The Alestle Vol. 73 No. 27

INTERNATIONAL STUDENTS FAR FROM HOME DURING PANDEMIC page 7

thursday, 04.16.20

T H E

ALESTLE

STUDIO WRESTLING NOT ‘TAPPING OUT’ DURING COVID-19 page 7

vol. 73 no. 27

The Student Voice Since 1960

News in brief

construction booms in solitude

SIUE continues refund discussions

| Dominick Oranika / The Alestle Parking Lot A, normally filled with cars, is now monopolized by construction equipment. While much of campus seems to be at a standstill, some construction projects, like that of Founders Hall, are moving full steam ahead. READ ABOUT CONSTRUCTION ON PAGE 2

The Alestle provides inside look at lives of high-risk individuals ISOBEL ABBOTT-DETHROW reporter

Nobody is safe from the novel coronavirus. As anybody can catch this deadly virus, it is more important than ever to keep those who are at high risk from getting sick.

COVID-19 cases continue to increase across the country, and states continue to enforce stricter guidelines on the lockdown.

However, for people at high risk for catching the virus, they have been steps ahead, with many reporting they have not been leaving their homes at all.

The CDC defines high-risk individuals as people who have

compromised immune systems.

This includes diabetics, asthmatics, HIV patients, those with heart disease and citizens above the age of 65.

Webster University student Amber Kelso, of Webster Groves, Missouri, has Type I diabetes, putting her at high risk for severe complications related to COVID-19.

According to EndocrineWeb, the virus can defunction diabetics’ immune response and damage the circula-

tory system, making COVID-19 more dangerous for these individuals.

Kelso is self-quarantining with her boyfriend, who is also at high risk as an asthmatic. Kelso and her boyfriend have developed their own routine when it comes to obtaining groceries.

“The one time I went out to get groceries, I took

my shoes off at the front door, sanitized all my groceries and immediately took a shower,” Kelso said. “Once [the pandemic] got worse, I decided to not leave the house for anything at all. I’ve been using a grocery delivery service and sanitize them once we get them.”

According to Kelso, she has a friend pick up her medication and drop it off, and the pharmacy sanitizes the medication before handing it to her friend.

SIUE sophomore biology and anthropology major Kelsi Mann, of Macomb, Illinois, has endometriosis. Mann had a see HIGH RISK on page 2

Virtual programs bring campus life into students’ homes DAMIAN MORRIS reporter

The Clothesline Project is a popular event on campus, but since campus is closed, PEACe decided to do the event via Zoom with help from the Macoupin Art Collective.

I Alestle File Photo @thealestle

photo from Mouse’s Wrestling Adventures

With all on-campus events being canceled, many campus organizations are offering virtual ways to stay involved.

Prevention Education and Advocacy Center Coordinator Samantha Dickens said they have already been hosting projects and have more events coming soon.

Dickens said since the Macoupin Art Collective had already planned to be on campus for the annual Clothesline Project event, they went ahead and did it through Zoom on Wednesday, April 1.

She said the Macoupin Art Collective went through two

@thealestle

different T-shirt tutorials and had a round table discussion, also through Zoom. The discussion was held with Lisa Thompson-Gibson, counselor and coordinator for outreach and prevention initiatives for SIUE Counseling Services, and Call for Help Sexual Assault Victims’ Care Unit counselor and SIUE alumna Mandy Montayne.

Dickens said this event will be made available online for students who couldn’t be there, and the videos will be posted sometime this month.

“We did it through Zoom because I wanted to record everything and then splice the video

On Wednesday, the Chancellor’s Council meeting centered around the topic that’s been on the minds of students, faculty and staff alike: refunds.

According to Doug McIlhagga, executive director for University Marketing and Communications, the meeting discussed a wide range of topics, including refunds of student fees that go towards parking, course fees, the Morris University Center and the Student Fitness Center.

McIlhagga said such discussions have been ongoing among both SIUE leadership and the SIU system as a whole. He said they are seeking a resolution soon within the system.

SIUE had previously announced partial refunds on housing and meal plans.

The Alestle will continue to update as more information arises.

SG overcomes campaign restrictions DAMIAN MORRIS reporter

When one asks new members of the Student Government executive branch their goals for their terms, each SG member is guaranteed to give a unique answer.

Junior business administration major Jacob Graham, of Paris, Illinois, who is currently SG president, will step into the role of SIUE student trustee on July 1. As trustee, Graham will work with the board to navigate system-wide issues, such as funding allocation, the introduction of a new president and shared services.

“What made me run for [student trustee] was just the ability to try to make an impact, not only on the SIUE level, but on the SIU system level,” Graham said. “Not only did I think that was great, but also running for trustee instead of running for president or a different position, gave somebody else the opportunity to hold those positions and have that experience.”

Graham said throughout all this, he doesn’t want to lose sight of the people he’s representing.

“One thing that I wanted to specifically do was to be very visible to faculty, staff

see PROGRAMS on page 2

The Alestle

alestlelive.com

see SG on page 3

page 2

alestlelive.com

thursday, 04.16. 20

Construction projects continue: Founders Hall, Chick-fil-A

GABRIEL BRADY reporter

With fewer students and faculty on SIUE’s campus, most people would expect it to be a quieter place. However, the sounds of construction can still be heard.

Vice Chancellor for Administration Rich Walker said the workers on campus who are continuing the construction projects are following social distancing guidelines to control the spread of COVID-19.

“We’re allowing some construction projects to continue, and for those continuing, our workers are following the CDC’s guidelines for six feet of distance and face masks whenever they can,” Walker said.

As for the specific projects that are continuing, Walker said they were discussed by university leadership to decide if they had to be completed, or if they could wait.

“We’ve decided which projects are nonessential and which are essential,” Walker said. “Some of the essential projects are boilers that need replacing, ventilation that needs to be updated and other things like that that we must do.”

According to Craig Holan, director of Facilities Management, most of the projects that are considered nonessential are ones with more cosmetic purposes, but everything else is continuing. One of these essential projects is the renovation of SIUE’s Chick-fil-A. Holan said while some may label that project nonessential, it had to be done quickly.

“Although the Chick-fil-A stuff is just

03.30.20 An employee was reported for stealing personal protective equipment from the Student Success Center. No charges were pressed.

03.31.20 On the Alton campus, an officer responded to a report of a man entering one of the buildings. The officer told the man the campus was closed to the public and the man left without incident.

04.02.20 A student reported receiving a phone call that said he was wanted out of China. The student gave the caller his ID number and address.

04.06.20 An officer responded to a report of a domestic battery between a man and woman on the 400 side of Cougar Village. The investigation is ongoing.

04.07.20 SIUE Police assisted University Housing by advising Cougar Village residents they were not allowed to have a BBQ due to the new social distancing guidelines.

