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WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 26, 2026
Lost Cross anniversary celebrations, Page 2
VOL. 110, ISSUE 3
Cambria trustees resign, Page 3
Solar Bear in photos, Page 6-7
One killed, one injured in downtown Carbondale stabbing Friday night BRAYDEN GUY News Editor One person died, one person was injured and one person was arrested following a stabbing in downtown Carbondale Friday night, according to a news release from the Carbondale Police Department. The stabbing
occurred at 10:40 p.m. at 100 N. Washington St., the block near Tres Hombres and Consume Cannabis. Officers located two victims with stab wounds. One victim had life threatening injuries and another was in stable condition, the press release said. Both were taken by
ambulance to Memorial Hospital of Carbondale. Officers located the suspect, Romello T. Merriweather, 28, of Carbondale, and took him into custody. He was charged with two counts of aggravated battery with a deadly weapon, one count of unlawful possession of
a weapon. The victims and suspect were acquaintances and had been involved in an altercation at the time of the stabbing, according to the press release. In 2021, Merriweather pleaded guilty to a misdemeanor charge of battery, according to Judici. The victim with life-
threatening injuries, Troy Higgins, 52, from Murphysboro, had died, the CPD announced in a press release posted at 2:42 p.m. on Aug. 22. The second victim had been treated and released from the hospital. According to the press release, this is an ongoing investigation.
The Daily Egyptian reached out to the CPD Saturday evening for additional information about the investigation, but there were no sergeants available for comment. News Editor Brayden Guy can be reached at bguy@dailyegyptian.com
Carbondale’s painted hay Salukis break bale tradition ends as family record in first farm changes hands win of season SOCCER
AARON CARNAHAN Sports Reporter
Jim Benz and his son Brian Benz stand near a hay bale that Jim painted on Monday, June 29 in rural Carbondale, Illinois. Jackson Brandhorst | @jacksondothtml JACKSON BRANDHORST Staff Reporter Jim Benz has lived in the same Carbondale home his entire life. It’s where his father lived, his grandfather lived and where he’s spent nearly every moment of his 67 years on Earth. If you live in town, you’re likely familiar with the Benz residence. It’s a 277-acre farm at the intersection of Pleasant Hill and Benz Road, marked notably by the colorful hay bales in its front yard. As Jim would put it, it’s a spot that everyone knows, but no one understands. The hay bales, which Jim has painted seasonally for the last 50 or so years, have become a staple of the area. He’s turned them into jack-o-lanterns, the Easter Bunny, Santa Claus, American flags and more.
For almost five decades, they’ve signified the passing of time in southern Illinois. Jim began painting the bales shortly after graduating high school in the late 1970s, despite having no prior artistic aspirations. He had only ever worked with machines on the farm, but that didn’t stop his mother, Estella Benz, from suggesting that maybe he should try something a little more creative. “The neighbor next door was making tiny animals out of plywood and putting them out by the road,” Jim recalled. “My mom said, ‘you should do something like that here.’” He started with the jacko-lantern. Then, every holiday became another excuse to repaint the pair of round bales sitting alongside
the road. Thanksgiving brought a colorful turkey, inspired by the hand turkeys he remembered making in grade school. Christmas brought Santa and Valentine’s Day brought a heart, which Jim said were always the hardest because the paint would freeze in the winter. It didn’t take long for people to notice that those weren’t ordinary hay bales on the side of the road, and that somehow, every other month, they looked different. What began as a hobby slowly became one of Carbondale’s most recognizable roadside landmarks. Drivers would honk as they went by. People stopped to take pictures. One visitor traveled from Canada just to photograph the
display, Jim said. Even schoolchildren — riding the bus that Jim drove as a secondary job — would often ask him what he was going to paint next. His son, Brian Benz, watched the tradition grow into something much bigger than either of them had ever expected. “Everybody always wanted to know what he was going to do next,” Brian said. “He never told me. He would just go out there and start making it. There were a few times he thought about stopping, but then he’d see all the comments from people saying that they looked forward to seeing them every year.” The displays became so well known that people occasionally climbed
The Saluki women’s soccer team made program history in a game against Western Illinois University on Sunday, Aug. 16. The Dawgs scored five goals in a shutout victory, setting the record for most goals scored in a single game. The Salukis scored first at the home game on a goal from midfielder Aylie Haycock just two minutes into the match. Midfielder Dana Nadda assisted Haycock on the goal, and Southern Illinois led Western Illinois 1-0. SIU scored again in the 35th minute. The assist was credited to defender Veronica Gonzalez, and midfielder Brooke Gosse scored the goal. The Salukis commanded a 2-0 advantage over the Leathernecks heading into halftime. Southern Illinois continued their offensive output with a goal from forward Dior Knorr in the 56th minute. The assist came from midfielder/forward Nao Katamoto and defender Lola Martinez. The Dawgs controlled a 3-0 lead. SIU scored two more times in
the next five minutes. The fourth Saluki goal came in the 60th minute. Gosse scored her second goal of the contest, and Katamoto assisted on her second goal of the match, along with midfielder Kayla Grain assisting on her first. At the 61’ mark, SIU scored a program-recordsetting fifth goal. Forward Maya Dixon scored with Katamoto assisting on her third goal of the match. The Salukis would defeat the Leathernecks by a final score of 5-0. The five goals set a new program record for the most scored in a match since the program began competing in 2019. It was the Salukis’ first win of the season after the season began with a loss to rival Southeast Missouri State Redhawks. Aug. 13, SEMO 1, SIU 0 The Southern Illinois women’s soccer team began the 2026 season on the road in Cape Girardeau, Missouri, against the SEMO Redhawks. The opening match took place on Thursday, Aug. 13. The Redhawks went on to score a goal in the first half and take a 1-0 lead over SIU into halftime. The Saluki goalkeeper,
SOCCER | 5
FARM | 9
Five detained after fight at Carbondale football game BRAYDEN GUY News Editor Five people were arrested Friday following an altercation at the Carbondale Community High School football game, according to a Saturday afternoon press release from the Carbondale Police Department.
Kashaad Johnson, 19, from Carbondale, and four juveniles from Carbondale were all engaged in aggravated battery. The press release states, “Johnson was incarcerated in the Jackson County Jail pending a detention hearing. Three of the juveniles were
taken to the Jackson County Jail while awaiting transport to a juvenile detention facility pending a court appearance. The fourth juvenile was released to a guardian.” In accordance with the Illinois Juvenile Justice Act, CPD will not release the names of the juveniles involved.
