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The Alestle staff rates Mexican cuisine page 4
thursday, 01.26.17
Women’s basketball comes back after buzzer-beater page 7
alton — east st. louis — edwardsville
vol. LXIX no. XXIV
Students among thousands at Women’s March on St. Louis
Police investigate reports of driving under influence TRENT STUART Alestle Reporter
Right, freshman Samantha Bunn, of Belleville, holds a sign in support of Planned Parenthood at the Women’s March on St. Louis Jan. 21, in downtown St. Louis. In conjunction with the Women’s March on Washington, millions gathered around the world in support of issues affecting women. | Photos courtesy of Samantha Bunn
SIUE police officers pulled over and issued DUIs to 12 students on campus last semester, and toward the end of the semester, they found a non-student who swerved off the road into a wooded area near the university. In December 2016, officers issued Devin Burch, who is not an SIUE student, a DUI when they found him clearly under the influence of alcohol after driving off of the road, taking out a street sign and stopping at a wooded area. The accident occurred near the intersection of Stadium Drive and S. University Drive at around 1:45 a.m. on a Sunday morning in early December. SIUE Police Chief Kevin Schmoll said the accident could have had more dire consequences than it did. “He’s very fortunate that [no one else was hurt], and he was not injured either. He has to face the consequences of it, but it could’ve been a lot worse,” Schmoll said. According to Schmoll, Burch refused field sobriety tests at the scene and was issued an improper lane usage citation and a DUI at the police station. DRIVING | pg. 2
Student Government appoints new vice president MIRANDA LINTZENICH Alestle Reporter
Student Trustee Ryan Johnson will serve as the new Student Government vice president, replacing Kalie Penn-Eads, as voted on at the Student Senate’s regularly scheduled meeting Jan. 23. The senate also elected a new election commissioner, internal affairs officer and two new senators. The organization also presented non-traditional student awards and introduced a proposal raising the maximum hours for student employees. According to Student Body President Luke Jansen, Johnson has served as a senator, executive board member student trustee. “Last year, Johnson was originally a senator. Then, when [Penn-Eads] moved up to the vice president role, Ryan also moved up to the internal relations officer role. That is something that stood out during his interview because he talked about how he knows the transition from one [position] to another, especially mid-year,” Jansen said. According to Jansen, Johnson said he wants to take on this role to better Student Govern-
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ment and to also improve relations between Senates around SIUE. “When the vice president spot opened, it kind of came up in discussion that it was a possibility that I could potentially fill in that role and have a dual role as student trustee and student body vice president,” Johnson said. “It’s kind of just something that I thought was an interesting idea ... I think the success of Student Government starts with the success of its vice president.” Having a strong vice president can end up leaving the senate with strong senators, said Johnson. “One of the big things I want to work on through this position is scholarships, and not necessarily one specific scholarship, but our students’ academic scholarships as a whole. There’s been too many times that we’ve had to replace senators due to grades, and we have to shift focus from what SG is meant to be doing. I think if we can implement something to help our students would really benefit the senators.” SG also voted in senior applied communications major Ricky Rush, of Chicago, as elec@thealestle
tion commissioner and third year pharmacy student Jamal Sims, of Springfield, as internal affairs officer. According to Jansen, Rush has been a senator before and has run in two different student government elections. Rush wants to implement more town hall forums and get more students to vote for the SG elections. Sims is highly organized, a good communicator and has had five years of experience with SG, making him the best candidate for the position, according to Jansen. “Sims has had many leadership roles as well, so that gives him a good idea of how to lead, not only the way Student Government has been done, but how other organizations have done it and how we can improve,” Jansen said. Sims said he has plans to bring SG closer together. He would also like to survey the senate to figure out how they could make improvements regarding committees and the end-of-theyear banquet. “I’ve had a lot of experience with organizing events, and I would love to do something like [organized socials] with every@thealestle
one,” Sims said. “I’m like high on getting everyone involved. I’m excited about the transition.” The senate also voted in senior engineering major Pratik Lamsal, of Nepal, and junior premed major Jacob Summers, of Decatur. Lamsal said he wants to speak for other engineering students who cannot or are uncomfortable speaking for themselves as well as bridging the gap between the School of Engineering and SG. “We do not need to make any big changes in the School of Engineering, but I do think we could add some form of communication in talking with people, and letting them know there is a place they can talk to or go to express their ideas. That would be a very good thing because I don’t think I’ve seen anything like that until now,” Lamsal said. SG also approved the Student Diversity Council. Organization Relations Officer and senior French and Spanish major Chase Tiffany, of Robinson, will serve as the chair until the next election. Tiffany will head a committee of 15 students to explore diversity issues on campus that will The Alestle
meet twice a month. In other business: A travel request for National Association for Music Education Conference was approved for $600. A travel request for United Greek Council AFLV Central was approved for $600. A travel request for the National Pan-Hellenic Council was approved for $600. A travel request for Gay Straight Alliance was approved for $600. A travel request for Interfraternity Council was approved for $600. A travel request for Non-Traditional Student Association ANTSHE Conference was approved for $600. A travel request for Rho Chi Society-Delta Beta Chapter was approved for $600. A proposal to increase number of hours students can work on campus was tabled for the next meeting. Student Government will meet again Feb. 6 at 6 p.m. in the Goshen Lounge.
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News in brief Master’s program in physical education ranked among nation’s best Top Online Colleges ranked SIUE’s master’s program among the top 25 programs in the nation for the best value in physical education and coaching pedagogy. Program Director and professor in the Department of Applied Health David Cluphf said in a press release Jan. 19 that the recognition is of the utmost respect. “It is a great honor to be recognized for providing an exceptional education, and it shows that students can obtain a high-quality education at SIUE for an affordable price,” Cluphf said. The online program can be completed in 13 months, with the primary focus being action research in which students conduct research in a real-world setting to their improve their practice. Students also develop their ability to be a functioning practitioner, as well as their appreciation for their connection between research, quality teaching and coaching. For more information on the physical education and coaching pedagogy master’s program, visit siue.edu/grad/physical-education.
