July proved to be a bit slower than last month but I was able to work on some pretty in-depth stories with the staff of The Southern Illinoisan. I started out the month reporting on the Carbondale Little Caesars sign-shaker Quentin Casler's departure from Carbondale. Casler became a Carbondale sensation after his exuberant sign-shaking and infectious good mood radiated from the corner of Oakland and Main streets, where he stood and danced and sang and tried to entice customers inside the Little Caesars for a hot-and-ready pizza. He wants to be known more than the "pizza guy" and is a beloved member of his church, a musician, and an all-around great guy. Unforuntaltey, the city deemed his too distracting for local drivers and banned him from doing his thing in town. Luckily, he still has a job in nearby-Marion.

In a continuation of marching for social justice, this time around it was for Vanessa Guillen, who was a 20-year-old U.S. Army soldier who authorities believe was killed inside a Fort Hood, Texas, armory by another enlisted soldier. The rest of the month relied heavily on portraits for features on the SIU Carbondale University Museum and Paulette Curkin – a woman who has been called a “champion” of the LGBTQ community in Southern Illinois. While she may be retired, the impact she has made throughout the region has been long-lasting. I also was able to sneak in a maternity portrait session in there!

Stories written for The Southern Illinoisan
Little Caesars sign-shaker spends last day in Carbondale serving up positivity
SIU reverses decision on Delta Chi fraternity, now on probation after party during stay-home order
Ohio medical board considers action against director of SIUC Student Health after OSU abuse investigation
Complex, controversial and subject to change: Here's what returning to school looks like in Southern Illinois
Paulette Curkin: The ‘heroine’ of Carbondale’s LGBTQ community