Western Courier | April 20th, 2018

Sports: Knights stun in first playoff series.

Opinions: Where does Gorsuch's lines lie?

Sports: Softball tops Hawkeyes 2-1

Friday, April 20, 2018 - Vol. 118 Issue 80

UPI authorizes strike Mediation to continue through cooling period

By Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief

NICHOLAS EBELHACK/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

UPI members pickett along Jackson Street at Chandler Park earlier this semester due to prolonged contract negotiations.

University Professionals of Illinois (UPI) Local 4100 chapter members voted Wednesday to authorize a strike following prolonged contract negotiations that date back to December of 2016 with the Western Illinois University administration.

The vote, which will allow for the UPI leadership to call for a strike following a cooling period of 10 calendar days, had “an overwhelming majority” according to the union’s Facebook page.

UPI released a statement that night from Union President Bill Thompson.

“Our goal with contract negotiations is to move Western Illinois University forward while allowing the institution to retain and attract quality faculty and academic support professionals,” Thompson said. “Unfortunately, management is not yet on board with this plan, so we decided to have this vote to allow the bargaining team to call a strike if management continues not to listen to our united voice.”

In the statement, Thompson said that the union is seeking a mutually beneficial contract for the university community.

“We aren’t asking for the

world,” Thompson said, “but the University can afford to give us a reasonable contract that will allow us to keep and retain the high quality faculty and staff that will provide a better future for all of us and make Western Illinois University, the Right Choice for our students.”

Western’s contract administrator Russ Morgan responded to the vote in a statement from the university, saying the university hopes a strike can be avoided but if one occurs university operations would continue.

“If a strike should occur, it is the University's intent to continue classes as scheduled and continue WIU's mission of providing a quality education to its students,” Morgan said.

“With approximately three weeks remaining in the Spring 2018 semester, we understand the importance to the students of staying on track, particularly for those set to graduate next month.”

An additional mediation session has been scheduled for April 23, which would be before UPI members would be allowed to file for a strike. According to the UPI Facebook page, members intend to march in solidarity to those negotiations.

Strike page 2

Western president to interview at BSU

By Marc Ramirez assistant news editor

11th Western Illinois University President Jack Thomas will interview at Boise State University this month.

Western Illinois University President Jack Thomas was recently announced as a finalist in the running for President at Boise State University in Boise, Idaho.

After serving as president for the past seven years and previously served four years as Western Illinois University’s Provost and Academic Vice President, Thomas applied and was considered amongst a pool of 53 candidates for the open position.

Amongst these candidates,

Thomas was one of five finalists still in the running.

According to boisestate. edu, the finalists will be visiting the university beginning Monday, April 23.

Thomas was chosen to visit on Thursday, April 26 to participate in forums with faculty, staff and students.

The Western Courier reached out to Thomas for comment on his selection as a finalist, but did not receive a response to question.

The final selection is anticipated to have been made by the end of May of this year.

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NEWS

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Friday, April 20, 2018

WesternCourier.com

Macomb’s rd annual “Foos For Family” is

coming soon

By Joshua Bowling courier staff

The third annual human foosball tournament titled “Foos For Family” will take place in Macomb’s Memorial Park on April 29 from 3-7 p.m The event will be hosted

by Macomb Park District, Western Illinois University faculty and staff and the Center for Youth and Family Solutions (CYFS). All proceeds from the event will benefit the CYFS. “The game is played just like foosball except instead

Strike

from front page

Interim Provost and Vice President for Academic Affairs Kathy Neumann made a statement directed at students, stating that the university expects that a strike would not hinder the university’s commitment to their education.

“It is the University's intent to continue classes as scheduled, and students should attend classes as usual,” Neumann said. “It is our expectation that learning continues and you receive the quality education for which you have paid. In addition, commencement ceremonies at both campuses will be held as scheduled.”

“Our goal is to ensure that you receive the grades and credits for those classes in which you are enrolled,” con-

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

of plastic people, they are humans. We use foamwrapped PVC pipe to separate the players just like in regular foosball,” CYFS outreach supervisor Carrie Depoy said.

Western students in RPTA 467, an event planning and management course taught

by Assistant Professor Jeremy Robinett, will be responsible for working, planning and promoting the event. The event will provide good experience for the students in the class.

