Year in review: The Daily Egyptian’s best news and feature photos of 2016

By Daily Egyptian photo staff
December 31, 2016

A protester, who refused to give his name, waves a black flag May 2 during the May 2 Strike Committee’s protest outside SIU’s Faner Hall. More than 100 people marched around campus yelling phrases including, “No justice, no peace. No racist police.”  (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Members of the Illinois State Police and Carbondale Police Department walk toward partygoers at a Polar Bear event in response to a noise complaint Jan. 30 on South Poplar Street. Carbondale Police Sgt. Doug Wilson said the city had extra officers on duty until 3 a.m. Sunday of the party weekend. “We’re doing alcohol enforcement and trying to prevent people from getting alcohol poisoning,” Wilson said. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Will and Donna Major, a retired SIU professor and hospice worker respectively, share a dance Feb. 12 during Prairie Living in Chautauqua’s Valentine’s Day Dance in Carbondale. The couple met and married in the assisted living community and celebrated their second anniversary in October. “[Will] was already here when I got here after my heart attack,” Donna said. “And we would just start chatting and the next thing you know he invited me to church, then dinner. … I was alone for 15 years after my husband died and I never thought I’d marry again, but here we are.” (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Trina Clark, a waitress at Mary Lou’s Grill, collects menus from customers on the morning of Feb. 24 at the diner in Carbondale. Clark has worked at Mary Lou’s for nearly 25 years. “And I’ve enjoyed every bit of it,” Clark said. Marilynn Martin took over Mary Lou’s Grill in 1990 when her mother Mary Lou retired. She said there’s a sense of community that exists at the diner. “There’s people that come in here everyday,” Martin said. Clark said she enjoys meeting new people and interacting with them. “It’s a different story everyday,” Clark said. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Front row, from left to right: Pravin Varughese’s younger sister Preethi, his older sister Priya, his mother Lovely and his father Mathew kneel during a memorial ceremony Feb. 13 in the woods bordering Illinois Route 13, where police say Pravin died of hypothermia about two years ago. (Luke Nozicka | @lukenozicka)
Sidewalks and snow — transportation barriers wheelchairs users deal with in the winter — don’t mix. Carrie Mulderink, a graduate student in communication studies from Chicago, crosses the West Grand Avenue railroad tracks in a motorized wheelchair on her way to class on the morning of Feb. 15. It takes her about 30 minutes to get from her apartment on West Grand Avenue to Morris Library. “I feel that it’s largely unsafe for people with disabilities to cross a railroad that is often uncleared of snow and ice,” Mulderink said. She said she often gets stuck on the tracks, even if there is no snow. When this happens, Mulderink said she usually has to wait for someone to come find and help her. In the past, she said people have approached her thinking her wheelchair on the tracks was a suicide attempt, so now when she can’t get her chair over the tracks, she has to yell for help. Each time she leaves her apartment, Mulderink said she has to consider the safety and potential consequences of traveling to and on campus. Last year, she said she missed about a week of classes because of winter weather conditions. However, she said her teachers are typically accommodating of her situation. “I’m always trying to give more attention to accessibility issues,” Mulderink said. “It’s something that should be talked about more. But it isn’t.” (Photo by Aidan Osborne — Caption by Anna Spoerre | Daily Egyptian)
Alex Martinez, a freshman on the SIU swim team from Gilbert, Ariz., studying mechanical engineering, holds a handful of snow Jan. 20 on his way to morning practice. Martinez said it was the most snow he had ever seen. “It’s more powdery than I expected,” he said, “and less icy.” He said SIUC was appealing because of the difference in climate from his hometown and the swim team. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Caleb Stanley, left, a doctoral student in behavior analysis and therapy from Walnut, Miss., offers Faith Teckenbrock, 4, an “Arthur” doll Feb. 15 in a therapy room of the Language and Cognition Development Clinic in Rehn Hall. During therapy sessions, clients complete tasks such as pointing to symmetrical shapes on a page. Once a group of tasks is completed, the clinician facilitates play with the client. Karl Gunnarsson, a doctoral student in behavior analysis and therapy from Iceland, said playtime helps keep young clients engaged. (Aidan Osborne | Daily Egyptian)
