published in 2025 in Volume 27 of the journal Current Psychiatry Reports noted that people who use kratom may rely on unsubstantiated anecdotal recommendations from people who use the substance without background research, which can potentially increase the risks of the product if using highly concentrated alkaloid products.

Phelps also said testing and oversight for products sold to consumers is fundamental to buyers’ health and safety.

“Just like with cannabis, having third-party lab-tested products is what’s most important,” she said. “This will show potency and purity, there’s those two parts to that. To have a lab that is not affiliated with the wholesaler or the retailer means they don’t have an arm in the game.”

Phelps said there is a significant distinction between traditional kratom products and more concentrated formulations.

“There is a huge difference between very concentrated 7-OH products and liquid or powdered kratom,” she said. “So that is starting to get convoluted and mixed up and misunderstood.”

Some kratom products on the market contain higher concentrations of 7-hydroxymitragynine, often shortened to 7-OH, an alkaloid that occurs naturally in the kratom plant and is associated with stronger opioid-like effects.

Kirk Evoy, a Clinical Associate Professor in the Pharmacotherapy Division of the College of Pharmacy at The University of Texas at Austin, contributed to the Current Psychiatry Reports study.

In an email to the Daily Egyptian, Evoy wrote, “Mitragynine is the primary active component of kratom and provides relatively weak opioid effects if taken at high enough doses. However, many newer kratom products contain semisynthetic 7-hydroxymitragynine or mitragynine pseudoindoxyl, which don’t naturally occur at high levels in kratom…

always be remembered as an integral part of the school’s story.”

A southern Illinois native, Franke earned his Bachelor of Arts degree from SIU in 1966 and Master of Arts degree from the University of Missouri in 1968, according to his obituary published in wmix94 on Oct. 29, 2024. Franke was born and raised in Centralia, Illinois, where he graduated from high school and was a member of The First Baptist Church.

Franke was a member of the National Horse Pitcher’s for 42 years and pitched in the World Horseshoe Pitcher’s Tournament for 19 years. After moving to Mount

These produce strong opioid effects and carry much greater risks of opioid-like side effects and overdose.”

In recent years, products with elevated levels of 7-OH have become more widely available, particularly in concentrated forms, which has added to concerns among public health officials about potency and consumer awareness. Because kratom products are not regulated or standardized, the concentration of alkaloids can vary widely between products.

The Current Psychiatry Reports study noted that “while whole leaf kratom products typically produce minimal respiratory depression risk, more potent alkaloids like 7-hydroxymitragynine may produce respiratory depression at higher doses.”

“The average person walking into a smoke shop or gas station and buying kratom likely doesn’t understand this difference,” Evoy wrote. “Furthermore, many of these products are not clearly labeled with their contents or the amounts of specific alkaloids…such that even if the person did have a good understanding of the differences between the different alkaloids they still might not be able to tell what is in the product they just bought.”

He wrote that he thinks the more potent semi-synthetic products containing 7-hydroxymitragynine or mitragynine pseudoindoxyl are too dangerous to be sold as over-thecounter drugs and should be banned for the time being.

“I think increased regulation of the manufacturing and package labeling of kratom products is extremely important, as this will allow people to better understand what they are actually consuming and provide more consistency among products, allowing for needed research to better understand their effects,” Evoy stated.

While acknowledging that kratom carries risks, Phelps said regulations like ID checks, testing, trained staff, and product labeling would be appropriate, but added that removing kratom altogether would do more harm than good.

“Our stance is, instead of banning it, let’s give it some safe regulation, because we know banning it doesn’t work,” she said. “It just pushes it underground. It causes people to use other means of treatment for themselves, which could be even more detrimental. So our stance is to have more regulation than prohibition.”

Restrictions in some municipalities

Vernon, Illinois in 2007, he remained involved in church life, attending Central Christian Church. Franke also worked 13 years as a distributor for Carpenter Body Works in Mitchell, Indiana.

Franke died on Oct. 27, 2024, in Mount Vernon at the age of 80.

“This amazing and wonderful gift will help support our entire school,” Jan Thompson, director of the Suhler School, said in the post. “The faculty will benefit from this gift, but also our students.”

The SIU Foundation said the gift will also advance SIU’s mission as a national leader in research and student access. SIU

is one of only 21 universities nationwide recognized by the Carnegie Classification for both Research 1 status — the highest level of research activity — and an Opportunity College and University. Franke’s gift will also contribute to the Imagine SIU 2030 fundraising campaign. SIU has currently raised more than $460 million of its $500 million goal. The campaign is the fifth-largest fundraising effort in Illinois higher education.

Editor-in-Chief Carly Gist can be reached at cgist@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram @gistofthestory

Kratom capsules sit inside their retail packaging Jan. 23, 2026 at Legal Smile in Carbondale, Illinois. Kratom contains active compounds including mitragynine and 7-hydroxymitragynine, a more potent alkaloid that contributes to the drug’s opioid-like effects.

Amilia I. Estrada | @aestrada@dailyegyptian.com

have already affected where people purchase kratom.

“If they ban it, in like Herrin, Marion and Carbondale, it’s just going to scoot them to the next town,” Phelps said.

She added, many people use kratom medicinally and prefer plant-based alternatives to pharmaceuticals.

“I have many people in my customer base who don’t want to use man-made pharmaceuticals, so they would like to use a plant base that their body understands instead,” she said. “This includes people who are trying to manage pain or anxiety, veterans, recovering addicts and just general, everyday people from every walk of life that you can think of come to us and want to use the plant base instead of something that’s man-made.”

Clayton Jackson, a Carbondale resident who has been using kratom for about five years, said he began using it to help manage an alcohol addiction. He uses kratom primarily for an energy boost, noting that some users take it for different reasons, such as pain management or relaxation.

“The main thing I like it for, is I like it for energy. Some people use it for other reasons, but I just like the boost it gives me,” Jackson said. “Add it with a little caffeine and makes the day a lot better.”

Evoy warned that combining multiple psychoactive substances can greatly increase the risk of overdose or other serious side effects.

“Given that kratom has both stimulant and opioid-like effects, I would say it is particularly concerning to use it alongside other stimulants, opioids, or substances like alcohol that can further depress your central nervous system,” he wrote. “In

these cases, it is likely that using kratom would increase your risk of overdosing on these substances, even at doses you might be able to tolerate if taken alone.”

Kratom comes in several forms, including powders, capsules, leaves for tea or to chew and extracts. Jackson has tried different forms of kratom but said he prefers the powder form.

