Alestle Vol. 71 No. 16

Metro East Eats: Mac and Cheese

Men’s soccer takes two wins over the weekend

page 7

page 6

thursday, 11.01.18

alton — east st. louis — edwardsville

vol. LXXI no. XVI

Administration to open Facebook page in lieu of recent events MIRANDA LINTZENICH managing editor

Republican congressional candidate Mike Bost (right), speaks alongside President Donald Trump (left) on Saturday, Oct. 27, during a “Make America Great Again” rally at Southern Illinois Airport in Murphysboro, Illinois. | Photo courtesy of Brian Munoz

Trump campaigns for Bost in Southern Illinois TYLER PLETSCH reporter

President Donald Trump was only around 100 miles away from SIUE last Saturday, where he rallied for his agenda and also endorsed Congressman Mike Bost.

Trump agreed to hold a rally in Murphysboro in support of Bost’s re-election for U.S. representative in one of the most contentious congress races in the country, the 12th congressional district of Illinois.

SIUE’s Congressman is Rodney Davis, but Bost represents many local students and SIUC. Before the rally, thousands of Trump supporters lined up at the Southern Illinois Airport. Chants of “U.S.A.” and “Trump” could

be heard echoing through the crowd.

When a group of 11 non-violent protesters began sitting near the entrance in foldable chairs, the atmosphere began to change.

Supporters chanted “Leave now,” and “Lock her up.”

The protesters said they were there due to Trump’s failure to keep his promises.

“President Trump won his election by saying he was going to fight for workers and he hasn’t delivered, according to our data and the stories we are telling,” said Mike Oles, field director of Good Jobs Nation, an organization focused on maintaining “good union” jobs in the U.S. rather than overseas.

Supporters and protestors

drove from all over the state for the rally.

“This was probably one of our few opportunities to see [Trump]. He is actually stopping in Illinois, so in the spur of a moment we decided to catch the rally,” Lyndon Ma, of Normal, Illinois, said.

Supporters were allowed to enter the rally starting at 1:30 p.m. but many were in line well before 9 a.m.

“We have been in line since 6:15 a.m. and we were in the line of cars for about 45 minutes,” sophomore SIUC forestry student Gary Griswold said.

One door finally opened up letting supporters into a fenced off area. Many supporters began running to stand in the front row.

State Representative Terri Bryant, along with Davis and Bost, were first on stage. Bryant took no time at all to get the crowd riled up.

“They say something about this area having a blue wave. ...

You know what’s going to happen? We are going to have a red tsunami,” Bryant said.

Trump arrived with chants of “Build that wall” and “USA.” women and children were screaming and men raised their hats to him.

He began waving in every direction then addressed everyone by thanking them for their support.

TRUMP on page 5

As a result of Saturday’s shooting in Pittsburgh, SIUE administration and the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion released an official statement revealing the creation of a Facebook page for the community to share their thoughts and feelings.

Across the nation, flags are at half-mast to call attention to the tragedy that occurred on Oct. 27, where an accused gunman opened fire and killed 11 individuals at the Tree of Life Synagogue in Pittsburgh.

Among those killed were Irving Younger, 69; Melvin Wax, 88; Rose Mallinger, 97; Bernice Simon, 84; Sylvan Simon, 86; Jerry Rabinowitz, 66; Joyce Fienberg, 75; Richard Gottfried, 65; Daniel Stein, 71; Cecil Rosenthal, 59; and David Rosenthal, 54.

The statement said SIUE is sending their deepest condolences to the Tree of Life synagogue members in memory of the victims.

“SIUE stands against antisemitism and hatred in all of its destructive forms,” the statement said. “When world events shock our sensibilities, it is good to rest in the knowledge that this university stands for love instead of hate, for compassion rather than self-service, for respect over narrow mindedness.”

To aid students, alumni, faculty and staff in ‘healing and solidarity,’ the Center for Student Diversity and Inclusion created a Facebook page as a medium to do so.

“Please join me in honoring the victims of the shootings at The Tree of Life Synagogue and in keeping the families and friends of those fallen in your thoughts and prayers,” the statement said.

“When others are attacked for their beliefs, we are all harmed. SIUE stands in strong solidarity against hatred, instead promoting com-

College Democrats host Sen. Durbin, local Democrats at get out the vote rally RYAN BIERI editor-in-chief

Congressman Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, traveled to SIUE to speak at a get out the vote event hosted by the College Democrats of SIUE Oct 22.

Former SIUE mathematics instructor and current State Rep. Katie Stuart, D-Edwardsville, and Rachelle Aud Crowe, a Madison County prosecutor, were both there alongside Durbin, and both spoke about higher education

funding and SIUE and SIUC’s funding allocation formula.

“I thought it was a good turnout, especially for a time when most people have class. I think any time a United States senator is on campus that it can draw a lot of people. … Hopefully, they all vote,” Vice President of the College Democrats Zack Nunn, a senior political science major from Granite City, Illinois, said.

Nunn credited the College Democrats’ community liaison Jacob Lesinski, a junior cellular

@thealestle

biology and genetics student from O’Fallon, Illinois, who opened up the event with his own speech, with Durbin’s appearance.

The College Democrats and the election candidates placed election signs behind the speakers, mostly for local politicians like Stuart, Crowe, and Betsy Dirksen Londrigan, who is running for the U.S. House of Representatives in the Illinois 13th district, which includes parts of Edwardsville.

@thealestle

DURBIN on page 5

Sen. Dick Durbin, D-Illinois, on the Quad. | Bre Booker / The Alestle

The Alestle

alestlelive.com

page 2

alestlelive.com

RYAN BIERI editor-in-chief

MIRANDA LINTZENICH managing editor BRIDGET CHRISTNER lifestyles editor

HANNAH MILLER sports editor KAIT BAKER opinion editor

BRE BOOKER multimedia editor

KALLI MORRIS social media editor MADDI LAMMERT TREVOR OLIVER TYLER PLETSCH DARIAN STEVENSON reporters

JAKOB RUFFNER photographer ANNA GASKIN BROOKE HILL copy editors JOANN WEAVER graphics manager CLAIRE FUESTING CRISHAWNA NASH 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.

Campus Police ride-along shows new side to officers TREVOR OLIVER reporter

SIUE Police generally get a bad rep for pulling people over, but the officers have busier lives than most think. From traffic stops, to responding to calls, to walking through campus to ensure safety, the job is more complicated than many know.

SIUE police officer Dalton Archer took The Alestle around on a ride-along and helped shed light on his career.

SIUE police officers work twelve-hour shifts, but different work weeks change things up.

“Our day shifts are from 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. … We don’t work 40 hour weeks. We have long weeks, where we work five days for 64 hours, then we’ve got short weeks, where you work two days for 24 hours,” Archer said.

During the day shift, officers respond to calls often and generally have a packed schedule.

“Sixty percent of our day is walking around, being seen and so on; The rest is traffic. However, when we have calls all day, we focus on the calls and then traffic,” Archer said.

SIUE police tend to focus on traffic, which Archer said is to help ensure safety.

“We’re huge on traffic because we’re looking for the safety of our students … We hide in plain sight, give people a chance to realize they’re speeding. A lot of people don’t realize it,” Archer said. “We focus on crosswalks and near academic buildings.”

Generally students are pulled over for speeding and texting.

Most zones are 25 mph on campus.

“Texting and driving and speeding are the two things we pull over for the most. I’ve no-

SIUE Police Car on SIUE campus.

ticed a decrease in texting and driving since I started in 2017, though,” Archer said.

Police officers want to be seen as a presence that ensures campus safety.

“We are about presence, we want to be seen. We check every building every day and walk through every building every day.

We want to be out and let students see us. I’ll even walk up and talk to students,” Archer said.

Chief of Police Kevin Schmoll said police are focused on a community-oriented policing philosophy.

“We’re focused on getting out of the car, getting involved in student activities on campus as much as possible and being seen.

