Photo provided by SIU News Service

by Christi Mathis, SIU News Service 

CARBONDALE  — Rapper, singer, songwriter, actor, producer and media personality Ice Cube is coming to Southern Illinois University Carbondale next month.

The man who has sold millions of records worldwide will perform at the SIU Arena at 8 p.m. on April 28. Concert tickets officially go on sale at 10 a.m. on March 19. But an online-only presale through the SIU Ticket Office kicks off at 10 a.m. on Wednesday (March 14). Use the promo code “GOODDAY” for early ticket purchases.

Buy tickets online at www.events.siu.edu. Starting March 19, tickets are also available by calling 877-Salukis (877/725-8547).

Bringing major acts to Southern Illinois

“People on campus and in the community have told me that they want to see major entertainment and cultural events on campus,” said SIU Chancellor Carlo Montemagno. “In keeping with our vision of a revitalized SIU, we are listening to the requests of our students and community to bring major acts to Southern Illinois.”

Elvis, Bruce Springsteen, Heart, the Grateful Dead, Foreigner, Kiss, Aerosmith, the Blue Man Group and countless other legends have all performed on the SIU campus.

Canadian rapper and singer Drake’s first live solo performance took place at SIU, and Peter Gabriel recorded part of his “Plays Live” album here as well. The Ice Cube concert continues that illustrious history.

SIU Presents has big future plans

“We want people to think of SIU as the place to go not only for a tremendous education but also as a place where they have positive experiences and make lasting memories,” Montemagno added. “We’re also confident these efforts will benefit the city of Carbondale and the region through tourism revenue.”

He said that the university is relying on community and student support, as well as ticket sales from across the region to make this and other events a success.

Bringing popular entertainment to campus is the goal of SIU Presents, a new campus initiative dedicated to booking, coordinating, promoting and seeking sponsorships for the Ice Cube concert and other popular entertainment. The Ice Cube concert was suggested by a number of students in an informal survey.

Straight Outta Compton to SIU Arena

Ice Cube, whose real name is O’Shea Jackson Sr., rose to fame with the hip-hop groups C.I.A. and N.W.A., but his rap and songwriting abilities led to a successful solo career with millions of albums sold.

Credited by many as one of the founders of the “gangsta rap” genre, he’s also starred in numerous films, including the critically acclaimed “Boyz n the Hood” and “Straight Outta Compton.” He has appeared with Elmo on PBS’s “Sesame Street” and launched the television series “Are We There Yet?”

He’s a successful entrepreneur as well, with a clothing line, a record label and other ventures.

Recent renovations and new alcohol policy allow for big events

The storied SIU Arena was completely renovated in 2010-2011 and the result is a beautiful, state-of-the-art facility that is both home to SIU Athletics sporting events and the perfect location for big-name concerts and performances, officials said.

The SIU Board of Trustees adopted a new alcohol liquor management policy for the university in April 2017 that permits the sale of alcoholic beverages to people who are of legal age at public campus events.

Watch for future plans

Watch for future SIU Presents events announcements by liking the Facebook page (https://www.facebook.com/SIUPresents/) or joining the email list (http://pacmail.em.marketinghq.net/content/2008000289/Modify/SIU_SignUp.html).

SIU Presents will be seeking input to assure that future bookings include the acts students and public want to see. In addition, the organization will be working with community supporters and sponsors to assure the events are financially successful.

Arthur Agency, a Carbondale advertising and marketing firm, developed the SIU Presents branding a no cost to the university.

The agency, along with River Radio, “The Southern Illinoisan” and WSIL-TV3, are already partners with the university‘s SIU Presents Arts and Entertainment Program. The city of Carbondale and Carbondale Tourism are also supportive of this new SIU initiative.

Information about sponsorship opportunities and media partnerships for Ice Cube and future events is available by emailing Ashley Wright, who is coordinating SIU Presents, at siupresents@siu.edu.

SPRINGFIELD – The Illinois Department of Public Health (IDPH), along with the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, and other state and local health departments, is investigating a multi-state cluster of Salmonella associated with kratom.  One case linked to the outbreak has been identified in Illinois.

To date, 40 other cases have been reported in 28 states with 14 hospitalizations and no deaths. The Illinois resident reported consuming kratom before illness onset and purchased the kratom at a smoke shop in Williamson County.