Wonderlic scholarship awarded to education, training program Wonderlic chose the Building Illinois’ Bioeconomy Consortium — an education and training program conducted by SIUE and four other regional community colleges — as a recipient of the Wonderlic scholarship for soft skills training program. The scholarship will help increase access to resources for students in the consortium program. The Building Illinois Bioeconomy Consortium program began as way to develop creative pathways to high paying jobs in the bioeconomy field, which is usually targeted at adults who shift careers, or displaced workers and veterans. Wonderlic CEO Charlie Wonderlic said in a press release Jan. 23, he is pleased to offer scholarships to hardworking students. “We are excited to offer these scholarships to the sorts of programs that we believe will have the greatest impact on their students and to their community.” The scholarship will provide students the opportunity to participate in the Wonderlic soft skills training bootcamp, which emphasizes competency-based instruction for communication, interpersonal skills, listening and nonverbal skills, teamwork, professionalism, critical thinking and self-management and initiative. For more information on the Building Illinois’ Bioeconomy Consortium, visit www.buildingilbio.com.
thursday, 01.26.17
Local industries face lawsuits KIAH EARL Alestle Reporter With the recent inauguration of President Trump, many environmentalists around the country have become exceedingly worried about the future of the environment. Minutes after the inauguration, the White House webpage was updated to feature Trump’s new energy plans and focuses on the idea of reducing the money that Americans are currently paying for energy by getting rid of the Climate Action Plan and the Waters of the United States rule. Trump’s policies state that reducing the cost of energy and creating jobs in the energy field is more important than climate change and global warming. The St. Louis Metro East area is the 16th most polluted in the United States, according to the National Lung Association. This problem is due in part to the history of this area as well as the current state of the cities surrounding St. Louis. The companies below is not an inclusive list, but features three main companies that have had major environmental impacts on the St. Louis Metro East area.
The Metro East is the 16th most polluted area in the U.S., according to the National Lung Association. | Photo via Pixabay
found to have contaminated city property, which he concluded through doing his own personal testing. The lawsuit claimed that groundwater in the Roxana area is at risk and that chemicals from the refinery have penetrated into homes within the area.
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The Wood River Refinery was ordered to pay $125,000 for releasing wastewater contaminants exceeding permitted levels. ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH
Wood River Refinery
In October of 2016, the refinery was ordered to pay a civil penalty of $125,000 for releasing wastewater contaminants that exceeded the permitted levels according to the St. Louis Post Dispatch. In 2012, the refinery was sued by the City of Roxana for the contamination of city property, including streets, ground-water and the Public Works Yard, according Erwin Seba, a reporter for Reuters. According to court documents, Derek Brandt, the lead attorney at the time of the 2012 investigation, benzene and other toxic chemicals were
The Wood River refinery is jointly owned by Phillips 66 and Cenovus Energy. Built in 1917, the refinery processes a mixture of unrefined petroleum. The refinery receives and processes both foreign and domestic oils and produces a large percentage of gasoline, diesel and aviation fuel, according to Phillips66. All finished products leave the refinery through pipelines, by rail, barge and truck. The refinery is approximately 2,200 acres and currently employs more than 1,000 people. For more information on the ongoing investigation of the Wood River Reinfery, visit
roxanainvestigation.urs-stl.net/.
Monsanto
Headquartered in St. Louis, Monsanto is the leading manufacturer of genetically engineered seed and herbicide, which are shipped around the world. According to environmental reporter for Fusion.net Renee Lewis, Monsanto was sued by the state of Washington in 2016 for improper disposal of chemical waste that has polluted air supplies, rivers, waterways and landfills throughout the United States and across the globe. This suit filed against Monsanto accused the company of knowing about the longterm effects that polychlorinated biphenyls, or PCBs, have on human health and the well-being of the planet. The current cost of cleanup from the PCBs in the Washington state area as well as the health and environmental impacts have caused more than nine West Coast cities to sue the company in regard to PCBs. While PCBs have not directly impacted the St. Louis area, the development of products that result in byproducts such as PCBs happen everyday within a 45-minute drive from SIUE. Globally, Monsanto has over 20,000 employees and 10,000 within the United States alone.
U.S. Steel Corp.: Granite City Works
In 2016, the Department of Justice ruled that U.S. Steel Corp., based in Pittsburgh,
implement pollution control at the plant located in Granite City and also required the company to perform seven environmental projects costing $1.9 million to protect health and environment within the affected communities within the Midwest that are most heavily affected by the continuous pollution. The company agreed to pay a $2.2 million civil penalty to resolve a Clean Air Act lawsuit that was filed by the federal government, according to Social Engagement Manager at the St. Louis Business Journal Veneta Rizvic. According to the St. Louis Post Dispatch, Granite City residents are among the most likely in the nation to contract cancer as a result of toxic air pollution due to the steel plant being located in the heart of the city. These companies provide thousands of jobs within the St. Louis Metro East area for residents but are also hurting the environment through the pollution that affects the region on a daily basis. This article is part of an investigative series on human impacts on the environment from companies within the St. Louis Metro East area. Check back with the Alestle for a follow-up article. Contact KIAH EARL Call 650-3527 Tweet @kearl_alestle Email kearl@alestlelive.com
DUIs common on Edwardsville campus DRIVING | from pg. 1
However, Burch is not the only offender. Associate Dean of Students and Director of Student Conduct Kara Shustrin said 12 students were pulled over for DUIs on campus last semester. The school only takes action with cases of students receiving DUIs on university property. “If it’s a basic first offense, we usually do a disciplinary reprimand, which is basically a warning, along with AlcoholEdu training. Depending on if there are other circumstances, that may be increased to university probation, and there may be additional education pieces that go along with it,” Shustrin said. They look at each case indi-
vidually, and according to Shustrin, if there are any other factors, such as an accident, someone getting hurt or possession of drug paraphernalia, the consequences from the university may be more severe. However, Shustrin said, most of the time the student realizes he or she has made a mistake, so she focuses on education to prevent it from happening again on campus. In addition to discipline from the university, the student must also go through the criminal process, with which the university has no affiliation. “Our goal of course at the university is to keep all of our students safe, and to keep our community safe,” Shustrin said.
