Daily Egyptian

Bite out of nature

Evan Fait � Daily Egyptian

Gabriel Garcia, a senior from Chicago studying geography and environmental resources, purchases produce Wednesday from the Logic Cam-pus Market in front of Faner Hall. Logic is a Registered Student Organization that focuses on growing organic food and educating students about organic habits. Logic partners with University Farms to help people understand and change local food practices. The market provides students with easy access to organic food at a reasonable price. The market is open from 12 to 4 p.m. every Wednesday in front of Faner and the Agriculture Building.

O’Guinn releases statementFormer Police Chief Jody O’Guinn

released a statement Wednesday explaining the circumstances of his firing.

O’Guinn said he does not know the reason Carbondale City Manager Kevin Baity fired him. Baity described the justification of his termination as a “confidential matter,” in a press release Monday. He also said it had nothing to do with recent litigation or the ongoing investigation of several high-profile cases.

O’Guinn served as chief of police since 2009.

The full statement from O’Guinn:On Monday, August 18, 2014, I was

called into the office of the Carbondale City Manager, Kevin Baity. Mr. Baity presented me with a letter of resignation and requested that I sign it. I declined to sign the letter, and Mr. Baity informed me that he was terminating me immediately. I was given no statement of reasons for this decision, other than my “car wasn’t seen at headquarters enough in the last thirty days”

and that the “City needs to move in a different direction.” Obviously, off-site meetings, vacation time, flex time, community meetings and appointments, as well as performing traffic stops and other police related activity, can frequently cause one’s vehicle to not be at headquarters. I have, of course, read the press release issued by the City of Carbondale that refers to issues that are “confidential” in nature as to the reasons for my dismissal, without further explanation.

Sarah GardnerDaily Egyptian

Please see O’GUINN · 2

Retention targeted by task force

Nearly 40 percent of students who attended their first year in 2012 didn’t return for a second year, according to the university fact book.

As retention remains a continual issue on campus, a task force is implementing new initiatives in the hopes to improve those numbers.

Laurie Achenbach, dean of the College of Science, said a retention task force of about 65 faculty, staff, students and administrators that was formed last year is executing a plan to keep students at the university.

Less than 25 percent of students graduated within four years in 2007, and less than 45 percent graduated within six years.

The group is instituting several ideas to its plan, such as arranging blocked schedules and expanding early alert systems.

This semester, the task force initiated the block schedule for three majors on campus, biological sciences, psychology and criminal justice, so students can take three of their four required courses together. She said the three majors were chosen because students in these majors must all take a certain number of the same classes to graduate.

“They see each other almost everyday. It really builds a community right from the start,” Achenbach said. “It’s not only addressing their curricular needs, but also their social needs.”

For example, all students majoring in biological sciences are required to take an intro to biology and chemistry, so assigning them to the same class is “almost like a group of friends going to class together,” she said.

The task force is also expanding the early alert system from entry-level math courses to UCOL and speech communication. The system allows professors and advisers to see how students are doing in specific courses by week three, grading them by colors of green, orange, yellow or red.

“This is an initiative that I think is going to change the way that instructors and students will see how they’re doing very early in a semester,” Achenbach said. “If a student is in red for all their courses, they may need some more intensive mentoring.”

Gregory Budzban, chair of the mathematics department, said the warning system allows professors to direct students in specific support systems needed. He said students also are tested through the system in week eight and 12 of the course.

“It’s got to be late enough so you have reliable data but it’s got to be early enough so you actually have a chance to improve student success,” Budzban said.

The warning system, tested for the first time in fall 2013, compiles grades from a test taken at the beginning of a course, analyses how well a student is doing throughout the semester and evaluates homework grades and attendance.

Luke NozickaDaily Egyptain

Please see RETENTION · 2

CHAMPAIGN — Weeks after calling for a study of the potential for increased service along Amtrak’s Chicago-to-Carbondale route, U.S. Sen. Dick Durbin is holding a hearing today in Champaign on freight-train interference along the corridor.

The meeting between Surface Transportation Board Chairman Dan Elliott, Amtrak board member Tom Carper and local officials is scheduled for 3 p.m. at the Illinois Terminal in downtown Champaign. The Illinois Terminal is the local Amtrak station.

Elliott is meeting with communities throughout Illinois at Durbin’s urging. Today’s meeting will focus on concerns associated with freight-train interference and rail delays that have made Amtrak’s Chicago-to-Carbondale route, along Canadian National Railroad tracks, the most delayed route of its kind in the nation.

In a July 31 letter to Elliott, Durbin wrote, “I also encourage you to visit Illinois to investigate ways the STB can take a more active role in improving the on-time performance (OTP) for Amtrak trains. Amtrak OTP has suffered significantly this fiscal year along all lines, but none worse than the Chicago-Champaign-Carbondale route owned and operated by CN. The Illini and Saluki trains are consistently delayed by freight trains, resulting in trains arriving on-time only 54 percent of the time this fiscal year, including one scheduled train arriving on-time only 34 percent of the time.”

Durbin called the delays “unacceptable,” and said they deserved the board’s “immediate attention and action.”

“Amtrak recently filed an updated petition with the STB citing CN’s obstructions and delays that resulted in the dismal OTP for Amtrak passenger trains. I strongly encourage

you to visit Illinois to investigate this matter further and use your authority under the 2008 Amtrak Reauthorization law I promoted to enforce OTP standards when a railroad, like CN, fails to keep passenger trains on-time at least 80 percent of the time.”

Amtrak’s monthly report for June showed that Illini and Saluki trains were on time 63.3 percent of the time that month, down from 81.7 a year earlier.

For the year so far, on-time performance has been 54.8 percent, a drop from last year’s 76.4.

Freight and passenger train interference were cited as the main reasons for the delays on the corridor, which is primarily a single-track route.

Earlier this summer, Dur-bin sent a letter to CN president and CEO Claude Mongeau, urging him to address traffic and safety issues on CN routes in Illinois.

Tom KacichThe News-Gazette

Durbin holding hearing on Amtrak route

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2014 VOLUME 98 ISSUE 86

DESince 1916

Daily Egyptian

2 Thursday, augusT 21, 2014

I have absolutely no idea what matters Mr. Baity is referring to. To the extent that Mr. Baity’s press release suggests otherwise, I totally and categorically deny that I engaged in any acts that did anything other than reflect my total loyalty to the City of Carbondale while I was serving as its Chief of Police. I further state that I engaged in no acts of unethical, unprofessional, or immoral behavior, and to the extent that Mr. Baity’s press release suggests otherwise, I deny the accusation.

