Sports: Denny Hamlin wins Daytona 500.
Opinions: Should student athletes get paid?
WesternCourier.com
Wednesday, February 20, 2019 - Vol. 119 Issue 57
@WesternCourier
Macomb City Council announcing winning bids for street repair projects. By Steven Barnum news editor
Felicia soloman/courier staff
Alderman Dennis Moon and Downdown Development Director Kristin Terrie discuss conditions of Macomb streets.
Alderman-at-Large Dennis Moon led the city council on Tuesday night’s meeting, which featured four unanimous votes. In the first vote, the City of Macomb decided to award the DeBold family with a lease for 314 E Lafayette St. The DeBolds plan to use the building as a drivethru coffee shop called Bold Brew House, and don’t plan on making any major renovations to the interior or exterior of the structure. In the second vote, the council approved the changes to the Downtown Renovation Grant Program, which the city amended and renamed in 2018. Aldermen Annette Carper and Moon made suggestions to improve the amendment after ample discussions with Downtown Development Director, Kristen Terry. One of the changes that Terry incorporated into the final proposal dealt with the clause stating that downtown businesses would not be eligible to win the grant more than once in three years. The initial clause was designed to give everyone opportunities to improve their business, but the council decided that it was unnecessary. Now, businesses that receive the grant one year will not be discouraged from applying again the next year. “This particular amendment reflects this administration’s suggestions,” City Attorney Kristen Petrie said. For new business, the city council selected the winning bidder for its street cape-sealing project. The city entertained offers for the project last week and four companies submitted bids. AC Pavement Striping Company will complete the project for roughly $249,000, which is less than the city’s original estimation of $300,000. The streets that will undergo the cape sealing are listed as followed: Madison, Lafayette, Center, Calhoun, Grant, Washington, Clay, Dudley, Indian Trail, Jackson and Home.
The city also approved a cracksealing street repair project for $17,450. Complete Asphalt Service submitted the lowest of the bids, which ranged up to $28,000. The city estimated that this project would cost $30,000. When combining costs of both of the street projects, City Administrator Dean Torreson said that they are more than economically efficient. “Going into this summer we had $350,000 to work with and this will be a total of about $265,000,” Torreson said, “so we are coming in under our allotted amount for this summer. There are some engineering costs, but very little.” Despite being under budget, Moon said that the city should anticipate additional repairs and costs since Macomb has endured extreme winter weather. “We might be able to expand it because with the severity of this winter, streets are going to need a little extra work, we’ll just have to see how it goes and we’ll do the most we can with what we have,” Moon said. When it comes to the difference between cape sealing and crack sealing, Torreson explained that the former is the more solid approach. The cape seal method is also expected to offer durability for at least five years. The city will prioritize sealing the streets with the most need. “It preserves the life of the street and that’s the goal of this project,” Torreson said. “We have so many needs, so we have to pick and choose which streets are too far gone and which ones can still be preserved for the future.” Both of the projects will take place in the next fiscal year this summer, so the funding will not come out of this year’s budget. During next week’s committee of the whole meeting, city officials will discuss a potential redevelopment plan for the property at 133 W Jackson St. Petrie said that the property and project plans meet all of the guidelines under the state law. This will be on the agenda for first reading, but an extensive discussion is expected.
Sports: Jon Heyman reported a 10-year, $300 million contract. I was stunned, heartbroken and most of all embarrassed. How could this happen? The Padres? The team who joined the sweepstakes late? Pathetic.
