Rounding out the hot topics that are St. Louis Cardinals’ fans minds this week.
Here’s a link to the column at the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.
Column: Cubs have followed Red Sox blueprint for success, but they still have work to do
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
When the new Cubs regime began interviewing managerial candidates in the fall of 2011, speculation was rampant that President Theo Epstein might hire Terry Francona, his former manager in Boston.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
Coach Nick Hill’s weekly press conference
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
CARBONDALE, Ill. — Here are excerpts from Saluki football head coach Nick Hill‘s weekly press conference held Monday afternoon at Saluki Stadium. Southern Illinois plays at Missouri State on Saturday at 2 p.m. CT in a game that will be televised on ESPN+.
On this week’s opponent Missouri State.
Coach (Dave) Steckel has done a good job building their program in year four and won a couple games early in the season against ranked opponents. They had a tough game at home last week against Western Illinois. When you look at the middle of our league, everybody has played each other really close and they’ve won some close games. It’s just another week in the Missouri Valley where we have to go on the road and play a good opponent. We’ve not been able to close (a win) out as some of these other teams have, but the process isn’t going to change. We have to keep fighting, developing, and some guys that are being called upon have to continue to grow and get better.
We have to stop the run. That has been our Achilles’ heel throughout the season and it won’t change this week. (Missouri State) is a team that, to be successful, wants to run the football, whether it’s with the quarterback or their backs. We have to be gap-sound, we have to be in our gaps and we have to tackle.
On the offense’s performance against Indiana State.
We had 11 explosive plays in the game last week and probably left a couple out there. We feel any time you have more than 10 you’re going to have a pretty good day. We count an explosive play as any run over 12 yards and any pass over 16. For us, it’s about executing in the red zone, scoring points when we get down there. You don’t want to kick field goals, but on two of the trips (against Indiana State) we didn’t get an opportunity to do that, which hurt.
We gave the player of the week to the entire offensive line. I thought they did a great job. Zeyveon (Furcron) probably had his best game. We ran for 294 yards and controlled the line of scrimmage.
On the quarterback position.
Matt (DeSomer) will start again and Sam (Straub) has to be ready to go. I felt like Matt did what we thought he would do, which is go out there and compete and lead our team. Obviously, there’s a couple plays we wish we had back — the two turnovers — but he competed and played his butt off.
On the importance of keeping DeSomer out of 3rd-and-long.
With any quarterback, your success rate on 3rd-and-long is not good, no matter if you’re a pocket passer or running quarterback. For the most part we did a good job of that, we were 4-of-9 on 3rd downs, (he) picked up some with his feet and threw for one. We stayed out of a lot of third downs, we had 28 first downs and were able to run the football with success on the early downs. We have to continue to do that.
On whether the team’s freshmen will play more in the final four games.
We’re preparing and competing to win every single game, all the way down to the end. The best players that give us the best chance to win will be the ones that are playing. As the season gets going and the younger guys continue to step up, some of them will get some opportunities. Some of them got some opportunities on kickoff and special teams things, but we have to line up with the guys that give us the best chance to win.
On the defensive line struggling to stop the run.
I don’t think it’s for lack of personnel or talent. There’s a lot of those guys that would be playing for every team in our league. Jordan Berner, Anthony Knighton can play for a lot of teams in the country. Up front it will be good to get Malik (Haynes) and Tyree (Jackson) back. They were out with concussions. Kyonta (Stallworth) has played well, probably played his best against Youngstown but then got a concussion, was out, then came back last week and probably played as good as anybody up front. Up front, we have a lot of depth, but we’ve gotta get them in spots and they have to execute so we can stop the run.
On the depth of talent on the two-deep.
There’s obviously things you’re going to keep recruiting and trying to fill holes. We’ve had some injuries that when you get into your second and third guy, we have to continue to coach our depth and develop and recruit for our depth. When we started this (season), we felt like our two-deep talent-wise was as good as anybody. When you look at our games, besides the one (at Illinois State), we easily could have 3-4 wins and we’re sitting there with the rest of the league at 4-3 or 3-4. These games come down to the very end, all the games you watch and break down, and we’re right there in that same pack, but we haven’t found a way to win any of these games there at the end.
On the absence of linebacker Cody Crider.
He’s one of our best players. Not having his physicality, his athleticism, running things down — we’ve been hurt with the stretch play and pin-and-pull. He’s as fast a linebacker as there is in our conference. The depth at those positions, Bryce (Notree) and Luke (Giegling) are basically playing the entire game.
Luke Giegling was recruited by everyone in our league and is playing at a super-high level. He got defensive player-of-the-week again, another week with double-digit tackles as a freshman.
