Western Courier| February 11th, 2019

Opinions: Looking at the history of rock music

Sports: Blues look toward the playoffs

Sports: Women's basketball takes down Mavericks

Monday, February 11, 2019 - Vol. 119 Issue 53

University Art Gallery hosts “First Wednesday” event

tate dowell/courier staff

tate dowell/courier staff

Artists display work they prepared to highlight the Harlem Renaissance and Black History Month at the art gallery last Wednesday.

By Karla Foster courier staff

They always say that art is one of the best ways one can express themselves, now people can do that every first Wednesday with First Wednesday! The smooth yet energetic atmosphere provides the best inspiration for young minds to enter the world of art.

Susan Czechowski first started the program in October of 2015.

“We really had the idea of really reaching out to both the community and campus wise to let people know what we do in the art department and to invite them in to get a closer look and to actually make some art themselves,” Czechowski said.

The vibe of First Wednesday is also very joyful. When you

enter you see the faces of pure joy not just from the members of the community but also the Western students who come from different majors from law enforcement to chemistry.

You also don’t have to worry about getting dinner once you get home because refreshments are usually served in front of Garwood, so people can eat while creating art however, a certain artist suggests that it is not a good idea.

The program also celebrated Black History Month with a fantastic video by Bruce Walters and some of his wonderful students from his digital arts class.

“I wanted people to walk by and be captured by it and maybe be drawn into it and see things that they probably never seen before,” Walters said.

Following the First Wednesday theme, the video showed

the the beauty of the Harlem Renaissance and was dubbed over with music from the famous singer Cab Calloway.

The Harlem Renaissance featured African-American individuals who practiced the art of painting and sculpture.

Poetry and music were also included in the video as well.

Art Gallery page 2

Western recognized for environmental contributions

By Kayla Curless courier staff

For its seventh consecutive year, Western Illinois University has been awarded the Tree Campus USA by the Arbor Day Foundation. Since 2008, the Tree Campus USA program has acknowledged colleges and universities that effectively manage their cam-

pus trees and have connected with their communities to go beyond campus borders for a healthier environment.

For a campus to achieve the title it must meet the program’s five standards: have a campus tree advisory committee, maintain a campus tree care plan, allocate finances for tree expenditures, host an Arbor Day observance and provide a service learning project for

the community. Western Illinois University upholds these five standards every year.

Western’s Tree Advisory Committee is made up of representatives from many groups across campus including faculty, staff and students.

Tara Heath, s uperintendent of grounds, and Paul Blome, forestry instructor, are cochairs of the committee. The committee meets each semes-

ter to go over various issues and updates regarding the Campus Tree Care Plan. This plan outlines tree care procedures and goals.

Western Illinois University has been observing Arbor Day before the Tree Campus USA program was created. The celebration involves an official of the University making an Arbor Day Proclamation followed by students, faculty

and staff coming together to plant trees on campus.

Retired WIU forestry professor, Tom Green, started a tree planting project in 1993 that partners with elementary schools in Western Illinois to celebrate Arbor Day.

Tree Campus page 2

Monday, February 11, 2019

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Art Gallery

from front page

For the arts community to have literature and music featured may seem a little odd but when you think about it, they both count as art so it’s perfectly fine to represent them in the video.

“I’ve never seen the arts in isolation,” Walters said.

Some artists that were featured included Aaron Douglas, Augusta Savage, Jacob Lawrence and Archibald Motley. It was a great eye opener and people could really learn something from the short video that he and his students have put together.

Other celebrations included a DJ in the Heating Plant Annex, but just to play music and not have a party.

It might have been a bad idea to party in that building anyway.

First Wdnesday has changed the way we see art.

There even has been some students who have changed their major after experiencing First Wednesday, and the children finish their homework in the nick of time just to come over to Garwood Hall, just to paint that octopus or draw that deer from reference. That’s just how powerful art can be. Sadly, some school systems have to close down their art departments due to the lowering prices.

Hopefully First Wednesday can help bring the joy of art back into schools or be the filler that the community needs when it comes to the art world.

NEWS 3

NOTICE OF EXAMINATION MACOMB POLICE DEPARTMENT

The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations will offered to all eligible applicants to create an Eligibility List for hiring for positions with the Macomb Police Department.

At time of application, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no more than 35 years of age. Military veterans may extend the age limit one year for every year if active duty, not to exceed ten years. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent; must have completed 60 semesters or 90 quarters hours from an accredited academic institution; must posses valid driver’s license. To move forward in hiring processes, applicants must have physical and written exams, medical and psychological evalutions and background investigations; must have visual acuity 20/20 each eye corrected (minimum) with normal color vision and depth perception; must have good habits and be of moral character. Proof of U.S. Citzenship and if hired; McDonough County residency is required.

STARTING SALARY as of 05/01/18, $47,078.76 per year.

Forty-hour work week with time and a half for all overtime.

