STLCC Archers Return To BUSCH STADIUM for annual game
Archers Baseball falls short, but still get to play on the field of dreams
Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR
In what has become a yearly tradition, Archers Baseball returned to Busch Stadium to play a game on Sunday, Sept. 22.
This year’s game took place following the St. Louis Cardinals winning effort against the Cleveland Guardians.
The Archers fell short against East Central College, with the final score being 5-9 at the end of an eight inning game. Time expired before the game could reach a ninth inning.
The game was considered a scrimmage game by the National Junior College Athletic Association, therefore no official score will be recorded by the NJCAA.
Nick Bonczkowski came in clutch many times throughout the game, including hitting a home run that gave the Archers a total of two runs in one swoop. Drew Schultee also scored a notable run during the game. Archer’s Baseball will return to Busch next fall. More pictures from this event can be found on page 12 of this issue.
Photos by: Lucas Segall, Emily Weber and Jacob Politte
American Dining Creations Allows Students to Order Through App
Students at STLCC can now use Chowit to place food orders
Ryan Winzen news editor
When dining at the Meramec cafeteria, students can now order and pay for food and beverages at a cash register, through a self-serve kiosk, or by using the Chowit app.
Chowit is a mobile app created by American Food and Vending Corp that is used to place orders in markets owned by American Food and Vending or American Dining Creations.
The college has partnered with American Dining Creations as its new food provider since the end of the pandemic.
Students can download Chowit on their phone or through a computer. In order to use the app, users will have to create an account and use the Meramec access code, which can conveniently be found on posters and signs in the cafeteria.
The app allows students to order and pay for food, so they can pick it up when they are available. Students can enter credit card information or add money to their balance in order to pay for cafeteria items.
According to the apps own description on the
Apple App Store, Chowit can: offer discounts and offers, gifts users with free items, allows customers to oversee their balance, makes it convenient to make mobile payments, reload funds in an easy and guarded place, and will notify the buyer when their pre-order item is ready for pickup.
General Manager of all campus Cafeterias, Luke Marian, mentioned when Meramec began using Chowit.
“Chowit started on May 10, right after students left for the summer. We were able to test it throughout the summer,” said Marian.
Marian gave a positive opinion of Chowit.
“The app has been working well. Every once in a while there’s an issue, but that’s mainly because someone is using it for the first time,” said Marian.
At the South County campus, Chowit is the only way to purchase food and drink items from the cafeteria.
The Meramec Cafeteria is open 8 a.m-6 p.m Monday through Thursday and 8 a.m-2 p.m. on Fridays.
NEWS BRIEFS
New Nursing Simulation Labs open up at South County
On Tuesday, Sept. 24, STLCC held a ribbon cutting ceremony and open house at its South County campus, highlighting the building’s new eSports arena and practical nursing wing. Almost every college administrator, a Board Of Trustees member and many others from across the campuses were on hand for the festivities.
The additions mark an important milestone in the College’s ongoing efforts to transform its facilities across the region and expand its offerings to better serve students and the community.
More information regarding the eSports program can be found on page 11 of this issue.
Regarding the new simulation labs, which South County Campus Dean and Director Rob Lee called “tremendous,” the college said in a press release:
“The fall 2024 semester also introduced a practical nursing (LPN) certificate program at STLCC- South County. The program moved into a remodeled wing on the second floor of the building.”
“This project’s construction was supported by STLCC Transformed funds, the College’s initiative to transform its campuses and programming to meet student needs and workforce demands.”
The simulation labs and classroom are designed to offer hands-on learning in real-world conditions, ensuring students are well-prepared for rewarding careers in nursing. This program will play a crucial role in addressing the need for skilled nursing
professionals in the St. Louis region.”
Claim Lost and Found Items at Campus Police Station
Did you lose your cell phone or misplace your Stanley cup? The STLCC police department has many items that have been left behind on campus. They would love to reunite these things with their rightful owners. Please go the campus police station on the west side of campus and let them know what you’re looking for. Proof of ownership is required.
Peterson Lecture Exhibit coming to Meramec this month
This years Petersen Lecture exhibit, the annual art gallery exhibition hosted in the Meramec Art Gallery (Humanities East Room 133) is entitled “Women’s Perspective” will highlight recent work as well as examples that reflect their artistic ideas that have endured over the years. Featured artists include Nancy L. Bridges, Jo Rezny McCredie, Marianne Pepper, Erica Popp, Valerie Snyder, Barbie Steps, Kay Wood and Barbara Zucker.
It formally opens on Wednesday, Oct. 9 from 5:00-6:30 p.m. The annual Lecture: 7:00-9:00 p.m. in Lecture Hall Room 103.
Fall Instrumental Concert to be held Oct. 13
Music at Meramec is set to commence with their 2024-2025 concert schedule beginning with their fall instrumental concert. The concert will be held in the Meramec Theatre on Sunday, Oct. 13 at 3:00 p.m. Admission to the event is free for all students and faculty.
PHOTO BY RYAN WINZEN Meramec Chef Manager Jason Goza operates the kiosk in the cafeteria.
PHOTOS BY JACOB POLITTE
New nursing simulation rooms at the South County Campus feature life-size mannequins that can be remotely controlled from a separate room by instructors. The classrooms are the first of its kind for any of the college’s campuses.
Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser
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2024 ELECTION GUIDE
A helpful guide to making informed choices this November
JACOB POLITTE MANAGING Editor
Twww.MeramecMontage.com
RYAN WINZEN News Editor
JACK JURSNICH OPINIONS Editor
he 2024 elections are fast approaching, and there are many different seats, both locally and nationally that are up for grabs this year. Perhaps most importantly, this is a Presidential election season, but many other seats are up for grabs that could shake the foundations of the country and the local community.
For the sake of clarity, only Republican and Democratic candidates will be extensively profiled, but other candidates in the race will also be listed, with the exception of the Presidential Race section. In addition, information regarding some of the ballot measures that will appear on the ballot are listed below.
The November issue actually heads to press on election day and will be released two days afterward, so to get ahead of the curb, we are publishing our guide one issue earlier than normal. We hope that it helps potential voters to make informed decisions. An extended Election Guide that features additional and expanded sections, as well as analysis, can be found at meramecmontage.com.