“Macomb Park District provides space, a registration

site and the equipment and because the CYF is a nonprofit organization the event has non-profit tax status,” Robinett said. “CYFS also provides us with contacts and help from its friends and donors. And Western’s RPTA students provided their labor and knowledge they were gaining in class to a practical, community-based activity.”

The CYFS raises funds and awareness for the needs of families in the local community.

“This event helps us raise funds for items like school supplies, winter coats, activ-

Jimmy pierson/production manager

ity fees, haircuts, hygiene products, cleaning items, fuel cards to attend counseling and many other everyday needs,” Depoy said.

“Without the generosity of our donors, Foos for Families wouldn’t be possible. We’re very appreciative of their support. We are a 100 percent non-profit organization and are thankful for all the community support.”

The tournament will have teams of six to eight people that will play on an enlarged foosball field against another team. This will be the third annual running of the event.

“The first and second Foos for Families tournaments were wonderful ways to raise funds, even though we got rained out last year,” Robinett said. “We’re excited that Campus Recreation has agreed to serve as our rain location this year, so come rain or shine, we’ll be playing. Over the last two years, we’ve raised a significant amount of money for the CYFS and have more than 30 sponsors.”

The cost of registering a team is $40. You can register a team online at macombparkdistrict.com.

PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION

ADVERTISING POLICY

tinues Neumann’s statement, “and the University will review all options for mitigating any disruptions to our students' educational pursuits.

A series of student-related FAQ’s were published as well on the university’s negotiations update webpage at wiu. edu/provost/negotiationsupdate.php, which details concerns about commencement, attending classes and who would teach classes taught by striking teachers.

In a statement from UPI media contact Jim La Prad to Tri States Public Radio, he said that although members have no plan to strike currently, the vote is necessary for their negotiations to continue towards a contract.

“We believe having the authority is necessary at this time to show the administration that there’s a unity of one voice,” LaPrad said.

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu assistant news editor Marc Ramirez MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu assistant news editor Steven Barnum SS-Barnum@wiu.edu opinions editor Ryan Zurek RP-Zurek@wiu.edu sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Haley Richards H-Richards@wiu.edu edge editor Baylee Brynteson BM-Brynteson@wiu.edu copy editor Brie Coder B-Coder@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 Becca Langys RE-Langys@wiu.edu assistant photo editor Sara Remar SE-Remar@wiu.edu production manager Jimmy Pierson JM-Pierson@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

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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@WesternCourier

Friday, April 20, 2018

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

By Josh Bowling courier staff

Western Illinois University’s Department of Health Sciences hosted a “Sleep and Sleep Deprivation Among College Students” event on Tuesday, from 10:3011:30 a.m. in Horrabin Hall room one.

Western students Courtney Coleman, Olajumoke Babatunde and Oludolapo Ogunbameru gave the presentation. The trio dealt with issues like sleep deprivation among American college students and its causes, as well as tips on how to get into a healthy sleep schedule and optimizing sleep time.

The presenters started the event with some pre-test questions they passed out to the 10 or so student and faculty members who were in attendance. Coleman broke the ice by joking about the early start time for the event.

“10:30 (a.m.) is early and you all could be sleeping so I appreciate you all coming out,” Coleman said.

The goal of the presentation was to sensitize college students about sleep health knowledge and helpful sleep habits to improve academic success and overall quality of life. For adults, the Center for Disease Control (CDC) considers anything less than seven hours of sleep a day to be an insufficient amount.

Studies show that 34.4 percent of Illinois adults do not, under that definition, get enough sleep on a regular basis. A breakdown by county reveals McDonough County had higher levels of insufficient sleep than surrounding areas, which can be directly attributed to the student body of Western.

“A lot of times I think we are desensitized to the idea of sleep,” Coleman said.

“It’s easy to say ‘manage your time,’ but what does that look like?”

Adults who have insufficient sleep are more prone to chronic illnesses like obesity, diabetes, heart disease, hypertension and immune function. Sleep rates also varied across racial groups, with whites having the lowest levels of inadequate sleep at 32.2 percent, and blacks having the highest at 43.9 percent.

Those numbers are explained by the correlation between sound and stress levels being higher in urban environments, where minorities are statistically more likely to be located in.