Applications packets may be obtained at the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 232 E. Jackson St., Macomb, Illinois 61455, Phone (309) 833-2558, or on-line at: https://www.macombpolice.com/application-requirements/ All applications and attachments must be completed, signed and on file by 4:30 P.M., Tuesday, March 12, 2019. If sumbitting the application packet by mail, it must be postmarked on or before the application deadline date AND received at the Mayor’s Office within five (5) calendar days of the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Tree Campus from front page

The tradition carries on with Forestry Instructor Paul Blome taking the lead and WIU urban forestry management students to help contribute.

“WIU recognizes the contributions trees provide to the campus community and so we strive to take good care of the trees, because in the long-run the trees take good care of us,” Blome said.

We Care, Western’s volunteer campus beautification project, plants trees and completes mulching around existing trees each spring and fall. Heath is in charge of coordinating the We Care project. In addition to these projects each spring, Western’s Tree Advisory Committee hosts a tree planting ceremony in honor of employees and students who have passed away.

Trees do more than just provide shade on hot summer days. They play a key role in making a positive impact on the environment. Trees

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

work by producing oxygen and removing carbon dioxide and contaminants from the air. Trees are a habitat for birds and other wildlife. They can also reduce urban runoff and erosion by storing water and reducing the force of rain as it falls.

Western’s efforts in planting and maintaining its trees and landscape helps create a healthier environment for all inhabitants in the community.

Trees can also serve as significant historic landmarks, such as the leaning sycamore tree over Lake Ruth and the large oak trees in front of Sherman, as well as serving the University's academic mission. Numerous departments across campus use a variety of the trees within coursework, and the school of agriculture houses forestry courses taught

by Blome.

By keeping up maintenance of the landscape, Western can uphold its reputation as not only Tree Campus USA, but as a clean air campus that future generations of students can enjoy.

Testing date is March 30, 2019. Applicants should report to Brophy Hall, on the Western University campus at 7:30 A.M.

The City reserves the right to require reimbursement of training expenses on a pro-rata basis if an officer resigns within the first two years of employment.

The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Minorities and women are encouraged to apply.

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Grrene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu news editor Steven Barnum

proofreader Amanda Wandachowicz

SS-Barnum@wiu.edu

A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

photo editor Becca Langys

AN-Young@wiu.edu

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

sports editor Bradley Piros

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

production manager Jimmy Pierson

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

JM-Pierson@wiu.edu

edge editor Marc Ramirez

business manager Faith Rucker

MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu

F-Rucker@wiu.edu

copy editor Brie Coder

advertising manager Jacob Day

B-Coder@wiu.edu

JD-Day@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION

The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb.

The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.

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No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Nicholas Ebelhack or Will Buss at 309-298-1876.

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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.

Campus Crime Reports

Legend Cannabis

On Feb. 1 at 11:40 a.m. a student reported that her bike, which had been locked to the Corbin bike rack, had been stolen. The bike and lock were valued at $170 total. The incident is under investigation.

On Feb. 2 at 8:37 p.m. non student Jennifer Tobusch, 19, of Romeoville, receive a notice to appear March 5 for a Macomb city ordinance violation for possession of cannabis and drug paraphernalia in Corbin Hall.

On Feb. 3 at 3:39 a.m. non students Dillon Hamman, 19, and David Marin, 20, both of Plano, and Luke Schmiederer, 19, of 230 Corbin Hall,

Alcohol by a Minor

Burglary/Theft

Fire Alarm

Other Report

and Tyler Ward, 19, of 816 Corbin Hall, were each issued a notice to appear March 19 for a Macomb city ordinance violation for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor in Corbin Hall.

On Feb. 3 at 4:13 p.m.

Jared Tabor, 19, of 416 Henninger Hall, was arrested on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear on larceny charges. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 4:19 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond.

On Feb. 4 at 10:10 a.m. a University employee reported damage, estimated at $2,000, to an

air conditioning unit in Tillman Hall. The incident is under investigation.

On Feb. 4 at 5:07 p.m.

OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Henninger Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported.

On Feb. 4 at 6:03 p.m. non-student Javontay Brady, 21, of Maywood, IL, was issued a notice to appear in court March 12 for a Macomb city ordinance violation of unlawful possession of cannabis in the Bayliss Hall parking lot.

On Feb. 6 at noon nonstudent Gregory Crump, 21, of Chicago, was

arrested in the 500 block of West Murray Street on two McDonough County warrants for failure to appear. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 12:09 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond.

On Feb. 6 at 11:05 p.m. one student in Tanner Hall was judicially referred for unlawful possession of alcohol by a minor and cannabis.

On Feb. 6 at 11:50 p.m.

OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Bayliss Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported.

4

OPINIONS

Monday, February 10, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Should Western should allow pets on campus?

When I wake up for class in the morning, it is usually to the sound of my cat meowing at me, asking for food. While I have my cat in my dorm room because she is my emotional support animal, I think the dorms should allow pets for everyone.

