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START YOUR ENGINES
Motorcycles speed down University Drive in a procession of more than 100 vehicles for a memorial cruise to Grafton to honor former SIUE student Taylor Clark. Clark was killed in May 2015 while meeting someone from Craigslist to sell his car. | MIRANDA LINTZENICH / ALESTLE
Community gathers to remember former student CAITLIN LALLY co-editor
“It was his sophomore year here [at SIUE],” Robert Clark recalled about his car-loving son. “He bought a Mustang GT and on spring break he decided to take it from an automatic transmission, take the transmission out and put a manual transmission in that period he was on spring break.” “It worked out perfectly, and he didn’t break anything,” Robert smiled widely. “He did it off of a YouTube video.” You could hear the soft purr of engines as cars lined up one by one in Lot 9 on campus late Sunday morning in memory of Taylor Clark, a former SIUE stu-
dent who was found dead in Hazelwood, Mo. after meeting up with a person from Craigslist to sell his car. “This is the third event and for this many people to still come out — and I mean I know everyone gets busy in their daily lives and things kind of go by the wayside … ‘it’s been two years, eh we’re not going this year,’ but for this many people, and I know there are still more coming — it’s nice,” Robert Clark said. “It’s that warm fuzzy feeling, I guess.” Car enthusiasts have gathered for a memorial cruise since Clark’s death in 2015, and according to organizer and friend Luke Skalisius, hundreds have cars have showed up each year in support.
“I think the most we’ve had is, I wanna say 400 vehicles,” Skalisius said. “It’s just posting in a couple groups on Facebook, tell one friend — he tells 20 friends and then we have this event.” This year, Skalisius counted over 100 vehicles that met for the cruise to drive to Grafton, where everyone met to hang out for the rest of the afternoon. Chandler John grew up down the street from Taylor and said he was also impressed with the support of the car community before sharing a memory of his childhood friend. “Before I really knew him too well, I’d always see him riding his bicycle in front of my house, and even when we became friends, he’d never come
knock on the door, he’d just always ride in circles out in front of my house,” John said. “My mom would be like ‘Hey, Taylor’s riding circles,’ and I’d go walk out and we’d hang out.” According to Skalisius, being with others and sharing stories was one of Taylor’s favorite things — next to cars. “This is what Taylor loved — getting people together and keeping everybody smiling, and that’s what we’re trying to do,” Skalisius said. Skalisius knew Taylor since high school and said they gained a friendship through cars. He said he chose to do a memorial cruise over other events because it is what Taylor would’ve enjoyed. “Taylor was a car enthusi-
ast. He loved working on cars, he loved fast cars, so what better way to remember him than to get what he would love together,” Skalisius said. Robert Clark said he was thankful for the large turnout and all the hard work Skalisius did to coordinate the event. “Even through the tragedy, it’s nice to see all these people who still care and show their support for us. For us, it’s still a daily struggle,” Robert Clark said. The procession left SIUE at noon, revving and roaring, escorted by University Police.
CAITLIN LALLY
650-3527 @clally_alestle clally@alestlelive.com
Faculty comments on loan to Carbondale Democrats push for college grants KEEGAN GAUWITZ sports editor
The Board of Trustees approved a loan of up to $35 million to SIUC in a meeting May 10, at the Morris University Center on the Edwardsville campus. The loan was presented with stipulations holding SIUC responsible for declaring short-term fiscal emergency, and the development of a financial stability plan. Conditions also stated SIUC’s first repayment will be to Edwardsville instead of the other entities from which it borrowed including itself and the School of Medicine in Springfield. Following the passage of official terms to the loan, Faculty Senate President Jeffrey Sabby said he felt better about the clarity of the loan’s terms, and he thought the board listened to what the Faculty Senate had to say. “At least now we’ve got terms. It’s a night-and-day difference from the April 6 Board of Trustees meeting,” Sabby said. However, Sabby did share concerns over faculty salary and the lack of a merit increase — an increase in pay for based off efficiency and performance for professors.
“The faculty not having pay raises over the last four years is very important. A lot of people may not know we haven’t had a merit increase in pay, which is what we would normally receive,” Sabby said. Sabby said professors have sacrificed this pay-raise in order to maintain the solvency of Edwardsville’s campus. However, Sabby said this sacrifice has brought risk to professors because of inflation. “One thing that’s never mentioned is the cost of living increase. I did some research for this area over the last four years and found that there has been a 3.7 percent increase — all of us are feeling it. Not only do we have to manage the university budget, but we all have to manage our own budgets,” Sabby said. Mass Communications Assistant Professor Mark Poepsel agreed with Sabby that it’s good to see some clarity in the loan’s terms. Poepsel also said he is concerned about inflation due to the faculty giving up their expected pay increase. “We’ve had cuts on top of cuts, and when you don’t get a
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raise but inflation goes up, it’s like getting a pay-cut,” Poepsel said. As a member of SIUE’s Faculty Union, Poepsel mentioned the need for conversation between the unions on each campus to better develop an understanding of the needs of faculty members on each campus. “We need a careful discussion about what it means to us that Carbondale is borrowing all this money as faculty, and what it means to be a union in the face of cuts,” Poepsel said. Poepsel said it is important that Carbondale stay afloat and recover from their crisis, but that the needs of SIUE faculty members must somehow be met, especially after years of sacrifice to their salaries. “We also have to advocate for our own faculty, who have had cuts on top of cuts, and have dealt with the state budget crisis quite directly … eventually state appropriations are going to come. They’re not going to be the level they used to be, and we may be in a worse position after this loan than we were a month ago,” Poepsel said.
