DO NOT CHANGE T H E
BANDS FIND ALTERNATE WAYS TO PERFORM WHILE SOCIAL DISTANCING page 5
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WORLD OF DANCE CHANGES WITH PANDEMIC page 7
vol. 73 no. 26
The Student Voice Since 1960
health care workers give hands-on view of Covid-19 Medical professionals provide a look at what’s behind the closed hospital curtains in the era of COVID-19 JORDYN NIMMER lifestyles editor
While the stay-at-home order has forced nonessential workers into their homes during the pandemic, health care workers are on the front lines facing off against the nation’s current largest threat — COVID-19 — while armed with latex gloves and kind hearts. At every level of health care, from doctors to technicians, professionals are taking on the threat head-on. Among these health care professionals is senior biological sciences major Hannah Niles, of Marissa, Illinois, who is working directly with patients affected by COVID-19 as a scribe at five different hospitals — two in St. Louis, Missouri and three in Illinois. “So far we have seen cases of respiratory complaints with associated cough and fever. One case that stood out to me was a patient coming in with what looked to be a sinus infection, but after a chest
X-ray we decided to test for COVID-19,” Niles said. “This virus continues to expand on the type of symptoms. A few cases have shown digestive symptoms and others have mentioned being unable to smell or taste.” Emergency room nurse Clayton Carmichael, of Marissa, Illinois, has encountered positive COVID-19 patients and said even seemingly healthy patients are not immune. “Most of the people have been coming in with cold/flu complaints,” Carmichael said. “If the patients met testing criteria, we would test them. I have personally tested two positive patients. They were both young and relatively healthy.” Since COVID-19 presents with a wide array of symptoms and can easily be confused for other illnesses, concerns are elevated among the public. Niles believes these concerns are justified. “I’m taking the concerns with COVID-19 more seriously, because I know how dangerous this virus is,” Niles said. “Each day of work I’m informed on the progression of the virus and the changes in the care and handling of patients in order to prevent the spread and protect the patients in need.” During this time of uncertainty, it can be easy to feel
COVID-19 is a dangerous virus that continues to mutate. Instead of going to work in fear, I’m going to work feeling lucky to have this experience to be at the front line and to work toward what I want to do for the rest of my life.
as though individuals have little control over surrounding circumstances. However, Niles said there are some key preventative measures the public should take. “People should be patient and take the stay-at-home order seriously,” Niles said. “The stay-at-home order is in place for our protection and to decrease the spread of this virus. COVID-19 continues to spread throughout the U.S., and the only chance we have to contain this virus is to listen to the stay-at-home order.” The elevated concern should be a lesson to focus on healthy habits even when the crisis has passed. Carmichael believes we should all practice healthy habits to prevent outbreaks in the future. “As ER nurses, we started taking measures to control our exposure to respiratory illnesses when caring for patients,” Carmichael said. “If people would use proper ways to decrease getting sick — washing hands, using tissues to cough/sneeze, not wiping their face with dirty hands — all the time, not just now, viruses would not spread as rapidly.” Niles believes we should extend gratitude to essential workers during this time period, especially those working in health care. “People should know that health care workers are doing everything they can to prevent the spread within hospitals and see HANDS-ON on page 2
HANNAH NILES
senior biological science major, scribe at five local hospitals
SIUE makes plans for if COVID-19 Prospective students can were to cross campus borders now visit campus digitally ALEX AULTMAN reporter
students live,” Dunn said. “Thus far, the quarantine is going well, and no one is exhibiting any signs of any kind of distress, etc.” SIUC has a similar amount of students remaining on campus to SIUE. However, they were divided between the housing buildings, which al-
With confirmed COVID-19 cases in both campus communities, SIU Carbondale and SIUE are working with their respective county health departments on safety plans. Students at both SIUC and SIUE have tested positive for COVID-19. The two students at SIUC are both staying on campus in the dorms and the SIUE student is residing off campus. At the Board of Trustees meeting March 30, SIUC Chancellor John Dunn talked about the precautions SIUC is taking. “On Saturday RICH WALKER [March 28], we chose, vice chancellor for administration with input from Jackson County Health De- lowed SIUC to quarantine partment, to quarantine 21 the specific hall the infectstudents living in the resi- ed students were living in. Dunn said the addence where the affected
ministration is trying to limit interaction between students and food service workers on campus as much as possible. “Related to food, we are now boxing all lunches for students who live on campus,” Dunn said. “The student approaches the table where the box lunches are, swipes their card, takes the box and returns to his or her room. This is going well, and there is no direct interaction between the student and food worker.” However, the precautions SIUE is planning in the case a resident tests positive are different because all of the remaining students have been consolidated to
“We have a quarantine facility set up in Cougar Village that [an infected student] could go to, that is, to isolate them in case they wanted to or needed to stay in Cougar Village.
@thealestle
see SAFETY on page 2 @thealestle
| Dominick Oranika / The Alestle DAMIAN MORRIS reporter
Prospective SIUE students now have an option to interact with faculty and staff remotely and visit the campus online, despite not being able to meet in-person. Kelley Brooks, assistant director of admissions for campus visits & outreach, said there are new The Alestle
things in place for virtual tours. SIUE is now offering one-on-one chats student ambassadors and presentations with admissions counselors that would normally take place in-person. “The first component is the virtual tour. That was already in place. We’ve always had a virtual tour, and that’s always been available on our website,” Brooks said. “However, we did
not have virtual presentations online with admission counselors. We also did not have the virtual chats.” She said that the virtual admissions presentations take place Monday through Friday at 3 p.m. “Those are one hour sessions with an admission counselor that is all about SIUE,” Brooks said.