University police officers are the only ones who can deal with the incidents on campus, but they are not limited to cases within the university’s boundaries. They can also cite people for DUIs in the surrounding areas. “College students drinking alcohol is quite prevalent on the weekends. We get on average probably one DUI per week,” Schmoll said. Schmoll said regardless of where the incident occurs or whether the person is affiliated with the university, the officers treat DUIs the same. The only difference is that if a student receives a DUI on campus, they must report it to the Student Affairs office afterward. Although the issue may
seem common, Schmoll thinks it can be reduced by using other ways of transportation. “There’s a lot of consequences, so I just want everybody to think twice before they get behind the wheel. There’s so many options now today such as Uber, a taxi or having one of your friends to be a [designated driver]. You have options,” Schmoll said. During Homecoming and Halloween weekends in the fall, Student Government gives out codes for free Uber rides for first time users to utilize instead of getting behind the wheel under the influence. Contact TRENT STUART Call 650-3527 Tweet @tstuart_alestle Email tstuart@alestlelive.com
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thursday, 01.26.17
Top contender for U.S. Supreme Court emerges DAVID G. SAVAGE Los Angeles Times
01.21.17 An officer issued a written warning for expired registration. The offense occured on Circle Drive at Evergreen Hall. An officer issued a written warning for disobeying a stop sign. The offense occurred on East University Drive at Cougar Lake Drive. An officer issued a written warning for improper display of a license plate. The offense occured on South University Drive at Supporting Services Drive. An officer reported a white female with dark hair on the second floor of Peck Hall. Officers conducted a search of the building, but were unable to locate the subject. Call unfounded. An officer stopped Illinois registered vehicle Q165659 for speeding 56 mph in a 45 mph zone on Whiteside Road at Stadium Drive. Ronnie J. Rush (18 years old, 7827 S. Aberdeen St, Chicago, IL) was arrested for driving with a suspended license and transported to the Police Department where he was fingerprinted, photographed and processed. Rush was released on a notice to appear. An officer also issued a written warning for speeding. The vehicle was released to the passenger. An officer responded to 417 Cougar Village regarding an active fire alarm. The officer advised the alarm was activated due to cooking. There was no fire, smoke or damage. The area was then secured. An officer responded to Prairie Hall regarding a welfare check on a student. The officer advised he made contact with the female subject and the subject called her grandmother. The area was then secured.
An officer responded to 402 Cougar Village for an active fire alarm. University Housing was notified. The alarm was activated by cooking and was reset. There was no fire, smoke or damage.
01.23.17 An officer issued a written warning for speeding 59 mph in a 45 mph zone on South University Drive at Supporting Services Drive. An officer issued a state citation to Kelsi N. Harre for expired registration on North University Drive at P3 Road. An officer issued a written warning for expired registration on South University Drive at P2 Road. An officer picked up a military ID and a wallet that was found at the Student Fitness Center. The officer left a message with the owner of the ID. The wallet was returned to the owner in the Vadalabene Center. An officer responded to an active fire alarm at 509 Cougar Village. University Housing was notified. The alarm was activated by unknown causes and was restored. The resident was not home at the time. There was no fire, smoke or damage. An officer picked up an ID from the Student Fitness Center. An officer issued a state citation to Rachael E. Kang for speeding 69 mph in a 45 mph zone on South University Drive at Stadium Drive. An officer issued a written warning for expired registration on East University Drive.
01.22.17
An officer issued a written warning for driving without headlights on Circle Drive at Lot C.
An officer issued a written warning for speeding 42 mph in a 25 mph zone. The offense occured on North University Drive at P3 Road.
An officer issued a written warning for driving while using electronic communication device on South University Drive at P2 Road.
An officer issued a written warning for speeding 55 mph in a 45 mph zone on Stadium Drive at South University Drive.
01.24.17
A state citation was issued for Taylor J. Buchanan for operating an uninsured motor vehicle. Written warnings were also issued for driving without headlights and improper registration. The offenses occured on South University Drive and Lot 1. At 7:29 p.m., the subject provided proof of insurance an the citation was voided. An officer took report of damage to Illinois registered vehicle Y958905 while it was parked in Cougar Village.
An officer issued a written wanring for expired registration on South University Drive at University Park Drive. An officer issued a state citation to Benjamin B. Wafer for disobeying a stop sign on East University Drive. An officer issued a written warning for speeding 59 mph in a 45 mph zone on South University Drive at University Park Drive. An officer issued a state citation to Hailee E. Dierker for speeding 64 mph in a 45 mph zone on South University Drive at Stadium Drive.