Now you may think it would be a disastrous plan, but overall, I think there would be far more benefits. I think in general pets make people happier and give us a reason to get up and start our day. Having pets in the dorm, while it could be a bit noisier, would be a great way

to help college students enjoy their time at college more.

I know personally, when I get back from class I tend to just lay in my bed or take a nap. When you have a pet, it is more likely that you would stay up and play with them, or take them on a walk. When you have a reason to get up and walk, I think it ultimately helps you stay motivated in the long run. Basically, everyone I know has a pet they would love to bring to school to keep them company. Another benefit of having pets on campus includes expanding your social

group. Everyone knows it is easier to talk to people if they are walking their dog. I think it could connect us more as a community and campus if we had more pets. Having this benefit could also help give homes to shelter animals.

When it comes to the more serious side, rules for having your pets would have to be strict. I think if you have a pet that is established (potty trained, no barking, non-aggressive, etc.) you should be allowed to keep them with you. Obviously, everyone would be fully responsible for their own animals and face repercussions if they are mistreated or disrupt others. I think allowing only one or two pets would be okay so long as they are being cared for. If you have pet allergies, there could be designated floors for you.

Another reason why this could be

a could idea is it would normalize all pets on campus. When you have a class with a service animal, you usually get excited and want to pet it because you rarely see animals. With this update, it would be more common to see animals and get to play with them more often. This would also be helpful to those who own service animals, keeping people from petting their working animal.

While it may be a little more work for everyone, I think allowing pets on campus and in the dorms would be beneficial for most people. I know most college students love animals and wish we had more contact with them to make us happier. Having pets on campus would boost overall morale and give us all a reason to look forward to classes and other events.

MAX PIXEL

Pets are often comfoting to people.

What do tigers have to do with Valentines Day?

Later this week we have the most divided holiday in the history of mankind and greeting cards; Valentine’s Day. For some it’s a holiday of love, chocolates and romantic dates in candlelight (or at Chick’s); for others it’s a lonely and particularly annoying Thursday. Whether you think it’s a romantic time to show your love for your significant other or just another holiday created by the greeting card companies, it can’t be worse than a day had at a zoo in London.

Late last week an endangered Sumatran tiger died while meeting a potential mate in a London Zoo. The ZSL London Zoo reported the death on their Twitter on Friday.

As part of a European conservation program, the two were brought together in hope of helping to bring up the Sumatran tigers dwindling population. The tigers were initially in separate containers next to each other to introduce some familiar-

ity with each other in a safer environment. The zookeepers determined it was a good time for the pair to meet and introduced them into the same enclosure. Things started out well but took a drastic turn. Efforts to save the tiger were unsuccessful.

What makes this worse is that these species are critically endangered with a population of less than 400.

This first date did not help matters either, there was a lot of faith that these two tigers would be able to help with the issue. Efforts to save endangered species are never ending and can be difficult with more aggressive wildlife such as tigers.

I feel that it’s better to leave the animals in the wildlife and to protect their habitats than to try to encourage breeding in captivity and hope for the best. Unfortunately, this pair didn’t work out but other pairs have and will. The European Endangered Species Programme

(EEP) helps to pair endangered animals in European zoos and bring them together to help repopulate their species and add some genetic diversity across zoos. It’s essentially like animal Tinder except with a higher rate of commitment. When animals are paired they are brought together and gradually introduced in hopes of becoming mates. If there is a lack of interest they are put back in to look for other mates, if there is interest then it’s a success. The Sumatran tiger has actually had success through this program before.

In 2011 a tiger in a zoo in Cheshire, England gave birth to three cubs.

Hopefully those cubs will have success in the program as well.

Dates don’t always work out, usually not as bad as this but I wouldn’t recommend going on a date with a tiger for multiple reasons. If a first date doesn’t go well, so what? There are other people out there. If it does then great!

Hopefully things work out. If you don’t have a date on Valentine’s Day that’s okay too, it could be worse. Find some single friends to hang out with or just have a nice night in, at least the weekend isn’t far behind.

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The editorial views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editorial presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editorial board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.

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E-mail letters to the Editor and Local Forum messages to micour@wiu.edu.

Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammer, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

({}) The Vagina Monologues partake in 20th year performance Every year around this time, V-Day is celebrated throughout the world. V-Day is a worldwide movement to bring an end to violence against women and girls.

Eve Ensler, who wrote “The Vagina Monologues,” created V-Day. All the proceeds from “The Vagina Monologues” go to V-Day charities. Here at Western we join the movement by putting on “The Vagina Monologues.” For the last 21 years, “The Vagina Monologues” have been performed across the world and Western has been a part of this movement for 20 of those years. “The Vagina Monologues” were performed this year at Western this past Friday and Saturday. Western’s 2019 performance of “The Vagina Monologues” was sponsored by the WIU Women’s Center (located in the Multi-Cultural Center) and co-sponsored by Alpha Sigma Tau, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta and Phi Sigma Sigma.