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Swine flu vs. COVID-19: How do they compare?
JOHN MCGOWAN reporter
The last major pandemic the world faced was in 2009 with swine flu, caused by the H1N1 virus. Comparing that outbreak to the one we are currently experiencing, it’s clear which has had the bigger impact. In the year that swine flu was a pandemic, it infected 60,800,000 people and killed 12,469 people in the U.S., according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. As of April 8, the U.S. is at 12,754 deaths from COVID-19. According to Medical Chief for SIUE Health Service Kelly Farroll, the two viruses are similar in that they were both classified as novel and had not previously been identified in animals or people. This meant the world population had no immunity to the viruses at the beginning of each outbreak. The exception in the case of H1N1 was some elderly people who had been exposed to small swine flu outbreaks in the past, leaving them immune. Farroll said the viruses differ in their treatability and in who they affect most. “We had antiviral medication that would still be effective for the new strain [swine flu], so that probably helped to control the illness a little more. Whereas for COVID-19 right now, there are no medications to treat it and nobody has any immunity to it,” Farroll said. “Influenza’s effects on the young population were much more significant than the coronavirus.” Universities did not react to swine flu the way they are reacting now. Because of the treatability of swine flu, they stayed mostly business as usual. Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple said he SAFETY I COVER
Evergreen Hall and Cougar Village. Vice Chancellor for Administration Rich Walker said the university has a quarantine facility set up with four apartments in a couple of separate buildings in Cougar Village. “We have a quarantine facility set up in Cougar Village that they [an infected student] could go to,” Walker said. “That is, to isolate them in case they wanted to or needed to stay in Cougar Village. Of course, if they had any roommates we would follow up with their roommates to see about taking the proper precautions for cleaning and sanitizing the apartment and watching them to make sure that they don’t become symptomatic.” Director of Health Services Riane Greenwalt said local students should call them if they believe they may have become infected so they can report it to the Madison County Health Department and work with them to notify those they have been in contact with. “If someone thought they had contracted it, we would want them to call us so that we could give them medical attention,” Greenwalt said. “Students would have to be tested in order to know that they were positive and because they are HANDS-ON I COVER
we are asking our communities to do the same,” Niles said. “COVID-19 is a dangerous virus that continues to mutate. Instead of going to work in fear, I’m going to work feeling lucky to have this experience to be at the front line and to work toward what I want to do for the rest of my life.” Many hospitals have implemented new care standards and procedures due to the pandemic. Senior nursing student Alex Watson, of Edwardsville, said the
Facts of H1N1 - Within one year, the H1N1 pandemic resulted in 60.8 million U.S. cases, 12,469 U.S. deaths and between 151,700-575,400 deaths worldwide. covered in April 2009 in California. - It primarily affected children and young to middle-aged adults.
Commonalities - Both were declared a pandemic by the World Health Organization. - Both spread through droplets expelled when an infected individual coughed or sneezed. - Fever and cough are common symptoms of both.
- The most common symptoms were fever, cough and sore throat.
Facts of COVID-19 - So far, there have been 395,011 U.S. cases, 12,754 U.S. deaths and 79,235 deaths worldwide. - Outbreak originated in December in Wuhan, Chi reported on Jan. 20 in the state of Washington. - It primarily affects mem bers of the elderly commu nity. - The most common symp toms are fever, tiredness and dry cough.
Information retrieved from the CDC. COVID-19 numbers last updated April 8.
| Summer Bradley / The Alestle
was working at Northern Kentucky University during the H1N1 outbreak, and the campus didn’t shut down. “It wasn’t a shutdown like what’s happening now … It just wasn’t as rapidly spreading,” Waple said. Director of Health Service Riane Greenwalt said the extent of SIUE’s reaction to swine flu came down to more sanitization. “When we were dealing with H1N1, it did give us a chance to talk to other units at the university to increase their cleaning schedules, and making sure that computer labs were wiped down, that door knobs were wiped down,” Greenwalt said. “Ob-
viously, having people now online rather than on ground [means extra sanitization is] not as necessary.” As Greenwalt mentioned, the university’s responses to the two viruses aren’t really comparable, as the campus shut down in the case of coronavirus rather than just taking small precautions as they did for swine flu. Waple said when the school started looking into COVID-19, they had to change the policies that were put into place for swine flu. “I remember H1N1 policies for pandemics, and we pulled those up as we were
in Madison County – and it’s a communicable disease, which means it’s reportable ... So, it wouldn’t matter if they were in Cougar or if they were in an apartment or if they were at home, it’s the same protocol. People get tested, and if it’s positive then the public health department tells you what your contacts are and then takes it from there.” If a student residing on campus tests positive, the university would be able to go into their apartment or dorm to sanitize it after moving them to one of the quarantine apartments. Regardless of where a sick student is residing, Walker said the university still wants to help them in whatever way they can. “If a student were off campus and were to become infected, essentially we would follow the same principles. However we wouldn’t be able to go into someone’s private residence obviously,” Walker said. “We would still want to care for that student to the best that we can, protecting their privacy of course. If there’s a way that we can help them get prescriptions or food we want to be able to help them in that way as well even if they’re off campus.” The Alestle will continue to update as more COVID-19 news develops.