We have a community-oriented policing philosophy. We’re at athletic events; we’re at large events on campus,” Schmoll said.

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.

10.16.18

10.18.18

A state citation was issued to George A. McTaggart for failure to report an accident. This was a follow-up to a traffic accident hit-and-run report filed on Oct. 11, 2018.

An officer responded to a report of an RA stating that a resident was using profanity toward her at Woodland Hall.

10.17.18

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

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

For more information, call 618-650-3528.

For advertising, email advertising@alestlelive.com.

thursday, 11.01.18

An officer responded to parking lot E regarding a student calling an employee vulgar names after the student received a parking ticket.

An officer responded to Woodland Hall regarding a resident stating that she was being harassed by male subjects.

10.18.18 An officer responded to an apartment to take a report of an assault. While speaking with the subject, it was determined that a criminal sexual assault occurred.

10.20.18 An officer responded to a roommate dispute where the resident reported a verbal threat over missing food. This was classified as an assault.

10.22.18 An officer took a report of a bookbag with school books and a MacBook being taken from an unlocked vehicle. The owner was unable to give an exact location of where the bookbag was taken.

An officer took a report regarding a resident stating that he was being harassed via text messages from an acquaintance.

Some students, like freshman business and marketing major Samantha Gula from Marine, Illinois, feel safe on campus.

“I do think campus is really safe. You see the cop patrols everywhere you go … I feel like they’re always around. You’ll always see them, so you’ll feel safe,” Gula said.

The job changes on a day-today basis, with early in the week being busier.

“Monday and Tuesday, we drive around and let students see us because they’re busy days. We focus on being near the quad and buildings,” Archer said.

The night shift differs greatly from the day shift and mindsets change for it. According to Archer, there are less people on campus at night. Police focus on checking if buildings are secure and focus on the legal side of things.

Schmoll also noted that it is important to focus on residence buildings and securing those.

“At night time we’re focusing on residence buildings, Cougar Village and the safety of those,” Schmoll said.

During the ride-along with Archer on Oct. 19, the SIUE Credit Union lost power. This caused the burglar alarm to go off, and Archer had to go into action.

After quickly arriving at the scene, Archer parked far back and approached the building, ensuring the building was secure.

While there was no danger, Archer noted that it’s important to remember every call can be serious.

“We treat every call seriously. We don’t know what it is until we see it,” Archer said.

Because of these potential dangers, Archer likes to prepare himself by learning the layouts of buildings.

“I familiarize myself with buildings. I find the exits, bathrooms, eye wash stations, emergency showers, fire panels. So in a crisis, I need to know where to go. I’ll be there soon, as I may already be driving. My job is to

| Breanna Booker / The Alestle

secure the scene and make sure everything is safe,” Archer said.

In addition to memorizing building layouts, SIUE police also perform active shooter training.

“One to two times every year, we have active shooter training to keep [the] office and staff aware of what we have to do.

We’re not training for if, we’re training for when, but that’s just based on the world we live in. It could never happen, but we’re preparing,” Archer said.

Police issues are a serious concern for many, but Archer says that SIUE police go into every call without any bias.

“We go into every call with a non-bias, non-judgement view.

We’re trying to make sure everyone is safe, and everyone gets to go home,” Archer said. “We’re all about your rights. If you want to protest, we’re not there to harass or stop it; we’re there for the safety of your First Amendment rights.”

Officers train every year to ensure they know when to use force and how to use equipment.

“We train a minimum of one to two times a year on use of force, and we constantly do online training on force. We get recertified every year to use all the equipment on our belts,” Archer said.

Archer noted how important it is to talk to each other.

“Talk to each other — the more you talk to someone in a calm manner, the better [the situation] goes … We’re focusing on talking, using our ears more than our mouths,” Archer said.

For the future, Archer wants to help SIUE become an even safer campus.

“We want to move this campus from eleventh most safest in the country to tenth, and we’d love to be number one,” Archer said.

TREVOR OLIVER 650-3527 @toliver_alestle toliver@alestlelive.com

alestlelive.com

thursday, 11.01.18

page 3

School of Nursing program ranked sixth nationally MADISON LAMMERT reporter

SIUE’s online master’s program in healthcare and nursing administration has been ranked sixth nationally by RegisteredNursing.org, an association that explains nursing programs.

This degree is growing in popularity, as 44 percent of the School of Nursing’s master’s students are enrolled in the program. Additionally, organizations that hold magnet status, the American Nurses Credentialing Center’s highest level of distinction for healthcare organizations pertaining to nurses, are seeking leaders with higher-level degrees.

“The hospitals are placing emphasis on all their nurses being at a bachelor’s level, so then [they] want to emphasize [their] leaders being at a higher level than the bachelor’s,” Andrew Griffin, School of Nursing’s assistant dean of graduate programs, said.

Flexibility reaches beyond The ranking shows that the School of Nursing’s healthcare the students’ clinical requireand nursing administration pro- ments. The faculty and the program stands out among many gram itself adapt to the students’ other schools. Griffin believes that this is due to a number of factors, including the flexibility that the online-only program provides, faculty accessibility and support as well as clinical opportunities.

This program attracts students from across the Midwest.

Thanks to SIUE’s partnerships with major healthcare organiSARAH ANDERSON zations, students can School of Nursing graduate academic adviser rack in their clinical hours where they live.

Barnes Jewish Hospitals and SSM Healthcare nurses busy schedules, allowing them are encouraged to continue their to advance their education at education as the organizations a pace that works for them. To reimburse the nurses for their School of Nursing graduate academic adviser Sarah Anderson, SIUE master’s degrees.

the website’s ranking reflects this effort.

“In my eyes, we do pretty much everything inside of our realm to make sure that our students are successful in the program, that they feel supported and that they can make the program work for them,” Anderson said. “A lot of the students are working while they’re in the program, so [the ranking] really speaks to our ability to support them the best we can in their endeavors to get that degree.”

Lecturer Amy Hamilton caters to her students’ schedules by making assignments flexible. For example, students have a couple of days to respond to their classmates via discussion boards. She also schedules class presentations through Zoom, a video conferencing medium, at convenient times.

“In my eyes, we do pretty much everything inside of our realm to make sure that our students are successful in the program, that they feel supported and that they can make the program work for them.

“I try to make [the presentations] flexible knowing that most of my students have full-time jobs and school is an added-on responsibility,” Hamilton said.

“So, I try to schedule their Zoom presentations in the evening hours, so that way they don’t have to take a vacation day to do their presentations.”

The ranking shows that the program is appreciated nationally, but Hamilton sees value in one aspect of the program in particular: her students.

“These students are really wanting to make a difference, not just in their professional lives, but in their organizations and the outcomes of their patients,” Hamilton said. “I would say that’s what makes them exceptional.”

MADISON LAMMERT 650-3527 @mlammert_alestle mlammert@alestlelive.com

Student Government upset over 25 cent meter upcharge

Senators presented possibility of alcohol sales at sporting events

SIUE Police Department Lieutenant Justin Lieberman (right), sophomore CMIS major Diego Espinoza of Round Lake, Illinois, (middle) and junior biomedical science major Matthew Butler of Alton, Illinois, (left) look at a map for the campus safety walk. | Jakob Ruffner / The Alestle DARIAN STEVENSON reporter

Members of student government stressed their concerns about the rising parking meter prices and were disappointed Parking Services did not make more of an effort to make students aware of the changes.

Junior applied communications studies student and marketing and communications officer, Zak Brummett, from Auburn, Illinois, said his main issue with Parking Services was the lack of information about the prices and times for each lot.

“Students aren’t being notified and we are a main entity for fees and a main entity student-wise for funding for our university,” Brummett said. “So, students not being notified of the 25 cent increase was the main issue as well as students being ticketed in residential lots past mid-

night because we weren’t sure on specific times students were allowed to park in certain areas on campus without being ticketed.”