I began service as the Carbondale Chief of Police in 2009. At the time I began service for the City of Carbondale, Brad Cole was the Mayor and Allen Gill was the City Manager. I was reviewed every year by City Manager Gill and received glowing reviews. Since Mr. Baity took over as City Manager I have never received a performance review from him. Communication from his office has been sporadic, at best. To this date, the only feedback that I received from Mr. Baity about my performance was his terse and confusing statements to me on August 18th and in his subsequent press release.

I am aware, of course, that there have been several high profile cases that have occurred during my tenure. The media has constantly sought information from my office, and there was some, limited, information that could be supplied to the media and the family members of the victims and to the public at large. I was given a verbal directive by Mr. Baity and the Jackson County States Attorney that I was to not to talk to the media about these cases. Mr. Baity informed me that he would take responsibility for all media activity as to those cases. Mr. Baity’s regular practice, however, was to offer a “no comment.” In many instances this left the victim’s family and friends as well as many Carbondale citizens frustrated. It appears that a disproportionate amount of this frustration was directed at my office.

I would like to speak directly to the Young and Varughese families. The details in your cases were never obfuscated in an attempt to cover up negligence or malfeasance. In fact, the Carbondale Police Department, under my direction, was one of the most transparent agencies in the state. Unfortunately, the law enforcement community is limited by law in what we are allowed to say about ongoing investigations. In the case of Molly

Young, we immediately referred the incident to the Illinois State Police to ensure an unbiased investigation. And in the case of Pravin Varughese, Pravin was reported missing 21 hours after he disappeared. The Carbondale Police Department took every possible action to find Pravin as soon as we were notified. I have children of my own, and my heart has broken for the loss of yours.

I have served in law enforcement all of my professional life, and I hope to continue to serve in some further capacity in law enforcement. I sincerely wish the residents of the City of Carbondale well. I have enjoyed my time working in Carbondale. Over my years of service, I have learned that when you receive a command from a superior you obey that command and do your best to implement it, whether you personally agree with or not. You do not debate it with others or act in a way that conveys your displeasure with your superior. I do not consider myself to be a person highly proficient in media relations, but I felt compelled to issue this press release to protect my reputation.

Thank you,Jody O’Guinn

O’GUINNCONTINUED FROM 1

Achenbach was appointed head of the task force after Allan Karnes, then-associate dean of the College of Business, retired. She said block scheduling may expand to other majors depending on the results.

Teresa Farnum, who owns a consulting company, will meet with task force members in September to

access retention actions on campus.“The goal obviously is to increase our retention rates

immediately,” Achenbach said. “By December, we hope to see an increase in retention, especially in some of the core freshman courses.”

Luke Nozicka can be reached at [email protected] or on Twitter @lukenozicka.

RETENTIONCONTINUED FROM 1

Cohort

Headcount

Graduated

within 4 years

Graduated

within 5 years

Graduated

within 6 years

Continued to

7th year

Entering

Fall Semester

2006

2007

2008

2009

2010

2011

2012

2,220

2,486

2,553

2,321

2,198

2,304

2,243

26.4%

23.4%

24.5%

26.1%

42.9%

39.3%

40.1%

6.8%

7.1%

5.8%

1.5%

1.9%

These numbers are not yet listed on the 2013 - 2014 Fact Book.

Thursday, augusT 21, 2014 3

01-2021-50More than 50

Russia: 56

United States: 5

Algeria: 60

Iraq: 165Syria: 65

Philippines: 76

Pakistan: 54

Somalia: 52

1020304050607080

·��·��·��·��·��·��·��·��·��·��·��

Political groups

Military

Government/Police

Criminals

Paramilitary groups

Local residents

Mob violence

Unknown

29.4%

18.0

17.0

9.3

5.5

1.7

1.1

17.7

�� 31

Since 1992, when the Committee to Protect Journalists started tracking murders, 1,070 journalists have been killed in connection with their work, either being specifically targeted or taking fire while working in a dangerous area.

Source: Committee to Protect JournalistsGraphic: Tyler Davis ��0&7

Journalists killed in action

Number of journalists killed annually Groups responsible for killing journalists

Journalists killed by countrySince 1992

4 Thursday, August 21, 2014

Pot war erupts in California resort areaJoe MozingoLos Angeles Times

(MCT)CLEARLAKE, Calif.-

Transients hole up in the old

cottage resorts where vacationing

families once came to fish and

swim. Rotted docks and pier pil-

ings litter the lake’s shoreline.

Much of this city, in fact, and

others nearby in Lake County,

looks as if it was plucked from

Appalachia _ with weeds and

unpaved streets, stray dogs and

backyard marijuana crops.

But across the water in the

county seat of Lakeport, civic and

business leaders talk of bringing

back tourism, of planting more

vineyards instead of weed.

They are tired of the hot Au-

gust stink, when every neighbor-

hood patch is in full bloom. They

are tired of the thuggish out-of-

towners, the stream diversions

and the violent crime.

Last year, residents success-

fully pushed county supervisors

to ban marijuana growing on par-

cels smaller than an acre and lim-

it most rural spreads to six plants.

Pot growers organized and

forced a June ballot referendum

to rescind the law, losing by fewer

than 500 votes out of 15,000 cast.

Now those who hope to pre-

serve marijuana cultivation are

taking their case to the voters

again _ in the form of competing

initiatives.

A coalition of growers and

activists is pushing a plan that it

says would promote reasonable,

regulated and limited growing of

medical cannabis. Hippie grower

Ron Kiczenski says their measure

would ensure that a few estab-

lished farmers dominate, keeping

prices high and most residents

out of the market. His proposal

would establish marijuana grow-

ing as a human right.

And opponents of both are

gearing up for battle. In this for-

gotten place of both stunning

beauty and deep-set poverty,

between Mendocino and Napa

counties, residents in November

will sort out an existential crisis

at the ballot box.

Michael Horner has the

smooth pitch of the medical

cannabis movement: no stoner

chuckle and no cough. His hair

is gelled into a fashionable peak

and his beard is trimmed.

Sitting among the pines in his

backyard on Boggs Mountain, the

marijuana activist explains the

initiative his group, the Emerald

Unity Coalition, is pushing.

By making it legal to grow

up to 48 plants in Lake County,

he says, the measure is about

responsibility, environmental

friendliness, patients and access

to safe, clean medicine. It is not

about money.

The former mortgage broker

points into the trees. He says

there are 70 vacant lots in his

neighborhood.