events online.” The newest thing VisitDays added to Brooks said that the biggest difference the virtual tours was breakout sessions, from the virtual tours they had before and according to Klingbeil. The breakout sesthe new components, are the option to sions allow the university to jump between have one-on-one sessions with student am- individual and group meetings for the stubassadors through Zoom. These will take dents taking these online tours. This means students can begin with a guided tour, and place Monday through Friday at 5 p.m. She said the week of March 30, the then move onto the individual meetings Department of Admissions sent out emails with admissions counselors and student to prospective students with information ambassadors. Klingbeil said that he and the team on how to register for the chat and presentations. These tours are available for high made an effort to stay in the background and allow the school students university to and transfer stu“With everything with market themdents alike. selves with their The comCOVID-19, we’ve had own branding, pany VisitDays to figure out very quickly making them the teamed up with focus. Zoom and the how to make sure “From the university to institution standwork out how that students can point, with the to best move the both interact online with visit days, most tours online. of, if not all stuVisitDays the university itself and dents don’t know Director of Dighave that same very who we are,” ital Marketing Klingbeil said. Matthew Klingpersonalized experience “That’s kinda the beil said he and point. The point his team had to digitally. is for us to live in make these deMATTHEW KLINGBEIL the background cisions quickly director of digital marketing so that the instito make sure the for VisitDays tution has their university tours full branding and could be fully their full marketfunctional and ing capabilities.” easily accessible For more information about SIUE online. “With everything with COVID-19, virtual tours, go to the SIUE Visit website we’ve had to figure out very quickly how and join in any of the virtual tours taking to make sure that students can both inter- place at 3 p.m. every Monday through act online with the university itself and Friday. have that same very personalized experience digitally,” Klingbeil said. “The first DAMIAN MORRIS thing we did is we worked with Zoom to 650-3527 @damian_alestle figure out a way to make sure that all of dmorris@alestlelive.com our current clients can get their in-person
health care shortage impacts these standards. “The amount of resources [COVID-19] takes up is unlike other illnesses,” Watson said. “It requires a 1-1 nurse to patient ratio, same as that in an intensive care unit. It requires a team of respiratory therapists and doctors just for a single patient. It sounds manageable, but remember we are in a healthcare shortage.” For more information and daily updates about the spread of the virus in the U.S., visit the CDC’s website.
TOURS I COVER
entering this pandemic, and a lot of things had to be updated institutionally,” Waple said. “Some of the plans worked, but this pandemic is spreading so rapidly — much faster.” SIUE continues to send out coronavirus updates to students via their school emails. As always, The Alestle will continue to provide updates as new information arises. JOHN MCGOWAN 650-3527 @john_alestle jmcgowan@alestlelive.com
thursday, 04.09. 20
ITS, library still offer aid to students during closures
GABRIEL BRADY reporter
Most of SIUE’s students and staff are attempting to continue class while staying off-campus. To help adapt to these changes, some departments at SIUE have offered new services. ITS is one of the several departments which aided in the online transition with many new options for students and faculty alike, according to Assistant Director of ITS Michael Pulley. “We now offer increased device checkouts for students without devices at home for online education,” Pulley said. Some of these devices available are iPads and laptops, and students can email help@ siue.edu for more information. Matt Schmitz, SIUE’s assistant director of online and blended education, said the technology that has been rented to students came from devices that were already on-hand, as well as from donations. “There has been a lot of support from campus as far as donating technology to rent and check out for students,” Schmitz said. Schmitz also said the things possible with technology have increased as well thanks to larger corporations introducing new offers due to the COVID-19 pandemic. “SIUE upgraded our Zoom tech so now all students and staff have a licensed account,” Schmitz said. “And, to help faculty, we’ve offered webinars on how to use Zoom.” SIUE has done a lot to help students in this transition, according to Pulley. “We’ve been able to greatly expand software and expand existing agreements,” Pulley said. Another department at SIUE with new technology for the transition to online is Lovejoy Library. Electronic Resources Librarian Neil Das said the library has been aiding professors in using electronic databases in coursework. “We normally have 209 databases online, and we’re always experimenting with new databases to add, like Jove, which is a new one. These closures give us more reason
Students’ votes are in for SG 2020-2021
Student Government released the unofficial results for those elected to the 2020-2021 SG positions, following elections that took place last Tuesday and Wednesday. The newly elected candidates for SG’s executive branch include Maddie Walters as president, Ronald Akpan as vice president and Jacob Graham as student trustee. The SG legislative branch now includes the following: - Ricky Beck and Samuel Childerson for the School of Business; - Carson Brimm and Hailee O’Dell for the School of Health, Education, and Human Behavior; - MacKenzie Randolph and Clinton Jones for the School of Engineering; - Nicole Obert and Cort Jackson as Senators at Large; - Callie Krager for the College of Arts and Sciences - Science and Math; - Justin Shiau for the School of Pharmacy; - Alexia Burnett for the School of Nursing; and - Lindsy Perry and Brigid Aslin as Graduate Senators. SG still has to confirm the writein senators for the College of Arts and Sciences - Arts and Communication, and the School of Dental Medicine, and the write-ins for the second senators for the College of Arts and Sciences - Science and Math, School of Pharmacy and School of Nursing according to the social SG Facebook page as of April 2. SG is still accepting applications for the College of Arts and Sciences - People and Culture senator and to fill one Senator at Large position. For more information go to the Student Government website.
