Serving the Southern Illinois University community since 1916.

The Daily Egyptian
Serving the Southern Illinois University community since 1916.

The Daily Egyptian
Serving the Southern Illinois University community since 1916.

The Daily Egyptian

James Allen

All content by James Allen
Tara Nelsen, leader of Southern Illinois Pagan Alliance (SIPA) makes preparations before starting a smudging ritual on Wednesday April 14, 2021, inside the Labyrinth near Gaia House Interfaith Center, in Carbondale Ill. “We have been doing this since 1998 and I will continue doing it,” Nelsen said.

[Video] Southern Illinois Pagan Alliance welcomes all

By Jamilah Lewis, Staff Reporter
April 30, 2021
Pharmacist, Pamela Hughes, begins to prepare syringes with dosages of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine Wednesday, March 18, 2021.

[Video] Some exploit honor system to jump the vaccine line

By Elena Schauwecker, Staff Reporter
April 11, 2021
Two Funko POP figures sit together awaiting to be stocked on the shelves at RND Collectibles Thursday, Mach 4, 2021, in Carbondale, Ill. “It’s pop culture man, I think that’s why people love it. You know, anything you can think of there’s probably a POP figure of it. It’s just an easy way to enjoy your fandom,” Randy Arena, owner of RND Collectibles said.

[Video] From SIU to Pop! President of Funko shares his journey

By Sara Wangler, Staff Reporter
April 10, 2021
An Irish flag flies in the wind during the Murphysboro St. Patrick's Day Celebration on Saturday, March 20, 2021 in Murphysboro. This year, the events were scaled down compared to previous years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, but the Murphysboro Chamber of Commerce still put on events that could be enjoyed safely.

The history of St. Patrick’s Day in Catholicism

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
March 21, 2021
Student musician, Joshua Buss of Carbondale shows the intricacies of the tuning system on his Spanish guitar, Wednesday, March 10, 2021, in Carbondale, Ill. “Most classical guitars pop off of the back like this. If you look right here, rather than going into a peg-hole and stringing around, you go in and tie a knot and when you turn the gears it tightens,” Buss said.

[Video] In a time of isolation, student musicians spread hope and human connection 

By Elena Schauwecker, Staff Reporter
March 19, 2021
Marty Mansker of Marty’s Munchies organizes her money drawer Saturday, February 27, 2021, in Carbondale, Ill. “I guess you could say I try to make things you can’t buy at the store,” Mansker said.

[Video] Annual Carbondale community winter market continues despite COVID-19 restrictions

By Sara Wangler, Staff Reporter
March 16, 2021
Members of the SIU Men’s Baseball team cheer on their teammates from the dugout Sunday, March 14, 2021, in Carbondale, Ill.

[Video] Salukis open MVC play with three wins over Evansville

By Adam Warfel, Sports Reporter
March 14, 2021
Employees work on customers’ clothes on Tuesday, March 2, 2021 at Horstman’s Cleaners & Furriers in Carbondale, Ill.

[Video] Horstman’s, Carbondale’s last dry cleaner

By Chris Bishop, Staff Photographer
March 11, 2021
Opposite hitter, Emma Baalman (6), completes a spike just as teammates Imani Hartfield (3), Ryan Rednour (15), and Rachel Maguire (13) rush to support her Monday, March 8, 2021, at the Davies Gym, in Carbondale, Ill.

[Video] Southern Illinois volleyball takes one set, drops match in four sets to Indiana State

By Ryan Scott, Sports Reporter
March 8, 2021
Hannah Becker (8) and Imani Hartfield (16) prepare to receive and block their opposing team, University of Iowa, on Feb. 22, 2021, Carbondale Ill.

[Video] Freshman Imani Hartfield stands out for Saluki volleyball team

By Janae Mosby, Sports Reporter
March 7, 2021
Murphysboro man threatened by racist neighbor

Murphysboro man threatened by racist neighbor

By Sophie Whitten and James Allen
March 3, 2021
SIU guard, Caitlin Link (5), shoots the ball from a distance attempting to catch the team’s score back up to the Valparaiso Crusaders Saturday, February 27, 2021, in Carbondale, Ill.