Superintendent of CCHS, Daniel Booth, wrote a letter that was released on the CCHS Facebook page around 4 p.m. on Aug. 22. Booth said that the altercation occurred under the bleachers during the second half of the game
and that administration is actively investigating the incident. The letter also thanked local law enforcement for assistance and encouraged the community to work together to teach and help youth with behavior and conflict. The Daily Egyptian
reached out to the CPD Saturday evening for additional information about the altercation, but no sergeants were available for comment. News Editor Brayden Guy can be reached at bguy@dailyegyptian.com
Page 2 | ENtertainment and Culture
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
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Lola Hemenway plays the bass in the band Girldoink Aug. 7, 2026 at Booby’s in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual
GirlDoink, a punk band that will play at the Lost Cross 40th anniversary, performs Aug. 7, 2026 at Booby’s in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual
Performances through the decades: Lost Cross to celebrate 40 years PEYTON COOK Photo Editor
For Berget Borowitz, a drummer and bassist for three Carbondale bands, moving into the Lost Cross house was a dream come true. The house is not just a place to sleep, but also an ever-evolving music scene. Borowitz helps local and visiting bands from all over the world book shows there and watches them grow. Now, she is helping to organize the 40th anniversary of Lost Cross on Sept. 4 - 6, where a number of bands will come back to perform in celebration throughout the weekend. “Living in Lost Cross has meant more to me than I’ll ever be able to explain,” said Borowitz, who plays in Pet Mosquito, Thee UVs, Fibberish and Slime Bettys. “I’ve never felt more purpose or fulfillment in my life than being able to help touring bands and book local bands’ first show. To witness someone who has never felt they fit in anywhere go to a show and immediately feel at home. The friends I’ve made from living here are friends I will have for the rest of my life.” Lost Cross opened in 1986, after musicians Mikey Snot and Chris Cross moved in. “I really do not think we ever intended to have shows. We were just looking to have a place to practice and start bands,” Snot, lead singer of Diet Christ, said. When they moved in, the basement was filled with the old tenant’s stuff. They cleared it out and started using it to practice. Now, it’s one of the oldest punk houses in the country. “I think it just evolved after a while. Lost Cross was practicing every weekend and people just started showing up and hanging out,” Snot said. “It would turn into an instant party.” The Lost Cross name originated from a song Chris Cross wrote for a temporary band called Disfigured for Life. When the duo made $yers for their first show, they referred to the building as the “Lost Cross house.” After not playing Carbondale for 10 years, Snot and Diet Christ will return to the house on Saturday, Sept. 5 at 6 p.m. Snot said he is excited to play with all the different generations of musicians. The last time he played with his band in Carbondale was at Lost Cross’ 30th anniversary in 2016. Borowitz is playing on Saturday, Sept. 5 with Pet Mosquito at Lost Cross at 7:30 p.m. and Slime Bettys at Booby’s at 10:15 p.m. Then, on Sunday, Sept. 6, she is performing at Lost Cross with Thee UVs at 9:30 p.m. and Fibberish at 10:15 p.m. “I like to view the fest as a way to celebrate the local bands that have come from the basement scene,” Borowitz said. “I know we are celebrating 40 years at the house, but we wouldn’t be here without these bands and the community that
comes to these shows to support them.” She said she is excited to play alongside all the different bands during the weekend. “These are bands that I have been a fan of for a long time, or have become friends with or have had the chance to see their first show in a basement and now get the chance to see them showcased as an integral part of the scene,” Borowitz said. Cassandra Coffey, the lead guitar vocalist for GirlDoink, attended the 35th anniversary with her best friend. She has a cassette tape with a recording of the event, which she said she listens to when she’s feeling nostalgic. She has played at Lost Cross a number of times and said she was thrilled when GirlDoink was asked to play for the 40th anniversary. “There’s just all of these people over, all of these years that have come together and turned this DIY space into just like this cultural thing that is known throughout the world,” Coffey said. GirlDoink is playing at Lost Cross on Sunday, Sept. 6 at 7:15 p.m. Coffey said she originally moved to Carbondale for the music scene and community, and that she’s still not used to how incredible it is when she plays at Lost Cross. She said that one would think performing at the house would get boring after a while. “Every single time that I think about playing there or that I get offered to play there, it’s just, oh my God,” she said. Coffey said it is important that attendees go in knowing that people live at the house. As she understands, the money generated from the weekend will “go towards keeping the place running and keeping it in repair.” “Just, like, keep Lost Cross DIY,” Coffey said. The Lost Cross 40th anniversary takes over the Strip Labor Day weekend, Sept. 4-6, and features performances at the following venues: • Robbie Stokes Memorial Stage • PK’s • Hangar 9 • Booby’s • Lost Cross House A full list of shows and times is available at the Lost Cross website at lostcross.org under the shows tab. Each location has different age minimums and performance times. A weekend pass for Sept. 4-6 is available on the website for $30. According to the Lost Cross website, the city has extended its open container policy to allow it at Lost Cross on Saturday, Sept. 5 and Sunday, Sept. 6. Photo Editor Peyton Cook can be reached at pcook@dailyegyptian.com and on Instagram @cookmeavisual
Cassandra Coffey sings into the mic and plays the guitar Aug. 7, 2026 at Booby’s in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
News | Page 3
Half of Cambria’s trustees resign BRAYDEN GUY News Editor Three of Cambria’s trustees resigned following six months of turmoil that started in February when the board voted on whether to terminate the police chief, who admitted he shared a photo he shouldn’t have. Village Trustee Marshall Brown sent in his signed resignation letter to the village hall on Aug. 10. A week later, on Aug. 17, trustees Robin McFarlin and Suzzette Coffey also resigned, leaving three out of the six trustee seats vacant. McFarlin said the decision to leave was difficult. “It did not come easily for me,” she said. “Since the February meeting, we haven’t been moving in the right direction.” McFarlin also had
family issues that influenced her decision to step away. “I have a granddaughter who needs some serious medical attention. We are trying to raise money for that, and that is where my attention needs to be,” McFarlin said. In her resignation letter, Coffey wrote about how the drama also influenced her decision to resign. “Due to the recent drama and division that’s been happening in the village, I see no way this board as it stands at this point can recover from the turmoil,” Coffey wrote. “I’ve always heard about bullying and the effect it has on the subjects. I now personally know just how detrimental it can be on your health.” Coffey and Brown declined to talk about their resignations with the
Daily Egyptian. Coffey had resigned in February, but because her resignation letter had not been notarized, she withdrew her resignation and returned to the board on March 18. McFarlin said that the drama and bullying had been going on since February. In the Feb. 3 meeting, the board voted on whether to terminate Police Chief Philip Boss. The vote was a 3-3 tie by the trustees, which was broken by the former Village President, Ron Modglin, to retain Boss as Police Chief. Ron Modglin would resign shortly after on Feb. 27, leaving the village without a president until May 20. Many came to the meeting in support of the chief. The vote for termination was because of an allegation made
Trustees Suzette Coffey and Marshall Brown review a document at a Cambria Board of Trustees special meeting March 18, 2026 in Cambria, Illinois. Daylin Williams | @photosbydaylin
Trustee Robin McFarlin speaks at a Cambria Board of Trustees special meeting March 18, 2026 in Cambria, Illinois. Daylin Williams | @photosbydaylin against Boss for sharing a photo. The meeting minutes a month before in January, state that Boss “volunteered to the board words to the effect (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 DE reported on the photo and when ISP confirmed an investigation into an allegation involving Boss in late April. In an Aug. 17 email, ISP Public Information Office Deputy Chief Lt. Brian Lavin told the DE that the investigation was still ongoing and there was no additional information available. After the February meeting, Brown’s residency
and eligibility to serve were questioned. The village paid for a survey of Brown’s property and found that the residential portions were within village limits. In his resignation letter, Brown simply thanked the people of Cambria for the opportunity to serve as their trustee. AI images were also posted about trustees McFarlin, Coffey, Brown, Village President William Lo and Village Attorney Webb Smith. Some of the AI images included criticism of Lo for taking selfies and loving food and accused Brown of manipulating minutes and rules. The DE reached out
to Lo, but he did not respond to multiple texts and phone calls. McFarlin was up for re-election in April of 2027. Both Coffey and Brown were up for reelection in 2029. The vacant seats will be filled by the village president’s appointees and voted on by the board. There will be three separate elections in April for McFarlin’s seat as a 4-year term and both Brown and Coffey’s seats for 2-year terms. At that point, the village president seat will also be open to election for a 2-year term.
News Editor Brayden Guy can be reached at bguy@dailyegyptian.com
IDOT asks community for feedback on proposed St. Louis route renovation MORRIGAN CAREY Staff Reporter Illinois Department of Transportation District 9 hosted a public forum Thursday, Aug. 20 at the World Shooting and Recreational Complex in Sparta as part of their Planning and Environmental Linkage (PEL) Study to collect feedback on the Southwest Connector project. While still in the planning process, this project would fully renovate the existing roadway between Waterloo and Murphysboro, expanding most sections of the route to a full four-lane highway, decreasing the congestion of transit traffic through towns like Red Bud, Baldwin and Sparta. The project also calls for improvements to the layout and geography of the route. One IDOT suggestion, for example, is to partially straighten the curves of Illinois Route 3 South of Waterloo and flatten the steepness of the road. The project also
looks to improve safety with added roadlights and better intersection control. The meeting had a strong turnout of locals and commuters, with nearly 70 participants trickling in and out between 3 and 7 p.m. Attendees were encouraged to sign in with contact information, and were given a questionnaire to fill out asking for feedback on the planned renovation. Several booths were set up detailing individual stretches of roadway including preexisting conditions that would have to be worked around or rectified accident history, proposed improvements and alternate routes for the Southwest Connector to take. Attendees had varying views of the project. While some expressed frustration that a new project is being proposed instead of improving maintenance on existing infrastructure, others were more optimistic, such as SIU alumnus Bryan Fulton, who owns property in Sparta adjacent to the proposed route.
“There are problems, but just to say we can’t expand because of that is ridiculous,” Fulton said. “I think one of the reasons for this kind of a get-together is so they
easy, Pinckneyville’s a nightmare, so you’ve got to have something like this to bypass traffic (on Route 154.) Whether they need four lanes or not, that’s up to debate,
government, in order to assess the environment and economic needs of areas around the route, a process which is not set to be fully finished until Fall of 2027.
“We want to hear from them, they know more about the area than we do. The most a person can do is give us their opinion. We need to know if there’s an area or there’s a bad stop we need to reevaluate.” - Susan Poe Illinois Department of Transportation employee
can get more input from the community members about where they would like to do it. So if I have a chance, I’m definitely going to put in my two cents, keep it as far away from our property as we can.” Fulton said he supports the Southwest Connector project because he believes it is good for the future. “It’s good for traffic moving through these small towns,” he said. “Red Bud’s a big problem, Sparta’s not exactly
but that’s forward thinking. I think if you look 50, 100 years down the future, that might be something we needed.” Murphysboro Mayor Will Stevens expounded on the cost of this study, and the potential problems it may face in the future. The PEL study that this feedback is being collected under has already cost $6 million dollars, $3 million from the state government and 3$ million from the federal
do tangible ones.” Susan Poe, an Illinois Department of Transportation employee administrating the event, encouraged continued input from communities along the project and frequent commuters along its path. “People are mainly concerned with their area, but that’s why we have these meetings,” Poe said. “We want to hear from them, they know more about the area than we do. The most a person can do is give us their opinion. We need to know if there’s an area or there’s a bad stop we need to reevaluate.” An online meeting is open on the Southwest Connector website, allowing interested individuals to provide feedback up until their deadline on Sept. 21. This online meeting features all project material that was present at the physical meeting on Aug. 20. Alternatively, feedback can be sent to the project email at contact@ southwestconnector.com.