“A lot of us don’t consider sleep that important,” Ogunbameru said. “But if we see sleep as important then we can take deliberate steps to ensure we get enough.”

Because of our increasingly connected world, tech-savvy students who play video games or use their cell phones before bed are more prone to sleep deprivation. In fact, half of students report daytime sleepiness and 60 percent report that they are dragging, tired or sleepy at least three days a week, which leads to decreased focus, memory and ability to learn.

The event concluded with the ladies handing out refrigerator magnets with sleep tips on them like stopping electronic device use at least 30 minutes before bedtime, avoid consuming caffeine in the evening, and to set a consistent bedtime throughout the week that is early enough for you to get at least seven hours of sleep.

NEWS 3

Friday, April 20, 2018

4 OPINIONS

On April 17, 2018, Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch did what the political world never saw coming, he ruled as a liberal.

During a court hearing on the case of Sessions vs .Dimaya, Justice Gorsuch ruled against his conservative counterparts and voted against anti-immigration policies. The issue at hand was whether a permanent resident can be considered for deportation for burglary. According to current immigration law, any resident can be considered for deportation if they are convicted of an aggravated felony. Gorsuch ruled that the current law was too vague for it to include burglary as an aggravated felony.

According to current law, an aggravated felony is described as a “crime of violence.” A crime of violence is any crime in where direct

harm either did occur or could have occurred to a person or property. Conservative antiimmigration supporters have long argued that burglary along with drug trafficking is a crime of violence and that permanent residents can be considered for deportation if convicted. Whereas liberal immigration supporters argue that if no violence occurred during the burglary, then it is not a crime of violence and thus the permanent resident should not be considered for deportation. Both of these views have constantly come up during cases like the one of Sessions vs Dimaya and until Justice Gorsuch broke ranks; the norm has been relatively conservative.

Gorsuch ruled that the current immigration and nationality act (INA) law that describes an aggravated felony

as a crime of violence, is too broad of a term for it to clearly include burglary. Both the immigration judge and the board of immigration appeals board ruled that burglary is considered under the Immigration and Nationality Act as a crime of violence and is thus a deportable offense. While the Ninth Circuit Court of Appeals was awaiting to rule on this case, the United States Supreme Court ruled in Johnson vs. United States that the definition of a “violent felony” in the Armed Career Criminal Act (ACCA) was too vague to be considered constitutional.

So, the Ninth Circuit Court ruled that the immigration and nationality act’s definition of a crime of violence was too close to the Armed Career Criminal Act’s definition of a violent felony and ruled it unconstitutional.

The case of Sessions vs Dimaya has since then gone up to the United States Supreme Court for a ruling and this past Tuesday in a surprising vote of five against and four in the affirmative, the earlier

Dear WIU Community, I have written this letter because Western Illinois University gave me a chance to become the leader that I am today. Unfortunately, there are some who seek to compromise my alma mater from afar, but Leathernecks have tough skin. I want to preface this letter by saying that I have not written this letter to harm my alma mater. In fact, I have written this letter to give my perspective on the challenges that my alma mater faces while supporting the leadership of the 11th President of Western Illinois University, Dr. Jack Thomas.

It is no secret that enrollment has been on the decline at Western Illinois University for almost two decades, but it is not because of the great admissions staff or the incomparable administration at Western. However, much of the decline is due to the City

of Macomb, Illinois. Macomb's refusal to grow its presence and expand its businesses has caused a once-bustling college town to become just another dot on the map. To the contrary, Macomb is not a modern-day college town.

In fact, one could argue that of all the cities hosting public institutions in the state of Illinois, Macomb would rank very high in the least-desired places to live.

Students are looking for the amenities of home while also seeking a quality and affordable education. Unfortunately, at this time, Western Illinois University can only check the quality of education box. This is due to the fact that in the Land of Lincoln, the budget for higher education has been gashed. Deferred maintenance costs are still at an all-time high. With these obstacles, one would think that recruitment efforts should be kicked into over-

drive and they have. Currently, Western recruits in Chicagoland area, the Quad Cities area and the St. Louis area. However, there is a faction that wants to see the office in St. Louis closed.