Layout by: Jimmy Pierson

CONT. E.2

Written by: Tea Wheat

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Vagina Monologues from page 5

“The Vagina Monologues” was made from a collection of interviews with women and it explores topics such as body image, sexual encounters, reproduction, sex-work and violence against women and children from the perspectives of various women.

These women were different races, ages, ethnicities and sexual orientations. Performed at the Multicultural Center and directed by Laura Holme-Hoske, “The Vagina Monologues” featured a very minimal stage, but consisted of so much expression and meaning.

Monday, February 11, 2019

The different monologues that were performed were: Hair, If Your Vagina Got Dressed, The Flood, The Vagina Workshop, Vagina Happy Fact, They Beat the Girl out of My Boy, Because He Liked to Look at It, Not-so-Happy Fact, My Angry Vagina, My Vagina was My Village, My Short Skirt, The Little Coochi Snorcher That Could, Reclaiming Cunt, Six-year-old Girl, the Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy, I Was There in the Room and My Revolution Begins in the Body. The Vagina Happy Fact and the Not-so-happy Fact were educational pieces about

the clitoris and genital mutilation that stood out the other brilliant and moving monologues.

One monologue that stood out among the others was The Woman Who Loved to Make Vaginas Happy. This monologue was about a woman who had originally gone to school for law, but eventually found her “calling” in sex work. This woman explained how she loved to please women and make them happy. This monologue also discusses moaning, and the woman sharing the monologue describes how she found “her moan” and how many different moans she encountered as a sex

worker. This monologue destroys preconceptions about sex workers and encourages women to do what they love, and to not be held back by societal pressures.

This monologue was risqué and humorous all in one; and was performed by the brilliant Ashley Asauskas.

My Revolution Begins in the Body was the final performance of the evening. The director came on stage at the beginning of the performance and invited 11 audience members to join the cast on stage to perform this piece. At first, audience members were hesitant but soon people were ex-

WesternCourier.com

cited to volunteer to participate. Each audience member was given a line and together the 11 audience members along with the five cast members recited a strong and moving piece which preaches to love your body, love yourself and love others.

“Go on, Love.”

This production was absolutely amazing; it was heartbreaking, funny and inspiring all at once.

If you missed this outstanding and impactful performance, the WIU Women’s Center will be carrying on the tradition next year! Auditions are typically held in November for the production in February.

Add us on Snapchat:

westerncourier

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`

Monday, February 11, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Who was Ted Bundy?

Escape rooms are a straightforward concept. You just have to find clues hidden around the room to unlock the door. That’s how an escape room works.

It’s a fairly simple task, right?

But this isn’t an ordinary escape room. “Escape Room” is a multitude of different rooms that end in either life or death for six people.

The film starts out following a college student named Zoey, who is in the top of her class, but is afraid to speak up. Her professor stops her after class and tells her to try something different over break. That night Zoey has a nightmare and wakes up in the morning gasping for air and covered in sweat. Her roommate is already awake and finishing up packing to go home for break and asks if she’s okay and if she needs anything. When Zoey says no, her roommate starts to leave, but is stopped at the door by a package for Zoey.

She hands it to Zoey and leaves right before Zoey pulls out a mysterious puzzle box. The film then shifts to follow Jason, a successful young business trader who just closed a big deal. As a reward for closing the deal, his client sends him a mysterious puzzle box.

The films shifts once again this time following Ben, an alcoholic who works in the back of a grocery store. He asks his manager to let him be up front as a cashier, but his manager dismisses that idea because of his drinking. The next day when Ben comes into work, there’s a mysterious puzzle box

there waiting for him. Thinking it is from his manager, Ben starts to try and figure it out.

Inside all three of their puzzle boxes are invitations to an escape room where the winner gets $10,000. When the three of them all show up to the Minos Game Room Facility, they meet three other people who all had similar puzzle boxes, Amanda, Danny and Mike.

I saw this movie over the break and it was really captivating.

The movie draws you in from the first escape room. I found myself wanting to know more about the characters and their backstories. Not only them, but also the mysterious company that puts this escape room on.

Throughout the film there are references to a Dr. Wootan Yu, leaving us wanting/needing to know more. The rooms that the group goes through are very intricate. Much like normal escape rooms with hidden clues strewn about in plain sight, the challenges also in the rooms are intriguing as well. Ranging from ice fishing to grouling heat, the challenges the group must face really push the human body to its limits.

The film received a score of 6.4/10 from IMDb but received only a 48 percent from Rotten Tomatoes. The film does give off more suspense than horror, which is what it was advertised as. While it doesn’t live up to the horror it advertised, “Escape Room” made up for it through its suspense. If you like suspense-filled movies and enjoy puzzles, then I highly recommend “Escape Room.”