“I’ve tried capsules, but I think powder is a lot easier on the stomach than the capsules,” he said.

He discovered kratom at a local shop and did not know it was an option to use before then.

“I just stumbled across it in the head shop one day and just kind of went from there,” he said.

He also spoke about the practical impact of bans in other municipalities.

“Banning kratom makes it hard,” Jackson said. “I was living in Marion when Marion banned it, and it’s my vice so I had to start driving to other places to get it and everything else. It’s inconvenient.”

Jackson acknowledges the risks associated with the substance.

“I think there’s misconceptions about kratom just in the fact that obviously it can be dangerous,” Jackson said. “A lot of people use it to handle heroin issues. It’s still a safer alternative, but, I mean, there’s definitely some dangers. That’s why I switched to capsules, since it gave me stomach problems. It’s the lesser of two evils for me.”

Staff Reporter Annalise Schmidt can

family at that most sad time outweighs any money that you can get.”

They have helped southern Illinois families for generations and guide them through every step of the way following the death of a loved one, from showing them who the local florists are to providing information about what a eulogy should say.

Mary Keller, owner of Quick Magic Gardens, a Carbondale business that works with the home to create floral arrangements, considers Walton a friend.

“The second he meets you, he has the kind of approach like he’s going to be your friend,” Keller said.

The floral shop has worked with the funeral home since 2022. They work with the families and home closely to determine what flower arrangement is right for the customer.

“So a lot of times (he) will send somebody down to us,” Keller said.

They read the obituary and take steps to understand exactly who the person was in the community.

Keller then uses the information to create a floral arrangement that represents them.

“Just yesterday, somebody brought us a copper container because that person’s mom loved copper. And so we’re going to signify the person using something that was very personal to her,” Keller said.

She said she holds a lot of respect for Walton.

“He’s talked about how his family really sacrificed a lot because they

felt like it was important to have that funeral home,” Keller said.

For those attending a funeral, they have a “funeral etiquette” page on their website so that guests have an understanding of what to wear, what to say and what to expect.

Working at the funeral home is meaningful for employee Michael Bryant, he said, because he gets “to render service in a comforting and compassionate presence when families are at their lowest,” Bryant said.

When the business first opened, computers hadn’t been invented yet. They had to file and complete paperwork by hand. Computers have allowed the home to streamline work flow, save time and remain focussed on the people.

“It has especially simplified the processing of paperwork, allowing us to spend less time on forms and more time focusing on the families we serve,” Lewis said.

While one can choose to play music from a phone or a CD during a funeral, the home still features an organ, which Walton loves to play.

“He can play the organ like no other,” Keller said.

Jackson Funeral Home helps create a special moment to say goodbye to a loved one. Bryant said one would be surprised “to realize that it’s not only about the dead, but the families who are grieving, and going through a process. You are there to help them through it.”

The job can take a toll on morticians as they help people through a dark time in their life.

“The families we serve are often

our friends, neighbors, relatives or people we know through our local churches,” Lewis said. “Their grief becomes our grief as well because their loss is felt throughout our community. Supporting them means walking alongside people we care deeply about.”

Walton and Keller both describe the home as an anchor for the community.

“What an important, vital, integral and amazing part of the Carbondale

community,” Keller said.

The employees of Jackson Funeral Home said they love helping Carbondale and are currently deciding how to celebrate their anniversary in October.

They recently got an award from the National Funeral Directors Association for over 100 years of service to their community.

“We want the community to remember Jackson Funeral Home, as a place that proudly serves

Carbondale and the surrounding areas with dignity and respect,” Lewis said. “We are deeply committed to supporting families through their most challenging times and providing the highest standards of professional excellence and compassionate care to all who place their trust in us.”

Digital Editor Peyton Cook can be reached at pcook@dailyegyptian.com, or on Instagram at @cookmeavisual

SIU releases Spring 2025 enrollment numbers

Online, transfer numbers see increase; retention rates remain strong

CARLY GIST cgist@dailyegyptian.com

Overall enrollment at SIU Carbondale has increased by 0.5% from spring 2025, marking the third consecutive year of spring enrollment growth, according to numbers released by the university on Jan. 29, 2026.

Currently, 10,919 students are enrolled, which is up 50 students from spring 2025, but 866 students short of fall semester enrollment. Jeff Harmon, chief marketing and communications officer, told the Daily Egyptian that spring enrollment is always lower than fall because many students graduate

NAVIGATING

suburbs. Her upbringing encompassed a changing environment that shifted from predominantly white to more diverse as she grew up.

“I really only came here (SIU) because my friends came here, and I was like, ‘Well, it has a nursing program. That’s pretty good. Why not?” she said.

Anderson said she originally wanted to attend a historically Black college or university.

“I really wanted to go to an HBCU,” Anderson said. “I didn’t want to have to code-switch and change who I was. I wanted to meet people that were like me.”

Anderson said adjusting to SIU has required constant awareness.

“I’m very vigilant,” Anderson said. “I know it’s not a red county (Jackson County), but it feels like a red county ... especially the fact that Anna, it’s not that far away, and that is a sundown town.”

Jackson County is a political anomaly in southern Illinois because it is home to Carbondale and SIU,

in December and there are fewer new students. Over 1,500 students graduated in December.

The university credits “significant gains in strong retention rates among undergraduates, transfer students and online education” for the growth from last spring. The university saw a 25% increase in online students, rising from 1,594 to 1,986, and a 10% increase in transfer student enrollment. The university said this is a result of SIU’s Saluki Step Ahead partnerships with over 40 community colleges in Illinois, as well as community colleges in Texas, Missouri, Kentucky and Tennessee.

which host a diverse population, including a higher proportion of educated individuals and younger people than the surrounding areas.

These demographics — the literate and youthful — statistically lean Democratic.

Surrounding counties — Williamson, Perry, Franklin, Randolph and Union counties — overwhelmingly lean Republican as they are rural, agricultural and culturally conservative.

Union County is home to Anna.

For generations, local folklore has said that the name A-N-N-A was used as an acronym that included a racial slur for Black people and that meant they were “not allowed” in the town.

Sociologist James Loewen’s research confirmed Anna was a sundown town and acknowledged the acronym, while not the origin of the town’s name, had reinforced southern Illinois’ informal racial segregation.

Anderson recalled an instance when her friend drove through a community known for being a former sundown town.

