Opinions: Tax reform bill faulty from the start.
Edge: Winter movie previews.
Sports: Women's basketball continues to fight.
Monday, December 4, 2017 - Vol. 118 Issue 41
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
By Tabi Jozwick courier staff
To commemorate World AIDS Day, the Beu Health Center’s Alcohol and Other Drugs Resource Center organized Western Illinois University’s World AIDS Day event at the Multicultural Center on Friday. According to Peace Corps Fellow graduate assistant Kari Rogers, World AIDS Day is an international event that is held annually on Dec. 1. “It was started by the United Nations to bring more awareness to the disease, commemorating people who have
been lost to the disease,” Rogers said. Today, people are more knowledgeable about HIV and AIDS than they were previously, however, there is still more work that is needed to bring more awareness to HIV and AIDS to the people. According to the United Nations, more than 36 million people are living with HIV. More than one million people died from AIDS-related deaths in 2016. “When HIV and AIDS were first discovered, there was not a lot that was known about them,” Rogers said. “It was totally new to people, so it
was unsure exactly how it was spread at first. There was a lot of false information being spread around like the physical contact, just being around someone with HIV, touching them accidently could cause transmission, which, that is false. That what we know now that it is only spread through sexual contact or share injections materials, usually drug use, so that is one of the things that we are trying to address.” The issue of false information came to a climax in the U.S. with the story of Ryan White, a Kokomo, Ind. high school student diagnosed with HIV after
a contaminated blood treatment. Although doctors said he stood no risk to other students, White was not allowed back in school due to poor understanding of HIV and AIDS. Even with the education that the people were getting about the facts about HIV and AIDS, it still has not erased the stigmas against HIV and AIDS. The social media project #letsendit at the event encouraged participants to use a photo of themselves with the hashtag #letsendit on their social media platforms to encourage others to end the stigma against HIV and AIDS.
“There’s definitely still a stigma in the world,” Rogers said. “It is something that we can even see when we had our HIV testing in the Union (on Wednesday), there are people that shy away from that. There is still definitely a stigma attached to it because not everyone is comfortable telling people of their status if they are HIV positive because of the stigma that is still out there and lot of people that are HIV positive still must deal with that daily, that stigma. It’s sad, but true.”
AIDS day
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Meth found in cart arrest
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
By Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief
Over the past month, the Western Illinois University chapter of University Professionals of Illinois and Western administrators have been in mediated negotiations regarding faculty contracts. While mediation rules prohibit the release of details pertaining to ongoing sessions, an update is expected at the Dec. 15 Board of Trustees (BOT) meeting. Today, a fourth mediated session will take place, followed by another scheduled for Dec. 18 with the opportunity for further negotiations should it be deemed
necessary. Western has released multiple statements updating when mediation efforts would be taking place. In the Nov. 17 update, Western stated in a press release that, “(Western) is concerned that misinformation continues to be shared. This misinformation is unsettling to our University community, and can undermine any progress that both parties are striving to achieve. This continued rhetoric risks harm to the institution’s reputation, which in turn can have a detrimental effect on enrollment and recruitment initiatives.” The specifics of the problematic rhetoric were not addressed in the press release.
The upcoming BOT meeting will also feature many resolutions to be proposed. For example, Resolution 17.12/1, Tuition for Active Duty Military Personnel, proposes that “the Board of Trustees establishes a new tuition rate for United States military personnel who are serving in active duty status for the purposes other than training.” Also on the agenda is resolution 17.12/4, which pertains to the Illinois Fraternal Order of Police Labor Council contract with Western, and 17.12/2 which pertains to the Western’s internal auditing. The open meeting is scheduled to begin at 8 a.m. in the University Union Capitol Room.
MCDONOUGH COUNTY SHERIFF'S OFFICE
Brandon D. Jackson, 36, of Bushnell, Ill. was arrested on Nov. 3 for a stolen twowheel acetylene cart, theft over $500 and unlawfull possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamines).
By Isaiah Herard news editor
McDonough County Sheriff Rick VanBrooker reported the arrest of Brandon D. Jackson, 36, of Bushnell, Ill. on Dec. 1. Jackson was arrested on Nov. 30 at a residence in Bushnell where McDonough County Sheriffs recovered a recently reported stolen two-wheel acetylene cart. The cart was reported stolen from a Prairie City address. The Sheriff’s
Office also recovered four ladders and four liquified petroleum cylinders that officials believe were stolen from a nearby business in Bushnell. Jackson was also in possession of less than five grams of methamphetamine. Jackson was lodged in the McDonough County Jail for theft over $500 and unlawful possession of a controlled substance (methamphetamine). His bond was set at $50,000 on Dec. 1, 10 percent to apply.
