The Daily Northwestern Wednesday, November 20, 2019
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Board of Ethics debates ordinance Latest edition could redef ine board’s authority By JOSHUA IRVINE
daily senior staffer @maybejoshirvine
Jacob Fulton/The Daily Northwestern
Hal Sprague, the president of Citizens’ Greener Evanston. Sprague spoke at the Tuesday meeting of Evanston’s City-School Liaison Committee in favor of more committed climate-conscious actions from the city and school districts.
Residents call for climate action Many pushed for change at City-School Liason Committee meeting By JACOB FULTON
the daily northwestern @jacobnfulton1
Evanston communit y members on Tuesday called on the city and school district
to make sustainability and climate education an integral part of their agenda in the coming years. Residents said they saw a need to make climate change a central part of school functions at an Evanston
City-School Liaison Committee meeting. The committee is made up of aldermen and school board members, and serves as a way for community members to communicate with the City Council, Evanston/Skokie School
District 65 and Evanston Township High School District 202 about topics that affect all three groups. Members of community groups, such as the » See SCHOOL, page 7
The Evanston Board of Ethics on Tuesday deliberated the latest edition of the ethics ordinance that could redefine the board’s authority. Evanston resident Misty Witenberg and Assistant City Attorney Hugh DuBose often went toe-to-toe in the more than two-hour meeting. Witenberg was a major voice at the Nov. 12 City Council meeting, when aldermen deferred their verdict on the ordinance that would overhaul the city ’s ethics code after numerous issues were raised with the current ordinance. The ordinance, introduced at council Oct. 28, overhauls the existing rules governing the Board of Ethics, including the power to render judgements and penalties on ethics complaints brought against city staff and elected officials. Efforts to reform the rules began after Ald. Ann Rainey (8th) cast a vote on her own
ethics complaints in December that effectively prevented her from censure. Witenberg drew focus to the authority of the Rules Committee — under the latest draft of the ordinance, the Rules Committee is empowered to rule on and overturn the board’s verdict on ethics violations, as well as hear appeals. The ordinance previously gave this power to City Council, but the ordinance was changed after Witenberg argued Nov. 12 that this overstepped the boundaries of the council’s powers as a legislative body. Witenberg argued that transferring that authority from the council to the Rules Committee was a hollow change, as the Rules Committee operates under the council’s authority. “(The Rules Committee) is ‘of the City Council,’” Witenberg said. “They just organized it differently.” Witenberg filed her own ethics complaint with the board regarding many of the issues she raised Tuesday and on Nov. 12, though she ultimately withdrew the complaint because there wouldn’t be enough time to go through the complaint report process » See ETHICS, page 7
#MeToo founder Committee weighs zoning challenges to speak in January NU-City Committee proposed solutions to range of building issues Tarana Burke to join NU MLK Dream Week By AMY LI
daily senior staffer
Tarana Burke, the founder of the #MeToo movement, will speak at Northwestern on Jan. 27, according to a Northwestern news release. Burke’s keynote presentation is a part of Northwestern’s MLK Dream Week, a week of programming to commemorate the life and legacy of Martin Luther King Jr. Burke will present on the Chicago campus at Pritzker’s School of Law’s Throne Auditorium at noon, and at the Pick-Staiger Concert Hall on Evanston’s campus at 5 p.m. Burke is a civil rights activist from the Bronx, New York. She coined the phrase in 2006 as part of her work building support among young survivors of harassment and assault, and the term was popularized as a movement in 2017 after the New York Times and the New Yorker published investigations into decades-long sexual harassment
claims against Hollywood film producer Harvey Weinstein. Burke, who is a three-time survivor of sexual assault, shaped her her life-long activism to help girls and women who have experienced sexual harassment, abuse, or assault. “On one side, (#MeToo) is a bold declarative statement that ‘I’m not ashamed’ and ‘I’m not alone.’ On the other side, it’s a statement from survivor to survivor that says ‘I see you, I hear you, I understand you and I’m here for you or I get it,” Burke said in a 2017 CNN interview. This year’s keynote speaker was selected with 150 Years of Women in mind, a year-long initiative celebrating “groundbreaking women, women, and gender-diverse individuals who have taken risks, charted their own course and inspired transformational change,” the release wrote. Burke will speak as part of Northwestern’s annual expanded special commemoration of Martin Luther King Jr. along with other events like the yearly Alpha Phi Alpha Candlelight Vigil. amyli2021@u.northwestern.edu
Serving the University and Evanston since 1881
By JACKSON MILLER
the daily northwestern
The Northwestern UniversityCity Committee proposed solutions to several building and zoning issues at Tuesday’s meeting. The committee – comprised of Ald. Judy Fiske (1st), two Northwestern representatives and two community representatives – briefly discussed a number of issues during their meeting, including parkways near the former location of the Roycemore School and the basketball courts near Northwestern’s FosterWalker Complex. Northwestern’s representatives did not commit to addressing any particular issues, citing a current lack of available capital. Community representative Mimi Muller Roeder and Fiske brought up multiple noise complaints from the previous summer describing boisterous, late-night basketball games held at the Foster-Walker courts. Muller Roeder suggested the university “re-orient” the courts, changing them to half-courts to encourage smaller-scale games. » See CITY, page 7
Daily file photo by Noah Frick-Alofs
Ald. Judy Fiske (1st). Fiske requested that Northwestern look into restoring the parkways by the former location of the Roycemore School.
INSIDE: Around Town 2 | On Campus 3 | Opinion 6 | Classifieds & Puzzles 7 | Sports 8
2 NEWS | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019
AROUND TOWN Man stuck by car at intersection of Orrington Ave. and Sherman Ave.