“She drove through a sundown

The fall-to-spring retention rate for first-time, full-time undergraduate students is up 2.6% from the previous year, standing at 86.7%, with significant increases across diverse student populations. Retention is up 4% among Pell-eligible students, 4% among first-generation students, 8% among overall Hispanic students, 9% among Hispanic female students, 4% among overall Black/African American students and 8% among Black/ African American male students.

“This sustained growth is a testament to the hard work of our faculty and staff who are deeply

town and just put on the gas the entire time,” Anderson said.

Anderson said she found support by connecting with other Black women in the nursing program.

“I definitely had to find my group,” Anderson said. “As much as I love the other girls, it means a little more being able to make a community in the nursing community.”

Anderson said her generation seeks accountability rather than sympathy.

“My generation is stubborn in a good way,” Anderson said. “We’re not asking for a pity party, we’re asking for reflection and understanding.”

Anderson said she wants future students to feel at home in Carbondale and that she wants it to feel like a place she could call home herself – without feeling like she is walking on eggshells.

She is pursuing a career in nursing — a profession rooted in care — turning her experience into a tool for service.

Staff Reporter Trevor John can be reached at tjohn@dailyegyptian.com

committed to the success of our students,” Chancellor Austin Lane said in the press release. “Through our Imagine 2030 strategic plan, we have focused intentionally on removing barriers to education and meeting students where they are. Whether it’s through our robust online offerings or our partnerships here in the Southern Illinois region, we are seeing those strategic efforts pay off.”

According to the release, the university now has 8% more students from the southern Illinois region. Retention of local students is also up 0.3%. SIU saw enrollment

growth from other states as well, including Mississippi, Kansas, Texas and Washington.

Through the Saluki Start Initiative, which offers tuitionfree online classes for students at 26 southern Illinois high schools, 130 high school students are enrolled in SIU classes this spring.

“Saluki Start is a game-changer for families in our region,” Lane said in the press release. “It lowers the cost of a degree and accelerates the path to a career for students right here at home.”

Editor-in-Chief Carly Gist can be reached at cgist@dailyegyptian.com

*In 2022, the Daily Egyptian put out an HR jar, which students would put change into if they made risqué jokes in the office. In February, it became the AAVE (African American Vernacular English) Jar and encouraged staff to put change in the jar anytime they used AAVE slang to acknowledge where their slang came from.

Yasmin Martinez-Powell | ymartinezpowell@dailyegyptian.com

Carbondale residents protest ICE

ORION WOLF owolf@dailyegyptian.com

Over the past few weeks, national concerns over the conduct of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have been heightened after federal agents fatally shot U.S. citizen Renee Good on Jan. 4 and U.S. citizen Alex Pretti on Jan. 24 in Minneapolis.

Carbondale community members took to the town square on Friday, Jan. 30, as part of a national strike, and voiced their disgruntlement.

In the wake of Pretti’s death, the Trump administration has gone back and forth on some of their statements regarding ICE’s behavior in Minneapolis.

Gregory Bovino, the Border Control commander stationed in Minneapolis when Good and Pretti were killed, has been reassigned and removed from his position in Minneapolis.

However, members of the Trump administration like the Secretary of Homeland Security Kristi Noem and Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller stated in the wake of the shooting that Pretti was a “domestic terrorist.”

While the fatal shootings of Pretti and Good are at the forefront of national conversation, they are only one result of ICE and the federal government’s crackdown on immigrants. In Columbia Heights, a Minneapolis suburb, there are cases of children being taken into custody by ICE and not returned to their families, such as Liam Ramos, a 5-year-old boy who was taken alongside his father after he picked up his son from school on Jan. 20.

Later, on Jan. 31, a federal judge from Texas, Fred Biery, ruled that Ramos and his father could not be detained. Biery ordered that the United States government release them by Tuesday, Feb. 3.

On Feb. 1, the father and son were released from custody and have returned home to Minnesota. 50101, a national organization, issued

a release calling for an “ICE Out of Everywhere National Day of Action” on Jan. 31 as a follow-up to the national strike on Jan. 30 in which, the release states, “everyday Americans are coming together to demand the immediate and permanent removal of ICE, DHS, CBP from communities at over 300 events nationwide.”

Protesters in Carbondale brought drums and chanted “No Trump, no troops, Carbondale ain’t licking boots.” As people passed by, some honked in support while others hurled insults.

Alongside Carbondale’s Town Square Pavilion, a message was written in the weekold snow, “Amor vincit omnia,” or the Latin phrase, “Love conquers all.”

Sarah, a Carbondale community member who did not share her last name, said she has a friend in Minneapolis who had taken out a life insurance policy out of fear that she would be killed by ICE agents at a protest.

“People don’t realize that what ICE is doing can happen here,” she said. “To our sisters and brothers and neighbors. We need to have more empathy and compassion for each other.”

When asked about her reasons for attending the protests, Sarah replied, “How much time do you have?”

While Minneapolis seems to be ground zero for the ICE crackdown, ICE has been operating all over the country for months. The fear that a city close to home might become the next Minneapolis is a growing concern for many.

“It’s extremely important that I show up for my community and my family, and to show my kids that it’s OK to do these things and silence is not an option,” Abby Cullum, a Carbondale resident, said. “It’s heartbreaking that something as simple as human rights is becoming something people are afraid of. Don’t be afraid to live your life

and be who you are.”

Cali Roy and Audrey Kinser are SIU students that came to the protest together.

“I love immigrants, I love this country and I love being a woman,” Roy said. “With everything going on right now — what can you do? Anything we can do we’ll try to do.”

Kinser said, “We all see the videos and stuff, everything is blasted — I don’t think

anyone should be treated the way ICE has been treating people.”

Another SIU student, Shayne, who preferred not to share her last name, said, “If they want people to come legally, they should make the process easier.”

Staff Reporter Orion Wolf can be reached at owolf@dailyegyptian.com or orionwolf6 on Instagram

Rally, vigil held in Marion for those detained and killed by ICE

LYLEE

cgist@dailyegyptian.com

lgibbs@dailyegyptian.com

oluesing@dailyegyptian.com

Editor’s Note: This story includes content related to suicide. If you or someone you know needs help, the national suicide and crisis lifeline is available by calling or texting 988 or visiting the online chat at 988lifeline.org.

On a cold winter night in Marion, Frederica Nanni carries a sign reading “ICE OUT FOR RENEE, ALEX, LIAM and all the others.”