04.13.20 An employee reported receiving an email from a sender who was posing as another employee but using a non-university email address. The employee realized it was a scam and did not send the information the email requested.

renovations and remodeling, and that type of work is mostly labeled nonessential, we were under contract to get that done timely, as is the case with a lot of the big brands and corporations on campus,” Holan said.

“Work on Founders Hall continues, and it’s actually nearly done. We’ve kept work-

“We don’t like asking for extensions, but we had to ask for just one. Now, we will be done with it within this new timeframe,” Walker said.

Walker also said there were some unexpected benefits that came up due to the campus only allowing the essential projects

Construction on Founders Hall continues during the campus closure, with current work concentrated on the south entrance of the building. | Dominick Oranika / The Alestle

ing on the roof ventilation replacements in University Park as well, because if the temperature isn’t controlled properly then mold might grow.”

Walker said Chick-fil-A’s contract was actually very close to being up, so the work had to finish quickly.

to continue.

“Our workers are more concentrated on these essential projects, so they seem to be moving a bit faster,” Walker said. “There will probably be less construction going on in the fall.”

Holan agreed with this, and said the

HIGH RISK I COVER

PROGRAMS I COVER

surgery scheduled this month, which was postponed due to the COVID-19 outbreak.

“Any time I leave the house, I’m in a mask, gloves and wear long sleeve shirts and pants,” Mann said. “When I come back, my clothes go straight to the washer and my shoes stay in the garage … I have monthly doctor appointments. My surgery is pushed off until who knows when because having surgery would put me at more risk.”

Lynne Condellone, of Collinsville, Illinois, is currently getting radiation treatment for breast cancer. Much like Kelso and Mann, Condellone has a process of making sure no germs get inside her home, getting groceries delivered and immediately cleaning all clothes worn outside.

“When I leave the house, I go straight to the clinic,” Condellone said. “I leave everything in the car, I have a plastic bag for my clothes; the bag stays with me, except for the actual treatment. I change my clothes after treatment. When I go home, the bag stays outside and I spray it down with Lysol. Shoes come off and I immediately go inside, spraying down handles with Lysol or bleach and wash my hands up to my elbows.”

Peggy Asselmeier Blair, of Belleville, Illinois, resides in a retirement home and takes medications for blood pressure, sugar and stress. Along with the rise of outbreaks at retirement homes and her medical conditions, Blair is at extremely high risk for having severe complications with the virus.

“They brought a roommate in with me,” Blair said. “They filled up rooms that are singles; a whole hall was emptied out in case somebody actually got it.”

While people’s lives are on the line during the pandemic, including her own, Condellone had a more positive outlook regarding the stress of the situation.

“I believe that all situations in life are temporary,” Condellone said. “This is just another temporary situation. We will all get through this and it’ll be an interesting story to tell. Sort of like what our parents and grandparents went through in World War II — this will be a common and collective story we tell.”

into three [parts] so that we can continue to edit and post on social media and our websites,” Dickens said.

She said another event they would be posting on social media is a video and roundtable discussion from SIUE alumna and sexual assault survivor Chelsie Zajac.

“Chelsie is a survivor of sexual assault from when she was a student at SIUE, and she has a short video that she’s going to show where she talks about her experience and what happened to her, and also how that shaped how she coped,” Dickens said.

Zajac used art as a coping mechanism, and she made a graphic T-shirt for people to purchase, with all proceeds donated to Call for Help Sexual Assault Victims’ Care Unit.

Dickens said alongside the events PEACe hosts themselves, they are promoting other events on their social media as well.

She said the two they are promoting the most are the Men Can Stop Rape Healthy Masculinity Series Conversation no. 5 on Masculinity and the Armed Forces on April 9 and a digital screening of Nameless on April 16 and 28. Both require an RSVP to join.

In addition to PEACe, several other organizations on-campus have also been hosting online programs. Outreach Specialist for the STEM Center Colin Wilson said they launched a program called STEM @ Home which he is hoping will allow STEM to continue their community outreach.

“While a lot of our staff members, including me, can continue their on-campus teaching remotely, we wanted to find a way that we could keep doing that sort of outreach without being able to go in-person to schools,” Wilson said. “Our solution was to do these weekly themes and activities about science, technology, engineering, math — so, STEM @ Home activities that people could do just with what’s around their house, with what’s in their backyard, that sort of thing.”

While this program is targeted toward students in elementary through high

projects have also benefited from less people being on campus.

“In Founders Hall, we don’t have to try and control the noise of our work or the odor of certain construction chemicals,” Holan said. “Remaining on schedule is a lot easier now.”

The construction projects on SIUE’s main campus were not the only ones affected by the closure. Assistant Director of Facilities Management on the Alton and East St. Louis campuses Agustin Bramwell said the other campuses have had to adapt to these changes as well.

“We had renovations on the multi-purpose room on the East St. Louis campus.

Although, we got that done right before everything was being closed,” Bramwell said. “The only thing that is essential and that we’ve continued work on is on the Alton campus.”

Bramwell was referring to the demolition of the Multidisciplinary Lab on the Alton campus, which was destroyed to make way for a new Advanced Care Clinic. Construction on the project begins Monday April 20. Bramwell said that project will continue to be worked on. It is expected to be completed in June 2021.

Any students that had requested repairs from construction will have to wait, according to Holan. He said those projects will be continued once the COVID-19 closures are over.

GABRIEL BRADY 650-3527 @Gbrady_alestle gbrady@alestlelive.com

school, Wilson said he hopes it will be used for family-oriented activities.

“This is sort of aimed at K-12; however, we’re hoping that people will do it as a family,” Wilson said. “I think one advantage for students, particularly students who are STEM majors or students who are getting their education degrees, this could be a way that you’re home for the semester, you’ve got younger siblings, you can do something fun with them that kind of keeps your academic juices going.”

He said he hopes this is something STEM can keep producing in future semesters after the COVID-19 pandemic, even if they’re not able to do it on the weekly basis they can now.

Wilson also said other programs they plan to start are guided nature hikes as a secondary project and their regional science fair, both of which will also be in an online format.

Another staff member who is running online events for students to partake in is Professor and Chair of Sociology Linda Markowitz.

Markowitz, along with Diana Parra, assistant professor of physical therapy and surgery at Washington University, hosts meditation gatherings every Monday and Friday from 7:30 a.m. to 8 a.m. and Wednesday from 12 p.m. to 1 p.m.

Markowitz said these gatherings focus on mindfulness meditation.

“Mindfulness is about paying attention with awareness moment by moment without judgment and with a recognition we’re connected with others,” Markowitz said. “We’re trying to become aware of our habits [and] the way that we think because, oftentimes, most of our thinking is done habitually rather than thoughtfully.”

