Landlord Map

 In case you would like to see which landlords own which properties in Carbondale, here is a handy map. You can "turn off" assorted landlords if you are interested in seeing the results for only one landlord. Last time I checked, nearly 70% of Carbondale was rental property.

Spirit Halloween

 Spirit Halloween will open in the old Macys location  this weekend. Likely Sept. 4. Will be interesting to see how Carbondale embraces Halloween this year, given this will be the second pandemic Halloween. last year was pretty quiet. I remember seeing fewer than half a dozen costumed folks wandering the Strip.

Mask Ordinance

 As expected, and following on the heels of the state mask mandate, tonight the city council unanimously passed a citywide mask mandate. Violations punishable by a $250 per day fine. Ordinance immediately applicable and lapses on Deck 31 2021 or whenever repealed by the council, whichever comes first.

By a separate vote, all city employees will have until Nov. 15 to get vaccinated or show proof of vaccination.

Currently, about 40% of Jackson County residents are vaccinated and about 70% of city staff are.

Legacy Fitness

 Appears the Gold's Gym on the west side of town either lost or gave up its franchise as the Gold's logo has been removed from the building, replaced by a much more generic Legacy Fitness logo. At least this one is completely lit up.

COVID 19 Numbers Aug. 28th

 Friday August 20 Jackson County 6475 infected, 79 dead, 5902 recovered, Randolph County 4773 infected 89 dead 4556 recovered, Union County 2677 infected, 34 dead 2541 recovered and Williamson County 9647 infected 135 dead 8066 recovered.

Friday August 28 Jackson County 6766 infected, 79 dead,6120 recovered, Randolph County 4976 infected 90 dead 4750 recovered, Union County 2722 infected, 34 dead 2605 recovered and Williamson County 10028 infected 136 dead 8199 recovered.

Incidentally the total population of Williamson County is 66579 so just over 15% of the county has been infected. About 12% of Jackson County has been infected since the start.

Parties

 Took a drive along Cherry and College streets this evening and saw no parties taking place. It did look as if the fraternity house at the corner of University and Cherry had something going on earlier in the day as there were a number of cups on their outside tables but no people visible. Last week's shooting appears to have put a lid on any outdoor parties in the area.

Eurma C. Hayes Center Vote

 today is the last day to vote for the Eurma C. Hayes Center to get a $25000 grant from State Farm. 

The award of $25,000 would support some of the Center’s infrastructural needs, including automatic doors and new windows. These improvements are necessary to enhance American Disability Act (ADA) accessibility and energy efficiency. The anticipated timeframe for opening the Center is in September of 2021. This grant would assist in restoring a historic commercial property for the betterment of the African American community within Carbondale. Like State Farm, we recognize that being a good neighbor is about giving back to one’s community. The ECHC’s board members and community stakeholders have already begun investing in the Center; however, without outside funding sources such as the State Farm Neighborhood Assist Program, the progression towards reopening may be prolonged. The community has a 30% poverty rate with fully subsidized government public housing projects adjacent to the Center. Therefore, the ECHC will provide some of the programs for free through income-producing tenants.

Also the 31st is the last day to vote for a similar grant for the Carbondale Dog Park.

Carbondale deserves a PetSafe® Bark for Your Park™ grant because the need is great, the community has shown its support, and the region lacks areas where people from diverse backgrounds and their dogs can socialize informally. The Carbondale area has a limited economic base, with few tax dollars for public amenities. The Carbondale Park District manages several parks but lacks the resources for this project. In 2017, community volunteers created Friends of Carbondale Dog Parks to build an off-leash facility using only private funds. Sustained outreach and media coverage have earned it widespread support from individuals and organizations. At 2.5 acres, Carbondale’s first public dog park will be the largest in the region. It aims to attract dog lovers from near and far with events and activities. This community effort deserves – and needs – to win the $25,000 grant to fulfill Carbondale’s vision of an off-leash dog park for all.

Vaccines

 Also, all educators in Illinois from kindergarten to college, will either have to get vaccinated or submit to weekly testing. This means you SIUC:

Illinois health care workers and educators from kindergarten through college will be required to be vaccinated against COVID-19 or submit to weekly testing, Gov. J.B. Pritzker said Thursday in announcing new safety protocols that also include a fresh statewide mandate for masks to be worn indoors.

Mask Mandate 2

 Looks as if the city council will not have to pass any mask mandates. Gov. Pritzker announced today a statewide mask mandate for all indoor locations. According to the graphic in the linked article, every county in southern Illinois has "stressed" ICU capacity and has less than 50% of the population vaccinated.

Mask mandate

 Hear that the city council is considering passing a mask mandate again. I was listening to one of the health care workers with SIH and was told that her hospital has no open ICU units.