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CAITLIN LALLY co-editor
Pending its passage through the Illinois Senate, after July 2018, the government may pay for students to stay in-state for college. House Bill 1316 includes a program called the College Affordability Grant, which would give Illinois residents a yearly grant of $4,000. According to the General Assembly, roughly 100,000 students would automatically qualify for this grant. Eligibility requirements include being a resident for at least two years prior to application, graduating high school with at least a “B” average, having an annual family income of less than $125,000 and being enrolled full-time in a public institution the fall term after high school graduation. Introduced by D-Rep. Lou Lang, of Skokie, the bill has continued to gain support from other representatives. As of May 30, the bill was passed to the Senate and referred to the assignments committee.
SIUE alumna holds art exhibit in St. Louis CHLOE RICE editor-in-chief
SIUE graduate Erica Iman will discuss her art exhibit “Formation” Thursday, June 1, on 3410 Wisconsin Ave. in Saint Louis. The event, held by Reese Gallery, is free and open to the public. Iman is a painter and ceramicist who is inspired by geological formations and extreme lands. According to Iman, her work reminds her of solitude and impermanence. The art features the different landscapes of the Mongolian steppe through clay. However, this isn’t the first time Iman has displayed her work. Reese Gallery showed another exhibit featuring her work in 2014. For more information, go to thereesegallery.com or ericaiman. com.
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wednesday, 05.31.17
alestlelive.com
Q&A with the chancellor CHLOE RICE editor-in-chief
CAITLIN LALLY co-editor
MIRANDA LINTZENICH lifestyles editor
Pembrook outlines terms of loan for faculty, staff CAITLIN LALLY co-editor
Addressing a crowd of administrators, faculty, staff and even a few students, Chancellor Randy Pembrook outlined the loan to Carbondale and answered questions specific to the East St. Louis campus, where he hosted the most recent Q&A session May 18.
Pembrook opened with the loan situation to address questions he had been receiving before the event began, he said. “[The Board of Trustees] were actually going to deal with it at the April meeting, but because of a procedural situation of having to have a unanimous vote to take up the item from the agenda, they delayed it,” Pembrook said. The board decided the terms
of the loan May 10, which includes the amount of the loan — up to $35 million dollars — from a source known as unrestricted reserves. “Whenever a university collects money — we collect money for a lot of specific things, whether it’s for technology, whether it’s for facilities, whether it’s for athletics — we collect that money and park it in accounts until we
KEEGAN GAUWITZ sports editor
BREANN SPERANEO TRENT STUART copy editors JUSTIN BRISTOL reporter NICHOLAS AGADI advertising manager AMRI WILDER DELENA STOKES 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.
Chancellor Randy Pembrook speaks Sept. 8, 2016, in the Meridian Ballroom.
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ESTL on page 3
news in brief
Upcoming SIUE summer camps for kids Men’s Basketball Elite Camp
Ages/Grade Levels: Students in grades 9-12 When: 1-4 p.m., June 3 Where: Vadalabene Center Registration: https://goo. gl/4C5PG9 Contact Info: Nick Giard, ngiard@siue.edu
Men’s Basketball Skills Camp
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.
spend it,” Pembrook said. Pembrook used an example mentioning renovations planned for a few years out on two Edwardsville campus buildings. “For example, we were going to do some renovations on Alumni Hall or Founders Hall on the Edwardsville campus. We’d be collecting [money] from facilities fees, but that might build up over a period of time because we’re not gonna do, say Alumni Hall, for another three or four years,” Pembrook said. According to Budget Director Bill Winter, what the university collects money for has to be spent on that in the long run, however, unlike the restricted accounts, the unrestricted reserves can be used for short term borrowing. In addition to the amount, the method for repayment was also outlined in the May 10 board meeting. “As soon as we have a budget from Springfield, then one of the terms of the loan is as soon as there is a budget, then right off the top of whatever Carbondale would get — that immediately comes back to us to repay the loan,” Pembrook said.
Ages/Grade Levels: Students in grades 6-12 When: June 4 Guard Skills Camp: 9-11 a.m. Post Skills Camp: Noon-2 p.m. Where: Vadalabene Center Registration: https://goo.gl/ H318Mp Contact Info: Nick Giard, ngiard@siue.edu
East St. Louis Performing Arts Summer Program Ages/Grade Levels: Children ages 6-17 When: 9 a.m-4 p.m., June 5-July 14 Where: SIUE East St. Louis Center Registration: In person at the ESTLC Director’s Office, Building A, Suite 1055, 601 James R. Thompson Blvd. Contact Info: 482-6904
Youth Summer Goalkeeper Soccer Camp
Ages/Grade Levels: Boys, girls grades 2-8 When: 9 a.m.-noon, June 5 to June 9, or July 24-July 28 Where: Korte Stadium Registration: https://goo. gl/2plPdy Contact Info: Head Soccer Coach Mario Sanchez, msancaa@siue.edu
Youth Summer Soccer Camp
Ages/Grade Levels: Boys, girls in grades K-8 When: 9 a.m-noon, June 5-June 9, or July 24-July 28 Where: Korte Stadium Registration: https://goo. gl/2plPdy Contact Info: Head Soccer Coach Mario Sanchez, msancaa@siue.edu
Engineering Camp
Ages/Grade Levels: Grades 9-12 When: June 11-June 16 Where: SIUE Campus Registration: https://goo.gl/ jymmZw Contact Info: Veronica Hoversten, engineering@siue.edu
Spanish Camp
Ages/Grade Levels: Students
Volleyball All Skills Camp ages 6-12 Ages/Grade Levels: Girls, boys in grades 4-12 When: 9 a.m.-3 p.m., June 7 and June 8 Where: Vadalabene Center Registration: http://goo.gl/ m6Tme4 Contact Info: Kendall Paulus, kpaulus@siue.edu
When: 9 a.m.-2:30 p.m., June 12-June 23 Where: SIUE Campus Registration: https://goo.gl/ gpKCoS Contact Info: Esther Herrera, eherrer@siue.edu
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wednesday, 05.31.17
page 3
Q&A with the chancellor
Pembrook speaks of opportunity in ESTL ESTL from page 2
05.16.17 An officer issued Janis L. A. Henning a state citation for driving an uninsured vehicle on East University Drive. The officer also issued a warning for expired registration. 05.17.17 An officer responded to Building E for a report of a small fire. Maintenance staff used the fire extinguisher to put out the fire. 05.18.17 An officer responded to North University Drive regarding a traffic accident between Illinois registered vehicle AJ89653 and a tree. There were no injuries, but there was a partial road blockage. The vehicle’s owner had their vehicle towed from scene. 05.19.17 An officer issued Clayton Mace a state citation for speeding on South University Drive at Stadium Drive. 05.20.17 An officer issued Matthew L. Zawasky a state citation for speeding 69 mph in a 45 mph zone on Stadium Drive at Whiteside Road.
