Brian Sapp

A California Man is riding in-line skates across the United States. He rolled into Carbondale Wednesday night after riding across southern Illinois all day.Eric Baldwin and his girlfriend Clementine Ruel rolled through Carbondale on Thursday on a trip across America. Eric is on inline skates and Clementine right there with him on her electric bike.This trip started as a personal challenge to skate across America. Eric has been skating all his life. After deciding that he was going to do it, he wanted to do it "for" something.

June 18 or 618 day is an informal day of supporting businesses in the 618 area code. Area businesses celebrate with specials on their products to encourage customers to shop local.The SIU Alumni Association is using 618 day to support businesses and students in the 618 area code next week.Molly Hudgins, the executive director of the SIU Alumni Association says they're supporting the 618 Day effort to highlight and support businesses in the southern Illinois region. 618 day refers to the date June 18th to represent the southern Illinois phone area code. To Hudgins, this is an opportunity to support SIU students who live in the 618 area code.

Carbondale United is focused on providing healing and community safety. This is something they're working to accomplish through awareness, education, and activism.One of the programs that falls under all three of these efforts is their Violence Interrupters program. The goal is defuse stressful situations before they become violent.Earlier this June, Carbondale United hosted training for people wanting to help with this effort. Find out how this program is as much prevention as it is reaction.

Alyssa Connell took over the role of manager of Southern Illinois Airport on April 1st. She replaced Gary Shafer who served the airport for 46 years. In this In Focus report, WSIU talked with Connell about her new role, what happens at the airport - on and off the runway, and about the airport's future. Connell explains how she grew up around aviation and her joys in being to work in a field that she loves.

The Southern Illinois Airport is turning 75 years old. They will celebrate that milestone this Sunday, June 1st.The airport is hosting an open house guests can tour the terminal and learn about airport operations. Visitors will also be able to enjoy cake and ice cream to celebrate the milestone. Other activities feature food discounts at the St. Nicholas Brewing restaurant in the main terminal. There will also be fuel discounts for those that fly in to the event.The SIU school of aviation is also celebrating 65 years at the airport with tours and aircraft displays.

SIU professors and researchers from across the country made presentations on the uses and issues of AI in person and virtually while also taking questions from students in the audience.

Earlier in May Illinois Treasure Frerichs announced 10 small profits would receive $200 thousand in Charitable Trust Grants. Each non-profit would receive $20 thousand.The charitable trust grants help nonprofits fulfill their missions to serve people in need by providing housing, food, and workforce and economic development assistance. Night's Shield in West Frankfort was one the recipients who won the award. They were selected from a group of 110 applicants.

On May 15th, The Illinois State Bar Association announced the newest round of Fellows for their Rural Practice Fellowship Program. The program is part of the ISBA's effort to take on what they say is a lawyer shortage in the state.Looking at the numbers, you find Illinois counties with fiver or less lawyers. Even some with just two or three - including counties in southern Illinois.The shortage becomes more widespread when comparing the number of lawyers to the number of residents in these counties. The American Bar Association says these areas are "legal deserts". They define legal deserts as areas with less than one attorney per one thousand residents.To tackle these shortages, the ISBA developed their Rural Practice Fellowship - trying to incentivize law students and lawyers to practice in these underserved counties.

The response to Friday's tornado in Williamson County has turned to recovery and clean up. Residents now have to take stock of the damage left behind.WSIU visited the area and talked with residents and volunteers as they begin to clean-up after the storm.Jon Binns shows photos of damage to his house and yard that was caused by the EF 4 tornado that left a 16 mile long path of destruction just south of Marion. He and his wife were at home when the storm hit.