I watched all four episodes of “Conversations with a Killer: The Ted Bundy Tapes,” the new Netflix original documentary about the serial killer Ted Bundy. I must say this guy was psychotic. He came off as good looking, charming and intelligent. But underneath his persuasive personality and looks, he had an urge he couldn’t control. Here’s what happened.

In the middle and late 1970s, in the states of Washington, Oregon, Utah and Colorado, a lot of young girls in their 20s started going missing. The police couldn’t find where they went or who took them at first. At the time, the term “serial killer” wasn’t even in the vocabulary of the American public yet. Eventually at a party in a park, somebody saw a guy take two different girls into his car during the course of the day. They heard him say “Hi, I’m Ted.” For a long time, nobody knew the last name of “Ted.” Girls kept disappearing.

They found out about Bundy eventually and took him to await trial. Bundy kept insisting that he was innocent, using his charming personality and intellect. He jumped out of a window of the place he was being held and escaped into the mountains for a couple days. He returned because he was cold and hungry, and he was held in a cell again.

The second time he escaped custody, he went all the way down to Florida,

using a couple different methods of transportation to get there. In Florida, he killed two girls in a sorority at Florida State University.

The police caught him in a stolen car and when he was questioned by law enforcement, he wouldn’t reveal his name. Not too long after his arrest, he confessed to police who he was. Bundy made waves in America, especially when he made it onto the FBI’s most wanted list.

I liked this documentary’s visual effects. The zoom-ins of the cassette tapes was cool. For the timeline of events, they showed a tape go through the bottom of a cassette. For example, to go from 1974 to 1980, it made a “ch-chunk” noise and a spindle/tracking sound to fast forward to the future.

I enjoyed the Bundy tapes because I enjoy crime and investigation shows. This is why I’m currently binge watching “The X Files.” It’s pretty scary how Bundy was able to get away with a lot of murders at first, with his good looks and personality. This is what made him so insane. How a person could be so manipulative because they are nice to people. But behind the scenes, he was killing a lot of innocent girls. I don’t blame this documentary for portraying Bundy as a nice guy, because you need to show that side of him to see the whole story. While you’re watching this, keep in mind that he was a serial killer.

The smile on his face was a manipulative deception.

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Monday, February 11, 2019

WesternCourier.com

a new for the ladies JIMMY PIERSON/ PRODUCTION MANAGER

There have been a lot of weird shows in recent years, though as a kid from the 90's I don't have much room to talk. A few weeks ago, a show finally debuted on Nicktoons network that has been advertised for a while.

“Rainbow Butterfly Unicorn Kitty,” takes everything that is girly and puts it together in some Lisa Frank looking cartoon.

The premise according to IMDb is Felicity is a fearless part butterfly, part rainbow and part unicorn feline with unique abilities. Her powers

allow her the ability to lasso items in the form of a fullfledged brilliant rainbow, produce thunderous claps from her butterfly wings, fire lasers from her horn and glow sticks from her paws. Along with her best friend Miguel, an energetic dog, she is ready to take on the challenges that come along with living in Mythlandia, a land inhabited by dragons, giants, wizards, fairy tale creatures and so many more.

As stated above, her friends consist of Miguel, an Anubis

Chihuahua (literally lives in a pyramid house and his family looks like the Egyptian God of Death), Athena your stereotypical booksmart owl and Yana, a yeti who lives in a snow globe house and wears frozen food under her arms to keep cool when outside. Creators of the show want to depict female empowerment and non-conformity. I'm not female, but this could very well be empowering to women, though I would think women from the “Last Airbender,” “Legend of Korra” and “Power Rangers” (which is shown on Nickelodeon) would be more empowering than a character depicted with everything that we have been programmed to think is girly. This is not uncommon.

Valentine’s Day Trivia

Along with the shows mentioned already, we also have to look at shows made in Japan that also center there programming around the empowerment of women.

“Sailor Moon,” “Glitter Force,” “Magical Doremi,” etc. show strong female characters. The shows are enjoyable but sometimes you wish they pulled back a little bit on the girly stuff. These shows are not made for me or other males, it’s made for girls. I will admit, though, the show is entertaining.

There is a lot of comedy, even though it can be cheesy at times. It might very well join “The Loud House” as the first successful Nicktoon in a while.

The only problem for its success is that it’s mostly

on the Nicktoons network, which not as many people have as the main Nickelodeon channel, though it will still probably be shown on Nick sometimes, and it is possible that if it becomes successful they will put it on the main channel as well.

With the weird way Nickelodeon series are spread out (they like have weeks of new episodes every so often), I will give this series three years if it's not successful; even if it is I don't know how much they can do with it.

Though with a wide range of character possibilities it shouldn't be hard to introduce new characters. You can decide for yourself what you think of this unique show by watching it on the Nicktoons network.