Judge Neil M. Gorsuch, a highly regarded conservative jurist best known for upholding religious liberty rights in the legal battles over Obamacare, has emerged as a leading contender for President Donald Trump’s first Supreme Court nomination. Gorsuch, 49, was among 21 potential high court candidates circulated by Trump’s team during the campaign, but his stock has been rising lately as several admirers and supporters have been named to positions in the Trump administration. He currently serves on the 10th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Denver. A former clerk for Justice Byron White, also a Colorado native, and Justice Anthony Kennedy, he served in the George W. Bush administration’s Justice Department. In Gorsuch, supporters see a jurist who has strong academic credentials, a gift for clear writing and a devotion to deciding cases based on the original meaning of the Constitution and the text of statutes, as did the late Justice Antonin Scalia. Just as importantly, Gorsuch is seen as someone who might be more easily confirmed in the Senate. Unlike other appointees of former President George W. Bush, Gorsuch won an easy confirmation on a voice vote in 2006. “He is very bright, wellrespected and quite personable,” John Malcolm said, a lawyer at the Heritage Foundation. “And there’s no question he would not be as contentious as some others.” Until recently, the two top contenders for the Supreme Court nomination were believed to be Judge William H. Pryor Jr. of Alabama, who serves on the 11th Circuit Court in Atlanta, and Judge Diane Sykes of Wisconsin, who serves on the 7th Circuit Court in Chicago. Trump mentioned them in a Republican debate after Scalia died. Pryor appeared to have an edge because he is a protege
of Sen. Jeff Sessions, Trump’s choice for U.S. attorney general. Pryor has been an outspoken critic of abortion rights and gay rights, which won him admirers on the right, but also made him a target for liberals and Democrats. He once described the Roe vs. Wade decision as “the worst abomination in the history of constitutional law.” While attacks from liberals would be expected, Pryor has also drawn criticism from some activists on the right. In 2011, he signed on to an 11th Circuit opinion by liberal Judge Rosemary Barkett upholding a sex-discrimination complaint filed by a transgender state employee in Georgia. The worker was hired as a man, but then fired after returning as a woman. In a 3-0 decision in Glenn vs. Brumby, the 11th Circuit concluded it is unconstitutional “sex-based discrimination” to fire a state employee “because of his or her gender non-conformity.” Leonard Leo, an executive vice president of the Federalist Society official and adviser to the Trump team, said in a broadcast interview that Pryor was following legal precedents. But the decision has been cited by some on the right as grounds for opposing him. Perhaps as a result, other prominent conservative judges such as Gorsuch are getting more attention. Senate Minority Leader Charles Schumer, D-N.Y., said Sunday that the Democrats will fight hard to stop court nominees who are not “bipartisan and mainstream.” Pryor’s past comments on abortion and gay rights would almost certainly fuel a confirmation fight. When former President George W. Bush nominated him to the 11th Circuit in 2003, Democrats used the filibuster rule to block a vote. Bush then put him in the post temporarily through a recess appointment. He finally won confirmation on a 53-45 vote in 2005 as part of a bipartisan Senate deal led by the so-called Gang of 14. By contrast, Gorsuch does not have a record of strident
comments that would fuel a confirmation fight. However, he knows firsthand of the rough side of political battles. His mother, Anne Gorsuch Burford, was a conservative Colorado state legislator and a states’ rights advocate when former President Ronald Reagan chose her in 1981 to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. She was soon caught up in battles with environmentalists and Democrats on Capitol Hill who accused her of going soft on polluters. She was held in contempt of Congress in 1983 for refusing to turn over documents. Burford said she had followed the legal advice of the Justice Department. Nonetheless, she was forced to resign in 1983 because the White House saw her as a political distraction. She returned to Colorado and died in 2004. Neil Gorsuch was educated at a private school in Georgetown and has degrees from Columbia University, Harvard Law School and Oxford University, where he earned a doctorate in legal philosophy. His best-known opinions grew out of the dispute over the Obama administration’s regulation requiring employers to provide female employees with the full range of contraceptives as part of their insurance. Catholic groups such as the Little Sisters of the Poor and the evangelical Christian family who owned the Hobby Lobby craft stores sued and sought a religious exemption from paying for contraceptives that they said could “destroy a fertilized human egg.” Both cases ended up in the 10th Circuit, and Gorsuch voiced support for the religious claimants. “All of us face the problem of complicity,” Gorsuch wrote in the Hobby Lobby case. And government should not force people with “sincerely held religious beliefs” to be complicit in “conduct their religion teaches them to be gravely wrong.” The high court reached the same decision by a 5-4 vote in 2014. READ MORE WIRE STORIES AT ALESTLELIVE.COM
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lifestyles alestlelive.com
Metro East Eats:
Mexican restaurants
contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 01.26.17
It’s no secret that college students love taco Tuesday. Luckily, Edwardsville has no shortage of Mexican restaurants. To find out which ones were the best, the Alestle staff visited six locations in Edwardsville. Locations were reviewed by the following criteria: atmosphere, customer service, presentation of dishes and authenticity of the food served. Scores were determined by each staff members’ satisfaction, and the average of those scores determined that restaurant’s rank. Read reviews for all six locations at alestlelive.com. Trying out a location reviewed? Let us know what you think by tweeting @TheAlestle.
Taqueria Z: 4.5/5 Taqueria Z’s environment is tiny but cozy, adorned with colorful wall hangings and a proud display of the restaurant’s impressive lineup of tequilas and craft beers. Customers can choose to sit at tall tables, the bar or outside at a brightly colored picnic table on the well-lit patio. We highly recommend taking advantage of the patio on a warm evening, as it is the perfect environment for delicious food and margaritas. The restaurant wasn’t playing any music, which made the atmosphere seem a bit too quiet at first, but the tables are spaced out far enough that you won’t feel as if the
table next to you can hear your entire conversation. Loud music would likely overpower the small space anyway. The menu is small, offering only appetizers, tacos, quesadillas and an in-house specialty, chacos — which are tacos toasted with Chihuahua cheese — but the options offered for these menu items are extensive and mindful of different dietary needs, particularly vegetarian. We ordered chicken tacos, a chorizo quesadilla and house margaritas. The chicken tacos were delicious — the restaurant’s dedication to the use of fresh ingredients is definitely obvious, but it was the decadent flavor of the chorizo quesadilla that stole the show. Taqueira Z also offers three
different options for salsa. We sampled them all, and although each salsa has a distinct flavor and different level of spice, each one paired well with our meal. The margaritas were not what one might typically expect when it comes to a standard margarita, but was delicious nonetheless — served in a small glass bearing the restaurant’s logo, we got to enjoy the distinct taste of quality tequila mixed with the flavor of fresh lime, making for a strong yet refreshing drink. However, be warned: it’s three shots of tequila, so it may knock you off your feet. Compared to weekly specials found at other Mexican restaurants, Taqueria Z’s margaritas may seem a bit pricey, but believe us when we say the it’s worth it. Taqueria Z does not offer specials on food or drink, but the already low pricTAQUERIA Z es don’t really call for any. The restaurant also makes 109 E. Park St., Edwardsville up for its lack of specials about 10 minutes from campus
with its unique hours. Open until 11 p.m. Wednesday and Sunday, and until 3 a.m. Thursday, Friday and Saturday, the restaurant works to satisfy your taco craving into the wee hours of the morning. The staff at Taqueria Z was friendly, knowledgeable of the menu and willing to answer any of our questions. Our food and margaritas were brought to us quickly and looked appetizing. While the food was served in casual baskets, it was placed there carefully — we could tell Taqueria Z cares about the presentation of their food — likely because the restaurant also takes care to serve authentic Mexican street food. The owner has traveled to Mexico several times in order to learn the craft of authentic Mexican food, and it shows — especially in comparison to other Mexican restaurants in Edwardsville. All in all, between the affordable prices and extended hours, Taqueria Z is a great place for college students to get their fill of Mexican food.