“I think ultimately it would be a great positive improvement for Jackson County in a number of ways,” Stevens said. “Unfortunately, in Illinois, it has been very difficult to get appropriations released. We’ve had a number of times when money has been included in the Illinois budget, but the state just refuses to release the funds so the project can be pushed forward, and so we run Staff Reporter Morrigan into as many political Carey can be reached at obstacles, it seems, as we mcarey@dailyegyptian.com
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Page 4 | News
Wednesday, August 26, 2026 IN CASE YOU MISSED IT
‘No one’s selling anyone’s water’: Fear, speculation follow southern Illinois water district consolidation proposal JACKSON BRANDHORST KRISTIN BORCHERS Staff Reporters
Southern Illinois lawmakers were set to meet in June with representatives from downstate water districts to discuss the possibility of combining into a larger district to provide emergency backup and seek more grant funding. But the meeting was canceled after speculation mounted over whether combining the districts could lead to the privatization of public water utilities — and whether local control over an essential resource was at risk. In mid-May, thenRepublican Illinois Rep. Paul Jacobs — now a state senator — mass-emailed a letter to southern Illinois water district managers and engineers inviting them to an informal, closed-door meeting to discuss a potential project to “cross-connect” or “interconnect” water districts in southern Illinois. Cross-connection and interconnection, otherwise known as consolidation, would mean small water districts join together to form larger ones. The letter, co-signed by Illinois Rep. Patrick Windhorst, former Illinois Sen. Dale Fowler and U.S. Rep. Mike Bost, included conceptual details of the proposed project that would allow for southern Illinois water districts to “combine into one large district for grant purposes,” an idea that stems from a similar proposal from nearly a decade ago. This, says Sage Lintner, the office manager at Buncombe Public Water District, could be disastrous for residents of southern Illinois. The GOP leaders who proposed the project say that much of what Lintner and others have claimed about its intent is false, but not before theories ran rampant on social media about the potential privatization of water, its connection to the looming threat of AI data centers and suspicions regarding campaign donations from a private water company. Muddying the water In a June 10 press release from Lintner on behalf of the Buncombe Public Water District, which serves nearly 400 customers in Makanda, Lintner said Jacobs told her that the combined district would be sold to Illinois American Water, the state’s largest private water utility company — a claim that was repeated four different times in the press release. However, Jacobs told the Daily Egyptian that he never said that. After Jacobs denied Lintner’s claim, which had since been shared hundreds of times on social media in southern Illinois, the DE asked Lintner to verify how and when he said that. Lintner told the DE that Jacobs never actually said anything about selling to Illinois American Water at all, but that she believes he was insinuating a future deal with a subsidiary of the country’s most pro$table publicly traded water utility company.
Jacobs’ letter, obtained by the DE, did not say that southern Illinois water districts would be sold. It did not mention Illinois American Water and it did not mention AI data centers. However, Illinois American Water was invited to attend the meeting — which was scheduled to take place on June 16. Rumors about data centers became part of the broader backlash surrounding the
According to Jacobs, that crumbling infrastructure was the inspiration for the proposed consolidation project and the now-canceled meeting. The meeting, he said, was supposed to be for the lawmakers to be educated by engineers about how southern Illinois water suppliers could help lean on one another. He said they didn’t know if interconnection was possible, but he knows downstate
Jacobs said he was frustrated with the amount of misinformation that circulated online regarding the meeting, and that he had never experienced anything like this before in his political career. “There was a group of people that were turning it into a political ploy,” Jacobs said. As backlash and speculation continued to spiral surrounding the
“You bring in an engineer and water district managers — that’s 300 people. Are you going to bring the public in to tell professionals what to do? I’m sorry but I don’t think the public knows what they’re talking about when it comes to their water systems.” - Paul Jacobs District 118 State Representative
proposed water meeting and were a focal point for several town halls in Carbondale within the last few months. Some residents speculate that southern Illinois water districts could be consolidated, privatized and used to supply large industrial users. There is no public documentation showing that the proposed southern Illinois cross-connection project was designed to serve data centers or transfer water systems to Illinois American Water. But the broader debate over data centers has made residents more sensitive to closed-door conversations about water infrastructure. Illinois’ 59th Senate District is made up of Illinois House Districts 117, represented by Windhorst, and 118, represented by newly appointed policymaker Scott Doody. It includes Alexander, Gallatin, Hardin, Johnson, Massac, Pope, Pulaski, Saline, Union and Williamson counties and parts of Franklin, Hamilton, Jackson and White counties. Before the meeting could happen, residents across southern Illinois were accusing officials of laying the groundwork for privatization and a future in which local water systems could be controlled by companies instead of communities. Although the lawmakers involved denied that, the meeting was canceled as speculation quickly spread online. ‘Southern Illinois water systems are in crisis’ Southern Illinois lawmakers acknowledge that the region has a water infrastructure issue. In both the emailed letter and through messaging on social media, Jacobs, Windhorst and Bost all expressed concerns about centuriesold water infrastructure that has been deteriorating across southern Illinois for decades. “Southern Illinois water systems are in crisis, and that’s what concerned engineers came to us about,” Jacobs said in an interview with the DE. It was not clear which engineers approached lawmakers about the proposal.
Illinois water systems are crumbling by the minute, and the postponing of the meeting only delays their efforts to strengthen water supplies. Jacobs also noted that the consolidation of water districts does not necessarily mean that they would be sold and privatized and that the proposed project does not include any mention of a plan to sell a cross-connected district to Illinois American Water. “If we could have some cooperation between water districts, we could possibly qualify for larger grants,” Jacobs said. “The money is going to go where the need is. We’re impoverished, we have a huge need, but we don’t have enough tax dollars.” ‘A political ploy’ Despite no mention in Jacobs’ letter of the potential privatization of consolidated water infrastructure, southern Illinois residents quickly took to social media after Lintner’s press release spread. In the days leading up to the meeting, Facebook users accused the lawmakers who signed the letter of selling out to a private company that donates to their campaigns, and of setting up the meeting behind their backs. The proposed meeting was scheduled for 10 a.m. on June 16 at a Thrillville office space in Marion. The meeting was not open to the public, and not every water engineer in the 59th Senate District received an invitation. According to Jacobs, the meeting wasn’t public because it was supposed to be for lawmakers to hear from experts, and not every water district got an invitation because the Illinois Environmental Protection Agency website doesn’t list them all. “You have 153 water districts in the 59th,” Jacobs said. “You bring in an engineer and water district managers — that’s 300 people. Are you going to bring the public in to tell professionals what to do? I’m sorry but I don’t think the public knows what they’re talking about when it comes to their water systems.”
scheduled meeting, Jacobs announced on June 11 — just one day after Lintner’s release and $ve days before the meeting was set to take place — that it would be canceled. He said the meeting was canceled because Fowler retired early, leaving a vacancy among southern Illinois political leaders who would be involved in the discussion. Fowler’s retirement, however, was announced on May 26, three weeks before the meeting was set to take place and well before communication continued among local leaders regarding the meeting’s schedule and
Doody said that his phone began blowing up as he assumed his position as an appointed state representative. “It’s a shame how that got spun up,” Doody said. “I wasn’t the state rep. at the time, but no one’s selling anybody’s water. Doody said combining 153 water districts would be impossible. Doody said that people rightfully began to become angry and scared when they heard that their water was being sold, but that it was all based on rumors that weren’t true. “I’ve talked to a lot of water operators in the 118th and they all say the same thing. We give ourselves a B, B-plus grade, and I think that’s accurate,” Doody said. “We have some smaller water districts that are in trouble, to be brutally honest. At some point, the larger water districts are going to have to talk to the smaller districts, and there may be some work of a combination there, but no one’s trying to take anything from anyone. “As the state representative, American Water is not welcome in the 118th. You can’t just run in and buy a water district, there has to be a public meeting.” Corporate interests and campaign money Opponents of American Water and other private utility companies contend that, through private ownership, essential public services can become $nancial
“American Water is not welcome in the 118th. You can’t just run in and buy a water district, there has to be a public meeting.” - Scott Doody District 118 State Representative
agenda. Several local political leaders from both the Democratic and Republican parties have told the DE that by mid-May, they were made aware that Fowler would be retiring a term early. ‘No water is for sale in the 118th’ When Fowler stepped away from the Illinois General Assembly, Jacobs was appointed to the Illinois Senate, making him the new senator for Illinois’ 59th District. Local GOP leaders then appointed Scott Doody to $ll Jacobs’ vacant seat in the 118th House District. In his $rst campaign for office, Doody won the GOP nomination this past March to run for that seat in the general election. Doody — and others — knew in August of last year that Fowler would be retiring and that Jacobs would be running for his Senate seat, but he did not expect Fowler’s retirement to come this early. “About mid-May, I was told that he was going to step down early,” Doody said.
