Shutting down.

Mayor Joel Fritzler and the City Council are about to have their first meeting with an actual agenda. My intersession class starts Monday, and when it’s over, so is my time as a student.

Plus, it’s Friday the 13th and Mayor Daley’s last day in office (I’m sure all of this is a coincidence…)

I have decided this would be the best time for me to close up shop. I’m not exactly sure what will become of this blog. I may bring it back with a new angle. I may just leave it alone. There’s also the very unlikely chance it’ll be back as a “more than meets the eye” publication for SIUC and Carbondale.

Until I find a permanent gig, I’ll be freelancing for various organizations. My first assignment is covering Newt Gingrich’s commencement address tomorrow at Eureka College. To promote myself, I have launched a new Web site: www.bartonlorimor.com

I thought this would be a good one to go out on. Ta ta!

Goodbye to people I trusted.
I’ve got to go out and make my way.
I might get rich or I might get busted.

Student Development’s “Dr. Katie” promoted; University Programming safe from cuts

Katherine Sermersheim, better known as “Dr. Katie” by anyone in the Student Center, has been named Associate Dean of Students at SIUC.

Sermersheim’s promotion is to be approved by the SIU Board of Trustees tomorrow in Edwardsville. She previously served as the director of Student Development.

Rebranding campaign begins; ‘Civility’ is the word; Student Services Construction to begin

A rebranding campaign outlined by marketing firm Lipman Hearne earlier this year has begun to take shape.

Advertisements have begun cycling on various online services, such as Pandora, and Lipamn Hearne representatives are in the process of putting together a “viewbook” with all-positive characteristics about the university.

Recktenwald elected president of SIUC Faculty Senate

I have just learned from the man himself that William Recktenwald, the Chicago Tribune investigative reporter turned senior journalism lecturer, was elected next year’s president of the SIUC Faculty Senate.

Recktenwald said he was approached him about filling the position even though he is non-tenure track faculty.

They’ll have to live with me now, he said with a smile.

This guy has been a valuable mentor and teacher for me since the day I moved to Carbondale. May the Senate be warned: Reck won’t take your crap.

AG’s office: University does not have to release emails

A public access counselor at Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan’s office says the university does not have to release emails about University College exchanged by former Provost Gary Minish, Chancellor Rita Cheng and her top aide.

The state’s new FOIA laws call on agencies to release messages sent and received by publicly owned email accounts, but in a letter dated April 15, the representative cites the opinion delivered in Harwood v. McDonough, a case heard by the First District Appellate Court in 2003. The court ruled public agencies are not bound to release materials if they were part of the formation of policy.

New mayor, Council approves Keehn for four-year Clerk term

Less than 20 minutes after she administered them the oaths of office, Carbondale’s new mayor and City Council unanimously approved Rachael Keehn’s appointment for a full term as City Clerk.

Keehn served out what was left of Janet Vaught’s four-year term when she retired in February. The City Clerk is appointed by the mayor but must be approved by the City Council.

It was the first official act of business Joel Fritzler took at his first meeting as mayor.

Dietz selected for ISU post

Our loss, their gain…

Illinois State University President Al Bowman has named Larry Dietz as vice president of student affairs, effective June 1.

Yup, an OBL discussion. This one’s worth it, though

From an email alert sent today by POLITICO…

The assault force of Navy SEALs snatched a trove of computer drives and disks during their weekend raid on Osama bin Laden’s compound, yielding what a U.S. official called “the mother lode of intelligence.” The special operations forces grabbed personal computers, thumb drives and electronic equipment during the lightning raid, officials told POLITICO. “They cleaned it out,” one official said. “Can you imagine what’s on Osama bin Laden’s hard drive?”

*** UPDATED 1x *** Leaders call for flood relief volunteers

*** 5:23 p.m. *** Apparently 51 is still open?

Also, from a conversation I just had with another reporter who has been calling around, I have just learned many of the local media will not be covering tonight’s announcement on whether the Army Corp of Engineers will blow the levee in Missouri. *face palm*

Quinn reappoints Wiley, fills remaining BOT vacancies

From the university…

ov. Pat Quinn has made three new appointments to the Southern Illinois University Board of Trustees and has reappointed current SIU Trustee Marquita Wiley.