Chloe Smith / Alestle
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Catrina’s: 4.5/5 Tucked away in the strip mall behind “Gas-Donalds,” Catrina’s is a Mexican restaurant that lived up to our expectations. As soon as you walk in, a wave of an inviting, yet more upscale than you may be used to, atmosphere hits you. There are mirrors on the wall and wooden booths that create coziness like no other. The restaurant is spacious and plays soft in the background to avoid disrupting mealtime talk. You might expect Spanish music or sombreros when walking into a Mexican restaurant, but Catrina’s defied that stereotype. It took a few minutes to get seated because the employees were busy in the back, but the friendliness of the server made up for a moment of inconvenience. He immediately and charismatically directed us to a booth. The menu consists of a selection of alcoholic drinks, appetizers, tacos, mocktails, desserts and other entrees. We decided to order a lemonade, which was a great mixture of sweet and tart. For an appetizer, we got the calamari as well as chips and queso. The calamari filled the whole white plate it was brought out on, making it easy to enjoy the taste of decent breading and a comforting lack of rubber-texture. The queso was equally delicious. The chips were seasoned, and that wasn’t something we had experienced before.
CATRINA’S
1027 Century Drive, Edwardsville about 5 minutes from campus
Don’t expect traditional thin tortilla chips because these are without a doubt denser than usual. However, they were addicting to eat, especially with a layer of creamy cheese sauce on top. The queso wasn’t super spicy, and it only made us excited to eat the actual entree. For our meal, we ended up ordering a cochinita taco, which consisted of pulled pork, beans and onion slaw as well as a taco pollo with grilled chicken, melted cheese and pineapple pico de gallo. Both tacos came together on a simple, white plate that made it perfect for an individual who posts their food on social media. While our eyes might have been bigger than our stomachs, the cochinita was amazing. The meat was marinated in slow roasted achiote, making it a bit spicy but definitely worth the whirlwind of flavors. We weren’t the biggest fans of the taco pollo, but it would serve someone who enjoys exotic, spicy favors well. We ordered a ton of food, and on
Catrina’s offers a wide range of menu items served in a spacious upscale environment. | Miranda Lintzenich / Alestle
top of that, each taco consisted of a lot crammed into the little soft shells, so we ended up taking it home in the kitchy metal takeout containers provided.
We will definitely go back, but for the sake of our bank accounts, we will probably order less.
La Fonda: 4/5 LA FONDA
2310 Troy Road, Edwardsville about 10 minutes from campus
Between great customer service and a student discount, La Fonda is a great location for college students. | Kiah Earl / Alestle
La Fonda is conveniently located next to Target, so the restaurant itself is in a great location and not hard to find for anyone that is familiar with the Edwardsville area. We went on a Wednesday afternoon around 4 p.m., so it wasn’t busy at all. We waited in the front for a server to seat us,
and after we were seated, the music, decor and chips and salsa got us in the mood for some Mexican cuisine. The restaurant was clean and smelled like salsa and tequila, which made us excited to be there and even more excited for the weekly half-pitcher margarita specials.
We ordered the pollo ranchero, which consisted of chicken breast covered in cheese sauce and served with rice, beans, sweet cornbread and flour tortillas. We also ordered vegetables on the side to add some crunch. Our server was amazing and spoke to us throughout our meal in Spanish, which allowed us to practice expanding our Spanish vocabulary without the pressure of a classroom setting. He made us feel very welcome and his consistent friendliness throughout our meal made it seem as though he enjoyed his job.
Our meal arrived and looked really good. Almost everything was covered in queso. We’d never had Mexican cornbread, but it was amazing. It reminded us of an enhanced version of Jiffy cornbread, and it had pieces of corn throughout the bottom layer. It seemed like corn lined the bottom of the pan it was baked in. Overall, the dish was delicious and we couldn’t finish it because of how much food was on our plate. For two chicken breasts, veggies, rice and beans, cornbread and tortillas, the meal totaled at $9.99. The price seems reasonable, especially considering the amount of food we were able to take as leftovers. Another great thing about La Fonda is the student discount — they take 10 percent off of your meal. This is great because, while their prices are reasonable, every penny counts for college students.