Jacob Hays, who performs as Veronica J. Belle, gets ready for a drag show held by the Saluki Rainbow Network on Feb. 27 in the Student Center. Hays has been performing in drag for seven years. (Luke Nozicka | @LukeNozicka)
Grace Vargas, a freshman from Chicago studying anthropology, writes down information after talking with a student while canvassing for Bernie Sanders on March 6 on the 15th floor of Mae Smith. Members of the campaign went door to door in the building informing students about early voting options and how to register to vote. Vargas became involved with the local campaign early and now assists in organizing other students. “At our age we are still learning a lot,” Vargas said. “People think [politics] is one of those things you can slide into once you get older, but it is important now.” (Aidan Osborne | Daily Egyptian)
Organist Effie Brimmer walks back to her car after the March 6 service at Boskydell Baptist Church. The church was constituted in 1906, and Brimmer has been attending the Sunday services all 77 years her life. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Five-year-old Lawson Snyder, of Evansville, Ind., prepares to bat March 26 during Grand Avenue Christian Church’s “Easter Eggstravaganza.” Snyder said his favorite games at the event were the egg hunt and the bouncy house. “I like getting all the candy!” Snyder said. “It’s my first favorite Easter.” (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
LaTrisha Pettis-White, of Murphysboro, talks to some members of the Beautiful Ones on March 31 outside her home. One of the oldest dancers, Dimitria Walton, 14, of Murphysboro, said she wants to be like Pettis-White when she grows up. “Miss Trish — she loves everyone,” Walton said. (Anna Spoerre | @annaspoerre)
Military veteran James Summers, a sophomore from Thompsonville studying computer and electrical engineering, poses outside his Jeep Grand Cherokee on April 7 in Carbondale. Summers was homeless and living out of his Jeep for the first month at SIU after finishing his service contract in Sigonella, Italy. “I was counting on the GI Bill for my federal benefits,” Summers said. “But what I didn’t know was that you only get paid after the fact. So that was the first hit where I was like, ‘What am I going to do?’ … So I lived in the Jeep, showered at the Rec Center and ate a lot of fast food. …There were a couple of days there where it snowed really bad and I’d wake up and couldn’t even feel my feet. Like you’re just frozen.” Summers said although the situation was unpleasant, he did not believe it was dire enough to live in a homeless shelter. “In my mind, me living in my Jeep in a Walmart parking lot is me getting by. Me going to a homeless shelter — that’s tantamount to admitting defeat,” he said. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Carbondale police and firefighters use flashlights and lights from a firetruck April 9 to search the 900 block of East College Street. (Luke Nozicka | @lukenozicka)
Devin Hunter, a senior from St. Louis studying linguistics, gets his head shaved by Ashley Comerford, an employee at the Sport Clips in Marion, on April 18 during a fundraising event for St. Baldrick’s Foundation in the pavilion behind the Student Services Building. Participants in the fundraiser donated money toward childhood cancer research before having their heads shaved. Comerford said this is the first time she has participated in this event and hopes she can again in the future. “The world isn’t such a nice place anymore,” Comerford said. “It’s great to see people out here in their free time doing something good for other families.” (Aidan Osborne | Daily Egyptian)
SIU Physical Plant workers attempt to scrape off a sign April 18 that was glued to the east side of Faner Hall. The sign, which read, “Riot Proof…We’ll See,” was found Monday along with other graffiti. (Aidan Osborne | Daily Egyptian)
Demonstrators raise their hands while chanting “Hands up, don’t shoot” as they march across campus May 2 during a protest organized in part by the May 2 Strike Committee. During the protest, demonstrators yelled, “We have a duty to fight for our freedom, we have a duty to win.” The protest, which consisted of more than 100 participants, was in response to such issues as the Illinois budget impasse, student loan debt and racism at SIU. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
A fan takes a picture of Chase Rice as he performs April 23 at SIU Arena. Rice toured Carbondale, along with various other universities, as part of “College Days, Country Nights: The Chase Rice Back to College Tour.” (Autumn Suyko | Daily Egyptian)