It’s a message in memory of Renee Good and Alex Pretti, demonstrators who were recently shot and killed by federal agents in Minnesota as part of President Donald Trump’s immigration crackdown, as well as in support of Liam Ramos, a 5-year-old boy who was placed in immigration custody on Jan. 20 and then later released on Feb. 1. Following these events, Nanni, a Navy veteran, said she feels that ICE is tearing apart the country and its constitution.

“I swore an oath in 1972 to protect and defend the constitution, and I still feel bound by that oath,” Nanni, 74, said. “Unfortunately, at my age, this is about the only thing I can do right now, but at least I’m doing something.”

Nanni was one of dozens of members of the Marion and Carbondale communities who, braving windchills under 10 degrees, gathered along the inside of the Marion Square with signs and candles in remembrance of those who have been killed in clashes with federal immigration agents. The gathering came just a week after Alex Pretti was shot and killed by federal agents in Minneapolis, Minnesota on Jan. 24.

The candlelight vigil and rally was held on Saturday, Jan. 31 as the sun dipped below the horizon by the Marion chapter of Indivisible,

a national organization formed at the beginning of Trump’s first term, which aims to move America in a more progressive direction with a commitment to nonviolence, according to co-lead Erica Travelstead. Attendees held signs, candles and flags as music from a speaker filled the air.

“We figured if the Minnesotans could do it in negative 30 degree weather, then we could do it for an hour,” Allison Powell, co-lead of Indivisible Marion, said. “We wanted to show our support and solidarity with the horrors that are happening in Minneapolis and all over Minnesota.”

This isn’t the first time Powell and Travelstead have hosted an event since the U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement have begun their operations in Minnesota, and the pair hosted another candlelight vigil weeks prior following when Renee Good was shot on Jan. 4 by an ICE agent.

“We couldn’t keep watching murder, state-sanctioned murder, happening on our cellphone screens any longer,” Powell said. “I’ve been waking up crying almost every day, just at the horrors we are seeing.”

Marion Indivisible was joined by several community members from the area who brought signs and candles. Joe Powers, a Carbondale resident of nearly 13 years, joined others at the Marion Square holding two candles to his chest as the light cast a glow across his face.

“I didn’t bring a sign with me because I was going to be too cold,” he said “People being present is important because it shows that there is concern. If we don’t come out and don’t make our presence known, then it’s really easy to say ‘well, nobody really cares,’ and it’s worth it to me to come out here and be cold in order to be part of the presence.”

After teaching about the U.S. Constitution over the last few years as a teacher, Powers said he has

gotten very familiar with the limits of government and how the limits are being trampled.

“I didn’t live during World War II, but I’m old enough that I grew up in the aftermath of that and a lot of the things, the stories I heard, things that I saw, media on TV and movies, a lot of the stuff I’m seeing right now is a repetition of that,” Powers said.

Nanni, who moved to Marion from Louisville, Kentucky in 2003, said she grew up reading about the Holocaust and wondered how people in Germany could have ignored what happened.

“At first, (I thought), ‘Oh, well, I would never have done that, then I get a little older and I have kids and I don’t know what I would have done,” she said. “I hope I would have done the right thing. Well, now I’m finding out. At least now, I’m doing what is right.”

Nanni said she participates in activism six days a week, weather permitting. She said her advocacy cost her her relationship with her children, but helped save her life.

“Last winter, I was close to suicide, because I just couldn’t see anything I could do and I felt so helpless,” she said. “This helps. If I can just change one or two minds — I don’t expect to make a big difference, but any difference is better than nothing.”

One participant from Benton, Illinois, who called himself Big Hero B, came dressed as a superhero.

“It’s a lot easier to get behind a message when it’s a symbol, rather than a generic white guy with a beard,” he said. “That’s why I wear the mask.”

He said he is fighting for justice and decency.

“Justice is my No. 1 value and that’s what I’m here for,” he said. “Justice for Alex (Pretti) and Renee (Good), and everyone that’s been killed, deported and kidnapped.”

Marion resident Carolyn Langan, who has lived in

Marion for over 40 years, stood next to the crowd, dressed in multiple layers to brave the cold, with a small LED light and an American flag that waved in the wind. Langan said she was appalled to watch everything unfold as a granddaughter of immigrants who came to America with nothing.

“I feel like I need to support those people in Minnesota who are doing this all the time every

day and doing my best to let everyone know that there are people who do not support ICE and what they’re doing.”

Senior Editor Lylee Gibbs can be reached at lgibbs@ dailyegyptian.com. Editor-inChief Carly Gist can be reached at cgist@dailyegyptian.com. Staff Photographer Olivia Luesing can be reached at oluesing@dailyegyptian.com.

History at Harrisburg High: Jamisen Green sets all-time scoring record

NOAH PETSCHKE npetschke@dailyegyptian.com

A large crowd gathered at Harrisburg High School in Harrisburg, Illinois, on Thursday, Jan. 29, as the all-time points scored record for girl’s and boy’s basketball was on the verge of being broken. Senior Jamisen Green was 11 points away from sitting atop the school’s leaderboard as the Bulldogs got set to host the Carterville Lions in front of a packed gym.

“This is the biggest crowd we’ve had, and I was just very nervous,” Green said.

The game started, and fans kept their eyes on jersey No. 4 as she traversed the court. Green first knocked down a free throw, a layup and a floater, bringing her game total to 5 points. The first half was coming to a close, and with another made free throw, Green was up to 6 points at the break.

Twenty minutes had passed, and all 20 of those minutes involved Green on the floor. She said that she is used to getting this amount of playing time.

“She is the hardest worker we’ve had here, and I have been here for 15 years,” head coach

dinner and dialogue began at 5:30 p.m. This event allowed for a range of topics like culture, history and racial hearing to be discussed between community members.

On Wednesday, Feb. 4, a lecture addressing racial bias in medicine will be held at noon in the Guyon Auditorium at Morris Library.

Jake Stewart said.

The second half was underway, and a mere 5 points stood between Green and school history. After a few minutes, Green swiped the ball from the Lions and finished the fast break with a clean layup to hit double-digit scoring.

“She is the leader of our team offensively, and people don’t understand that she is also a really good defender, and that she has to guard the other team’s best player most nights,” Stewart noted.

One point was all Green needed to break the record, and the anticipation in the crowd was palpable. The ball was in her hands, and Green rose and drained another floater, followed by an instant uproar from the audience. The game stopped for a brief celebration, and it was all smiles in Harrisburg.