Kratom is a plant native to Southeast Asia that is consumed for its stimulant effects and as an opioid substitute. It is also known as Thang, Kakuam, Thom, Ketom, and Biak. No common brands or suppliers of kratom products have been identified at this time. Accordingly, the CDC is recommending against consuming kratom in any form because it could be contaminated with Salmonella and cause illness.

Symptoms of Salmonella may include headache, muscle aches, diarrhea, vomiting, abdominal cramping, chills, fever, nausea, and dehydration.  Symptoms usually appear 6 to 72 hours after ingesting the bacteria, but can be longer.  Person-to-person transmission of Salmonella can occur if an infected person’s feces, from his or her unwashed hands, contaminates food during preparation, or comes into direct contact with another person.

Most illnesses resolve on their own and do not require treatment other than drinking fluids to stay hydrated.  If your symptoms persist or are severe, promptly contact your health care provider.

From Governor Rauner’s social media pages.

CHICAGO — During a meeting today at Rush University Medical Center, the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Youth selected new priority initiatives for the upcoming year. Over the past few months, agency representatives have collaborated to craft thoughtful proposals on issues affecting youth in Illinois.

The Cabinet decided to move forward with four projects:

• Childcare Subsidies and Self-Sufficiency: link Childcare Assistance Program data to wage and employment information to better understand CCAP effects on family self-sufficiency.
• Dually Involved Multi-System Collaboration: create a cohesive strategy for improving outcomes for children simultaneously  involved with the child welfare and the criminal justice systems.
• Statewide Community-Based Mentoring Network: enhance agency collaboration to ensure that the most-at-risk youth in Illinois can access strong mentors.
• College & Career Readiness through Transitional Math and Alternative High School Equivalency (HSE) Credentials: collaboratively develop transitional programs to facilitate post-secondary degrees and credentials.

“Each of these projects provides an opportunity to improve cradle-to-career pathways for Illinois children,” said Gov. Rauner. “It is essential to the future viability of our state that our children arrive at adulthood healthy, safe, well-educated and self-sufficient. These initiatives will encourage strategic partnership between state agencies to address the obstacles facing youth in Illinois.”

“Strengthening families in Illinois through data-informed policy lies at the heart of IDHS initiatives,” said Department of Human Services Secretary James Dimas. “This year we will collaborate with the Illinois Department of Employment Services to understand the effects of the Childcare Assistance Program (CCAP) on transitioning families to self-sufficiency.”

“The long-term returns are tremendous in lives and dollars saved,” said Department of Child and Family Services Director Beverly Walker. “Youth disengagement occurs when we focus on the individual as the problem, rather than on the structures, processes or settings in which young people interact and spend time. We have to begin by listening to their voices and asking them to help us construct the system that they need, rather than the system that we have.”

“I’m really excited that the Children’s Cabinet selected the statewide mentoring program,” said Heidi Mueller, director of the Illinois Department of Juvenile Justice. “DJJ is eager to partner with our sister agencies to begin work on this important issue. We know that the presence of just one caring, reliable adult in a child’s life has a huge impact on their success in school, their ability to become self-sufficient adults, and their risk of becoming victims or perpetrators of violence. Mentoring is an evidence based strategy that even resource-starved communities can access.”

Regarding the selection of the college and career readiness project,  Illinois Community College Board Director Karen Hunter Anderson said, “Most jobs today require postsecondary education. Illinois cannot afford to let students lag behind.  We need to prepare tomorrow’s workforce today.”

The Cabinet also discussed progress made on its initial projects: workforce readiness through apprenticeship and pathways, early childhood workforce development, and decreasing the childhood lead burden.  Work will continue on these projects as they move into their next phases.

Gov. Rauner established the Cabinet on Children and Youth on February 18th, 2016 to create a more collaborative statewide system focused on improving outcomes for children and youth. The Cabinet adopted 42 Key Performance Indicators in September 2017, with the vision of ensuring that all children and youth in Illinois are healthy, safe, well-educated and self-sufficient by age 25.

More information about the Governor’s Cabinet on Children and Youth can be found at https://www2.illinois.gov/sites/children/Pages/default.aspx.

Video of the meeting will be posted here.