“You can buy one of those lots

for $5,000 and grow marijuana

on it,” he says. “I know at least

five back there that are.” No per-

mits, no legal water source and

no inspections.

Under his group’s initiative,

the 42-year-old says, a marijuana

enforcement division would keep

growers in line. But for every

bad actor in the industry in Lake

County, “there’s 10 patient-farm-

ers who want to be compliant and

legal and good stewards of the

environment and community.”

Speaking to a reporter about

Horner later that evening, an op-

ponent asks: “Did he show you

his ankle bracelet?”

It turns out that Horner, who

acknowledges that he abused al-

cohol and meth until sobering up

10 years ago, served time for in-

decent exposure and fleeing a po-

lice officer. After being targeted

by the sheriff last year in a raid,

he was convicted of possessing

anabolic steroids.

He wears an ankle monitor.

Horner’s bail bondsman is

Rob Brown _ a buffalo rancher,

bounty hunter, foster parent and

high school wrestling coach.

He is also the county supervisor

leading the effort to push out the

marijuana industry.

At 54, Brown is a third-gen-

eration Lake County resident. He

is built like a shot-putter, looking

and talking much less like a poli-

tician than a guy you wouldn’t

want to skip bail on.

“It’s not the marijuana, it’s

the culture that comes with it,”

Brown says, sitting in his county

office. “It’s the culture of 20- and

30-somethings that want to come

up here because they’re too damn

lazy to work. They want to smoke

their weed and make their money

and not have to work.”

He leans libertarian. If he

had cancer and thought mari-

juana would make him feel bet-

ter, he would use it. And the

current law allows that.

But he doesn’t want people

coming here “destroying the

county to grow a thousand plants

to take to L.A.”

His cellphone goes off _ its

ring tone a police siren.

He answers it on speaker

phone. “What?” he barks.

“I can’t believe I’m in here

again,” a young man’s voice says.

“I can’t either, what’s that,

about five times this month? ...

Call me back in an hour.”

Brown hangs up.

“He’s a grower,” he explains.

“But he’s also a cranker (meth

user). That’s the thing. There

used to be the day you’d have

the weed people and you had

the speed people. Not any more.

The lines have blurred. They’re

selling weed to buy speed. And

they’re doing speed to stay up all

night and guard their weed.”

With a salt-and-pepper

beard to his sternum, the

maverick in the Lake County

marijuana war believes weed

is an inalienable right.

Kiczenski’s ballot initiative is

grandly called The Freedom to

Grow Plants, Human Rights Res-

toration Act of 2014, and it would

allow anyone to grow any plant

for their own use _ including, as

his opponents note, coca leaves

and opium poppies.

But by limiting people with

less than an acre to four plants,

Kiczenski says, Horner’s measure

would keep most of Lake County

out of the market. He says that is

the path to the corporate takeover

of marijuana.

K i c z e n s k i s a y s t h e r i g h t -

t o - g r o w i n i t i a t i v e i s t h e

n e x t e p i c b a t t l e .

“What are people supposed to

do up here?” he asks. “There’s no

work. Half the people grow.”

County leaders, he says,

“want to create a different de-

mographic. If they could, they’d

just bulldoze this place to get rid

of us and make it look like Napa

County.”

“Where are we supposed to go?

:H·UH�OLNH�DQ�LVODQG�RI�PLVÀWV�µ

Editor-in-Chief:

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About UsThe Daily Egyptian is published by the students of

Southern Illinois University Carbondale 50 weeks per year, with an average daily circulation of 15,000. Fall and spring semester editions run Monday through Thursday. Summer editions run Tuesday through Thursday. All intersession editions run on Wednesdays. Free copies are distributed in the Carbondale and Carterville communities. The Daily Egyptian online publication can be found at www.dailyegyptian.com.

Phone: (618) 536-3311Fax: (618) 453-3248

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Editorial PolicyOur Word is the consensus of the Daily Egyptian

Editorial Board on local, national and global issues affecting the Southern Illinois University community. Viewpoints expressed in columns and letters to the editor do not necessarily reflect those of the Daily Egyptian.

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Contact Us

Collin Rohs, ext. 240

Chris Dorris, ext. 223

Natalie Bartels

Jerry Bush, ext. 229

Eric Fidler, ext. 247

Blake Mulholland, ext. 241

Aug. 20 — Some of the dry straw feeding the fires of outrage in Ferguson, Mo., is the suspicion — the fear, the certainty — that police just aren’t very good at investigating alleged misdeeds of their own.

Under ordinary circumstances, police officials are at least grudgingly transparent, sharing information that doesn’t compromise their investigation. What are the basic facts? How do they jibe with what witnesses are telling authorities? What’s the next step and when can we expect it?

But when an officer’s conduct comes under fire, they tend to go all opaque.

In Ferguson, it took six days for the public to learn a fundamental detail: the name of the police officer who fired the shots that killed Michael Brown during an altercation on a residential street Aug. 9. And at this writing, we’ve yet to hear a comprehensive account of the officer’s version of events to contrast them with the version told by other witnesses.

“When people don’t get information, oftentimes they’ll make up their own,” said U.S. Rep. Danny Davis, D-Ill. “Rumors get started, eight or 10 versions of events start going around and the mistrust of police increases.”

I contacted Davis to talk to him not just about Ferguson but also about his recent call for Chicago police Cmdr. Glenn Evans to be reassigned pending the conclusion of an investigation into a brutality allegation against him.

That allegation, as chronicled in a recent series of reports by WBEZ-FM reporter Chip Mitchell, is that in January 2013, Evans helped chase down a man believed to be carrying a gun, then placed the barrel of his service revolver into the man’s mouth to threaten him as he was being restrained.

An Illinois State Police crime lab report from April, posted online, shows that DNA swabbed from Evans’ gun matched the DNA of the arrested man, who is now 24 and being held on other charges at the Pontiac Correctional Center.

Evans is in charge of the Harrison District, a high-crime area on the West Side represented by Davis.

Evans is also, as Davis noted, “at the top of the list” of Chicago police officers with multiple excessive force complaints against them from 1988 to 2008. Davis based that observation on a report compiled for the People’s Law Office by the late Steven Whitman, Chicago’s former chief epidemiologist and the director of the Urban Health Institute at Mount Sinai Medical Center.

The city’s Independent Police Review Authority reportedly reviewed the gun-in-mouth allegation, recommended that Evans be relieved of his police powers pending resolution of the complaint and forwarded its findings to Cook County State’s Attorney Anita Alvarez for possible criminal charges.