Director of Parking Services Tony Langendorf said the department did make the changes known through a couple of different sources, but did not send emails to students.

“We did an Alestle article about [the fee increases], it’s on our website, it’s in our brochure and it’s on the machines,” Langendorf said. “I did not send out an email; that’s probably an oversight on my part.”

Langendorf explained the hours of operations for each lot during the week.

“Residential lots can be ticketed 24/7 and campus lots are Monday through Thursday 8 a.m. to 8 p.m. and on Fridays it is 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.,” Langendorf said.

Vice Chancellor for Student

Affairs Jeffrey Waple announced that students will now be able to drink alcohol at men’s basketball games, starting Nov. 2.

“We are going to do a pilot this year at men’s basketball games, and there will be rules, but we are going to sell alcohol at games if you are 21 and older,” Waple said.

Students, faculty and staff will now be able to buy beer at concession stands starting Dec. 3 at the first men’s home basketball game.

Student government decided a safety walk would be beneficial for students who feel unsafe in particular areas on campus.

Matt Butler, a junior biomedical science student and the external affairs officer from Alton, Illinois, said the safety walk was due to concern from students on campus when walking around campus at night.

“I think a lot of the students

have been discussing and coming to [Student Government] about how they feel unsafe walking late night to their cars or certain parts of campus,” Butler said. “So, this is one thing we can do that will support the students and survey what works and what is not working so we can ensure people feel safe when walking back home from campus.”

Catherine Gilmore, a thirdyear pharmacy student and the School of Pharmacy senator, from Springfield, Illinois, said the walk at night was the best way to see the darker areas on campus.

“The only time you can see all the lights we found that were out was at night, so it was beneficial,” Gilmore said.

Six groups of student government members walked through campus with staff, faculty and SIUE police to see what could be fixed to better ensure campus safety at night.

Waple, director of facilities management Craig Holan, and four SIUE police officers including Lieutenant Justin Lieberman, Lieutenant Dustin Brueg-

gemann, Officer Al Adams and Officer Kasey Hoyd joined student government on the safety walk.

Lieutenant Justin Lieberman of the SIUE police department said he advises students to walk in pairs on campus.

“There is so much power in numbers,” Lieberman said. “Try to find someone to walk with you, park in a lighted areas and just stick to the safety guidelines.”

The SIUE police department recommends students download the Rave Guardian app in case of emergencies on campus, the police can be notified through the app and sent to a person’s location.

John Ngo, a senior economics and finance student from Los Angeles, is the newest member of student government and was also sworn in on Monday as the new business senator.

DARIAN STEVENSON 650-3527 @dstevenson_alestle dstevenson@alestlelive.com

page 4

alestlelive.com

a guide to the midterm election

the ins and outs of what’s on the Nov. 6 ballot TYLER PLETSCH reporter

With the upcoming midterm election on Tuesday, Nov. 6, where to go vote, what will be on the ballot and the importance of voting are becoming hot button topics.

SIUE will serve as one of many locations in Madison County, and will offer early voting before Election Day for students, faculty and residents.

“It is important for young people to get out and vote. These people will have a lasting impact

on their lives. Most of the issues and laws discussed are ones that will have an effect for potentially 50 or 60 years down the road,” State Representative of the 112th district Katie Stuart said.

Early voting is being held in the Willow room, on the second floor of the Morris University Center. The room will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. Monday through Friday this week, and Monday, Nov. 5.

On Nov. 6 voting polls will be open from 6 a.m. to 7 p.m. in the Meridian Ballroom, located on the main floor of the MUC. Registration and voting will

be held in the same room.

“Those who have not registered to vote yet can register and vote the same day,” Kimmel Student Involvement Center Associate Director Sarah Laux said.

Senior political science major Nicholas Paterline, of Mascoutah, Illinois feels voting is important.

“We need to educate ourselves before we vote. We have so many resources to be able to know everything we need to about candidates,” Paterline said.

Below is a listing of the current races and propositions that will be on the ballot.

thursday, 11.01.18 November 6, 2018

A

GENERAL ELECTION

B

C

SPECIMEN BALLOT EDWARDSVILLE 21

MADISON COUNTY, ILLINOIS

ELECTION JUDGES INITIALS ______________________ I hereby certify that the following is the Official ballot to be used in the General Election to be held in Madison County, Illinois on Tuesday, November 6, 2018.

STYLE- 109

INSTRUCTIONS TO VOTERS: To vote darken the oval to the left of your choice, like this R. To cast a write-in vote, darken the oval to the left of the blank space provided and write the candidate's name in that space. For specific information, refer to the card of instruction posted in the voting booth.

If you tear, soil, deface or erroneously mark this ballot, return it to the election judge and obtain another.

Debra D. Ming-Mendoza, Madison County Clerk

STATEWIDE

STATEWIDE

LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

FOR GOVERNOR AND LIEUTENANT GOVERNOR

FOR COMPTROLLER

FOR STATE SENATOR 56TH LEGISLATIVE DISTRICT

(Vote for ONE)

(Vote for ONE)

(Vote for ONE)

(BRUCE RAUNER (EVELYN SANGUINETTI

DARLENE SENGER

REPUBLICAN

NO CANDIDATE

REPUBLICAN

REPUBLICAN

SUSANA A. MENDOZA

RACHELLE AUD CROWE

CLAIRE BALL

HAL PATTON

DEMOCRATIC

DEMOCRATIC

LIBERTARIAN

DOWNSTATE UNITED

(JB PRITZKER (JULIANA STRATTON DEMOCRATIC

FOR TREASURER

REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT

(Vote for ONE)

(GRAYSON KASH JACKSON

JIM DODGE

(formerly known as (BENJAMIN ADAM WINDERWEEDLE (until name changed on Aug. 29, 2017

FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY 112TH REPRESENTATIVE DISTRICT (Vote for ONE)

REPUBLICAN

MICHAEL W. FRERICHS

(SANJEEV MOHIP

DEMOCRATIC

LIBERTARIAN

MICHAEL LEHENEY

DWIGHT D. KAY

LIBERTARIAN

REPUBLICAN

(WILLIAM "SAM" McCANN (AARON MERREIGHN

KATIE STUART DEMOCRATIC

CONSERVATIVE

CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT FOR REPRESENTATIVE IN CONGRESS 13TH CONGRESSIONAL DISTRICT (Vote for ONE)

Write-in

RODNEY DAVIS REPUBLICAN

FOR ATTORNEY GENERAL

BETSY DIRKSEN LONDRIGAN

(Vote for ONE)

DEMOCRATIC

Write-in

ERIKA HAROLD REPUBLICAN

KWAME RAOUL DEMOCRATIC

U.S. House of Representatives for the 13th Congressional District in Illinois Incumbent Republican Rodney Davis is seeking re-election this November. Davis has held office since 2013. Davis has invested time and state money to help fix issues such as fighting the opioid epidemic, providing funding for school safety programs and added funding to improve health care, according to his campaign’s website. Davis is endorsed in part by the NRA, Laborers’ International Union of North America and American Federation of Government Employees.

BUBBA HARSY LIBERTARIAN

FOR SECRETARY OF STATE (Vote for ONE)

Betsy Dirksen Londrigan is running against Davis as the democratic nominee. Londrigan wants to make universities more affordable with refinancing options for student loans. She supports the development of easier access to mental health treatment, as well as making medical costs cheaper, as stated on her campaign’s website. Londrigan is endorsed in part by Former President Barack Obama, Planned Parenthood of Illinois and moveOn.org.

Illinois Governor Bruce Rauner, running for Republican, has held office since 2015.

Rauner’s main campaign points on issues in Illinois are creating more well-paying jobs, increasing K-12 education funding by $1.2 billion and freezing property taxes to give communities control over the costs. He is endorsed by the Chicago Tribune, Associated Builders and Contractors and Illinois Chamber of Commerce.