[Video] Saluki women’s basketball drops 11-point game to Valparaiso

By Janae Mosby, Staff Reporter
February 27, 2021
Kampus Kuts Barbershop and Salon Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021. Kampus Kuts is located just off of SIU Carbondale’s campus at 825 S. Illinois Ave. in Carbondale, Ill. Chris Bishop | @quippedmediallc

[Video] Kampus Kuts: a staple of the Black community

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
February 27, 2021
Ben Harvey (10) gives a no-look pass to his teammate staying at the edge of the opponents’ court in a game against the Illinois State University Redbirds on Saturday, Feb. 13, 2021, at the SIU Banterra Center.

[Video] Salukis miss last-second shot, lose by one point to Valparaiso

By Ryan Scott, Sports Reporter
February 21, 2021
Jackson County Health Department worker, Frank Saunders, administers the Pfizer-Moderna COVID-19 vaccination to Abigail Moberly, a Carbondale local, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Carbondale, Ill. “They said it’s not bad. They said it doesn’t even feel like you get a shot, ya know? That your arm is sore and that’s about it,” Moberly said.

[Video] University students discuss their experience in the Moderna vaccine trial

By George Wiebe, Staff Reporter
February 19, 2021
Jackson County Health Department worker, Frank Saunders, administers the Pfizer-Moderna COVID-19 vaccination to Abigail Moberly, a Carbondale local, Thursday, Feb. 11, 2021, in Carbondale, Ill. “They said it’s not bad. They said it doesn’t even feel like you get a shot, ya know? That your arm is sore and that’s about it,” Moberly said.

Gallery: Jackson County Health Department hosts COVID-19 vaccine clinic

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
February 11, 2021
Co-owners, Erick Pierce, Latoya Collins, and Brian Sappington pose for a portrait on Saturday, Feb. 6, 2021, at Gud Cooking in Carbondale, Ill.

[Video] Food for and from the soul, for any nationality

By Leah Sutton, Photo Editor
February 11, 2021
Jacob Bucknam, the owner of Soil Grown, tends to CBD plants inside a tented greenhouse Saturday, Nov. 14, 2020, in Carbondale, Ill. “We grow and harvest and sell our own CBD flowers. This is just one of the beginning phases of it. We’ve had the place since February but COVID affected us pretty hard as far as getting the doors open. We didn’t really open the doors until July and ya know we’re just now starting to see an uptick in sales as people are finding out we’re here,” Bucknam said.

Photo of the Day: Local CBD

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
November 14, 2020
Vienna High School holds a prayer vigil for three students lost in a tragic car accident Sunday, October 25, 2020, in Vienna, Ill. Students Aidan Baker, Brayden King, and Jordan Davidson did not survive the crash and the three other students in the car with them, Dylan Harris, Macie Turvold, and Max Koehler, survived the incident and are currently hospitalized in critical condition.

Photo of the Day: Vienna holds prayer vigil for students involved in car crash

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
October 26, 2020
Chris Wissmann (middle) teaches a Karate demonstration with students, Rossana Lausell (left) and Isaac Lausell (Right) at the Southern Illinois Unity Coalition’s Stop the Violence event held at Attucks Park Saturday, October 24, 2020, in Carbondale, Ill. “We came out to support Sensei Wissmann which is one of our two Karate teachers at the park district. I started with Shotokan, which I still practice with Sensei Everheart at SIU but with Sensei Wissmann I’ve been training for a year and a half,” Issac Lausell said.

Gallery: Stop the Violence

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
October 24, 2020
Spirit Halloween employees Mayra Vicente (left) and Addison Morell (right) fold shirts together Thursday, October 22, 2020 in Carbondale, Ill. Both new employees, Vicente and Morell work closely together to learn the ropes. “It’s amazing. It was an online thing, I was just here after school and saw the advertisement... This is my first year,” Morell said. Spirit Halloween is now open at the University Mall in Carbondale from Monday-Wednesday and Friday-Saturday 9am-11pm, Thursdays from 8 a.m.-11 p.m., and Sundays from 9 a.m.-9 p.m.