I use the word “reportedly” because, when I presented the police, the review agency and the prosecutor’s office with Mitchell’s detailed narrative and asked for comment

or clarification, each agency declined to confirm or deny even the most plain factual assertions on grounds that the investigation is still open.

Evans is “under investigation,” Mayor Rahm Emanuel said at a press availability last Thursday. “When (police Superintendent) Garry McCarthy makes a recommendation and a conclusion, then I will be involved.”

Through an underling, Evans declined comment.

Police spokesman Martin Maloney added, “Throughout his career, Cmdr. Glenn Evans has reduced crime and violence for the communities he has served.”

People’s Law Office founding partner Flint Taylor, who often represents plaintiffs in police brutality suits but is not involved in this story, said he isn’t surprised by the near blackout. The Chicago Police “Department gives lip service to the ideals of transparency,” he said. “But a big story like this comes along, and (it makes) it almost impossible to get information.”

Closing ranks behind the oft-promoted Evans, Taylor said, “sends the message to other coppers that if your statistics are good, that’s all that matters.”

“Let people know what has occurred,” said Davis, speaking of the Evans case. “Let them know how the department is dealing with it. Provide assurances. Secrecy doesn’t breed respect for law enforcement.”

And respect for law enforcement — trust, confidence — is the dousing rain that too often doesn’t fall on our most troubled communities.

Police build mistrust when they hide factsEric ZornChicago Tribune

Editorial Cartoon

The smell of funnel cake creeps over the land, attracting people far and wide. Engines growl as demolition derby cars smash into each other with violent force. Screams echo as people spin in every direction on their conquest for thrill and adrenaline.

There is only one setting that this describes. The annual Du Quoin State Fair has finally made its way back to southern Illinois, and this year provides a wide assortment of activities for attendants to partake in.

The fair will run from Aug. 22 to Sept. 1 and is located on 750 acres in Du Quoin off of U.S. Highway 51 North.

This guide will provide a rundown of some of the major events taking place at this year’s fair.

Free music will be available to enjoy at the Beer Tent and Free Entertainment Tent. The fair will also hold various agricultural expos throughout the duration and plenty of motor sports. As always, various food vendors will be set up throughout the grounds as well as carnival rides for those of you who are thrill-seekers.

The Grandstand will play host to the biggest musical acts and events the fair has to offer. Below is a list of Grandstand concerts and events with correlating dates of occurrence and ticket prices.

Tickets can be purchased at the ticket office on site or by phone. The office will be open from 10 a.m. to 9 p.m. everyday during the fair. To contact the office for phone payments, call 618-542-1515.

For more information visit the Illinois Department of Agriculture website.

Pulse

Derrek Humphrey, of Sturgis, Ky., takes a break Wednesday from setting up a carnival ride at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. Humphrey has earned the nickname ‘Monkey’ because he

climbs on top of rides. The Du Quoin State Fair starts Aug. 22 with the theme “Love a Fair: Since 1923.”

Guide to this year’s Du Quoin State FairKyle SuttonDaily Egyptian

Harness Racing Aug. 22/7:00 p.m.Tickets: FreeHarness Racing Aug. 23/NoonTickets: FreeForeigner Aug. 23/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $30/$25Harness Racing Aug. 24/NoonTickets: FreeKenny Rogers Aug. 24/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $30/$25Travis Tritt Aug. 25/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $30/$25The Jon Henninger Band Aug. 26/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $10USA Championship Wrestling

Aug. 27/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $20/$10.38 Special Aug. 28/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $30Rodney AtkinsAug. 29/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $30/$25KC & The Sunshine Band Aug. 30/7:30 p.m.Tickets: $30USAC Car RacingAug. 31/8 p.m.Tickets: $30ARCA Car Racing Sept. 1/12:15 p.m.Tickets: $30Nico & the Gringos Sept. 1/7 p.m.Free

Kyle Sutton can be reached at [email protected],

on Twitter @KyleSutton_DE, or at 536-3311 ext. 273

Follow your pulse writer on twitter @kylesutton_De

THURSDAY, AUGUST 21, 2014 7

Ian Mullen � DaIly egyptIan

Derrek Humphrey, of Sturgis, Ky., takes a break Wednesday from setting up a carnival ride at the Du Quoin State Fairgrounds. Humphrey has earned the nickname ‘Monkey’ because he

climbs on top of rides. The Du Quoin State Fair starts Aug. 22 with the theme “Love a Fair: Since 1923.”

Guide to this year’s Du Quoin State Fair


Chase MyersDaily Egyptian

Chicago’s The Heard talk funk, venues, balance and new material

Based in Chicago and playing at venues such as the Congress Theater and Metro, funk band The Heard has been combin-ing early funkadelic styles and upbeat jams for several years.

The group consists of a horn section, including Adam Gross on trombone, Parris Fleming on trumpet and Lucas Ellman on saxophone. There’s also Taras Ho-ralewskyj on guitar, Neal O’Hara on keyboard, bassist Mike Starr and drummer P.J. Howard.

The band is scheduled to perform at Hangar 9 this Friday

night, and the Daily Egyptian had the opportunity to talk to the band before its stop in Carbondale.

How did you guys come together and decide you were going to play funk music?

A few years ago, Taras (our guitar player), found a funk nugget in his pocket. He planted it in the back yard, watered it vigorously and out sprouted The Heard.

How does it feel to step on stage at historical Chicago venues?

Playing the stage at Congress Theater was a rush because it felt like the place was going to col-lapse at any moment.

How does the crowd re-sponse in Carbondale or

southern Illinois differ from the Chicago crowd?

It’s always fun playing in our home city, but we really like playing Hanger 9 in Carbondale because the crowds warm up really quickly and just have this great energy that we love.

How would you describe your sound to someone unfa-miliar with funk?

Take a look at some James Brown circa 1974 or Parlia-ment from the same era. That’s where I would start before going deeper.

What does the word funk mean to you?

Horatio Sans.Sometimes when a band in-

cludes a horn section, it’s hard to balance sound between the horns

and rhythm sections. How do you guys blend your sound and interact with each other on stage in order to find that balance?

Balance comes from being patient, respecting space and striving to be tasteful, even though those things can all end up taking on different meanings depending on what is happening during a given performance and where the energy level is. The majority of it comes from mak-ing sure our parts all fit together to achieve what we want out of the big picture when we are writ-ing. We play so much together as a band performing and rehears-ing that you just start to develop a sense of what feels right.

Do you have any new music in the works?

