Halloween Links

 Here are some interesting Halloween related links for you to browse on this holiday

Vote for the Scariest Hotel in America 

What is the Most Popular Halloween Candy in Your State? In Illinois it is KitKat

History of the Headless Horseman

History of Trick or Treating

Selling a Haunted House

The Scariest Movie

The Origin of Candy Corn

Downtown Trick or Treating

 Carbondale Main street will sponsor a Downtown Scavenger Hunt with tables with candy set up at various locations in downtown Carbondale. There is a clue sheet posted on the CMS Fasebook page and the tables will go up from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

Leaf Pick Up

 The city is offering  special leaf collection services through January

Carbondale’s Special Seasonal Leaf Collection Program will be offered during the months of November, December, and January. Calls for the vacuum collection service will be accepted from November 1, 2020, through January 31, 2021. The fee during this Special Program period is $25.00 for each collection (the regular fee for vacuum leaf collection is $35.00).                                                                                                                

City of Carbondale Residents desiring to participate in the program should first rake their leaves to the curbside or street side (please be sure not to block streets, sidewalks, ditches or gutters); then call the Maintenance and Environmental Services Office at 457-3275 and request a vacuum leaf collection.

Calls for service will be accepted 24 hours a day by leaving a message at the above number. Please be sure to leave your Name, Address, and Telephone Number and identify your request as “vacuum leaf collection”. If you would like to speak to a person directly, please call between the hours of 7:00 AM and 4:00 PM Monday thru Friday.

The City’s Landscape Waste Bag & Bundle program will continue as usual with normal pickups on Wednesdays. Those desiring collection of bagged leaves and grass, or bundles of brush, may continue placing their landscape waste in paper landscape waste bags or tied bundles and purchase and affix one sticker to each bag or bundle. Once you place the bags or bundles curbside; please call the number listed above and leave your Address along with your request for “Bag and Bundle” or “Landscape Waste Collection” and we will schedule you for the following Wednesday.  

Halloween Contest Winners

 The city has posted the winners of its three online Halloween contests here. Congratulations to those who won.

Bike Surgeon Moved

 The Bike Surgeon packed up and moved from its long time location on South Illinois this month. Now located in the old Quizno's storefront over in Carterville, on the north frontage road along Hwy 13.

Haunted House

 Looks as if someone is running a Haunted House on the 2nd and 3rd floors of the Elks Lodge on North University. Windows have Halloween themes painted on them and "ghosts" hang in the third floor windows. Sign in the window says $11 donation to charity. Not sure what hours are. Looks like Thursday Friday and Saturday 4 p.m.-?

Wreck

 Pretty bad three car (at least) wreck this afternoon on East Main street where Main and Walnut split. Driver ran a red light and got hit by a car heading through the intersection.

Unofficial Halloween

 Got curious as to what had happened with Unofficial Halloween this year so took a drive around last night about 10 p.m. Saw one good sized house party on West Main but nothing along South University or S. Illinois. did see one couple waling on Illinois dressed as Deadpool and an angel but no indication as to where they were heading. I did hear that a number of students were out Friday night in costume but assume they were heading to private parties as nothing looked open on the Strip

Halloween Events

 Certainly a dearth of Halloween events in town this year. City events have moved online and most of the bars have shuttered due to COVID-19 restrictions, although if you have a gaming license, you can stay open to allow patrons access to your slot machines. Carbondale Main Street is hosting a Candy Scavenger Hunt throughout downtown though, with clues available to lead trick or treaters to tales stocked with candy throughout the downtown area.

Carbondale Dining in the Time of COVID

 Given that, per state order, restaurants and bars had to move back to only offering pickup, delivery and outside dining, here is a list of Carbondale restaurants and bars and how they approach the situation  Several restaurants in Marion and Murphysboro, as well as Bottoms Up in Jacob have posted on Facebook they will keep the restaurant open

Back to Phase 4

 here is the list of requirements that go into effect tomorrow. Primarily affecting bars and restaurants but restricts gatherings of 25 or more people.

COVID-19 Numbers

 Friday October 11 Jackson County 1351 infected, 24 dead, 1265 recovered, Randolph County 1034 infected 14 dead 966 recovered, Union County 601 infected, 20 dead 413 recovered and Williamson county 1576 infected 57 dead 995 recovered.