Both Campus Activity Board President Madeline Zuber and Coordinator for Campus Life Alexa Bueltel said CAB is in the early stages of their virtual event planning, and they referred students to check CAB’s social media for information and updates on their progress.

For more information for these events visit the CAB, PEACe and STEM websites, or reach out to Linda Markowitz to learn more about her meditation gatherings.

thursday, 04.16. 20

alestlelive.com

Transition online takes time, especially for classes in the arts

GABRIEL BRADY reporter

Most of the SIUE community has successfully transitioned in-person classes to new online formats; however, this transition has proven to be more difficult for classes in the arts.

Associate Professor Kristin Best-Kinscherff teaches jazz dance and dance composition and leads the University Dance Company. She said dance classes have had a particularly difficult time shifting online because of how many of her classes are set up.

“The first half of the semester was practice and composition, and the second half was supposed to be performance,” Best-Kinscherff said. “Our first concert was canceled by [the American College Dance Association] in early March, and then one at SIUE that was supposed to be on the 17, then one on the 25.”

Nevertheless, Best-Kinscherff said she and the other dance professors at SIUE have come up with ways to keep courses going despite not being together in person.

“We did not go the route of Zoom, though that’s what a lot of more classroom-based classes did. We took a poll of the students, and most of them decided Zoom probably wouldn’t work as well for what we wanted to do,” Best-Kinscherff said. “We’ve moved onto students recording things on their own, which they then send to us.”

Best-Kinscherff said students’ instructors will either send students critiques of their videos, or have other students critique them.

One of the silver linings of the pandemic being a global event, according to Best-Kinscherff, is that there are plenty of dancers all over the world that have been more active

online recently, which has given Best-Kinscherff and her students a new opportunity.

“The dance community overall has come together, with both professional dancers in companies and professors of dance being more active online,” Best-Kinscherff said.

“There’s people on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube, that are going live from their living rooms. We’ve been really encouraging stu-

“How do you teach someone to throw clay on a wheel, without a wheel?

And how do you learn how to sculpt without actually trying and making mistakes that someone can correct?

DAN HOLDER art history professor dents to take part in those because exposure to different types of movement is something they might not always get.”

One of the students taking advantage of this surge in the online dance community is senior musical theater major Maika Miller, from Alton, Illinois. In fact, Miller said she has a plan to live stream some dances of her own.

“A lot of my dance professors and vocal professors have been sending me videos of other people performing, so I write a paper on them and turn it in for a grade,” Miller said. “I like seeing these other dancers, but I still want to get my things I’ve been practic-

ing out there, so at the end of the semester, I’m doing a live stream on YouTube to present it all.”

Miller said her dance classes were fairly quick to adapt, but she still has trouble with some of her vocal lessons.

“My dance professors can send me a video, and I can learn to move how they do in the video, and that’s fine,” Miller said. “But in my vocal lessons, professors like using Zoom to hear me sing in real time, but it’s hard to hear the music over Zoom.”

Technique has been a new focus in some other art classes, like painting and sculpting.

Professor Dan Holder teaches art history, and he said his class was not as hard as others to transition online.

“This was a lot easier for art history faculty because we don’t really focus on creating the art. We focus on the history, obviously,” Holder said. “For me, a big part of my classes were already online and on Blackboard. Really all I had to do was shift the exams online and record lectures of me teaching.”

Holder said he understood the other art professors’ troubles, and he was grateful for the relative simplicity of his own transition.

“Our studio art faculty had to get together when all of the closings were being announced and decide what they could do because they were in a tough spot,” Holder said. “How do you teach someone to throw clay on a wheel, without a wheel? And how do you learn how to sculpt without actually trying and making mistakes that someone can correct?”

While they’ve adjusted their courses to online formats, both Holder and Best-Kinscherff expressed that they are looking forward to seeing their students on campus again.

Cougar Cupboard fights food insecurity amid pandemic ALEX AULTMAN reporter

It has been a month since Cougar Cupboard gave out boxes with three weeks of food to students in need, now making it time to replenish students’ pantries. However, the staff now faces unique challenges due to the pandemic.

With the campus closed and access to buildings limited, their staff is trying to figure out how they can meet the needs of students while also following social distancing guidelines. Assistant Director of Community Engagement Carolyn Compton said they are currently discussing the logistics.

“As of late we’ve been in discussions of what to do, next steps for Cougar Cupboard and what we can do with the remaining food that we have ... given the physical distancing and the needs that we would have to be able to put that food together,” Compton said. “We need gloves and masks and stuff like that. We need a space big enough for at least two of us to be able to get into and build the boxes, fill the boxes and move the boxes. We also need to be able to get access to the Cougar Cupboard and get some more food out of it.”

They gave the same amount of food they usually give out for winter break shortly before campus closed, not realizing the stay-at-home order would last this long. Associate Director of the Kimmel Student Involvement Center Sarah Laux said they initially expected to only be gone from campus for a couple of weeks.

“We’ve never lived through a pandemic before, so we didn’t know what this timeline would look like with campus operating in a different way. We thought, ‘OK, these boxes are what we offer during winter break,’” Laux said. “That’s only about three or four weeks to acknowledge that, OK we’re closed so here’s an extra little bit of food to assist, we thought it would be maybe two or three weeks then we could be back and could reassess. Then the stayat-home order got extended through the month of April. That’s when Carolyn and

Senior chemistry major Dalia Hassan, of Springfield, Illinois, stocks the supply section of Cougar Cupboard. Hassan worked as a student assistant at the on-campus food pantry when it first opened during the Fall 2018 semester. | Alestle File Photo

her team started discussing what the next steps are.”

Student Government is also trying to gauge students’ needs, including how confident students felt in being able to secure food. Junior economics and management major and student body president Jacob Graham, of Paris, Illinois, said some students expressed concerns about food insecurity, but it wasn’t a large portion of the respondents. Graham said the survey results aren’t necessarily representative of the whole student population.

“There was some concern [about access to food] but that wasn’t a majority of the concern,” Graham said. “There’s also the chance that for those who are concerned about food or if their home is secure, the survey might not have been a priority enough to go through their email to complete that survey, so I’m not saying that it’s not an issue or student concern by any means.”

Cougar Cupboard runs on donations and is still accepting them. Compton said they are trying to create virtual donation drives.

“If people want to donate, I’m asking that they contact myself or the Cougar Cupboard email. The reason we ask that is there’s a virtual way to hold a food donation drive, and we can set that up for them and we can help them manage that,” Compton said. “It would be in their name and they can do [it] how they want, but we would be able to get it delivered to where it needs to go so it doesn’t get mixed in with Dining Services’ stuff when it gets delivered or anything like that and make sure someone is there to get it where it needs to go. It also allows us to talk to them about our needs because we have certain foods that we are running out of.”