We’ve got lots of new music in the works, which we’re excited about. In December we’re go-ing to be in California record-ing with Sergio Rios of Orgone (band), and the game plan head-ing into that is to have an album’s worth of brand new material.

Local band Soul Census will open the show at 10 p.m. Friday and The Heard will follow. Cover for the 19-and-up show is $5.

Other upcoming performanc-es for The Heard include The Boulevard Festival in Chicago this Sunday and the Bear Creek Music and Arts Festival in Live Oak, Fla. in November.

Chase Myers can be reached at [email protected],

or on Twitter @chasemyers_DE

Q&A

The Mudsills: Bringing the Blues Through Southern Illinois

When describing the blues genre of music, musical legend B.B King once said, “The Blues? It’s the mother of American music. That’s what it is – the source.” Music today likes to incorporate small pieces of the blues style like scales and note progressions, but tends to over-look the roots of traditional music.

One band that remains true to the authentic blues sound of Mississippi while incorporating its own flavor is Carbondale’s own Mudsills. Since the band’s formation in early 2012 by vocal-ist and slide guitarist Alex Kirt, harmon-ica and guitar player Billy Dan Langley,

Danny Goett (former guitarist), bassist Mike Alderfer and drummer Cody Beckman, the Mudsills have been bless-ing southern Illinois with its traditional Blues style.

Kirt said the musical community in Carbondale is very closely knit.

“We all met here in Carbondale at various times in various nightclubs,” vo-calist Alex Kirt said. “We all know each other. Most of us end up playing music together eventually for a time.”

The band has recently parted ways with its good friend Danny Goett, who used to play lead guitar in the band until he left for Colorado in June, Kirt said. Langley has been playing guitar on some songs as well as harmonica. In the past, he had exclusively been a har-monica player for the band.

They have played in various musical

combinations over the years so it is easy for them to make magic on stage, even if a member cannot make it. However, when the whole team is together, you hear the Mudsills in its purest form, Kirt said.

“When we’re all able to make it to the gig, we have a ton of fun and our songs go in some really interesting plac-es,” he said.

“We use a foundation of traditional blues songs played in the Mississippi hill country style,” Kirt said. “We simply use those songs as the foundation, building on it and inventing new sounds each time we play.”

Kirt said the first show the band played was completely improvised with no official rehearsal.

You’re bound to hear some-thing completely new and differ-ent at each show, Kirt said.

“Nobody is telling anyone else how to play or what to play,” he said. “We just get together and play music with each other.”

The blues is appropriately named. It represents a struggle and a voice. It’s used as a way of conveying an emotion-al story or moment in time. Life doesn’t follow a schedule or a form, and the music the Mudsills play represents that unexpected journey.

Kirt said the band reflects influence from big names in country blues like Robert Belfour, R.L. Burnside and the grooves of Tom Waits, as well as the blues era of The Rolling Stones in the late 1960s.

Most of the Mudsills’ influence de-rives from artists with little technical skill, but immense improvisational tal-ent, he said. “They are raw, gritty, rural,

and gushing with a certain something that seems to be a mixture of tension, struggle, brutal honesty, and an affinity for rebellion and lawlessness.”

The band plays a large number of shows in the Carbondale area and has always drawn a crowd. “Carbondale is as good as it gets for enthusiastic crowds who love to listen to live music being performed by small-time, unknown, independent bands” Kirt said. “They often make us feel like an important part of the local culture.”

The Mudsills will bring the blues to Tres Hombres Mexican Restaurant and Bar on Friday night. The Transcenden-tal Cowboys will open the show.

Chase Myers can be reached at [email protected],

or on Twitter @chasemyers_DE

Chase MeyersDaily Egyptian

Thursday, augusT 21, 2014 9

To get the advantage, check the day’s rating: 10 is the easiest day, 0 the most challenging.

Today’s Birthday (08/21/14). Your personal power expands this year, with Jupiter, Mercury, Venus and the

Sun in your sign. Shake ups at work this October reveal new options. Direct your talents at home and with family until 12/23, then an intriguing game tempts you to play... it could get romantic. Springtime could see changes around family money and communications. Nurture compassion.

Aries (March 21-April 19) Today is an 8 — Words travel

farther with wider impact today. Take notes, record, and issue media releases. Home duties call today and tomorrow. Discipline is required, and experience useful. Invest time and love into a family project.

Taurus (April 20-May 20)Today is an 8 — With discipline,

your message travels farther than you imagined. You’re especially persuasive. Convince your partner first. You have extra resources for a household project. Important people speak well of you. Listen to family advice.

Gemini (May 21-June 20)

Today is a 9 — A careful work-related investment may be necessary. Networking unveils connections that prove profitable in the long run. Have conversations for what you want to make happen, and solutions abound. Keep your word.

Cancer (June 21-July 22)Today is a 9 — Accept a challenge

if it pays well. Send information to those who need it. Set up a meeting with colleagues, and find ways to work smarter. Replace something before it breaks. Your influence expands.

Leo (July 23-Aug. 22)Today is an 8 — Keep practicing

a game you know well. Someone older offers a partnership. Don’t go into debt in a moment of passion. Spend responsibly. Consider long-term plans. Call home if you’ll be late.

Virgo (Aug. 23-Sept. 22)Today is an 8 — New

responsibilities lead to changes at home. Discover new respect for your

ancestors. Compare bids and explore your options before making household purchases. Talk over your big picture strategy with dear friends.

Libra (Sept. 23-Oct. 22)Today is an 8 — Communications

go the distance today. Issue statements and data. Marketing and business promotions boost your clout. Friends offer good advice. Use your self-discipline. Set priorities. Sort through the pile yourself, and clear clutter.

Scorpio (Oct. 23-Nov. 21)Today is a 9 — Talk to long-

distance connections. Plan an adventure, and include interesting companions. Don’t take cash flow for granted. Craft a project that benefits others. Friends provide the information you need. Think about all the angles.

Sagittarius (Nov. 22-Dec. 21)Today is an 8 — Rest up for

the coming challenge. Get answers in private. Identify the major barrier. You have the innate power to do this. Take

new territory. It’s easier than it looks. Be flexible, without capitulation.

Capricorn (Dec. 22-Jan. 19)Today is a 9 — Persuade partners

with facts and confidence. Keep good records. Make sure you know what’s required. Send in applications and sign contracts. Your words go farther than expected; say something positive. Listen for the gold.

