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Brian Munoz

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Carbondale, St. Louis
As seen in: KWMU-FM (St. Louis, MO), Medium, MSN, Reuters, USA Today, Yahoo News, NPR, Substack, U.S. News and World Report, Miami Herald, National Post and
fiat lux | visuals editor at @stlpublicradio, @npr network | 🇲🇽 🇺🇸 | @stlprguild | formerly: @usatoday, et. al | forever @siuc | tips? → bmunoz@stlpr.org
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SIU Carbondale fraternity, sorority suspended after investigations reveal years of hazing

SIU Carbondale fraternity, sorority suspended after investigations reveal years of hazing

The Southern Illinoisan — Two prominent Greek organizations at Southern Illinois University Carbondale have been suspended after investigations spanning several months uncovered years of hazing incidents including sexual and mental humiliation, paddle beatings, forced servitude, consumption of animals, and mental degradation.
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Paulette Curkin: The 'heroine' of Carbondale's LGBTQ community

Paulette Curkin: The 'heroine' of Carbondale's LGBTQ community

The Southern Illinoisan — Paulette Curkin has been called a "champion" of the LGBTQ community in Southern Illinois.
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Officials tight-lipped on Pulaski County Detention Center outbreak as detainees fear for their li...

Officials tight-lipped on Pulaski County Detention Center outbreak as detainees fear for their li...

The Southern Illinoisan — ULLIN - After initially reporting a small outbreak of COVID-19 at an immigration detention center in rural Southern Illinois in early April, county officials and the health department have clammed up about the spread of the virus inside the facility, even as advocates say detainees have been left in the dark and are fearful for their lives.
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Senators call for investigation into Pulaski County jail amid COVID-19 outbreak

Senators call for investigation into Pulaski County jail amid COVID-19 outbreak

The Southern Illinoisan — U.S. Sens. Dick Durbin and Tammy Duckworth are calling on federal oversight agencies to investigate conditions at the Pulaski County Detention Center amid a COVID-19 outbreak at the facility.
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Immigrant rights groups to hold demonstration at Pulaski County Detention Center

Immigrant rights groups to hold demonstration at Pulaski County Detention Center

The Southern Illinoisan — Immigrant rights groups are calling for further transparency regarding conditions at the Pulaski County Detention Center, which holds a contract with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement.
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Community organizers continue fight for racial equality, justice in Southern Illinois

Community organizers continue fight for racial equality, justice in Southern Illinois

The Southern Illinoisan — In the weeks and months after George Floyd's death while pinned under the knee of a Minneapolis police officer, demonstrations spread throughout the country and throughout Southern Illinois. The social justice movement spurred by Floyd's death, which seeks racial equality and has primarily focused on reform in the criminal justice system, isn't a new one.
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Class of COVID-19: Southern Illinois high school seniors face uncertainty

Class of COVID-19: Southern Illinois high school seniors face uncertainty

The Southern Illinoisan — While the Goreville Blackcats hoped their basketball season would end with a state championship, it ended with a press release.
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Southern Illinois' Latin American community celebrates Three Kings Day with sweet traditions

Southern Illinois' Latin American community celebrates Three Kings Day with sweet traditions

The Southern Illinoisan — CARBONDALE - Frost lingers on car windows as the glow of streetlights illuminate a quiet Carbondale West Main Street. The sound of a nearby locomotive rumbles the ground as Daris Herrera adjusts her apron as the clock inches toward 6 a.m.
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SIUC, Carbondale community give testimony on funding and future of university system

SIUC, Carbondale community give testimony on funding and future of university system

Daily Egyptian — SIUC administration, students and Carbondale community members provided testimonies to a legislative panel headed by the Illinois House Higher Education Committee chair, Emanuel "Chris" Welch, regarding the university, university system and higher education in Illinois.
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How "Popeye the Sailor" put a rural Illinois town on the international map

How "Popeye the Sailor" put a rural Illinois town on the international map

Medium — CHESTER, Ill. - Debbie Brooks has been a Popeye fan since she was a child, even when faced with the unimaginable - being kidnapped at the age of five.
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Review: 'Bare' brings seduction, secrets and the search for identity to stage

Review: 'Bare' brings seduction, secrets and the search for identity to stage

Daily Egyptian — 'bare: a pop opera,' closed out its Southern Illinois University debut bringing Jon Hartmere's story of love, seduction and identity to life at the Christian H. Moe Theater in Carbondale.
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'There was blood everywhere:' Student recounts attempt to help shooting victim