Friday October 16 Jackson County 1410infected, 25dead, 1292 recovered, Randolph County 1124 infected 14 dead 1022 recovered, Union County 698 infected, 21 dead 440 recovered and Williamson county 1678 infected 58 dead 1061 recovered.

Trick or Treating Update

 The city now discourages Trick or Treating but if you want to go,  offers these guidelines  Especially, wear the dang mask.

Early Voting

 In case you want to vote early, you still hav opportunities to do so in Carbondale. The polling place at the Civic Center is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct.  21, 23 26 and 27. You can also vote at the SIUC Student Center  19th, 20th, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and October 28th, 29th , & 30th, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Waiting time last Friday at the civic center was about 10 minutes with 6 people in front of me. Incidentally the entrance and exits to the Civic Center polling place are clearly marked. I saw several people come back out through the entrance after they finished voting.

Trump Parade 2

 While watching yesterday's Trump parade through downtown, one thing struck. The event and likely the campaign, is all about Pres. Trump. Out of those 200 or so vehicles, I do not recall seeing a single "Republican" sign. It was not a rally for Republican candidates or the Republican party. Rather it was an outpouring of support for the President. Mike Bost wishes he could generate that level of an outpouring of support.

Trump Parade

 Parade of Pres. Trump's supporters starting in Harrisburg and drove Hwy 13 across southern Illinois today. They drove through downtown Carbondale around 2 p.m. and I estimated about 200 vehicles in the convoy. It was rather hard to tell as some that looked as it they were in the parade did not have any signs or flags on their vehicles. Of course, those were balanced out by the ones that flew 4 to 6 flags on a truck. Not sure if they went all the way to Murpshyboro and where that number of vehicles would turn around if they did.

College Attendance

 Caught on Marketplace this morning that college attendance nationwide is down about 6% so not too bad a hit all things considered. However incoming freshmen are down about 16% and attendance at community colleges like John A. Logan is down about 25%

Early Voting

 In case you want to vote early, you still hav opportunities to do so in Carbondale. The polling place at the Civic Center is open from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. on Oct. 16, 21, 23 26 and 27. You can also vote at the SIUC Student Center  19th, 20th, 9:00 a.m.-3:00 p.m. and October 28th, 29th , & 30th, 2020 from 10:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m.

Koppers

Although it may not seem like it, clean up efforts are still ongoing at the old Koppers railroad tie manufacturing plant. Still removing soil and trees as Beezer has for the past decade.

West Main Street Construction

 West Main west of the town square is down to 1 lane of traffic. IDOT is working on resurfacing the other two lanes. The city and IDOT are doing a whole lot of repair and constructions this fall. Glad to see it happening but I rather wish they would get one section done first before moving onto another.

Haunted Carbondale Hundley House

 From the Carbondale Times, an article I wrote for it earlier this month on Hundley House. Since they do not publish online editions, I got their permission to post my copy here:

Located at 601 West Main Street, Hundley House has attracted national attention for its reported hauntings and for the double murder that took place there the night of  Dec. 12^th 1928. That night, someone shot banker and former Carbondale mayor J. C. Hundley and his wife Luella. The murder remains unsolved and the ghosts still active.

Quite active socially, the Hundleys had returned from an evening out and were finalizing plans to close up the house for the Christmas holidays and decamp for Florida until the New Year.  According to the Hundley’s butler, the last person to see the couple alive, Hundley had gone upstairs to prepare for bed while Mrs. Hundley went over last minute details with him before the couple left by train the following day.  He said later that both appeared in good spirits and were anticipating the trip.

Sometime after midnight, a neighbor across the street up nursing a sick baby heard a gunshot and saw the light go out in Hundley’s bedroom. She called the police but, due to the late hour, the authorities from Murphysboro responded (Carbondale was significantly smaller than Murphysboro at the time and the Hundley property was located at what at the time was the edge of Carbondale) but, due to the rain and muddy roads, took well over an hour to arrive. When they arrived, no one answered at the house and the front door was locked. Entering through the kitchen door, which was shut but unlocked, they found Luella Hundley dead at the foot of the servant’s staircase at the back of the house, while J. C. Hundley lay on his bed, barely alive, but did not survive the trip to the hospital. Both had been shot with what the police later determined was a .45 caliber Colt army revolver.