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The stimulus check: Common questions answered JOHN MCGOWAN reporter
The parking lot outside Lovejoy Library sits nearly empty following its closure. The library is still providing assistance through online resources. | Dominick Oranika / The Alestle to get more databases up,” Das said. “Usually these databases have things like user limits, but we’ve been getting rid of some of those for courses that use certain databases more. We also have instructions online on how to imbed these databases or specific ebooks into Blackboard for faculty.” Das credited Interim Dean Lydia Jackson with helping move resources online and offering new ideas for the library. “She was the one who wanted the 12hour response time, so we made sure to get it down to that,” Das said. Das said the library has also changed some more of its guidelines in response to the university‘s closure, such as increased librarian research support and less wait time on emails. “We have greatly expanded our chat hours on our live chat website,” Das said. “Also, we have been very responsive to emails and requests for research. We have a guaranteed 12-hour maximum wait time for responses.” Contact with students was also stressed by Pulley, who said students or faculty should not feel afraid to ask for help, especially now.
“Don’t hesitate to contact us. Most of the time, we’ve already handled a situation like the ones students are in,” Pulley said. “We’re offering all we can to help.” Pulley said some resources that are relatively unknown are especially helpful for students and faculty, like the VLab, which is designed to give people access to various software available at SIUE. “Siue.edu/vlab is a great resource that some people don’t know about,” Pulley said. “It’s got plenty of software available for anyone at SIUE to download.” Schmitz said there are many resources to help anyone who feels lost in their new, online classes. Schmitz also said some students ask their professors for help, who then direct them to ITS, whereas students can go straight to ITS themselves. “We have faculty that’s been helping the general faculty and students transfer,” Schmitz said. “We’ve also been trying to push anyone with questions to email the help desk. We can help them directly.” For more information on other resources being offered by ITS, email help@siue.edu or call 650-5500.
SIUE continues to support student employees through pandemic
MORGAN JACKSON photographer
Many college students have found themselves out of work due to COVID-19, but administration is working to help those in need. To help students in this tough time, the university has made efforts to make sure its employees are financially secure. Students who had scheduled hours will be paid for those hours through May 3 as determined by their supervisors. “What we asked the supervisors to do is to look at what the projected hours would have been per week per student … If they’re asked to [work remotely], they get paid for those hours. Otherwise, they get paid for projected [hours],” Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Jeffrey Waple said. “The only students who are living on campus [and working] are resident assistants who are in housing.” While campus employees are not currently working, the university expects to welcome students back to their jobs after the pandemic is over. “When we did this, every student employee who was under contract, we didn’t lay anyone off,” Waple said. “Student care is obviously at the top of our list. If you just look at what’s happening nationally, with companies closing and restaurants closing, students weren’t going to be able to have a steady income, so we wanted to make sure that those who were employed on campus had that through this time period. I don’t know if every campus feels that way about their students, but we do.” Along with resident assistants who are staying on campus, the university has also made efforts to help students who have essential off-campus jobs, allowing many of
them to continue living in campus housing. “Of our 341 students who are on campus now living in Cougar, we have 28 resident assistants who stayed with us to help support housing, and of the 341, 27 percent are living here because they have a job that’s local where someone needs them,” Waple said. Senior biology major Jake Richardson, of Springfield, Illinois, has generally been satisfied with the university’s response to COVID-19 in regards to employees. “I was a fitness attendant, so as a fitness attendant we ended up closing campus and I’m out of work on that. However, I still get paid for the hours I was scheduled, so thankfully that’s been a great benefit,” Richardson said. “I’m also a [Supplemental Instruction] leader, and in light of this pandemic, I’m still able to continue that position remotely through Zoom, so it’s been a bit of work but it’s been fine.” Senior mass communications major Mark Albrecht, of Granite City, Illinois, was a bit frustrated with the university’s response at first. “I wasn’t sure if I was going to have a job or not for about a week,” Albrecht said. According to the Illinois Department of Employment Security website, students who do not work for the university but are out of work elsewhere are eligible to apply for unemployment insurance in most cases. An exemption has also been created to the rule that normally makes it necessary to seek a job as long as employees are willing to return to work when asked. Students who need to file a claim for unemployment insurance should do so in the state where they were employed. In Illinois, they may do so on the Illinois Department of Employment Security’s website.
While the federal government will be providing many Americans with $1,200 checks to help those left without work during the coronavirus pandemic, many are left wondering if they are eligible or not. Students in particular have lots of questions. The White House and Senate came to a deal on March 25 for the CARES Act, providing a $2 billion stimulus package to the nation in order to help the economy and the people. It includes individual stimulus packages for not only U.S. citizens, but businesses as well. Since its announcement, there has been plenty of confusion about who exactly is getting a $1,200 check, with many finding they aren’t eligible at all. Here are answers to some of the most common questions:
Who is eligible for a stimulus check? The stimulus check works primarily based on income level. According to the IRS, individuals with an adjusted gross income of up to $75,000 a year and married couples with an adjusted gross income of up to $150,000 a year are automatically eligible for the full $1,200. Limits come when individuals or married couples earn more than the max income. For every $100 earned above the thresholds, $5 is removed from the payment. Those who earn at least $99,000 and $198,000 respectively are not eligible. According to the U.S. Department of the Treasury, all Social Security recipients will receive the full payment.