J.B. Pritzker, running as a Democrat, opposes Illinois having a federal registry program based on race, color, origin or religion. Pritzker supports recreational use of marijuana in Illinois, college affordability and keeping Illinois students in state, according to his website. Pritzker is endorsed by Planned Parenthood of Illinois, UA Plumbers Local 130 and Personal PAC.

William McCann is running for the Conservative Party.

Illinois State Treasurer The current State Treasurer is Democrat Michael Frerichs since 2015.

Jimmy Dodge is representing the Republican Party.

Michael Leheny is running for the Libertarian Party.

Illinois House of Representatives for District 112

Regional Superintendent of Schools for Region 41 Democrat Andrew Reinking is the only candidate running for this position.

Madison County Board Members There are 19 Madison County Board Member spots up for election or re-election for multiple districts.

Katie Stuart, D-EdwardsMadison County Clerk ville, is the current State RepThere are two candidates for resentative and is running for re-election. She was a mathemat- Madison County Clerk. Democrat ics Instructor at SIUE previously. John Lakin is running against Republican Debbie Ming-Mendoza.

Kay was the representative from 2011-2017 and lost re-elecOther Races tion to Stuart in 2017.

Two candidates are running Illinois State Senate for Illinois Appellate Court in the Fifth District. for District 56 Democrat Rachelle Crowe and Republican Hal Patton are running for this position.

There are five offices up for election or re-election for the Third Circuit Court Judge.

Grayson Jackson is running for the Libertarian Party.

Propositions A referendum for abolishing the position of the office of the Madison County Recorder of Deeds. If passed, this will put all responsibilities of the recorder to the Madison County Clerk by Dec. 7, 2020, and the recorder office will be eliminated.

An advisory referendum in the matter of supporting Second Amendment rights. If passed Madison County would become a sanctuary county for law-abiding gun owners. Madison County would protect these citizens from unconstitutional gun laws passed by the Illinois General Assembly.

An advisory referendum on whether units of government in Madison County shall first obtain voter approval by advisory referendum before incurring bond debt. Meaning that all governing offices in Madison County must have approval by the voters before incurring any bond debt.

JASON HELLAND REPUBLICAN

JESSE WHITE DEMOCRATIC

STEVE DUTNER LIBERTARIAN

A

VOTE ON BOTH SIDES OF BALLOT

B

Typ:01 Seq:0089 Spl:01

C

© Election Systems & Software, Inc. 1981, 2002

Illinois Secretary of State

Democrat Jesse White is up for re-election and has held office since 1999. White supports legislation for teen driver safety, as stated on his campaign’s website. White supports legislation making organ/tissue donor registration legally binding. He is endorsed by Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Personal PAC. Republican Jason Helland plans to modernize services to the people of Illinois if elected, as published on his website. He also aims to lower the price of services to Illinois residents. Helland is holding office as the State’s Attorney in Grundy County since 2012.

Libertarian Steve Dutner is also running for Secretary of State. Dutner is opposed to excessive spending on grants, but his main goal is to privatize Illinois Driver Services within four years of being elected.

Illinois Attorney General Democrat Kwame Raoul is the current representative of the 13th district and wants to keep full-time employees out of poverty. and better access to healthcare. Raoul supports equal pay for women and other women’s rights. He is endorsed in part by Barack Obama, Planned Parenthood of Illinois and Personal PAC. Republican Erica Harold addresses drug policy and believes regulations for the legalization of marijuana should be discussed. She wants to make sure public bodies follow guidelines and laws surrounding the Freedom of Information Act. Harold is endorsed by Chicago Tribune, National Federation of Independent Business and Journal Star.

Libertarian Bubba Harsey is also running in the Illinois Attorney General race.

Illinois State Comptroller Democrat Susana Mendoza is the current State Comptroller. She has been in office since 2016.

Libertarian Claire Ball is also running for Illinois State Comptroller.

Darlene Senger is running for Illinois State Comprtoller representing the Republican party.

For more information on who is running for these positions and what will be on the ballot visit madisoncountyvotes.com.

alestlelive.com

thursday, 11.01.18

page 5

Local politicians weigh in on SIUE funding study DURBIN | COVER Crowe, who is campaigning for the Illinois 56th district senate seat, started off her speech by talking about Gov. Bruce Rauner, a Republican, and how the state’s previous budget crisis affected Edwardsville.

“SIUE had to cut programs.

They had to lay off staff, and there were thousands of students across the state who were delayed in getting their [Monetary Award Program] grants,” Crowe said. “This election is important.

It’s important for you to get out there and vote, and to be a voice for SIUE.” Stuart, who is seeking re-election in the Illinois House 112th state district, began her brief speech by explaining how people could head to the top floor of the Morris University Center, where people are able to vote early and register to vote. She also touched on how the budget impasse affected the campus and used that as a talking point to compliment Durbin before passing the microphone to him.

“We could not have a bigger advocate for our higher education system [at the federal level] than we have in Senator Durbin,” Stuart said.

Durbin spoke on a variety of issues and spent his time criticizing President Donald Trump

as well as the GOP, touching on Democratic talking points and complimenting the local candidates.

“You wanna see change in Washington? Change congress,” Durbin said. “Let’s make sure we have Democratic control of the House, and that way in the Senate too. That’s what it’s all about.”

Stuart began her speech by focusing on SIUE, asking for a “Go Cougars!” chant from the crowd.

One side of Stuart’s election signs read “Fair funding for SIUE.” Elaborating on that, she said she wants to see the Illinois Board of Higher Education conducting a study on the funding allocation split between SIUE and SIUC — a controversial issue on both campuses over the last six months.

“I believe that the system board really showed a bias against the Edwardsville campus, and it’s time that we need to live in the current moment. It’s time to have an independent, outside group look at the changes that have occurred between the two campuses,” Stuart said.

The board of trustees has contracted the Associated Board of Governors to perform their own funding allocation formula

Rachelle Crowe, State Rep. Katie Stuart, and Sen. Dick Durbin speaking at the College Democrats of SIUE’s get out the vote event Oct. 22. Crowe is running for State Senate in the 56th district, and Stuart is seeking re-election in the 13th district of the Illinois House of Representatives. | Bre Booker/The Alestle

study, but Stuart was not convinced the study could be unbiased.

“The board of trustees has shown their true stripes. You know, I have a statistics background: when the tobacco companies did study after study that showed us that tobacco was actually beneficial to our health and not harmful to our health, we

know that they had an agenda,” Stuart said. “I just worry that the board having their own stake and their own desired outcome … I would rather have an independent study done by an outside entity so that we can actually better trust those results.”

Crowe echoed similar thoughts about the funding split between SIUE and SIUC.

“I think the right thing is having an independent commission to do that study and to find out where exactly we are, because we all know SIUE has done amazingly,” Crowe said.

RYAN BIERI

650-3530 @ryan_alestle rbieri@alestlelive.com

Trump makes false claims about post-9/11 stock exchange while in Murphysboro POTUS compared his Southern Illinois rally to reopening of New York Stock Exchange TRUMP | COVER Trump began his rally by addressing the shootings that had just taken place that morning at the Tree of Life Synagogue, in Pittsburgh, killing 11.

“We stand with our Jewish brothers and sisters to defeat anti-Semitism. The Jews have already endured terrible persecution,” Trump said.

Trump said the death penalty needs to be reinstated.

“We must draw a line in the sand and say very strongly, never again,” Trump said.

When the crowd finally calmed down, Trump went on

to falsely state that his visit to Murphysboro is just like how the NYSE reopened the following day after 9/11.

“I remember Dick Russell, a friend of mine, great guy, he headed up the New York Stock Exchange on Sept. 11, and the New York Stock Exchange was open the following day,” Trump said.

The NYSE did not reopen until Sept. 17, 2001. The Wall Street Journal published an issue that read, “9/17/01: Wall Street’s Proudest Day. A Look Back on the Reopening,” two years ago.