On Iowa transfer wide receiver Matt Quarells.
He’s a good player, hasn’t had the season that he’d like, but shows up every single day and models the way for some of these freshmen. Sometimes, that’s what you want if they’re not going to have the season statistically. He’s a guy that’s about to get his master’s degree. The effect he can have in the locker room with your freshmen and your guys that are trying to figure it out, he’s at a different stage of his life. I’m happy as could be to have Matt Quarells as a part of this program.
On the wide receiver corps.
We still have good receivers. Ralph (Leonard) has had a good season, Landon (Lenoir) has come on. We haven’t had the big plays in the passing game that you’d like to see. We’ve called a lot of things to get the ball down the field and continue to. We have to play good at the quarterback spot to get them the football, but we do have good receivers and we have to keep finding ways to get them the ball.
On the upcoming recruiting class.
The finalization of your class will happen at the end of November or (early) December. We’ve had 11 commitments now and just got a couple this week, today actually. We had a good group that committed to us before the season started and are still committed.
On this week’s opponent Missouri State.
Coach (Dave) Steckel has done a good job building their program in year four and won a couple games early in the season against ranked opponents. They had a tough game at home last week against Western Illinois. When you look at the middle of our league, everybody has played each other really close and they’ve won some close games. It’s just another week in the Missouri Valley where we have to go on the road and play a good opponent. We’ve not been able to close (a win) out as some of these other teams have, but the process isn’t going to change. We have to keep fighting, developing, and some guys that are being called upon have to continue to grow and get better.
We have to stop the run. That has been our Achilles’ heel throughout the season and it won’t change this week. (Missouri State) is a team that, to be successful, wants to run the football, whether it’s with the quarterback or their backs. We have to be gap-sound, we have to be in our gaps and we have to tackle.
On the offense’s performance against Indiana State.
We had 11 explosive plays in the game last week and probably left a couple out there. We feel any time you have more than 10 you’re going to have a pretty good day. We count an explosive play as any run over 12 yards and any pass over 16. For us, it’s about executing in the red zone, scoring points when we get down there. You don’t want to kick field goals, but on two of the trips (against Indiana State) we didn’t get an opportunity to do that, which hurt.
We gave the player of the week to the entire offensive line. I thought they did a great job. Zeyveon (Furcron) probably had his best game. We ran for 294 yards and controlled the line of scrimmage.
On the quarterback position.
Matt (DeSomer) will start again and Sam (Straub) has to be ready to go. I felt like Matt did what we thought he would do, which is go out there and compete and lead our team. Obviously, there’s a couple plays we wish we had back — the two turnovers — but he competed and played his butt off.
On the importance of keeping DeSomer out of 3rd-and-long.
With any quarterback, your success rate on 3rd-and-long is not good, no matter if you’re a pocket passer or running quarterback. For the most part we did a good job of that, we were 4-of-9 on 3rd downs, (he) picked up some with his feet and threw for one. We stayed out of a lot of third downs, we had 28 first downs and were able to run the football with success on the early downs. We have to continue to do that.
On whether the team’s freshmen will play more in the final four games.
We’re preparing and competing to win every single game, all the way down to the end. The best players that give us the best chance to win will be the ones that are playing. As the season gets going and the younger guys continue to step up, some of them will get some opportunities. Some of them got some opportunities on kickoff and special teams things, but we have to line up with the guys that give us the best chance to win.
On the defensive line struggling to stop the run.
I don’t think it’s for lack of personnel or talent. There’s a lot of those guys that would be playing for every team in our league. Jordan Berner, Anthony Knighton can play for a lot of teams in the country. Up front it will be good to get Malik (Haynes) and Tyree (Jackson) back. They were out with concussions. Kyonta (Stallworth) has played well, probably played his best against Youngstown but then got a concussion, was out, then came back last week and probably played as good as anybody up front. Up front, we have a lot of depth, but we’ve gotta get them in spots and they have to execute so we can stop the run.
On the depth of talent on the two-deep.
There’s obviously things you’re going to keep recruiting and trying to fill holes. We’ve had some injuries that when you get into your second and third guy, we have to continue to coach our depth and develop and recruit for our depth. When we started this (season), we felt like our two-deep talent-wise was as good as anybody. When you look at our games, besides the one (at Illinois State), we easily could have 3-4 wins and we’re sitting there with the rest of the league at 4-3 or 3-4. These games come down to the very end, all the games you watch and break down, and we’re right there in that same pack, but we haven’t found a way to win any of these games there at the end.
On the absence of linebacker Cody Crider.