“It felt amazing, I know that all my hard work was worth it in the end,” Green said.

The previous record of 2,067 points, set by Laura Thompson in 2006, was overtaken by Green, who finished the game with 14 points. She now sits at an all-time total of 2,071 points after their 42-24 win over Carterville.

Underground Railroad in Illinois, including how they used Illinois Central railroad tracks in their efforts to seek freedom.

On Monday, Feb. 16, a screening of “Never Been a Time” will be held at 3 p.m., in the Guyon Auditorium at Morris Library.

“She gets up early, she comes in early and she stays late. If you put in the type of effort that she has done, then you’ll get the results that she has,” Stewart said.

Not only has the hard work been a key factor in her success, but Green has also had a lot of support throughout her basketball career and journey to this milestone.

“All of my coaches, teammates and my dad, Chris, have really helped me a lot,” Green said.

Harrisburg High School sits in first place in the Southern Illinois River-to-River Conference with a record of 18-5. Coach Stewart attributed a lot of the recent success to the talent of Green.

“It’s been a blessing having her play for me and in our program,” Stewart said.

Jamisen Green has seven games left of the season and of her high school career. She will look to build upon her new record and further cement her name in Harrisburg High School history.

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

desk. Departure is scheduled for 8 a.m.

On Sunday, Feb. 22, the First United Methodist Church will be holding a Black Alumni Musician Performance, beginning at 2 p.m.

Staff Reporter Leo Castro can be reached at lcastro@dailyegyptian.com MONTH CONTINUED FROM 1

or have previously worked in government. Carbondale Mayor Carolin Harvey is scheduled to attend, along with several African American members of the U.S. Army.

Two events are scheduled for Friday, Feb. 6, on SIU’s campus. Beginning at 11:30 a.m., the “Voices of Impact: Celebrating Black Alumni Changemakers” event will be held in Ballroom B of the Student Center. For a $25 entry fee, attendees will hear from multiple SIU alumni as they discuss their impact on lives and careers. This is the only Black History Month event hosted by the university that requires an admission fee.

Later that evening, at 6 p.m., Mike Glenn will host a Living Legends Ceremony at the Banterra Center.

On Saturday, Feb. 7, from 2 to 4 p.m., there will be an unveiling of the Dr. Melvin Terrell Special Collection at Morris Library, the Hall of Presidents and the Terrell Atrium in Faner Hall. Terrel will be recognized for his service toward changing lives in his community.

On Monday following the weekend, a Financial Impact event will be held at 5 p.m. in the Student Services Building. This event qualifies for AntiRacism, Diversity, Equity and Inclusion Leadership Certificate credit, which assists students toward earning their ADEI certificate.

On Tuesday, Feb. 10, a panel commemorating the achievements of Black women over the past 100 years will take place at 5 p.m. in the Guyon Auditorium at Morris Library.

On Thursday, Feb. 12, a Black Togetherness Meet and Greet and informational session will be held at 5:30 p.m. in Grinnell Hall.

On Friday, Feb. 13, Heart 2 Heart will present a talk titled “Navigating Relationships and Mental Health During and After College” at noon in Rooms 150/160 of the Student Services Building.

On Saturday, Feb. 14, a Black Business Expo will take place beginning at 9 a.m., in rooms 150/160 of the Student Services Building.

Off campus, on Saturday, Feb. 14, at 11 a.m., local historian and author Darrel Dexter will present a talk at the Carbondale Public Library on the history of abolitionists and the

On Tuesday, Feb. 17, a panel commemorating the achievements of Black men over the past 100 years will take place at Morris Library’s Guyon Auditorium.

On Thursday, Feb. 19, a trip to the National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis, Tennessee will entail sites like the Lorraine Motel, where Martin Luther King Jr. was assassinated and numerous exhibits that highlight the history of the U.S. Civil Rights movement. Students who wish to attend can reach out to Dinal Timmons via email at dina.timmons@siu.edu or sign up at the student Multicultural Resource Center front

Later that evening, at 5 p.m., in the student center, Ballroom D, a variety show will be on display featuring music and dance. Organizers also have arranged for numerous vendors to sell items.

Following the weekend, a Black History Scholar Bowl will be held Monday, Feb. 23, at 6 p.m., in the Old Main Room of the Student Center.

A Black Intern Experience event will be held Wednesday, Feb. 25, at 5 p.m., in the Old Main Room of the Student Center.

On Friday, Feb. 27, at noon, a panel discussion on “Blacks in Government” will take place in the Guyon Auditorium at Morris Library. Panelists will include SIU alumni and community members who currently work

The monthlong celebration will conclude Saturday, Feb. 28, with an Ebony Ball at 7 p.m. in the Student Center ballrooms.

While celebrating history and achievements throughout the month of February, SIU has also partnered with the City of Carbondale and Mayor Carolin Harvery in sponsoring a food drive. Nonperishable food times are encouraged to be brought to each event taking place on campus. All donations will go to the Saluki Food pantry, the Salvation Army and other local food banks.

Dawgs go 1-1 in rollercoaster week

AARON CARNAHAN

ELI HOOVER

NOAH PETSCHKE

acarnahan@dailyegyptian.com

ehoover@dailyegyptian.com

npetschke@dailyegyptian.com

After being off for a week thanks to the winter storms that swept through the country, the Saluki men’s basketball squad had two pivotal home games as the Missouri Valley Conference schedule passed the halfway point.

SIU 65, UNI 50

The Salukis welcomed the Northern Iowa Panthers to the Banterra Center on Wednesday, Jan. 28 looking to snap a four game losing streak. They did so in dominating fashion, leading for the last 30 minutes in a 65-50 win, the 600th of head coach Scott Nagy’s career. This brought SIU to 3-7 in MVC play.

If fans were looking for a high-scoring affair, they were greatly disappointed by the opening eight minutes. UNI superstar Trey Campbell and a returning Quel’Ron House for the Salukis couldn’t spark their respective offenses. The lid stayed on the basket for both sides, resulting in a slim 8-6 lead for the Panthers with 11:54 left in the first half.

SIU finally warmed up from the weekend’s snowstorm behind triples from guard Drew Steffe and forward Rolyns Aligbe. Northern Iowa still wasn’t far behind, trailing 15-11 with 6:24 remaining in the opening half.

After another offensive cold stretch, Aligbe hitting another 3-pointer and a Steffe alley-oop to forward Davion Sykes highlighted the offensive outburst from SIU to end the half. That left the Salukis with a 27-19 lead at halftime, the largest lead for either side.