After spending 10 minutes talking about the jobs returning to

the southern Illinois area, Trump began a tangent on blaming Democrats for slowing the Republicans’ agenda.

“Their policies are no good; they’re not good as politicians.

What they do do, is they stick together and resist and obstruct,” Trump said.

One main point Trump talked about at length was border control and the amount of money put toward funding the wall.

“We spent 1.6 billion. We then spent another 1.6 billion. We are now spending another 1.6 billion. But I want to just do it all at one time, but you know what,

SAME NAME, NEW LOOK ALESTLELIVE.COM

watch, just watch. ... You’re going to be so happy next week, you’re going to see something happen,” Trump said.

Chants of “Build that wall” arose when Trump talked about the border. Trump continued to talk about how troops have been sent to the southern U.S. border.

Trump mentioned he wishes for the people in the caravan that have been making their way from South America, through Mexico, to come in legally.

Trump also touched on the situation with North Korea and said the U.S. was going to go to war before he came along.

He finished out his time by saying that Republicans are a sanctuary for the citizens of the U.S. and how the Democrats are more worried about sanctuary cities for immigrants.

“We will make America wealthy again. We will make America strong again. We will make America safe again. And we will make America great again,” Trump said.

TYLER PLETSCH

650-3530 @tyler_alestle tpletsch@alestlelive.com

3:20 PM

READ MORE LIFESTYLES STORIES AT ALESTLELIVE.COM page 6

lifestyles alestlelive.com

contact the editor: lifestyles@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 11.01.18

Over the last two weeks, The Alestle staff set out to find the cheesiest Metro East locations to get your mac and cheese fix. Criteria for each of the restaurants visited included atmosphere, service, presentation, price and convenience.

Sauce On The Side’s Cock-A-Doodle Noodle dish with a filling of mac and cheese, roasted chicken, cheese, green onions and garlic oil, served with a side sauce of buffalo butter.

| Jacob Ruffner / Alestle

Sauce on the Side Situated at two locations in St. Louis, Sauce On The Side provides some quality Italian cuisine at a reasonable price.

Their North 8th street location sits between high-rise company buildings and shares a building with a hotel. Their small size comes with a refined atmosphere, though it isn’t punctuated with pretentiousness; it’s a relaxed establishment among a corporate neighborhood.

Inside, the restaurant usually stays loud — in a conversational way — and has great servers and an easy-to-understand menu, as some of us were beginners to the world of calzones.

Luckily though, they don’t slack when it comes to the realm

of noodles, especially when they meld them into their handmade calzones. Travel Channel seems to have quickly noticed their Cock-A-Doodle Noodle dish, a fact they rightfully advertise on their menu wall.

After ordering, you’re free to choose a seat in the restaurant, which has a nice variation of booths and wide tables for groups. They play mostly indie and alternative music. The lighting isn’t shabby either, with abstract, dangling Edison bulbs and curving strips of LEDs for some atmosphere. It’s well lit and compliments its clean aesthetic with a spotless restaurant.

Polite staff were tending to the kitchen and register during a

411 N. 8th St., St. Louis semi-busy dinner rush. After only about 10 minutes, the order came out with a fresh garnish of cheese on the top.

It was delicious. It’s easy to tell when care goes into any food, when it doesn’t look like a perfected advertisement, and the Cock-A-Doodle Noodle had that quality. The dish didn’t look like a five-star meal, meaning it isn’t exquisitely garnished or in a small portion size. It’s a good quality, when taste and sizing isn’t sacrificed just for fancy looks.

Sauce On The Side seems to be set up as a restaurant where the customer is free to service themselves, where the waiter isn’t constantly buzzing around them, another great quality. We

didn’t have someone around us every other minute and felt free to get our own drinks and relax.

Though, when the waitstaff is around, they never fail to be conversational and respectful.

If you think mac and cheese inside a calzone is a blend of carbon-carb love, it’s because it is, though their calzones don’t give you that bloated feeling. We can’t tell whether that’s magic or not.

They’ve managed to stuff perfectly cooked mac and cheese into a calzone that’s also perfectly crispy on the outside.

Nestled inside, the mac has a core friend group of green onions, pancetta, various cheeses and garlic oil. It is heavenly and just the right size.

One of the few things we didn’t love was the plates. They’re not flat, so your fork and other utensils slide all over the plate between bites. Nevertheless, under $15 for a great meal shouldn’t be deemed unworthy by their plate choice.

A good Italian eatery that serves genuine handmade dishes shouldn’t be passed up. That’s reinforced by the good prices for college students on a date and great atmosphere. Their genuine and respectful presentation bolsters those prices, and garnishes a great mac and cheese calzone.

We’d recommend the CockA-Doodle to anyone. In fact, we went back for another within the week.

thursday, 11.01.18

The Wheelhouse

The Wheelhouse is a place where you can find it all. This bar, restaurant and nightclub hybrid has a menu to suit the needs of all who dine in.

According to their website, Wheelhouse has three large bar areas, a VIP mezzanine and stage, a covered four season patio and 42 TV screens. There were college football games playing on the screens the night The Alestle staff visited the restaurant.

On a Friday night, if there isn’t a Cardinal’s game, the place will most likely have a smaller crowd prior to opening their doors to nightlife partygoers.

Upon our visit, the crowd was sparse.

The drink menu had regular options and a rotating cocktail.

Both of the drinks the staff tried, the 1,000 White Sangria and the Kentucky Mule, were $6. The drinks were average.

We ordered the mac and cheese fritters to start the meal.

It consisted of battered and fried macaroni covered in a jalapeño

cheese sauce which isn’t spicy.

It is served with the best part of the entire thing: a roasted garlic sauce. You can seriously add that sauce to anything to make it taste 10 times better.

The menu offers six macaroni and cheese options starting at $10.

We went with the Creole mac and cheese with shrimp and andouille sausage and the Lobster mac and cheese with goat cheese. The expectation for mac and cheese is for tender elbow macaroni noodles to ooze with a thick cheese sauce; these options did not disappoint.

The first bite of the Creole mac and cheese will transport you to a world of creole spices. This option costs $15. It is topped with Frito crumbs, which can be a deal breaker. All in all, this was a good pick.

The first bite of Lobster mac ‘n’ cheese will make you feel like you finally found what was missing your entire life. For $18, it should.

1000 Spruce St., St. Louis Both pastas are served in oversized bowls with a deep center.

The service at the restaurant was questionable. We’re no strangers to the restaurant because of their Sunday brunch, so it could have been an off night.

The waitress was gone for long periods of time. It made it difficult to ask for refills on drinks.

The food came out in a reasonable amount of time though.

In the end, this is a surprisingly solid destination for mac and cheese.

The two pastas tasted amazing, but at these prices, it is a splurge or a date option. Their original mac and cheese used for their phenomenal mac and cheese fritters is equally delicious and worth the price.

A word of advice: if you go and the restaurant is crowded, Start Bar, an arcade geared toward college students and adults, is next door. It can help pass the time and keep you close by while you’re on the waitlist.

Peel Wood Fired Pizza

Buffalo Mac and Cheese Bowl served at Peel Wood Fired Pizza.

| Ryan Bieri / Alestle

The person who took our order was friendly, and we were greeted by the fact that we only had to pay $6 for the dish.

It was fairly busy, so it took a second to find a place to sit down. The chairs were reminiscent of those probably sitting in your grandma’s kitchen, but comfortable.

But, while waiting for food we ran into some minor inconveniences.

People talking wasn’t as much of an issue as it was the banjo music — earsplitting, annoying and unenjoyable — that left us uncomfortable.

It was October, and they still had their ceiling fans running, which, partnered with the draft coming from the door continually opening and shutting, left us practically shivering.

The moment of truth came

Mac and cheese fritters at The Wheelhouse.

| JoAnn Weaver/ Alestle

104 S. Cherry St., O’Fallon, Illinois

Peel is one of the best places to grab a pizza in the Metro East, but if you’re looking for a full mac and cheese meal, it might be better to head somewhere else.