Brandon Parker carries his team’s boat, “Sharky,” to the starting line April 30 at the 43rd Annual Great Cardboard Boat Regatta at the Carbondale Reservoir at Evergreen Park. Parker entered the race with fellow Lowe’s Home Improvement employees and the group finished second in the Class I category. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Santiago Thomas, a native of Cherán, Mexico, who lives in Cobden, polishes his horses’ hooves May 7 in preparation for pictures with guests during the annual Sweethearts of the Saddle Derby Day Gala at the Carterville Community Center. “It’s like girls getting their nails painted,” said Thomas, the barn manager at Giant City Stables. “I got up early to give them a bath as well. … My job is to have the horses fed, have the correct saddle and be ready for the day’s programs.” All funds raised at the event benefited students enrolled in Specialized Equine Services and Therapeutic Riding at Giant City Stables. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Rich Stevenson, of Long Grove, combs and sprays Don Yewell’s hair May 10 at Steve and Rich’s Barber Styling in Carterville. Yewell, a native of Carterville, has been a regular customer at the hair salon since it first opened in 1980. Originally owned by Rich’s late father, Steve, today Steve and Rich’s Barber Styling welcomes men, women and children. “Barbershops are a dying breed,” said Adam Compton, another regular at the salon and Carterville native. “They’re just no more. … Ever since I was a kid, barbershops were a big thing. My father and grandfather would go and sit in there and I just remember the smells, the straight razor.” This will be Rich’s 34th year working at the salon, during which time he said he has learned the value in being patient and working hard. “My favorite part of working here is the people,” Rich said. “You know, you see them one-on-one. They’re just like my family.” (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
A police officer wheels the victim of the March 29 shooting out of Evolve Apartments at SIU on a stretcher. Police said there was an altercation between the victim and suspect around 7 p.m. in the apartment complex on the 700 block of South Illinois Avenue. The victim, a 19-year-old male, sustained a non-life threatening injury. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Morgan Demling, of the band “Seamstress,” plays the drums during a memorial show for the late Tim Beaty on April 2 at the Lost Cross house. Beaty, a local drummer who was known to strip down to his underwear while playing, was killed March 27. The show at the Lost Cross house was a celebration of the late drummer. Demling said he knew Beaty for 10 years. “There’s really no words to express what [Beaty] meant to me,” he said. Demling said he stripped down to his underwear for Tim. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Michael Kasky, owner of Kasky Tree Service, trims trees in the late afternoon March 5 between Carbondale and De Soto. Kasky said the business has been a hobby for the last 15 years, but it really started after a storm in 2009. “When the May 8 storm came through here I had all the cutting in the world I could do,” Kasky said. “Every week I had a job to go to so I kept going and kept paying the bills and here’s where I am now.” (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Concepcion Rojas, of Puebla, Mexico, runs to help other workers build the big top tent April 10 for the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus in De Soto. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Pauline Dykes tends to Finny, a miniature donkey, foreground, and Coco, in trailer, before the first show of the Culpepper & Merriweather Circus on April 10 in De Soto. Dykes is part of the third generation of circus performers on her mother’s side of the family. “You get to see different walks of life in the circus,” Dykes said. “Every single circus is different.” Dykes has spent her whole life in the circus. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Leilani Bartlett, middle with papers, a freshman from Chicago studying business, leads a march April 12 from Brown Hall to Morris Library. Bartlett, who organized the event, posted a video to Facebook on April 4 expressing her concerns about racism she said she has experienced at SIU. Her video received more than 161,000 views. Matthew Wilson, a senior from Carbondale studying TV and digital media radio, participated in the event. “Honestly, I was heartbroken for Leilani,” Wilson said. “But I was not surprised because this has been occurring and reoccurring and nothing has happened. So the fact that we are even out here today is sad. Because why should we be out here dealing with these issues when they should have already been solved in the first place.” (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Betty