A parent requested a welfare check after not being able to reach a student since the previous night. An officer made contact with the student, who was fine. The parent was notified. An officer responded to lot 12 for a vehicle with an open driver’s side door and no one in the area. The officer located the vehicle, secured it and left a phone message left for the owner. 05.24.17 An officer issued Blaine Payne a state citation for speeding on South University Drive at Stadium Drive. An officer issued Charles Reed a state citation for not giving information after hitting property and driving in the wrong lane. An officer issued Brandon S. Weiss a state citation for expired registration on East University Drive. 05.25.17 An officer took a report of a stolen Motorola Radius CP200 radio at the East St. Louis Center. An officer responded to the Bursar’s Office to speak with a caller regarding a fraudulent charge against his debit card. Investigation continues.
An officer reported a charter bus that got stuck at the Lee Baseball Fields. S&K 05.26.17 Towing assisted with pulling the bus out. While investigating an un athorized use of a debit card on 05.21.17 May 25, an officer found anoth er unauthorized use of a debit An officer observed a card. vehicle drive into a ditch off East University Drive, east of An officer responded to the 4-Way stop. Bryan M. An- Cougar Village for a report of dersen (24, 1 Meadow View a domestic dispute. The dispute Court, Edwardsville, Ill.) was was a verbal argument over rearrested for driving under the lationship issues. Suspect was influence and transported to served a Persona Non Grata and the SIUE PD where he was escorted off campus. fingerprinted, photographed and processed. Andersen post- 05.27.17 ed his driver’s license and a $100 cash bond and was reAn officer picked up Isaleased. A state citation for iah L Ray (20, 2140 Scheel St, improper lane usage was also Belleville, IL) from Washington issued. The vehicle was towed Park Police Department after he by Brown’s Towing. was arrested by St. Clair CounAn officer issued Alexis Davis a state citation for speeding on North University Drive at Lot 3. An officer issued Gordon Broom a state citation for speeding on Poag Road. 05.22.17 An officer issued Katherine Starnes a state citation for speeding on Circle Drive at Northwest University Drive. 05.23.17 SIUE PD received a phone call reporting an unknown vehicle hit a speed detector sign on Stadium Drive. The the investigation continues, as the vehicle registration was left at the scene.
ty police for an SIUE warrant for failure to appear. Ray was transported to SIUE PD where he was photographed, fingerprinted and processed. Ray was released after he posted $300 bond and paid the $75 fee.
An officer issued a state citation to Mark J Martin for expired registration on Northwest Entrance Road at Circle Drive. 05.28.17 An officer issued a written for driving without lights on South University Drive at South Circle Drive. An officer responded to an active fire alarm at 521 Cougar Village. Alarm was activated by cooking. There was no smoke, fire or damage.