assets, creating an atmosphere that allows for corporations to prey on struggling utility districts. Proponents of these companies and the privatization of utility services argue that companies such as American Water provide a practical solution for aging, underfunded municipal systems that lack the customer base, borrowing capacity or technical staff to $nance major upgrades. They say that large, private utilities can spread costs across a wider system, access private capital and meet increasingly complex state and federal water standards. According to American Water’s 2026 proxy statement, the only shareholders it identi$ed as bene$cially owning more than 5% of the company’s common stock were The Vanguard Group, BlackRock Inc. and State Street Corp. Together, those three $rms account for nearly 28% of American Water’s outstanding shares. These three entities are among the largest asset
managers in the world, collectively overseeing tens of trillions of dollars in assets for retirement funds, index funds, exchange-traded funds and institutional clients. Public campaign-$nance records show that Illinois American Water’s state political action committee gave money to Windhorst’s and Fowler’s campaign committees, while American Water’s federal PAC gave money to Bost’s congressional committee. Illinois American Water owns multiple water districts in southern Illinois, in Belleville, Cairo, East St. Louis, Granite City and Hardin County. The Illinois American Water PAC is an Illinois political committee whose purpose, according to the Illinois State Board of Elections, is “to further and protect the interests of Illinois American Water and the investor-owned water industry.” According to campaign disclosure documents from the State Board of Elections, that PAC donated a total of $4,000 to Windhorst over the last three years and a total of $3,500 to Fowler in two years The company’s federal PAC has donated to Bost’s congressional committee 10 different times since 2016 for a total of $17,300, according to Federal Election Commission campaign $nance data. There are no records that indicate any $nancial relationship between American Water and Jacobs. “I’ve never received any money from them,” Jacobs said. “My fellow legislators can comment on it if they want to, but you’ve got to get the water systems $xed. It has nothing to do with donating. Truthfully, I can’t even tell you who got any kind of money. It seems like when I did tell the truth on rescheduling, they just said it was lies.” Residents respond with a town hall of their own On June 30, roughly 200 people gathered at the Carbondale Civic Center for a public town hall, where they discussed what the potential consolidation of southern Illinois water districts could mean. Georgia de la Garza, a community organizer, said that she arranged the rapid response town hall in opposition to the closed-door June 16 meeting that was canceled. “This is the way we hold public forums, not behind closed doors,” de la Garza said. Centered around organizing against privatization, the town hall featured a water hydrologist, a resident of Cairo who lives in an Illinois American Waterowned district and the mayor of Cobden. “I don’t know if you all recall, but they were going to have a meeting on the 16th of June,” said Tamiko Mueller, the Democratic candidate running against Jacobs for the 59th Senate District. “Does WATER | 10
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Sports | Page 5 COLUMN
New faces look to propel SIU Volleyball to a successful season NOAH PETSCHKE Sports Editor
While it was an improvement from their prior season, the 2025 Saluki Volleyball team fell just shy of a Missouri Valley Conference playoff appearance. Following the campaign, the Salukis lost a plethora of key players. With a new squad, the Dawgs are looking to put last season in the rearview mirror
and make a tournament appearance in 2026. Seniors Annabelle Sulish, Kelly Franklin, Larissa Seger, Emma Lade and Cece Buhlman formed a relentless rotation in 2025, but have since graduated. While most of last season’s starters departed, outside hitter Ella Swansiger and defensive specialist/libero Jillian Shaneyfelt will return for their senior season. The
gritty and talented seniors could significantly bolster the offense and defense. Among the players that returned for 2026, Swansiger led the team in kills (189) and points (207.5) last season, while Shaneyfelt ranked seventh in the MVC in average digs per set (4.25). To fill the gap of a senior-heavy 2025 roster, seven new players were recruited and will be
joining the Salukis for the upcoming season. Lillian Dempkey, Dafne Sosa, Una Stepic, Ida Almkvist, Chloe Anderson, Carlota Mora and Valentina Zevallos will don Saluki uniforms this fall. Head coach Brittany Harry will return for her second season at SIU. With an impressive 393195 record across 17
seasons before joining the Dawgs, Harry seeks her first winning season as a Saluki in 2026. The coaching staff looks very similar to last season, except for the addition of former SIU setter Emma Lade as a graduate assistant. The Salukis will open up their season in Commerce, Texas, for the East Texas A&M Invite on Aug. 28-
Unfinished business: Saluki Football seeks first playoff berth since 2023 NOAH PETSCHKE Sports Editor
Despite missing the playoffs, Saluki Football’s drastic improvement from 2024 to 2025 and the return of star quarterback DJ Williams should draw much excitement for the upcoming season. The fifth-year quarterback led a strong SIU offense, passing for the second most yards per game in the Missouri Valley Conference. Saluki Football began its 2025 campaign with a scorching start. Kicking off the season 4-1, with the one loss coming to Purdue University, a Power Four school, gave the Salukis a great runway for the rest of the year. Following the hot start, the Dawgs went 3-4, finishing the season 7-5, and falling just short of an FCS Playoff berth for the second straight season. In an interview earlier this year with the Daily Egyptian, Williams shared his feelings regarding his
Jeremiah Jones (40) puts his hand out to block Chris Potter (82) from catching the ball Aug. 10, 2026 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual
return to SIU. “It truly means a lot,” Williams said. “Feels like I’ve made an impact not
only around athletics but in the community. I am blessed beyond measure to have the opportunity
The football team stretches at the beginning of their practice Aug. 10, 2026 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual
Dante Green (79) grabs and pushes Jake Parrela (20) at practice Aug. 10, 2026 at Saluki Stadium in Carbondale, Illinois. Peyton Cook | @cookmeavisual
to come back and play in front of a community that truly loves me and believes in me.” Even with a promising improvement last season and Williams’ return, the Salukis lost all of their players honored on the Missouri Valley All-Conference first and second teams following the 2025 campaign. First Team All-Conference defensive back Jeremiah McClendon and Second Team All-Conference kicker Paul Geelen departed from SIU to pursue professional football. McClendon is now an NFL cornerback for the Cleveland Browns, and Geelen is a kicker for the Ottawa Redblacks in the CFL. Missing these two integral pieces will be a major loss for the Salukis. Last season, in all of the FCS, McClendon ranked fifth in passes defended per game (1.33). Geelen also placed fifth among FCS teams, with an excellent field goal percentage (.882%). Additionally, offensive lineman Noah Fenske and linebacker Colin Bohanek, both of whom were featured on the 2025 All-Conference teams, will not return to SIU for 2026. Similar to the last few seasons, defense has been an area of concern for the Dawgs. SIU placed 83rd in yards per game allowed in 2025, a number that
contrasts with the strong Saluki offense, which sat comfortably at 14th place in yards per game. The return of linebacker Chris Presto and safety Vinny Pierre Jr., who both ranked in the top five among Salukis in many defensive categories, will provide a talented veteran presence to a new-look defense. The major shakeups on the roster did not dispel any belief in the Salukis’ upcoming season. The newly released FCS Coaches Poll ranked SIU 16th heading into the season. While SIU ranks high among the over 100 FCS teams, five teams in the powerhouse Missouri Valley Conference placed ahead of the Salukis. The talented conference will test the Dawgs on their playoff pursuit. The Salukis kick off their 2026 season in Pensacola, Florida, on Thursday, Aug. 27 against the University of West Florida Argonauts. Other games to mark on the calendar include the War for the Wheel game on Sept. 12 versus Southeast Missouri State at home, and a game against the University of Illinois, a Big 10 school, in UrbanaChampaign on Sept. 19. Sports Editor Noah Petschke can be reached at npetschke@dailyegyptian.com
30. They will face off against the University of LouisianaMonroe, East Texas A&M, and Texas Southern University. The annual Saluki Bash will be held at home on Sept. 4-5, and the Dawgs begin conference play on Sept. 25 in a match against the University of Evansville. Sports Editor Noah Petschke can be reached at npetschke@dailyegyptian.com
SOCCER
CONTINUED FROM 1
Reagan Miller, made three saves and played all 90 minutes of the match. The Saluki offense took 10 shots on goal, three of which were saved by the Redhawk goalie. The second half was scoreless, and SEMO defeated SIU by a final score of 1-0. Southern Illinois began the season 0-1. Aug. 20: AU 3, SIU 0 Following their recordsetting game against WIU, SIU traveled south to Auburn, Alabama, to play the Tigers on Thursday, Aug. 20. Auburn scored the first goal at the 32nd minute to take a 1-0 lead over Southern Illinois. Entering halftime, the score remained 1-0 in favor of the Tigers. Auburn would score again at the 60th minute to go up 2-0. A final Tiger goal was tacked on at the 83rd minute, and Auburn would go on to defeat SIU by a final score of 3-0. The Salukis fell to 1-2 on the year after the loss. Reagan Miller made three saves for SIU in 60 minutes. Freshman goalie KK Miller entered the game and made two saves in 30 minutes. After the three games, SIU now sits 1-2 overall. In the coaches’ preseason poll, Southern Illinois was picked to finish fifth in the Missouri Valley Conference. Drake was selected to finish first, followed by Illinois State at second, and the University of Illinois Chicago rounded out the top three. The Salukis have 14 matches remaining in the regular season. Seven of those matches are at home, and seven are on the road. SIU will play nonconference home games against: •Alabama A&M on Sunday, Aug. 30 at 1 p.m. •Lindenwood on Thursday, Sep. 3 at 6 p.m. •SIUE on Thursday, Sep. 10 at 6 p.m. SIU will play MVC games at home against: •Murray State on Saturday, Sep. 26 at 6 p.m. •Illinois State on Saturday, Oct. 10 at 6 p.m. •Drake on Sunday, Oct.25 at 1 p.m. •Northern Iowa on Nov. 1 at 1 p.m. The Salukis’ next match will take place on Sunday, Aug. 30, against Alabama A&M. It will be played at the Lew Hartzog Track and Field Complex, with a start time of 1 p.m. Sports Reporter Aaron Carnahan can be reached at acarnahan@dailyegyptian.com
Page 6 | Entertainment and Culture
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Bottles, beers and borg
Tipsy college students took over West Colleg annual “darty,” or daytime party, held for
The brothers of Sigma Chi, Sigma Pi, Tau K worked together to organize a celebration mark from a DJ could be heard throughout the neig down inflatabl
Hundreds of students attended the party, wi tainers filled with water mixed with alcohol and with wordplay, such as Leborg James (Lebron Ja tle Pigs). Most attendees were dres
Partying didn’t stop when the sun went down night clubs to finish the long day of celebrating and packe
Staff Photograph can be reached at slevinson@dailyegy From left to right: Jack VonBank, Kaleb Elliot and Ryan Prince show off their summer Solar Bear gear Aug. 22, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois. Soph Levinson | @hpos.artz
A student holds up a dog hand sign amongst the crowd at Levels Aug. 22, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois. Daylin Williams | @photosbydaylin
Gabe Galovich and Cooper Hemby compete in a ‘Borg’ chugging competit Carbondale, Illinois. Soph Levinson | @hpos.artz
Ryan Prince stretches out his arms as he slides down a soapy plastic sheet Carbondale, Illinois. Soph Levinson | @hpos.artz
Graphic by AJ Sullivan| @sullinks.art
A long line of party-goers stretches the length of Levels’ parking lot Aug. 2 Daylin Williams | @photosbydaylin
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Entertainment and Culture | Page 7
gs: Solar Bear in photos
ge Street on Saturday, Aug. 22 for Solar Bear, an r SIU students by the school’s fraternities.