He’s one of our best players. Not having his physicality, his athleticism, running things down — we’ve been hurt with the stretch play and pin-and-pull. He’s as fast a linebacker as there is in our conference. The depth at those positions, Bryce (Notree) and Luke (Giegling) are basically playing the entire game.
Luke Giegling was recruited by everyone in our league and is playing at a super-high level. He got defensive player-of-the-week again, another week with double-digit tackles as a freshman.
On Iowa transfer wide receiver Matt Quarells.
He’s a good player, hasn’t had the season that he’d like, but shows up every single day and models the way for some of these freshmen. Sometimes, that’s what you want if they’re not going to have the season statistically. He’s a guy that’s about to get his master’s degree. The effect he can have in the locker room with your freshmen and your guys that are trying to figure it out, he’s at a different stage of his life. I’m happy as could be to have Matt Quarells as a part of this program.
On the wide receiver corps.
We still have good receivers. Ralph (Leonard) has had a good season, Landon (Lenoir) has come on. We haven’t had the big plays in the passing game that you’d like to see. We’ve called a lot of things to get the ball down the field and continue to. We have to play good at the quarterback spot to get them the football, but we do have good receivers and we have to keep finding ways to get them the ball.
On the upcoming recruiting class.
The finalization of your class will happen at the end of November or (early) December. We’ve had 11 commitments now and just got a couple this week, today actually. We had a good group that committed to us before the season started and are still committed.
Dodgers and Red Sox to contend with cold for first 2 World Series games
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Hooting and hollering, Chris Taylor and a couple of Dodgers took aim at the Green Monster. With their arms, not bats.
Here’s a link to the story at the Chicago Tribune.
Illinois could see more tornadoes as “tornado alley” shifts east
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Illinois has had more tornadoes over the past forty years and the trend is likely to continue.
Here’s the link to the story at Illinois News Network.
Expecting mass demonstrations for and against potential Trump visit, Carbondale cancels City Council meeting
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
CARBONDALE — Acts of civil disobedience related to the potential visit by President Donald Trump next weekend were cause for Carbondale Mayor Mike Henry to cancel the upcoming city council meeting, which was set for Tuesday.
Here’s a link to the story at the Southern Illinoisan.
Campaign staffers suing Pritzker respond to ‘smear’ claims
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
A group of 10 campaign workers who sued Democratic candidate for Illinois governor J.B. Pritzker over racial discrimination accusations in the political operation spoke out Monday in response to claims that they’re only after the billionaire’s money.
Here’s a link to the story at Illinois News Network.
RLC Foundation Children’s Center celebrates 20th birthday
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
INA, Ill.– Rend Lake College students and graduates, faculty and staff, and children of all ages came together last week to celebrate two decades of learning for the smallest Warriors on campus. The RLC Foundation Children’s Center officially turned 20 this fall and everyone gathered for a birthday party.
Attendees at the RLC Foundation Children’s Center’s 20th Birthday Party gathered for a group photo in the Skill Development Room, the most-recent expansion at the RLCFCC which opened in 2016. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)
The event opened with an introduction from Kay Zibby-Damron, RLC Foundation CEO. She briefly covered the Foundation’s history with the Children’s Center.
The desire for a children’s center was the number one need cited by students and staff in the 1988 North Central Accreditation Report for the college a decade before the RLCFCC opened its doors. Because of the efforts of two major donors – Marjorie Farrar and Coyn Mateer – the Foundation Board was able to complete the fund raising challenge and open the RLCFCC doors in the Fall of 1998. Farrar made the initial lead gift of $100,000 in 1995, which was matched by Mateer.
In 2014, Farrar and her family made a second $100,000 donation to aid in fund raising efforts to construct the Skill Development Room. This donation was followed by a significant gift from an anonymous donor, and the doors to the expansion opened in the fall of 2016. The new 1,500-square-foot Skill Development Room – where the birthday party celebration was held – provides the children with an indoor recreational space and a learning library.
RLC Foundation CEO Kay Zibby-Damron kicked off the event with words of welcome and special recognition of honored guests. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)
“I want you to know, on behalf of the Foundation, that we’re extremely grateful for all the businesses and individuals who care about our college and care about our students, and who offer us their financial support,” said Kay Zibby-Damron.
The RLCFCC has, for 20 years, served as a hands-on learning lab for students enrolled in the Early Childhood Education (ECE) program. Current RLCFCC Director Brooke May was one of the first students to utilize the center as a student. In fact, all of the current teacher’s assistants employed at the RLCFCC are graduates of the ECE program.
“Looking back at my time spent in the Children’s Center as an ECE student when the doors were first opened brings nothing but great memories,” said May. “The Children’s Center holds a very special place in my heart and I am beyond proud that I now have the privilege of being the Director and the opportunity to interact with and mentor this generation of ECE students and teachers.”