While SIUE will be the first ones to be paid back by Carbondale pending the passage of a state budget, according to Pembrook, a “lifeline budget” may make its way from Springfield soon, giving the SIU System $26 million and SIUE between $7 and 8 million. The lifeline budget would be 13 percent of what SIU received from the state in Fiscal Year 15, Winter said. This amount would be the third stopgap appropriation SIU has received since the nearly 2-year state budget impasse. “Because of the ways that we have downsized, become more efficient, etcetera, if we get the $7 or 8 million dollars from the lifeline … we’re in good shape with what I think is the worst case scenario. If we get a good scenario and we actually get a budget, then we will actually have some new money to invest,” Pembrook said. As talk of the budget dominated the beginning portion of the Q&A, one East St. Louis student in the front row asked
about the impact on the satellite campus. According to Pembrook, the East St. Louis campus was considered an area in which the university did not want to make additional cuts. “We think that good things are happening, so East St. Louis was one of those we had on the list of ‘let’s not plan on downsizing,’” Pembrook said. While this might be good news, Pembrook said better news would be if there was money to invest into the center to continue its growth. One example mentioned was creating a comprehensive education model beginning with the students in the Head Start program who go on to the East St. Louis Charter High School and end with higher education training. “We dealt with [ages] 2 through 5, and we dealt with 13 through 17, but what seems to be missing there is what we’re trying to accomplish from K to 8,” Pembrook said. Another idea Pembrook introduced was strengthening the
connection between the high school and the university. “How do we increase the possibilities of a successful transition from the charter school to SIUE? I feel like we haven’t really cultivated that area as much as we could. The relationship could be stronger,” Pembrook said. He continued, mentioning the possibility of expanding on what SIUE has to offer. “[Post-secondary education] might mean any kind of training to get a license or a certificate after high school,” Pembrook said. “What is the role of SIUE in terms of higher education and what kinds of things should we be offering?” In closing, Pembrook continued on the premise of thinking about future possibilities. “I would challenge you, send me an email: ‘dot dot dot here’s a crazy idea.’ And I’d love to talk to you about it,” Pembrook said
CAITLIN LALLY
650-3527 @clally_alestle clally@alestlelive.com
LouFest adds Snoop Dogg, Run the Jewels, Spoon — and relocates KEVIN C. JOHNSON St. Louis Post-Dispatch
LouFest organizers have announced the remaining acts for the eighth-annual summer music festival, along with a temporary venue change. Rapper Snoop Dogg, alternative rap act Run the Jewels and rock band Spoon join the lineup for the festival Sept. 8-10. And due to a renovation at Forest Park’s Central Fields, the festival’s usual spot, LouFest moves to the Festival & Parking Plaza (formerly known as the Upper Muny Lot). Promoters for the Great Forest Park Balloon Race announced earlier this month that their event, usually held on Central Fields, also will relocate, to Art Hill. The 25-acre lot, two acres larger than Central Fields, will provide a natural amphitheater for the Bud Light main stage, which will be at the bottom of a grassy hill. “We’re taking advantage of the character that exists,” Mike Van Hee, a partner with Listen Live Entertainment, which produces LouFest, said. The BMI/Tunespeak stage also will be on grass. The Forest Park stage will be on pavement. The Festival & Parking Plaza, which got an overhaul and new name in 2015, will allow for less bleeding of sound between stages, better ADA accessibility and easier load-in, organizers said. And if it rains, concertgoers won’t navigate as much mud as they did in 2016. A “Hail! Hail! Chuck Berry!” event also will take place. The festival is working with the late rocker’s family to create a long-term celebration of his music and legacy. Berry died in March at age 90 at his home near Wentzville. “He has been a part of the live music history in this town from the beginning,” Gary Pierson, legal representative for Ber-
ry’s family, said. “He played every month at Blueberry Hill. This is the first rock ‘n’ roll musician.” Berry family representative Gary Pierson said “Chuck owned his own live music venue on Grand Avenue, hosted outdoor concerts at Berry Park, and played monthly shows at Blueberry Hill for years. Chuck loved to bring people music — especially in St. Louis — and the family is excited to see that carry on through LouFest.” Details for the celebration will be revealed later. (Nathaniel Rateliff, who will perform at LouFest, makes a guest appearance on Berry’s album, “Chuck,” coming June 9.) Van Hee said this year’s lineup “emphasizes diversity and emphasizes local. With every slot, you can tell we booked to make sure we were building the experience — what we feel works for St. Louis — from the top on down.” In addition to Snoop Dogg, Run the Jewels and Spoon, blues rocker ZZ Ward and Australian indie band Middle Kids are new to the bill. Earlier this month, festival organizers announced a portion of the lineup, including Weezer, Cage the Elephant, Nathaniel Rateliff & the Night Sweats, Huey Lewis and the News, Marian Hill, Lizzo, Houndmouth, Lecrae, and Robert Randolph and the Family Band. St. Louis acts include Mvstermind, Jack Grelle, 18andCounting & the Only Ensemble, Beth Bombara, Mathis & the Pirates and Starwolf. Organizers had been trying to book Snoop Dogg since 2013. The legendary rapper is known for hits such as “Nuthin But a G Thang,” “Drop It Like It’s Hot,” “Sensual Seduction” and “Beautiful.” He has a new album, “Neva Left.” “He’s going to bring a massive catalog of timeless hits and energy to the main stage,” Van Hee said.
LouFest fans and ticket buyers had been requesting Run the Jewels, Van Hee said, “and they are really excited to come back to St. Louis. A lot of people don’t know that Trackstar the DJ is a Washington University grad, so this is a bit of a homecoming for him. Spoon was one of the first bands that organizers identified when discussing “the direction for 2017,” Rich Toma, also of Listen Live, said. “We’re huge fans of this band.” (Spoon’s new critically lauded album is “Hot Thoughts.”) Toma said the same of ZZ Ward. “Her fans have been waiting for this new album (“The Storm”), and the timing couldn’t be any more perfect.” Van Hee said Middle Kids is on its first U.S. tour with a new self-titled EP. “They are a feelgood band, and they’re going to make a lot of new friends in St. Louis.” From a local perspective, Van Hee said, “if you count Trackstar and Nathaniel Rateliff (of Hermann, Mo.), who considers this a hometown play, this is the most local presence we’ve ever had.” Also new this year, LouFest adds Friday night programming Sept. 8. LouFestU will be dedicated to university students, featuring performances and opportunities to engage with regional employers. It’s a partnership with the St. Louis Regional Chamber. Art will be incorporated into the festival. TechArtista, a cultural and business incubator, will debut a nano-architecture exhibition titled “Spirit of St. Louis,” with structures developed by local artists. The festival also will offer upgrades to its credentialing system. Concertgoers can receive wristbands in the mail in advance and enter the festival faster. “It makes everything easier,” Van Hee said. READ MORE WIRE STORIES
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Minor Threat’s logo represents the 24 skaters that make up the team. Based out of the St. Louis Area, the skate has a fleur-de-lis on the skate. The team practices in St. Peters, Mo. and Troy to give skaters in both areas time to practice. Stacey Tiggard / Minor Threat