Are college students eligible? According to Alliance’s summarization of the CARES Act, those listed as dependents on someone else’s tax returns are not eligible for the stimulus check, so any student listed as a dependent on their parent or guardian’s tax return is out of luck. Another aspect of the CARES Act that affects college students is payments on any student loans taken out from the federal government have been suspended for three months.
How do I get a stimulus check? For someone to receive the stimulus check, the IRS needs either their 2019 or 2018 tax filings. Those who haven’t done their 2018 or 2019 taxes yet can still do so as the deadline has been moved to July 15. Those with direct deposit information set up with the IRS will get the check the fastest. In the coming weeks, the U.S. Treasury will have a website set up to make the process simple for those who do not yet have their information registered, according to the IRS website. Those who wish to learn more about the CARES Act can read a summary at alliance.org, and the full act is available to read at congress.gov. JOHN MCGOWAN 650-3527 @john_alestle jmcgowan@alestlelive.com
READ NEXT WEEK ABOUT TATTOO ARTISTS DURING THE PANDEMIC page 4
lifestyles alestlelive.com
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 04.09.20
Local artists maintain creativity by performing live from home ISOBEL ABBOTT-DETHROW reporter Across the United States, over 6 million people have filed for unemployment benefits as the pandemic continues to close businesses, shut people at home and put industries on hold. In the music industry, record production has been postponed, concerts are canceled and musicians are out of their careers for the time being. The COVID-19 pandemic has affected artists close to home. The St. Louis music scene relies on D.I.Y. house venues, hole-inthe-wall venues and the chance to support touring artists at wellknown venues across the city in order to get their music exposed. Audiences can no longer discover music that may be in their backyard. Keyboardist Noah Gregory for St. Louis band Thames, of Fenton, Missouri, revealed they were just getting a following as the pandemic began to spread across the country. Thames played their last show at Blueberry Hill Duck Room on March 3, supporting Oregon-based touring band Flor. “Thames usually plays a couple shows a month,” Gregory said. “Our last show [with Flor], we gained 30 followers, which is a significant number. It sucks we can’t be out there promoting ourselves, because no one is out there to listen.” According to Gregory, Thames was eight months into making a new record. With everything shut down, the album is at a standstill. “We’re missing out on shows, publicity, marketing and just meeting people,” Gregory said. “It’s just set us back so much.” Within the chaos, there seems to be a glimmer of hope for musicians to still play for people cooped up in their homes. On Instagram, a new account has emerged, “Concerts From Your Bedroom.” The mastermind behind the account is Soph Sterzl of St. Louis, who is in a band herself, Grandpa’s Basement. “I was trying to find ways to keep my friends coming together,” Sterzl said. “With situations like this, people need a place to go, a community. The music scene is a strong community in St. Louis; it’s impacted me in the best ways possible and I know it’s done the same for others. I wanted people to know that we’re still here supporting each other and there was a place for people to go.” Bands across the country have used the account, but it is mostly local. The first band showcased was from Tennessee; Sterzl wanted to make sure her touring friends were included. The account was created right when the pandemic picked up steam in the United States on March 16 and has already gained about 200 followers. A few bands have streamed live so far and others are in talks of taking part; Sterzl hopes that a different band will use the account daily in the future. One of the perks of “Con-
certs From Your Bedroom” is that live-streaming bands don’t have to miss out on turning a profit. “I put everybody’s Venmo in the [account’s] bio,” Sterzl said. “I did this because I work for larger concert venues. [The pandemic] ripple affects the whole industry, not just small bands. I was hoping people could contribute whatever they can to provide for others. I’ve seen a pretty good response, even if it’s just a couple dollars.” One local band that is interested in live-streaming a concert is The Slow Boys. The Slow Boys run one of St. Louis’ D.I.Y. venues, Dugan Haus, in Tower Grove South, among other houses in the neighborhood. According to keyboardist Dylan Andersen of St. Louis, The Slow Boys had a tour lined up before the pandemic hit, along with some shows at Dugan. “It’s a place for touring bands to play, make money and sleep if they need to,” Andersen said. “We told the bands that were supposed to come that we weren’t doing any more shows. Every day, a band was cancelling. Nobody’s doing anything right now.” Andersen is able to keep a job working on a garden, without any human interaction. At home, The Slow Boys are writing and recording music everyday. Andersen is currently working on a solo EP. Gregory is also working on music projects during self-quarantine, such as his other group, Blond Guru. Unfortunately, Gregory was laid off from his job for the next few weeks. “I currently have no source of income,” Gregory said. “Thames is making more than we’re spending now, but all those side gigs are gone.” Keep up to date on live music by following Concerts From Your Bedroom on Instagram and check out Thames and The Slow Boys’ music on Spotify.