Evan Robinson-Johnson/Daily Senior Staffer
A 30-year-old male Chicago resident was hit by a car at the intersection of Orrington Avenue and Sherman Avenue at approximately 6 p.m. Tuesday night. The man suffered a laceration to the head, and the Evanston Fire Department
immediately transported him to Evanston Hospital, said Evanston police Cmdr. Ryan Glew. His injuries are non-life-threatening, according to Glew. “He was talking to us,” EPD officer Marvin Thomas told The Daily. “He should be okay.” The man was walking toward Northwestern’s campus and was crossing Orrington Avenue on the south sidewalk when he was struck by the car, Glew said. Glew added that the driver will receive a citation for failure to yield to a pedestrian. The
driver stayed on the scene after the accident and complied with EPD officers. According to the Illinois Vehicle Code, “Every driver of a vehicle shall exercise due care to avoid colliding with any pedestrian... and shall give warning by sounding the horn when necessary.” After the accident, Evanston firefighters poured water on the street to clear blood from the scene. Glew said this is standard cleanup procedure. — Evan Robinson-Johnson
La Macchina Café sold to new owners, will see changes By SAM HELLER
the daily northwestern
La Macchina Café, located at 1620 Orrington Ave, is undergoing changes and will feature new menu items after being sold at the end of last month. The biggest changes include the addition of a pizza oven — which the restaurant has already begun to use — and a revamped brunch menu. Beyond being just an Italian restaurant, La Macchina is also a space for student groups to host late night parties and events. Since opening La Macchina’s doors in 2013, founder Marco Ferrarini has cultivated a network of students who reach out to him to use his space for parties. The new owners — Andrea Sappia and Emanuele Bianchi — also plan to start serving pizza at these after-hour events, Bianchi said. “It could be a fun thing to have drinks but also snacks that are true Italian,” Bianchi said. Bianchi and Sappia are also hosting an event this Thursday from 5 to 10 p.m. for people to get a pizza for $4.99. Those who come with a friend also get a free dessert. Bianchi and Sappia also plan to open up the downstairs area for people to dance and drink. “It’s a perfect location, and who wouldn’t take a very well made Italian pizza for $4.99?” Bianchi said.
Beyond just adding a pizza oven, La Macchina also plans to completely change its brunch menu. While the owners haven’t finalized this change, their plan involves naming dishes after locations. They also plan to add items such as thick-cut bacon, waffles, eggs Benedict, Italian cold cuts and even ribeye steak. They will also add a few new higher-end items onto the dinner menu, such as dry age Florentine steak and whole fish dinners. Because it is under new ownership, La Macchina has to apply for a new Class C liquor license. During Tuesday Liquor Control Review Board meeting, their application passed unanimously for introduction to City Council. Mayor Steve Hagerty advised the new owners to operate responsibly under the liquor license. “It is a privilege to have a liquor license,” Hagerty said. “My understanding is there has been one citation for underage drinking. I am not happy about that and obviously you are good for this license, but I have zero tolerance for underage drinking.” The bartenders have all been trained to serve alcohol responsibly. Ferrarini started considering selling the restaurant six months ago, as he is looking to go back to his previous career: engineering. Before opening La Macchina in 2013, Ferrarini was a corporate engineer, and he said he feels now is the time to re-enter that field.
Daily file photo by Brian Lee
La Macchina Café. The restaurant was sold to new owners at the end of October.
Bianchi and Sappia said they began considering buying La Macchina about a month ago. They had both been long time customers, along with having previous experience in the restaurant industry. Like Ferrarini, both Bianchi and Sappia come
from Italy, although they all come from separate corners of the country. “We are trying to create a fusion of the three regions,” Bianchi said about the new menus. samuelheller2022@u.northwestern.edu
THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 3
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019
ON CAMPUS
Planned Parenthood NU hosts teach-in By YUNKYO KIM
The Daily Northwestern www.dailynorthwestern.com Editor in Chief Troy Closson
the daily northwestern @yunkyomoonk
eic@dailynorthwestern.com
Planned Parenthood Generation Action at Northwestern held a presentation this Tuesday to educate students on sexual health topics they may not have learned in their own high school sex education classes. Students who attended the presentation in Kresge Centennial Hall, titled “What You Didn’t Learn in Sex Ed,” could visit different stations to engage in brief and casual presentations made by other students. Topics included sex myths, types of sex, emergency contraception, ongoing consent, pleasure, masturbation and even feminist porn. The attendees, who were mostly women, visited different stations in the room to learn about safe reproductive health practices in college and adult life. Annika de Vogel said she decided to attend the event because she felt she did not receive adequate sex education in high school on different sexual identities. The Weinberg junior said she felt that her high school sex education did not define sex or distinguish safer practices for non-heterosexual students. “At my high school, I had a very abstinenceonly, terrifying education,” de Vogel said, “so it’s something I will not be so shy about.” Planned Parenthood Generation Action Northwestern is part of a network of 350 college campuses across the United States that advocate for reproductive freedom, awareness, education and community outreach on behalf of Planned Parenthood, according to its website. The Northwestern chapter, which is in its second year, has hosted two recurring “What You Didn’t Learn in Sex Ed” presentations. Natalie Sands, a Weinberg senior who presented on pregnancy scares and emergency contraceptives, said it was important for students to be informed on the resources available to them. “(We want to) make sure that when they’re engaging in sexual activities, they have all the information they need to make that an enjoyable experience and mitigate against any of the risks that
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Students present a slideshow on sex myths. Planned Parenthood Generation Action Northwestern hosts recurring “What You Didn’t Learn in Sex Ed” presentations for students wanting to know more about safe reproductive options at college.