As a reminder, due to the ongoing “STLCC Transformed” projects and the resulting lack of space from them, the Meramec campus is not a polling place in this election. There are two polling places within the immediate Meramec vicinity, though. Robinson Elementary on Couch Avenue is one. In addition, the Geyer Road Baptist Church slightly up the road from campus (located at the corner of Geyer and Woodbine) will also serve as a polling location.
Missouri 2024 Ballot Measures
For the upcoming 2024 election, Missouri residents will have six ballot measures they can vote for or against. Ballot measures are proposed laws and issues that, if voted in, will change a current law or create a new one.
Amendment 2: Legalize and regulate sports wagering in Missouri
This amendment would allow licensed gambling entities to offer sports betting through online platforms and in-person gambling locations to individuals 21 years of age and over. As of October 2024, only 38 states and the District of Columbia have legalized sports betting. If passed, there will be a 10% wagering tax on all revenue produced that will go towards education funding and the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund, which aims to help individuals overcome compulsive gambling.
Amendment 3: Amend the Missouri Constitution to provide the right for reproductive freedom
After the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey in the Dobbs v. Jackson Women’s Health Organization decision in June of 2022, abortion is banned in the state of Missouri, unless of a serious health risk to the mother. If this amendment passes, it will allow women to make and carry out any decisions regarding reproductive health, which includes abortion, childbirth, and postpartum care.
Notably, the Amendment endured challenges by the Republican branch of the Missouri State Legislature, with the ballot even being removed at one point by Judge Chris Limbaugh; the Missouri State Supreme Court reversed this decision on Sept. 10.
Amendment 5: Allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue one additional gambling boat license to operate on the portion of the Osage River from the Missouri River to the Bagnell Dam
Provided that this amendment receives enough support, an additional gambling boat will be allowed to operate in the Lake of the Ozarks region. As of 2024, there are 13 gambling boats in the state of Missouri, the maximum number allowed with the current law, according to CasinoCity.
Amendment 6: Define the administration of justice to include the levying of costs and fees to support the salaries and benefits for law enforcement personnel
This proposed amendment will have the administration of justice levying fees in order to support the salaries and benefits of both former and current sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys, as well as provide a hefty retirement fund for sheriffs approaching the end of their careers.
Amendment 7: Establishes that only citizens who are Missouri residents can vote and prohibits rankedchoice voting
This amendment will only allow US citizens, 18 years of age and older, to vote in the state of Missouri, and each voter will have one vote for issue or open seat. Amendment 7 also states that it will prohibit ranked-choice voting in the state of Missouri and requires plurality primary elections, where one winner from each political party will advance to the general election. This will get rid of approval voting, which is used in St Louis elections, where a voter can vote for multiple candidates of a political party.
Proposition A: Establish a $13.75 per hour minimum wage by 2025, which would be increased by $1.25 per hour each year until 2026, when the minimum wage is $15 per hour, and also requiring employers to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked
The current minimum wage in Missouri is $12.30 per hour. This does not apply to public employees, and tipped employees receive $6.15 per hour, but employers are required to make up lost tips, so the employee is making at least $12.30. This proposition will require a $13.75 per hour minimum wage by 2025 and then add $1.25 per hour by 2026. Currently, California, Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, New Jersey, New York, Washington, and the District of Columbia have at or over a $15.00 per hour minimum wage, according to GovDocs.
United States Presidential Race:
It wasn’t supposed to be like this. In a rare political rematch, the 2020 Presidential Race was originally scheduled to get a sort of redo, this time with the roles of challenger and incumbent flipped. Former President and now convicted felon Donald Trump, seeking a return to the Oval Office, was looking to win the election and oust the man who beat him at the ballot four years ago, Joe Biden.
All of that began to change, rather dramatically, one fateful Thursday night in June.
Both candidates had agreed to bypass the traditional Presidential Debates, and begin the process earlier, participating in debates hosted by various television networks. At the June 27th CNN Debate held in Atlanta, Joe Biden performed extremely poorly. He looked lost and disheveled at many points, to the point that many declared Trump the winner despite having lied over 20 times. The poor debate performance sent the Democratic Party, and the race itself, into a tailspin, with many Democrats calling publicly for Biden to drop out. For weeks, Biden refused, even as more and more of his public appearances began to further concern the electorate and he himself contracted COVID-19 for a third time in mid-July.
Three days after Trump accepted the nomination at the Republican National Convention in Milwaukee, Biden announced in a letter to the American people that he was dropping out of the race, endorsing his Vice President Kamala Harris to take his place on the ticket and leaving her to select Minnesota Governor Tim Walz as her running mate. The move instantly energized Democrats, and some potential young voters, while completely changing the dynamics of the race.
As the months have worn on, Harris appears to mostly have retained that momentum in spite of some challenges. Trump, however, remains in the rather tight race, despite some massive public stumbles of his own, including a highly confrontational forum at the National Association of Black Journalists convention in Chicago in July and what many consider to be a largely disastrous debate performance against Harris in September.
Donald Trump and Ohio Senator JD Vance (Republican)
Donald Trump won the Presidency in 2016, and proved to be one of the most consequential Presidents of the last century over the course of his four-year term. It can be argued that many factors led to his failed reelection bid in 2020, including his poor responses to Civil Rights matters and the COVID-19 pandemic, but he still had quite the impact on the governmental system and society at large.
He named three new Supreme Court Justices, two of which faced intense backlash but helped flip the court to a decidedly conservative majority; this led to controversial and landmark decisions that overturned national access to abortion in Dobbs vs Jackson County Women’s Health, and the federal government’s ability to regulate almost anything by overruling the Chevron doctrine in Loper Bright Enterprises v. Raimondo, among other decisions. If he wins, Trump will likely get to name even more conservative judges to the court, further sending it into conservative territory for generations to come.
In this election cycle, Trump has hinted and outright announced several bold goals and intentions. He does not support increased restrictions on gun control, does not support mandatory buyback of assault weapons, does not support gender transition treatments under age of 18, does not support raising minimum wage and does not support federal action to prevent climate change. He also does not support funding sanctuary cities, does not support any affirmative action policies, does not support Critical Race Theory in K-12, nor racial and LGBT sensitivity training for federal employees and does not support government insider stock trading. In spite of the latter, he does support samesex marriage. He does support term limits for members of Congress.