Top and bottom: Alex Edith of the St. Louis rock band TRISTATE sings in their debut show at Pop’s Nightclub. | Photos courtesy of Spencer Peck
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REVIEW: Tiger King reveals the narcissism behind big cat industry ISOBEL ABBOTT-DETHROW reporter No matter which branch of social media you follow, almost everyone on there will not shut up about the newest Netflix documentary, “Tiger King: Murder, Mayhem and Madness,” and it’s for good reason. Before watching this documentary, I never knew how insane the United States’ big cat industry is, particularly, the people roped in. This docu-series is not for the faint of heart. The series begins with the illusion that these big cat zoo owners seem to devote their lives to taking care of endangered animals. However, as the episodes progress, it becomes clear that these animals are the last priority and the true motivator is money and pride. Joe “Exotic”, Carole Baskin and Bhagavan “Doc” Antle summarize how far narcissism can take a person. Antle’s self-given name as Bhagavan is enough of a giveaway to show his self-absorbency, as it shows he thinks of himself as a god-like figure. The main storyline in “Tiger King” is the battle between “Exotic” and Baskin. They both like to think of themselves as heroes, saving big cats from abuse and neglect, when in reality, they are both anti-heroes. There is not a likeable character in “Tiger King” whatsoever. Each person involved is shown to be crazy in their own unique way.
There is an episode dedicated to the possibility that Carole Baskin murdered her ex-husband, Don Lewis. “Exotic” harps on the idea she fed her husband to the tigers at Big Cat Rescue, her own “sanctuary,” after an argument with Lewis. Honestly, with all of the nervous laughter from Baskin in each episode, also the fact she never really looked at the camera throughout, I also think she murdered her husband. There seems to be a cult inside each big cat business shown in “Tiger King.” Antle has many different “wives” who live at his zoo, who all are required to look presentable for visitors, getting breast implants, required to wear makeup, etc. They had their own houses on the property. “Exotic” was married to two husbands at once, John Finlay and Travis Maldonado. However, both of “Exotic”’s partners were actually heterosexual. It is later revealed that there was an abundance of meth and marijuana use at “Exotic”’s zoo, which was the main reason why both men stayed married to “Exotic”. Tragedy strikes “Ex-
otic”’s G.W. Zoo through the course of “Tiger King.” Baskin files a hefty lawsuit against “Exotic” for using copyrighted images. One night, “Exotic”’s alligator den and recording studio are burned to the ground, killing every alligator and one crocodile inside, all of which belonged to then-husband Finlay. “Exotic” starts pointing fingers at Baskin. His obsession about getting even with Baskin takes a sinister turn, contemplating how to get rid of Baskin for good —
a murder for hire. “Exotic” gets the bright idea to run for Governor of Oklahoma as a Libertarian, despite not knowing the definition of the political party he stands for. He hires a former Walmart manager as his campaign manager. As “Exotic”’s focus on politics increases, his zoo gets left behind and crumbles. Later on, “Exotic”’s obsession with ending Baskin catches up to him. Now, “Exotic” is in prison for hiring a hitman to murder Baskin. Robert Moor is currently releasing episodes of his own podcast about this trainwreck of a story, “Joe Exotic: Ti-
ger King.” So far, it is more objective and shows “Exotic”’s paranoia and obsession with Baskin from the get-go. There are still a couple more episodes left to be released, but it reveals the same unbelievability of how crazy the big cat business world is. The “Tiger King” docu-series felt like an unstoppable rollercoaster ride with sudden shifts and loops, a trainwreck that everyone can’t look away from. The documentary and podcast show how far someone’s ego can take them. It is a shame that these endangered animals are in the hands of complete narcissists throughout the United States.
To Too strange true? strangeto to be be true? Test your COVID-19 knowledge. Answers on page 8.
1. The “Wuhan-400” virus in Dean Koontz’s fictional 1981 novel “The Eyes of Darkness” accurately predicted the spread of the coronavirus.
True
False
2. The face of Dr. Anthony S. Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases, was featured on a series of baked goods all over the country.
True
False
3. After the COVID-19 outbreak in China, sales of condoms rose in the country.
True
False
4. The Coronavirus outbreak began due to people eating bat soup.
True
False
5. Garlic can protect against COVID-19.
True
False
6. Vodka can be used to make effective DIY hand sanitizer.
True
False
7. Increasing your body temperature by taking frequent hot baths protects against the new coronavirus disease.
True
False
8. The novel coronavirus (SARS-COV-2) has made its way to every continent.
True
False
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Opinions can still be expressed from the comfort of your own home. T H E
alestle view
New routines call for new personal standards THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board
Like most college students, our staff has faced our shared fears about the transition to fully online classes. On one of the last nights we could come into work, our reporter John raised quite an interesting one: How awkward would it be if students felt the need to ask their instructor to go to their own personal bathroom in the middle of a Zoom class? As unrelated as this little anecdote sounds, it actually bears a lot of merit when discussing all the changes we are going through due to the pandemic. We don’t ask permission to make normal bodily functions, especially not in our own homes, because it’s a normal bodily reaction. For all us college students, our routines have been forced to change. Naturally, this
will cause a shift in our bodies — both physically and mentally. So, why are we beating ourselves up over shifts in weight? Why do we automatically consider it a personal failure when we aren’t bouncing back as easily from setbacks? Things are different now, and sometimes, there is no way around it. Our schedules inevitably look different: most of us aren’t able to work and study at the time we normally would, let alone do so in the same place as before. Many don’t have access to the same foods as before, and with the call to social distance, we are limited to the foods at home. For those who have moved from dorms back to their parents’ homes, these food options are bound to look different. Where money is tight, the only option might be cheap foods, which aren’t always
the most healthy. Add on the social distancing factor. With the closure of local gyms and the Student Fitness Center, plus not being able to see our workout buddies, motivation can be lost. For those researching ways to stay in shape at home, finding exercises that have the same desired effect as the equipment at the gym takes perseverance, and no matter how far down the fitness video hole you go, you may never find it. In turn, many of us will experience fluctuations in weight. This is normal, and this is part of your body’s natural reaction to all the changes you’re enduring. For those who feel ashamed of the number on the scale, remember, it is only natural. You are figuring it all out, and your body is, too. Just as your physical body is
experiencing changes, your mental self is, too. For some of us, our coping mechanisms have been taken away; friends are no longer just down the hall or across campus for when we need that added support, therapy looks different (if it is still an option at all), and going out to relieve stress is no longer an option. In times of great change comes great stress, and when you’re no longer surrounded by your support system and are forced to find new coping mechanisms, progress may feel lost. It’s unrealistic to expect to feel like you have it all figured out at this point in time, so don’t feel bad if you feel lost. It’s not fair to compare yourself to your former normal. Until the dust has settled, tailor your standards so they are reasonable for this time of transition.
