Cleveland Heath takes mac and cheese to a new level

AUDREY O’RENIC copy editor

Located in downtown Edwardsville, Cleveland Heath offers a warm and casual atmosphere with upscale dishes and excellent staff. The restaurant is known for its locally sourced ingredients and seasonally based menu.

The staff were quick and friendly, and even suggested their favorites on the menu — but I already knew what I wanted.

I ordered a side of macaroni and cheese which consisted of a warm blend of sharp cheddar and parmesan cheese on top of classic macaroni pasta. There were also bread crumbs generously sprinkled on top which added a nice crunch in comparison to the creamy cheese.

Cleveland Heath’s menu changes seasonally so the dishes offered changed based on what is in season, and in the past the restaurant has served other pasta dishes.

Although an $8 plate of macaroni and cheese may seem expensive for a side, the dish comes with plenty for a quick lunch.

However, despite the macaroni and cheese’s delicious taste, it did not wow me enough to choose it over a more affordable grocery store option.

EMILY STERZINGER Editor-in-Chief alestlelive.com

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Editor’s Note: This article includes discussion of active shooters on campus.

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The shooting last month at Michigan State University is a reminder that when shootings happen on campuses, having procedures and plans ready is paramount.

Of the 12 shootings there have been at American college campuses, eight of them were in the last 15 years. Last month was the most recent one, at Michigan State University. As the shooting unfolded, Michigan State administration sent an emergency alert out to students telling them to “run, hide, fight.”

While this message was well-intentioned, the need to fight is not any students’ responsibility. Furthermore, telling students to run and hide is the correct message, but incredibly reckless and frantic.

After the shooting, which killed three students and injured four, Michigan State went to emergency operations for two days. Although it is necessary to eventually return to a normal schedule after a traumatic event, returning to a normal schedule on Thursday after a shooting on Monday is incredibly fast.

The response to any act of gun violence, on or off campus, is often to increase gun control. Although this response would decrease the number of guns legally owned, it does not address illegal purchases. Additionally, gun control is a famously difficult topic to discuss and is rarely passed.

Although gun reform may be a solution, it is not within SIUE’s power to create it. What SIUE can do is make resources about what to do in the case of a shooting more readily available and advertised.

On the SIUE Police Department’s website, the procedures for SIUE during an active shooting are listed. Among the warn-

Letter To The Editor

TERRY CLARK office support associate is available every other Wednesday during summer semesters.

I’ve been a staff member here at SIUE for over 2 years now. I haven’t stayed because the job pays well, or because of the great benefits, but because of the opportunity to help students going through college. But anyone who has worked someplace for a time quickly begins to notice the issues that are most prevalent, and the university has many that threaten the future of SIUE as a whole.

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While students continue to navigate the challenges of the growing world, from surviving classes to taking on debt to pay for college, the faculty and staff of the university are constantly finding themselves at odds with the actions of the administration that they report to. Just recently, ings about how to secure a room and to find safety, SIUE does one thing that the Michigan State warning does not — it does not tell students to fight. SIUE does list what to do in the case of an active shooter in a room with you, and it does ask students to try to distract, confuse or frighten shooters by throwing items and making noise. Despite the possible negative outcome of making your presence known to an active shooter in a room with you, it is better than telling students to fight.

This is a very grim topic to be addressed, but it has to be to reduce the intensity of the possible tragedy if the worst should happen. SIUE should make sure these resources are known by the SIUE community. It is a dark issue to have to discuss, but societally, it is safer to spread this knowledge and make sure we all know what to do in the situation than to not.

Making these resources available is only half the battle, however. It is important to make sure that the campus is aware when there’s an emergency. There was a small electrical fire in Peck Hall last week, which activated the fire alarm. Several classes in the MUC, including some with Alestle staff members, remained in their classrooms for an extended period, assuming the fire alarm was a test or a malfunction. There were no injuries, but it stands as a reminder to always err on the side of caution. If tragedies like the one at Michigan State University and other colleges were to strike SIUE, the SIUE community would also need more time to grieve than Michigan State was given. Returning to full campus operations the same week there was a shooting on campus does not give anyone enough time to process. If something were to happen, hopefully SIUE would be more understanding.