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Monday, December 4, 2017
NEWS
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Voigt uses adversity as motivation By Isaiah Herard news editor
Most leaders are outspoken, expressive, outgoing and command a room through their intense vernacular delivery. Other more soft-spoken individuals like Vattel Voigt lead by example. Voigt, a current graduate student at Western Illinois University, exemplified his leadership skills during his time on Team USA football team as he competed in the World University Championships. He isn’t normally the center of attention, but Voigt will allure your attention in other ways. He is kind in the way he speaks, and has a strong outward demeanor. Speaking up is very important to him because he believes men of great character should always have a voice in the eye of adversity. “I define and carry myself as a leader who is real, selfless, understanding, encouraging, confident, inspiring, hardworking and fun,” Voigt said. Voigt’s mother and father are of Haitian descent. His mother is from Cap Haitian and his dad is from Fort Liberte. He said growing up in a Haitian household instilled the value of education and hard work in him. “Haitians really push us to work hard in school because of the opportunities that are
WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall. Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press
given with education,” Voigt said. “A lot of Haitians come to America and do not have
throughout his adolescence; he struggled academically and dealt with legality issues before
learned never take anything for granted,” Voigt said. “I just made the football team and that
quickly got taken away from me. Also, I learned the importance of second chances and seizing opportunities. A quote I like to tie this experience to is ‘It’s not about how your start is, but rather how you finish.’ Afterward, I changed my life around and got closer to God.”
After the charges were dropped, Voigt was allowed back on Erie’s football team. However, he faced more adversity and decided to transfer to MacMurray College. Voigt surpassed expectations during his career at MacMurray where he became one of their best players. His 137 career tackles is ninth best in school history. Not only is he leader on the field, Voigt is a leader within his community. He participated in a vigil for the Charleston, S.C. victims last summer. “I felt the pain for the individuals who lost their lives and their families who were affecting by the loss,” Voigt said. “Looking at the bigger picture, God was still at work. And the family members of those people forgave him (Dylan Roof)” Voight has aspirations to one day make it to the NFL, but even if it doesn’t achieve his ultimate goal he will sustain the principles instilled in him and uphold his Christian faith. “I plan on keep the principles I learned here and apply it to my life and work to impact others,” Voigt said. “I let my actions speak louder than my words. If God doesn’t want me to go that route, I’m going to continue my education and get my master’s in kinesiology and open up my own facility for young athletes to help them mature physically, mentally and spiritually.”
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Vattel Voigt, 24, of Virginia uses his life's trials and tribulations as motivation to become a more profound leader and remain solid in his faith in God.
the resources and opportunities to go to school and pursue their dreams.” Throughout his lifetime, Voigt experienced pain, but he didn’t allow the pain to defeat his spirit. Voigt’s lifetime of pain molded him into the leader he is today. His father was absent
his collegiate debut. Voigt faced assault charges as he was accused of hitting a girl at a party while attending Erie Community College. The charges were dropped which allowed Voigt to resume the pursuit of his dream: football. “After the accusations I
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu news editor Isaiah Herard IA-Herard@wiu.edu assistant news editor Emily Stieren EN-Stieren@wiu.edu opinions editor Shannon Norris SA-Norris@wiu.edu sports editor Mat McClanahan MD-McClanahanw@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu edge editor Alyssa Hohman AM-Hohman@wiu.edu copy editor Joshua Defibaugh JG-Defibaugh@wiu.edu proofreader Valerie Clemens VN-Clemens@wiu.edu
proofreader Alexis Lowe AL-Lowe@wiu.edu proofreader Tacuma Venzant T-Venzant@wiu.edu photo editor Angel Strack AE-Strack@wiu.edu assistant photo editor Pedro Avila PJ-Avila@wiu.edu production manager Jessie Matias JM-Garcia@wiu.edu business manager Faith Rucker F-Rucker@wiu.edu advertising manager Patryk Mazur P-Mazur@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
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Monday, December 4, 2017
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AIDS Day from front page
There will be a lot more work to end the stigma against HIV and AIDS. “Education is the main way,” Rogers said. “Usually, when someone meets someone who is HIV positive and they are seeing that they are living a full, normal life, there’s nothing physical about them that looks any different than somebody who doesn’t have HIV, people can start realizing, 'maybe I was wrong that I was viewing this particular virus.'” In addition to the displays, the documentary “The Lazarus Effect” played throughout the event. “This is a really beautiful docu-
mentary that takes place in Zambia,” Rogers said. “It shows what happens in a village when antiretrovirals began to be distributed there because it was an area of how HIV prevalence and a lot of people were dying. A lot of people were just having very difficult, painful lives living with HIV and so, you get to follow about four or five people from the time before they got the antiretrovirals to after and see the progress that they made." Outside the Multicultural Center, a small tree was used as an AIDS remembrance tree to remember those that passed away from AIDS and other HIV-related complications. Some of the well-known names that were commemorated in the AIDS remem-
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brance tree included tennis player Arthur Ashe, actors Rock Hudson and Robert Reed, entertainer Liberace and teen AIDS activist Ryan White. “We have the names of some people that were relatively well-known or very famous people in the fight against HIV and the LGBTQA+ rights advocacy,” Rogers said. “So, people can choose one of those to hang on the tree of remembrance or someone personally knows someone who has lived with HIV or who have died from AIDS complications, they can write that name down also and put it on the tree. We also encourage people to write any encouraging messages to someone who is currently living with HIV.”