Aquarius (Jan. 20-Feb. 18)Today is a 9 — Your intention

could get thwarted. Share all feedback with your partners. Relax with cool drinks and release frustration. Friends offer good advice. Look for what was missing and provide it. Get back on the horse.

Pisces (Feb. 19-March 20)Today is an 8 — Listen to all

considerations before choosing your next actions. Practice creative talents. Talk it over. Get rid of stuff you don’t need. Strengthen your infrastructure. Align your deeds and purchases with your ethics.


SOLUTION TO WEDNESDAY’S PUZZLE

Complete the gridso each row, column and 3-by-3 box(in bold borders)contains everydigit, 1 to 9. For strategies onhow to solveSudoku, visitwww.sudoku.org.uk

© 2014 The Mepham Group. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency. All rights reserved.

8/21/14

Level: 1 2 3 4

<< Answers for WednesdayComplete the grid so each row, column and 3-by-3 box (in bold borders) contains every digit, 1 to 9. For strategies on how to solve Sudoku, visit www.sudoku.org.uk

207 West Main StreetCarbondale, IL 62901Ph. 1-800-297-2160 Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

FOR RELEASE AUGUST 21, 2014

ACROSS1 Travelocity user’s

request6 Get too personal9 Prepare a

spread for14 Word after open,

in retail15 Duvall’s role in

“Gods andGenerals”

16 Rap sheet entry17 Tarot card

representingunion

19 Hobbles20 Wind that can be

controlled21 Chowed down22 Prairie home23 Fertility lab

supply24 Brightening near

a sunspot26 Genre that

evolved from ska29 Spanish article30 Wordless okay31 __ preview32 Leveling piece34 Spruce cousins35 Mixer?38 Auto club

amenities41 Work for42 See 5-Down46 Mountain ending47 Inclined48 Pantomime49 Ingredient that

mimics the flavorof an ediblefungus

53 Citi Field player54 Set of devotional

prayers55 Genetic stuff56 React to yeast57 Time piece?58 Checkers’

speech? (orwhat are hiddenin 17-, 24-, 35-and 49-Across)

60 Nickel and dime61 Lennon’s love62 Swindler63 Cut drastically64 Youngster65 Low cards

DOWN1 King and Queen2 Meshed together

3 Place to putthings

4 Beast in theRoyal Arms ofEngland

5 42-Across helper6 Second-most-

massive dwarfplanet

7 Force back8 __-man9 Symbols seen in

viola music10 “The Tempest”

spirit11 Percussion

instruments12 Beethoven’s last

piano concerto,familiarly, with“the”

13 Deals with apatchy lawn

18 Trumpetprotector

22 __ steamer25 Stranger27 Yaks28 Letters in a

dossier32 Do lutzes, say33 The Beatles’

“And I Love __”34 Host of some off-

campus parties

36 Weddinginvitation request

37 “Abort!” key38 Poet’s art39 Spray40 Frederick the

Great’s realm43 Party choice44 Time associated

with gracefulchildren

45 Swears (to)

47 From thebeginning

48 “That’s ashame!”

50 Mythical goat-men

51 Academic Mainetown

52 Gold brick56 Oberhausen’s

region58 Period, for one59 Autumn mo.

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

By Mark Feldman 8/21/14

(c)2014 Tribune Content Agency, LLC 8/21/1408/20/14

Wednesday’s Answers08/21/14

The LeBron James sweepstakes dominated the sports headlines for much of the summer. As in 2010, James kept fans on edge about where he would play next.

In 2010, he left the Cleveland Cavaliers for the Miami Heat. Hopefully his ticket from Cleveland to Miami was round trip, as the two-time NBA champion returned to his home state in July.

James makes any team he joins a contender for the NBA title, as we saw with the Cavaliers when he first broke into the league. He managed to lead a team that featured Anderson Varejao and Mo Williams as his sidekicks, to the NBA Finals; a feat that has not been replicated in Cleveland.

Cleveland fans are hoping for more than an appearance in the NBA Finals during James’ stint with the team. The Cavaliers made headlines again when they agreed, in principle, to trade for All-Star power forward Kevin Love earlier this month. They shipped the last two no. 1 overall picks in the NBA Draft (Andrew Wiggins and Anthony Bennett) to Minnesota as well as a 2015 first round pick.

Most people around the NBA believe James and Love, combined with former Rookie of the Year and NBA All-Star, Kyrie Irving, make the Cavaliers the team to beat in the East.

While the team boasts an impressive starting lineup, its bench still lacks a definitive scoring punch. After signing Shawn Marion earlier this week, the bench will be headlined by Marion, sharpshooter Mike Miller, and big man Tristan Thompson, the Cavalier’s 2013-2014 starter.

The starting lineup figures to be Irving-Dion Waiters-James-Love-Varejao. After Marion and Thompson, the rest of the bench couldn’t sniff another NBA starting lineup.

Does that sound like a championship team? No.

Especially with the Heat, Chicago Bulls and Washington

Wizards all nipping at Cleveland’s heels. Let’s take a look at these squads. I’ll save the Bulls for last, let’s start with the Heat.

After losing James, Miami retooled by resigning two-thirds of the former big three in Chris Bosh and Dwyane Wade. Miami also picked up swingmen Luol Deng and Josh McRoberts along with Danny Granger.

They are projected to go with Mario Chalmers-Wade-Deng-McRoberts-Bosh as a starting lineup. That is no team to laugh at but on the bench there is plenty of room for improvement. They will feature Norris Cole, Udonis Haslem and Chris Andersen.

Although this year’s Heat probably won’t play in a fifth straight Finals appearances, Miami should be near the top of the Eastern Conference standings.

My sleeper pick to win 50 games, the Washington Wizards, also had a nice offseason. The team defeated a depleted Bulls team in this year’s playoffs and improved by resigning Marcin Gortat and Drew Gooden. The Wizards also acquired Kris Humphries, via sign and trade, and future Hall of Famer Paul Pierce, though he is now 36.

With a talented starting lineup of John Wall-Bradley Beal-Pierce-Nene-Gortat, do not be surprised if the Wizards win more than just one series this postseason. The disappointing bench headlined by Humphries, Gooden and Andre Miller as well as defensive lapses will ultimately be the downfall of the team.

But now to the team that figures to challenge James the most, the Bulls. Perhaps the best news the Bulls had all offseason was hearing Derrick Rose has been tearing up competition with ferocity during Team USA practices and games. He continues to prepare for the International Basketball Federation, or FIBA, World Cup before the NBA season starts in late October.