This faction is led by former and current members of the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees. I know this because in fall 2015 they met me at the newly-opened Wing-Stop restaurant in the Quad Cities to discuss this very topic over lunch. Being naïve and a former trustee myself, I did not know why the meeting was taking place, but I decided to attend. During this meeting, there was a conversation about the St. Louis office – in East St. Louis at the time. The two trustees wanted to know why I left the office and was it viable? I helped them understand how the St. Louis office could be a viable asset to a university with en-

WesternCourier.com

court’s ruling was overruled as unconstitutional. What was expected was a quick and drama free majority conservative ruling in the affirmative, that didn’t happen. At the very last minute, Justice Gorsuch shocked both conservatives and liberals alike when he broke ranks and joined the liberals to break the tie, thus successfully overruling the lower courts position.

The ruling was unprecedented seeing as only a few months ago Justice Gorsuch predictably voted with his conservative peers on another immigration Supreme Court case of Jennings vs.

Rodriguez regarding whether an undocumented in detainment has a legal right to a bond hearing.

The Ninth Circuit Court inferred that the current immigration law due to constitutional concerns, inherently required the mandatory legal language to include a time limit on prolonged detainment of no more than six months for a bond hearing.

Gorsuch along with his con-

servative peers overruled the lower court, stating that the current law shows no constitutional indication of a specific limit a detainee can be held without a bond hearing.

In other words, the Supreme Court ruled that there is no inherent or even slight mention of any limit of six months for a bond hearing regarding undocumented immigrants in detainment.

Liberals and conservatives were awestruck by the sudden change of political perception of Justice Gorsuch. Liberals hailed it as a political blow to the Trump administration’s tough stance on immigration, while conservatives claim the ruling by Justice Gorsuch as being an unbiased position and interpreting the law as it is written, not as he believes it ought to be written.

Whether liberals or conservatives are right in their analysis of the ruling is what is up for debate, what is not up for debate is the fact that Justice Gorsuch is a much more complex individual than previously believed.

rollment issues. However, they pushed even further toward the negatives of having an office in that region. As I listened to these two men talk, it reminded me of the covert racism that often permeates throughout higher education, especially at institutions where people of color are at the helm. The St. Louis office is needed in the region and it costs little to operate. The reason why those two trustees wanted and still want the office closed is because it is perceived that the office only recruits Black students. In short, the good ol' boys are out to make Western White Again, but that contradicts one of the core values of Western Illinois University, EDUCATIONAL OPPORTUNITY. If it were not for that core value, I would not have been able to earn two degrees from Western Illinois University. Shame on those two

men, but I am confident that the board of trustees as a whole will see past the bigotry and prejudices of those two men. To the Western Illinois University Board of Trustees, now is the time to lead!

I submit this letter in support of President Dr. Jack Thomas and his entire administration because, during these tough budgetary times, Western Illinois University has kept their doors open. My alma mater has risen in many of the academic rankings over the last ten years while also providing students with cuttingedge degree programs. This has been done because Leathernecks are equipped with the mindset and wherewithal to survive the toughest of times.

Letter to the Editor

Sincerely, D'Angelo S. Taylor, M.A. '11, '15 Former Western Illinois University Trustee '09-'10, '12-'13

Friday, April 20, 2018

@WesternCourier

OPINIONS 5

Strikes on Letter to the Editor Syria were justified As most may know, on Friday April 13, Donald Trump decided to bomb Syria because of the horrific chemical attacks the people of Syria were experiencing. As someone who does not pay much attention to politics, I still believe that our president made the right decision; he used this as a threat saying that the use of chemical weapons needs to stop.

Trump chose to protect the people of Syria because their President, Bashar al-Assad was harming them. So, why is there such an uproar over this bombing?

I have read several different sources; everything from news articles to Facebook posts, to understand other Americans point of view on the situation. Many might argue that President Trump is meddling in other countries business, but there are innocent civilians being killed, and they have no way of defending themselves. Before the incident Trump tweeted about what his actions on Syria were going to be; I disagreed with the choice he made, because it could have put our military men and women in danger.

Another argument is that we are just going to cause more issues between other countries and possibly start a war that we do not need to be in.

President Trump was not the only person who chose to send bombs into Syria; our allies, the French and British were both part of the attack.

I believe that Trump’s actions were intended to be helpful, not harmful.