•On Nov. 13 at 11:30 a.m. a student came to Mowbray Hall to report the theft of her bicycle, no value given, from the Tanner Hall bicycle rack. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 13 at 7:52 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Olson Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 16 the Office of Public Safety and the Macomb Police Department arrested three individuals. At 6:16 a.m. Abel Abrego, 21, of 627 W. Adams St., was arrested for possession of stolen property. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 7:15 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. At 6:44 a.m. Jason Rodriguez, 19, and Andrew Galiano, 19, both of 904 Bayliss Hall, were arrested in Bayliss Hall for theft over $500, possession of cannabis, manufacture and delivery of cannabis, and possession of drug paraphernalia. They were transported to the McDonough County Jail at 7:23 a.m. were they were lodged pending bond. Additional information can be obtained from the Macomb Police Department. •On Nov. 16 at 6 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Tanner Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 16 at 6:42 p.m. Marquis Sims-McCoy, 22, of 712 Reeveston Dr., was arrested for theft of lost or mislaid property from Stipes Hall. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 6:47 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 18 at 5 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Knoblauch Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 27 at 4:37 a.m. Ryan Toomey, 20, of 1114 Thompson Hall, was arrested in Thompson for burglary and illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor. He was lodged in
the McDonough County Jail at 5:17 a.m. pending bond. •On Nov. 27 at 4:06 p.m. the Macomb Fire Department was called to Thompson Hall following the activation of a smoke alarm on the fourth floor. A hot water pipe had burst, and a result, the steam activated the alarm. There was no fire, and no injuries were reported. •On Nov. 27 at 8:44 p.m. a student reported that her wallet containing $20 cash and ID and debit cards was stolen from her unlocked Henninger Hall room. The incident is under investigation. •On Nov. 28 at 12:04 a.m. one student in Henninger Hall was judicially referred for possession of cannabis. •On Nov. 29 at 10:39 a.m. nonstudent Jhonte Blackwood, 19, of Chicago, was arrested on Adams Street for not possessing a valid driver’s license. He was transported to McDonough County Jail at 10:45 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 29 at 1:55 p.m. one student in Olson Hall was judicially referred for behavior. •On Nov. 30 at 5:36 p.m. Jimmy Lloyd, 18, of 720 Bayliss Hall, was arrested on an active McDonough County warrant for failure to appear and manufacture and delivery of cannabis. He was transported to McDonough County Jail at 6:12 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 30 at 10:09 p.m. Jada Beatty, 18, of 724 Tanner Hall, was arrested in Q-Lot on an active McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. She was transported to McDonough County Jail at 10:13 p.m. where she was lodged pending bond. •On Nov. 30 at 10:32 p.m. Malcolm Sturdivant, 20, of 1003 Henninger Hall, was arrested in Tanner Hall on an active McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. He was transported to McDonough County Jail at 10:42 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond.
Monday, December 4, 2017
4 OPINIONS
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Republicans handle tax reform shadily
“”
This past weekend there was a lot of commotion and action on Capitol Hill. In a Republican effort to have
Politicians need to actually pay attention to what they're passing, no matter what party they are. –Jason Adams COURIER STAFF
a tax bill passed and on President Trump’s desk by the end of the year, Senate Republicans were scrambling to gather the votes to get the tax bill passed. After a few last minute tweaks to gather a couple more votes, the Senate passed the bill in a late session. A committee still needs to meet to discuss the differences between the House and Senate versions of
the bill before anything can come to the president’s desk. Like any tax bill is controversial, with initially members of both sides of the aisle discussing their concerns. Republicans edited the bill to include the interests of the holdout Republican senators to receive their support. The bill passed with a minimal 51-49 majority in a late night session. The tax bill was advertised as a tax cut for the middle class but looking deeper into the bill raises a few eyebrows about the claim. In the short term there is some tax cuts for middle class families; the issue is that in addition to the tax cuts, some tax breaks are being phased out. The loss of the tax cuts could potentially raise taxes for some middle class families in the long term. Wealthy families and corporation will receive tax cuts as well which look to
be more consistent over time, due to the fact that they don’t generally use tax breaks. The bill also included a handful of other legislative measures that cover a variety of areas including business deductions and measures surrounding the Affordable Care Act. The one surprise legislation came from Arizona Senator Jeff Flake who would not
would assume there would have been a lot of discussion of the bill before a vote. In reality there was very little at all. The bill was a whopping 500 pages, with constant changes being made towards the end as Republicans tried gathering more support. Democrats who strongly opposed the bill pointed out that they received the bill a mere hour before they
sign the bill until Republican leaders agreed to work on measures to protect beneficiaries of Deferred Action for Childhood Arrivals , an effort that the party had previously been strongly opposed to. There is a lot in this bill to process that still needs to be worked through which will only come with time. With such a big bill, you
were supposed to be on the floor to vote on it. That’s 500 pages of reading in one hour. Even college students are shaking their head and giving up at the thought of that. You can barely skim 500 pages an hour let alone read for clarity. I realize that many politicians went to ivy league schools but those usually had less to do with brains and more to do with
money. So unless they have an IQ of three Albert Einsteins combined, we highly doubt any senator read the bill in its entirety, which you have to do with a tax bill of this degree. Some senators did push for more time before the vote which should have happened yet didn’t. Politicians need to actually pay attention to what they’re passing, no matter what party they are. It doesn’t matter if they get bills through if they don’t even know what it includes. So brace yourselves, this could be a long couple of years.