One big misstep that some say Trump made was his selection of Ohio Senator JD Vance as his new running mate. Vance has largely failed to inspire enthusiasm on the campaign trail and has had combative interactions with members of the mainstream media at times. The subject of the autobiography and Netflix film “Hillbilly Elegy,” he already had a somewhat significant public profile before he won election to the United States Senate in 2022.
The duo recently made headlines in September for publicly circulating claims that Haitian immigrants were eating people’s pets in the town of Springfield, Ohio; the topic even came up during Trump’s televised ABC News debate against Harris. Despite numerous fact checkers claiming this to be false, the two have continued to stand by those claims to the chagrin of many.
Trump has made numerous false claims during his time in politics, and that hasn’t changed during his most recent tenure on the campaign trail. In recent weeks, he’s reiterated his claimed belief that schools are performing transgender operations on students, that Kamala Harris “turned black” and that he didn’t lose the 2020 election, despite previously admitting that he did. During the ABC News Presidential Debate, he also reiterated his support for insurrectionists that participated in the January 6, 2021 United States Capitol Riot.
Trump is running on several different policies, which include policies previously enacted during his 2017-2021 tenure and some newer ideas. For example: he once again seeks to give tax cuts to corporations, but strongly opposes taxing on tips and overtime pay for those in the workforce. Economically, he claims to support an increase in sales tax to lower property taxes, while he also supports the use of nuclear energy without government subsidies
Trump also is largely pro-life, with exceptions of in cases of rape, incest, and life of the mother; his running mate Vance, however, supports a nationwide abortion ban as recently as 2022. Vance now claims that Trump wants the issue to be decided as it now is after the the Supreme Court’s 2022 ruling: by each individual state.
Trump continues to run on the concept of curbing illegal immigration and deporting all illegal immigrants, and also strengthening border security. He’s still repeating claims that immigrants are coming into the country to take jobs away from “hard-working Americans.” Notably, he is claimed to be responsible by members of Congress on both sides of the aisle for helping to kill the most bipartisan immigration bill in some time earlier this year; Democrats claim that he did this so that he can run on the issue during the election.
Trump also denies ties to Project 2025, a controversial conservative agenda proposed and released by the Heritage Foundation. Despite Trump’s denials, some of those involved with the agenda have claimed that Trump will institute the agenda if elected.
In the immediate aftermath of Biden’s decision to step down, Kamala Harris has benefited from a massive amount of renewed energy amongst the Democratic Party. The party, by all visible glances, appears to be more in lockstep than ever before, and the Vice President has proven herself to be quite different from the last woman to get the nomination, Hillary Clinton, despite coming from the same institution: the world of the law.
A graduate of Howard University, Harris formally began her career in politics with her election to the post of the San Francisco District Attorney in 2002, and served in that role until her election to Attorney General of California, a role she served in from 2011 until her election to the United States Senate in 2016. During her time as a District Attorney, Harris helped to form a Hate Crimes Unit that had a focus on helping young LGBTQ+ victims, and also helped to create an Environmental Crimes Unit.
In 2004, she created the San Francisco Reentry Division, and notably, through the end of her tenure as San Francisco DA, the 200 people that graduated from the program had a recidivism rate of less than 10%. During her time as Attorney General, Harris secured the successful prosecutions of many involved with transnational criminal organizations, and helped to clear the state’s DNA backlog in 2012 by helping the California Department of Justice improve its testing capabilities.
During her time as a Senator, she served on various Committees, including the Select Committee on Intelligence, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Senate Committee on Budget, the Committee on the Judiciary and the Committee on Environment and Public Works. In her role on the Judiciary Committee, she rigorously questioned several Trump allies, including former Attorney Generals Jeff Sessions and Bill Barr for their alleged conduct during the Trump administration; she has since used video of these interactions to promote her campaign.
Having served in her current role of Vice President since January 2021, Harris has overseen more tie-breaking votes than any of her predecessors due to the razor-thin majority that the Democrats held in the Senate chamber. According to Ballotpedia, she has cast 33 tie-breaking votes, 4 more than John Adams did during George Washington’s tenure.
The addition of Minnesota Governor Tim Walz to the ticket in early August proved to be yet another boost of enthusiasm. Walz is a former public high school teacher and football coach, and has been involved with politics on both the national and state level since 2006. He seems to be almost universally beloved to most Democrats, with his “weird” observation noticeably striking a chord in the political landscape ahead of the Democratic National Convention.`
Harris’s agenda and personal politics have shifted over the years. For example, she was once opposed to fracking, she no longer is against it as of 2020. She looks to cut taxes for middle class families and make rent and home ownership more affordable than it currently is. One issue she remains steadfast on is a woman’s right to choose, with one of her main goals, if elected, being to codify abortion rights in Congress, therefore sidestepping the Supreme Court’s ruling and formally restoring abortion rights nationally. To do this, however, Democrats must win back control of the House of Representatives and keep control of the Senate.
Harris and Walz, both gun owners, support stronger gun control measures. Her campaign website reads, “As President, she won’t stop fighting so that Americans have the freedom to live safe from gun violence in our schools, communities, and places of worship. She’ll ban assault weapons and highcapacity magazines, require universal background checks, and support red flag laws that keep guns out of the hands of dangerous people. She will also continue to invest in funding law enforcement, including the hiring and training of officers and people to support them, and will build upon proven gun violence prevention programs that have helped reduce violent crime throughout the country.”
There is pressure being placed on Harris and Walz by groups of activists to call for a ceasefire between Israel and Hamas, with the aim being to stop the carnage in Gaza. During her convention speech, she confirmed that she aimed to maintain relations with Israel while calling for accountability.
Vice President Kamala Harris and Minnesota Governor Tim Walz (Democrat)
Oct. 3. 2024
US House of Representatives District 1 Race:
“District 1” encompasses all of the city of St. Louis as well as most of north St. Louis County, including the cities of Maryland Heights, University City, Ferguson and Florissant. It is without question, the most Democratic congressional district in the state.