Isolation is not ideal, but we can learn from it DAMIAN MORRIS reporter COVID-19 is on everyone’s mind, and that won’t be changing anytime soon, but that shouldn’t keep us from learning from the experience. There is plenty to hate about being stuck at home. Some people are out of work or school, struggling to transition to online courses, frustrated with not being able to get to the store often enough, or simply tired from the lack of much needed social stimulation. At first there was a large percentage of people ignoring the signs and blatantly doing the opposite of what the regulations recommend. This highlights a problem we had before, but is much more prevalent now. How many people, especially men, avoided going to their doctors before COVID-19 was even a concern? According to a 2017 survey from the American Academy of Family Physicians, one in four doctors said up to half of their male patients failed to show up for follow-ups visits, and the majority said it was because there were no noticeable symptoms.
This issue is highlighted now because many with COVID-19 aren’t symptomatic, but can still spread the disease. Avoiding doctors was common for some before this pandemic, but in most cases only had an individual effect, and now has an effect on everyone around them. However, most of these people have realized the severity of the situation at this point and listened to the medical professionals who have their best interest in mind. This has forced people into learning to cooperate more in the wake of this pandemic. Not leaving the house or socializing is difficult, but necessary, and more and more people are starting to recognize this. Most people didn’t realize how serious this pandemic was until it was already here. This can happen again, but hopefully they will now be more aware of the level of negative effects ignoring medical experts can bring. This will not only hopefully lead to higher percentages of people listening to their doctors, but can teach employers things as well. Many employers have been forced to either lose business or
transition their businesses to an online format. While this isn’t possible for all businesses, many have been able to make this transition, and made it easier for certain employees whose job wasn’t any different when working at an office. Some employees may prefer working from home, and it may be easier for certain employers. This isn’t true for all, or arguably most, people in the workforce, but some are now aware that it is possible to move almost entirely online. It also makes for a learning experience for jobs that, while it’s not ideal, have been forced to go online, and will be prepared to do this again if it ever becomes necessary for its workers. Organizations, be it school or otherwise, have been forced to teach themselves how to move events that were originally in-person only, to an online format. For most of these organizations, in-person was a much more ideal way to host events, but that doesn’t mean the new skill can’t be helpful. Who says they can’t run both in-person and online events in the future? For some people who may not
be able to always participate in these organizations ordinarily, it would be easier to connect online, whether that be sometimes or all the time. Planners for these events are always trying to reach as many people as they can, and this allows them to do that in a more effective way. Having to always be away from home or travel can deter some people from ever participating in organizations in the first place due to not being able to be there in person. Now they can. No one is arguing that COVID-19 is ideal, or in any way a good problem to have, but that doesn’t mean no good can come out of it. There is so much negativity, and rightfully so, surrounding this pandemic. However, taking a positive outlook on dreadful situations is not only healthier mentally, but gives something to look forward to after we come out of this trench. Allowing yourself to stop worrying for a few moments and reflecting on what good can come from this will allow the people most strongly affected by this to not have struggled in vain, and to teach lessons that can be applied for a brighter future.