wednesday, 05.31.17
WHAT MAKES AN ALBUM CLASSIC? KENDRA MARTIN guest writer
A League of their own New Metro east roller derby starts strong
Minor Threat’s Comet is pictured blocking Gems City Jammer’s jammer. Number 272 is Princess Pain and Number 07 is NomeSkull. Each player gets to choose their own name that fits their personality. | Jenn Grassle / Minor Threat
MIRANDA LINTZENICH
lifestyles editor
The Minor Threat Junior Roller Derby Team, made up of 24 skaters and three coaches, started their first bout ever against the Gem City Jammers dressed up head to toe in protective padding, May 21. Being the first junior league in the Metro East area, their opponents had to travel from Quincy, only for Minor Threat to defeat the Jammers 222217. Minor Threat has been practicing for a little under a year. The team is gender neutral, and welcomes skaters ages 7 to 17. The team has a strict “Skate Don’t Hate” policy against bullying of any form. Elizabeth Jefferson, known as Coach Pink, of Rifle, Co., and Stacey Tiggard, known as Mommy Dearest, of Milwaukee, Wi., were the ones to get the ball rolling. The sport itself is played in a series of jams that make up what is called a bout. Each jam is about two minutes long, and the whole event takes close to two hours. The goal is to have the most points, which are earned by the jammer. Each team has five players on the track at a time. This “pack” includes a jammer, a pivot and three blockers. The jammer position takes a higher skill level, as they have to outrace the other team’s jammer. The faster of the two gets the title of “Lead Jammer” and the power to terminate the jam at any moment. To earn points, the jammer has to slide past other team’s blockers and pivot, and race the other jammer to complete a full pass. Once that is completed, the jammer gets a point for every player passed. The pivot leads the blockers and barks out orders. The game may seem pretty simple, but according to the parents, it takes a tough kid to make it happen. Most skaters had previous experience with the sport from living in other areas in the country. When they came to the St. Louis area, they were disappointed with the lack of a junior league, so they started one.
Most of the parents were derby girls themselves. Coaches Hope Starr, known as Coach Tory, and Jefferson both have children on the team. Most of them played for Confluence Crush Roller Derby of St. Louis, but some played for other teams. “I had my own kids and they had nowhere to go,” Jefferson said. “Roller derby is one of the fastest growing sports in the world.” Cynthia Pesquira was part of a league in California, and was known as Latin Sin. Out of four sons, two of them chose to follow her legacy. The older of the two rolled by the name “Son of Sin,” and her other son participated in the bout as “Bloody Knuckles.” Pesquira said her youngest chose the name because his real name is Nicholas, and it sounds similar to knuckles. She has gotten to see each of the skaters grow as they’ve practiced for the last year. “They’ve just come so far. These kids are really tough,” Pesquira said. “They have to work hard, and it’s hard to be out there.” Jefferson said the sport is about learning how to use each other as teammates. The jammer is the one scoring the points, but they can’t score any without help. “Some skaters are better at jamming,” Jefferson said. “We try to let them show off their skills, but everyone can work up to that level.” Another jammer is Laney Bug, who is one of the smaller kids on the team. Her mom, Jami Fritz, plays for Crush as “Jam it Ginger.” “We originally moved here from Hawaii. She is 8-years-old, but has been doing this since she was 6.” Fritz said. “It just seemed to work out.” Tiggard’s daughter, Skylar, also plays for Minor Threat. She chose the name “Bat Hit Crazy,” and is the team captain. “My daughter really wanted to play roller derby,” Tiggard said. “There are three adult derby leagues, but they didn’t have junior leagues.”
Soon enough after moving to the area, she got into contact with Jefferson and they found other skaters to start the team. After having some trouble finding a sponsor, they raised funds by starting a bootcamp for six weeks with 25 kids and have been practicing ever since. The team now practices twice a week, once on Fridays in St. Peters, Mo., and on Sundays in Troy at the Spin City Skate Center. “Our league is 100 percent dedicated to kids,” Tiggard said. “We only support junior derby. Our kids come first.” Jefferson said she wanted others to know the team is here, they are growing and anyone can play roller derby — regardless of their athleticism. “We’ve had skaters starting out not even knowing how to skate and now they’re some of the best jammers,” Jefferson said. “We are always evolving and always welcoming new skaters.” Minor Threat has a specific person, Nicole Polen, better known as Coach Java, that takes new skaters under her wing, according to Tiggard. “We’d like to be known as a welcoming place that instills confidence, teamwork and social skills,” Jefferson said. “It gives them an opportunity to be around likeminded kids.” MIRANDA LINTZENICH 650-3527 @mlintz_alestle mlintzenich@alestlelive.com
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I hear “This album is a classic!” or “That’s a classic album!” too much. As a fan of hip-hop music, I have to say we are often overly excited to declare an album classic. We often proclaim an album to be classic when it hasn’t even been out for a full 24 hours. I feel like the term “classic” has been watered down and it is important that we understand the term “classic” and why albums are declared classic. Of course, music is subjective. That is a no brainer, but when you speak with hip-hop fans, it is a rarity that someone will argue you about whether or not “Illmatic” by Nas, “good kid, m.A.A.d city” by Kendrick Lamar or even “College Dropout” by Kanye West are classics. These are indisputably classic albums that have had an impact on hip-hop culture and shaped music today, so they are definite classic albums to the masses. However, even with saying that, Yourdictionary.com defines the word classic as “an outstanding example of a particular style; something of lasting worth or with a timeless quality.” I feel that the albums that were listed above meet every last one of those expectations. When I listen to those albums, I can hear the influence they have had on modern hip-hop music today, and notice the music has yet to age in a negative way. It still sounds fresh, and that’s what I feel qualifies as a classic album. But just because an album
might not necessarily be classic does not mean it isn’t good. I feel that with hip-hop today, we either classify something as being “trash” or “classic” or “underrated” and “overrated” and fail to leave a grey area. Having a grey area is necessary. There are many albums that I feel aren’t classic, but are not necessarily bad. There is a such a thing as having a really good, borderline amazing, album and there is nothing wrong with that. Not many people can make a classic album, so it is understandable if every great album is not considered a classic. All in all, I feel that we need to be honest with ourselves when we talk about classic albums. We cannot be declaring albums classic in less than a day because it waters the term down. Just because we like something or even love something, does not necessarily mean it is classic. Earning the title “classic” is something that takes time. We have to see how a album holds up years from now: what impact it leaves, who it influences and how it shapes the culture around it. When we understand that, I believe the term “classic” will begin to be taken seriously again within the hip-hop community. KENDRA MARTIN 650-3527 @kmartin_alestle kmartin@alestlelive.com
HOW DO YOU PRACTICE SELF-CARE? VOTE AT ALESTLELIVE.COM page 6
opinion alestlelive.com
Your opinions deserve more than 140 characters.