Brenda Heinzmann, ECE Professor, also addressed the audience at the celebration, speaking about the Center’s history from her perspective. Heinzmann was the first Preschool teacher hired at the RLCFCC in 1998. She also served as the Assistant Director for two years before taking on the Director position in 2000.
Professor Brenda Heinzmann of RLC’s Early Childhood Education program gave a history lesson to attendees during the event. Heinzmann was one of the original teachers in the RLCFCC when it opened in 1998. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)
“When we first thought about opening this center, there were three things they told us. You need to have quality care, you have to make sure it’s a developmental lab for your students, and you have to have 75 percent of your students as the children of Rend Lake College students,” said Heinzmann. “We thought sometimes that we would never see the doors open because of construction and weather delays, but they finally did. We worked our tails off to get the Center ready to go. We had so much to do. But it was so fun and we were so excited. It was a wonderful time.”
Heinzmann continued, “Fast forward 20 years, the Children’s Center is today what it is because of three factors. Number one, the Rend Lake College Foundation. They were financially the reason we were allowed to be what we are. The second thing was the administrators who came in and said, ‘This is an asset to our campus to have these young children here every day.’ And the third, and most importantly in my book, is the labor force of people who come here every day and do such an awesome job. I’m like the proud momma who says, ‘Those are my girls,’ because so many of you have gone through the program. Happy birthday to the Rend Lake College Foundation Children’s Center.”
Jake Scattone, CENTER, is a member of the first graduating class from the RLCFCC in 2002. He holds current students Levin Schulte, 3, of Bonnie, LEFT, and Isla Wheeler, 4, of Mt. Vernon. Click on the image for a larger view.
(ReAnne Palmer / RLC Public Information)
The RLCFCC has been licensed by the Illinois Department of Children and Family Services (DCFS) since opening in 1998. Since 2000, they have also maintained accreditation from the National Association of the Education of Young Children. In 2014, they became the first Gold Circle of Quality program in the state from ExceleRate Illinois. The RLCFCC has also maintained the Early Childhood Block Grant for Preschool since 2005.
To learn more about the RLCFCC, visit www.rlc.edu/children-s-center or call 618-437-5321, Ext. 1393.
Nominees sought for Illinois Route 66 Centennial Commission
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Governor invites interested parties to apply
SPRINGFIELD — Illinoisans with an interest in history in general — and the Mother Road in particular — are encouraged to nominate themselves for open seats on the recently created Route 66 Centennial Commission.
The commission’s 20 members will develop plans for celebrating the famous highway’s 100th anniversary, coming up in 2026. Gov. Bruce Rauner, who signed legislation creating the commission in July, shall appoint three public members, one of whom shall lead the commission. The governor said today he looks forward to reviewing nominations for what certainly will be a fun, but also an economically important, public service opportunity.
“Illinois holds the distinction of being the starting point for this legendary highway, and we are proud of the historic preservation efforts that have boosted tourism along our portion of Route 66,” Rauner said. “The 100th anniversary of this iconic road is worthy of celebrating all along its path.
“But I am confident that the members of this commission will ensure that Illinois plays host to events and activities that will be the envy of Mother Road states, and I encourage anyone interested to apply.”
“Illinois is leading the way on Route 66 as we plan for the 100th birthday of the world’s most famous road,” said Rep. Tim Butler, R-Springfield, the chief House sponsor of House Bill 66 and a member of the Illinois House Committee on Tourism, Hospitality and Craft Industry. “The Route 66 Centennial celebration gives us a unique opportunity to focus the world on our State, the place where the Mother Road begins. I look forward to working with the Commission to plan for a tremendous year.”
The commission shall meet at least quarterly. Applications for gubernatorial appointments can be made online here.
Along with the governor’s selections, eight appointments to the commission shall be made by Senate and House majority and minority leaders. Also serving on the commission will be the president of the Route 66 Association of Illinois and the executive director of the Illinois Route 66 Scenic Byway, or their designees.
Rounding out the commission shall be seven ex-officio members to include the following officials or their designees: the governor, the secretary of the Department of Transportation; the director of the Illinois Historic Preservation Agency; the Department of Natural Resources director; the director of the Office of Tourism; the Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity director; and the director of the State Archives.
Column: Our choices for Illinois governor have little in common with us
October 23, 2018 By Leave a Comment
In two weeks, I will step into a voting booth and begrudgingly cast my ballot for a gubernatorial candidate I don’t particularly like.
Here’s a link to the column at the Chicago Tribune.