To arrange a donation or ask for more information email cougarcupboard@siue. edu.

page 3 SG I COVER

and students on campus for any issues [or] concerns they have relative to the SIU system at the Board of Trustees level,” Graham said.

Upcoming Student Body President and current Student Body Vice President sophomore business major Maddie Walters, of Elizabeth, Illinois, will be taking office on April 27 along with all other new SG officials, with the exception of Graham.

Walters said she had prepared for an on-campus campaign, but wasn’t able to with the stay-at-home order.

“I actually had stickers and can koozies printed out to hand out on campus, but I didn’t get a chance to hand them out because campus is closed,” Walters said.

Walters wasn’t the only one who had an on-campus campaign plan. Graham said he has given speeches in the past as part of his campaign, but had to give that up.

“Typically in the past, I went to organizations to try to speak in their meetings, but this year I just focused on campaigning solely through social media, posting things on my personal social media sites and then sending messages out to organizations I’m in, or organizations that I know,” Graham said. “Just trying to ask people to vote for me, but also just to vote period.”

However, upcoming Student Body Vice President and current Senator at Large junior accounting major Ronald Akpan of Dunlap, Illinois, said moving his campaign online worked fairly well for him.

“Adjusting wasn’t too bad. What I did personally [was] I made an Instagram page for my campaign … Through that I would post different campaigns, whether it’s my endorsements, my platforms, when voting is, and I had on my Instagram story the link to vote,” Akpan said. “I also posted on the Facebook SIUE class groups for ‘20 through ‘23 about who I am [and] what I’m running for.”

Many candidates, in addition to campaigning for their positions, worked to make sure students were informed and were aware of when voting was taking place.

“I think all the candidates did a great job at making sure the students are informed of elections and voting and what’s happening without actually being able to be on campus,” Walters said.

According to Graham and Walters, SG has been compiling a list of answers to a survey they sent to students asking how they can help through this pandemic.

Akpan said SG members tutoring students is something they have discussed doing.

“One idea that we had was possibly having some people in Student Government provide tutoring, which could help students academically, because with being virtual, you don’t have as much access to professors, other classmates, [and] tutors,” Akpan said.

Aside from SG’s efforts to support students through the COVID-19 pandemic, the candidates also campaigned on their plans for the future.

Walters said her main goal in her new position will be to encourage more student involvement on campus.

“I think it’s so awesome that we have so many opportunities on campus with free admission to athletic events, free admission to musical shows and concerts, and dance performances,” Walters said. “I would really like to encourage more students being on campus for those events because I think there is a lot more to the college experience than just going to class then going home.”

Akpan said he wants to account for the unpredictable weather in the Edwardsville area.

“I really want to install with SIUE, through my position as VP, an umbrella rental service, which would be complimentary to students because, with weather occurring at random times, they never know what to expect, and it would be nice just in case they forget to grab an umbrella or they don’t own one, they can just take one easily from the school,” Akpan said.

For more information visit the SG website.

READ NEXT WEEK ABOUT GOING VIRAL ON TIKTOK page 4

lifestyles alestlelive.com

contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 04.16.20

SIUE offers on-campus housing for international students

Pharmaceutical sciences international graduate student Shaluah Vijeth resides at Cougar Village.

GABRIEL BRADY reporter While most of SIUE was sent away from campus due to the COVID-19 pandemic, some students, namely those from outside the U.S., were unable to find an affordable way to leave.

One of these students is freshman computer science major Stephano Hoang, from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam.

Hoang said he wouldn’t have been able to get to Vietnam from SIUE and he was anxious about being forced to leave.

“I was worried they would kick us out,” Hoang said. “If they had kicked me out, I would have nowhere to go. A plane ticket to Vietnam is expensive.”

Although SIUE did not require all international students to find housing off campus, freshman undeclared major Bao Kim from Ho Chi Minh City, Vietnam, said he was still told to move from his dorm in Bluff Hall.

Kim also noticed troubles with social distancing on campus.

“When they moved me from Bluff Hall to live in Cougar Village, they talked about social distancing and how important it was, but we’re still sharing rooms,” Kim said. “And my new roommate is someone I’ve never met before. They could at least ask if we knew someone who was moved out that we wanted to live with. In my opinion, they did an average job with all of this. It was

as good as it could be with the ar English major Rodaina Mousa, small amount of time they had.” from Alexandria, Egypt. MouDespite this, Hoang said the sa said she was very panicked at university handled the situation the idea of being forced to leave quite well overall, and he’s happy campus because she teaches some with what happened and where classes at SIUE. he is.

“It was really fast, but professional, and the university seemed as ready as they could be for all of this,” Hoang said. “The biggest change is that there’s less people here, so it’s a lot more peaceful.”

As for Kim, he has made arrangements to leave campus eventually. “ When RODAINA MOUSA all of this first English major happened, my family took care of plane tickets back to Vietnam,” Kim said.

“But the problem was there was a “There were like three days layover in Hong Kong, and there of panic when they told people are many cases in China. So my that they had to move out,” Moumother made arrangements and sa said. “Being a student, but also now my layover is in Japan in- as a teacher, I really needed reliable stead.” wifi and materials to keep up with Kim and his family were able my classes. It wasn’t an option to to make plans to return home, but just pack my life up.” that is not the case for everyone, Mousa said SIUE’s emails like Hoang, and Fullbright Schol- about sending everyone off-cam-

| Dominik Oranika / The Alestle

pus were also a cause of stress.

“They could’ve been more specific in the emails, because they just said ‘All people on campus are leaving,’” Mousa said. “I emailed my academic adviser because I was freaking out, but then my academic adviser told me there was a form I could fill out to apply to stay on campus, and then they sent me the link.

If SIUE had included that link in the first email, it all would have been way better.”

Mousa wasn’t the only student that was stressed by the emails.

Sophomore computer engineering major Mandhu Manandhar, from Kathmandu, Nepal, said SIUE’s initial emails were troublesome for many international students.

“The first email they sent out made me really stressed out,” Manandhar said. “Originally, [classes] weren’t going to be on-

“There were like three days of panic when they told people that they had to move out.

Being a student, but also as a teacher, I really needed reliable wifi and materials to keep up with my classes. It wasn’t an option to just pack my life up.

line until the end of the semester, but then they said we all had to leave the dorms, so we were in limbo because we didn’t know what was up. It was like, ‘Do we go home, or not?’”

Manandhar said he was worried about the emails, but now he is more worried now about what will happen after the semester ends.

“A lot of international students are worried about what will happen after this semester is over, in about three weeks,” Manandhar said. “Are we supposed to leave campus for the summer? If so, where do we go? Even if the situation in the U.S. is solved by then, our home countries might still be dealing with the virus.”