We visited the O’Fallon, Illinois, location, but they also have a restaurant in Edwardsville.

The buffalo mac and cheese has elbow noodles, copious amounts of cheese, some buffalo sauce, chicken, a ranch drizzle and what seemed like two whole stalks of celery cut up on top.

From the start, the dish doesn’t look all that much like mac and cheese. The celery seemed to nearly cover the top of the dish, but we decided to reserve judgment until our first bite.

Our meal was cold, and the cheese wasn’t even melted outside of the very top layer.

Luckily, the waiter asked how our food came out pretty much immediately, so we were able to send it back without much hassle.

The replacement dish still

Lulu’s Local Eatery, LLC When we walked into Lulu’s, we were slightly apprehensive — the idea of gluten-free, vegan mac and cheese seemed wild and perhaps a little scary. We had no idea what to expect.

Walking into the vegan restaurant, we were greeted by ambient lighting and a homey interior. The decor on the walls was rustic, as were the wooden tables and chairs. The lighting was low, and there was folk music involving aggressive banjo playing — but more on the banjo later.

We got in the line at the counter and were surprised to find out that, while mac and cheese is only listed on the menu once, there are five different varieties — plain, chili, pesto, nacho and buffalo.

In the few minutes it took to get to the front of the line, we decided to try the buffalo variety.

page 7

alestlelive.com

had too much celery, but at least this one was hot.

Ironically, the level of heat from the buffalo sauce (in both dishes) seemed to be balanced throughout the cheese, so we were never sweating, but at the same time we never forgot we were eating a buffalo-based dish.

The chicken added a decent amount of structure to the dish.

While passable, the meat was nothing special, particularly because it was drowned out by the cheese and ranch drizzle.

Let us be clear: the Alestle loves their cheese, but this was too much. Some bites literally seemed like we were biting into a block of melty cheese, not a gooey pasta dish. The ranch added a creaminess to the dish, but with the richness of the cheese it felt entirely superfluous.

Unfortunately, the mass of celery didn’t feel like it added much to the dish, but rather seemed as if the vegetable was only a part of the dish because

people like to have celery with hot wings.

It’s worth noting this dish isn’t technically on the menu.

Peel previously had a buffalo mac and cheese offering, but while their newest menu only shows a side of mac and cheese, you can still ask for it by name and get it — as long as you’re willing to pay a whopping $16 for the meal.

It’s unclear if the dish was taken off because it wasn’t received well or if it just needed to go to make way for new dishes, but if the old dish is anything like the one we ate, it’s hard to see it being missed all that much.

On the other hand, it could just be that the cooks were out of practice with the dish since it’s not a regular offering anymore.

Either way, while it was a solid option for those who are a massive fan of celery, ranch or blocks of cheese, it seems difficult to recommend this secret-menu item.

3201 South Grand Blvd., St. Louis

when our mac and cheese arrived.

It came faster than we had expected. The amount it contained was more than we expected for $6, and we automatically dug in.

On the first bite, we were overwhelmed by the taste of buffalo sauce and automatically got concerned. However, after a few more bites, we were struck with a wonderful realization — this tasted like genuine mac and cheese, and not some weird plant-y knockoff.

After that realization, we happily ate the mac and cheese, and realized it was wonderfully flavored.

From the butternut cheese sauce to the gluten-free noodles to the walnut Parmesan crumbles; it managed to surpass our expectations as to what vegan mac and cheese could be. It was not only healthier than your nor-

mal mac and cheese, as it was entirely plantbased, but it also packed a punch when it came to flavor and was very filling.

It was something that we could definitely see ourselves eating again in the future, because being cold and stuck listening to aggressive banjo music is worth a good bowl of mac and cheese.

Buffalo Mac and Cheese at Lulu’s Local Eatery, LCC.

| Kait Baker / Alestle

alestlelive.com

page 8

thursday, 11.01.18

Rockstar Strikes Gold With ‘Red Dead Redemption 2’ TREVOR OLIVER reporter

Following Rockstar’s 2013 hit “Grand Theft Auto V” is a massive undertaking, but Rockstar has quite possibly found their best game ever with “Red Dead Redemption 2.”

“Red Dead 2” is the prequel to 2010’s “Red Dead Redemption.” Rather than following the life of John Marston, the main character of the original “Red Dead Redemption,” players control Arthur Morgan, a man who joined Dutch Van Der Linde’s gang when he was 13 years old.

It’s 1899 and life is tough for the main group of outlaws. The westward way of life is quickly dying — the coveted western frontier is quickly giving way to normalized society.

Without a doubt, “Red Dead 2” is one of the most gorgeous games available. The sheer amount of colors and pop in the world is fantastic. Playing on a launch Xbox One, the frame-rate never dips below 30 and runs solidly.

“Read Dead 2” is a slower-paced game. Unlike Rockstar’s “Grand Theft Auto” series, players aren’t blazing through the world in fast cars. Instead, players trot through on horses and are encouraged to stop and explore the land.

Rather than speeding through a bustling world, towns

T

H

are small, quaint experiences generally. Players are encouraged to walk around (or ride at trot speed) and talk to people, explore the world, hunt for animals and feed the camp.

Want to continue the story?

Go for it at your own pace. Would you rather be a bounty hunter?

You can do that. Or, maybe you want to be a villainous outlaw who murders everyone in every city and robs everyone you happen upon? You can do that too.

A large amount of the gameplay of “Red Dead 2” is putting players into the shoes of an outlaw. Arthur has to make hard decisions to survive, so in turn, the player has to constantly make hard decisions. Dutch’s gang is strapped for cash, so players must decide to rob others to get money, or work bounties and other jobs to get these funds.

By pressing the left trigger, players can interact with every single character in the game.

You can talk with them and greet them, you can antagonize them or you can just rob them outright.

Characters all respond differently to these actions. Some don’t want to be greeted and will yell at Arthur. Others enjoy it, and will say hello back. Robbing some characters will get players easy cash, others will whip out a gun without hesitation and fight you.

The game relies on an honor system to show what type of

Players take on the role of Arthur Morgan, who rides through the game’s world in “Red Dead Redemption 2.”

| Photo via Rockstar Games

person Arthur is. By robbing innocent citizens and murdering them, your honor goes down. If you’re aiding citizens and doing good deeds, it will goes up. Characters around the world all react differently to you based on this, making each player’s game a truly unique experience.

The relationships between the characters in Dutch’s gang is what makes this experience shine. Watching Arthur bicker with John or just have a candid

conversation about family with Charles makes these characters feel alive.

However, the characters in “Red Dead” aren’t good people (common in games by Rockstar,) but that doesn’t mean they’re unlikeable. Arthur does bad things with Dutch’s gang — they rob banks and trains, they steal from people, bounty hunt and kill. Despite this, they’re charming people who want to survive and keep their way of life alive.

The voice acting and sound design is top-notch. Not a single performance falters and each character sounds true to life. The soundtrack is perfect and songs always kick in at good times.

The story in “Red Dead 2” is by far Rockstar’s greatest plot.

The writers truly outdid themselves with nearly every single beat. Watching the tragic events of Dutch’s gang unfold is one of the greatest gaming experiences of this century.

E L ST

E

E L A TODAY’S SPECIALS STUDENT ORGANIZATIONS AD RATES MENU STUDENT ORGS/NON-PROFIT

$4.95 per column/inch

Favorite deals Quarter Page Small

(2 columns * 5”)

add social media shout-out includes FB and TW

Quarter Page Large (3 columns * 8”) add social media shout-out includes FB and TW

Half Page

add social media shout-out includes FB and TW

Full Page

add social media shout-out includes FB and TW

$50 $25

$115 $25 $172 $25

$345 $25

ASK US OUR FR ABOUT E DISCOUQUENCY NTS & PACKAG ES

Contact us at advertising@alestlelive.com or call us at 618-650-3528

TAKE THIS WEEK’S TWITTER POLL @THEALESTLE thursday, 11.01.18

opinion

share your thoughts at opinion@alestlelive.com 650-3527 page 9

alestlelive.com

Trans people won’t be erased

HANNAH MILLER sports editor

alestle view

Make America talk again — the violence needs to end We are at a dangerous tipping point in the history of our republic.