1. Who recieves the most Valentine’s Day cards each year?

A. Parents B. Spouses C. Teachers

2. What year was the first Valentine’s Day held?

A. 666 B. 496 C. 55

3. How much does the average person spend on Valentine’s Day? A. $102 B. $20 C. $15

DEVON GREENE/ EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Answers: 1.C 2. B 3. A

@WesternCourier

OPINIONS 5

Monday, February 10, 2019

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

The history of rock music has been unpredictable because the genre has constantly redefined and reinvented itself since its emergence in the late 1940s.

Pioneering rock artists of the 1950s such as Chuck Berry leaned heavily on classic blues structures, as well as demonstrating his talent for entertaining people. By the early 1960s the Rolling Stones expanded rock’s scope by transitioning from single artists into a group of musicians capable of producing cohesive albums of songs.

Embracing sex and youthful rebellion in their music, the Stones welcomed controversy as well as taking rock to a new cultural height. As rock music became the dominant form of popular music, newer bands built on their predeces-

Contact Allison Young

sors’ strengths while adding their own personality to their music. Take Led Zeppelin for instance, they gave rock a darker, heavier tone, becoming one of the 1970s most popular bands, they kick-started a new genre known as hard rock. Around the same time, Pink Floyd added psychedelic elements and complex arrangements. Albums such as "Dark Side of the Moon" were credited with spawning the progressive rock movement.

In the late 1970s, in response to what they perceived as pretentious “hippie” bands such as Pink Floyd, groups including the Sex Pistols and the Clash simplified rock to its core ingredients: loud guitars, rude attitude, and enraged singing. Punk rock was born. As the 80's began, mainstream rock was losing

commercial steam, because it's sound was growing stale.

That is when subgenres of rock became increasingly popular. Subgenres such as new wave, alternative rock and modern rock. With the ascension of Nirvana's "Nevermind" in 1991, alternative rock became the dominant popular music. However, exacerbated by the suicide of Nirvana's frontman, Kurt Cobain, alternative music started to lose its luster by the middle of the decade. This set the stage for mainstream rock's reemergence.

As rock music entered the 21st century, the most successful acts had the same spirit as their '60s predecessors, even if they sounded quite different. Linkin Park fuses hiphop and metal, while 3 Doors Down emulates hard-rock traditions of the past while providing a contemporary spin.

Undoubtedly, rock music will keep evolving, drawing from its rich history while continuing to keep its ear open for the next reinvention.

AN-Young@wiu.edu

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6

Monday, February 11, 2019

Sports

Softball from back page

On Saturday morning Western played the University of Wisconsin Green Bay who were 1-1 coming into the game. Both teams were scoreless heading into the seventh, until junior Jasmine Lara singled, putting the Necks up 1-0 in the last inning. Green Bay would tie the game in the bottom of the half on a fielding error from Lara.

Two innings later the Necks took the lead on Carlin’s sac fly, and got an insurance run when freshman Danielle Olson hit a shot down the right field line, putting the Leathernecks up 3-1 in the ninth. However, Green Bay answered again

thanks to Crystal Guzman who drove in her second and third run of the game on her double, tying the game at three down to their last out. The very next batter later, Rebecca Radtke, singled to center field scoring pinch runner Brittney Baneck to give Green Bay a 4-3 win.

After a heartbreaking loss, Western played IUPUI for the second time in two days. This time it wouldn’t take the Necks seven innings to score, as they put up a three spot in the top of the first. The Jaguars would answer with three of their own in the second off Ira. The Necks answered right back in the third thanks to a Duwa double. Four batters later, Junior Meghan Henson hit a three-

run homer making it 7-3.

Both teams would score one more run, giving the Necks an 8-4 win.

The Necks played on Sunday morning against the University of Missouri Kansas City Kangaroos who entered the contest at 2-2. The Necks scored first for the fifth game in-a-row. However, they ran out of steam, giving up nine unanswered and losing 9-1 in five innings.

Western went 3-2 this weekend and showed a lot of promise for this year.

They will travel to Bowling Green, Ky. this weekend to take on the Hill Toppers of Western Kentucky.

Twitter: cre_bean

WesternCourier.com

Basketball from back page

What people did not realize, though, was that the Leathernecks had a very tough non-conference schedule. They played against multiple mid-major powerhouses and perennial NCAA Tournament teams.

Their tough scheduling to start the season has prepared the young and hungry Leathernecks for their difficult conference games.

Since Summit League play has begun, Western Illinois has been superb. They currently have an 8-4 conference

record, and sit in third place in the conference standings.

Two regular season contests remain on the Leathernecks' home schedule, as they are set to host South Dakota this Saturday and Oral Roberts on Feb. 23. Both are scheduled for 4:30 p.m. at Western Hall.

Be sure to call your friends and make your way out to the final games of the season.

The team will look to cap off a great season in a dominant fashion, and climb the conference ranks before the team heads to Sioux Falls, S.D. for the Summit League Tournament in March.

Twitter: breidytv

BECCA LANGYS/PHOTO EDITOR

Taylor Higginbotham defends the ball inside Western Hall.