A lesson in self-care CAITLIN LALLY co editor-on-chief
opinion@alestlelive.com
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What to expect when you’re expecting ... to graduate letter template. Whether you’re looking for a part-time summer job until grad school starts or an entry-level position into a career, you need to be able to list your best skills and sell yourself to a future employer. For those trying to land that first full-time position, be prepared to send your resume and cover letter to dozens of companies. It’s nothing personal, that’s just how it goes. Another helpful hint for students is to learn how to network. Get yourself some young professional outfits, make some business cards and put on your extrovert hat. This isn’t always easy for some, but it will be worth it in the long run when you know
someone who knows someone who can land you a sweet gig. Along with preparing a resume and networking, come up with an elevator pitch — a 30-second speech about yourself. This will be super useful when networking, and it takes the pressure off of you when you have to reintroduce yourself to multiple people. At first, it may seem awkward talking about your great qualities to a stranger, but the more you practice, the more it will become second nature and give you a boost of confidence. Doing all of these things will hopefully lead to an interview. For that, you want to be well pre-
pared to answer all the questions you might expect to be asked: What are your strengths? What are your weaknesses? Where do you see yourself in x years? What makes you qualified for this position? These are just a few we have been asked in the past, but for more questions specific to your industry, just do a quick Google search! Although this article barely scratches the surface of what is involved in the transition period after graduation, it outlines a few of the most important aspects. For more guidance, visit the Career Development Center in the Student Success Center or take our pointers and run with them.
Thoughts on Washington:
Trump’s troubling trip abroad President Donald Trump recently finished his first trip abroad, which went from May 20 to May 27. Trump called the trip a “big success,” but looking at many of his meetings with world leaders, and their reactions to the trip after the fact, it’s a little more complicated, and every new complication is something Trump desperately doesn’t need right now. RYAN BIERI guest writer
When Trump went to see Pope Francis at the Vatican May 24, users on Twitter focused on the fact that Pope didn’t seem to be very happy to be next to Trump. However, as Time pointed out, it might have just been a bad picture. Time quoted Associated Press photographer Evan Vucci as saying, “The mood in the room, it didn’t seem somber ... Nothing seemed unusual to me or out of the ordinary.”
wednesday, 05.31.17
Stop, smell the roses:
Write a letter to the editor.
While not every student is ready to graduate, it is hopefully on the horizon. However, for those who have just graduated, it’s relevant to discuss what this odd transition period is like to better prepare those following closely behind us. Although the Career Development Center provides direction for this kind of situation, we have to admit we don’t always seek advice until it’s too late. For that reason, The Alestle believes it is important to familiarize yourself with what to expect post-graduation before you get to that point. The first thing students should prepare before graduation is a solid resume and cover
Share your thoughts: opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527
However, Trump’s interactions with German Chancellor Angela Merkel during a NATO summit meeting in Brussels seem to leave much less room for interpretation. “The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days,” Merkel said, alluding to Trump’s policies and the United Kingdom’s decision to leave the European Union. Trump also received some blowback when meeting with President of France Emmanuel Macron. Trump and Macron shared a handshake that looked unusually uncomfortable for Trump. CNN cited Washington Post pool reporter Philip Rucker as saying, “Each president gripped the other’s hand with considerable intensity, their knuckles turning white and their jaws clenching and faces tightening.” The Guardian reported Sunday that Macron told French newspaper the Journal du Dimanche “My handshake with him – it wasn’t innocent.” Macron
also said, “You have to show you won’t make small concessions – not even symbolic ones.” All of this is amid new allegations about the Trump campaign’s contact with the Russians. It has come to light one of Trump’s senior advisers, and son-
face to this new development in the Trump-Russia scandal, is a problem for Trump that needs to be addressed. Each new small scandal and development makes it harder for Trump to get his message out into the world like he’s trying to in order to garner support for the programs he wants to put in place. It’s unclear whether his policy and program decisions will be beneficial or detrimental, but one thing is for certain: if Trump wants to right his ship and fix his public image, he needs to be more amenable to foreign leaders and find a way to get past all his domestic scandals.