Andrew Jones (Republican)
Jones, who previously lost to Cori Bush in the 2022 elections, is the current Executive Vice President of Business Development and Marketing at Southwest Electric, and much like Busch Valentine is new to politics. He was born in Cairo, Illinois, and raised in East St. Louis. He also holds a variety of college degrees, including Bachelor of Science in Economics and a minor in Business Administration from Lincoln University in Jefferson City, as well as an MA in International Business from Webster University and an MBA from Washington University’s Olin School of Business.
Jones’ campaign website outlines his stances on multiple issues. He believes in transparency in education and that parents should be able to partner with educators and administrators on the books that are in school libraries. He believes that government spending is “out of control” and believes that his business experience will be an advantage in helping to set “sound fiscal policies” that guide the federal government’s spending.
He also is pro-life, and “will push to close the border and invest in our first responders.”
Wesley Bell (Democrat)
Bell, the current Prosecuting Attorney for St. Louis County, defeated incumbent Representative Cori Bush in a hotly contested primary election in August. Bell’s campaign came under scurnity by Bush and her supporters for having the financial backing of AIPAC, a pro-Israel lobbying organization. The campaign, according to the Huffington Post, also took campaign contributions from Republican Donors during the primary season.
Bell also supports Israel. His campaign website reads, “I believe Israel has the right to defend itself and go after those who perpetrated those attacks. In Congress, I’ll fight to make sure the United States remains Israel’s strongest ally.”
According to his campaign website, Bell supports common sense gun safety laws. “It is critical that we pass these laws in order to improve public safety,” the website reads.
He is also pro-choice, and he was was one of the first county prosecutors in the country to sign a letter vowing not to prosecute those who seek or perform abortions after the Dobbs decision in 2022.
US House of Representatives District 2 Race:
“District 2” encompasses the remainder of St. Louis County, including Affton, Maplewood, and Kirkwood. It has been represented in Congress by Rep. Ann Wagner since January 2013.
Ann Wagner (Incumbent, Republican)
Rep. Wagner succeeded Rep. Todd Akin, who vacated his post in an infamous and ill-fated run against then-Senator Clarie McCaskill in 2012. Born and raised in St. Louis, she graduated High School from Cor Jesu Academy in Affton, and from college at Mizzou with a bachelor’s degree in Business Administration.
Six years after graduating, she began her political journey, even serving as the Missouri State Director for then-President George H. W. Bush’s ultimately unsuccessful reelection campaign in 1992. In 1999, she began working in the Missouri GOP, becoming the chair of the organization. Beginning in 2001, she simultaneously held this position as well as becoming a co-chair of the Republican National Convention. In 2005, she was named the United States Ambassador to Luxembourg, a post she held until mid-2009. She decided to run for Akin’s vacant seat, and won the election.
During her time holding national office, she “has been committed to regulatory reform, authoring bills such as the Retail Investor Protection Act which protects access to retirement savings for middle class families” according to her website. She also staunchly supports and authors legislation that combats sex-trafficking and online exploitation on the federal level, such as the SAVE Act (2021) and the Put Trafficking Victims First Act and the Allow States and Victims to Fight Online Sex Trafficking Act (2018).
Wagner is pro-life, even saying on the day that Roe v Wade was struck down that it was “a historic moment for families, for mothers and for the precious unborn children who cannot protect themselves.”
US Senate Race:
Ray Hartmann (Democrat)
Hartmann, the founder of the Riverfront Times, defeated Chuck Summers in the August primary elections to challenge Wagner. Hartmann, who graduated from Parkway Central, and later from UMSL, has had an extensive career in journalism. He earned a bachelor’s degree in journalism in 1974, and his career experience in the field covers most of the mediums in the industry: he was a TV panelist for The Nine Network, a radio host for The Big 550 KTRS and he was the CEO/ Owner of St. Louis Magazine. Outside of journalism, he served as president at Ray Hartmann & Associates and was a board member at the Starkloff Disability Institute.
On his campaign website, he says that he’s an advocate for common sense gun control and that “Despite countless mass shootings, Republican lawmakers continue to prioritize gun rights over the safety of the American people.” He also says that he is pro-choice, and that he’ll fight for a woman’s right to make decisions about her own body.
On the topic of education, he says that he “will fight for increased public school funding, better teacher pay, and free school meals for all children so no child goes hungry in the classroom.” He also pledges to “work to lower the cost of college and increase career and technical education opportunities, ensuring every student can access quality training without the burden of crushing debt.”
After failing to knock off Trudy Busch-Valentine in the August 2022 Primary Elections, Lucas Kunce is back in the spotlight and this time, he’s going up against the Republican Incumbent, former Missouri Attorney General Josh Hawley. The two, who both share a background in the legal world, also clearly share a dislike for each other, with a tense confrontation caught on camera earlier this year between the two at the Missouri State Fair quickly going viral.
Josh Hawley (Incumbent, Republican)
A former Attorney General of Missouri, Hawley, like his successor Eric Schmitt, used notoriety earned during his tenure and parlayed it into a successful Senate run, ousting incumbent Democrat Claire McCaskill.
Hawley has found himself embroiled in national controversy on more than one occasion, with his actions immediately before and after the January 6, 2021 Capitol attack being heavily criticized by the national media, as well as current and former colleagues. He also has been critized in the past by some for representing a state he allegedly does not actively live in; he owns a home in Virginia and used his sisters Missouri address to vote in the 2020 elections.
In the Senate, Hawley currently serves on the Committee on the Judiciary, the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs, the Committee on Energy and Natural Resources and the Committee on Small Business and Entrepreneurship. He is pro-life and he publicly supported the overturning of Roe v. Wade. Notably, his wife even worked on the legal team that helped strike it down with the Dobbs decision.
Similarly to Trump, he supports the deportation of illegal immigrants and building a wall along the border, supports increasing tariffs on imported products, and he also supports term limits on members of Congress. He also supports a ban on the popular app TikTok, and does not support funding the war in Ukraine.