Kappa Epsilon, Farmhouse and Phi Kappa Tau king the start of a new semester. Blasting music ghborhood, as well as yells from students going le water slides.
ith many carrying “borgs,” or gallon-sized cond flavored packets. Students decorated the borgs ames) or The Three Little Borgs (The Three Litssed in swimsuits and summer gear.
n, as attendees moved on to the Strip, and local g. Attendees at Levels were met with long lines ed crowds.
her Soph Levinson yptian.com or on Instagram @hpos.artz
Nate Bryant, nicknamed ‘Moo Moo’ smokes multiple joints through a Airhead container Aug. 22, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois. Soph Levinson | @hpos.artz
Lazane Thomas hugs Emma Plier with drinks in hand at Solar Bear on West College Street Aug. 22, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois. Soph Levinson | @hpos.artz
A long queue begins at Levels’ front door Aug. 22, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois. Daylin Williams | @photosbydaylin
tion on West College Street Aug. 22, 2026 in
in the backyard of Sigma Pi Aug. 22, 2026 in
22, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois.
RIGHT: Four SIU students with gallon sized containers, popularly known as borgs, walk towards Solar Bear on West College Street August 22, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois Soph Levinson | @hpos.artz
Page 8 | News
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Drone helps campus police arrest someone near Morris Library JACKSON BRANDHORST Staff Reporter
Southern Illinois University’s Department of Public Safety sent out a school-wide email last Friday detailing an incident on campus that involved an emotionally distressed individual, a firearm, a police drone and an apprehension near Morris Library. “Earlier today, an emotionally distressed individual drove onto campus displaying erratic behavior,” the department said in the email. “An SIU police drone tracked the individual, and in under three minutes, our SIU officers were able to apprehend the individual near Morris Library.”
According to the department, the individual was armed with a firearm, but no one was harmed. The SIU police department has been utilizing a drone since March 2025 as part of their “Drone as First Responder” program in partnership with Aerodome, a product of Flock Safety. There is currently no more information about Friday’s incident. The Daily Egyptian will continue to investigate this situation and will provide updates as we receive them. Jackson Brandhorst can be reached via email at jbrandhorst@dailyegyptian.com or on Instagram @jacksondothtml
Students walk in front of Morris Library Aug. 24, 2026 in Carbondale, Illinois. Brayden Guy | bguy@dailyegyptian.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
FARM
CONTINUED FROM 1
on them to take pictures, while others would vandalize them. One year, someone even rolled one of the bales into the ditch and set it on fire, Jim said. He rebuilt them and kept painting anyway, just as he had done since he was 18 years old. He had already ignored his older brother and sister when they told him the project would never amount to anything. “They said, ‘You’re wasting your time,’” Jim recalled. “Now look. Forty-eight years later. How many people look forward to seeing them?” As the years went on, Jim said he would overhear strangers talking about “those hay bales” without realizing they were in the presence of the person who painted them. “Everybody knew where they were,” he said. “They just didn’t know who made them.” After generations of being in the same family, the property has been sold, and those iconic hay bales will no longer greet traffic along Pleasant Hill Road. A lifetime on one farm Growing up, Jim learned to drive a tractor before most children had learned to ride a bike.
just keep going.” Over the decades, that meant enduring droughts, $oods, broken combines and mounting expenses. The family eventually sold its cattle to help pay property taxes. Some harvests were profitable. Others were not. But Jim never considered leaving, despite the struggle. Years of farming have taken a physical toll on Jim — just like it had his father. He’s had two knees replaced, two hand surgeries and even had reconstructive jaw surgery shortly after graduating high school when doctors broke and realigned his jaw, leaving it wired shut for 15 weeks. He was badly scalded when a radiator hose burst on a combine, burning one side of his body. His father once suffered a chainsaw injury that required about 20 stitches and later $ipped a four-wheeler in his 80s. Jim laughed that the emergency room staff “practically knew us by name.” Even as his body began wearing down, Jim never stopped working. He continued farming, driving a school bus and maintaining the property as best he could through years of physical setbacks.