can come about,” Sands said. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 95 percent of teenagers under 18 have received formal sexual education, but only 70 percent of women and 62 percent of men are taught about birth control methods. In addition to this disparity, funding for “abstinence-only-until-marriage” education was adopted by 49 out of 50 states in the late 1990s, and financial support for this method, which has been proven ineffective, was only increased in the last few years, according to the Guttmacher Institute. While 37 states still require abstinence information be taught as of 2017, only 33 authorize mandatory HIV education and even fewer states provide mandatory education on contraception. Students said that recent events still show that
the topic of sexual health are still considered “taboo.” Adriana Garcia, a Weinberg sophomore and presenter, spoke about how the rapper T.I. said he takes his 18-year-old daughter for an annual gynecology appointment to “check her hymen.” While there is a widespread perception that a damaged hymen equates with being sexually active, this is not often the case, she said. Garcia, who brought a presentation on sex myths, said it is important for universities to provide sufficient sexual health resources and for students to talk about sexual health without stigma. “I think it breaks away from the stigma surrounding talking about sex,” Garcia said. “Holding events like this brings more awareness to them.” yunkyokim2022@u.northwestern.edu
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BIG BUSINESS, SMAL
NEWS 4 | THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN
Just a short walk from the Arch, heading south on Chicago Avenue, lies the first of many multicolored banners printed with “The Main-Dempster Mile” and its logo. The banners denote the entrance into an area lined with dozens of restaurants, coffee shops, stores and offices. Despite being in close proximity to Northwestern’s campus, Katherine Gotsick, executive director of the Main-Dempster Mile, said the area faces limited student exposure. Because of this, she works actively to familiarize students with the Main-Dempster Mile to promote a “shop local” mentality.
EAT: LA PRINCIPAL
Nestled into the corner of Main Street and Custer Avenue, La Principal is a casual, Mexican-inspired restaurant. Eric Young, owner of La Principal, said the menu is focused on traditional street food, but expands beyond authentic dishes to offer customers variety. While the pozoles and tortas are popular, Young recommends the lengua beef tongue tacos and the churro sundae. La Principal is dedicated to serving customers high quality food and drinks, like
Photos: Zoe Malin and Harrison Tremarello/Daily Senior Staffers
“Shopping local is close to my heart and the hearts of merchants,” Gotsick said. “When you shop local, the business you buy from and all the businesses around it thrive.” The Main-Dempster Mile is a non-profit organization that administers special services for the district. The organization has a board of directors, mostly made up of local business owners, and its members include merchants and neighbors. The Main-Dempster Mile’s boundaries include parts of Dempster Street, Main Street and Chicago Avenue, which are defined by a 2015 city ordinance that designated the Main-Dempster Mile as a Special
homemade corn tortillas and their own line of hot sauces. Young aims to offer a relaxing atmosphere at the restaurant. Customers can enjoy a meal in either the main dining room, front bar and lounge, outdoor patio or backroom bar. Additionally, because La Principal is located steps away from the Main Street Purple Line stop and the Metra, Young created a walk-up coffee window, which is open on weekday mornings and serves churros, breakfast tacos, coffee and other beverages. One of Young’s favorite aspects of La Principal is its events. The restaurant has a weekly happy hour in its bar and lounge Tuesday through Friday from 3-6 p.m, where customers can take advantage of deals like $2 tacos and $2 off margaritas. On the last Tuesday of every month, the restaurant also hosts “Taco Tuesday for a Cause,” where $1 is donated to a featured charity for every taco sold during this event. “La Principal gathers the community around a great cause and great tacos,” Young said. “There’s nothing better.”
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019
Service Area. Gotsick described a Special Service Area as a place in which services — like landscaping, advertising and public art — are provided throughout the municipality. The special services are paid for through an annual tax for commercial property owners. Of the roughly 260 businesses in the MainDempster Mile, Gotsick said less than 20 of them have corporate support. Almost all businesses are locally and independently owned, and Gotsick said each works to make visiting their store an experience. “Business owners are so deeply invested in this area,” Gotsick said. “They provide
SHOP: STUMBLE & RELISH Jamie Leonardi and her mom, Paulette Leffler, believe the things people relish most in life are those stumbled upon. This mantra was the inspiration behind their store, Stumble & Relish, located at 1312 Chicago Ave. The store is filled with unique gifts and trinkets, like necklaces made from recycled skateboards.
something online shopping can’t: human connection.” The following five businesses embody the “shop small” and “support local” spirit Gotsick said the Main-Dempster Mile is built upon. She encourages students to visit the area for an opportunity to “detach in proximity and culture to the stress of school.” Gotsick hopes students ride the Intercampus Shuttle, the CTA Purple Line or Metra to eat at restaurants like La Principal, or use ride-sharing services to spend the afternoon at an art gallery like Space 900. — Zoe Malin
“I like saying, ‘Hey! We can use materials to make something new in a different way,’” Leonardi said. “That’s how a lot of this stuff ends up here.” Leonardi fills Stumble & Relish’s shelves with greeting cards, jewelry, candles and other items since the store opened in 2013. She discovers products through her relationships with local makers, at art shows and fairs, and through word-of-mouth. Many of the items Stumble & Relish sells are made by Evanston artisans and companies, like Edgewater Candles, ceramic works by Joanna Kramer and jewelry by Ali’s Collection. Leonardi said she’s always wanted Stumble & Relish to be a “destination” on Chicago Avenue. She said her store adds character to the street, inviting the community to shop small at a locally owned establishment. “We really get to know our customers, and our customers really need to get to know our makers,” said Leonardi.