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 04.09.20
sports
NEXT WEEK: WRESTLING SHOWS PROVIDE ENTERTAINMENT FROM HOME page 7
alestlelive.com
Learning to dance in the rain: Local dancers weigh in on keeping up their craft during pandemic
MATT BARTELS reporter
Dancers all across the state have taken a big hit due to the COVID-19 outbreak. Competitions have been canceled for competitive dance, and many classes rely on in-person interaction for coaching. Michelle Deets, the head dance coach for SIUE, was upset because the team had worked for months perfecting their routines in preparation for the National Dance Alliance College National Championship, which would have taken place April 8-12. She said this can be particularly tough on seniors, who have seen their last opportunity taken from them. “Our girls, especially our seniors, I feel horrible for them because this is an event that we have worked hard for the entire season. The fact that we weren’t able to go is really devastating to them,” Deets said. With the cancellation of nationals, the dance season was over before it really began. According to Deets, this was the only competition on the schedule for this season. Senior dancer Bailey DePriest said nationals was her last chance to dance competitively with her team. “It was my last opportunity to dance. That’s not my major, that’s not what I’m going for with my career,” DePriest said. “Me and the other seniors, we all cried. It was sad because we don’t get to compete with our team ever again.” Sophomore dancer Wittni Cotton said unlike other sports where one can work to improve their performance alone, dance is a team sport that requires the team to be together to practice. “This is a dance team and you have to dance together for this whole routine to work. You can’t dance individually,” Cotton said. Cotton is majoring in dance, so she has also taken some dance courses on campus. Now that classes have been forced to
go all-online, the dance instructors have looked to other, more creative ways to teach their students. Cotton said her professors have been sending out links of professional dancers as well as sending videos of themselves in order to help their students understand the material. “[My dance professors] have started doing these group chats telling us what workouts to do, what dances to learn,” Cotton said. “There are so many dance teachers and instructors across the world
Greer Den Houter performs with her partner Tyler Bianchi during Ballet Chicago’s “The Nutcracker” at the Atheneum Theatre in Chicago in December. / Photo courtesy of Greer Den Houter
“But for me personally I try to look on the brighter side of everything. I still get to take classes.” Similar to the dance classes at SIUE, freshman Greer Den Houter, who dances at Ballet Chicago while taking SIUE online classes, said she uses livestreams and other videos taken by professional dancers as a way to practice without being in the studio. “What professional dancers will do is they’ll give combinations, which is like different steps. Then the people tuning in can listen to them and do what they do. So it is like a virtual class,” Den Houter said. She also has rehearsals and shows that she prepares for that are not canceled yet, but are on the verge of cancellation, according to Den Houter. “We have rehearsals and we practice for our two big shows of the year. The first is our Nutcracker shows and the second big show we do is our Spring
“[Nationals] was my last opportunity to dance. That’s not my major, that’s not what I’m going for with my career. Me and the other seniors, we all cried. It was sad because we don’t get to compete with our team ever again. BAILEY DEPRIEST senior on SIUE’s dance team
that are offering free online classes, teachers that I would [normally] have to pay maybe $50 to $75 for like an hour class.” Some on-campus dance instructors have required the dance majors submit videos of the students doing dances or routines for their classes. In order to submit the videos of routines for her classes, Cotton said their routines require the students to find the space in their homes or apartments to perform these dances, which may be difficult for some depending on their living situations. “There are some challenges, because you have to take into account everyone’s space in their homes. Sometimes I have to move furniture so that I can be able to do everything I need to do,” Cotton said.
Repertory performance and that is usually early May,” Den Houter said. “They are still trying to figure out what we are going to do about that.” Den Houter believes her Spring Repertory will be canceled since it is only a few weeks away. She and her team have been rehearsing for this show since the beginning of February. She said she was especially disappointed because the team had been learning a new routine and was eager to show off their talent. “We had one of our teachers who was choreographing a new ballet. It was new choreography and we had never danced it before,” Den Houter said. “That would’ve been really cool. We were going to do new works. [Practicing] had been really fun for us. We all definitely missed out on that.” Den Houter hopes to be back in her studio by June but has yet to hear back from her instructors.
MATT BARTELS
650-3527 @Matt_Alestle mbartels@alestlelive.com
sports in brief NCAA gives spring athletes another year of eligibility Spring athletes are to receive an additional year of related competition in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic, thanks to the NCAA. The NCAA announced the decision to grant an extra year of eligibility to its spring athletes. According to the NCAA website, they also adjusted the financial aid rules, allowing teams to carry more athletes on scholarships to account for new recruits and those who were in their last year of eligibility who decide
to play another year. Colleges will also have the ability to use the NCAA’s Student Assistance Fund to help pay for any scholarships given to student athletes who take advantage of the additional year. Previously, there was also talk of giving winter sport athletes another year of eligibility, but the voting committee declined to push it through, stating all or most of their respective seasons were complete, according to the NCAA website.
page 8
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1.False: The key word here is “accurately.” An article from CNN points out the following deficiencies: It is a mere conspiracy theory that it was created in a lab. The biological weapon “Koontz” describes has a 100 percent mortality rate, COVID-19 does not. However, COVID-19 is said to have originated in Wuhan, China. 2.True: According to The Washington Post, “Fauci’s” face has donned doughnuts in Rochester, New York, Wisconsin and Pennsylvania. 3.True: As Reuters reported in February, condoms ranked as one of the most popular items purchased online in China. So much for staying six feet apart.
@Online Editor Alestle
4.False: Bat soup, probably not — there is no evidence that bat soup caused the outbreak, according to Medical News Today. However, some scientists believe the outbreak started in animals.
5.False: Viruses are not vampires — this is not true. However, Medical News Today states garlic might help slow the growth of some types of bacteria, but limited research suggests even this.
6.False: While there is much talk of using vodka to make hand sanitizer in times of shortages, “Ben Neuman,”
head of the biology department at Texas A&M University, told Huffpost that homemade ethanol solutions aren’t guaranteed to provide safety. “Neuman” said hand sanitizers must be what is equivalent to 140 proof alcohol in order to work — that’s way more than what’s in vodka.
@TheAlestle
7.False: First of all, WHO clearly states your normal body temperature stays within the same range even when
taking a hot bath or shower. Second, increasing body temperature, even if possible through bathing in hot water, would not prevent coronavirus.
8.False: According to Medical News Today, SARS-COV-2 has reached every continent except Antarctica.