'There was blood everywhere:' Student recounts attempt to help shooting victim

Daily Egyptian — Skyler Cantrell said he had was applying pressure to the bleeding stomach of a shooting victim when he heard someone screaming profanities behind him. This is the second follow-up in a series following a shooting which injured 4 in Carbondale.
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'Porkchop the Pig' captures the hearts of Herrin residents

'Porkchop the Pig' captures the hearts of Herrin residents

Daily Egyptian — Michelle Mezo said she wasn't surprised when she found one of her son's high school friends had brought a stray pig back to her house back in November. This story chronicles the tale of "Porkchop," a pig who has been loose in the town of Herrin, Illinois, for the past six months and who has inherently brought the community together.
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Victim, bystanders speak out after four shot in Carbondale over weekend

Victim, bystanders speak out after four shot in Carbondale over weekend

Daily Egyptian — John Diamond said he was drinking with acquaintances Friday night when the sound reminiscent of firecrackers boomed through the air and chaos ensued - he was hit. This is the first follow-up in a series following a shooting which injured 4 in Carbondale.
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Four shot, injured outside ABC Liquors in Carbondale

Four shot, injured outside ABC Liquors in Carbondale

Daily Egyptian — Shots rang out in Carbondale after four were shot outside ABC Liquor Mart in the town square. This is the initial coverage of the shooting scene, followed up by two pieces featured in this portfolio.
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Inspector general report finds Dunn mishandled multiple hirings

Inspector general report finds Dunn mishandled multiple hirings

Daily Egyptian — Randy J. Dunn, former Southern Illinois University president, was found to have improperly hired multiple highly paid individuals at the university, according to an inspector general report whose findings were obtained by the Daily Egyptian. I was able to break this story before any other media outlet, local and regional.
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Rosebud: Changing the Trajectory of the Lakota-Sioux Youth Through Education and Community

Rosebud: Changing the Trajectory of the Lakota-Sioux Youth Through Education and Community

Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting — Native American students have historically been an underserved group. Now a group of educators and community members are working to help change the trajectory of the Lakota-Sioux youth in Mission, SD. This is a project which was funded through the Pulitzer Center on Crisis Reporting.
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SIU cheerleaders say they are being hidden during national anthem due to kneeling protests

SIU cheerleaders say they are being hidden during national anthem due to kneeling protests

Daily Egyptian — After kneeling protests against police brutality, a change in protocol by SIU Athletics is keeping the cheer team out of the public eye during the national anthem.
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SIU Athletics rescinds activism ban, legal experts weigh in on Code of Conduct addition

SIU Athletics rescinds activism ban, legal experts weigh in on Code of Conduct addition

Daily Egyptian — SIU Athletics has rescinded new language in the Student Athlete Code of Conduct that said any displays of activism will not be tolerated and could lead to the individual's removal from their respective program.
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SIU Athletics bans displays of activism to "put forward a message of unity," one cheerleader retu...

SIU Athletics bans displays of activism to "put forward a message of unity," one cheerleader retu...

Daily Egyptian — SIU Athletics has put forward a proposed change in athletics code of conduct banning any type of protest or displays of activism to "put forward a message of unity" within the department. This piece sparked state and national outcry which ultimately led SIU Athletics to rescind the policy.
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Dunn coordinates with legislators, SIU Edwardsville administration in attempt to dissolve system

Dunn coordinates with legislators, SIU Edwardsville administration in attempt to dissolve system

Daily Egyptian — Randy Dunn, university system president, coordinated with Edwardsville administration and Metro-East lawmakers to create legislation in order to dissolve the SIU system, according to documents obtained through the Freedom of Information Act. This is a piece in a series of reports chronicling the fall of Randy Dunn as president of the Southern Illinois System.
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SIU athletics running on cumulative deficit over $26 million

SIU athletics running on cumulative deficit over $26 million

Daily Egyptian — SIU athletics was found to be running a cumulative deficit of more than $26 million, according to documents obtained by the Daily Egyptian under a Freedom of Information Act request and interviews.
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SIU Athletics found non-compliant with Title IX regulations, will add D1 women's soccer program

SIU Athletics found non-compliant with Title IX regulations, will add D1 women's soccer program

Daily Egyptian — The university has been found to not offer as many opportunities to women athletes as the university does to men, an internal review of SIU Athletics found last year. In response, the school is to add a women's soccer team. I broke this story before other media outlets. The athletics department announced the addition of the team, which was denied multiple times, hours after we published the investigation.
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