Despite these issues, Manandhar said he feels SIUE did a good job overall, like with the food options for students still on campus, which come in two-week kits for students still on campus.

“They give us pre-cooked breakfasts, lunches and dinners, and some snacks,” Manandhar said. “It’s all mostly MUC food that needs to be frozen, so it’s not great, but it’s still appreciated.

I think SIUE did a good job of listening to students about all of this. Not just with the food, but with the optional pass/fail system, and how they moved us into these new dorms quickly, I’d say they did their best.”

For anyone who has questions or concerns about living on campus, call SIUE housing at 650- 3931.

thursday, 04.16.20

alestlelive.com

page 5

Social distancing raises challenges in romantic relationships

Long distance and virtual relationships are challenging couples during the pandemic. Many couples have been forced to shift how they spend their time with one another. Previously in-person interactions have become entirely virtual in nature for many.

I Photo courtesy of Pratik Gupta via Unsplash

NICOLE BOYD copy editor Couples who don’t live together are supposed to stay six feet apart under social distancing guidelines, meaning they must find new ways to stay close.

For couples who have suddenly found themselves in a long-distance relationship, the typical parts of relationships such as physical touch and going on dates are no longer options.

This can bring certain difficulties. According to an article by health.com, scientific evidence suggests that physical touch can help strengthen the bond between couples.

“When we’re touched by a

romantic partner, we experience a surge in the hormone oxytocin, often called the ‘love hormone,’ in the brain, which helps to sustain feelings of deep attachment,” the article said.

Physical touch from a loved one can even reduce stress, according to health.com.

“Studies have suggested that when we’re massaged, hugged and otherwise lovingly touched before a stressful event (such as a work presentation), we’re better able to manage the stress; our bodies remain in a more mellow state,” the article said.

Emily Sterzinger, a freshman education major from Bloomington, Illinois, can’t see

her boyfriend because she is staying at home after the switch to online classes, and he lives in Edwardsville. Sterzinger said she especially misses physical touch.

“We’re both very physically affectionate people, so it’s a little tough to be separate for long,” Sterzinger said.

Jacob Guy, a senior secondary education major from Sims, Illinois, and Sterzinger’s boyfriend, said he misses being able to spend time together.

“Just being able to hang out, you know, kind of casually, like, ‘Oh, we’re both not doing anything today,’ kind of thing, like, ‘Let’s hang out.’ It also doesn’t help that there’s no school to fill that downtime,” Guy said.

The added stress of living through a pandemic can also strain a relationship. Sophomore mass communications major Anna Gentelin, from Godfrey, Illinois, has been doing long distance for the entirety of her relationship, but said this situation affects how she interacts with her boyfriend.

“I guess because I’ve been more stressed out, I kind of maybe am not as nice to talk to on the phone, so that’s probably not very nice for him,” Gentelin said.

While Gentelin’s boyfriend sometimes visits her on the weekends, he is currently prohibited from doing so because he is in the military and stationed in Arkansas.

“Because [of] quarantine, people in the military aren’t allowed to leave the state,” Gentelin said. “He does maintenance on planes. They’ve split up the workers, so he only works every other week. So he’s off for like, whole weeks, but he can’t come home because he can’t leave the state.”

Guy said one of the challenges that distance brings is wanting different amounts of communication.

“For me, I don’t always need to talk to people, but she’s a lot more socially outgoing. So she always wants to talk and chat and stuff like that, sometimes I’m just like ‘I just need to nap and be left alone,” Guy said.

Gentelin said maintaining a relationship can be hard when you can’t see your significant other, but communication is key.

“It’s going to be hard, I think, for anybody, especially people who really want a lot of

physical contact and stuff. You also have to be pretty good at communicating,” Gentelin said.

“You can’t see somebody’s body language, so there’s sometimes miscommunications. So you just have to work on being really transparent and good at communicating with the other person.”

Guy said couples may benefit from avoiding certain mistakes.

“Putting expectations on the other person, like sometimes I actually get busy for a few days in a row, like, ‘Well, I have this and this and this, so I’m only going to talk for like an hour’ for that day,” Guy said. “And if that happens too much, I guess, you’ll make up your own reason. You know, like, ‘They just don’t want to talk,’ that kind of stuff.”

Sterzinger said there are a number of ways she and her boyfriend stay close despite the distance.

“Video calling, we text when we can. Now we’ve been trying to play video games together, although we don’t have the same consoles, so we’re having trouble with that,” Sterzinger said.

Gentelin said she and her boyfriend also find ways to sustain their relationship.

“We text on Snapchat a lot.

We try and call at least once a day. We don’t really do a lot of Facetiming or Skype, but I think we’re going to try and set something like that up soon,” Gentelin said.

Relationships may not look the same as before the coronavirus outbreak, but that doesn’t mean couples can’t stay connected.

Tattoo artists refocus creative efforts, projects during pandemic JOHN MCGOWAN reporter One of the groups most affected by business shutdowns are the tattoo artists. With tattoo parlors closed, artists are left with few ways to make money.

One tattoo parlor, Epic Ink Tattoo and Piercing in Edwardsville, shut down along with many others on Saturday, March 21.

Its owner, Trevis Stallard, said he and the rest of the shop’s artists have been losing money ever since.

“It’s upsetting. We’re losing out on a lot of clientele and bills need to be paid. It’s our livelihood for me and the other seven artists that work with me. We all have families and it’s kind of rough right now,” Stallard said.

“I got all the rent bills and I got home bills too.”

Another artist at Epic Ink Tattoo and Piercing, Bradley Dyer, said that along with a lack of income, he simply misses being able to do his work.

“Well of course I’m not making money, but on the other hand I do enjoy tattooing, and it’s just strange that I’m not tattooing right now because I’ve been tattooing for seven years now,” Dyer said. “It’s just kind of sad that I don’t get to make tattoos

and be with people and hang out in the shop like I normally do.”

Another parlor, Evermore Gallery in Edwardsville, has had artists experience similar issues.

Artist and Manager of the shop Daniel Buie said tattoo artists are selling their art and taking on side jobs in order to try and earn money while they can’t work.

“A lot of people sell their art … [they’re] trying to stay creative and still make money that way. I think pretty much everybody in the shop’s got one or another side hustle when it comes to their art,” Buie said. “I know I’ve taken on a few extra handyman jobs, helping people out, doing stuff like that.”

Dyer said it’s important communities support their artists at a time like this.

“Support your local artists,” Dyer said. “We’re not essential, so if someone sees something online that they want to buy that they think is cool it would really help an artist out to purchase that piece of artwork if it resonates with you.”

Many tattoo parlors have been proactive about public health since before the shutdown.