SIU came out of the halftime break firing on all cylinders, scoring the first 3 points of the half. The Salukis settled in nicely from there, holding a 35-26 lead with 15:38 left in the game.

UNI found their groove on offense as the time wound down, but couldn’t slow down SIU with the same success. A Sykes slam brought the SIU lead to 45-38, and Salukis head coach Nagy called timeout with 11:26 remaining in regulation to keep the Dawgs on the same page.

The Salukis continued their rampage as the time continued to dwindle down.

A string of five turnovers in less than four minutes, along with a stepback jumper from House, forced UNI head coach Ben Jacobson to take a timeout with 6:40 left in the contest trailing 55-44.

UNI could never get any closer and a Steffe foul sent fans to the exits with 12 seconds to go and the Salukis up 65-50. 12 seconds later, the final tally officially became a 65-50 victory for the Salukis.

Aligbe added another double-double to his resume with 21 points and 10 rebounds, including a surprising 4-4 performance from behind the 3-point line. He was joined in double figures by House, who had 17 points.

Even with the win, Nagy is ready to turn the page to the second half of the conference schedule.

“Generally our teams do better in the second half of the conference season, and I certainly hope we do this time. I mean it would be hard for us to do worse,” he said postgame.

UIC 68, SIU 66

Coming off an exciting victory against UNI on Wednesday, the Dawgs looked to continue their winning streak Saturday, Jan. 31 against a tough Missouri Valley Conference opponent in the Illinois-Chicago Flames, who came in riding a 7-game winning streak. After an intense game with long runs and an exhilarating offensive display, the Flames came out victorious by a score of 68-66 despite trailing by 18 points at one point in the second half.

The Flames won the tipoff and swiftly scored 2 points on a layup.

After another UIC basket, the Salukis got on the board with two free throws by forward Prince Aligbe. The Flames gained momentum and jumped out to an early 9-point lead.

A 9-point run, emphasized with a jumper from guard Quel’Ron House, got the Banterra Center crowd rocking and the Salukis back in the game. SIU kept pushing the pace and increased the lead to 24-16 with a fierce alley-oop dunk by guard Jalen Haynes.

The first half wound down, and the Flames faced a more than four minute field-goal drought, allowing the Salukis to sprint to a 10-point lead with a minute left on the clock. Six Salukis finished the first half with at least 4 points. The selfless brand of basketball paid off, and the Dawgs strolled into halftime with a 36-25 lead over the divisional opponents. The Salukis did not tally a single first-half turnover.

“When you take care of the ball against an aggressive team, you usually get good results,” guard Damien Mayo Jr. said.

The second half was underway, and the Salukis looked to continue their momentum. The Dawgs were successful, forcing an early timeout. The Salukis could not miss and rained in baskets efficiently, increasing their already marginal lead. SIU kept its foot on the gas, and another Mayo Jr. 3-pointer forced a Flames’ timeout. With another make beyond the arc, Mayo Jr. was shooting 83% from three, bringing his game total to 18 points with 13 minutes remaining.

The Flames began to find their footing and strung together 6 consecutive points to come within 10. UIC dominated in the paint as they doubled the rebound totals of the Salukis, but the resilient SIU offense kept the home team ahead.

With 5 minutes left in the game, the

Salukis got tagged with two offensive fouls, and the crowd quieted down. The Flames got within 6 points, and the Salukis had to revert to their strong offense if they wanted to secure a victory. UIC inched closer and forced an SIU timeout with less than two minutes to play. The Salukis, with their back against the wall, got into foul trouble and had to exhibit extra precautions on defense.

The Flames put up a lead-taking layup, and SIU had possession down 1 point with 15 seconds left in the game. The Salukis inbounded the ball but failed to score as the game clock expired, leaving the Flames victorious in an 18-point comeback affair.

“We got casual, you know, same thing with this team not being able to handle success. We just get casual and think that

everything is going to be okay, and it’s not,” head coach Nagy said.

With this loss, SIU falls to 9-13 overall and 3-8 in conference play.

The Flames, now holding an 8-game winning streak, improve to 13-10 overall and 8-4 in MVC games. See the Daily Egyptian website for coverage on Tuesday’s matchup against Illinois State on the road. The Dawgs will return home on Friday, Feb. 6 to face the Murray State Racers.

Sports Reporter Aaron Carnahan can be reached at acarnahan@dailyegyptian. com. Sports reporter Eli Hoover can be reached at ehoover@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram @hoovermakesart. Sports Reporter Noah Petschke can be reached at npetschke@dailyegyptian.com.

Salukis fall to Racers on the road

SIU’s women’s basketball traveled to the Murray State Racers in Kentucky on Thursday, Jan. 29 carrying a two game win streak. Looking to capture their first away win of the year, the Salukis would ultimately fall short after an intense fight, leaving the score 79-75. Neither team could gain an advantage early on, trading points for the first seven minutes, before the Racers picked up the pace and gained a 6-point lead. A 3-pointer from Saluki guard Jeniah Thompson brought the score to 18-16 Racers after a quarter.

The Salukis gained the lead with a quick 4-point run to open the second quarter. An 8-0 run from the Racers put them right back in front. This run was ended by forward Indya Green with a turnover.

Despite the Salukis winning the rebound battle, they continued to lag behind on the scoreboard. The

second quarter ended with a three from Racers guard Ellery Minch, leaving the Salukis behind 39-31.

The third quarter opened up with a shot from Green from the inside. From there the two teams would trade shots which kept the Salukis down until the end of the quarter.

Salukis managed to be within a 10 point range of the Racers all throughout the third quarter, finishing 7 points behind Murray State, 52-57.

The nerve-racking fourth quarter of the game opened with a Saluki point by Thompson.

Not long after, possession was given back to Murray State following a wedgie.

Three minutes in, the Salukis pumped the gas, evidently shown with a ferocious 3-pointer from guard Tkiyah Nelson. This put the Salukis one possession from tying the game, one of many that the Salukis would have during this last quarter.

Kraus put up multiple shots, especially a tough throw while in the paint, with Racer numbers surrounding her.

Continuous back and forth and loss of possessions added to the intensity of the last 5 minutes, with Salukis gaining on the Racers with only one point behind. Murray State was continuously challenged and endured the furious pressure from Southern Illinois.