LL SHOP MENTALITY
THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 5
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019
‘Shopping small’ at the hidden gems of The Main-Dempster Mile
DRINK: REPRISE COFFEE ROASTERS Reprise Coffee Roasters infuses more than just caffeine into its shop at 710 Main St. The company, which opened in Evanston in August 2019, is centered around a mission of sustainability. Working directly with coffee farmers who practice environmentally ethical growing methods, Reprise pays them above fair-trade prices. Hunter Owen, owner and manager of the Evanston
location, said this business model ensures equity for everyone who works with Reprise. “The money made from sales go right back into purchasing our high-quality products,” Owen said. “We write checks directly to farmers.” The coffee shop’s menu is long and diverse, which Owen said is purposeful: Reprise offers “something for everyone.”The company has won national coffee roasting awards, and is known for its single origin brews and espresso. Reprise makes its own vanilla, lavender and hazelnut syrups, as well as a pumpkin reduction. Owen also sources other ingredients from local businesses, such as honey, tea, chocolate and caramel. Another piece of Reprise’s mission is community involvement. Through hosting latte art competitions, trivia, open mic nights and coffee tastings, Owen said positioning Reprise as a community space not only connects the company with customers, but also promotes a deeper relationship with The Main-Dempster Mile. “The more that we can build this community up, the better it will be for everyone,” Owen said.
SEE: SPACE 900 The art that hangs from the white walls of Space 900 gallery animates the wide-open room. Depending on the month, paintings, sculptures and photographs can tell different stories, or
DO: THE POT SHOP Dominic Mosca, owner of the Pot Shop at 1224 Chicago Ave., said working on a potter’s wheel is not for the faint of heart. It can take hours to shape clay, and, sometimes, pieces burst in the kiln. But for those taking classes at the Pot Shop, nothing’s more rewarding than bringing finished products home. “I admire people who stick with it,” said Mosca. “People master skills in such a short time, which is
present ideas that tie in to a common theme. Joanna Pinsky, one of Space 900’s core members, described the gallery as “collaborative.” She said the gallery is run by eight artists, each of whom specialize in a specific medium. They do thematic group shows together about twice a year, allowing the core members to show pieces together. Pinsky said she and the other seven artists meet monthly to generate ideas for shows, discuss their projects and give each other advice. “The goal of this space is to enable us to present our different ideas, which has been wonderful,” said Pinsky. “The gallery has created a support system for us.” In addition to group shows, the core members show their pieces individually or in small groups for about a month at a time. For example, Pinsky and Todd Anderson, another artist, recently did a
an incredible thing.” Since opening in 1975, the foundation of the Pot Shop’s offerings has been its classes. Mosca teaches all of the classes, which meet once a week for eight weeks and range from beginner to advanced pottery. In each class, participants learn how to make pieces on a potter’s wheel, fire them and glaze them. While classes formally meet once a week, everyone enrolled has unlimited access to the studio. Those interested can sign up for classes by visiting the Pot Shop’s website or in-person. The Pots Shop’s studio is also utilized for private lessons and parties. Mosca spends time in the studio as a teacher and maker, since he creates mugs, vases and other works to sell in the space’s retail gallery. Mosca often meets new customers, but some have taken classes for decades. In one day, the studio’s 19 potter’s wheels can be used by 5-year-olds and 75-year-olds alike. “I have people taking classes from all swings of life,” said Mosca. “That’s what makes this space special.”
show together entitled “Layers of Time.” Pinsky displayed her paintings, while Anderson showed his photographs. Additionally, artists outside of the gallery’s core members can rent the space to show their work for short periods of time. The gallery is open to the community a few times a week and it often hosts artist talks. Pinsky said Space 900 is a special environment for her and the other core members to exhibit their pieces. She said commercial galleries’ “ultimate goal” is to sell work, which can limit how creative artists can be, or prevent them from taking risks in their respective mediums. Space 900, however, doesn’t put any barriers on artists. “Today, more artists are taking control and doing their own shows,” Pinsky said. “Most of us want to experiment without worrying about selling, and Space 900 has allowed us to do that.”
OPINION
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Wednesday, November 20, 2019
A farewell to journalism, my greatest college adventure MARCUS THUILLIER
DAILY COLUMNIST
It’s been quite the adventure since I stepped into the newsroom of the UCSD Guardian — the undergraduate newspaper at the University of California, San Diego — over five years ago. I attended recruitment night for the free pizza, and ended up joining the opinion and sports desks. This will be my last column I ever write in college, finally concluding a journalistic career on which I look back fondly. Two months into writing for my undergraduate newspaper, the entire management team quit or graduated. After some reshuffling, I found myself in an editorial role with just a few articles to my name. After three more months, I was the sports editor of my college newspaper. Our first order of business that quarter was to stand up to our student council, fighting a resolution that imposed an outside counselor on our student-run independent paper. I still have a copy of the speech I wrote that day. If anything, this experience made me realize how much I cared about the paper and what it represented.