Lucas Kunce (Democrat)
On his campaign website, Kunce, a military veteran who served in Iraq in the years after the Sept. 11th, 2001 attacks, claims that he grew up in a workingclass neighborhood in Jefferson City. “Like so many Americans, my parents lived paycheck-to-paycheck — so when my little sister was born with a heart condition, the medical bills bankrupted us. Maxed-out credit cards and no money left, we struggled to get by.”
Affordable Healthcare, and a woman’s right to choose, is a big issue that Kunce is running on, but they’re not the only issues. Kunce supports more restrictions on gun control, supports raising taxes on the wealthy and raising the federal minimum wage, government methods to prevent climate change and racial/LGBT sensitivity training as requirement for government employees. He also supports adding more seats to Supreme Court, federal funding of “sanctuary cities” and a federally mandatory buyback of assault weapons.
While campaigning on border security, he is on record as saying he does not support a border wall.
Notably, Kunce is running an intense advertising campaign against Hawley that targets his character and actions in Congress, and has managed to line up one particularly large celebrity endorsement. Local legend and famous actor John Goodman has recorded a voice-over for a Kunce campaign ad.
ART & LIFE 6
FASHION SPOTLIGHT: 2024 INS AND OUTS
DON SINGLETON STAFF
Fashion trends are subjective. Nobody can tell you what to wear, but if you’re feeling a bit out of the loop and need a closet refresher, today is your lucky day. This year, we saw a resurgence of wide-leg jeans, attention to proportions, and pops of red. Conversely, we saw the fall of high-water jeans, uncomfortable pieces, and mini bags.
A good outfit flatters the body, and proportions allow you to evaluate the shape of your body and accentuate the parts you love. A wide-leg high rise jeans will elongate your legs, whereas a lower-rise jean will elongate your torso. It’s best to measure your proportions and style your clothes based on the areas where length is more prominent or lacking.
Cropped jeans are a good example of bad proportions. The style suggests you bought the wrong size jeans, even if the choice was intentional. This style of jeans cuts off the leg at an awkward length, so it isn’t flattering. Instead, opt for a longer, wideleg jean. Longer cuts extend the appearance of the legs and are easy to pair with any shoe. In the fall of last year, we saw pops of red have their moment.
Since red is such a classic, it’s sticking around for the fall of this year. Instead of a bright red, try a darker maroon for the fall and
winter months. Next out is the mini bag. These bags have been a classic for the last couple of years, but the truth is, these bags never held anything outside of a lip combo, wallet, keys, and maybe your phone if you’re lucky. They were never sufficient, and because of that, they are on their way out. Finally, the number one rule is comfort. Uncomfortable fashion is not and will never be in style. Get rid of the itchy steel wool sweater and stop holding onto those jeans that are two sizes too small. If you don’t feel good you won’t look good.
PHOTOS
THIS YEAR, FASHION TRENDS SAW A RESURGANCE OF WIDE-LEG JEANS.
THE MINI BAG IS OUT FOR THIS YEAR.
GET RID OF THE ITCHY STEEL WOOL SWEATER.
ART & LIFE
Oct. 3. 2024
Meet Dr. Grant Unnerstall: Meramec’s New Music Professor
Unnerstall says community is at the core of his teaching philosophy
nina gomez Staff
“She’s already buzzing her lips like a brass player,” said Dr. Grant Unnerstall, while he laughs about his about 20 month old daughter. Unnerstall is the new full time-professor in the music department at STLCC-Meramec. He directs and conducts the Meramec Symphonic Band that meets every Thursday night and teaches three music courses.
Additionally to having a full-time schedule at Meramec and a baby at home, Unnerstall is a part-time pep band director for St.Louis University and is the second vocalist and bass player for his blues rock band titled, “Tower Groove.” The band consists of his friends and family dating back to high school. “We were playing venues that we definitely were not old enough to be playing, but had a really good time,” he said.
Music seems to overpower his fears. “It’s definitely something I think would scare a lot of people like, ‘What do you mean I have to teach 60 year olds and 18 year olds?’ But I think it’s fun, because when done correctly, the heart of education is that age shouldn’t decide when you stop learning,” Unnerstall said.
The Meramec Symphonic band is made up of over 40 members, and the SLU pep band around 90. Both have a variety of ages, as SLU’s pep band consists of students and past alumni and Meramec’s Symphonic band consists of students, alumni and community members. Unnerstall said it “100%” cultivates an authentic community.
“They value each other because the trombones know if we don’t have a flute section, even if they disagree on every topic on the planet, that I need those flutes; it just perpetuates community,” Unnerstall said. He said this is important during “dividing times” like today, where it is easy to fight, and he doubts society appreciates the skill of community and finding common ground. “We could get people
fighting real easy, and yet I can put a piece of sheet music in front of you and make all of you agree on something for the next two hours,” he said.
The need for each other creates real community, Unnerstall said, and that is what he loves about STLCC, in his short time being here.
“It’s very clear that we are St. Louis Community College, and I think that’s a beautiful thing to embrace, because that word community, has more value than people tend to give it and I think this place is doing a great job in promoting that idea,” he said.
“Through the Meramec Symphonic Band, you’ve got community members and current students just starting their careers, and we give them a chance to cross in that ensemble.”
This sense and attention to community seems to have followed him throughout his career and life. Growing up in Columbia, Illinois, where he played trombone since fifth grade and played in his Columbia High School band, it taught him his love of music. He completed his undergrad at Illinois State University, received his masters in musicology at the University of Miami in Florida, and three years ago he received his doctorate in the music education program at the University of Missouri Kansas City.
“At first it was just that love of playing music, but as I went through my undergraduate degree and certainly into my masters and doctorate, it really did become, looking back, the things I loved the most were those marching band trips, the people I met along the way, and just the natural community that is created in a healthy ensemble,” said Unnerstall.
During his two years in Miami for his masters, Unnerstall spent most of his Saturday nights at South Beach, but not for the reason one thinks of at Miami South Beach. He was “absorbing” the New World Symphony perform live on a 30ft tall screen, with “state of the art” speakers, for free. A symphony composed of students from the Miami institution who are mostly in “the process of taking big auditions at major orchestras.
“That left a huge impression on me; it was another community building moment for me. This is what it’s meant to be like,” he said.