Dogs at library bring joy and good times On Nov. 30, three golden retrievers made an appearance in the Garden Lounge in the Library from 2 to 4p.m. They came from the organization Daisy and Friends, which breeds and trains golden retrievers to be therapy dogs. They frequent places like schools, universities, nursing homes, and hospitals. There, the dogs are used to bring comfort and reduce stress levels — the latter was presumably the main motivation behind their visit to Western Illinois University. I myself stopped in to see the dogs and I will say, they did their job. Probably the least stressed I’ve been almost all semester was the hour I spent hugging, petting, and interacting with the dogs. I, personally, fell in love with the very large, 8-year-old male named Saxon. He approached me, went in for the hug, and I was putty in his massive paws. Maybe I am a bit more of a dog lover than the average student, but I whole-
heartedly believe that bringing the dogs in really was a benefit to students. I only wish they could have stayed for a longer period of time so that students who may not have been able to stop in in the two hour period could have reaped the benefits. Dogs have been proven to bring stress relief to people — even just petting them has been shown to increase the amount of oxytocin (a stressrelieving hormone) and decrease cortisol (a stress-inducing hormone) levels. They have also been shown to lower blood pressure levels. Bringing the dogs in as finals quickly approach was definitely a smart move on whoever’s idea it was part. In this upcoming week, everyone — including myself — will begin cramming for the finals they have been procrastinating studying for. After spending an hour with the comfort dogs undoubtedly left me feeling more relaxed afterward. In all honesty, I was elated, but then again, that may have just been me.
I absolutely do not have any complaints — I am so grateful to have been able to interact with the dogs, especially since I have been missing my own puppy so much since I’ve been away at school. The only things I would have changed given the opportunity would be the timing and the publicity of the event. If I had the choice, I would have scheduled the visit for this week instead of last, and I would have asked them to stay longer. Of course, with schedule conflicts, it is very possible the dogs simply were not available this upcoming week. Additionally, I heard about the visit from a social media source not run by the school. I know my roommate was disappointed when I told her what I did that day and she had no idea the dogs were coming. Although I would love to hog all the affection for myself, all students should be aware when there is a possibility to relieve their stress. In summary, I have nothing but good things to say about my interactions with Daisy and Friends. I am very grateful to have been given the opportunity to play with the golden retrievers. I hope this is something Western continues to do every semester or more. More information about Daisy and Friends can be found on their Facebook page.
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December 4, 2017
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Jumanji from E1
As a kid, I loved the movie “Jumanji.” It was creepy and had an interesting concept that drew me in and was always a favorite. So when I found out that there was going to be a new “Jumanji” film I was excited yet skeptical. I was and still am hopeful that this new movie will modernize the original concept and make “Jumanji” a favorite movie
Monday, December 4, 2017 for a whole new generation. The board game is rediscovered after 20 years but it is quickly set aside because no one plays with board games anymore. Because the game has all kinds of powers, it somehow manages to evolve into a video game, something this generation is more likely to pick up. Four teens, sent to detention, are cleaning up the basement of their high school when they come across the video game. They
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plug it in, pick their avatars and then get sucked into the tv. The teens quickly discover that their avatars are pretty much the opposite of who they are in real life in a hilarious scene. The movie stars big names like Dwayne Johnson, Karen Gillan, Kevin Hart, Jack Black and Nick Jonas. The movie comes to theaters on Dec. 20 and I for one cannot wait to see this action packed, hopefully hilarious film.
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Pitch Perfect from E1
The Bella’s are back for one final tour in “Pitch Perfect 3.” The “Pitch Perfect” films have been wildly popular but it is rare for movies to produce a third film that is as good as the first, or even the second. I am excited to hear and see the Bella’s again but I have my reservations, as it will be hard to make a third film about a cappella competitions. The original two films
took place while they were all still in school, so it will be interesting to see how filmmakers tie this film back to the original idea of collegiate a cappella. In the trailer we see all of the original Bellas, Anna Kendrick, Rebel Wilson, Brittany Snow and Anna Camp back together to support the new Bellas, who now have Hailee Steinfeld as their leader. The original group thinks that they are going to perform but, upon arrival, find out they are just observers.
This revelation hits the original Bella’s hard and they decide to take action. The original Bella’s are all struggling with their personal lives in one way, shape or form and the new Bellas success inspires them to get together for one last tour. The Bella’s decide to take on the European USO concert and are facing groups that use actual instruments for the first time. These other groups do not take the Bella’s seriously teasing them about essentially per-
forming karaoke. And when the Bella’s try to show off, by challenging them to a riff off, it backfires when the other groups outdo the Bellas. In the trailer we see a clip where Anna Kendrick’s character is offered a contract with a music label but she doesn’t accept, at least what we can see, because the offer is not for all of the Bella’s. We catch glimpses of possible romances, fighting, a preview of the riff off between the Bella’s and
the other performers and more. The only thing I was looking forward to that I didn’t see was the other main Barden a cappella group, The Treblemakers, hopefully they make some sort of appearance in the film. Even with my concerns about there being a third film, I think this final addition to the “Pitch Perfect” saga looks like it will be a blast; full of drama, music and even explosions. “Pitch Perfect 3” comes to theaters Dec. 22.