SIUE focusing on image, not students

steps were taken to consolidate all email inquiries to a singular office, rather than the schools themselves, which has created concerns that many students will fall through the cracks due to lack of competent response time for questions. Similarly, the online catalogue of programs and courses was updated with a new look and navigation scheme. Unfortunately, the site has now become a nightmare to navigate and some of the links and information are either outdated or mislabeled. In the School of Nursing alone, all profile links for our undergraduate programs direct people to a single program, rather than their respective sites. Also, the link for our undergraduate applications for the programs have been removed, thus leaving our team at a loss for how prospective students will have to apply online.

These are just a couple of the issues that seem to stem from a larger problem that the university faces. The administration is in an unorganized tailspin to try and update the image of SIUE, without putting thought into what the ramifications of these decisions are. Most of these acts are spurred on by financial hardships and “less than ideal” enrollment numbers. Rather than shifting into a crisis mode and planning a sustainable initiative to address these issues, it appears that their is more concern for perception, such as the large rebranding campaign that is being advocated for. Meanwhile, services are being dissolved, workers are concerned about issues such as lack of retention and burnout, and fees for students are increasing.

What is worse is that, in my few years of working here at SIUE, I have come to the conclusion that directly appealing to those in charge does little to address the issues. I have made my concerns known to individual administrators before, and they have been brushed off or forgotten.

This is why I wanted to appeal to any students or employees that have noticed similar troubles in the university: Please do not let these things go unmentioned. Deep down, we all want SIUE to be a place where students can prepare themselves for the future. But at the rate things are going, that desire to facilitate knowledge and understanding may be in serious jeopardy.

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Help Wanted

Seasonal Part -Time Public Works Laborer

The Village of Glen Carbon is now accepting applications for seasonal part-time positions within the Public Works Department. Job duties including mowing grass, weed eating, cleaning park restrooms and trash duty. Applicant must be able to work 40 hours per week. The hours are guaranteed until the job ends in September. Resumes must include employment history, job-related skills, 3 professional references and education. Or, you can pick up an application from Village clerk’s office between hours of 8:00 a.m.- 4:00 p.m. Applicants must be at least 17 years of age to apply for work and must have a valid driver’s license and clean driving record.

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OPINION: Narcoleptics are exhausted, not lazy

WINTER RACINE photographer

Due to their excessive daytime sleepiness, people with narcolepsy are frequently mistaken for lazy and unmotivated.

In reality, narcolepsy is a debilitating condition that can have a significant impact on an individual’s daily life, making it hard for them to stay alert and complete important tasks.

Narcolepsy is a chronic neurological disorder that impacts the ability to regulate sleepwake-cycles. It is characterized by sudden, uncontrollable episodes of intense fatigue that can happen at any time, frequently at the wrong times.

These episodes are often triggered by environments in which the individual is not actively moving their limbs: driving, sitting in lectures, reading books, etc.

The onset of these symptoms cannot always be felt, and can be disorienting and scary.

It is a common misunderstanding that individuals with narcolepsy can control the amount of time they spend napping and replenishing their energy.

In order to understand a narcoleptic’s rapid depletion of energy, it may be helpful to visualize it as a glass of water. While most people wake up with a full glass of energy and go to bed with only a quarter remaining, narcoleptics wake up with only half a glass and can be complete- ly drained by noon. Sleep is the only way to refill their glass.

Just as a person with a halffull glass of water cannot pour a full cup, a person with narcolepsy cannot control the limited amount of energy they have.

Although they may wish to attend social events or participate in class, their energy levels simply may not allow it. This does not mean that they are lazy or unmotivated, but rather that their diagnosis limits their ability to uphold certain expectations.

By understanding that narcoleptics do not choose how much energy they have, we can avoid stigmatizing those with narcolepsy and instead provide the support necessary to help them manage their condition.