News | Page 9
Brian Benz poses Monday, June 29 with a photo of himself as a child standing near a jack-o-lantern hay bale that his father painted in rural Carbondale, Illinois. Jackson Brandhorst | @jacksondothml
law determines who inherits property passing through the estate, while an estate representative administers it under court supervision. For over 15 years after the deaths of Jim’s parents, the property remained under the Benz name. During that time, Jim, as he had done for his
“I wanted to keep my part of the property. I was okay with them selling their shares, but I wanted to continue living here where I always have. This is my home.” - Jim Benz Local Farmer
“I started driving a tractor when I was 6 or 7 years old,” he said. “I’d have to stand up just to steer the old John Deere. Dad thought I was too young, but grandpa figured if I could reach it, I could drive it.” As he got older, it became clear that farming was his way of life, but he still needed to get an education. He worked nights as a janitor while farming during the day before attending Lincoln Trail College for automotive and diesel technology. After marrying in 1984, he and his wife raised Brian and another son on the property, moving between homes scattered across the same farm, but never leaving it altogether. When Jim’s wife died at just 38 years old, their sons were still children. Jim continued farming while raising them with help from his parents. “The longer you stay, the more it just becomes what you do,” Jim said. “You get used to it. You know how everything works and you
Like much of the aging equipment scattered across the farm, he simply repaired what he could and kept going. “The machinery wears out,” Jim said. “But your body wears out, too.” ‘This is my home’ In the last week, the sale of the Benz residence has officially closed after a yearslong legal battle involving Jim, his sister, Deborah Desilets, and the Estate of his late brother, Donald Benz. The legal battle was centered on what to do with the Benz family property, which was left to the three siblings’ upon their parents’ death. The farm had been in the family for nearly two centuries and if it were up to Jim, it’d be in the family for two more. Jim’s father, Raymond, who died in 2006, and his mother, Estella, who died in 2007, were listed as the prior owners of the property, according to Jackson County propertytax records. According to Jim, neither of them had a will, and when someone dies without a will, Illinois
entire life, continued to live on the property, work the land and decorate the iconic hay bales out near the intersection. In 2023, Jim’s brother, Donald Benz, died. After Donald’s death, his estate became involved in probate proceedings concerning the Benz property. In February 2025, the Estate of Donald Benz filed a separate partition lawsuit against Jim and his sister Deborah, according to court records. Partition lawsuits allow a co-owner to ask a court to divide jointly owned property or order it to be sold. In qualifying cases, Illinois law gives eligible co-owners an opportunity to purchase the interests of those seeking a sale. If no buyout is completed, the court generally must favor physically dividing the property evenly between owners, unless doing so would cause substantial harm to the owners as a group. In a participation lawsuit, the court typically considers use, contributions, family ties and potential financial
harm when making a decision. While Jim knew he couldn’t prevent his sister or his brother’s estate from selling their portion of the family farm, he figured there may be a way to keep his share, but he was wrong. “I wanted to keep my part of the property,” Jim said. “I was okay with them selling their shares, but I wanted to continue living here where I always have. This is my home.” Over the following months, Jim said he watched the amount of land he believed he might be able to keep shrink with every negotiation. “At first I thought I was going to keep about 90 acres,” he said. “Then that got smaller. Then smaller. Then nothing. I even told them I’d be happy with just 20 acres around the house. But I couldn’t have that either.” The court eventually established the property value and gave Jim and Deborah an opportunity to buy out the estate of their deceased brother, but neither elected to do so — Jim couldn’t afford it. The court then proceeded toward selling the entire 277-acre farm as a single property rather than dividing it into separate parcels. “That hurt,” Jim said. At a November hearing, court dockets described the parties as finalizing an agreed auction sale. In April 2026, Donald’s estate asked the court to enforce a settlement agreement and approve an open-market sale instead. The 277-acre property was later listed for $1 million and sold for that price on Friday, July 24. Efforts to reach Jim’s sister, Deborah, were unsuccessful and his brother Donalds’s Estate declined to comment. What hurts the most
“The hardest part?” Jim said after a long pause. “Walking away.” As negotiations regarding the property went on, it became clear to Jim that his way of life was going to be uprooted. He said one prospective buyer, a neighboring farmer, had discussed leaving him a few acres around the house should he be able to buy it, but that deal eventually fell apart. Instead, another local buyer purchased the property and Jim had a short window to find a new place to live while figuring out what he was going to do with decades worth of equipment. “I begged them for a little extra time,” Jim said. “I told them they were crazy if they thought I could move three generations’ worth of equipment and belongings in 30 days.” For someone who has never lived anywhere else, leaving is more than just a logistical challenge, it’s incredibly emotional, Jim said. His life has been marked by an almost continuous series of personal, financial and physical hardships, most of which unfolded on the same patch of ground he found himself preparing to leave. He’s spent his whole life fixing machinery instead of replacing it. He still owns the tractors he learned to drive as a child, while others sit in his shop waiting for parts that he spent years searching for in salvage yards across the region. Jim estimates the property has been tied to his family for over 150 years, while the land itself has been farmed since before Illinois achieved statehood. According to Jim, the land was first settled by the Boucher family around 1818. Jim said his own family later purchased the
farm in the mid 1800s, and it has remained in the Benz family ever since. That’s the history he worries will disappear now that his family will no longer be there. “The history,” Jim said. “Just how much history is here. How long it’s been here. It’s home. It’s priceless. You can’t really put a price on it.” The end of an era Today, Jim serves as a member of the Jackson County Farm Bureau and has become an outspoken advocate for changes to Illinois inheritance laws governing family farms. Jim said he believes Illinois law should give greater weight to the labor and longterm occupancy of relatives who remain on family farms when inherited ownership interests are resolved. For him, that’s the lesson he hopes lawmakers eventually take from stories like his. Jim said the new owner has already told him the hay bale tradition won’t continue. For the first time in nearly 50 years, the display at the corner of Pleasant Hill and Benz roads will no longer mark the changing seasons, ending a quiet tradition that outlasted marriages, deaths, generations of motorists and nearly half a century of life on the Benz family farm. Jim Benz is a school bus driver, a former farmer, and a mechanic. He’s dealt with several different health issues throughout his years working on the farm. His wife died at 38 years old when his two sons were 9 and 4. He’s lived in Carbondale his entire life. Today, for the first time ever, he lives somewhere else. Staff Reporter Jackson Brandhorst can be reached via email at jbrandhorst@dailyegyptian.com
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Page 10 | News
WATER CONTINUED FROM 4
anybody remember that? And do you want to know why it was so-called postponed? It’s because of you in this room.” Chip Markel — the Democratic candidate running against Doody in Illinois’ 118th House District — and Julie Fortier — the Democratic candidate running against Bost in Illinois’ 12th U.S. Congressional District — each spoke briefly during the town hall to express their interest in protecting southern Illinois’ water supply from privatization. Cobden Mayor Larry Hackethal expressed concerns about crumbling infrastructure and dangers of the New Madrid Seismic Zone, a fault line that runs beneath southern Illinois. Hackethal said that this wasn’t the first time he’s heard of water consolidation, echoing Doody, who said that six or seven years ago, a project was proposed that he referred to as “Operation Crossconnect,” which aimed to do the same thing lawmakers are considering now. “Operation Crossconnect, that plan’s been thrown around for years,” Doody told the DE. “Rend Lake had some type of failure. I don’t remember the details, but it caused a lot of problems, and people started thinking, ‘Hey, should we do this when it’s possible?’ This is an old idea. Been around for a long time.” Doody, who wasn’t at the Carbondale town hall, said he is currently discussing with Anna and Cobden leaders about running a water line between the two towns in case of an emergency like an earthquake or tornado. “Mayor Hackethal of Cobden, he was one of the Operation Crossconnect guys from years ago,” Doody said. “He went to the meeting last night (June 30) and spoke. I heard he did a great job.” Hackethal said that he expressed infrastructure
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
infrastructure and receive better funding. Linda Cerba, a resident of Cairo — where Illinois American Water operates — told attendees that her water is yellow with a bad smell, causing her to rely on bottled water for drinking. “They have to do something about the water in Cairo, because I don’t think it’s drinkable at all,” Cerba said. Detailed facility reports from the EPA, the last of which was conducted Sept. 30, 2025, stated that the tap water in Cairo was in compliance with federal health-based drinking water standards. Windhorst, Jacobs, Fowler and Bost were invited to the June 30 town hall in Carbondale, but did not attend. Windhorst was not available for comment by the time of publication and e$orts to reach Fowler were unsuccessful. A representative from Bost’s office told the DE that the congressman has provided federal resources and contact information to local legislators and stakeholders across southern Illinois as they explore whether consolidating water districts could help communities access more federal water infrastructure funding and that as a federal representative, he has no say one way or the other. There is currently no information about whether a meeting — public or private — to discuss the consolidation of southern Illinois water districts with local leaders will be rescheduled. Potential pathways to privatization When consolidated, new, larger districts with more customers could potentially become eligible for larger grants, allow for better collaboration between water infrastructure engineers and provide access to resources that smaller systems may not have on their own. Although consolidation does not automatically lead
The setting sun illuminates the Buncombe Public Water District water tower July 7, 2026, just off U.S. Route 51 in Makanda, Illinois. Jackson Brandhorst | @jacksondothtml case study. Illinois American Water said the district had no dedicated maintenance sta$ beyond an office manager and relied on contract work for system repairs. Residents voted in November 2016 to dissolve the district and sell the water system to Illinois American Water. The ICC approved the $900,000 sale in June 2017, and Illinois American Water completed the acquisition the next month. The system was folded into the company’s Alton District, turning former city customers into direct customers of the private utility. The ICC dives deep into water policy An ICC water policy session on Jan. 15, 2026 centered around growing water-policy issues in Illinois brought together industry experts, company executives, lawmakers and more to discuss the volatile seascape that surrounds this essential service. According to the session transcript, Illinois American Water president Rebecca Losli presented company data and advocated for the extension of the Systems Viability Act — a bill from 2013 sponsored by Bost, then an Illinois House member. This legislation
“If we’re looking at what’s really driving these differences, a big piece of that is corporate profit and the push for more and more profit.” - Kaitlyn Linsner Assistant Attorney General in the Public Utilities Bureau
concerns to Jacobs in a Union County Board meeting two years ago. “I told him, let’s crosslink these water systems together,” he said. “Let’s say Anna has a problem, Cobden can open up their valve and service those people.” Hackethal, however, said he’s not interested in selling to Illinois American Water, which he said could raise prices. But he said he believes that they could educate southern Illinois leaders on how to strengthen
to privatization, public water systems facing aging infrastructure, financial strain and regulatory pressure are sometimes dissolved or absorbed and then sold into larger private utility systems. In Madison County, Illinois, the Forest HomesMaple Park Public Water District, located near Alton, already bought source water from Illinois American Water and served about 1,550 people through 517 customer connections, according to the company’s
gives large private utility companies a way to buy water or sewer systems and then have the purchase price folded into their regulated rate base — which they can later seek to recover through customers. Illinois American Water describes the law as giving communities “an alternative” for valuing their water or wastewater systems when considering acquisition by a private utility. The statute requires an appraisal process and ICC approval, but it also creates
a formal pathway for private acquisition of local systems. “Since 2017, Illinois American Water has spent more than $269 million purchasing 21 water and wastewater systems under the Illinois Systems Viability Act,” Losli said during the session. “The Systems
members and attend public meetings before acquisition takes place. She said that they answer questions about water quality and infrastructure upgrades while also informing customers of what their rate increase will be if their municipality elects to sell their water to the
“This is the way we hold public forums, not behind closed doors.” - Georgia de la Garza Community Organizer
Viability Act is critical for struggling water systems facing aging infrastructure, financial instability and operational challenges. This is especially true for small communities like Ransom and Hardin, down in southern Illinois. It creates tools for acquisitions, creates technical assistance and it creates state oversight for these transactions.” Losli said that Illinois American Water is advocating for an extension of the Systems Viability Act through 2038, and that it is proposing legislation that creates an “expedited acquisition process.” She also said that the company is planning $570 million in completed or planned investments through 2027, noting that much of its investments would be directed toward acquired systems. “These municipalities cannot solve the equation of keeping rates artificially low while funding massive capital improvements required by regulations,” Losli said. According to her, what drives communities to seek a solution that involves selling to a private water company is a nexus of factors that include understaffing, lack of funding and increasing regulations to make water safer. Losli also touched on the community outreach and communication that they do as a company before acquiring a water system, saying that they speak directly with city council
looking at what’s really driving these di$erences, a big piece of that is corporate profit and the push for more and more profit.” Jackson County Board passes resolution opposing water privatization The Jackson County Board in its July 21 meeting passed a resolution opposing the privatization of water utilities within its county lines. Written by board member Daniel Presley, the Jackson County resolution declares that the 10 water districts in Jackson County are opposed to the privatization of public water utilities. The resolution also establishes that each water district should provide written notice upon the scheduling of a public hearing or a governing board meeting in which acquisition of the public utility would be discussed. “This is what we believe: we would like to oppose this privatization,” Presley said. Not every board member agreed the resolution would have an impact. “I need a motion to object this resolution because we can’t hold those guys accountable to let us know (about the proposed acquisition of water utilities),” Tonya Knust, the District 1 County Board member, said. “The resolution does have weight that we’re putting out there that we do not want to have privatized water and we want to keep our water public,” Tamiko Mueller, the District 3 Jackson County Board representative, said. Mueller also made a motion to accompany the resolution with a letter that details how correspondence would take place should members of the Jackson County Board become aware of any aim to sell public water utilities. Every Jackson County Board Representative voted in favor of the resolution, except Knust.