“The times in which we can fully count on others are somewhat over, as I have experienced in the past few days.“ ANGELA MERKEL Chanellor of Germany
in-law, Jared Kushner, allegedly spoke with Russian ambassador Sergey Kislyak about establishing a communications channel between the Trump transition team and the Russian government, using Russian equipment in the Russian embassy. Every issue that has been plaguing Trump, from the potential unhappiness on the Pope’s
RYAN BIERI
650-3527 @rbieri_alestle rbieri@alestlelive.com
I’ve been a busy bee ever since I can remember. I’ve always either put in time to school work, extracurriculars or my social life. Rarely did I practice being still. The concept of stillness is interesting. In the past, it had reminded me of completed actions I wished I could perfect or thoughts of how I could improve the next task. Although my physical body may have been still, my mind was still racing at 100 mph. A way I learned to cope with this was to just keep going. If I let myself sit and think for too long, I’d end up feeling anxious about everything, so I decided to keep on keepin’ on. However, this often brought me to the stage of burnout. Psychology Today explains burnout as a state of chronic stress due to feelings of being overwhelmed caused by working too much. In recent months, I’ve learned that self-care is necessary to avoid burnout. Taking care of oneself — physically, mentally and emotionally — has to be a priority to continue to be the best you possible. Sometimes we think self-care has to be time consuming and remove us from our daily obligations. But contrary to this notion, self-care doesn’t have to be a drawn out process, and it can actually happen in spurts throughout the day. For those of us who tend to stress about deadlines, taking time to relax seems like a waste of time when we could be working on the next assignment — but even busy bees have 5 minutes to spare. Think of a simple thing you enjoy and isn’t strenuous — maybe it’s deep breathing, bird watching, coloring, walking, laughing — it could be anything as long as it takes your mind away from life’s stressors for a bit. What’s most important is that you find something that helps. If you try one thing and it doesn’t jive with you, try something else. You owe it to yourself to relax. This article is a part of “Owning it,” which addresses issues about mental health based on the experiences of the author. Content should not be regarded as medical advice. If you are in need of immediate medical assistance, call 911. For nonemergencies, contact SIUE Counseling and Health Services at 650-4217.
CAITLIN LALLY
650-3527 @clally_alestle clally@alestlelive.com
contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 wednesday, 05.31.17
sports
LEBRON SHOOTS PAST JORDAN IN PLAYOFF POINTS. READ AT ALESTLELIVE.COM.
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SIUE softball pitcher opts out of pro career
Chambers-Book hangs up the cleats for good KEEGAN GAUWITZ sports editor
SIUE softball pitching standout Haley Chambers-Book was drafted 14th overall by the Texas Charge of the National Pro Fastpitch League. Chambers-Book was drafted in the third round of the April 24 draft after leading the Cougars on the mound as well as in the batter’s box over the past four years. The left-hander posted a 1.63 ERA over her four-year career, totaling 979 strikeouts compared to just 188 walks. Two hundred fifty-six of these strikeouts came in the 2017 season along with 27 of her 89 career wins. At the plate, Chambers-Book finished her college career with a .333 batting average, racking up 14 home runs and 33 doubles. Chambers-Book credits her success to her determination and desire to reach her best potential. “I always want to get better. That’s something that I’ve always told myself, is that I can always get better no matter what stage I’m at,” Chambers-Book said. Chambers-Book also recognized Head Coach Sandy Montgomery and the rest of the staff involved with SIUE’s softball program for playing a crucial role in her success. “I’m honored to have played in this program and for Coach Montgomery. She’s really helped me improve my skills not just on the field, but off of it as well,” Chambers-Book said. Throughout Chambers-Book’s four years, SIUE’s program has developed a national presence, competing with the
Chambers-Book’s cleats and glove in the pitcher’s circle at Cougar Field.
top teams in the country, gaining a reputation as a high-level program. Now that the program is “on the map,” she is excited to see what the future holds for SIUE. “Since I’ve been here I’ve seen the program grow tremendously. Now that I’m done, I look forward to seeing it grow even more,” Chambers-Book said. The news that she had been
Photo courtesy of Haley Chambers-Book
drafted came to Chambers-Book during the SIUE Athletics Cougar Choice Awards taking place at Edwardsville’s Wildey Theater the night of the draft. “It was a surreal feeling. I knew it was a possibility, but I didn’t think it would really happen. Being from a mid-major school, it’s super hard to get drafted in softball since there’s
only 26 draft picks overall,” Chambers-Book said. With such a limited number of picks in the draft, Chambers-Book’s selection among larger programs is a huge hat-tip to the flourishing SIUE program. “We’re not just a mid-major school that nobody knows anymore, we’re a school that’s getting on the map, and I think
that’s important that people are seeing the athletes we produce,” Chambers-Book said. Chambers-Book chose not to pursue a career in professional softball, and accepted a full-time job in St. Louis, which she’ll begin in mid-June. Chambers-Book plans to work and spend time with her husband, Collin, and their son Wyatt, who have been her biggest fans throughout her collegiate career. With only five teams and 26 overall picks, the process for players drafted into the National Pro Fastpitch League is much different than Major League Baseball draftees. Players report directly to the team they’re drafted to for spring training, rather than reporting to a minor-league affiliate. If Chambers-Book had decided to play, she would have reported to Texas May 26, for spring training in preparation for the two-month season beginning June 6. With the league still maturing, many draftees choose not to play because of the small salary, and the need to work an additional job on top of playing and training. “That’s something I hope to see improve in the future. I hope to see the league expand and gain more teams and recognition. It’s a fun sport to watch, and I think if people learn more about the league, they’ll grow to appreciate it,” Chambers-Book said.