With difficulties of change of environment, language, transportation, socially, Unnerstall said he grew a lot from Miami. “It taught me that culture and community can be found anywhere,” he said.
After completing his doctorate at UMKC, Unnerstall and his wife moved back to St. Louis because of her job, where he became a band director and a brass specialist in the Rockwood school district for two years.
Although he said he was grateful for his experiences, going from teaching college students during his Ph.D. and his aspirations for that, to teaching middle school students felt like a little bit of a stepback; however he said he was glad to still be in his field. “If you’re not hitting moments of adversity, you’re probably on a path that’s a little too easy for you,” said Unnerstall.
SUBMITTED PHOTO
memories of his past communities.
Unnerstall’s ongoing career search for community has now landed him at STLCC-Meramec. After graduating with his Ph.D., Meramec agreed to give him a chance to conduct a piece, and he played here the first semester before he got here. The Meramec Symphonic band has had a proud history of always having community members combined with students, he said. After seeing the job posted, he submitted his application.
“It was an exciting process; they brought four candidates to campus and we all got interviewed constantly throughout the day, and I wasn’t quite sure if I’d get it or not. When I did I gave it my best shot and sure enough I’m here”
His first day was Aug. 12, a start of “only 2 months or so,” he said as he looked over to a white blank wall with a couple memoirs from teaching middle school, college and his “bass stuff,” -
“I was teaching melody and harmony the other day in my music appreciation class, and somebody just said ‘yeah okay, so it’s like mario and luigi,’ and you know what, if that’s the way it connects with them– beautiful,” he said while smiling. Unnerstall’s focus in his classroom, he believes, should be about enjoying wonder and how other people hear things vs. a class of strict definitions only. He teaches both music appreciation and music fundamentals courses, both not requiring prior music knowledge.
“I’m excited to share my taste in music, a chance to just share who I am, what they can plan to get a taste of during my time here,” he said in regards to the upcoming Meramec Symphonic band concert. The band is composed of all wind instruments and performing Sunday Oct. 13 at 3 p.m., in our Meramec theater, free of charge.
The word community is something Unnerstall said is the first sentence of his philosophy of teaching and education.
“I think if a community isn’t naturally growing out of your ensemble, then you’re not putting enough focus on the group, or the individuals. You start to trust each other and you want to work harder for the person next to you. And that’s just how a community gets better, right?” he said. “I feel like the ensemble is just such a beautiful way to teach that to people. I hope to perpetuate that throughout my career.”
At STLCC he continues that mission, he said. “I think that’s the most important thing we [educators] can teach them. Music is great, but I think the skill that we leave students with is most important, no matter whether you’re teaching community college, the St.Louis Symphony or sixth grade string ensemble class,” said Unnerstall. “The most important part you’re teaching is to be a part of something bigger than yourself.”
GRAPHIC BY BEATRICE JOHNSON
ART & LIFE 8
A look back at The Montage’s 2000 Election Coverage FROM THE ARCHIVES
As of early October 2024, former President Donald Trump and current Vice President Kamala Harris have had their first presidential debate.
While that debate was divisive to say the least, it brought to mind how presidential debates used to be.
Back in the year 2000, The Montage reported on the final presidential debate of that election cycle, between Vice President Al Gore and Texas Governor George W. Bush, held at Washington University in St. Louis.
The coverage, in the Oct. 26, 2000 issue, started on the front page with both nominees shaking hands, both with themselves and with the moderator, and taking a moment of silence for the recent passing of the Missouri Governor, Mel Carnahan.
The article then continued to the third page starting with reasons why people watch presidential debates.
“Many rely on debates to form their own opinion of the candidates. Yet, there are others that enjoy the ‘circus’ that a political debate sometimes creates,” Editor-In-Chief Anne Bauer said in the article. She then quoted the film and video producer of the debate.
“It is a circus, and I wanted to see this spectacle that our political system has become. It is not
BRENDAN SMITH STAFF WRITER
about democracy anymore,’ film and video producer Chris Gegax said at the presidential debate” Bauer reported.
The rest of the article is mostly spent recapping some of the questions asked during the debate, with the first question brought up after opening statements being something both nominees agreed to.
“Voter James Hankins asked the candidates opinions of HMOs [Health Maintenance Organizations] and insurance companies making decisions for patients instead of doctors,” Bauer recounted. “Gore and Bush agreed that a patients Bill of Rights would be the best solution.”
While these are small gestures in the grand scheme of the election cycle, it goes to show that the nominees respected both each other, and the people voting for them, enough to “concede points” to each other.
When compared to the most recent presidential debates in recent years, it is an interesting time capsule of sorts that captures a moment of diplomacy that may not have been fully appreciated at that time.
The Music Program at Meramec offers courses and ensembles for all students. Classes are available for general education credit and the Associate in Arts degree with a concentration in Music to prepare for transfer into a Bachelor of Music program.
MUS 101,102,201,202 Music Theory I,II,III,IV
MUS 103 Music Fundamentals
MUS 113 History of Jazz Music
MUS 114 Music Appreciation
MUS 115 Class Voice I
MUS 121,122,221,222 Class Piano I,II,III,IV
MUS 128 History of Rock and Roll
MUS 130 Beginning Guitar
MUS 138,139,216 Jazz Combos I,II,III
MUS 141,142,241,242 Applied Music (Lessons) I,II,III,IV
MUS 150 Fundamentals of Music Technology
MUS 152 Audio Engineering
MUS 154 Music Recording
MUS 211 212 Music History I II
Interested in performing in an ensemble? All Meramec students may participate. No audition is required!
For more information, contact Music at Meramec Dr. Jerry Myers, Program Coordinator, gmyers34@stlcc.edu, (314) 984-7638
What is Project 2025?
What should it mean to the average voter?
JACK JURSNICH OPINIONS EDITOR
For the extent that the 2024 presidential race has been unfolding, a 900-page ‘secret plan’ to transition the government into a conservative leadership has been circling in media bubbles, and causing concern and confusion for many American voters. The document is titled Project 2025 and it details many of the policies and goals proposed for the next conservative presidency, such as rebuilding the nuclear family, tightening our borders, and cutting down on all DEI and “woke” policies. Recently, at the Democratic National Convention, a comically-sized copy of Project 2025 was propped around by some of the speakers, where even SNL’s Kenan Thompson made an appearance with the book and made a joke,”Have you ever seen a document that could kill a small animal and democracy at the same time?”