One of the biggest aspects of this attack that I see as beneficial is that President Trump did not aim to kill Bashar al-Assad or any people. The missiles were aimed at places where there was supposedly chemical warfare positioned.

The attacks were aimed to take out the illegal items in the country that were being used to harm civilians; they could have very well been aimed at the palace of the Syrian president, but they were not.

Having chemical weapons of any sort is against international law for obvious reasons.

But what if these people being harmed were Americans?

Would President Trump's actions still be frowned upon?

Well, imagine if more of these weapons still existed, and some of our soldiers that are in international countries were stuck in the attack. He was not only saving civilians from another country, but he is doing his job and protecting Americans too.

Although I do not pay much attention to politics as much as I should, I have never been one to agree with much that Trump chooses to do for the country because I believe that a lot of what he does for the country is for attention. But this is one of the few things he has done that shows he might know how to do his job.

He might have some different approaches than past presidents have had, but I think his intentions were supposed to be beneficial and not harmful towards civilians of another country. He is trying to save innocent lives.

Editorial Policy The editoral views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editoral presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editoral 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.

Letters & Local Forum Policies 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.

2018 Spring Semester Editorial Board Editor-in-Cheif - Nicholas Ebelhack Edge Editor - Baylee Bryntesson Opinions Editor - Ryan Zurek

Dear WIU Students, As you may be aware, the University has been negotiating with WIU faculty since October 2016, and the University remains committed to reaching a sustainable and fiscally responsible agreement with our UPI Local 4100 Chapter. Despite ongoing mediation sessions, UPI Local 4100 Chapter has called upon its members to vote for an authorization to strike.

As the vote has passed, an intent to strike may be filed.

However, a strike authoriza-

tion does not mean a strike will occur. It is at the discretion of each faculty member to choose whether or not to participate in a strike. A series of student-related FAQs related to a possible strike can be found at wiu.edu/provost/ negotiationsupdate.php.

It is the University's intent to continue classes as scheduled, and students should attend classes as usual. It is our expectation that learning continues and you receive the quality education for which you have paid. In addition,

commencement ceremonies at both campuses will be held as scheduled.

Our goal is to ensure that you receive the grades and credits for those classes in which you are enrolled, and the University will review all options for mitigating any disruptions to our students' educational pursuits.

We remain committed to your education.

Sincerely, Kathy Neumann Provost and Vice President

Friday, April 20, 2018

6 SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Softball

from back page

This win against Iowa will give them the momentum necessary to finish the remainder of the season. Up next on the schedule is conference opponent, the University of Nebraska-Omaha [Omaha].

JASMYNE TAYLOR/COURIER STAFF

Ian Koch watches for the call after a pitch.

Baseball from back page

Koch isn’t that far behind, with his 45 placing him tied at third in the Summit.

Senior Colan Borchers is having a strong season from the bullpen with a trio of saves on the year placing him third in the Summit League in that category. Accompanying his saves are a 0.68 ERA, 13 strikeouts, and a 1.12 WHIP (Walks and Hits per Innings Pitched).

An offensive leader this season for the Leathernecks is Thompson. As stated earlier, Thompson had a stellar series against the Bison early in the season, but he continued to thrive after that.

Thompson has an outstanding batting average of .274 accompanied by 14 RBIs, two home runs and a .374 onbase percentage. Thompson also has a spot on top of the Summit League with 14 stolen bases.

Leading the team in bat-

CLASSIFIEDS Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu

For Rent 1 & 2 bedroom apartments, new $250 signing bonus on 10 and 12 month leases. Two blocks from campus. Bus stops nearby. Free water, garbage and parking. Laundry onsite. Clean, well maintained and secure. Call Ted 309-837-5600 or visit markertrental.com.

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.

Call 309-255-1233.

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.

FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565.

Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!

STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com.

You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!

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Currently, the Purple and Gold stand on top of the Summit League with their 6-0 record. Omaha is ranked fifth out of the six teams in the conference with a 2-6 record. The three-game series against the Mavericks will be played at home; the first game will start this Saturday at noon.

Twitter: @hayfourrr

ting average this season is redshirt freshman Alex Dorethy who in his 24 games has a .327 average. Along with his average, Dorethy has claim to seven RBIs and two doubles.

The Leathernecks will face off against the Bison this Friday through Sunday, with all the games start at 1 p.m.