CLASSIFIEDS

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Submit a classifieds ad to JD-Day@wiu.edu

Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord.

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Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122.

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Blues make big push for playoffs With the All-Star break behind them, many NHL teams are starting the fight for the Stanley Cup Playoffs, and in the middle of that fight you find the St. Louis Blues climbing up the standings night in and night out.

They are currently on a six-game winning streak capped off by back-to-back wins against the Nashville Predators in a home and home series, but I’ll get back to that.

The win streak started back on Jan. 23 against the Anaheim Ducks on the road. After losing to the worst team in the NHL the night before 4-3 to the Los Angeles Kings, they were able to bounce back in a big way.

The Blues cruised to a 5-1 victory that night and headed into the All-Star break with tons of confidence.

They ended up coming back even stronger after the break, showing some promising signs that they might be able to creep into the playoff picture. They came back from break to play the Columbus Blue Jackets on the road. This was the midpoint of their five-game road trip and they won 4-2.

They took their travels south for a few days to play the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning. They beat both these teams in emphatic ways. The Panthers fell 3-2 after three periods but it took a little more than that to top the Lightning.

The Blues were able to

completely shut down the Bolts after 60 minutes due to the wonderful goaltending of rookie goalie Jordan Binnington who now boasts a 9-1-1 record. Tied at 0-0 this game headed to overtime.

I sat watching thinking we were toast. The Bolts lead the NHL in scoring and are in first place. But I was proved wrong as Brayden Schenn had a mini breakaway against Andrei Vasilevskiy and slotted the puck into the back of the net to escape with a 1-0 overtime win.

This story just keeps getting better though. The Blues finally returned home after two weeks to play a homeand-home weekend series with the Nashville Predators.

The first game was Saturday in St. Louis.

The Blues came out hot and scored in the first five minutes as defender Vince Dunn made it 1-0. Assistant captain and right winger Vladimir Tarasenko doubled that lead late in the first period to take a 2-0 lead into the intermission.

The Predators did strike back as Mattias Ekholm cut the lead in half in the opening minutes of the second period.

Rookie Mackenzie MacEachern scored the eventual game winning goal to make it 3-1 to lead the Blues onto their fifth straight win.

That same night, MacEachern was signed to a one year, onway contract for $750,000. Full of confidence, the Blues took a

short flight to Nashville.

Less than 24 hours later, these teams were playing again, this time in music city.

The first period was scoreless, and it seemed like this was going to be a pretty low scoring game. Oh how I was wrong. The Blues broke the game wide open scoring two goals in the first five minutes from captain Alex Pietrangelo on a power play and once again, Tarasenko.

Victor Arvidson scored to make it 2-1 for his 23rd goal of the season. Tyler Bozak immediately answered with another goal for the Blues to make it 3-1. The Blues took that lead into the second intermission.

Things didn’t look too good for St. Louis to start off the third. Nashville scored backto-back goals from Roman Josi and Arvidson again to tie the game at 3-3. Not even a minute later, Tarasenko scored his second goal of the game to take back the lead at 4-3. The Predators weren’t done scoring, though, as Filip Forsberg scored to tie the game at 4-4.

The game would finish tied, which meant another overtime.

I once again wasn’t that confident in my team because the Bridgestone Arena in Nashville is one of the toughest if not the toughest place to play. But sure enough, the Blues managed to make my day. Tarasenko scored in overtime to end the game 5-4, completing his hattrick and scoring his 200th career goal.

This win marks a season high six-game win streak for St. Louis. In that time they went from the second worst team in the NHL to the first wildcard spot in the West as of writing this. That just goes to show how wide open the Western

Conference is though. It’s an absolute dogfight for the two wildcard spots, but right now the Blues are only a game behind the Dallas Stars for third place in the Central Division, with a game in hand.

This Blues team has played some of the best hockey I’ve seen them play since there run to the Western Conference Final in 2016. As good as they’re playing though, they are going to need to keep it up if they want to secure themselves a spot in the Stanley Cup Playoffs.

Here’s a couple of ways they can do just that.

The biggest thing right now is their lack of power play production. They are only 20.6 percent with a man advantage, scoring only 28 goals. This stat ranks them 22nd in the league.

In the game yesterday against Nashville they went 1/4 and 0/3 the day before. They don’t cash in on their opportunities when they have them which will be key moving forward.

Overall, it’s goaltending that wins hockey games, and it has been red hot with the insurgence of Binnington. I already talked about his 9-1-1 record, which is one of the best starts in Blues history, but he has also recorded two shutouts. He currently has a .931 save percentage with only a 1.72 goals allowed against record. Him and Jake Allen, who got the win yesterday, will have to have a spectacular rest of the season to keep the Blues alive.