Showman
by Ellen Mirojnick. The movie stars Hugh Jackman as P.T. Barnum, Zac Effron, Michelle Williams, Zendaya and more. There’s one particular quote that stood out during the trailer, “no one ever made a difference by being like someone else.” The quote leads me to believe that the movie will celebrate differences. Barnum takes the people that the rest of the world has cast aside, those with unrecognized talents and the people that he thinks deserve a chance
and puts them in his show. He understands that his show will be incredibly unpopular, at least at the start and does his best to keep up the moral of his performers. The trailers for this film show many dramatic scenes and parts of the performances from the circus, and hopefully there is a lot more like that in the movie. I think that this film will be very interesting and do look forward to seeing it. “The Greatest Showman” comes out Dec. 20.
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“The Greatest Showman” is a musical film that celebrates the life of P.T. Barnum and his vision. The story of Barnum is a rags to riches story and it details the hardships that Barnum and his family endure before he finally finds success. The trailer shows a very bright, colorful and elaborate film. The costumes look incredible, just from the trailer, and were designed
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After fans went crazy for the Punisher in Netflix’s original series “Daredevil,” the online streaming media service decided to produce their own series starring Jon Bernthal. Released last month, “The Punisher” delivers a show of brutality, violence and justice. After Frank Castle (Bernthal) finishes his revenge mission — of brutally murdering New York’s organized
criminals and anyone that was responsible for the park massacre that left his wife and two children dead after returning home from war — Castle abandons his body armor having finally fulfilled his need for revenge. Leading the world to believe that the brutal vigilante alias that he established for himself — The Punisher — is dead, Frank tries to live in the shad-
ows and move on from his demons. However, that shadow life does not last long when Castle’s military past comes back to haunt him and finds himself right in the middle of a government conspiracy without knowing how deep it goes or who to trust with the fact that he is indeed alive. Jon Bernthal captures the role perfectly, demonstrating a range in his acting abilities not only during exciting scenes of action and violence, but also emotionally by showing vulnerability and character growth. Yes, you just read that
right, emotion from one of the most violent comic book anti-heroes. Throughout the course of the show, you see how Castle is a three-dimensional character because of how the death of his family haunts him every day. In addition, his time in the Marine Corps that he just wants to leave in his past haunting him only adds insult to injury. In terms of the plot, while somewhat of a slow start, keeps you engaged in the story as the Department of Homeland Security begins investigating these suspicious circumstances and raises questions that are not
immediately answered. “The Punisher” is a fresh take on what the Marvel and Netflix partnership can offer because the staff producing have done a good job to have this show largely separate from the others, so Marvel fans won’t have to worry about other characters and villains such as ancient, immortal ninjas, or anything along those lines. This definitely seems to be a promising start for the series and it will be exciting to see how this series continues into the future. Fans can expect a second season next fall.
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Monday, December 4, 2017
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24th Annual Holiday Festival of Choirs was the perfect way to kick of the holiday season FLICKR.COM
The Holiday Festival of Choirs celebrated its twenty-fourth year recently. The concert featured The Western Illinois University Singers, The Western Concert Choir and The Western Madrigal Singers. It also included special guests like the Macomb High School Madrigal Singers and Concert Choir as well as the 60 Voice Holiday Festival Children’s Choir. The
concert lasted about an hour and forty-five minutes and was absolutely beautiful. The concert was held in the St. Paul Catholic Church here in Macomb. The church was beautiful with its arched ceilings, chandeliers and stained glass windows. It was a very serene setting and really set the tone of the concert even before it started. The performers were lined up around the walls of
the church with The Western Choirs in the center of the church to start. The groups did switch around a couple times throughout the concert. The acoustics were phenomenal so when the groups were singing the voices resonated throughout the church for a very full sound. Western’s Choirs sang beautifully. The two groups are very talented and well directed. The groups had such a rich sound and were so well balanced with high and low voices. Many of the songs the groups performed were also done a cappella (without
instruments) and it was absolutely beautiful. My favorite piece performed by the University Choirs was called Stars and the singers, which used glasses filled with water, tuned to certain notes, to add to the sound of the piece. The glasses sounded like what you would imagine twinkling lights would sound like. It was really beautiful and unique and greatly added to the concert. The Macomb High School Choirs and the children’s choir also did a wonderful job. I really liked to hear the progression from the children’s
choir to the high school students to the college students. It is so neat to listen to the groups mature in their sound. This concert was also unique because as the choirs were switching to the center of the church, they performed common Christmas songs and put the lyrics on the back of the program so the audience could sing along. I was truly impressed with this concert and although there are no more performances this semester, you can check for upcoming performances online by going to wiu.edu/cofac.