The games will be played at Seymour Smith Park on the campus of fellow league competitor Omaha.

Twitter: @thefluffy66

Hailey Duwa up to bat for Western.

WC For Rent

LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing.

CLEAN, REMODELED, AND WELL MAINTAINED HOUSES AND APTS FOR RENT IN GREAT LOCATIONS. UTILITIES PAID FOR APARTMENTS. RENTING NOW FOR FALL 2017.

ALSO RENTING TWO APTS FOR SPRING 2016. CALL JASON AT 309-221-3985.

Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message.

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Looking for 2 roommates to share a 3-bedroom furnished house beginning in August for 2018-19. 10- to 12-month contract. New carpet, air, garage w/ storage, laundry. $300 each per month, plus utilities. Call Sharon at 309-338-3888.

The nicer apartments are going fast, excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. Reasonable prices. Studio, 1-3 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

ANGEL STRACK/COURIER STAFF

RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)

For Rent Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished.

Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets.

Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site.

No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.

Westen Investments still has affordable 1-4 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available. Be sure to check out our website (www.westeninvest.com) to see our available listings, and call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to win prize giveaways!

APARTMENT FOR RENT: FOR QUIET PERSON. ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR RENT LOCATED AT 314 West Carroll ST Macomb, Ill 61455. Available end of August 2017-new carpeting yearly lease SMALEST FURNISHED IN MACOMB $345.00/month - HEAT & AC INCLUDED private entrance, off-street parking included call for appointment309-837-4748 or 255-5075 woodburning fireplace, ask for Paul.

For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo.

(309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime.

Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message Still have some nice large locations available at reasonable prices. Excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. 1-8 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Pets at some locations. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

Sports 7

Friday, April 20, 2018

@WesternCourier

NHL playoffs underway

It’s April and that means its playoffs time. The NHL and NBA have both started their respective postseasons. This adds to an already jammed packed month of April in the sports world.

You have the NCAA National Championship, the start of the MLB season, the Masters and the NFL Draft to end the month.

Yes, the NBA playoffs are fantastic and entertaining to watch, but you can’t forget about the NHL playoffs. Just like the NBA, the NHL has 16 teams battling it out a best out of seven series to determine the champion. During the playoffs you see a little bit of everything as the pressure boils up. You see big hits, ejections and triple overtime games. Those all are great things that make them entertaining to watch, but not my favorite. Whether your team wins or loses, the best thing to see is both teams shaking hands at the end of the series.

After each series ends, it gives me chills every time I see both teams line up and see how they show respect to one another.

Especially, just moments after they were trying to beat each other. It’s one of the best tradi-

tions in all of sports.

There are many headlines in the 2018 Stanley Cup Playoffs. Let’s start with the newest team in the league, the Las Vegas Golden Knights. In their first year as an expansion team, the Golden Knights had a 51-24-7 record with 109 points, winning the Pacific Division. With the expansion draft last offseason, the Knights were able to put together a respectable team, drafting goalie Marc-Andre Fleury and left winger James Neal. Both players reached the Finals, but Fleury and the Penguins edged out Neal and the Predators.

Fleury brings three Stanley Cups to the table and is looking to bring a cup to Vegas.

Vegas has already moved on to the second round of the playoffs. They swept the LA Kings on Tuesday night. Fleury only allowing three goals in four games with two shootouts. He was the first star in three of those games. James Neal assisted in the game winning a goal in game two, and a goal in game three earning the second star behind Fleury. As long as those two keep playing the way they

are, it will be tough for other teams to win against them in the playoffs. An expansion team has never won in its first year in the league. The closet being the St. Louis Blues in 1968 making it all the way to the finals. The Knights try to make history with being the first ever expansion team to win it all in its first year.

My second headline has to be the team that came out of the Western Conference last year and the President Trophy winners, the Nashville Predators.

They had a great run last year, falling two games short of lifting the cup over their heads. They have proven why they are an even better team this year, leading the league with 117 points, and second in wins with 53. They were the story of the playoffs last year being a wild card team that made the finals. Not only have they been one of the best teams since last spring, but they have the best crowd, who pushed them all the way to the Finals. \ The Predators arguable have one of the best goalies in the league with Pekka Rinne. At the age of 35, he had 42 wins during the regular season. He is finalist for the Vezina Trophy for the third time in his career. This trophy is awarded to the best goalie in the regular season. Rinne hopes he can be the best this postseason and lead Nashville to its first ever championship.

