WATCH, CALL, ALERT
A recent stretch of crimes urge citizens to implement a neighborhood watch to help keep community alert.
VIKEN’S VIGOR
Junior pole vaulter Mick Viken overcame a broken back and pole vaulted his way into Eastern record books.
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D ai ly Eastern News WWW.DAILYEASTERNNEWS.COM
THE
“TELL THE TRUTH AND DON’T BE AFRAID”
VOL.97 | ISSUE 78
THURSDAY, January 10, 2013
CIT Y | ARSON INVESTIGATION
C AMPUS | ENTER TAINMENT
Prospective performers lined-up UB still in search for celebrity guests for spring concert By Bob Galuski Entertainment Editor With potential performers ranging from Mac Miller to American Idol winner Phillip Phillips, members of the University Board are still planning for a 2013 spring concert despite last year’s cancellation. A survey was sent out during the fall semester to a randomly selected group of students on campus, asking them which artist or band they would like to see in the spring. Dan Turano, president of the University Board, said the survey gave students a wide-variety of musical talent to choose from. “We wanted to make sure each genre was represented,” he said. “Everything from alternative to rock to country was on the survey.” The artists students could choose from included rap artists Mac Miller or 2 Chainz, alternative artists like Gavin DeGraw or Neon Trees, R&B artist Frank Ocean, and indie band Matt and Kim. When deciding on which artists or bands to try and have perform at Eastern, Turano said the University Board looks at what other schools, like Illinois State University, have booked. “Generally we look at bands with a solid fan base, but aren’t insanely popular,” he said. “So you won’t see Wiz Khalifa, but you will see bands that are up-and-coming, like Owl City.” Even though the survey was sent to students during the fall semester, the University Board members have yet to make a final decision on who will be performing. “We’re still in the negotiating process,” Turano
said. “We’ve had our concert agent in contact and right now we’re looking at who we can afford.” Eastern’s 2012 spring concert was canceled because of budgetary reasons. While the budget for the 2012 spring concert was not spent on the concert, the money will not transfer over to this year’s concert. “It doesn’t roll over,” Turano said. “We have a budget for every year.” Turano also said the recent low enrollment at Eastern would affect how big the budget for the concert is. Members of the University Board also had trouble in 2012 with deciding on a weekend the artist would perform. “There was a weekend planned, but we couldn’t make it work with any of the bands we wanted,” Turano said. However, Turano said the University Board has learned from its mistakes in order to put on the spring concert for this year. “Now we’re working with the artist, seeing when they’re available to perform before anything is planned,” he said. He said the target date for this spring concert would be sometime in April. Turano also said he was hoping for the spring concert to be as popular as Family Weekend’s concert. “The spring concert won’t just be EIU students, but people from surrounding areas as well,” Turano said. Liz Moll, a junior communications major, said she was disheartened by her experiences with last year’s spring concert. She said when she found out there would be no concert, she set out on her own to find a band or artist for Eastern. “I didn’t really know who to contact at Eastern about what was happening with the spring concert,” she said. CONCERT, page 5
Apartment fire reported intentional Staff Report
GR APHIC BY JOANNA LEIGHTON
In an ongoing investigation surrounding Monday’s fire at 2007 Ninth St., Charleston Fire Department staff discovered the fire was no accident – it was set. CFD Captain Pat Goodwin said the case is being investigated as arson. “The fire was incendiary, which means someone intentionally set it,” he said. Goodwin said only one of the five apartments was occupied at the time of the fire, which occurred at approximately 5:30 a.m. He said the occupants of the apartment have already found new housing. Goodwin said the damage from the fire made their old apartment uninhabitable. “As far as residential areas being disrupted, it was just the one (apartment),” he said. The complex sustained substantial damage, although the CFD is still investigating the extent of the damage. “We’re estimating $150,000 worth of damage, but that’s probably a low number,” he said. “Until they actually get in there structure-wise, we can’t be sure.” The investigation so far has determined the fire was set in the common area on the second floor of the south section of the complex, according to a press release from the CFD. The CFD, the Charleston Police Department and the Illinois Office of the State Fire Marshal are assessing the case as a joint fire investigation. Anyone with information about the case can contact the CFD at 217-345-2134.
C AMPUS | TARBLE AR TS CENTER
Visiting artist shares human connection in art By Bob Galuski Entertainment Editor Suspended from the ceiling in the Tarble Arts Center is a towering piece of artwork made completely out of interlocking black plastic twist-ties. The currently untitled piece hangs from the ceiling and touches the floor, spreading nearly wall-towall of the gallery. The piece starts off dense and slowly becomes more and more sparse, like a gradient. Shadows cascade from the artwork onto the floor and wall behind it – giving off tree-like images. Mi-Kyoung Lee, a visiting artist and head of fibers at the University of Arts in Philadelphia, said she designed this piece specifically for her visit to Eastern. Combined with the shadows, the plastic twisttie piece gives off a natural feel, something Lee said was a goal of hers. “The idea of nature is important to me, and the piece has almost smoke-like qualities, which I was intending,” she said. Lee also said because the piece starts off dense, it allowed her to use straighter twist-ties.
However, as the piece goes on, the interlocking twist-ties become increasingly mangled and curved, giving it the image of twisting ivy. Lee said when she is working on a new piece the medium becomes a part of the artistic process. “The material I work with helps to inspire me,” she said. Lee also said she has been working with fibers and mixed media since she was an undergraduate 20 years ago, but found her passion with art in high school. While going to school as a teenager in Korea, she had classes from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. five days a week, but was able to leave around 5 p.m. for art classes at night school. Lee, who is also a professor of crafts, said she had to work hard in her classes in order to succeed at school. “I was a slow learner,” she said, laughing. “I had to push myself to do well.” She said she has worked with many different kinds of materials, including pipe cleaners and twist-ties. Lee said she enjoys textile work because it becomes representative of humans. ARTIST, page 5
BOB GALUSKI | THE DAILY EASTERN NE WS
Mi-Kyoung Lee, a visiting artist, stands in front of her currently untitled art piece. Lee created the piece out of interlocking twist-ties in order to convey a smokey atmosphere. She will be giving a lecture at 3 p.m. Friday in the atrium of the Tarble Arts Center.