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Moday, December 4, 2017
Luckily for our generation, we only know the horrors and tragedies of war through textbooks. We learned about the hell that our ancestors and many others faced without actually being in their shoes, but that luck may soon run dry. A war with North Korea is in our foreseeable future. As scary as that is, it’s the possible future that we must acknowledge. Due to President Donald Trump’s aggression, he may just push us into a war that would destroy us all. North Korea has been testing missiles along with being taunted from our President via Twitter. It’s only a matter of time before we
man who has no idea how to run a country. He is tactless and just downright offensive in his mannerisms when attempting to handle the enemy or even his people. All that Trump has done so far is invoke fear out of the people of America. I understand that war is something that sometimes is inevitable. But the war that Trump is setting up his country and people for is one that can be evaded and deterred. A war right now is the last thing we need. Many states are already in debt, our military numbers are low and of course none of our people are ready for this. Yes, we could send tons of normal citizens from their everyday jobs into the military just to get our numbers higher. That is a definite possibility but it is one that would just end in a blood bath. A blood bath that could be
become the actual target of those missiles. A war that we are not prepared for will undoubtedly be a horrible bloody one. Many will perish and countless more lives after that will be lost as well. It’s terrifying knowing that we are on the verge of just stepping on the toes of another country. A country much more powerful than us, considering the fact that they are working on nuclear weapons. For the sake of our generation’s survival along with the next, Trump needs to go. Something has to be done about Trump. We cannot endure his tyranny any longer. He is just a childish business
OPINIONS 5
avoided, if only we could get our leader away from his title. Trump knows our current position and the disadvantage that America has right now. Yet he still chooses to boast about our strength and military. It’s as if he wants to see America end up in flames. If making America great again involves the entire country and it’s people burning up in flames, then Trump is not the leader we need. War is supposed to be the last resort when our words and negotiations fail, not something you throw your country and people into. From the countless lives spilled by the weapons of war, war should be the number one possibility that our leaders try to prevent; not welcome. The innocent lives of Americans and their children deserve at least that.
Sunday, December 4, 2017
6 SPORTS
Women’s Basketball from back page
Sophomore guard Olivia Kaufmann totaled eight points on the day. Senior forward Olivia Braun totaled four blocks which is a new season high. This was Western’s first win over Wichita State since Feb. 1, 1991. This win broke the six-game losing streak that the Shockers had over the Purple and Gold. The Leathernecks are currently on a two-game winning streak, their two losses of the season came from Northern Illinois University Huskies and University of WisconsinMilwaukee. They barely lost to the Huskies 94-96. Their current record of 7-2 is the best start to a season since 200506. Even last year, the Leathernecks started 6-3. Up next, Western will take on Southeast Missouri State University for their tenth game of the season. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. inside Western Hall on Tuesday. The Redhawks are 4-4 on the season. Twitter: hayfourrr
Acklin from back page
McGuire found Acklin streaking down the middle and the reliable hands of the senior receiver was able to snag the game winning touchdown with only six seconds left. Acklin said the catch was the best moment of his career as a Leatherneck and in the moments after, he could barely contain his emotions. “It was like being in a dream or something,” Acklin said. “I kind of bursted out in tears because I know where I was at last year and the years before that and its crazy to think about what’s happening now.” Acklin came up huge game after game and found himself rewriting the Leatherneck history books at the receiver position. He put together one of the greatest seasons in Leatherneck history as he finished first in receiving yards, catches, and fifth in receiving touchdowns. He also tied Leatherneck alum Lance Lenoir’s mark for most 100-yard games in a season with five. The 6-foot-1 receiver finished second in the FCS in receiving yards and was fifth in the FCS in receiving yards per game. Of all the games, touchdowns and catches the senior receiver accounted for in his career, none of those things will be what he remembers most. “I’ll probably remember the road trips,” Acklin said. “It was so much fun being a part of and spending time with the guys on
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WesternCourier.com the team.” Acklin did plenty to leave his mark but in terms of a legacy, he wants to leave one of resilience and persistence for those who follow. “Hopefully I leave a good legacy,” Acklin said. “I want people to remember and realize that I didn’t come there with anything. No one really talked about me, no one wrote articles or anything about me throughout my three years and I want people to know to not ever give up and if they’re not in a position that they want to be in, don’t point fingers at other people. You can make it, you’ve just got to change your lifestyle until you do.” There is one thing that Acklin did not get to do in his time as a Leatherneck that stems back to his high school days. “I wish I would’ve passed for a touchdown on a trick play or something,” Acklin said. “I was a high school quarterback so I wanted to show off my arm.” Acklin had a prolific high school quarterback career, throwing for 67 touchdowns and finished with a quarterback rating of 116.2. Even though his time as a Leatherneck is over, Acklin hopes to pursue his football career. “If the opportunity presents itself,” Acklin said. “Hopefully things work out so I can but I’m not hanging my hat on that. I know the chances are slim.” Only 1.5 percent of college football players go professional
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and Acklin has a future in mind if he doesn’t get the opportunity to take his playing career any farther. “First, I have to finish my degree in psychology and my minor in law enforcement. Hopefully I can make my way up to the FBI, I think that would be a good career for me.” Western played a big role in the life of Acklin and he hopes to maintain the relationships he built in his time playing in the football program. “My time at Western was good,” Acklin said. “Coming in, I really didn’t know what to expect. No one in my family played college football and was never really able to experience it so I kind of went in with a blindfold. All the players became lifelong friends. I still room with Sean and he’s one of my best friends. It was great to build relationships not only with the players but the coaches as well, hopefully I can stay in contact with them.” Leatherneck Nation helped out in Acklin’s career so much and he wanted to send his final goodbye to those who supported him while he was playing the game he loves. “I just want to thank you for everything,” Acklin said. “Especially those who supported me along the way. Even whenever I was a third string wide receiver last year. I just want to say thank you for all the support and all that you did this year.” Twitter: devondeadlysins
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Sports 7
Monday, December 4, 2017
@WesternCourier
Necks fall prey to RedHawks
By Becca Langys courier staff
MACOMB Ill.— The Western Illinois University men’s basketball team (5-2) took their second loss of the season in an exciting, double-overtime matchup against the Miami University RedHawks (5-3), coming up short by three points with a final score of 76-73. As the first half commenced, both the Leathernecks and the RedHawks came out with equal amounts of intensity and drive that caused the scores of both teams to remain within eyesight of each other for the majority of the half. Junior center Brandon Gilbeck sparked Western’s momentum when he made a shot in the paint as the first successful scorer in Saturday’s matchup. The high intensity on the court only continued as both teams stayed neck-and-neck during this first half. When the score was 8-9, senior forward Dalan Ancrum made a clutch 3-pointer that put the Leathernecks in the lead. Western held this lead until Miami’s Jake Wright aced a three-point shot that put the RedHawks in the lead and changed the momentum on the court. The RedHawks continued to push with this lead, scoring
several points in a row before Gilbeck made yet another shot in the paint to put points on the board for the Leathernecks, making the score 20-23 and putting the team back into the range of taking the lead. As the first half went on, the Leathernecks continued to be successful with making their shots and although they were consistent, they continued to fall slightly behind Miami as the clock wound down. Freshman point guard Kobe Webster came in clutch with a steal followed by an impactful three-point shot that put the Leathernecks back within a couple points of the RedHawks, assisting the team in being in a good position as they headed into the second half of this matchup. Ancrum also came in clutch during the very last minute of the half with a three-point shot that made the score 31-35 to finish out the first half. The second half of the matchup between the Leathernecks and the RedHawks started out strong for Miami, their first points of the half coming from a dunk from Miami player Logan McLane. After McLane’s shot, both teams struggled to put any points on the board, another three minutes passing by before McLane made another shot for Miami.