Photo ocurtesty of Anna Shvets via Pexels

Though the official order for nonessential businesses to close didn’t come until March 20, both Epic Ink Tattoo and Piercing and Evermore Gallery had started only doing tattoos by appointment for a week before then.

Buie said he understands why tattoo parlors need to shut down because of possible contamination.

“We understand why it has to be done. Of all people, we understand cross contamination and everything, and how quickly that can go awry,” Buie said. “I know how people can be impatient but it’s really unsafe … If anybody’s tattooing right now, they should not be doing it.”

All the artists said that during self-isolation, they’re staying creative by continuing to practice their art through painting and drawing. Dyer said it works to keep him occupied.

“I like to paint. I use many different techniques of paint, like watercolor and acrylic. I’ve even used some oil pastels. Just things to keep my mind going and keep my hand moving,” Dyer said.

Stallard echoed Dyer’s re-

marks, and said his children are also keeping him busy through self-isolation.

“I’ve just been doing some oil painting, basically, a little a bit of sketching on an iPad. But that’s about it, my kids keep my busy.

I’ve been fishing, taking them out, mushroom hunting, just taking them out to the woods or whatever we can to get away for a little bit,” Stallard said.

Epic Ink and Piercings and Evermore Gallery are just two businesses affected by the shutdown.

Many have been impacted by the shutdowns. According to illinois.gov, the state has seen over 500,000 unemployment claims from March 1 to April 4.

The state has promised to make accommodations for the rise in claims, including easing eligibility requirements, waiving the waiting week, and making it easier to apply for unemployment through the internet and phone calls.

Readers who want to learn more about either parlor can visit Epic Ink Tattoo and Piercing’s Facebook page or Evermore Gallery’s website. To learn more about what is being done about unemployment, visit Illinois’s website.

NEXT WEEK – THE BEST TIME TO EXPERIMENT WITH YOUR APPEARANCE IS NOW page 6

opinion alestlelive.com

alestle

share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 04.16.20

Write a letter to the editor:

opinion@alestlelive.com

MADISON LAMMERT editor-in-chief

JENNIFER GOECKNER managing editor

JORDYN NIMMER lifestyles editor

MACKENZIE SMITH multimedia editor

Opinions can still be expressed from the comfort of your own home.

EMMA DAVIS MORGAN JACKSON DOMINICK ORANIKA photographers NICOLE BOYD ELIZABETH DONALD LAMONYA SMITH SHANE WHEATLEY copy editors ISOBEL ABBOTT-DETHROW ALEX AULTMAN MATTHEW BARTELS GABRIEL BRADY JOHN MCGOWAN DAMIAN MORRIS reporters SUMMER BRADLEY graphics manager JONAS MALAVE CAMPOS advertising manager DAVID DEWEESE MIKAYLA WILHELM ad consultants MADI JOHNSTON JORDAN RICHEY MARISA RUSTEBURG office secretaries LOLA DELAY circulation manager ANGIE TROUT office manager TAMMY MERRETT program director

Have a comment?

Let us know! opinion@alestlelive.com Campus Box 1167 Edwardsville, IL. 62026-1167 Letters to the Editor Policy: The editors, staff and publishers of The Alestle believe in the free exchange of ideas, concerns and opinions and will publish as many letters as possible.

Letters may be submitted by e-mail at opinion@alestlelive.com All hard copy letters should be typed and double-spaced. Letters should be no longer than 500 words. Include phone number, signature, class rank and major.

We reserve the right to edit letters for grammar and content. Care will be taken to ensure that the letter’s message is not lost or altered.

Letters to the editor will not be printed anonymously except under extreme circumstances. We reserve the right to reject letters.

The name Alestle is an acronym derived from the names of the three campus locations of Southern Illinois University Edwardsville: Alton, East St. Louis and Edwardsville.

The Alestle is published on Thursdays in print and on Tuesdays online during the fall and spring semesters. A print edition is available every other Wednesday during summer semesters.

For more information, call 618-650-3528.

For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com.

T H E

alestle view

Beauty standards are being redefined by COVID-19 – but healthy habits shouldn’t THE ALESTLE STAFF editorial board

With many Americans homebound, some have opted to spend less time and money on achieving society’s idea of beauty. Despite the change in beauty standards, health standards should not change, or if anything, should be monitored even more closely.

Spending habits have drastically changed as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. Americans have significantly reduced their spending on health and beauty.

Earnest Research, a data analytics company, documented the radical changes in spending habits. The company found that

funds normally devoted to health spending on makeup products and beauty products are now calls into question how beauty standards are influenced by social largely being spent on groceries.

Health and beauty includes interactions.

When the option of socializaall spending on drug stores, fittion is removed, ness, personal fewer Amerhealth, health “Focus on what icans choose care and more. spend their Although it you can control by to money on beauis easy to put ty products. health and beaupracticing healthy With a routine ty in the same category, it is imhabits. Take time for change and nowhere to go, it portant to recyourself. Workout at is easy to spend ognize the diftime getting ference between home. Go outside.” less ready for the your appearance day. However, and your physisome people may use makeup and cal health.

While it may be a relief to other beauty products as a form any makeup-loving American’s of self-care or a creative outlet.

Regardless of the current state wallet and skin, the decline in

of the beauty industry, the longterm effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on the perception of beauty should be studied.

Since fitness centers and gyms are closing due to regulations on nonessential business, Americans are becoming significantly more complacent with their physical fitness. It is important to continue keeping up with your physical health needs during this time. Campus Recreation at SIUE is offering free online fitness classes including yoga, at-home workouts, and Zumba.

These can be found on Campus Recreation’s Facebook Live.

Focus on what you can control by practicing healthy habits.

Take time for yourself. Workout at home. Go outside.

The pandemic is not an excuse for more assignments SHANE WHEATLEY copy editor It’s been a few weeks since SIUE has moved formerly in-person classes to online formats, and many students hoped it would be a seamless transition. However, some people are finding that their teachers are loading on more assignments than were in the original syllabus, adding on papers and extra tests.

Nobody knows why this is, perhaps it is a way to fill in the extra free time instructors think we have while being at home, or maybe it’s to make extra sure that we’re understanding the material. Regardless, while almost everyone is confined to their homes, it doesn’t necessarily mean students have more free time. In fact, some students have even less free time than before.

While this change to online classes means that students no longer have to drive to campus, adding extra assignments due to that reasoning doesn’t take into consideration that, now, some students

have extra responsibilities to handle while being home. Whether that be taking care of their family, working more hours or simply doing more chores, some people have had to move back into an environment less conducive to learning than a school campus. With the changes going on in the world right now, college students have a lot on their plate. Having extra assignments added on to their courses can create more issues and stress.