Louise Kiefer, of De Soto, grabs a tag for a customer’s order April 21 at Horstman’s Cleaners & Furriers in Carbondale. Kiefer is 87 years old and has worked at the local dry cleaners since she was 18. When she started she wanted to help her husband with building their home in De Soto. “We’d order a load of lumber and we’d get that paid for and we’d order another load of lumber until we got our house built,” she said. Kiefer still lives in the same house her husband built. She said she likes working so she continued doing it. “I just like it and people seem to like me,” Kiefer said. “They expect me to be out there if they come. I’m the fixture at Horstman’s Cleaners.” (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Walker Suhr, 13, a seventh-grader at Brehm Preparatory School in Carbondale, prepares to be covered in red chalk during the 2016 Autism Color Fun Run/Walk on April 16 near the Lew Hartzog Track & Field Complex. Ashley Showalter, secretary for the southern Illinois chapter of the Autism Society of Illinois, which sponsored the event, said the event’s purpose was to raise awareness and money to fund families in southern Illinois who have a family member affected by autism. “It’s good to raise money for people that are in need,” Suhr said. “This is a fun way to help them.” (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Harry Treece, of Carbondale, looks through a telescope May 9 during the Transit of Mercury Public Astronomy Observation on the roof of Neckers Building. Treece, who previously worked in information technology at SIU, said he works closely with the physics department and the Astronomical Association of Southern Illinois to put on astronomy observations every month. “What’s going on here is a transit of Mercury across the face of the sun,” Treece said. “Mercury and Venus are the only two planets we can see between us and the sun because their orbits are closer to the sun than ours.” He said Mercury can be seen in the morning and evening skies during most of the year. “I think some of the transits [when a planet passes between the Earth and sun] are the most exciting things I’ve seen so far.” He said his interest in space started in grade school. “Looking at all the vastness in the night sky and all the beautiful things that are out there — nebulas, clusters of stars — it’s just amazing,” Treece said. (Autumn Suyko | Daily Egyptian)
Eleni Boulukos, 16, of Carbondale, practices trotting with one hand behind her back alongside Santiago Thomas and Andrea Clark on May 21 during her therapeutic riding lesson at Giant City Stables. Since 1995, the therapeutic riding program has helped individuals with psychological, neurological and physical conditions such as cerebral palsy, down syndrome, autism, post-traumatic stress disorder and cancer. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Retired semi-truck driver Frank Helton, of Vienna, retrieves fishing line and a float from Crab Orchard Lake on Aug. 13 during the National Weather Service’s flash flood warning for southeastern Jackson, Franklin, western Williamson, northern Cape Girardeau and Union counties. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Cassaundra Jaegers, a junior from Ottumwa, Iowa, studying zoology, plays Jenga against Brad Olson, a sophomore from Oquawka studying wildlife biology, on Aug. 20 during Dawgs Nite Out at the Student Center. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
First responders load a man into an ambulance following a shooting Aug. 27 near the 500 block of South Illinois Avenue. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Darla Joiner, of Houma, La., whispers hints to her customers as they compete in the Water Gun Fun game Aug. 28 at the Du Quoin State Fair. Joiner, who has been working at the fair for 30 years, said she loves traveling and meeting new people. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Mark Schwarm, an SIU alumnus of Kevil, Ky., sprays water on his horse, Butter, in between horse shows Aug. 28 at the Du Quoin State Fair. “On a day like today where it’s so hot, it helps a lot to cool them down,” Schwarm said. “It also cleans them up for the next show.” (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Three-year-old Bailey Myers receives a drink from her grandmother Mary Wrye, both of Joppa, after making a trip down the slide during the Joppa Fall Festival on Saturday at the village park. “She’s my life,” Wrye said of her grandchild. “She’s everything to me. We spend a lot of time together and she keeps me busy.” She said her granddaughter’s smile is one of her favorite parts of spending time with her. The lifelong resident of the village of 400 described her granddaughter as priceless. “Just watching her growing up has just been amazing,” Wrye said. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Alicia Hammond, a junior from Kankakee studying healthcare management, swings beside her son, Ryan Simington Jr., 4, on Oct. 17 at Lenus Turley Park in Carbondale. Hammond, a single mother and a full-time SIU student, recently started her own clothing line called “Secrets.” “I keep it on the cheaper side,” she said of her products, which she sells for less than $20. “I don’t want to break anyone’s pockets more than the school does.” At night, after her son goes to bed, Hammond also works at NeuroRestorative in Carbondale. “I had a child in high school,” Hammond said. “A lot of people probably doubted me and thought I wasn’t going to do anything, but I never let that get in the way.” (Anna Spoerre | @annaspoerre)
From left to right: Henry Traylor, John Chambers and Kent Mason wave to people driving past Nov. 4 at Arnette’s barber shop in Carbondale. The barber shop has been in operation since 1945. (Anna Spoerre | @annaspoerre)
Hannah Craft, Alexis McIntye, Elena Sasso and Doreen Xiao, all of Carbondale, practice a warm-up routine Nov. 22 in an advanced ballet class taught by Patricia Krejcik at Willow Street Studios in Carbondale. Krejcik has been volunteering at the studio for four years after moving to Carbondale in 2010 from São Paulo, Brazil. “I love the sense of community at the studio,” Krejcik said. “It’s my home. And it’s a privilege to watch [my students] develop as dancers and blossom into amazing young women. … I get to be their friend, their taskmaster and their cheerleader.” Throughout the year, Krejcik said those of her students, who are members of Susan Barnes Dance Company, work toward showcasing a variety of dance genres at the company’s annual Repertoire Show held in May. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
U.S. Rep. Tammy Duckworth, left, jokes with a student in the Eurma C. Hayes Center after school program on Aug. 26 in Carbondale. “I bet your foot can’t do this,” Duckworth said while spinning her prosthetic foot. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner speaks with members of the media Aug. 26 following his visit to Carbondale High School’s Rebound program. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Solar Bear partygoers watch as someone jumps off the roof into the pool Aug. 27 at The Reserve at Saluki Pointe. (Branda Mitchell | @branda_mitchell)
Members of SIU’s Gamma Kappa chapter of Sigma Kappa participate in the 2016 Walk to End Alzheimer’s on Sept. 24 at Campus Lake. More than 215 volunteers registered for the event, said Courtney Finigan, manager of special events with the Greater Illinois Chapter of the Alzheimer’s Association. Finigan, whose grandmother was diagnosed with the memory impairing disease nearly 10 years ago, has been with the association for four years. She said the walk has been going on for about 20 years in the Carbondale area. “The volunteer program within SIU is great with promoting us,” Finigan said. “We’ve had a lot of luck getting volunteers through them and it helped a lot for this event.” The event raised more than $30,530 — or roughly 75 percent of the $40,000 goal — according to the organization’s website. (Autumn Suyko | @AutumnSuyko_DE)
Robyn and Richard Hamilton watch fireworks together on Oct. 8 during Catfish Days festival in Olmsted. The pair met in the small southern Illinois town and have been together for almost 20 years. “Olmsted is where I met my bride,” Richard said. Robyn and Richard are raising nine kids together, some of which are from past relationships and others are adopted. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Officer Zach Street, a crash reconstructionist for the Carbondale Police Department, takes a picture of a shoe after a pedestrian was hit by a car Oct. 15 in the 600 block of South Wall Street in Carbondale. Discarded articles of clothing — including a hat, two shoes and sunglasses — could be seen lining the roadway. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Costumed pedestrians stroll down the sidewalk during Unofficial Halloween early Oct. 16 on the Strip in Carbondale. The annual event began in 2000 after a city ordinance, which has since been rescinded, restricted bars on the Carbondale Strip from operating on Halloween. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Master of Foxhounds Mark Smith, of Herrin, rides toward spectators with his hounds Sept. 25 during the 29th annual Southern Illinois Hunting and Fishing Days at John A. Logan College. Smith and other members of Herrin-based Shawnee Hounds fox hunting club demonstrated fox hunting for spectators and allowed some to ride the horses. Founded in 1982, the hunt club is now the only one of its kind in southern Illinois. (Athena Chrysanthou | @Chrysant1Athena)