My second year started off on a high. George Karl and the Sacramento Kings came to campus during preseason and I had the opportunity to interview the coach and the players. Just a few weeks later, I remember sitting in the news office on Nov. 13th, 2015, following the events in Paris in complete disbelief. My coworkers and friends at the paper checked in on me and helped me through that day. That was the year I took control of my column in the opinion section as well, a column I am still writing today. It used to be called “across the globe”, as I was writing about U.S. issues and their equivalents in other countries. At the end of that year, I rose up the ranks in the newsroom, leaving my position as sports editor to become one of two managing editors. Why anybody would give a physics major with five years of experience in English that much responsibility is still lost on me, but I just went with it. It was definitely the hardest year I had in student journalism, as going from just an editor to one of the three people responsible for the paper was a much bigger step than I anticipated. Managing a paper is much more than editing pieces. I had to incorporate a delicate balance between the actions and initiatives
of Associated Student Government and the various student groups on campus. More often than not, I was seen in a negative light by the administration. It was incredibly difficult to balance my journalistic duty with my community duty, as an organization that is supposed to both abide by the rules of journalism and coexist with so many other students. Even after the editor in chief and other managing editor left the paper during the year, I managed to bring the paper to the finish line. Reprising my role of managing editor, my senior year was more of the same, except for two pretty significant things. First, I was able to complete my own personal Grand Slam, writing for all six sections my paper had: sports, opinion, news, features, lifestyle and Arts & Entertainment. I was also able to launch podcasts. One was for the NBA with a Warriors and two Lakers fans. The other was an opinion podcast, recapping the week’s articles with the opinion editor at the time. Both were challenging in their own way but brought me a lot of confidence and new experiences. I never thought I would ever be creative enough to produce artistic content but here I was four years later, with designing, podcasting and managing experience. Coming to Northwestern and The Daily, it was time to refocus on what I knew in the
first place: writing. These past four quarters of doing just that have been really important to me. I needed to get back to a learning — and I’ve been able to do that from all the wonderful and talented people that work at The Daily. I’ve always been very aware of my strengths as a writer, but over the past 15 months, I’ve noticed improvements to other areas of my, I’ve noticed improvements to other areas of my writing. More importantly, I have truly come into my own, finally writing the kinds of pieces I have always wanted to share. My five years of college journalism have followed my maturation from my first step on campus until today. I used to write about less controversial topics, scared of ruffling feathers. For a solid period of time, I replaced my criticism of President Donald Trump with criticism of the government, for fear it might shine too negative a light on me when applying for American citizenship.
Marcus Thuillier is a second-year graduate student. He can be contacted at marcusthuillier2019@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this op-ed, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
Time for a new, less hypocritical approach to drug policy WESLEY SHIROLA
DAILY COLUMNIST
This is the fifth and final column in “Failed Policy,” a series examining the history of drugs and drug policy in the United States since its founding. I began this series earlier this year in order to shed light on the U.S. government’s failed approach to drug policy. I wanted to write about drugs in an enlightening and informative way so readers could have the knowledge necessary to be informed advocates. I first wrote about marijuana and urged its swift legalization at the federal level if not for the expansive health benefits then for the sake of the free market. Then, I addressed the ongoing opioid epidemic but argued that mass restrictions of prescription opioids for patients that need them is not the answer to the crisis. Next, I endorsed the popular street drug ketamine as an effective treatment for severe depression and suicidal ideations and showed that we must act now to prevent its price from skyrocketing. Finally, I tackled psychedelics such as LSD and MDMA and argued for their use at treating PTSD and addiction. While all of these illegal drugs, and countless others, hold promising medicinal uses, the most dangerous and damaging drug known to man — and one that holds no beneficial uses — remains legal and heavily promoted. This “mystery” drug: none other than alcohol. Indeed, it turns out that of all the foreign substances that people consume, alcohol is the least restricted but the most harmful. Admittedly, many illegal drugs such as heroin and fentanyl are far more dangerous to their
individual users on a per use basis. But since they are relatively hard to obtain and thus used by a smaller population their widespread impact, while still serious, is comparatively limited. In 2010, a group of drug experts scored the total harm in Britain caused by the 20 most common drugs, ranging from alcohol and crack cocaine to psilocybin and LSD. Alcohol scored the highest at 72 (out of 100) as a result of the dependence and damage to mental and physical health it causes its users, its high risk of death, the resulting loss of relationships and productivity, the increases in crime and injury and the family breakdown so often caused by addiction. The illegal drug heroin — while causing more harm to users — scored a 55. As for the other illegal drugs: marijuana scored a 20, ketamine less than a 15, and LSD and psilocybin both came in at under 10 due to their extremely low risk of mortality and negligible societal harm. The U.S. government’s approach to drug policy is extremely hypocritical. Why is the most harmful drug readily available and cheap while other drugs, that are both less harmful and carry demonstrable medicinal uses, remain illegal, or in the rare cases where patients have access to them, extremely expensive? Many experts believe the problem lies within the lack of “rhyme and reason” to current drug policies. The issue plagues not just the U.S. but most other Western nations as well. The root of the problem stems from the classification of drugs being placed into “schedules” according to their harms and benefits. Most recreational drugs, which in the eyes of the U.S. government and the U.N. have no medical uses, are placed in the most dangerous category and subjected to the strictest of criminal penalties. These policies are nonsensical and paradoxical.
Marek Slusarczyk/Dreamstime/TNS
The government wants more evidence of the medical benefits of these drugs but at the same time makes the research required to find this evidence next to impossible due to their illegality. It is time for the U.S. government to use some commonsense and overhaul our failed drug policies. I’m not calling for the prohibition of alcohol again. In fact, the detrimental effects of alcohol should be ignored for the time being. It is far more important right now for the government to urgently loosen legal barriers to research and treatment with the promising drugs discussed in this series. Scientists have long known that many of these drugs hold very powerful medicinal effects and have been advocating for their legalization for years. Now, we all must do our part as students and academics to pressure the
U.S. government to stand down and reach the obvious conclusion that these drugs should not be illegal. As I’ve said before and will continue to proclaim until a significant change is made: the longer the U.S. government holds out and maintains legal and bureaucratic hurdles, the longer it will continue to indirectly harm thousands of patients each and every year. Nonetheless, it’s not yet too late to fix this Failed Policy. Wesley Shirola is a Weinberg junior. He can be contacted at wesleyshirola2021@u.northwestern.edu. If you would like to respond publicly to this column, send a Letter to the Editor to opinion@dailynorthwestern.com. The views expressed in this piece do not necessarily reflect the views of all staff members of The Daily Northwestern.