Fouls began to stack up from both teams, totaling 10 by the end of the quarter. Small points that added to each team’s score gave the game a boost in intensity. Displays of aggression by SIU questioned Murray State’s ability to get out from losing their place in the top three for the Missouri Valley conference. Fouls really began to show their importance in the game last minute. Time outs seemed to be constantly ongoing, with fouls being taken right after each one, allowing each team to take more than 8 free throws in total.

What was a two possession game came to one, with Kayla Cooper banking a three pointer with a mere 2 seconds on SIU’s clock. This put the score to a shattering 75-77. A personal foul by Hiba Malkawi gave the Racers two buckets from the free throw line. With one second on the clock, a missed three-point jumper by Hiba Malkawi ended the game. The Saluki Women’s Basketball will face off next in an away game against the Flames of the University of Illinois-Chicago on Thursday, Feb. 5.

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

A look inside Morris Library’s little-known storage facility

YAHRI EDMOND yedmond@dailyegyptian.com

Most Southern Illinois University students walk past Morris Library without realizing that beyond its public building is a space few ever see — one that holds the rest of Morris Library’s books. The storage houses more than 367,000 books, while the main building holds over 2 million books.

Tucked away on a different part of the campus, near the McLafferty Annex, the Morris Library storage facility houses a vast portion of the university’s collection. The area is not open for casual entry, and students cannot freely walk through the space. Instead, materials stored there can be requested through the Morris Library website and delivered for use.

Because many of the items housed in the Morris Library storage facility are rare, fragile or historically significant, access to them is more restricted than standard library materials. While some items can be checked out for home use, others are designated for 14 days before they are returned to the shelves or be loaned for five days, like journals.

Materials requested through interlibrary loan are carefully evaluated before being shipped, and especially rare or valuable items are typically not sent long distances, including internationally. Instead, libraries may provide digital scans or alternative editions when possible, ensuring preservation while still supporting research access.

The facility itself stretches through long, narrow hallways lined floor to ceiling with shelves of books. Spread across two climate-controlled floors, the storage area is designed to preserve materials that span centuries and continents. The collection includes maps, magazines, academic journals, children’s books, newspapers, folio-sized volumes and international publications.

Tanner Allison is a student who utilizes the library’s website and noticed that some of the books on the site are labeled “storage.”

“Not many people know about it, and it’s kind of niche and interesting,” Allison said. “I like reading books, but I also like the physical media of a book. I’m not into the e-books…. And I like the older copies, like the used copies and the ones that have some character to them.”

Some of the books date back as far as 1742, making the storage facility not just a place of physical preservation, but also a space of historical preservation. Walking through the aisles, the scent of a familiar, almost comforting smell associated with old books fill the air.

Jennifer Horton is the associate dean of Morris Library.

“We have other libraries from across the world that contact us to borrow our books because we may be the only ones who still have a copy,” Horton said.

“We send books to Germany, Australia, Canada — all over the place,” which are mostly books of records and

data research.

The most valuable and rare materials are kept behind locked fencing, adding another layer of protection for items that cannot be replaced. Those materials are mostly birth, deaths and marriage certificates from Illinois Regional Archive Depository court records. These safeguards ensure that the materials remain intact for future researchers, students and faculty.

The scale of the collection can be surprising, but many students remain unaware of the storage facility’s existence or how accessible its contents truly are. The Morris Library, including storage, holds over 3 million books and counting.

Frequent Morris Library attendee and student Mailee Sewell said “I wish I knew how to access it and knew it existed.”

While most students may never step inside the storage facility, its presence quietly supports research, coursework and scholarship across campus. Hidden behind secured doors and accessed with a few clicks online, Morris Library’s storage space serves as a reminder that SIU is home to far more than what meets the eye.

“We’re really proud to work for a research university and to help not just our scholars and students, but worldwide,” Horton said.

Staff Reporter Yahri Edmond can be reached at yedmond@dailyegyptian.com

Sneak peak Saturdays spill the thrill of Oasis ThrillHouse in Marion

WILL ELLIOTT welliott@dailyegyptian.com

ThrillHouse, which is located in what used to be a nearly vacant Illinois Star Centre Mall in Marion, is set to officially open in mid-February. ThrillHouse has been soft-launching their brand new state-of-the-art facility during their “sneak peak Saturday” events.

ThrillHouse is a part of the Oasis Southern Retail District that took over the former Illinois Star Centre Mall in 2025. Oasis was founded by Rodney Cabaness and Shad Zimbro, owners of Black Diamond Harley Davidson. After their business took off, they broke into the RV business with Oasis RVs and Motorhomes, which led to them opening up Oasis Power Sports, Oasis Home Center and the Oasis Sports Complex.

During the work week, construction crews fill the 100,000 square foot space of ThrillHouse, now assembling the venue’s two-story bar, party rooms and the finishing touches on the two story German go-kart track. When construction shuts down for the weekend, that’s when ThrillHouse shows the progress off to the families of southern Illinois. Herby Voss, the director of marketing at Oasis, explains why ThrillHouse hosts sneak-peak Saturdays.

“We throw the doors open because the scope of (ThrillHouse) is just so great that people don’t really get (the scope) from seeing posts online,” Voss said. They also allow for members of the community to come test out newly put together attractions such as the arcade, laser tag, lucky putt and spark bowling.

“We allow them to play the arcade games,” said Voss. “That helps us out to make sure that everything is functioning.”

The choice of the mall as Oasis’ home came down to Sales Tax and Revenue Bonds, which allows municipalities such as Oasis to finance large scale, tourism driven projects using future, increased state and local tax revenues.

“Bonds were sold to offset the cost of this construction,” Voss said. “There’s millions and millions of dollars, obviously, in all of these different endeavors.”

With the sneak previews happening the past two weekends, the people in the surrounding areas came to visit the still under construction ThrillHouse.

“Last weekend, not so much because of the snowstorm, but the weekend prior, I would say we probably had a couple thousand people pass through there,” Voss said.

During the last sneak peak Saturday, Rebekah Seabaugh and her family came to play games in the arcade.

“Oh, my kids are loving it,” Seabaugh said. “I think it’s fantastic, It’s a really great facility.”

Seabaugh’s son Keegan Seabaugh plays for the 10U Thrillbillies baseball team, which is part of the Oasis Sports Complex. She said she loves that ThrillHouse is something new.

“It’s not going to be something that maybe we can do every weekend because obviously there’s a cost associated, but for the one off situations and just getting those random, fun times in for the kids, it’ll be a great time,” Seabaugh said.