Jeff Lane, of the Lane Motor Museum in Nashville, Tenn., poses for a portrait in a replica Dymaxion car Oct. 21 at the Bucky Dome in Carbondale. Lane transported the replica car from Nashville to Carbondale for the Dymaxion Days fundraiser. The Dymaxion car was designed by architect and inventor Buckminster Fuller, who taught in the SIU School of Art and Design from 1959 to 1970. The event aimed to raise money for the restoration of the Bucky Dome house, which Fuller built and resided in during his tenure at the university. “We still need $150,000 to complete the full restoration,” said Lindy Loyd, a Bucky Dome board member. “The next thing we have to do is insulate and seal the inside of the dome which will cost around $8,000.” (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Patrick Burke, a junior from Los Angeles studying theater, poses for a portrait in the Clown Room on Oct. 23 at Chittyville School Haunted House in Herrin. “It’s fun scaring people,” he said. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Neil Sizemore, of Carterville, inspects power lines Sept. 30 on Wall Street in Carbondale. Sizemore has worked for the Ameren power company for more than two decades. “I just needed a job,” said Sizemore, who also operates a farm in Carterville. “[It’s] a way to make a living.” The lineman said his father, two uncles and three brothers have worked in the profession. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Musician Bob “Smilin'” Lewis, of Van Buren, Ark., performs with the Ben Miller Band on Sept. 30 during the Carbondale Rocks Revival Music Festival in downtown Carbondale. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Officers from the Carbondale Police Department interview a man involved in a late night fight Oct. 1 in the 100 Block of West Monroe Street in Carbondale. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Audrey Karsteter, a junior from St. Louis studying horticulture, runs through the corn maze Oct. 24 at Bandy’s Pumpkin Patch in Johnston City. “I feel like a little kid again,” Karsteter said. “It’s refreshing.” (Autumn Suyko | @AutumnSuyko_DE)
World War II veteran and U.S. Masters swimmer Thomas Maine, 91, of Carbondale, swims breaststroke Oct. 18 during practice at the Recreation Center. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Auto technician and volunteer fire fighter George Cook, of Evansville, throws kindle onto the Spirit Fire on Oct. 29 during the Southern Illinois Pagan Alliance’s Samhain celebration at Crab Orchard Campground. Cook has been a member of the alliance for eight years and identifies as an eclectic Pagan. “I love that Paganism is an earth-based religion that brings all sorts of people together,” Cook said. “It’s just like when Christians came over here, Native Americans were classified as Pagans because they didn’t believe in the Christian God, but they worshipped Mother Earth and Father Sky. They took care of their land and the land provided for them. That’s the path I follow.” During the ceremony, participants used the Spirit Fire to banish internal aspects of their life they wished to let go of, Cook said. (Morgan Timms | @Morgan_Timms)
Lee Roudybush, of Murphysboro, fishes alongside his dog Dexter on Nov. 6 at Lake Murphysboro, which is located in Jackson County about one mile west of Murphysboro. “I’m recently retired, so I’ve done quite a bit of fishing lately,” said Roudybush, who is a 1984 graduate of SIU. “If I catch four or five good ones, I’ll take them home and cook them, but normally I just throw them back.” Largemouth bass, bluegill, redear sunfish, channel catfish and crappie are common catches at Lake Murphysboro this time of the year, according to the Illinois Department of Natural Resources. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Savannah Watts, left, and her daughter, Lilith, gaze at a candle Nov. 9 during a special ceremony at First Christian Church in Carbondale. Community members met to lament and show solidarity in reaction to the election of Republican Donald Trump as president. Lilith, 2, was born with spina bifida and she cannot walk on her own. Her mother said Wednesday night the election held great consequences for her family, especially because they rely on federal assistance for Lilith’s medical treatment. Watts said she fears the family could lose healthcare benefits they receive through the Affordable Care Act, commonly known as Obamacare, which Trump has vowed to repeal. “I cried a lot last night,” Watts said of her initial reaction to the news that Trump would become the 45th president of the United States. “It was even hard even to get out of bed this morning.” (Bill Lukitsch | @lukitsbill)