It really just comes down to the players, though. Leading the team in points is Ryan O’Reilly with 55 points in only 54 games. He has 20 goals, 35 assists and a 20 +/- on the season. This guy was a big risk in the offseason as STL

traded away three forwards and two draft picks. Buffalo received Patrick Berglund, Vladimir Subotka and Tage Thompson, a 2019 first round draft pick and a 2021 second round draft pick. This trade helped both parties, as Buffalo obtained some depth and St. Louis got an elite goal scorer and play maker.

On his right side on the first line is Tarasenko. He has 41 points, 22 goals and 19 assists in 53 games. Leading the team in goals and coming off of an emphatic hattrick performance he is on fire. He’ll have to keep scoring goals in abundance.

Finishing out the first line is Brayden Schenn. A natural center, head coach Craig Berube has him playing at left wing to add some talent to the starting lineup. He has 33 points, 10 goals and 23 assists. To stay on this first line I think he’ll have to start scoring more goals. The workload should be divided evenly with everybody playing together.

Rookies MacEachern and 19-year-old Robert Thomas will have to keep putting in good shifts on the fourth line and the defense will have to stay solid like it has been these last 10 games. In that time the Blues are 7-2-1 and they’ll need to continue at this pace to go far.

Last season it came down to the final game of the regular season to have a chance into the playoffs. I don’t think it will be like that this time around. I think the Blues can comfortably take third in the Central, but with this team I’ll never keep my hopes that high.

Let’s hope they live up to St. Louis’ expectations.

Softball starts off the season with three wins

By Christopher Bean assistant sports editor

FILE PHOTO

Haley Dewa awaits a pitch at Mary Ellen McKee Stadium.

ROSEMONT, Ill. — Leatherneck softball began their season at the Total Control Sports Invitational over the weekend. The Necks displayed a lot of power in their first five games, winning three out of five.

Western played IUPUI in their first game on Friday morning.

Sophomore Abby Carlin took the mound for the Leathernecks, and she did not disappoint.

Carlin didn’t allow a run until the fifth inning, and gave up two runs in 5 2/3. She gave up five hits, struck out two batters and walked one in first outing of the year.

The Necks drew first blood, thanks to senior Aly Compton’s moonshot in the top of the fifth, putting the Necks up 1-0. The Jaguars tied the game in the bottom of the fifth, and took the lead on a Kristin London single, giving IUPUI a 2-1 lead going into the last inning. It wouldn’t last for long when senior power hitter Hailey Duwa tied the game, extending the game into extra innings. Senior Payton Abbott hit the Leathernecks third home

run of the game, putting them ahead 4-2. Abbott also pitched the last 2 1/3 innings of the game securing Western’s first win of the year.

The Leathernecks played Butler later that day. Western played their most complete game of the weekend, beating the Bulldogs 7-1. Senior ace Emily Ira got the start for Western, and she was fantastic as she usually is when she is on the mound. Ira pitched a complete game, surrendering only one run on two and striking out four batters. The Leathernecks offense did the rest. Duwa got an RBI single in the first giving the Necks an early 1-0. The Bulldogs got their only run in the top of the third off the bat from Maddie Moore, tying the game at one. Western got two in the fourth, putting them back up 3-1. They extended their lead scoring four more in the fifth, taking advantage of Butler’s sloppy play in the field. The Leathernecks started the season 2-0, after their first day of competition.

Softball page 6

Women's basketball moves past Mavericks

By Brendan Reidy courier staff OMAHA, Neb.- The Western Illinois women’s basketball team 12-13 (8-4) traveled to Nebraska to take on the Omaha Mavericks 7-17 (1-10) to assert their dominance within the conference. It was a victorious weekend for the Leathernecks after they won yet again. This is something we have grown accustomed to over the last two weeks. Western Illinois reeled in its fourth win in a row, after defeating the Omaha Mavericks this past Saturday.

The Leathernecks got off to a slow start on the road. The team was outscored by the Mavericks 20-16 to start off the contest. However, as the game progressed, the Purple and Gold kept on inching forward.

They went into the break trailing by three, but head coach JD Gravina and company had an answer in the second half.

They bullied their way into the paint, and were very effective scoring buckets in the lane.

Olivia Kaufman was spectacular. Kaufman displayed her offensive abilities by getting 24 points for Western. She helped lead the Leathernecks

to another conference victory, and is making her case for Summit League Player of the Year. However, she did not do it by herself. Western Illinois had three players score 20 plus points in the matchup.

Danni Nichols posted a careerhigh 22 points and Annabel Graettinger added 20.

After the matchup, Gravina had some things to say about the victory. "Omaha really came and played like they had nothing to lose. They made some defensive changes, some personnel changes and it really took us out of our rhythm in the first half. In the second half, I don't think we really found our rhythm, but we made some good runs and played good enough to win."

After a slow start to the season, many people began to write off the Leathernecks before conference play started up. The critics said, “they lost too many key pieces” or “they’re too young and inexperienced.”

Basketball page 6

Olivia Kaufman watches a play develop in front of her.

BECCA LANGYS/PHOTO EDITOR