private company. Rob Powelson, president and CEO of the National Association of Water Companies, acknowledged during the session that, although this public outreach takes place beforehand, it’s often not until after the sale is complete that customers realize what’s happened. “Some of this isn’t just showing up at an auditorium with posters and showing what we’re going to do,” Powelson said. “Some of it is making it easy with online participation. But let’s be intellectually honest with each other: The fact of the matter is, sometimes it’s afterward where the complaints hit, right? Elected officials are elected by their constituents to make these decisions … referendum is not a good outcome for these transactions … I think it’s the fiduciary responsibility of elected officials to make that decision. And if the citizens aren’t happy with it, they can go to the ballot box and vote against those officials.” Kaitlyn Linsner, assistant attorney general in the Public Utilities Bureau, presented during the session about a topic that she said not many people are discussing. “What no one’s really talking about is the profit,” Linsner said. “Profit is Staff Reporter Jackson something that is included Brandhorst can be reached at in our private rates that are jbrandhorst@dailyegpyitan.com not included in public. That, and on Instagram I think, is something that we @jacksondothtml do have more control over. We, meaning, regulators and, Staff Reporter Kristin to that e$ect, the companies Borchers can be reached at themselves, right? If we’re kborchers@dailyegyptian.com
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
News | Page 11
Alpha-gal syndrome threat looms as southern Illinois tick population surges KRISTIN BORCHERS Staff Reporter RILEY SEMBLER Staff Photographer
MURPHYSBORO — Amanda Allen Hall meticulously plans every meal. She avoids restaurants. Spending time outdoors requires careful consideration — a painful reality for the former hiking enthusiast since she developed alpha-gal syndrome eight years ago. A mere step outside leaves her at risk of an anaphylactic reaction, as the threat and population of ticks increases in her own backyard. The little-known condition that changed the 45-year-old Murphysboro resident’s life traces back to a 2018 hike in Wears Valley, Tennessee. During the hike, she felt a sharp sting on her leg. It was a lone star tick bite that would eventually lead to her diagnosis. “It’s a whole mess,” Hall said of the condition, which can trigger severe allergic reactions to red meat. “I’d never dreamed 20 years ago that I’d be dealing with something like this.” As tick populations expand across the Midwest, a phenomenon scientists attribute to climate change, concerns about tick-borne illnesses are growing. That’s especially true in southern Illinois, home to the Shawnee National Forest, where outdoor recreation and work are a way of life for many. Illinois is among the top 13 states seeing a rise in alpha-gal syndrome cases caused by a bite from the lone star tick, with residents living in southern Illinois at the highest risk, according to a 2025 study by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign. “We don’t have enough long-term data about the population of ticks, but we do know that the number of tick-borne diseases is increasing,” said Rebecca Smith, a pathobiology professor at the University of Illinois who led the Centers for Disease Control-funded study published in the September edition of the scientific journal “Ticks and Tickborne Diseases.” The CDC estimates at least 450,000 Americans may be affected, with more than 110,000 suspected cases reported between 2010 and 2022. The CDC estimated at least 90 cases across every southern Illinois county, though that’s likely an undercount. (A spokesperson for the Illinois Department of Public Health said the agency does not have data on alpha-gal syndrome because they don’t track the number of positive cases, unlike Lyme disease and Rocky Mountain spotted fever.) Smith said many doctors still overlook alpha-gal syndrome when their patients present with common allergic symptoms, and said more education and better tracking are needed to fully understand the scope of the problem. “We are seeing an increased reporting of alpha-gal, but we’re also having to inform the medical professionals that it exists and that there is a test for it,” Smith said. “So it might be that it’s increasing because we’re getting better at diagnosing it, and we’re getting people more aware of it, but also, we think that the ticks are moving.” Illinois lawmakers have sought to improve data collection on alphagal syndrome. Last August, Gov. JB Pritzker signed the Tracking Infectious Cases Knowledgeably Act, or TICK Act, into law, expanding on earlier efforts around Lyme disease. It requires healthcare providers to report new alpha-gal syndrome diagnoses to local health departments, which then submit the data to the Illinois Department of Public Health. It also directs IDPH to launch a statewide public awareness campaign and publish annual data on the condition. Alpha-gal is a sugar found in most mammals, excluding humans. When the sugar enters the bloodstream through a lone star tick bite, the body’s immune system can begin treating it as a threat. As a result, people with alpha-gal syndrome may experience allergic reactions after consuming red meat and other mammal-derived products, such as dairy, medication containing gelatin products, some
skin-care and household products. Even receiving heart valves from pigs or cows can trigger some people with the syndrome. Consuming chicken and fish is fine. Reactions tend to occur between two and 10 hours after a person consumes a mammalian product, which can make it difficult to determine the cause. Symptoms vary widely. Some experience mild discomfort. Hives, %ushing, nausea and diarrhea are common. On the extreme end, the reactions can be life-threatening, as with other common food allergies like peanuts. For Hall, just the smell of red meat cooking nearby can trigger an anaphylactic reaction. It has altered her life. For many years, Hall drove semitrucks with her husband, John. Now, she tends to mostly stay close to home, fearing how her body will react on the road if she inadvertently triggers an allergic reaction. One mother’s fight for awareness of tick-borne illnesses Efforts to improve education and tracking around tick-borne diseases stem from one mother’s long and frustrating fight to get answers for her sick daughter. In 2012, Jennifer Russell of Aledo heard the school bus drop off her daughter, Lauryn, but she never came inside. When Russell walked outside, she found her lying in the driveway. Lauryn told her that her legs just stopped working. For the next three years, the family searched for answers. Lauryn slept 12 to 16 hours a day, frequently became ill and lost much of her short-term memory. Doctors initially suspected leukemia. “It was a very difficult time,” Russell said. After three years, Lauryn developed three bullseye rashes in her armpits. “We were told that Lyme disease wasn’t in Illinois,” she said. “And then our dog got Lyme disease. So, that was how we finally got doctors to take it seriously.” Russell said it took four years for her daughter to regain her health. The experience led her to found the Illinois Lyme Association, which advocates for people living with tick-borne illnesses. Her advocacy work landed her in the office of State Rep. Dan Swanson, R-Alpha. “There’s nothing like the passion of a mother with a sick child,” Swanson said. “We’ve passed several pieces of legislation together as quite a team.” On Jan. 1, 2019, the Lauryn Russell Lyme Disease Prevention and Protection Act went into effect. It also created the statewide Lyme Disease Task Force. Through the task force, the pair has developed educational materials that it has provided to IDPH, and hosted conferences to educate medical professionals on tick-borne illnesses and prevention Then, last year, Swanson, whose mother also has alpha-gal syndrome, expanded on those efforts, this newest law targeting alpha-gal syndrome. The Saluki Local Reporting Lab reached out to IDPH, which said it was in the process of developing educational materials for its website. It recently posted %yers online describing alpha-gal syndrome, how to avoid it and how to manage symptoms. Additionally IDPH has posted trailhead signage at popular hiking spots in southern Illinois warning hikers of tick exposure in collaboration with the Illinois Lyme Association. A little-known condition, even among doctors While scientists say alpha-gal syndrome is on the rise, many doctors still aren’t aware of it. Hall spent years searching for answers. She said that when she first questioned her doctor in Tennessee about it, he told her he’d never heard of the condition. After moving from Tennessee to Murphysboro, she continued experiencing severe allergic reactions. Doctors struggled to identify the cause. At first she cut out gluten,
A Lone Star tick crawls on SIU zoology professor Agustín Jiménez’s hand April 13, 2026 in Thompson Woods in Carbondale, Illinois. Riley Sembler | @riley_sembler