Kenny Turnbaugh, a senior from Carbondale studying history, stands in line with his fellow ROTC cadets during a Veterans Day ceremony Nov. 11 at Veterans Memorial Plaza. (Bill Lukitsch | @lukitsbill)
James Todd, a junior from Oxford, Mich., studying finance and member of the Air Force ROTC, guards the American flag as part of a 24-hour Veterans Day vigil on Nov. 11 near the intersection of South Normal Avenue and West Grand Avenue on campus. Members of the Army and Air Force ROTC took shifts guarding the flag from 11 a.m. Thursday to 11 a.m. Friday. “It’s gives me an opportunity to really reflect and recognize that I’m only giving in total an hour and 30 minutes of my time to people who have spent years fighting for what I believe in and what this country believes in,” Todd said. He said he feels that Veterans Day is important to recognize those who have served and lost their own friends to protect the nation. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
The Pulliam Hall clocktower weathervane sits silhouetted by the rising superman Nov. 14 in Carbondale. A perigee-syzygy, commonly dubbed as a “supermoon,” occurs when the moon becomes full on the same day as its perigee, the point in the moon’s orbit when it is closest to Earth. The 2016 supermoon appeared larger than at any other point in the last 68 years, and won’t appear this large again until 2034, according the NASA. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Jim Wall, a senior lecturer of radio, television and digital media, plays jazz on a cello with his band, the 618 Jazz Ensemble, on Nov. 10 at The Grotto Lounge in Carbondale. “It’s my sanity,” Wall said of playing jazz. “It’s probably the most free form of music that there is.” The jazz player explained that jazz has a structure, but it also involves a lot of improvisation. “Mel [Goot] and I have been working together for years,” Wall said. “I know exactly what he’s going to do [when he plays piano] and he knows exactly what I’m going to do without even thinking about it, without rehearsing. We can look at each other a certain way, and I know what’s going to happen.” (Autumn Suyko | @AutumnSuyko_DE)
Dakota Oria, a junior from Chicago studying computer science, attempts to clean shaving cream off a Hillary Clinton mask while impersonating Donald Trump on Nov. 8 as part of Dedicated Young Latinos Embodying Success’ fundraiser in the Faner Breezeway on campus. Members of the group asked passersby for $1 donations to “pie” either candidate as a fundraiser for Toys for Tots. “At the moment we’re just trying to lighten the mood of the election,” Oria said of the fundraiser. “Even though both sides are bad, it doesn’t mean we can’t have a little bit of fun.” (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Tammie Swinney, of Carbondale, participates in a worship service Oct. 30 at Olivet Free Will Baptist Church in Carbondale. “It’s like a family [at Olivet],” she said. Swinney has been attending Olivet for five and a half years. This year the church celebrates 150 years in the Carbondale community. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Professor of philosophy Randall Auxier poses for a portrait Nov. 21 in his Murphysboro home prior to its opening ceremony as the American Institute for Philosophical and Cultural Thought. The institute, which houses an estimated 35,000 books and scholarly articles, was established as a research site for humanities students in response to the closure of SIU’s Center for Dewey Studies. “It didn’t look anything like this when we moved in,” Auxier said. “It’s taken a lot of work.” (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Members of the Southern Illinois Dance Company finish a dance routine Dec. 1 during a rehearsal in Furr Auditorium. The rehearsal was in preparation for the SIDC’s “In Concert” performance which holds its final performance at 2 p.m. Saturday in the auditorium. The concert is comprised of jazz, contemporary, ballet and hip-hop routines. SIDC is primarily choreographed by SIU students, as well as artistic director and advisor Lori Merrill-Fink, who is also the director of the University Honors Program. SIU alumna Andrea Hernandez has been part of the SIDC for more than four years. “When I was in school, the SIDC was my relax time,” Hernandez said. “I am really excited for the show, as it might be my last one.” (Athena Chrysanthou | @Chrysant1Athena)
Africana studies professor Joseph Brown silently reflects during a vigil remembering victims of the Orlando shooting Aug. 31 in Grinnell Hall. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Surrounded by incoming freshman and new students, interim Chancellor Brad Colwell, center, wears a pair of solar eclipse glasses for a group photo following the convocation ceremony August 19 at SIU Arena. (Ryan Michalesko | DailyEgyptian.com)