La Casa: 3.5/5 Walking into La Casa will instantly brighten up a customer’s eyes thanks to the various colors around the restaurant. All the chairs, tables and booths included every color of the rainbow, as well as various designs, ranging from different versions of suns to toucans. The furniture was not the only colorful part of the restaurant, as the food was bright with flavor. While eating the steak chimichanga, it was clear that the ingredients they use are fresh, and the freshness of the food really stood out in their guacamole and salsa. Along with being fresh, La Casa’s food tasted authentic and not changed to please the taste buds of Americans. The authenticity was most prevalent in the beans and rice. On the other hand, the steak could have used more seasoning. The food came out in enough time to have a nice conversation over an appetizer, but not enough time to get upset about the wait. The food was not served scald-
LA CASA
201 Harvard Drive, Edwardsville about 10 minutes from campus
ing hot, but it was warm enough to be enjoyed. The price of food at La Casa is average compared to other Mexican restaurants, especially for the quality. The restaurant also offers a 10 percent student discount. However, it might be a little pricey for an outing with your friends. One of the most enjoyable parts about La Casa was the atmosphere. The temperature in the restaurant allows its customers to wear just about anything and be comfortable. In addition, there were not a lot of consumers in the restaurant, so no one had to yell over another table’s conversation to
La Casa serves up fresh food in a bright environment.
talk. Depending on what time you go, the volume may vary though. We went around 8 p.m. on Friday night, and the atmosphere had a nice volume.The tables and chairs were nicely spaced, so you won’t feel like you are eating with the next table over. The low noise level allows for the
| Chloe Rice / Alestle
Spanish music to be heard. In addition to the music, the waiters also greet customers in Spanish. So, if you’re trying to brush up on Spanish or have a conversation, La Casa is the place to go.
VOTE IN THIS WEEK’S POLL ABOUT DEROGATORY TERMS AT ALESTLELIVE .COM
page 6
opinion
contact the editor: opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527
alestlelive.com
thursday, 01.26.16
ALESTLE
the
Get your name in the paper without the court date.
That’s not a real illness... Why do you get special treatment?
There’s nothing wrong with you... Are you handicapped or something?
Write a letter to the editor.
You don’t look handicapped...
Change your language, be considerate
MAN STREET
Freshman nursing major Zak Brummett, of Auburn “I’ve heard a lot of derogatory terms used often more by students, but also campus faculty and staff … As a student, I shouldn’t be hearing about that in an academic setting. You’re a professor.”
CHLOE RICE opinion editor
MADISON O’BRIEN online editor
CIARA BAZILE SAMANTHA KITCHEN LASHAI SPENCER photographers
| Illustration by Nicolle Patton / Alestle
on the
CHLOE SMITH lifestyles editor
ALLISON GREGORY multimedia editor
Not everything is on the surface.
While some critics might say universities urging political correctness in regard to disabilities are overdoing it because “that’s not how the real world works,” we question why that is. The events happening around us now are as much the real world as anything else, and to insist that people with disabilities don’t deserve to be recognized in the “real world” is shameful. Instead of isolating people with disabilities, we should embrace them. That’s what all this hype about political correctness is — a generation striving to promote
KENDRA MARTIN managing editor
KALLI MORRIS social media manager
opinion@alestlelive.com
ALESTLE STAFF EDITORIAL
CAITLIN LALLY editor-in-chief
KYLE STEPP sports editor
Send letters to:
It’s no secret that universities attract diversity. While diversity is a vital aspect of campus life, it also means students, faculty and staff are responsible for making sure everyone feels safe, welcomed and respected. We at the Alestle think it’s important to increase our knowledge of various disabilities to make sure we’re being considerate and inclusive of others in our community.
alton — east st. louis — edwardsville
loving and understanding one another as humans. Firstly, the words “Handicap” and “handicapped” need to be addressed. While these labels may seem like a polite way to reference someone’s disability — which is sometimes necessary to do — there are often better ways to go about it. According to the National Center on Disability and Journalism, we should avoid calling someone handicap and should refer to their specific condition instead. Using the name of the person’s condition instead of “handicapped” not only prevents generalization, but it also raises awareness and lets the person know you care about their condition and individuality. Specific learning disabilities like dyslexia are different from physical disabilities like multiple sclerosis, and this should be acknowledged. The more we create these distinctions, the better we can help meet the needs of our peers and show them support. One may think it would be rude to directly ask a person
about their disability, but more often than not, this act is appreciated because it gives that person a chance to explain it from their own perspective. Despite misconceptions, disabilities and mental disorders manifest differently based on the person and their experiences. Essentially, this means two people with the same diagnoses could behave and function very differently; it’s the reason why some people with autism can be savants and others can be completely nonverbal and unresponsive to all social interaction. Realizing that not all disabilities are visible is also vital to the success of our campus community. According to the University of Massachusetts Amherst, approximately 10 percent of people in the U.S. have medical conditions that are considered invisible disabilities, many of which are neurological, meaning symptoms not visible to another person like pain, dizziness and cognitive impairments are often present. They can impact a person’s handwriting, visual processing, ability to focus,
organizational skills and memory, just to name a few. Given the vast amount of invisible disabilities in our country, we should be slow to judge and quick to help our peers at SIUE. This means we shouldn’t stare at a seemingly healthy person using a handicap parking pass or become annoyed with a classmate needing extra time to take tests. Instead, we should be supportive of our peers with disabilities and respect the accommodations they need. We aren’t encouraging the “everyone gets a trophy” mentality, but rather encouraging everyone to learn about one another as people. We encourage you to research, be informed when you don’t know what something means, ask individuals’ preferences and don’t justify hateful names or adjectives just because “everyone does it.” Everyone deserves to be viewed as a human, first and foremost, and a diagnosis does not define a person or what he or she can achieve. READ MORE STAFF EDITORIALS AT ALESTLELIVE.COM.
How do you feel when you hear derogatory terms regarding disabilities or mental illnesses?
Freshman pre-med major Allison Taylor, of Manchester “I have heard other people use terms against people with disabilities, depression and other mental illnesses on campus, and it totally sucks seeing as I have all three of them, including the R-word.”
Senior exercise science major Jasmine Byers, of Bartlett “Those things aren’t in your control, and it’s not fair. A lot of people go through depression and it is serious. With oppression too, people are victims of their circumstances and it says a lot about you if you judge them based on that.”