That might seem hyperbolic until you remember that last week a terrorist plot was launched against two former presidents, their families, numerous government officials and a major media company — an attack on American soil, assumedly committed by an American — which seems unprecedented in scale for our country.

It’s unclear what the actual motivations of the perpetrator are, but prominent liberals, all of whom had been a target of President Donald Trump at one point or another, were targeted.

Combining this incident with the shooting of congressman Steve Scalise in Alexandria, Virginia, at a baseball game in the summer of 2017, it might be the time to ask the question: is this our new norm? Is this all we can expect going forward?

Will our next leader be as vitriolic and inflammatory as Trump? What if Trump wins in 2020 — can we expect four more years of insults and threats toward his political enemies, groups that disagree with him and media that doesn’t pander to his every whim?

Last Wednesday we got lucky. We didn’t have the largest-scale domestic terror incident in American history. We were lucky more people weren’t injured or even killed last summer.

Our current climate of hate and rage cannot last forever. And we can’t tell you where this decline truly began, because the concept of fact seems to have disappeared with Trump’s election — those who support him seem to do so blindly, and those who oppose him are so angry they are willing to jump at outlandish claims.

Let us be clear — this is not a “both sides are bad” argument. Trump at least indirectly emboldened the extremist who did this, and it’s not even a wild assumption to say that he heavily influenced them.

We do not need to return to the status quo as far as policy or leadership goes. But the United States desperately needs to find a way to be civil with one another.

There is no way to separate politics from daily life — everything from the news you read to the food you eat is political in one way or another — and it seems a decentsized chunk of the population on both sides of the aisle have realized this since the 2016

election.

That realization might mean changing your spending habits or even who you associate with, because of how you feel about their views, and that’s fine. However, we need to be able and willing to debate those ideas openly with one another, even if we don’t like each other.

You don’t have to support someone who has different beliefs than you. But we as a society need to be able to compromise again.

There are still hard lines to be drawn in the sand, like civil rights and protections for persecuted groups, but things like taxes, spending or healthcare still need cooperation and approval from the population as a whole.

Without that ability to converse, we’re going to have more days like last week: more violence and more terror. Maybe we can stop them all — maybe we really can be that lucky — or maybe we’ll just end up giving up our own liberties in the name of freedom.

Either way, our society is going to have to change. Let’s all do our best to make sure it’s by compromise rather than violence.

The Trump administration was shown last week to be considering a new legal definition of sex that would exclude transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals. Under the new definition, an individual’s genitals at birth would be the sole factor determining their sex and legally-recognized gender as male or female, according to a memo obtained by The New York Times.

This backward-moving proposal would reverse changes brought on during Obama’s eight years in office that offered protection to transgender and gender-nonconforming individuals by recognizing gender not as a biological concept, but as a social construct.

These changes would prohibit transgender people from changing gender markers on government identifications and other forms. They could also lose legal protections against discrimination in the workplace and by public institutions, among other potential ramifications.

This blatant discrimination against transgender people is a feeble attempt at trans-erasure. While the memo cites the need for a definition of sex that is, “clear, grounded in science, objective and administrable,” gender remains a social construct, not a biological one, so it is difficult, if not impossible, to organize it into clean-cut categories.

To me, this means that the Trump administration’s new definition is not actually based on science and research but rather transphobia and staunch conservatism, which is dangerous to the development of a society free of discrimination.

This inability to move forward with the times and support transgender people only shows transphobic people that it’s okay to discriminate — after all, they have the government on their side.

Though this most recent attack on trans rights is full of inaccuracies, it cannot be taken lightly.

We have seen acts of hatred and discrimination from Trump his entire first term, but the rallying cries of his supporters do not and cannot represent all Americans.

As the #WontBeErased campaign has shown, changes in legal definition won’t suddenly make transgender people think they’ve been in the wrong the whole time.

They will continue to fight for their rights to be equally recognized in all legal and social aspects, and deserve respect and support for doing so.

PSA: Hold yourself accountable and spare everyone you know the stress KAIT BAKER opinion editor

Think of the last time someone made an excuse as to why they didn’t fulfill an obligation or why they did it poorly; it happens quite frequently, doesn’t it? It can be easy to make up excuses when tasks are piling up.

Sometimes it’s alright, especially when it doesn’t affect anyone but themselves; it’s still not ideal, but it’s on them and only them with no one else to blame.

If it’s only them getting hurt, then why should anyone judge?

The issue occurs when other people are counting on them to get things done — whether it be a group project, an obligation with friends or family or in the

workplace — they let others down. When this is the case, it is not just a benign occurrence anymore, it’s affecting other people’s lives in numerous ways.

Furthermore, when people do these things, they often come up with excuses — “oh, my friend’s great aunt’s son-inlaw’s dog died,” or “well, I didn’t have the time” — as to why they dropped the ball on something they presumably knew about in advance.

It appears that college students are especially guilty of this, with their hectic schedules and unending desire to just take a nap.

It is so easy to just not do something or forget about it until the last minute.

Then, when the time comes, we either do it halfway or not at all and come up with

excuses as to why that happened.

It’s alright if they have an excuse, right? No. Wrong. It is not.

Younger generations have somewhat of an issue with accountability and that needs to change. While people are and should be the center of their own lives, we need to learn to recognize that other people exist and are counting on us to stick to our words.

While not doing something is often the easy way out, it is just as often not the right thing to do. Sure, they can’t be perfect all the time, but there’s no reason to make the same mistake over and over.

There are some simple remedies to fix this, though, and they don’t take much time or money.

You can get a planner; that way you

can have what you need to get done written down and schedule blocks of time to do so. Or at the very least, you can write it down in your phone and have it remind you.

There is no reason for anyone to forget something in this day and age where we have technology to do everything under the sun including — guess what — reminding you of things you need to do.

Guess what? There’s an even simpler solution to dropping the ball — just don’t do it. It is rude, it is unthoughtful and even if it isn’t directly affecting you, it may be affecting someone else.

We are all human and sometimes it can be hard to fulfill all our obligations, but we have to remain responsible.

page 10

thursday, 11.01.18

alestlelive.com

Big Mouth is more than just a silly cartoon; it teaches important lessons MADISON LAMMERT reporter

At first glance, one may think that Big Mouth is nothing more than mindless entertainment. The show’s candid and brutally honest nature brings to light important themes surrounding sex in our society.

The show follows a group of middle schoolers as they deal with the physical and emotional challenges that come with growing up. Nothing is off the table: abortion, depression, contraception, pillow-human relationships, you name it, Big Mouth has it.

Talking about topics that are considered taboo through comical means is what makes Big Mouth so riveting.

Take season one’s “Girls are Horny Too,” for example. While hopefully this is a no-brainer to college students, males are often who we think of having sexual desires. This can lead to people putting a female’s desires in the backseat. It takes at least two to tango, and all parties involved should be happy. Season two continues to discuss female fantasy and pleasure when it shows female pleasure as something solely for the woman.

The theme of female agency continues in “The Planned Parenthood Show.” This is perhaps the most popular episode from the show’s latest season. It dives into the world of contraceptives and all of the services that Planned Parenthood offers.

Ironically, the girls in the class are teaching Coach Steve, the sex-ed teacher, and the other students about how the organization does more than just abortions.

With our current political climate, this episode couldn’t have been more well-timed.

The fact that the kids are young does

Jessi with her hormone monster, Connie, from “Big Mouth.”

not mean that they are unrelatable. Just watch season two’s episode “The Dark Side of the Boob.” Sexual double standards run rampant through the school when the story of Nick and Gina’s make-out session gets out. Gina is deemed a slut, while the boys praise Nick. This concept is not foreign as we grow older.