KEEGAN GAUWITZ
650-3527 @kgauwitzalestle kgauwitz@alestlelive.com
Call for hall of fame nominations: inductees to be named in June KEEGAN GAUWITZ sports editor
Nominations are currently being accepted and determined for the inductees of SIUE Athletics’ Hall of Fame Class of 2017. Nominations can be made any time throughout the year, but those submitted after June 15 will be considered for the class of 2018 rather than the 2017 class. SIUE Director of Athletics Brad Hewitt also said submissions from community members and off-campus boosters are highly encouraged. Hewitt said the committee bylaws state that anybody can nominate anyone else, but an individual cannot nominate themselves. Nominations can be made for teams as well as individual athletes, coaches and faculty members that have played a remarkable role in SIUE’s athletic program. Hewitt said votes are determined through a committee of 11-12 individuals who vote on a confidential ballot to determine the year’s inductees. According to Hewitt, there is no clear-cut criteria for athletic success that individuals must
Head Softball Coach and SIUE Hall of Famer Sandy Montgomery poses with her 2007 National Championship team, who is now eligible for nomination into the Hall of Fame. Photo via SIUE Athletics
meet to be nominated, as it varies case-by-case. However, there are educational requirements that must be met. “Bylaws state that individuals must have a college degree — whether through SIUE or another institution, and they must be out of college for at least ten years,” Hewitt said. Hewitt said the committee
typically looks for accolades such as All-American status, statistic leaders — both nationally and within the university team — and medalists in individual sports first. For team inductees, national champions are an obvious choice, while runner-ups and conference champions are highly considered and often selected.
SIUE’s Hall of Fame wasn’t established until 2005, and because of that, the first few classes were very large as the athletic department had to play “catch-up,” according to Hewitt. “Now that we’re getting caught up on classes from the ‘60s and ‘70s, we are trying to limit each years class to about two or three team inductees, and
seven or eight individual inductees,” Hewitt said. The hall of fame is now made up of 106 individual members and 26 team inductees. Hewitt said the athletic department has determined this class size provides a good balance in order to properly honor the inductees while keeping the ceremony to an appropriate length of approximately two hours. This year’s inductees will be made up mostly of late ‘80s and early ‘90s athletes and teams, although Hewitt said nominations for athletes from any class from 2007 and before are considered. “The intent of the submission process is to engage the community with the university,” Hewitt said. Inductees for the class of 2017 will be selected by the end of June, and invitations will be sent out in preparation for the fall ceremony. The nomination form can be found online at siuecougars. com/hallfame.
KEEGAN GAUWITZ
650-3527 @kgauwitzalestle kgauwitz@alestlelive.com
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HELP WANTED GET PAID TO DRIVE Interested Candidates are to go about their normal routine with a sticker of an Advert of The PyeongChang 2018 Winter Olympic Games on their Car,Truck,Motorcycle,Van or Bicycle Email markross@emailolympic. org Dog Sitter in Executive’s home near SIUE Campus. Usually 1 to 3 weeks in duration (Primarily during Summer). Send cover letter and resume to josephguram@yahoo.com
HOROSCOPES By Jennifer Shepherd, The Lipstick Mystic Monday, June 5 - Sunday, June 11 Gemini: May 21 - June 21
Virgo: Aug. 23 - Sept. 22
Sagittarius: Nov. 22 - Dec. 21
Pisces: Feb. 19 - March 20
Cancer: June 22 - July 22
Libra: Sept. 23 - Oct. 23
Capricorn: Dec. 22 - Jan.19
Aries: March 21 - April 19
Leo: July 23 - Aug. 22
Scorpio: Oct. 24 - Nov. 2
Aquarius: Jan. 20 - Feb. 18
Mercury is creating some melodrama. You could find yourself pulled into personal problems that a loved one, coworker or romantic partner is going through. Just remember: Sometimes it’s OK to simply mind your own business. Remain detached. You’re feeling more confident than you have in a while. Mars is in your sign, and this is increasing your personal magnetism. Strangers will be attracted to you. If you have a business, you’ll draw new clients to you. Overall, social relationships of all types will be easier. A funky full moon is making you restless. If you’re single, you’re wondering what to do to change things. If you’re dating somebody, you’re considering all the parts of your relationship that are great and all the parts of your romance that aren’t so great.
You’re growing closer to someone. This could be a potential romantic partner or a casual friend. Venus is creating some flirty vibes. Give yourself permission to connect in a light-hearted and fun way with somebody special.
Communicator Mercury is strong in your chart this week, highlighting all issues related to reading, writing, and speaking. You’ll find it easy to make a presentation, ace an interview or charm somebody on a fun first date.
Venus is moving opposite your sign, and this means you need to stop pressuring yourself to fix your romantic life. Try not to have an agenda, and just be in the moment. If you can keep an open mind, you’ll eventually sort everything out.
Good karma is finally returning to you. Saturn is the sign of spiritual justice, and it’s in your sign now and aligning with the moon. If you did something lovely for a friend, lover or colleague, you could finally have this good deed paid back. You’re hitting a healthy stride within a relationship, courtesy of Venus. If you’ve been involved with someone for a while, you’ll experience greater happiness and ease with your honey. If you’re single, you’ll be having fun with casual dates and light social interactions.
Two people are competing for your affection as Mercury multiplies love by a power of two. Maybe a former flame has suddenly contacted you and wants to get back together with you. At the same time, someone new is capturing your attention.
Your psychic instincts are strong now as the moon increases your overall sensitivity. You could be picking up on your partner’s stress, which will drain your own energy. Find ways to discharge negative energy. Hit the gym or go for a nice nature walk. You’re letting go of relationship habits and emotional patterns that no longer suit you. Venus is urging you to keep digging. You’ll soon discover the ways that you tend to make things bad in relationships so you can finally start to make things better.
Taurus: April 20 - May 20
You and your partner could clash over money issues. If you’re the one paying most of the bills, maybe your honey needs to help out more. If you are dealing with a lot of debt, it could be time to address this and come up with a plan to pay it off. The moon says be practical.
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.
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