Sophomore guard C.J. Duff earned the very first points of the half for the Leathernecks, making a shot that put them at only a seven-point deficit as 16:25 remained in the half. Western struggled greatly during the first few minutes of this half to make any shots at all, which allowed the RedHawks to continue pushing for a greater lead and making the chances at winning this game become lesser and lesser for the Leathernecks. Western remained at a large point-deficit for the majority of the half, slowly sucking the momentum out of these players as the matchup continued on. When all hope was thought lost, Gilbeck made two layups that sparked a Western rally very late in this second half. Following Gilbeck’s shots, Ancrum made two free throws that allowed the team to slowly inch their way back into winning position yet again. When the time read 2:33, Webster made a perfectly timed three-point shot that put Western within one point of their opponents. Following Webster’s shot, sophomore guard Jeremiah Usiosefe made a layup that finally put the Leathernecks in the lead. With 29 seconds left on the clock, Webster made another three-pointer that puts the
Leathernecks into a greater lead over the RedHawks. As the clock wound down during this second half, Western’s defense was not enough to stop Miami’s Nike Sibande from making a three-point shot, tying up the game and sending it into overtime, final score of this half being 57-57. As the overtime play commenced, both teams came out with a strong desire to beat their opponent, making the energy on the court very high. Ancrum scored the very first points of this period, putting the Leathernecks in the lead and putting the momentum on the court in their favor. Following Ancrum’s shot, Webster was fouled and successfully made two free-throw shots that helped maintain the Leatherneck lead of 61-58. Western maintained their lead until the very last seconds of the period when there was a foul called on Usiosefe when the score was 66-64. Miami made both of their free-throw shots, making the final score of the overtime period tied at 66-66 and sending the game into double overtime. As the second period of overtime began, there was a great amount of fire in the bellies of both teams to come out with a win. Junior forward Jalen
Morgan scored the first points of the period for the Leathernecks, putting the momentum in Western’s favor as this period began. As the clock continued to run, the Leathernecks began to struggle a little bit with their shots. Because Western began to slip up, the RedHawks took advantage of it and continued to push points, eventually scoring past the Leathernecks to take the lead. When the score was 70-73, Ancrum made a three-point shot that tied up the game with just 8 seconds left in the half. With just three seconds left, Miami’s Darrian Ringo made a fastbreak three-point shot that put the RedHawks in the lead and secured the win for Miami, score being 73-76 as the sound of the final buzzer goes off. “It's disappointing, it hurts right now, but it's not the end of the world,” head coach Billy Wright said. “We have a long season. We have tomorrow off, then we get back in the gym Monday to get ready for a tough opponent coming in on Wednesday.” The Leathernecks plan to bounce back from this loss during their next matchup against American University at 7 p.m. in Western Hall on Wednesday. Twitter: beccalangysxo
Leathernecks flop against Bulldogs By Brie Coder courier staff
Kyle Siebert takes a breath during race
Goleathernecks.com
On Saturday, the Western Illinois University swimming and diving team had some successful laps but not enough for the overall win during their dual meet against the Truman State Bulldogs at Brophy Hall, with final scores being 103-118. Prior to the meet, senior Kyle Siebert, junior Brittany Erickson and sophomores Allison DeWane, Amy Borgstede, Hannah Fisher, Kathryn Ferguson, Taylor Winkel and Anfernee Sturdivant were honored for their contributions to both the men and women’s teams. Siebert earned an individual victory after competing in his final career home meet with a time of 1:00.60 in 100-breast. Two other men on the Leathernecks won individual events. Sophomore Phillip Kudela came in at 1:45.65 in the 200-free. Junior Samir Almhiemid sprinted to victory in the 50-free with 22.18. Both Kudela and Almhiemid teamed with sophomore Brennan Bladel and freshman Chance McQuigg to the top spot in the 200-medley relay, 1:37.78. Continuing with the men’s
swimming and diving, McQuigg placed second as well in the 200 meter individual medly with 2:00.56. Sophomore Connor Owens also placed second in the 1000free with a time of 10:20.76. The Purple and Gold had two more second place finishers from freshmen Joshua Hill (100-free, 50.02), and Garret Kemp (100-back, 54.65). In addition to the Siebert’s individual win on Saturday, freshman Erica Hagen won two individual events for the women’s division. Hagen dominated the 200-IM with a swim of 2:15.71. She then won the 100-breast by nearly five seconds with a time of 1:06.25. Later in the meet Hagen joined Winkel, sophomore Miranda Mathus, and freshman Marissa Purdum in winning the 200-medley relay (1:52.52). Purdum continued making strives for the Purple and Gold by getting 25.90 in the women’s 50-free. She also finished second in the 100-free with 56.34. More second place wins would follow with Mathus in both the 200-free (1:59.12) and 100-fly (1:01.39). Along with freshman Amanda Schaefer’s 5:37.20 in the 500-free. Head coach Greg Naumann