Comparisons between the policies of the Trump campaign and of Project 2025 have been made, with many Democrat leaders and media figures relating things like Trump’s stances on abortion and the Department of Education (DOE) to that of Project 2025. The claim here is that Project 2025 plans to abolish abortion methods and the DOE, and because the project was constructed under those who have backed Trump or worked for his administration, then the project’s policies reflect that of Trump. However,
Vote to Kill
he has since fired back against these claims, and has denied any affiliation or knowledge of Project 2025. Regardless of whether President Trump’s words are truthful, Democrat claims have been held on some very shaky ground, especially since Trump’s position on abortion and the DOE is not to “abolish” them federally but to “leave it up to the states.”
Another mistake coming from outlets like CNN and MSNBC is VP candidate JD Vance’s association with Kevin Roberts, the President of the Heritage Foundation, the organization solely behind Project 2025. Vance has, of course, pushed back against affiliation with Project 2025, and has made very clear that the policies of the project do align in some places, but are not at all the policies of the Trump campaign. The association being claimed here is that since Vance has been in favor of the Heritage Foundation, and since he has also written a foreword to Kevin Roberts’ new book, all this must suggest that Vance is a secret co-author of Project 2025. Believe whatever feels right, but to give an analogy, if I write articles for the Montage, does that automatically make me a mouthpiece speaking on behalf of the Montage? No, it doesn’t.
President Trump, that since he’s made speeches at the Heritage Foundation, and that people who’ve worked under him are backing the project, then this suggests that he is secretly associated with Project 2025.
Similar words were said about
Why I refuse to vote this election
HIBA OBEED STAFF WRITER
Whilst sitting in the campus cafeteria, I was approached by an older woman encouraging students to register to vote. “Are you registered to vote?” she asked.
I responded, “No.”
“Are you old enough?”
“Yes.”
“Would you like to register?”
“No.”
“Are you sure? This is an important election.”
“I know that.”
I ended the conversation as quickly as possible, but I wanted to say, “What election isn’t? Who do YOU think I should vote for? The woman who will fund the killing of my people, or the man who will do the same?”
My family, one of many, were victims of “The Iraq War.” We decided to leave whatever was left of our homeland, now completely destabilized economically, socially, and politically, to live a better life.
Like many Arab-Americans, I have grown up in the same country that destroyed mine, and I’m left to come to terms with that fact. This election year has been especially testing for every Arab I know. Countless times,
my community has been faced with the repulsive expectation to vote to kill our own families. Now, there is no excuse to feign ignorance.
Since at least 1967, the United States of America has found it fit to fund and aid Israel on its unfathomably inhumane and cruel mission to force Palestinians out of their own homes and land, by any means necessary. The citizens of the U.S. have generally found it fit themselves to ignore this gross mishandling of “foreign affairs” for almost a century, and only since the events of Oct. 7 have they finally chosen to pay a little more attention. Perhaps this late surge of interest in the human rights of those living across the world was due to lack of information, coverage, or awareness. Perhaps those that once voted in favor of former president George W. Bush—who took advantage of the lingering post-September 11th fears to invade and destroy my country—will reconsider the effects of their vote this election. After all, in a clip easily found on Youtube, Bush himself recently stated in a speech criticizing Russia, “[T]he decision of one man to launch a wholly unjustified and brutal invasion of Iraq—I mean of Ukraine [laughs]. . . Iraq too—anyway—” After this, the crowd laughs.
Just like the association pinned onto Vance, I see the same mental gymnastics used here: find someone or something seen as negative that’s allegedly associated with Trump, and paint him as the secret conspirator of
that negative thing. This is just lazy speculative writing by the press.
To paint another analogy: imagine a man working at Trump Tower, and after years of working for Trump, was found to be a serial killer. Does that make Trump a serial killer, all because that worker was hired under him? To think so would be a ridiculous reach. The logic of this blame-byassociation game is laughable.
For as long as this country has existed, and even some time before, there has been a consistent audacity of its people to reign terror on the world, and laugh about it. Because the people laughing are unaffected, the voters of this upcoming election who are shocked at my refusal to vote towards a death sentence are unaffected.
I want to close by sharing my recollection of one final clip on Youtube. Back to 2008, while Bush was giving a speech during a press conference in Baghdad, Iraqi journalist Muntadhar alZaidi stood up and threw his shoes at him whilst shouting in Arabic, “This is a farewell kiss from the Iraqi people, you dog!” I feel a surge of pride every time I rewatch that moment.
In response, Bush said, “So what if the guy threw a shoe at me? . . . I consider it an important step on the road toward an Iraq that can sustain itself, govern itself, and defend itself.”
I hope the irony is not lost on you. The same man who invaded and destroyed my country based on a complete lie, sees an Iraqi journalist’s act of defiance against him as a sign of progress from the very destruction he
caused. He sees himself as the saint pioneering a “stronger” Iraq. Perhaps one day, our presidents will laugh on national television about the atrocities they helped facilitate in Palestine, and maybe they’ll even clap for the resistance fighters they themselves sought to destroy.
I will not vote to kill my people. It is up to American citizens to decide to come to terms with what their votes truly will do, and have been doing to the lives of those in foreign countries.
OPINIONS 10
From Ramen to Riches?
Why Multi-Level Markeing companies are a bad investment for college students
IAN SCHRAUTH STAFF WRITER
Every college student wants to earn some extra money. Either to put gas in their car to get to their next class, to eat something other than Ramen, or to buy their textbooks for the semester. Some college students, such as myself, have taken advantage of the world of Independent Contractor roles. Some students are customer service representatives for companies like Working Solutions and LiveOps, some use their skills and sell art pieces on Etsy, and some are just contractors in a specific field as a temporary role.
However, there is one type of contractor role that every college student should stay away from. That is becoming a “Business Owner” for a Multi-Level Marketing company.