Sophomore psychology and sociology double major Jannaya McBride, of Alton “I think they’re insensitive and rude. People just say to suck it up and just push others feelings to the side.”
KIAH EARL TAYLOR FLEIG MIRANDA LINTZENICH TRENT STUART reporters RYAN BIERI chief copy editor
BRIDGET CHRISTNER BREANN SPERANEO copy editors NICOLLE PATTON editorial cartoonist LAUREN LOWE graphics manager
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KELLY PFAFF LAMONE STANSBURY ROBERTO DIAZ advertising consultants BRITTANY COX JESSICA ELDER KATHERINE PATE office secretaries ANGIE TROUT office manager
TAMMY MERRETT program director Have a comment? Let us know! opinion@alestlelive.com The Alestle Campus Box 1167 Edwardsville, Ill. 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 at the Alestle office: Morris University Center, Room 2022 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 Wednesdays during summer semesters. For more information, call 618-650-3528. For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com.
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 01.26.17
sports
HARDEN, WESTBROOK TOP NBA MVP MID-SEASON VOTE READ MORE AT ALESTLELIVE.COM
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Tight wins sparks Cougars’ OVC play
KYLE STEPP Alestle Sports Editor
The women’s basketball team is climbing the Ohio Valley Conference ranks after three straight wins. First, redshirt junior guard Lauren White hit a buzzer-beater to put the Cougars over the Southeastern Missouri Redhawks 70-69 on Jan. 18, at the Vadalabene Center. Just three days later, the Cougars edged passed the University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks in a thrilling 70-68 overtime win on Jan. 21. The Cougars and Head Coach Paula Buscher are making a conference comeback. With their last four wins, the Cougars are now 4-4 in the OVC and 8-14 on the season. Against the Redhawks, the Cougars entered the fourth quarter with a 53-39 lead. A late-game rally and mid-range jumper from SEMO’s guard Adrianna Mitchell, the Cougars found themselves down 69-67 with .9 seconds on the clock. Buscher called a timeout and set a final play. White broke loose from her defender on the inbound pass, turned, and threw up a deep three-pointer. Despite being outscored 3017 in the game’s final period, Buscher said she expects her team to become more competitive in play and in their league. “I’m so happy for our kids. We needed to win for a lot of reasons, mostly to creep up in the standings and for our morale. Since I’ve been here in five years, I’ve never seen something like this to end a game. But that’s the OVC — everybody plays it to the buzzer,” Buscher said. White scored a game-high 17 points and was two boards shy of
page 7
SIUE Standings MEN’S BASKETBALL OVERALL
Southeast Miss. 9-13 E. Kentucky 8-14 Austin-Peay 7-14 Tenn. Tech 8-14 Jacksonville St. 13-9 Morehead St. 9-11 SIUE 5-16 Eastern Ill. 9-11 UT Martin 14-8 Belmont 13-4 Murray St. 11-10 Tenn. St. 12-8
OVC
4-3 1-6 3-4 4-3 5-2 5-2 0-7 1-6 4-3 7-0 5-2 3-4
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL OVERALL
Junior guard Donshel Beck takes a shot over a Redhawk defender Jan.18, at the Vadalabene Center. | Ciara Bazille / Alestle
a double-double. The Cougars added to their winning streak Jan. 21 with an overtime contest against the Skyhawks. The 70-68 win was the first road win the Cougars have earned since Dec. 2, and junior guard Donshel Beck secured the victory with two go-ahead freethrows with 27 seconds remaining in the extra period. Late in the fourth quarter, redshirt sophomore guard Bell hit a three-pointer with .9 seconds left in regulation. However, it was the Cougars’ opponent that would drain the buzzer beater to send the game to overtime. Beck
and White took charge in overtime, scoring all eight of SIUE’s points. Buscher said her team is zoning in on defense, and beginning to realize the payout. “Our players are sticking with it,” Buscher said. “We still make mistakes, but we’re moving on to the next play. Our communication is not where I want it to be, but it’s getting better. We’re buying into how important defense is and especially rebounding because rebounding tonight was huge.” White finished as SIUE’s leading scorer with 17 points, and sophomore center Sydney Bau-
man finished with 10 points and five blocks. The Cougars outrebounded UT Martin 45-33 and shot 24 of 28 from the charity stripe. SIUE returned to the Vadalabene Center for a game against the Tennessee State University Tigers, winning the contest 7352. With over 3,500 fans in attendance, Bell (17 points) led the Cougars to one of their largest wins of the season. The Cougars will travel to Charleston for a game against the Eastern Illinois University Panthers at 1 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28.