was quite proud of both teams for how well they performed during this meet. "We had some great finishes, and some exciting races throughout the meet,” Naumann said. “Overall, this was a pretty good outcome for how good of a program Truman State is on the men's and the women's sides." Even with some time off from their last meet back in November, Naumann made sure they were fully prepared for the meet. “They came off of some rest with our midseason rest meet at IUPUI and then with the holidays,” Naumann said. “They had some very hard workouts in the weight room and the pool this week, so they were very sore today.” Both the men and women’s swimming and dive teams will have some time off before their next meets. The women’s division will compete again starting January 20th against University of Northern Iowa Panthers. They’ll also have another solo competition against University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks Jan. 26. The men and women’s division will join forces again Jan. 27 against the University of South Dakota Coyotes.
“Thank you for everything” By Devon Greene
assistant sports editor Senior wide receiver Jaelon Acklin’s time in a Western Illinois University Leatherneck uniform was nothing short of tumultuous. Acklin’s first three years were underwhelming as he only caught a total of 21 passes and two touchdowns. To say Acklin had a breakout season in his final outing as a Leatherneck would be an understatement. Acklin surpassed his reception totals of all three years combined in only four games to start the season. In Western’s homecoming game, he caught 19 passes total, only two receptions short of all of the receptions he could get his hands around in his first three years as a Leatherneck. Even Acklin didn’t expect the production he was able to muster this season. “I didn’t really expect this to be honest,” Acklin said. “I knew I had an opportunity to be good but I didn’t know that I was going to be able to put up the type of numbers that I was able to this season.” Acklin became a staple and
most dependable piece in the Purple and Gold’s offense this season and quarterback Sean McGuire displayed their otherworldly amount of chemistry. With four years under his belt as a member of the football program, Acklin can trace his best moment to week five of his final season. The Purple and Gold football team went to one of the most hostile environments in the FCS to take on a rival who they had lost the past five of six matchups and hadn’t won since 2010, the University of Northern Iowa Panthers. After a masterful drive that put the Panthers up 29-25 with only 1:12 remaining in the fourth quarter, the Acklin and the Leatherneck offense had their work cut out for them if they wanted to get out of the UNI Dome victorious. Western found themselves in a tough situation with a 3rd and 10 from their 20-yard line when Acklin’s number was called.
Acklin page 6
Acklin prepares to snag a ball against Indiana State.
DEVON GREENE/ ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
Leathernecks shock the Shockers By Haley Richards courier staff
Taylor Hanneman drives past a defender against Illinois College.
ANGEL STRACK/PHOTO EDITOR
The Western Illinois University women’s basketball team hit the road in search of their seventh win of the season. The Leathernecks faced Wichita State University and won 7865. They move on to 7-2 in the season while the Shockers fell to 2-7. Junior guard Taylor Higginbotham lead the Purple and Gold once again. She got her second double-double of the season, recording 29 points and 10 rebounds. Higginbotham also hit six three-pointers in Friday’s game. “I'm really proud of our toughness today," said head coach JD Gravina. “Wichita State has a very good and physical team, but we were incredibly scrappy. Playing in front of 6,000 screaming kids made for an awesome atmosphere and our kids really fed off the energy.” Early in the first quarter, Western Illinois struggled to get points on the board as Wichita State took a 15-8 lead. A six-point spurt helped the Leathernecks catch up,
at the end of the first quarter they sat one point behind their opponent. Senior guard Taylor Hanneman hit a three right before half to help her team secure a 32-30 advantage. Hanneman and Higginbotham started the third quarter with a spark with back-to-back trifectas to give the Purple and gold a nine-point lead with 6:23 to go. The score was then 52-45 going into the fourth. Wichita State then closed the gap to six in the last quarter but the Leathernecks took the momentum and closed the game with a three-pointer from Higginbotham. This was her sixth three-pointer of the game. Senior guard Morgan Blumer had 17 points, she recorded her 36th career double-digit scoring game. Senior guard Emily Clemens totaled 12 points and marked her 53rd double-digit scoring game. She is only 20 assists from the all-time record in program history.
Women‘s Basketball page 6