Chicago, after striking out yet again on the biggest free agent,

Carmelo Anthony, enacted a solid backup plan that included signing four-time All-Star and two-time NBA champion Pau Gasol. Chicago also brought over former first round draft pick Nikola Mirotic from his professional team in Spain.

Mirotic, a highly touted prospect, is a 6-foot-10- inch forward from Yugoslavia with impressive three-point range and above average defense. He figures to come off the bench alongside first round draft pick and three-time NCAA All-American Doug McDermott.

This gives the Bulls a projected starting lineup of Rose-Jimmy

Butler-Mike Dunleavy-Gasol-Joakim Noah. While the starting lineup may be comparable to the Wizards and Heat in terms of talent, the bench is what sets the Bulls apart from those two teams.

They go 10 maybe 11, deep with the veterans like Taj Gibson, Kirk Hinrich, Aaron Brooks, Tony Snell and rookies McDermott and Mirotic. The Bulls received lucrative trade offers for Gibson, and Brooks and Hinrich were both courted by other teams during free agency.

It figures to be a crowded Eastern Conference, although last week ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith handed the East to Cleveland,

as have many analysts. I will go in a different direction and pick Chicago to represent the East. While the San Antonio Spurs and Oklahoma City Thunder will be tough to take down, in finals, this year’s Bulls team is the best Rose has had since being drafted in 2008.

Of course, Rose remains the biggest question mark of all. It seems the East will come down to whose return will be better? James’ return to Cleveland or Rose’s return to greatness?

Tyler Davis can be reached at [email protected] and

Twitter @TDavis_DE.


Tough campaign ahead for Saluki football

The Dawgs were ranked fifth by the coaches, media and sports information directors of the Missouri Valley Conference on July 29. The result surprised me, based on the offensive weapons the Salukis have, and the nine starters returning on defense.

However, after careful consideration the ranking makes some sense and is hardly anything to be upset about. SIU plays in a ridiculous conference. The MVC is basically the FCS’s version of the Southeastern Football Conference. There are four teams ranked above SIU in the MVC also ranked in the FCS top-25, the Dawgs received votes, but were left on the outside of the top-25 looking in.

On offense the Salukis will bring back senior All-American tight end MyCole Pruitt. Senior running back Malcom Agnew rushed

for 888 yards last season, and could seriously help boost the Saluki offense. The inclusion of speedy senior receiver Tay Willis can only help SIU’s offensive production.

On defense, the Dawgs will bring back senior linebackers Tyler Williamson and Jordan Poole, who combined return with 8 sacks, 2 interceptions and 119 tackles.

There seem to be two things hurting the Salukis with their ranking. The first is a question surrounding the quarterback.

SIU will have junior Mark Iannotti taking the snaps at quarterback and he is almost completely untested at the collegiate level. Iannotti transferred to SIU in the spring from Eastern Michigan University, where he only attempted one pass. Iannotti has played well in practice, but we’ll have to wait to see Iannotti in game action to get a grasp on how he is as a quarterback.

The other issue is the brutal MVC.The four schools ranked in front of

SIU are North Dakota State University, South Dakota State University, Northern

Iowa University and Youngstown State University. All four schools are ranked in the top-25, and three of them will return most of their starters from 2013.

North Dakota State is a no-brainer to sit on top of the MVC preseason poll.

The Bison haven’t lost a game since October 2012. They will lose their starting quarterback and running back from last season, but will bring back senior running back John Crockett who ran for 1,307 yards last season.

Junior quarterback Carson Wentz will fill the void left by Brock Jensen, NDSU’s three-year starter. Wentz appeared in 11 games last season for the Bison.

NDSU should be good and have a great chance to win not only the conference, but also the FCS for the fourth-straight time.

South Dakota State was picked second and they deserve that ranking as well.

On offense, the Jackrabbits return senior running back Zach Zenner, the nation’s second-best rusher. Zenner ran for 2,085 yards and added 23 touchdowns to his impressive yardage total.

On defense, the Jackrabbits lost Chase Douglas and Marshall Peugh who combined for 17 sacks last year. Junior defensive back Je Ryan Butler could be poised for a big year however. Butler recorded 4 interceptions last season as a sophomore.

After the two schools from Dakota in the MVC the talent level drops off a bit.

Northern Iowa was only 3-5 in the MVC last season, but will get most of its leading defensive players back in 2014.

The offense won’t blow anyone away though.

Northern Iowa will rely on its running game this season and senior running back David Johnson can try to carry the offense. Johnson will bring back 1,309 rushing yards and 10 touchdowns, but the passing game didn’t put up big numbers last year. The Panthers will be tested by even some of the lower ranked teams in the Valley.

SIU and fourth-place Youngstown State were separated by just three votes in the preseason poll, and its difficult to see why.

The Penguins return most of their offense including sophomore running back Martin Ruiz who posted an incredible 1,129 yards rushing and 15 touchdowns as a freshman.

Senior quarterback Kurt Hess will also be back, he passed for 22 touchdowns in 2013 and spreads the ball well to his receivers. Hess seems to do most of the work in the passing game though. 10 receivers caught touchdowns in 2013, but none of them managed to top 400 yards receiving.

Personally I think the Salukis should be ranked fourth, a few points behind NIU and well ahead of Youngstown State.

SIU’s weapons on offense should be enough to put them in fourth and into the preseason top-25, but the experts think differently.