Kids wait with a Carbondale Police Officer at the scene of a stabbing Oct. 30 in the 600 block of North Michael Street in Carbondale. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Sydney Fred, left, 10, of De Soto, and Lillyana Rose, 9, of Murphysboro, sit on the stage at a U.S. Rep. Mike Bost and Illinois State Rep. Terri Bryant victory party Nov. 8 at the Elks Lodge in Murphysboro. Fred and Rose are grandchildren of Bost. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Lindy Loyd, a Bucky Dome board member, lights jack-o’-lanterns Oct. 31 at the Buckminster Fuller Dome Home in Carbondale. The pumpkins, carved by SIU architecture and interior design students, were displayed for visitors and trick-or-treaters to view. “No one else is doing anything like this,” architecture professor Jon Davey said. “It gives the students a good time.” The students were assigned to carve the pumpkins over the weekend. Amongst nearly 80 pumpkins, designs included the Statue of Liberty, the Eiffel Tower and the U.S. Capitol Building. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
From left: Lucas Damien, of Carbondale, Sam Jamerson, of Deerfield, Mike Walczewski, of Carbondale, Brittany Ristaino, of DeSoto, and Nathan Caslow, of Carbondale, react to the Cubs’ first World Series championship since 1908 on Nov. 2 at Tres Hombres in Carbondale. Ristaino said she has been waiting for this moment her whole life. “I couldn’t even breathe from the eighth inning on,” said Ristaino, a DeSoto native. “I was just holding my breath. I’ve never wanted anything so bad, for so many other people, in my life. There’s never been a team with more young players with more heart that wanted this more than we wanted it tonight. And I think we proved that.” The Northsiders won the Series 4-3. (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Grassy Lake Hunting Club guide Duane Smith smokes a cigarette while watching for incoming ducks Nov. 30 during a Wounded Warriors duck hunt in Jonesboro. (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)
Benjamin Puffer, hand on candle, and Josh Schenkenfelder, a senior from Oak Forest studying journalism, work to craft a display of candles that reads “Alex K” in memory of Alex Kierstead — an SIU student who died in a house fire the day before Thanksgiving — on Dec. 2 outside the burnt home in Carbondale. Puffer, a freshman from Carbondale studying physics, met Kierstead through a mutual friend. “He was a really good guy,” Puffer said. “He’s just really cool. He had a really good soul. It’s one of the best things.” Kierstead, a junior from Aurora studying political science and journalism, was remembered by a few dozen friends and mourners at the candlelight vigil held outside the burnt building at 700 W. Freeman St. where Kierstead and his three roommates resided prior to the blaze. (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Jeff Goelz, assistant director of the Recreation Center, takes a break from taking pictures with local dogs to look at his iPhone on Dec. 10 at Murdale True Value in Carbondale. Goelz dressed as Santa to take pictures with local dogs to raise money for St. Francis Care animal shelter in Murphysboro. “It’s a good way to give back to the community,” Goelz said. “It’s a good way to promote St. Francis and all the great work they do. It’s a fundraiser so anything you can do to help raise money to save or help animals, it’s a no-brainer.” Diane Daugherty, president of the St. Francis Care Board of Directors, said the animal shelter has held the fundraiser at the store for the last three years. “Obviously we are in this because we love animals,” Daugherty said. “Animals are a part of our family. And so when somebody brings their dog here for a picture with Santa, they obviously feel that about their animal. Because you don’t bring your dog for a picture with Santa unless you feel it’s part of your family too.” (Jacob Wiegand | @jawiegandphoto)
Dressed as minions, Elliott Polley, 6, of Carbondale, left, and his father, Loren Polley, gaze out from inside a UFO float sponsored by B and A Travel Service on Dec. 3 during the Carbondale Lights Fantastic Parade on East Jackson Street. “We had a blast,” said Loren, who works for the City of Carbondale. “I asked my son if he wanted to watch the parade or be in it and he wanted to be in it. I think he loved just seeing all the people and waving to everybody.” (Morgan Timms | @morgan_timms)
Alana Muench, 3, of Milwaukee, naps Aug. 29 in her father’s fair booth at the Du Quoin State Fair. “I normally have a baby sitter,” said her father, Andrew Muench. “But sometimes things come up and she has to come on the road with me.” (Ryan Michalesko | @photosbylesko)

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