Southeast Miss. 8-12 E. Kentucky 7-12 Austin-Peay 10-10 Tenn. Tech 7-13 Jacksonville St. 8-11 Morehead St. 15-5 SIUE 8-13 Eastern Ill. 7-13 UT Martin 4-16 Belmont 16-5 Murray St. 12-7 Tenn. St. 8-10
OVC
2-5 4-2 4-3 4-3 1-6 5-2 4-4 3-5 1-6 8-0 4-2 3-5
WRESTLING
OVERALL SOCON
Chattanooga 4-7 Appalachian St. 10-2 The Citadel 1-7 Davidson 3-9 Gardner-Webb 5-3 Campbell 5-6 SIUE 2-9 VMI 1-9
2-0 4-0 0-2 0-2 2-1 1-1 2-2 0-3
Men’s basketball trails in OVC KYLE STEPP Alestle Sports Editor The Cougars fell to two Ohio Valley Conference opponents — the Southeast Missouri State University Redhawks Jan. 19, and the University of Tennessee at Martin Skyhawks Jan. 21. The Cougars, on a seven-game losing streak, are 5-16 for their season and 0-7 in the OVC. With a first-half lead, and late-game rally against the Redhawks, the Cougars looked to be on the brink of their first OVC win of the season, however, SIUE’s effort fell short in a 79-76 road loss. Using a full-court press and two SEMO turnovers, the Cougars scored 12 of the final 13 points in the last 27 seconds of the game. Head Coach Jon Harris said the Cougars practiced full-court pressure, and his team may execute it more in the upcoming games given its success against the Redhawks. “We worked on it a lot leading up to the game. The way the game went, we just didn’t really play it in the early part of the game. That may be something we look at doing more,” Jon Harris said. SIUE headed into the locker
room with a 3-point first-half lead on 45.8 percent shooting. However, the Cougars shot 35.9 percent in the second half and were outscored 48-42. SEMO shot 38.1 percent in the first half, and came out hot-handed with a 61.5 percentage in the second half. Jon Harris said his team is strong offensively, but needs to work on its defensive presence. “For me, offense is not the issue, outside of the turnovers, which are a major issue,” Jon Harris said. “Seventy-six points is enough to win the game. You have to find a way to get stops.” A lack of defense truly was the Cougars downfall after out rebounding the Redhawks 44-28, and scoring 44 bench points to SEMO’s 23. Redshirt sophomore guard Tre Harris led all scorers with 25 points, with freshman forward Brandon Jackson contributing 12. The Cougars tried to rally back from their close loss against SEMO with a road game versus UT Martin, but fell short again. Again, the Cougars headed into halftime with a 37-35 advantage but were unable to close in the second half. The early seconds of the second half would be the last time the Skyhawks would trail, as UT Martin opened the
half on a 12-2 run. Jon Harris said, in the first half, his team played strong defense, but the early second-half run gave the Skyhawks an advantage. “We did a really good job in the first half, defensively. They were off-balance. Now you give them a little confidence early in the half and then they make some big shots late,” Jon Harris said. Tre Harris led the Cougars with 18 points, while junior forward Jalen Henry added 17 points and six rebounds. After a home game against Tennessee State University Tigers Jan. 25, the Cougars will hit the road for a contest against the Eastern Illinois University Panthers at 3:15 p.m. Saturday, Jan. 28, in Charleston. The two teams are in the bottom of their brackets in the OVC, as the Cougars look to return to Edwardsville with their first conference win of the season. After the Panthers, SIUE will continue on the road for a game against the Belmont University Bruins at 8 p.m. Monday, Jan. 30, in Nashville, Tenn. Contact KYLE STEPP Call 650-3527 Tweet @kstepp_alestle Email kstepp@alestlelive.com
Senior guard Josh White shoots a 3-point shot while the Racers’ Terell Miller Jr. jumps to defend the shot Jan. 14, during the 67-59 loss against Murray State University at the Vadalabene Center. | Allison Gregory/ Alestle
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HOROSCOPES By Jennifer Shepherd, The Lipstick Mystic Monday, Jan. 23 - Sunday, Jan. 29 , 2017
Aries: March 21 - April 19 The moon is making you restless. If it’s hard for you to focus, put in some extra hours at the gym. Or hit a spa. Meditate. Do something to shut off the outside world and center yourself. That way, you’ll be able to bring more to your romantic relationship.
Cancer: June 22 - July 22 A moon opposition is humbling you. Maybe you haven’t been listening to your sweetheart enough, and he or she is showing you that you need to be more present in your relationship. Or perhaps your boss is reprimanding you for something. Live and learn.
Libra: Sept. 23 - Oct. 23 The sun is helping you to move forward in all areas. Your career is getting better, and so is your cash flow. You’re feeling much better about your romantic situation, too. Even if you’re single, you’re feeling joyful and positive about someday meeting a soul mate.
Capricorn: Dec. 22 - Jan.19 Don’t let others intimidate you. Mercury is encouraging you to stand up for yourself. You could be feeling pressure from a boss, romantic partner or family member, but don’t allow others to control you. You’ll feel great if you’re true to yourself.
Taurus: April 20 - May 20 You’ll connect with someone in a powerful way. You’ll have a heart-to-heart discussion with the person you’ve been dating, and it will bring the two of you closer. Or you and a friend could share personal confessions. Mercury enhances communication.
Leo: July 23 - Aug. 22 Your hard work will pay off as Saturn brings you some good karma. Maybe you submitted resumes months ago, and you’ll finally land some great interviews. Or perhaps an onagain, off-again relationship will start to flow in a good direction.
Scorpio: Oct. 24 - Nov. 2 Keep track of random thoughts that come through. Your intuition is super strong right now, thanks to Venus. You might have a dream that comes true. Or you could pick up on an emotion or vibe from somebody around you. Pay attention.
Aquarius: Jan. 20 - Feb. 18 A friendly moon is lifting your mood. You’ve been feeling a little disconnected from people lately, but now you’re seeing you can make friends wherever you go. Be in the flow and see what the universe brings you.
Gemini: May 21 - June 21 You’re developing some new talents as two planets give you super smart energy. You’ll find that an artistic gift is getting stronger. Or you’ll develop a partnership with someone that becomes very creative in some way.
Virgo: Aug. 23 - Sept. 22 You’re in the mood to do some deep thinking. You could be inspired to talk with a therapist, a minister or a coach. Venus is telling you to dig deep and meditate on life. You’ll figure out some negative patterns that you need to overcome.
Sagittarius: Nov. 22 - Dec. 21 You’ll want your partner to deliver for you. If you have just been casually dating someone, you’ll want to either take things to the next level or split up. If you want kids, you’ll want to start planning a time to get pregnant. The moon says go for it.
Pisces: Feb. 19 - March 20 As a Water sign, you’re good at picking up vibes from other people. You easily figure out other people’s emotions. This week, somebody around you could be going through a lot of stress. Venus is reminding you that you have great power to heal and help others.
Jennifer Shepherd, the Lipstick Mystic®, is an astrologer and syndicated columnist with over 2 million readers. For mystical fun and psychic insights visit www.lipstickmystic.com.