thinking she was intolerant. She continued to have reactions, until she heard fellow hikers warn of threats to alpha-gal. After cutting out meat, she had less reactions and asked her doctor in Carbondale for a test to confirm her suspicion. She wasn’t diagnosed until 2025 — seven years after she suspected she was bitten by the culprit lone star tick. Hall said receiving her diagnosis gave her the comfort that there was a medical explanation for the many years of ongoing symptoms she’d been experiencing. “It was less of a ‘Now I know what to do’ moment and more of a ‘this explains what has been happening’ moment,” she said. Crystal Peairs, who splits her time living between St. Louis and Carbondale at her home near the Shawnee National Forest, ran into a similar problem. Years ago, Peairs, a chiropractor, had researched alpha-gal and told her doctor that she believed that is what was causing her symptoms. Shortly after eating beef, her body would swell. The next day, she’d experience a painful coughing fit after drinking her morning coffee. “I would cough until I started to wheeze,” she said. “And then I would wheeze until I was gasping for air. And it would take me about an hour to recover from it. I was not okay. I was exhausted. I didn’t understand what was going on.” She raised the possibility of alpha-gal syndrome with her doctor. “He was like, ‘You don’t have alphagal,’” she recalled. “And I said, ‘No, I think I have alpha-gal. Here’s why.’ And he goes, ‘I’ve never seen alpha-gal. You don’t have it.” Smith, the UofI professor, said it remains underrecognized among many medical professionals in Illinois. In a recent survey by Smith, only 25% of medical professionals had heard of the condition, and just 12% knew there was a test available to diagnose it. Crystal was formally diagnosed in 2023, through an immunoglobulin-Eantibodies blood test. The IGE blood test is the only manner in which alphagal is diagnosed. Peairs and her wife, April, bought their southern Illinois home here during the pandemic, when they were seeing fewer clients at the family chiropractic clinic they run together in St. Louis. They’ve always loved the outdoors, and spend their weekends in the woods camping and hiking, though they’ve now had to take extra precautions because of alpha-gal syndrome. Her wife, April, a social worker, received her alpha-gal syndrome diagnosis last year, after she began experiencing similar symptoms to Crystal’s. “I was in St. Louis, and there’s this really great calzone place, and I ordered a calzone that was basically, like, a cubano, so it had pork, it had ham, it had three types of cheese. It was basically an alpha-gal bomb,” she said. “It was delicious, and I ate half of it, and then I proceeded to have what I
thought was a panic attack. Like, my hands were shaking, I was sweating. It was bizarre. I have a history of panic attacks, but I hadn’t had one in years, and I thought I was having a panic attack, because it felt very, very similar.” Dr. Jason Knuffman, an allergist and immunologist with Quincy Medical Group in Downers Grove, said alpha-gal syndrome is one of the newest food allergies on the scene, first recognized only 15 years ago. It’s taking the medical community by surprise, he said. Knuffman says he sees patients with the condition from Iowa, Missouri and Illinois. “I’m definitely talking about it several times a day,” he said. “I think this is truly a condition where patients can educate their doctors.” Navigating alpha-gal ‘a loss’ for some Patients are often relieved to receive an accurate diagnosis, Knuffman said, though there’s not much he can do for them, beyond advising them to alter their diets. That can be a hard reality for some. “That’s what nobody tells you about it,” Hall said. “It will change the way you eat, unless you eat like a rabbit anyway.” Although there is no cure for alphagal, some people have cited lessened symptoms with Soliman Auricular Allergy Treatment or SAAT, a form of acupuncture where a small needle is placed in the ear for three weeks. Crystal underwent SAAT, and said she has seen improvements in her symptoms, including that she can once again consume dairy. “It’s really nice to be able to eat a cheese pizza again,” she said. A 2021 study published by the American Academy of Medical Acupuncture claimed that 96% of 137 patients were in remission after receiving SAAT, though the study relied on self-reporting by patients and other significant limitations. An article posted by NewsGuard this week included SAAT among purported alpha-gal treatment hoaxes, citing an immunology expert who said there is “no plausible mechanism” for the treatment to work and warned that eating meat after trying it could be lifethreatening for people with alpha-gal syndrome. Dining out can especially be a concern, though eateries are catching on — maybe quicker than doctors. A late May post in the popular Facebook group Southern Illinois Eats asked for restaurants that could accommodate people with the allergy. More than 150 comments followed. Numerous restaurant owners chimed in about alpha-gal-friendly meals they offered, as well about their conscientious cooking methods to prevent cross contamination with red meat. Several said they were increasingly hearing such requests. Friends tagged one another. The University of Illinois study reported 10 southern Illinois counties with particularly high clusters of lone star ticks: Union, Johnson, Hardin, Jackson, Williamson, Saline, Franklin, Hamilton, Jefferson and Perry. But anyone can get the condition, even if
they don’t live in a wooded area, Smith said. The active season for tick diseases is also expanding. Southern Illinois University Zoology Professor Agustin Jiménez said lone star ticks are a growing problem in the area. In 2020, he advised a master’s student on a tick survey of 11 southern Illinois counties for her thesis project. Through her research, the student, Victoria Phillips, found the lone star tick to be the most abundant, consisting of 80% of the ticks she collected. Further, she found the Shawnee National Forest to be a perfect habitat for lone star ticks as they require predators such as raccoons or skunks to complete their life cycle. As well, the large number of hikers and campers create a perfect feeding ground for ticks, she found. The length of time that people are at risk of tick-born illnesses is also expanding. “People think spring, summer, fall — they don’t think winter,” said Smith, the UofI researcher. “And we definitely know that people are getting tickborne disease in the winter in Illinois. That’s a climate change thing.” It’s not just food that can set off a reaction. Many prescription and overthe-counter drugs contain gelatin, a mammal-derived ingredient that can trigger reactions in some people. And Crystal and April Peairs discovered an allergic reaction to — of all things — toilet paper, some of which contains gelatin derived from mammals. They now buy speciality toilet paper made from bamboo. “If you have a product that may contain trace amounts of mammal, there’s enough of the population that could die from that, that they should be able to see that on a label, but you can’t. You have to go down rabbit holes and Facebook posts of people reacting, going, ‘I didn’t know that’ and we learned a lot,” April said. Two-thirds of respondents afflicted with alpha-gal reported anxiety or depressive disorders in a 2025 University of Missouri survey. Nearly half said the condition affected daily life, and 63% reported avoiding restaurants or social events because of concerns about food contamination. “Everything we do surrounds food. People — they care about you, they want to cook for you,” Crystal said. “But I really think it’s more like a depression, like a loss. What you love to eat, you can’t eat anymore. The restaurants that you go to, the people that you would see and visit — that for me is gone.” This story was published in collaboration with JRNL-419: Environmental Reporting Staff Reporter Kristin Borchers can be reached at kborchers@dailyegyptian.com Staff Photographer Riley Sembler can be reached at rsembler@dailyegyptian.com
Page 12 | Puzzles
Wednesday, August 26, 2026
Weekly PUZZLE PAGE
"Brotherhood" by Allen Vaughan
Across
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1. Well-behaved 5. San Diego baseballer 10. Algebra or trig 14. "Green Gables" girl 15. Assumed name 16. One, in Japan 17. Gumption 18. "Cinderella" meanie 20. 1975 Wimbledon champ 21. Midterm, say 22. Within walking distance 23. Miscue 25. Took flight 26. ___ late than never 28. Showy flower 30. Clear, as a disk 31. Raise crops 32. Boutique 36. Query 37. Daily journals 40. Keats creation 41. Financial aid criterion 43. Give as an example 44. Fess up 46. Manicurist's board 48. Primps 49. Took on Everest 52. Part of BYOB 53. Edmonton hockey player 54. Side squared, for a square 56. Red ___ 59. Campus organization; its name might include any of the circled entries 61. In the thick of 62. Zenith 63. Related on the mother's side 64. Ga. neighbor 65. Vintage cars 66. Back tooth 67. "Como ___ usted?"
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*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.
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Yasmin Martinez-Powell | ymartinezpowell@dailyegyptian.com
Weekly Event Calendar Your guide to upcoming local events over the next 7 days!
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