Multi-Level Marketing companies (MLMs) are companies that are riding the fine line between being a legal, ethical company and an illegal pyramid scheme. Pyramid schemes are classified by the FTC on their website as entities that “…are set up to encourage everyone to keep recruiting people to keep a constant stream of new distributors — and their money — flowing into the business.” The same website also gives some tips and explains some ways one can decipher between an MLM and an illegal pyramid scheme.
Wonder why MLMs are a bad investment for college students? A lot of students I spoke to around the Meramec campus thought the exact same thing.
The first reason that I believe MLMs are a bad investment for college students is because of the earning potential of products sold to consumers. Not many students who are not affiliated with the world of MLMs have heard of “Artistry Face Cream” or “Satinique Anti Dandruff Shampoo”. The reason why nobody has heard of these products is because they are sold by the Multi-Level Marketing conglomerate Amway. If a fellow classmate has ever heard of the product, are they willing to buy it? If someone said yes and did buy a .28L Anti-Hairfall Shampoo bottle from their fellow classmate’s online Amway store at the full price of $14.50, their classmate are taking home anywhere from 44 cents to $3.63 in commission!
there were four MLM companies that (so far) closed their MLM doors. Those companies are BeautyCounter, FinMore (Formerly TranzactCard), Seint, and Rodan + Fields. Some of these companies are still in operation, but just removed the MLM side of the business, while the rest closed down completely.
The next reason why I believe MLM companies are a bad investment for college students is because the company can slice away their income at any given time. In 2024 alone,
The last reason why I believe MLMs are a bad investment is because in order to make decent money, you have to recruit other individuals into the company. When you recruit
others into an MLM company, you earn commissions on everything they buy, everything they sell, and even on the products THEIR recruits buy and sell. If you have nobody recruited (Or as they call it, recruited in your “downline”), how can you make a lot of money?
With the price of groceries, rent, and other costs rising up, it’s hard to live off of being a commission-only salesperson for an MLM company, especially if said companies are setting you up to fail.
From Classrooms to Commerce: Rethinking Our Priorities
How Campus Aesthetics “TRANSFORM” Education
BEATRICE
JOHNSON STAFF WRITER
Since the time of the ancient Greeks, humanities have been an essential component of the educational process. When I found out that STLCC had dropped several classes within humanities, I was disappointed, but not surprised.
Several classes throughout the years have been given the chopping block, including Intro to Comparative Politics and Cultural Anthropology, however, the class removal that I find the most recent removal I found the most troubling was the removal of the Argumentation and Debate class.
Understanding the construction of an argument is critical to the ability to comprehend the world around you. Additionally, I find it incredibly troubling how economic factors are obviously being prioritized over the education of our students.
While I couldn’t find any information about dropping the class from our course
schedule, I can’t think of a reason to stop offering the class that does not, in some shape or form, come back to money.
Additionally, while I enjoy the wide
breadth of classes offered by Meramec, I simply refuse to believe another class couldn’t have taken the back burner, so that an essential communication class which is offered by practically every
high school, college, and university in the country, could be taught.
Or even better, if we didn’t have so much construction going on all at once, we’d have some spending money without our classes suffering. All-in-all, ANY educational institution ever choosing to get rid of a class should take a deep, hard look at what they are choosing to do through the lens of a place of learning first and foremost, not a place of business.
Shouldn’t a place of learning prioritize offering basic classes that benefit our students over income?
How can Meramec offer such a wide breadth of classes, yet not offer basic classes in the CORE 42? How can we spend thousands of dollars on an electronic whiteboard (see the second floor of Science West) and pretzel warmers, yet classes like this are a problem?
How can we make these choices when we still have ASBESTOS in parts of many of our buildings? Style over substance seems to be the new Archer way.
SPORTS
eSports Facility Opens At South County Campus
STLCC’s newest sports team gets a dedicated, expensive new space near Arnold
JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR
On Sept. 24, the college held its ribboncutting ceremony for its new eSports facility. The new facility, housed on the ground floor of the college’s South County campus off Meramec Bottom Road near Arnold, took about six months to construct and cost a little over the $850,000 budget it was allotted according to Chancellor Jeff Pittman, who spoke at the ceremony.
“I’m learning about eSports,” the Chancellor said. “So I’m not really sure what all this is about. But I know that it’s really big noise in the United States right now. It draws millions of viewers and users, and it involves a lot of really great career paths in marketing and business in technology.”
After remarks by STLCC Athletics Director Sharon Marquardt, Pittman was presented an STLCC eSport jersey signed by players from the team, which begins officially competing against other two-year colleges this week.
“Maybe I can be your mascot,” Pittman joked as he thanked those involved for the gift.
The 1,900-square-foot eSports space, formerly occupied by the building’s multipurpose room, features strategizing areas and state-of-the-art equipment, including 18 PCs and gaming systems like PlayStation 5 and Nintendo Switch, according to a Press Release sent to The Montage by the college’s Communications Manager Bill Raack.
““We’re so excited to kick off our esports program, and the redeveloped space is absolutely amazing,” said Marquardt in the press release. “We have a new coach, a new team, and now we have a first-class space for them to compete in.”
The college’s eSports coordinator and coach, Robert Cruz, said that he can’t recall seeing anything like what STLCC has constructed for eSports before.
“This is a surreal space,” Cruz said. “This is a space that is going to be unique in it’s own right, both in character and design and the overall atmosphere we bring into it. You won’t find anything like this from the east to the western sea board.”
Those looking to get involved with the eSports program can contact Cruz at rcruz9@stlcc.edu and visit the newly redesigned Archers Athletics website.
PHOTOS BY JACOB POLITTE
TOP RIGHT: A look at STLCC’s new eSports facility during the Open House event on Sept. 24, 2024 BOTTOM (FROM LEFT TO RIGHT): Chancellor Pittman holds a signed jersey; Athletic Director Sharon Marquardt speaks at the ribbon cutting ceremony.
Archers at Busch Stadium (Cont.
from p. 1)
FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: The Archers wait their turn in the dugout; Jackson Podmore gloves up at bat; Nick Bonczkowski runs towards his teammates after scoring a home run.
BELOW: A look at the big screen at Busch Stadium; the last inning of the game; more Archers at bat.