Another go to guy Nashville looks to is P.K. Subban, who is one of the best defenseman in the league. The Predators traded their captain at the time, Shea Weber to the Montreal Canadians for him before the 2016-2017 season. It wasn’t the easiest decision to trade Weber, but it has paid off. Subban brings that fire and edginess to his locker room.

Behind these two great players, and the best crowd in hockey, the Predators try and bring their first cup to Nashville.

My third headline is the defending back-to-back champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins.

Pittsburgh has created the new dynasty in hockey with the best player in this generation, Sidney Crosby. Since Crosby came into the league, he has led the Penguins to four Stanley Cup appearances, and won three of them. The captain has them back in the playoffs yet again. With the help from Evgeni Malkin and Phil Kessel, they put themselves in a great position to win another one. The Penguins look to become the first team to win it three times in-a-row, since the New York Islanders won it four times in-a-row from 1980-83.

Lastly, will Alexander Ovechkin make it past the second round of the playoffs?

There is no question that he is one of the best goal scorers the league has ever seen. But

since Ovechkin has been in the league, he has never made it to the Conference Finals. The lasts two years Washington has had the league's best record and fell short in game seven in the second round losing to Pittsburgh both times.

This year they didn’t have the most points, but they won the Metropolitan Division for the third straight year. I understand that Ovechkin has played well in the playoffs, but when you have a great team like he’s had the last three years, you need to find a way to get to the Conference Finals. Everyone bashes LeBron for having a horrible finals record. But at least throughout his career he got his teams to the finals even with very weak teams.

The Capitals are currently losing 2-1 in a great first round matchup against the Columbus Blue Jackets. Every game has been decided in overtime, and the away team has scored the final goal to win. It’s time for Ovechkin to prove why he’s such a great goal scorer and get his team past the second round!

The NHL playoffs are off to a quick start with a lot of big names. There is a lot of expectations for the many teams left standing. But only one team will be holding the cup over their head skating on the ice for the world to see.

Women’s tennis celebrate senior day

By Bradley Piros courier staff

Natalia Bravo winds up for the swing.

JOSH PURNELL/COURIER STAFF

MACOMB Ill. – The Western Illinois women’s tennis team will finish their regular season at home tomorrow morning when they take on the visiting Quincy University Hawks. The Leathernecks head into this game 10-7 on the season and 3-1 at home.

The Hawks are coming to Macomb on a seven-game skid and sit at only 4-10 on the season. They are 1-4 on the road.

The Leathernecks have won their last two contests against the South Dakota State University Jack Rabbits at home and Golden Eagles of Oral Roberts on the road.

Both matches ended 6-1 in favor of the Purple and Gold.

Western was supposed to play last weekend against the University of Denver Colorado Pioneers but was postponed due to the weather. That means they haven’t been in competition since March 31, when they dominated ORU. This isn’t the first time these teams have met this year, as they squared off in the Quincy Invitational back in September. Western didn’t

lose a single set, as they were up against the Hawks, Truman State University and St. Francis University.

Sophomore Natalia Bravo won in two sets with a pair of 6-0 scores in the No. 1 singles spot. Senior Courtney Lubbers did the same in the No. 2 spot to gain a commanding lead. The two would later team up in doubles competition and win 9-7 and 8-4.

The Leathernecks finished that match undefeated for their second win of the fall season. Now they have the opportunity to beat them again and finish out their spring season on a threegame winning streak.

Last time out for Quincy was against Drury University as they lost 6-0 at home. It was their fourth straight loss at home.

It’s Western final home game, which also means it’ll be senior day. The team only has eight women to begin with, and three of them will be departing from Western this spring. Lubbers along with Maria Bessmertnaya and Cary Milanes say goodbye.

All three have been terrific in singles competition and whenever Lubbers and Bravo teamed together, they were

trouble. She was a dominant force in the No. 1 spot since her freshman year at Western.

She earned Summit League “Player of the Week” once in her sophomore year, and just continued to get better over her collegiate career.

Bessmertnaya was a transfer from the University of Akron, but also was named one of the top 50 tennis players in the Russian national rankings.