Less face-to-face interaction makes it harder for students to ask questions and get them answered in a timely manner. In fact, I’m still waiting on a response from a professor in regards to a question my group sent him a week ago. If instructors are not regularly scheduling Zoom classes (or any at all in some cases) students then have to rely on email, Blackboard or other communication methods that don’t always guarantee a quick response.

Additionally, a lot of meaning in words can be lost when sent over email, creating more ques-

tions than they answer and leading to an even longer delay in getting your question answered. This has, for some students, led to a sense of having to teach themselves the material. Something one of my teachers did to help with that is they set up a specific time they’d be available during the week on Blackboard, opening up a discussion thread where we were able to ask questions and receive answers right there.

I have a number of friends and coworkers who have discussed with me the amount of assignments that have been added on to their syllabi.

One said he had 12 assignments in one week, all for one class alone.

Another one mentioned that he’s talked with people in all of his classes, and many of them are saying the same thing: they’re all receiving a bigger workload despite having the same amount of time or even less time than before moving online.

Being on campus gave some students time to work on their homework they wouldn’t have when

they’re back home. After all, students are now on different schedules and can’t easily meet with their study groups anymore due to new obligations, and loading on more assignments creates an added obstacle for them.

With the loss of campus resources such as easy access to teachers, the library and tutoring facilities, many students may find it tougher to get a grasp on certain concepts in the lessons. Instead of increasing the amount of work, instructors should lighten the workload and put a bigger emphasis on making sure the students understand the key concepts being taught.

As students, we are equally responsible to cummunicate to our teachers when we need help. It’s more important now than ever to have teachers who will actively work with students to actually teach them the material, rather than just slapping some assignments on Blackboard with a due date. After all, we’re paying to receive knowledge, not worksheets.

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 04.16.20

sports

NEXT WEEK: SIUE ATHLETICS TELLS ALL DURING PODCAST ‘ISOLATION CONVERSATION’ page 7

alestlelive.com

Grappling with the virus:

How COVID-19 is shaping pro-wrestling ALEX AULTMAN reporter

Strikes, submission holds and gravity-defying moonsaults ensure social distancing is not possible within the ring. This has left many wrestling promotions unsure of where they stand during the pandemic.

Live events have been canceled and larger promotions like WWE and All Elite Wrestling have opted to broadcast empty arena shows and pre-record them. The wrestlers in these shows have no audience energy to feed off of, causing AEW to put other wrestlers at ringside for the sake of having crowd reactions.

Many independent promotions don’t have the funds to do shows without an audience because most of their revenue comes from the fans themselves.

For example, St. Louis Anarchy, an independent promotion based

in Alton, Illinois, has had to cancel all of their shows due to their venue being closed. Their owner, Matt Jackson, said there are show-running expenses that still need to be paid even when the show can’t go on.

“Like with anything, when there’s no money coming in there are certain show expenses which have to still be paid out,” Jackson said. “For instance, if you fly in a talent [a wrestler], a lot of times those flights you can’t get refunded on. Some talent ask for pay advances so they would actually get paid before the event.”

Independent promotions still receive some revenue through streaming services like IWTV and Patreon pages. Evan Gelistico, a wrestler for St. Louis Anarchy, said even those funds aren’t enough money to run a show with.

“90 percent of our money see WRESTLING on page 8

Wrestlers stepped into the ring at “Battle of Spaulding” with one common goal in mind: to dominate.

An active audience watched the performers, whereas now, COVID-19 restrictions have gave way to virtual audiences. / Photos courtesy of Mouse’s Wrestling Adventures

Athletes forced to ‘find a way’ to do at-home workouts MATT BARTELS reporter

Athletes and coaches have had to adjust their workout programs during the COVID-19 pandemic, leading them to come up with new ways to stay in shape.

Student athletes are no longer able to attend team workouts or go to gyms in most cases. But that hasn’t stopped them continuing their workouts. Basketball Head Coach Brian Barone has made sure that, despite being unable to see his players in-person, they are staying active and perfecting their craft.

“I sent them some clips of ‘Rocky IV.’ I told them our whole theme is ‘find a way’ and it’s an important concept. You’ve got to find a way to figure things out and get the job done,” Barone said.

Barone and his team meet via online Zoom meetings at least twice a week. The team talks basketball, classes and workouts as well as updating each other on how they are doing.

Junior guard Zeke Moore has taken this opportunity to test his mental strength, while also working on his physical strength.

Moore said he knows how easy it is to not work out, especially

when coaches aren’t around.

“The hardest thing about this is discipline. No coaches are watching you. No coaches are forcing you. It’s up to you to do it or not do it,” Moore said. “Do you want to be good or not? Me personally, I want to be great.”

Moore said he is doing everything he can to better himself, whether it be a weight program, running around the neighborhood or doing core exercises in his living room.

“You have to understand that this is a great time to get ahead.

Everyone else is at home. How see WORKOUT on page 8

sports in brief Alumnus wins AP Sports Columnist of the Year Award Bill Plaschke, an SIUE alumnus who graduated in 1980, has been awarded his eighth AP Sports Columnist of the Year award.

In 1996, Plaschke was hired on as a sports columnist for the Los Angeles Times.

He worked his way from being a small midwest college graduate to one of the most recognized names in sports writing. He is also a regular on the show “Around the Horn,” a daily sports talk show on ESPN. On top of being a celebrated sports columnist, Plaschke

has also written several books throughout his career, one of which is titled “Hard Knox: The Life of an NFL Coach,” a biography on the life of threetime AP NFL Coach of the Year Chuck Knox.

When Plaschke is not on television or writing, he spends his time helping the community.

He has been named Man of the Year by the Los Angeles Big Brothers/Big Sisters, and has received a Pursuit of Justice Award from the California Women’s Law Center, according to the Los Angeles Times.

page 8

thursday, 04.16.20

alestlelive.com WRESTLING I PAGE 7

comes from the live shows themselves, so not having that and only eating losses really hurts Anarchy,” Gelistico said. “It doesn’t put our future in question because we run this more like a business than an indie wrestling company and I think that has helped us do a lot and make sure we are going to be able to financially hold through this. We don’t have any sort of financial backers or anything like that. We are 100 percent funded by the fans.”

Jackson and Gelistico said Anarchy’s business practices are helping them get through this pandemic because their recent events have been profitable.

Jackson has picked up a job at a grocery store to give the business some extra cushioning and Gelistico has a day job as a project coordinator at an IT company.

While most promotions are putting their live events on hold, Kraig Keesaman is forging ahead with plans to start a new promotion based in Kansas City, Missouri, called Viral Pro. In response to the pandemic, the studio wrestling show will limit the

amount of people on set. Keesaman said they are trying their best to follow guidelines and are doing commentary remotely.