The Daily Northwestern Volume 140, Issue 43 Editor in Chief Troy Closson
Print Managing Editors Catherine Henderson Kristina Karisch Peter Warren
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THE DAILY NORTHWESTERN | NEWS 7
WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 20, 2019
SCHOOL From page 1
Democratic Party of Evanston’s Climate Action Team, Indivisible Evanston, District 65’s Green Team, Citizens’ Greener Evanston and Edible Evanston, were all in attendance at the event. Many attendees mentioned the importance of climate awareness education in schools. ETHS senior Aldric Martinez-Olson said that in school, he and his classmates have received minimal instruction in relation to the topic. “Most of our students don’t have a true grasp on how the climate crisis will affect our community,” Martinez-Olsen said. “Low income students and students of color will be affected by climate crises the most, and they generally don’t receive the same education at home, so it’s important to educate them at the one place we come together.”
Though education is essential in raising awareness about the issue, event attendees also called for direct action from the school districts. Sylvia Wooller, the head of District 65’s Green Team, expressed concerns about the fact that climate-related goals aren’t explicitly stated as priorities for D65. Wooller said that District 65 set out seven top priorities to work on over the next few years, and none were climate-related. She said that something on the subject should have been included. Climate Action Team committee chair Bob Heuer said it’s important that the city and school districts take steps to work together on sustainability initiatives. “We need to think about a collective impact approach around climate impact and climate education,” Heuer said. Both Districts 65 and 202 have recently taken steps to be more environmentally
conscious. For example, when ETHS got new turf for its football field, the district decided to use an environmentally-friendly installation method, despite the $50,000 cost increase. However, community members want to continue to see more long-term plans put in place to increase the school’s sustainability efforts. Hal Sprague, the president of Citizens’ Greener Evanston, said that it’s essential for the school districts and city to create a group focused on climate-related actions. “We’re going a long way with different groups, talking about putting this material in the curriculum and changing the facilities,” Sprague said. “Things are all being talked about in groups with parents and teachers, so it’s clear that all these people here are happy to help. We just need to make the changes.” jacobfulton2023@u.northwestern.edu
ETHICS
From page 1 before the council’s vote. DuBose conceded Witenberg had been correct with several of her assertions about the past ordinance’s issues, but he said the most recent draft of the ordinance is compliant with state law. He cited several municipalities where their city councils voted on ethics board opinions or cities lacked an ethics board altogether. DuBose said a two-thirds majority required to overturn a decision by the Board of Ethics, as proposed in the ordinance, would prevent abuse by aldermen. In response to DuBose’s assertion that the Rules Committee’s authority was lawful, Witenberg pointed to a 2004 advisory opinion issued by then-Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan, which specifies ethics complaints must be ruled on by an adjudicative body, a power outside of city councils. Witenberg suggested the city should consult with the inspector general on the issue. She also suggested a forthcoming district court ruling could clarify the law, though she did not specify a case. The board was receptive to Witenberg’s comments and rejected DuBose’s use of other municipalities for reference. “I don’t really care about the other cities, because I don’t think every other city has had such active use of their code of ethics,” board chair Jennifer Billingsley said to DuBose. joshuairvine2022@u.northwestern.edu
Across Campuses Penn’s women’s volleyball season canceled over ‘vulgar, offensive’ signs in locker room
PHILADELPHIA — Penn’s athletic department has canceled the remainder of the women’s volleyball team’s season after announcing the discovery of “vulgar, offensive and disrespectful” signs in the team’s locker room. The announcement, made Wednesday evening, said the signs were found “earlier this week.” It gave no details about what was on the signs or how they were displayed. Athletic director Grace Calhoun said in a statement: “The behavior exhibited by our women’s volleyball student-athletes is simply unacceptable and will not be tolerated. We expect our student-athletes to represent the University of Pennsylvania in a firstclass and respectful manner at all times, and in this case, our women’s volleyball student-athletes did not meet that standard,” Calhoun added that the incident has been reviewed “with the appropriate University partners,” and any additional actions will be determined “in the coming days and weeks.”
Joshua Irvine/Daily Senior Staffer
Evanston’s Board of Ethics. Resident Misty Witenberg clashed with the board over the current draft of the new ethics ordinance.