She was a reliable option in the No. 2 singles spot and has recorded close to 40 matches for Western.

Last but certainty not least, Milanes was a transfer from Valparaiso who put up a 7-13 singles record last year. The Florida native finished 8-11 in doubles play. Her and her two teammates will be missed by their team as well as head coach Mirko Bjelica very much.

They aren’t quite done yet though. They look to put on a stellar performance for the last time in front of their home crowd, but most importantly, gain some success in the Summit League tournament next weekend.

The meet will begin at 9 a.m. tomorrow against the visiting Quincy University Hawks.

Twitter:bradjp08

Necks prepare for Bison

By David Koier courier staff

OMAHA, Neb. — The Western Illinois University Leathernecks baseball team travels this weekend to Omaha, Neb. in a conference matchup against the Bison of North Dakota State University.

The Leathernecks are 7-21 on the season with a 5-6 conference record placing them fifth in the Summit League. The Bison aren’t doing much better, settling for a 6-7 conference record and a 13-16 overall. The Bison are fourth in the Summit League.

The Leathernecks were successful earlier in the season against the Bison, scoring a two game to one series win in the opening series of conference play. A key player of that series was junior utility man Bailey Montgomery.

Montgomery went four for five that weekend with a pair of RBIs. Another player who thrived in the early season series was junior infielder Deion Thompson. Thompson led the Leathernecks with four hits and two runs.

The Purple and Gold had an unfortunate weekend last

week against the University of Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks.

Starting the series off with a loss on Friday, Mother Nature didn’t feel like watching any baseball, as it continued to rain all weekend ending with the cancellation of the second two games. This past Wednesday the Leathernecks traveled to Peoria to face the Bradley University Braves in losing fashion, coming up short 9-2.

The Bison are on their own two-game losing streak, losing to the South Dakota State Jackrabbits. The Bison have also been plagued with cancellations this year having four games cancelled in the past two weeks.

Pitching is still a strong area for this struggling Leathernecks team. Led by senior Ian Dunne and junior Ian Koch, the Purple and Gold only allow their opponents a .268 batting average while striking out 235 batters in the process. Dunne leads the Leathernecks and the Summit League in total strikeouts with 53 on the season.

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Deion Thompson up to the plate at Alfred D. Boyer Stadium.

JASMYNE TAYLOR/COURIER STAFF

Softball shocks the Hawkeyes Haley Richards

assistant sports editor

Emily Ira on the mound for the Purple and Gold.

ARIEL RAMIREZ/ COURIER STAFF

IOWA City, Iowa — The Western Illinois softball team played against the University of Iowa on Tuesday. The Leathernecks defeated the Hawkeyes 2-1 and move onto 14-22 overall. Iowa is now 19-22 on their season.

This win over the Hawkeyes was Western’s first win over a Power Five school, since they last beat Iowa in April of 2015. This win also puts them on a sevengame winning streak, which is the longest it has been since 2012.

“I am so proud of this team and their resilience tonight. They kept fighting until the last out.

The way this team plays together and believes in each other is very special,” head coach Beth Golitko said. “Emily was in the zone today and with a few great plays behind her, we were able to stay in the game. Both teams showed great fight tonight and I'm happy we were able to get that extra inning win. We did not press and we trusted the process. Getting this win felt really good.”

No hits were given up for either team until the seventh inning.

Pitching for the Purple and

Gold was junior Emily Ira. She ended the game with a 3.39 ERA with only three hits and one run against her.

Junior infielder Hailey Duwa ended Iowa’s no-hitter in the top of the seventh, when she hit a home run over the right-field wall.

The Hawkeyes turned around in the bottom of the seventh to end Ira’s no hitter. This was the second time this season that Ira was only one strike away from a shutout.

In the top of the eighth, bases were loaded for the Leathernecks. Freshman outfielder Alyssa Ealy and senior outfielder Rachel Beatty both bunted to get on base. Freshman outfielder Ashley Minyard was hit by a pitch to get her on first.

With only one out, junior pitcher Payton Abbott hit a ground ball to shortstop and Ealy was able to make it home to win the game.

During the last inning, Iowa tried to come back putting one runner on base but the player was left stranded and Western Illinois would hand them their 22nd loss of the season.

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