Suspicion immediately fell on Hundley’s son from his first marriage, Victor, who, while well liked in the community, had a reputation as a bad businessman continually in need of money. Reportedly, the elder Hundley had just cut his son out of his will but Virgil testified, during his later trial for the murder, that the two men had patched up their differences before the murder. No changed will was ever found and Virgil’s wife testified that he was at home at their house next door the night of the murder. Acquitted of the murders,  Virgil and the other principals in the murder, his wife and his sister Dora left Carbondale. Reportedly working for the railroad for several years, Virgil divorced his wife and eventually returned to Carbondale, purchasing a house on the south side of town where he died in the 1960s. He, his father  and stepmother are all buried near each other in Carbondale’s Oakland Cemetery . The case still remains open and a reward offered.

Since the 1990s, at least, Hundley House has been reportedly haunted by the spirits of J. C. and Luella. Passersby have reported hearing a gunshot and seeing the porch swing moving without a breeze.  Past owners of the house have reported televisions and CD players turning on and off by themselves, doors slamming and groans as if someone in pain, especially around the back staircase.  The  Ghost Lab paranormal investigators investigated Hundley House in 2010 with their investigation appearing on the Discovery Channel on  Jan 8^th 2011. Hundley House recently sold and is in private hands with no indication the new owner welcomes visitors, so best to view Carbondale’s best known haunted house from the sidewalk.

COVID-19 Numbers

 Friday October 2 Jackson County 1295 infected, 24 dead, 1233recovered, Randolph County 978 infected 12 dead 918 recovered, Union County 516 infected, 20 dead 401 recovered and Williamson county 1476 infected 54 dead 964 recovered.

Sunday October 11 Jackson County 1351 infected, 24 dead, 1265 recovered, Randolph County 1034 infected 14 dead 966 recovered, Union County 601 infected, 20 dead 413 recovered and Williamson county 1576 infected 57 dead 995 recovered.

River to River yard Sale

 No wonder so many yard sales from Cape Girardeau to Anna Jonesboro. This weekend is the River to River Yard Sale. I saw two-three dozen of them along 146 yesterday

Virtual Halloween Events

 The city has announced three online Halloween contests:  yard decoration, face painting and pumpkin carving. all entries due by October 26. 

Hazardous Waste Collection

 Jackson County has hazardous waste collection set up for Oct 17. Unlike past events, you need to register in advance to use the service. You can call 618-683-3143 ext 128 to schedule an appointment or sign up online here . 

Halloween

 Looks like most of the  Halloween events the city or other organizations have sponsored in past years have either been cancelled or moved online, as well as they can. Mildly bemused that the pre release says the city will "allow" trick or treating. When you think about it, Halloween is the perfect epidemic holiday. Everyone wears masks (yes I know Halloween masks do not stop the virus), runs around outside in small groups and gets individually wrapped pieces of food.

Drinking

 Well this ought to be good news for the beer and liquor sellers in town. People over age 35 reported they have increased consumption of alcohol by 14% during the epidemic. Of course, this probably doesn't help restaurants that much, since for a good part of the epidemic, people were not going out to restaurants, which derive a goodly part of their income from sales of alcohol

COVID 19 Stats Comparison

 Here is a comparison of the week to week statistics for COVID 19 for Jackson, Randolph, Union and Williamson Counties

Friday Sept 25 Jackson County 1264 infected, 24 dead, 1183 recovered, Randolph County 945infected 11 dead 888 recovered, Union County 496 infected, 20 dead 388 recovered and new Williamson county 1399 infected 47 dead 751 recovered.

Friday October 2 Jackson County 1295 infected, 24 dead, 1233recovered, Randolph County 978 infected 12 dead 918 recovered, Union County 516 infected, 20 dead 401 recovered and Williamson county 1476 infected 54 dead 964 recovered.

Halloween Decor

 Not sure why, maybe due to the pandemic and people staying at home more, but I am seeing Halloween decorations out far earlier this year than I have in past years. Nothing particularly spectacular yet but I started seeing decorations appearing as early as the third week of September and candy and décor around Labor Day.

Census Dates Extended

 A federal district judge just ordered the US Census Bureau to extend the ending date of the count to October 30. Apparently too many violations of preliminary injunction orders and a tweet saying the counts would end on OCtober 5.

Census Numbers

Carbondale self-reported census numbers are running just above 50% of the city's projected population numbers. This would be numbers reported through the census' website or mail response. This does not included number collected by census canvassers or the various booths and  information collection tables set up around town.