CITY
From page 1 She stressed this would be a low-cost option since it would mainly entail the curtailment of existing property. “It just gets to be a really rough, loud game,” Muller Roeder said. Community representative David Schoenfeld also suggested installing foliage to help reduce noise. Fiske said Schoenfeld’s idea may discourage community members from viewing the area as open to public use. The Northwestern representatives questioned whether the basketball players were Northwestern students. Fiske said she only had the complaints to go on, but would invite the complainants to the next meeting. Craig Johnson, the University’s senior vice president for business and finance, said the plans proposed are not currently part of the school’s financial plan. The area had been disrupted previously when Roycemore occupied the area and created cutouts in the roadway so that school busses could more easily load and unload students. Northwestern owns the land Roycemore formerly operated on, but not the building itself. “We keep it up. We cut the grass,” Johnson said, eliciting a round of laughter from the committee. Fiske requested that the University look into restoring the parkways. However, she did acknowledge that the roads are city property, and Johnson asked in turn whether the city had capital to spare on the project. Alex Darragh, NU’s vice president for facilities, said the University recently enhanced the landscaping surrounding the former school building. Referring to Northwestern’s broader budgetary constraints, Darragh said the University is focused on “life safety,” citing maintaining regulatory compliance as well as utilities such as heating, water and electricity. The University is cutting back on some auxiliary expenses, he said, mentioning reduced frequency of window washing. Though the Northwestern representatives did not commit to any renovation projects Tuesday night, Schoenfeld expressed appreciation for the committee. “At it’s best, this committee has been a really good forum for conveying concerns of the residents about everything that’s going on in the area,” said Schoenfeld. ”The Northwestern folks have been good about being interested in hearing the thoughts of the folks who are their neighbors.” jacksonmiller2023@u.northwestern.edu
The team’s remaining games were to be road contests Friday against Yale and Saturday against Brown. Penn’s volleyball program has been in tumult for a year and a half, dating back to the hiring of current coach Ian Braddak in April of 2018. Since then, eight players have filed formal grievances with the athletic department over his conduct. In May, the Daily Pennsylvanian reported that three of the grievances were “Braddak telling an assistant coach to hit a player in the face with the ball in practice, Braddak accusing the team of bullying over a misplaced jacket, and the coach telling a player that their lack of playing time could be worse; they could become addicted to heroin or commit suicide.” A few weeks before that story, the DP reported that when players attempted to meet with Calhoun last spring, the athletic department did not grant them a time slot on her calendar. Players instead met with senior associate athletic director Rudy Fuller and associate athletic director Matt Valenti. According to the DP’s report, Valenti said the players’ grievances were “valid, but not actionable.” Marek Slusarczyk/Dreamstime/TNS
-Jonathan Tannenwald and Joseph A. Gambardello, The Philadelphia Inquirer
Pennsylvania State University’s College Hall. Penn State’s women’s volleyball season was canceled over ‘vulgar, offensive’ signs in the team’s locker room.
SPORTS
Wednesday, November 20, 2019
ON DECK NOV.
21
ON THE RECORD
We’re just trying to come to each game with a clear mindset. You know they’re going to start falling eventually. —Pete Nance, forward
Women’s Basketball Valparaiso at NU, 7 p.m. Thursday
@DailyNU_Sports
NOT RAD(FORD)
NU loses at home, its second loss at Welsh-Ryan in three games NORTHWESTERN
By JOHN RIKER
the daily northwestern @thejohnriker
In last Friday’s win over Providence, Northwestern signaled that it could handle its out-of-conference competition. The Wildcats’ 67-56 home loss to mid-major Radford indicated otherwise. NU (1-2) struggled offensively, failing to score over a 12-minute stretch and making just one field goal in the last 16 minutes of the first half, and the Highlanders took advantage. Radford (2-2) rallied from an early 12-4 deficit to open up a commanding 31-17 halftime lead, and the Cats couldn’t recover from the drought. “More than anything, I thought we were anxious,” coach Chris Collins said. “We settled for some bad shots early. Later in the first half, we had some open opportunities. If you don’t score for 12 minutes, it doesn’t matter who you play, you’re going to have a really hard time winning.” The starkest difference between the two teams offensively came on the perimeter. The Highlanders hit
Joshua Hoffman/Daily Senior Staffer
WRESTLING
Northwestern pulls off upset against ranked opponent
After a close loss to No. 11 Virginia Tech (3-0) in their first match of the season, No. 21 Northwestern (1-1) bounced back against No. 14 Northern Iowa (0-1) on Sunday at Welsh-Ryan Arena. The Wildcats started off strong with a 5-1 win in the 125-pound weight class by freshman Michael DeAugustino over UNI senior Jay Schwarm. NU went on to win five of the 10 matches and win by a close four points. The upset over the Panthers happened in large part to the contributions of junior Sebastian Rivera, junior Ryan Deakin, senior Shayne Oster and freshman Lucas Davison, who scored 21 of the team’s 24 points. Each of the four also earned bonuspoint decisions.
Northwestern continued its season Saturday with an appearance at the Elite Invitational in Philadelphia. The Wildcats finished out the weekend with a substandard 1-5 record. After losing in the first round against Princeton 20-7 — where both the Tigers’ foil and epee units went 7-2 — NU lost to Penn State, 15-12. The Cats faced their conference rivals Ohio State in the third round, where they narrowly lost 14-13. In the fourth round, they faced Cornell, losing 16-11, despite 2-1 records from sophomore epee Emma Scala and sophomore sabre Abigail Swallow and freshman sabre Thea Nguyen.