Tony McDaniel can be reached at [email protected],

@tonymcdanielDE or at 536-3311 ext. 256

Cleveland CavaliersMiami Heat Chicago BullsWashington Wizards

PG 19.3 PPG, 8.8 APG & 4.1 RPG

SF13.5 PPG & 4.6 RPG

SG 17.1 PPG, 3.7 RPG & 3.3 APG

PF14.2 PPG & 5.5 RPG

C13.2 PPG & 9.5 RPG

John Wall

Bradley Beal

Paul Pierce

Nene

Marcin Gortat

Notable Bench Players:Wizards: DeJuan Blair, Drew

Gooden, Kris Humphries, Andre Miller

Notable Bench Players:Heat: Danny Granger, Norris

Cole, Shabazz Napier

Notable Bench Players:Bulls: Taj Gibson, Kirk

Hinrich, Tony Snell, Aaron Brooks, Nikola Mirotic, Doug

McDermott

Notable bench players: Cavs: Tristan Thompson, Shawn

Marion, Mike Miller

PG9.8 PPG & 4.9 APG

SG19 PPG, 4.7 APG & 4.5

RPG

SF16.6 PPG &

6.0 RPG

PF8.5 PPG, 4.8 RPG & 4.3

APG

C16.2 PPG &

6.6 RPG

Mario Chalmers

Dwyane Wade

Luol Deng

Josh McRoberts

Chris Bosh

PG20.8 PPG &

6.1 APG

SG15.9 PPG &

3.0 APG

SF27.1 PPG, 6.4 APG &

6.9 RPG

PF26.1 PPG, 4.4 APG & 12.5 RPG

CPPG, 4.4 APG &

12.5 RPG

Kyrie Irving

Dion Waiters

LeBron James

Kevin Love

Anderson Varejao

Derrick Rose

Jimmy Butler

Mike Dunleavy

Jr

Pau Gasol

JoakimNoah

PG15.9 PPG &

4.3 APG

SG13.1 PPG &

4.9 RPG

SF11.3 PPG &

4.2 RPG

PF17.4 PPG &

9.7 RPG

C12.6 PPG,

11.3 RPG & 5.4 APG

Lebron’s odds at five straight finalsTyler DavisDaily Egyptian

Tony McDaniel

Press Coveragewith

When the time came for golfer Alice Ho to choose where she would continue her education, she had no shortage of choices.

After considering her sister’s school Ohio University and The Ohio State University, Ho chose SIU. Ho picked the university because of the beautiful campus and an academic scholarship, which supplemented her athletic scholarship.

Ho was a 2012 second-team All-Ohio honoree at Wadsworth High School. Her statistics stood out to head coach Alexis Mihelich, who regularly scours the national junior golf rankings as part of the recruiting process. After Mihelich sent Ho an email, the mutual interest between Ho and the program grew.

“I knew Alice just loved the game,” Mihelich said. “She was really dedicated to getting better. She’s from a golfing family and I knew she would have a good four-year career here.”

Golf is not the only talent Ho possesses. A self-taught musician, Ho has been playing piano and guitar since the age of 13. Although she has never had a lesson, she can play piano pieces as difficult as Yiruma’s “River Flows in You.” She said playing music helps reinforce coordination on the golf course.

Ho is a native of Wadsworth, Ohio, which is 15 miles west of Akron. In a video on her YouTube page,

Ho called Ohio State her dream school. Ho also considered offers from Kent State University, Akron University and Division II Ashland University in

Ohio and Coker College in Hartsville, S.C., before joining the Salukis.

Ho is expected to contribute right away; she will

help fill the void left by the departure of Ashleigh and Cassie Rushing. However, her role with the team has yet to be defined, that responsibility will not be hers alone to shoulder.

“It’s a team effort for replacing those golfers that graduated,” senior captain Kris Grimes said. “But she’ll help make our team stronger.”

Ho has been well received by her teammates and coaches. Senior Whitney Nugent called her a funny, sweet, and outgoing person, while Mihelich likes her work ethic.

Ho was a successful high school golfer; she was named First-Team All-Suburban League and All-Northeast Ohio for four consecutive years.

The right-hander was the first Medina County freshman to advance to the state tournament and returned as a junior and senior. Her best finish at state came in her junior year when she finished ninth. Ho also holds the boys and girls nine-hole record with a score of 33 at Wadsworth High School.

Ho is no slouch in the classroom either. The dietetics major earned a Dean’s Scholarship for her academic performance in addition to an athletic scholarship. Ho wants to be a registered dietician after her career at SIU.

While Ohio University is not on the Salukis’ schedule for this season, a matchup between Ho and her sister is not out of the realm of possibility.

“I think that would be fun,” Ho said. “I would like that.”

Catcher Matt Jones’ first home series of his senior season was played at Rent One Park in Marion, but now he’s calling it home in a different uniform.

Jones played two seasons with the Salukis. He started 113 games and hit .282 with 4 home runs and 63 RBIs. He signed with the Frontier League’s Southern Illinois Miners of the Frontier League after catcher

Jose Gonzalez’s contract was purchased by the Colorado Rockies in June.

“It makes the transition easier staying in the same part of the country,” Jones said.

Miners coach Mike Pinto said the team really likes Jones because his approach fits in perfectly with professional baseball.

“Sometimes the best guy is right in your home town,” Pinto said. “We were looking for a catcher when Gonzalez went to

the Rockies. There’s a lot of guys we could have gotten, but [Jones] was the guy we wanted.”

Pinto said he never saw Jones play with the Salukis because he doesn’t live in the area during the spring, but bench coach Ralph Santana had. Pinto said after the Major League Baseball Draft concludes, the team starts looking for players that didn’t get picked. Jones was on his list.

Jones is batting .309 in 21 games with two home runs and

12 RBIs with the Miners. “This is a starting point for

guys coming out of college that maybe got missed in the draft,” Pinto said. “I know he’s going to have some invite tryouts with some Major League clubs, and he’s going to deserve those.”

Pinto said Jones is splitting time catching with Phil Butler, depending on the matchups and who is pitching for the Miners.

Butler is the last remaining player from 2012, when the

Miners won the Frontier League Championship. He said it is good competition between the two of them, and they both learn from each other.

“The competition is definitely better,” Jones said. “You’ve got a lot of guys from [Major League] affiliated ball that have played Triple-A or Double-A somewhere along the way.”

Jones has one semester of classes left at SIU, but no athletic eligibility remaining. He said it’s weird he isn’t participating in team preseason meetings, but he still keeps in touch with his former teammates.

“I still talk to those guys a lot,” Jones said. “I’m going to be down there a lot regularly. You can’t really forget that bond you had in college with those guys.”

Butler said Miners fans tend to be Saluki fans, and they know when a former Saluki transitions.

“We’ve had a couple SIU guys the past couple of years,” Butler said. “You definitely get a bigger reaction with those guys, especially their first game when they announce it over the loud speaker.”

Jones said he is keeping his role in mind. He said in the minors, teams are more focused on development, but right now he and his team are mostly focused on winning.

“The ultimate goal is to play Major League Baseball,” Jones said. “I’m still trying to get that opportunity with an affiliated team.”

Aaron Graff can be contacted at [email protected],

@Aarongraff_DE or (815)-483-3781

Talented freshman joins Saluki golf

Aaron GraffDaily Egyptian

Jones transitions to Frontier League

Jamie eader � daily egyptian

Freshman Saluki golfer Alice Ho drives the ball Wednesday at Hickory Ridge Public Golf Center. Ho

said Coach Mihelich is a good motivator and a reason why she chose to attend SIU. “I came to visit

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Thomas DonleyDaily Egyptian

Sports For live updates oF all saluki sports Follow @desalukis on twitter


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