Mounds supporters hope for a takeover

Timothy R. Pauketat, a University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign archaeology professor, has spent close to 25 years poking around the earth near Cahokia Mounds State Historic Site in Collinsville looking for relics of the centuries-old village that once dominated the site.But with a state budget crisis, massive cost concerns and reduced staffing, Pauketat and others who support the ancient ruins are asking why state leaders don't hand Cahokia Mounds over to a new, better-funded owner: the federal government.

"Given the recent efforts with state economy and the cuts, yes, I think that would be a good idea," Pauketat said.