Hookah, Hoops and Grill

 Sign announcing this on the side of the old Reema's building on South Illinois. I guess it will share space with the walk up fish place that opened there last month. Sounds like a combination sports bar and hookah lounge.

Multiple Shooters

 Multiple shooters in the Cherry Street Shooting case but police currently not getting much cooperation from those in attendance. I can understand if this was a case of a police shooting but this was someone in attendance at the party shooting someone else at the party. Police did not show up until  after the shooting was over.

As far as I can tell, no where near as many shots fired as in a shooting that took place in Champaign over the weekend. Victim was wounded and 50 shell casings found at the site.

Student Shot

 ASIUC student was fatally shot and three more people wounded at the party at the corner of Cherry an Beveridge Shooting took place early Sunday morning, which meant the party, which started sometime Saturday afternoon, lasted long into the night 

Cherry Street Parties

 Saw two large parties on West Cherry Street yesterday evening, one in the fraternity house at the corner of Cherry and University and one at the corner of Cherry and Beveridge. The University Ave party had a deck filled with roughly over a hundred students which the Beveridge event had few students but they stretched across the street, blocking traffic. No masks visible of course and no apparent attempts and staying separate but the fact that everyone is outside should help mitigate any spread.

COVID-19 numbers for August 20th

 Friday August 13 Jackson County 6174 infected, 78 dead, 5465 recovered, Randolph County 4677 infected 88 dead 4428 recovered, Union County 2616 infected, 34 dead 2466 recovered and Williamson County 9230 infected 134 dead 7834 recovered.

Friday August 20 Jackson County 6475 infected, 79 dead, 5902 recovered, Randolph County 4773 infected 89 dead 4556 recovered, Union County 2677 infected, 34 dead 2541 recovered and Williamson County 9647 infected 135 dead 8066 recovered.

U-Haul

 The U-Haul operation on N. Illinois has expanded significantly over the past month or so.  It now owns or rents the Southern Illinoisan complex and now has vans parked on the lot and has repurposed the building as storage facilities. Also AAA Auto Sales, a fixture on N. Illinois just north of U-Haul, has closed up or moved and U-haul has expanded onto its lot as well.

HWY 127

 Hwy 127 is now open all the way from Old Highway 13 to 146. The closure of the road at Alto Pass allowed IDOT to remove both the crumbling overpass leading to Bald Knob and finish the repairs on 127 from wen part of the roadway collapsed following a lot of rain. that stretch has been a one lane road for almost three years now so glad to see it back to normal with a wider roadbed and, hopefully, more secure support to prevent the collapse from happening again.

Friday Night Concerts

 The City, Carbondale Main Street and Consume Cannabis Company and partnering to host a pair of Friday night concerts in the Washington Ave. concert space in August and September. Those same night will allow public consumption of alcohol in downtown Carbondale. I assume this means on sidewalks, etc. Not sure how good of an idea it is to have a lot of people drinking alcohol that close to the train tracks but at least the embankment makes in a bit harder to get up to them.

Foot Traffic

 Apparently shopping traffic has been quite heavy out at Wal-mart, though nowise as a bad as a picture purporting to be taken at the Carbondale Wal-mart that actually came from a Black Friday event, would make it out to be. I have not seen any particularly heavy traffic at Kroger or Schnucks and auto traffic through down town does not seem particularly heavy either. The only increase I have really noticed is  more students crossing East Grand to get to the Rec Center. All summer, no one ever stopped traffic there to get across and but I have seen (and been stopped by) several students crossing there in the past week.

Southern Illinois COVID Numbers

Listening to the news on NPR this morning, I heard the spike in COVID-19 infection rates in southern Illinois mentioned in the same breath as the increase in rates in Florida, Mississippi and Texas. Not the sort of company I really want to be in  I received an email today that SEMO is mandating masks inside buildings until Sept. 16, at which time they will re-evaluate the situation. No word on how long SIUC will mandate masks inside.

COVID -19 Figures for August 13

Friday August 6 Jackson County 5800 infected, 76 dead, 5443 recovered, Randolph County 4361 infected 87 dead 4308 recovered, Union County 2544 infected, 32 dead 2402 recovered and Williamson County 8798 infected 131 dead 7628 recovered.

Friday August 13 Jackson County 6174 infected, 78 dead, 5465 recovered, Randolph County 4677 infected 88 dead 4428 recovered, Union County 2616 infected, 34 dead 2466 recovered and Williamson County 9230 infected 134 dead 7834 recovered.

City Council Meeting 8/10

 Mayor Henry is away. Council member Harvey presides

.Sound is pretty bad. Meeting opens with a man who contracted COVID-19 telling about his experience while sick.  Pretty bad and he encourages people to get vaccinated.