Photo of the Day: 8 days until Halloween

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
October 23, 2020
Jared Bilak emcees Hangar 9’s weekly trivia night Thursday, October 14, 2020, in Carbondale, Ill. Patrons form teams to answer a series of trivia questions in an effort to win cash prizes and other awards. Each game consists of 6 rounds with 10 questions each. “I’ve only been here for trivia once or twice, but I think it’s a blast. I don’t get into the competitive aspect so much, I like to just sit and sip my drink, keep to myself and see how many questions I can get right,” bar patron Steven James said.

Photo of the Day: Hangar 9 Trivia Night

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
October 15, 2020
Wrestler Zakk Sawyers poses for a portrait just before his match on Saturday, Sept. 12, 2020, in Carterville, ILL. Sawyers is an independent wrestler, having wrestled professionally for 13 years. From his first match all the way back in June, 2007 to September, 2020, Sawyers has travelled all over the country with the wrestling business doing what he loves.

Death match wrestling claws its way to Southern Illinois

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
October 9, 2020
Doug McDonald, the owner of Phoenix Cycles, repairs a bike tire on Thursday, Oct. 1, 2020, in Carbondale, ILL. “We sell Giant bicycles. You know, we’ve got three bicycle stores in a block radius! So, we’re selling the three major brands of bicycles all on one corner here in Carbondale. So it gives the customer a lot of choices,” McDonald said.

Photo of the Day: Phoenix Cycles

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
October 1, 2020
Steven Batteau of Carbondale browses comic book short rows at Campus Comic’s Mini Con III on Saturday, Sept. 26, 2020, in Carbondale, IL. “This is the best kept shopping secret in Carbondale, I swear; and it’s not just Campus. Hemp n Stuff, Plaza Records, this whole shopping center is underrated,” Batteau said.

Photo of the Day: Campus Comic’s Mini-Con III

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
September 26, 2020
Cody Stanton of Hemp-N-Stuff displays several glassware pieces for customers on Tuesday, Sept. 22, 2020 in Carbondale, ILL. Hemp-N-Stuff is a brand new smoke shop in Carbondale IL. It is family owned and operated by the Stantons. They do monthly giveaways for their customers and have a variety of products including glassware, pipes, cleaning materials, and more. You can find them at 828 East Main Street, Suite A, every week Monday - Friday 9am - 8pm, on Saturdays from 10am - 8pm, and Sundays from 12pm - 8pm. “We’ve been open for a bit and we have a decent customer base. Some days it’s busier than others but I think COVID has a lot of impact on that,” said Stanton.

Photo of the Day: New smoke shop opens in Carbondale, IL

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
September 22, 2020
Owner of Sam’s Cafe, Yaser Ibrahim, welcomes customers to his restaurant Thursday, September 17, 2020 in Carbondale, Illinois. Ibrahim has been in business for 29 years. “It’s just not the same anymore ... Carbondale, you know. I used to get airline tickets. My friends would say, ‘Where are you going.’ I’d say, ‘Carbondale,’ and they would say ‘Oh, O.K.’ Now I say ‘Carbondale and they say ‘where,” Ibrahim said.

Photo of the Day: Sam’s Cafe

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
September 17, 2020
Located at 606 South Illinois Avenue, Slabz is a brand-new skate shop in Carbondale and is the newest edition the strip has to offer. They offer a variety of services and products related to the skating hobby, big smiles, and friendly advice. Owner of Slabz, Austin Sears (pictured) is an avid skating enthusiast experienced with skateboard repairs and modifications. Slabz offers their services Monday-Friday from 10am-6pm, and on Saturdays from 10am-2pm. Sept. 9, 2020.

Photo of the Day: Slabz skate shop opens in Carbondale

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
September 14, 2020
Bilal Houmadi is cooking up hotdogs, italian beef, steak burgers and more food truck style meals over on East Grand Avenue right here in Carbondale! Bilal operates his food truck with his family in addition to pursuing his own artistic endeavors which can be found on Instagram @bilalthecreator Aug. 26, 2020.

Photo of the Day: Food Trucks and Art

By James Allen, Staff Photographer
August 26, 2020
Load More Stories