In the episode “What is it About Boobs?” Hormone Monster Connie leads the girls on a journey of body positivity

with the help of a catchy musical number.

The girls go to a spa and women of every shape and size walk around naked without shame. The point is not that in order to love your body you have to walk around naked. This illustrates that women don’t have to define themselves in the terms of others. Each body is unique, and each body is beautiful.

All of these themes are ones that everyone needs to take to heart. Sometimes

Netflix / TNS

it takes a seemingly raunchy show to get through to us, and while there is surely some debate about whether or not this should be the case, Big Mouth is a step in the right direction.

I’m not saying the show is the definition of perfection, as it leaves out some other important topics, but who knows what season three will bring? Either way, it is both entertaining and beneficial, so why not give it a try?

contact the editor: sports@alestlelive.com 650-3527 thursday, 11.01.18

sports

MEN’S BASKETBALL OPENER, TUESDAY AT ALESTLELIVE.COM

alestlelive.com

page 11

SIUE Standings MEN’S SOCCER

OVERALL MAC

West Virgina W. Michigan Bowling Green SIUE Akron NIU

12-5 4-0 9-5-3 1-1-2 5-6-4 1-1-2 9-3-4 1-2-1 7-6-2 1-2-1 8-7-1 1-3

WOMEN’S SOCCER OVERALL OVC

Sophomore midfielder Andrea Frerker (left) and senior forward/defender Avery Anderson (right) chase down the ball in women’s soccer’s game against EIU on Oct. 7. The Cougars defeated Morehead State 2-1 in their first-round OVC tournament match Friday, but fell to Eastern Kentucky University 3-4 in a penalty shootout Sunday night in Eastern Kentucky. | Jakob Ruffner / The Alestle

Women’s soccer wraps after OVC quarterfinal

Cougars drop 3-4 to EKU in penalty shootout TYLER PLETSCH reporter

Women’s soccer took a devastating 3-4 loss to Eastern Kentucky in the OVC championship quarterfinal in a penalty shootout after both halves ended in a 0-0 tie Sunday. The defeat followed a narrow 2-1 win against Morehead State in the Cougars’ first-round match.

Head Coach Derek Burton was happy with their performance against Morehead and believes they had an admirable showing against EKU. The Cougars end their season with an overall record of 6-9-2.

“We really showed our grit and our desire, and our overall physical ability with our team’s performance,” Burton said.

Junior midfielder Becca Jostes had a 100 percent shot accuracy in their showing against EKU, having all three shots on goal.

Both SIUE’s sophomore keeper Jensen Schoch and EKU’s freshman keeper Zoe Aguirre had six saves throughout regular and extra time.

SIUE went scoreless against EKU for 110 minutes, leading to shootouts. EKU scored four of five penalties, while SIUE scored three. Sophomore midfielder Angel Ikeda, freshman defender Kayla Klipsch and sophomore midfielder Andrea Frerker all converted their penalties for the Cougars.

Women’s soccer will only lose two seniors next year. The team is largely made up of freshman and sophomores, and they are looking

to grow as a team over the offseason.

Burton and the players believe that these games provided valuable experience and taught the younger players how to deal with intense battles and the stress of must-win games.

“I think this year was definitely a learning experience. Our team is very young, so I think next year implementing the things we didn’t do so well this year and having that experience of knowing what to expect will set us up better,” redshirt junior forward Alexis Royal said.

The team will have a mandatory two weeks off, per NCAA regulations, before they can train in small groups and meet with trainers.

The players plan on getting

back into training for the next season as soon as possible. They are focused on getting physically and mentally stronger.

“Individually I am going to work on staying composed in the opposing third. As a senior, I need to lead the offense a little bit more. I will be working in the offseason by gaining confidence,” redshirt junior forward Courtney Benning said.

The Cougars finished with a total of 18 goals in 17 games this season, with a home record of 2-3-1 and an away record of 3-61. The team averaged 14 shots each game, and conceded 28 goals this season.

Despite the early finish for the season, the Cougars hope to make a stronger comeback next year.

history.

The closest runner behind Goff was No. 52 finisher freshman Emily Ellis with a time of 19:27.

Sophomore Kassidy Dexheimer finished at No. 57 with a time of 19:33. Junior Keri Burmester finished at No. 60 with a time of 19:41. Freshman Gabby Wood finished at No. 73 with a time of 20:18. Sophomore Jalea Paslay rounded out the bottom with a time of 20:58 and a finish at No. 80.

On the men’s side, senior Ben Scamihorn finished the fastest for SIUE in the men’s 8k race with a time of 25:10, finishing at No. 20. Junior Landon Skelly finished at No. 29 with a time of 25:27.

Junior Austin Woodard finished at No. 48 with a time of 26:26.

Sophomore Liam O’Connell had a finish of 26:45 at No. 56. Freshman Joseph Stone finished at No. 70 with a time of 27:40.

Eastern Kentucky University took first overall, with four in the top 15 on the women’s side and eight in the top 15 for the men’s side.

The Cougars are set to compete at regionals on Nov. 9 in Peoria, Illinois.

Goff says she knows she can stay with the lead pack if she mentally prepares herself.

“I’m going to be working really hard on my mental state and how to focus for longer,” Goff said.

Looking ahead to regionals, Goff said that she is ready and has prepared for this race all season

long. She also gave credit to Assistant Coach Kayla Brown.

“Coach has gotten me to my peak shape. I am really ready,” Goff said.

Brown was happy with the Cougars’ showing and believes that the performance at regionals will be just as strong. She mentioned that physical ability is not what is slowing down the team, but that mental awareness needs to be touched up.

“We just need to take workouts in training one rep or one mile at a time and have them translate that over to racing. Becoming in the moment while racing is key,” Brown said.

Regionals will be Scamihorn’s last race for cross country. Looking toward track in the

UT Martin Murray State EIU E. Kentucky SIUE Belmont SEMO Morehead St. Tennessee Tech Austin Peay Jacksonville St.

14-2-1 9-0-1 11-4-1 7-3 6-7-6 4-3-3 8-7-4 4-3-3 6-9-2 4-5-1 6-8-3 4-5-1 5-8-5 3-4-3 5-14 4-6 7-8-2 3-5-2 8-8-1 3-6-1 4-11-3 2-7-1

VOLLEYBALL OVERALL OVC

Austin Peay Murray State Morehead St. SIUE SEMO Jacksonville Tennessee St. UT Martin EIU Belmont Tennessee Tech E. Kentucky

22-4 11-2 16-9 10-3 17-8 8-4 8-16 7-5 14-11 6-6 14-12 6-6 8-15 6-6 12-14 5-7 9-18 4-8 4-20 4-8 9-17 3-9 4-20 3-9

Goff approaches women’s 5k cross country record at OVC championships

TYLER PLETSCH reporter

The men’s cross country team finished seventh place out of 12 teams while the women’s team finished ninth at the OVC championships Saturday in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. While a few runners excelled, the team still sees room for improvements to their mental game before the regional competition in two weeks.

Junior Aly Goff ran a new personal best, finishing at No. 11 of 97 runners in the women’s 5k with a time of 17:59, earning AllOVC Second Team Honors for the first time. She was only three seconds from finishing in the top ten, and her time is the seventh-fastest overall time in school

spring, Scamihorn wants to keep pushing himself to have his best showing and to stay in top shape.

“This will be my last cross country race ever, so obviously I want to go out with a bang. I have run the Bradley course before; it’s a pretty fast course. I just want to finish off my cross country career on a good note,” Scamihorn said.

O’Connell looks to train harder going into regionals and past them as well. Part of this includes working hard to improve his time and mentality.

“I have the potential to become a lot faster than I am right now. My aim is to be able to hold myself in the front throughout the entire race and to obtain All-Conference by my senior year,” O’Connell said.