“We’re sticking to a very limited amount of people. There’s less than 10 people in the actual area that we’re filming at all times so we’re keeping that rule,” Keesaman said. “As far as production goes, we have one person that does our camera and lights and all that, he’s there and then commentary is done via Skype, so when the episode gets edited he starts doing the commentary and it’s set up remotely. We’re definitely taking precautions to ensure that we’re not doing our part to spread the tragedy that’s going around.”

Viral Pro has a Patreon page where fans can pay to watch each episode. They released their second episode April 10. Keesaman said this is a substitute for fans buying tickets.

“We’re hoping that the Patreon substitutes for people buying a ticket and all the proceeds that we make off of the Patreon is evenly distributed amongst everyone involved in that episode,” Keesaman said. “It’s kind of an

WORKOUT I PAGE 7 a lot of us have been sending it into

many people actually want to do push-ups or sit-ups or burpees?”

Moore said. “How many people want to do those mentally tough things in your house or outside?”

Junior outside hitter Rachel McDonald plays volleyball at SIUE, and she says the team has been really good at keeping each other accountable. She said her teammates have been sending each other their workouts as a way to push others to stay active.

“Whenever we do a workout,

our group chat saying, ‘Hey, look at this workout!’ or saying how good their workout was. Everybody has got high spirits,” McDonald said.

“It’s easy when you have a workout to do, but when you have to put one together, that’s when it gets hard.”

For more information on SIUE Athletics, visit their website.

MATT BARTELS 650-3527 @matt_alestle mbartels@alestlelive.com

investment for a lot of us wrestlers to put the work in and then hopefully it pays off in the long run that way.”

However, Jackson believes that shows with no audience aren’t completely safe.

“We’ve learned much more about the virus and even doing these empty arena shows isn’t necessarily safe because you still have the talent and the crew that’s in the building and obviously in pro wrestling you can’t keep six feet of distance,” Jackson said. “I think, at first, people didn’t understand the gravity of this whole thing so the empty arena shows were almost a way to try to get funds for wrestlers because for some of those guys this is their only source of income. A lot of promotions are trying to do good by raising money for wrestlers but now that we’ve learned even more about this thing I don’t think it’s even a good idea to do empty arena shows because quite frankly it’s not safe.”

Gelistico said people need to keep themselves safe first and can still find wrestling content in the meantime.

“For fans, wrestling will be

around. Wrestling won’t die just because of this,” Gelistico said.

“It sucks being without it but in the meantime wrestling still has content out there by multiple people so just look for it. Support wrestling in the way you can but don’t support wrestling at the cost of supporting yourself.”

One way fans can still get their wrestling fix is through WWE Network, which has lifted the paywall on some specials and matches. WWE has been deemed an essential service by Florida’s governor, allowing them to resume production of live televised shows during the stay-at-home order. Independent promotions, like Anarchy, are releasing free matches from their archive onto their YouTube channel. Anarchy is also posting videos of online game nights where wrestlers answer wrestling trivia questions.

To learn more about Anarchy, visit their Facebook page. For updates on Viral Pro, follow Kraig Keesaman on Twitter.

ALEX AULTMAN 650-3527 @alex_alestle aaultman@alestlelive.com

aedi

yrot s ?pit a evaH Have a story idea or news swetip? n ro We are always interested in news in our community!

Submit your news at www.alestlelive.com de

tsere t ni sw ni syawla en tu oba g era eW !ytinu niraeh ni mmoc ruo sweyour Send an email to director@alestlelive.com to start n r application. .moc. uoy timbu S evilel tsela ta

THE ALESTLE IS HIRING an ONLINE EDITOR Word Search

W O R D S E A R C H

TOILET PAPER STAY AT HOME HOSPITAL FACTS GERMX GOOD NEWS COVID MYTHS QUARANTINE GLOVES LYSOL MASK ESSENTIAL RECOVERY CORONA VIRUS

GWY Q H O S Y S S Q F V L P P T V L P O L R A A DWK Y I Y X B Q U K C A I O S J Z O T R F V G B R HMM R L I OO R Y OO MNM B T C V Z A E G H P E A V S Y S O S C I S Y QM Z A R O CWA G E U T J J N T X S CWU O R L J V O YWK C P OM V F M Y P E A I I Y M X N H K Y D

P G O M A N K M R P V M O P M Q V V R P

I T A X F A X I G B T S R A N L WN B Y V X Q S E T G G O E E I Y A L U O E B K T Z A P K N A N Y P C O E L R R H X D V

L C O N T P D Q O E G L R E P Y D B B B

N T O S I Y S R F L R J H E K H B K Y X

X Q I K D N L S X B M J E E D N EWS S U N S S E B S R N E A B E E R MMN K J N Z A O D K L T K S U S P L I W K L B C K A A VWX H S L X U R X O R A S MW L P F Z L P X K Z J WK S Z N S QMG C T H F Q T B F O L V C N L K U V D N P Y Y Q G E X B R F A R F R J G D C A D E Y C

Word Search | Summer Bradley / The Alestle

TOILET PAPER

CORONA VIRUS

QUARANTINE

WIRE: Florida labels WWE as essential, which could carve path for other sports to return in state AARON KASINITZ The Patriot- News (TNS)

Florida deemed World Wrestling Entertainment as an essential service, according to a mayor in the state, which affords the company the chance to broadcast live events from its Orlando training facility.

Orange County Mayor Jerry Demings said Monday Gov. Ron DeSantis originally declared the WWE was non-essential and would not be able to continue production when his shelter-in-place order went into effect April 3. But DeSantis reversed his decision last week, which his staff outlined in a memo released Thursday [April 9].

The memo also illuminates a path for other sports to potentially return to action in Florida in the wake of the coronavirus crisis.

It states that employees at a professional sports and media company with a national audience will be considered essential and allowed to work if the location is closed to the public.

That means WWE athletes, its production team and other executives can put on a performance so long as fans remain out of venues.

Other prominent professional sports leagues, such as Major League Baseball, have reportedly contemplated the possibility of playing games without an audience as a way to restart their seasons after an extended coronavirus-related hiatus.

Dana White, the president of the Ultimate Fighting Championship, has also pushed to resume events.

ESPN reported that a spokesperson from DeSantis’ office said he deemed sporting events essential because they are vital to Florida’s economy.

“The memo does not specify specific sports, as long as the event location is closed to the general public,” the spokesperson told ESPN. For now, WWE is the sports entertainment organization making the first jump back to live programming, which started this week with Monday night’s Raw. “We believe it is now more important than ever to provide people with a diversion from these hard times,” WWE said in a statement released to ESPN. “We are producing content on a closed set with only essential personnel in attendance following appropriate guidelines while taking additional precautions to ensure the health and wellness of our performers and staff.”

ESSENTIAL