I could not out anything the second speaker said

3rdspeaker announced a community clean up this Saturday starting at 9 a.m. at St. Francis Xavier Church's parking lot.

Father got up to speak about his son's death, which currently is ruled a suicide, though still under investigation. Father says was murder. He has attended council meetings regularly to push this point and continuing investigation. His sister gets up later to request further investigation as well.

Invitation to attend a meeting to discuss work by the Sustainability commission 

Discussion over the findings of the Hollywood Lounge investigation. Owner appears concerned about some issues regarding to the outcome. Again very hard to hear.

Plug for voting for a grant for the Carbondale Dog Park and a nationwide Alert Test.

Possible collaboration with Jackson County Board to fund replacement of the HVAC system at the Eurma Hayes Center.

Presentation by Keep Carbondale Beautiful on landscaping the area where the Day's Inn used to stand. Cannot put any benches or anything permanent structures in because the location is classified a flood plain.

3 items pulled from consent discussion for discussion. Consent agenda minus those items approved. Apparently Mayor-protem Harvey is concerned about letting contracts out to bid to contractors outside of Carbondale and Jackson County . All are approved.

Discussion of the design for the Multi-Modal Transit Station. Preference appears for the traditional design for the building. Council voted to appropriate money for the building and to tentatively approve the traditional design, incorporating a potential parking garage and pedestrian overpass should funding come available.

Last item of business was selling a piece of property the city had acquired from the country because the owner failed to pay taxes.

Adjourned after about two hours.

Preservation Commission

 Update--Due to no new business, the meeting has been cancelled. Nothing going on folks.

Carbondale Preservation Committee meets this Monday at 7 p.m. According to the agenda, almost noting to report or going on.

Miou Meow Cafe

 The Miou Meow Cafe, or was it the other way around, located in the University Plaza strip on South Illinois has finally shuttered and the overhead sign removed. I always wanted to give the place a try but never did find a time when they were open. With Electric Larry's moving to West Main, that leaves Slabz as the only business  in the strip.

COVID numbers for August 6th

 Friday July 30 Jackson County 5586 infected, 75 dead, 5301 recovered, Randolph County 4506 infected 87 dead 4214 recovered, Union County 2472 infected, 32 dead 2332 recovered and Williamson County 8464 infected 131 dead 7509 recovered.

Friday August 6 Jackson County 5800 infected, 76 dead, 5443 recovered, Randolph County 4361 infected 87 dead 4308 recovered, Union County 2544 infected, 32 dead 2402 recovered and Williamson County 8798 infected 131 dead 7628 recovered.

Magickal Hippie 2

 According to this Facebook post, Magickal Hippie will be a New Age supply store that will carry herbs, crystals, etc.  Owned by the same people that run Hemp 'n Stuff in the same small shopping area.

Freshmen and Transfer Students

 Freshmen and Transfer students start their week of  welcome at SIUC on Sunday August 8th so be prepared for an increase in the number of cars driving the wrong way on Carbondale's one way streets.  Classes start August 16th. 

Magickal Hippie

 New store located where Campus Comics used to be. From the spelling of "Magickal", I would guess it deals in New Age products as well as smoking paraphernalia but have not been in yet.

Dog Park Grant

 supporters of the Carbondale Dog Park are in the running for a $25000 grant to help build it. As is apocryphal about Illinois politics, vote early and often.  From the email I received

Carbondale is one of twenty finalists for a $25,000 PetSafe Grant to build Carbondale's first public dog park. Five winners with the most VOTE totals will each win $25,000 to build a dog park. Go to barkforyourpark.com to vote August 3 through August 31. Anyone across the US and world can vote once a day, every day during the voting time period. Or you can register and vote here: https://barkforyourpark.petsafe.com/locations/carbondale-il which takes you directly to the Carbondale page to vote for Carbondale.

Tell your friends, family, and neighbors to vote daily and help Carbondale be one of the WINNERS.

COVID Numbers

 I have not seen the weekly numbers yet but the Southern is back to publishing daily numbers again and Jackson County has just over 50 new cases, while Williamson County has about 45. Not huge numbers, relatively speaking, especially given the overall size of each community, but certainly larger than we have been seeing.  I have not seen any increase in numbers attributed to the Sunset concerts and i rather doubt if we do. From what I read  over the past year, outside events, even without distancing, have produced surprisingly small numbers of infection. of course, the new Delta variant may put paid to that and we may see larger numbers contracting it, especially since most Sunset Concert attendees skew young and they are less likely to be vaccinated that are older residents.

City Council Meeting

 No meeting of the City Council tomorrow night, at least not according to the schedule. Next Meeting is scheduled for August 10, although there is a Liquor Advisory Board meeting  scheduled for 2:30 tomorrow in the Civic Center, if you want to catch that.