RADFORD
on nine of their 20 attempts, while NU converted only three of 21 for a demoralizing 14.3 percent clip. Radford guards Carlik Jones and Travis Fields each connected on three 3-point attempts alone during the game. The subpar shooting performance was reminiscent of the Cats’ season-opening loss to Merrimack, in which the team made only two of 16 attempts from behind the arc. “We just got to make them,” Collins said. “I’ll have to look at the film, but I think we took some bad ones. We have to stay confident, take our shots, and when they have open shots I want them to shoot the ball.” On the other side of the ball, NU’s zone defense — a major factor in their win over Providence — worked wonders to start the game. Over the first few minutes, the Cats forced the Highlanders into turnovers and contested shots. But even as NU locked down on the defensive end, the inability to score proved fatal when Radford went on its run. “I didn’t think the defense lost us the game,” Collins said. “We just got down big and we had to get out of it. They made big shots, they banked
a couple. Those are shots you want them to take. If you eliminate the free throws at the end of the game, we had them in the 50s. If you have that team in the 50s, then you should give yourself a chance to win.” The Cats’ offense broke out of its slump in the second half, but failed to pull themselves within striking distance. Radford extended their lead to as many as 21 in the second half, and though NU cut down the deficit to eight points with 1:19 remaining, the Highlanders kept pace by sinking nine straight free throws to win the game. Sophomore forward Pete Nance notched his second double-double of the season with 16 points and 10 rebounds in the loss. Nance said that the Cats are keeping the disappointing performance in perspective. “The college basketball season is really long,” Nance said. “Sometimes it’s hard to not look in the future, but realize that there’s a lot to learn and a lot of room to grow. With this team we definitely have a lot of time to improve and grow and learn, and everyday, that’s what we do.” johnriker2023@u.northwestern.edu
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Rivera and Deakin — both All Americans last season — also won by major decisions last weekend, despite NU’s 21-18 loss. Against the Panthers, Rivera earned a 13-4 win over sophomore Jack Skudlarczyk in the Cats’ second match, and Deakin’s fall over sophomore Keaton Geerts took NU into intermission with a 13-7 lead. Following Deakin’s win, Oster scored an unanswered 15 points over UNI sophomore Patrick Schoenfelder to snag the Cats five team points from his technical fall. An injury default by Northern Iowa’s freshman Noah Glaser against Davison in the second to last match of the night scored NU six more points and bumped them up to the 24 team points that won them their home match of the season. The Cats will look to make the most of their home-field advantage next Sunday as they take on North Dakota State at home. — Megan Munce
FENCING
Wildcats struggle against top teams at Elite Invitational
56 67
The first win of the weekend for NU came in its fifth-round matchup against Harvard, where 3-0 sweeps from freshman Julia Shalansky and sophomore foils Julia Falinska and Alyssa Chen helped the team win 14-13. The Cats finished the weekend with a 14-13 loss to Penn. NU will appear next at the January North American Cup on Jan. 3. Coach Zach Moss said despite the high number of losses at the invitational, the Cats still had opportunities to win every match. “I’m very proud of how our team competed this weekend,” Moss said to NUSports.com. “Our team was consistent in their approach to our process, team cohesion was terrific and spirits were high. Our team learned a lot this weekend and I look forward to seeing this group continue to grow.” — Andrea Bian
Cats’ offense costs them a win By DREW SCHOTT
the daily northwestern @dschott328
Nearly four minutes had passed in the first half when graduate guard Pat Spencer made a smooth layup for his seventh point of the night, giving Northwestern a 12-4 lead over Radford. The Wildcats’ offense was efficient — featuring solid ball movement and wide-open looks resulted in an 83 percent field goal percentage. But then, NU stopped scoring. For twelve minutes. Eventually, senior forward A.J. Turner made a free throw that broke the scoring drought. But the damage was done. The Cats’ offense faltered for the remainder of the half, scoring only five points over the next fifteen minutes, while the Highlanders scored 27 points to take a commanding 31-17 lead at the break. “We started off that first four (minutes) super aggressive and we put the pressure down,” sophomore forward Miller Kopp said. “After that, we took a couple tough ones and they went on a run and we really didn’t respond well.” NU’s (1-2) inefficient offense continued into the second half, and despite a late run, was a key aspect of the Cats’ 67-56 loss to Radford (2-2) at WelshRyan Arena. NU struggled to find good looks near the basket throughout the night, taking numerous off-balance jumpers, heavily contested shots in the post and welldefended threes during the contest. As a result, the Cats shot 33 percent from the field and an abysmal 3-for-21 from behind the arc. “We took some bad shots,” coach Chris Collins said. “I gotta help these guys. I gotta put them in better positions. We got to work on our offense” Clean passing and a relaxed pace of play helped NU jump out to its early eight-point lead. But as the Highlanders made their run, the Cats’ offense, feeling pressure to keep up with Radford’s
Joshua Hoffman/Daily Senior Staffer
Chris Collins looks at the court. Northwestern shot just 33 percent from the field in Tuesday’s loss.
red-hot 3-point shooting, seemed shaken. NU struggled to score points in the paint as post moves by redshirt freshman center Ryan Young and freshman forward Robbie Beran were heavily defended. As a result, players such as freshman guard Boo Buie began to rely on catch-andshoot 3-pointers that failed to fall. Additionally, the Cats’ 10 total turnovers, ranging from errant passes to slapdash dribbling, hindered their attempts to develop scoring attempts down low. “We got kind of quick trigger happy,” Collins said. “Radford’s quickness got us a little bit sped up and we just settled for some really quick long jump shots. Even though those are shots that maybe guys can make, we have to do a better job of running good offense and trying to get the ball into the paint.” Despite only making one 3-pointer in the second half, NU’s offense gradually
improved. The Cats made more efficient passes that led to open shots and allowed Radford to score more than double their first half points in the final 20 minutes. However, the Highlanders’ offense never slowed down and eventually stunted NU’s late 11-0 run. Collins, calling NU’s offensive inefficiency “a growing pain,’’ said the team’s performance against against Radford will be a great learning experience because many of the Cats’ players, such as Spencer and Buie, are new to the offense. Sophomore forward Pete Nance, who scored 16 points in the loss, said the team will eventually solve their offensive issues. “Every day we’re working on it,” Nance said. “We’re just trying to come to each game with a clear mindset. You know they’re going to start falling eventually.” drewschott2023@u.northwestern.edu