Pricing for ThrillHouse has been a topic of discussion among southern Illinoisans. Though entrance to the preview for Thrillhouse was free, parties of 12 start at $99 with food costing $9$22 dollars. The cost of Dylan Moore to play with his son Eli Moore at Spark Bowling was a little expensive.

“When I first looked at it, I saw bowling seemed to be a little expensive, but that price was for everyone that’s going to be on a lane at once,” Dylan Moore said.

Eli said that one of the bowling games that he and his dad played was themed after “Angry Birds.”

“Angry Bird (you) shoot the ball, and if you get all of them, all the pigs are gone,” he said.

Staff Reporter Will Elliott can be reached at welliott@dailyegyptian.com

SIU alumna shares behind-the-scenes

look at reality TV with CAM students

Southern Illinois University Housing on Jan. 29 hosted a chance for students in the College of Arts and Media to speak with SIU alumna Tamara John who now navigates a rapidly changing industry job as an unscripted reality television producer.

John was invited by university housing staff to speak with students over Zoom as an opportunity to boost the benefits of a living learning community, where students are housed with others who share a similar major, identity or lifestyle, by connecting students to someone who currently works in a field they plan to pursue.

She was asked a variety of questions by students who were interested in knowing how she manages her schedule as a traveling producer and what she would have done differently on her journey to success.

John first got interested in arts and media in high school. During her senior year, she took a trip back to her homeland of Trinidad and videotaped her trip as a way to educate her peers

in a fun way about her home. She found a love for video production and finalized her decision during her freshman year at SIU to pursue a career in television production.

When asked what advice she would give students who were still undecided about their career, she encouraged them to tap into what is important to them and what their motivations are for their future, whether it be for monetary gain or personal enjoyment.

John also addressed questions about the concerning shift in the media industry regarding artificial intelligence and past writer strikes. She said the last two years have been particularly significant concerning changes and job security; fewer projects being greenlit, industry mergers going under and the increasing use of AI influencing companies to cut corners.

“There used to be constant work,” John said. “Now there are gaps, and it’s forcing people to be more creative, but there will always be a need for content. That shouldn’t scare you, it means there will always be a market.”

She recognized that the writer’s strike was strongly driven by the use of AI in

scripting. Once over, not everyone was able to return to their jobs in the studio, many of which had been replaced with it.

She said her solution to the fight against AI was one of acceptance. She said she does not appreciate the replacement of writers with technology, but she encourages people to not fight it. Instead she says it is better to use it as a tool. It was something that was made and people found it to be such a use that it’s here to stay.

“AI is something you have to learn and embrace, everyone is using it, and if you don’t then you’ll be left behind,” John said.

With the mention of AI, she cautioned students to read through contracts carefully, noting that some agreements may lead to signing over the right to digitally convert and render voice to speech using AI technology for the studio’s own benefit.

The subject was changed and John was asked to reflect on her time at SIU and think about what she would have done differently on her journey. Her response was to have been more of a collaborator and spent more time looking for opportunities to pursue hands-on field experience as a student.

She mentioned her first step into production was when she dragged her father to an audience call with the intention of talking to the team and getting advice on where to start. She ended up speaking to a production coordinator who offered her an unpaid position as production assistant. She learned how to speak walkie language on set and used that on her resume when applying for jobs through a freelance website.

She said having that kind of onset experience, just knowing how to communicate over a radio can help you appear experienced and qualify as a good candidate.

John’s experience landed her in her first freelance position as an associate producer in 2013 after the production company she had been working for shut down. Her patch to major productions was pathed by persistence, networking and willingness to be a collaborator.

As a freelance producer, John said there is no such thing as a typical day. Shoots are scheduled, but casting is unpredictable. Schedules can change at any moment from availability, filming

permits or unforeseen circumstances.

She described how she is able to manage multiple teams over the course of a season’s shooting time. As a producer and leader, she must be able to manage the personality of her cast as well.

“You’re managing storylines, schedules, their egos and many different factors,” John said. “You have to stay on task and work around it to deliver.”

Her favorite projects to have successfully delivered were the first season of “Love Is Blind” and “Hitmakers,” both popular Netflix reality television shows. She said they were challenging and rewarding works to her that created the productive collaborative spaces that she needed.

John closed the panel by reminding students to not compare their journey to that of others and to seek what they need for their future.

“You’re on your own path,” John said. “Be curious and ask questions, don’t try to do everything alone. This industry is built on collaboration.”

Across 1. Depositors’ protective grp. 5. Fruitcake 10. Jane Austen matchmaker 14. Bind 15. Uma Thurman’s ex --- Hawke

16. Give temporarily 17. Arabian chieftain 18. Lightweight cord 19. Breathtaking organ

20. Against 21. Large bundle

22. Lamp scamp?

23. Bit of broken pottery

25. To do with mail

26. Strainer

29. Whisky distiller --Walker

31. Appears ominously 32. --- Chanel

33. Actor and rapper Mike ---

37. Wheat flour in India

38. For example, brogues

39. Harvest 40. Hits lightly

41. High-efficiency lights, briefly

42. Enigmatic quotemaker Yogi ---

43. Corpse

45. Luxury accommodations

46. Dozing

49. Wet season

51. Place

52. Work the land

53. Records

57. Cookware

58. Military blockade

59. “... sting like ---” (Ali)

60. Therefore 61. Kofi ---

62. Brief message 63. Red light gas 64. Office in training 65. Writing table

Down

1. Type of market 2. What Rhett didn’t give

3. Brenda Lee’s “--True?” 4. Yuletide

5. Home beverage center

6. Fighting an enemy

7. Old acquaintance

8. His last word was “Rosebud”

9. Unity

10. Large landmass north of the Canadian mainland

11. Launch

12. Passion

13. Theatrical backer

22. Smallest Indian state

24. “--- So Fine” (old Chiffons number)

25. Advantages

26. Fuss

27. Scintilla

28. Former Mississippi senator Trent ---

30. Summer refreshments

32. Top cook

34. Cheeky

35. Shave

36. Health farms

38. Thin potter’s clay

42. Top and bottom of a hamburger

44. Senator --- Cruz

45. Noiseless

46. Colorado resort

47. Stockpile

48. Dismiss

50. Pond problem

52. S N L comic --- Fey

54. Double-reed woodwind instrument

55. Obtains

56. Search

*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.

58. Cold War U S A F 6 4 5 WED THURS FRI 8 SUN 7 SAT 9 MON 10 TUE

FEBRUARY

BLACK HISTORY MONTH