2
NEWS
WesternCourier.com
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Associate Provosts speaks to SGA about the future of Western By Marc Ramirez edge editor
After not meeting for three weeks, the Student Government Association met this Tuesday in the University Union Capitol Room. The meeting began with a guest appearance by Associate Provost for Budget, Planning and Personnel, Russ Morgan, who also has taught psychology at Western Illinois University for 15 years. Morgan came on behalf of Western’s President Jack Thomas who was unable to attend the meeting due to lobbying for Higher Education in Springfield. Thomas makes a conscious effort to speak to members of the SGA and keep them informed on things happening to the University. Morgan came and spoke about the Academic Program Elimination Review Committee, their purpose and the decisions they have made over the last three months. “If you are not familiar with this, what it is it’s that we and Academic Affairs and the upright administration
had tasked a group of faculty members with looking at a group of our majors and programs at the University that are low enrolled and have been low enrolled for sometime now,” Morgan said. “Typically, we give them a list of 18 programs that we want them to look at and they’ve spent the last few months meeting with members of those departments and programs and looking at a lot of data to make a recommendation as to what should happen with these programs.” The 18 programs under review can either be recommended to be eliminated, reviewed and revised to combine with another major or to leave as is. It was determined that there was not a recommendation to eliminate any, but some should continue to be reviewed and about half should perhaps no longer stay as majors, but become options within a similar major. “So what's going to happen here in the next couple weeks is that the provost's office is going to look at that recommendation and do
some reviewing and critiquing some reviewing of our own,” Morgan said. “Then we’ll make a recommendation to the President and the Board of Trustees and they will determine if the programs should continue or be revised in one form or another.” If it becomes the case that any major or academic program is eliminated from the institution, the program will be phased out, allowing all students currently enrolled in the program to graduate with their prospective degree. “Even if you are a freshman right now, the major will be around until you complete your degree,” Morgan said. The committee comprises its members through a contractual agreement through the University Professionals of Illinois members consisting of one person from each of the four academic colleges plus one person who represents the university libraries. Each member volunteers for the position and it is ultimately voted on by the majority. Morgan continued to speak
about the issue that's been presenting itself to students and the Macomb community for years: the University’s enrollment. He stated that the downward trend looks like it will stop this year and enrollment will be leveled out. He continued to say that with Governor Pritzker ’s budget announcement, the University is hoping for a new appropriation to help with enrollment and the overall budget. Although the other majors and departments aren’t facing the best of news, two new programs have been approved for the Quad Cities campus to implement. Psychology has been the number one minor for a decade now and will now be offered. Faculty senate has also expressed approval that math will be offered as a minor at the Quad Cities campus. In addition to these advances, it has also been expressed that they want to expand engineering, electrical and civil. However, this currently sits as a recommendation. The College of Education is proposing an educational studies major which would benefit students interested in
Associate Provost Russ Morgan came to the Student Government Association to discuss Western's future in regards to academic programs.
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
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene 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
education, but don't want a classroom/teaching aspect. This is something people are hoping will be approved by the end of the semester. In addition, the FYE is being revised, based off feedback from faculty, staff and students. Morgan explained that people aren't happy with it’s current state so they hope to change it. In order to make the program the best it can be, people are encouraged to provide feedback on their experiences. In heavier news, on March 1, the University will be announcing a significant amount of layoffs. “There will be layoffs in terms of both civil service, office of support staff, administrative staff, some academic support specialists and also perhaps some faculty layoffs as well,” Morgan said. “This is something that has been on the horizon for quite some time now and the University’s income and budget can't quite keep up with our costs. So just like any company, if you're spending more than you are bringing in, you need to make some cuts.”
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.
COPYRIGHT 2017
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.
ADVERTISING POLICY
The WC does not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, handicapped status, veteran or sexual orientation, nor does it knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or federal laws.
One copy of the Western Courier is free. Additional copies $1.
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.
@WesternCourier
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
NEWS 3
jimmy pierson/production manager
By Steven Barnum news editor
Western Illinois University will open the Knoblauch Café on Tuesday, Feb. 26. Located in corporate din-
ing room number 239 in Knoblauch Hall, the café will offer students and faculty entrees, beverages and dessert for $7 per customer. Those interested will have the chance to reserve seats during hours of operation, which are
from 11:30 a.m. to 12:45 p.m. on Tuesdays and Thursdays of each week. Customers may also order food to pick up from the café. The café is advertising bow tie pasta, tomato cream sauce, Greek salad, bruschetta and
strawberry trifle to kick off its 2019 debut next Tuesday. On day two, Thursday, Feb. 28, the menu will include turkey, Mediterranean pasta salad and cheesecake shooter. In the following weeks, the café will offer a variety of
different items such as chicken, salads and soups. To learn more about the café or to make reservations, visit http://www.wiu.edu/ coehs/rpta/knoblauch_ cafe/ or call Knoblauch Hall at 309-298-1085.
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. 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.
Sanders may become President in 2020
No one makes a last-minute entrance quite as dramatic as Senator from Vermont and self-proclaimed Democratic Socialist, Bernie Sanders. For the past three years, ever since his ill-fated run with Hillary Clinton in the 2016 Presidential Primary election, Sanders had not announced his plans to run for the presidency in 2020. That changed yesterday morning when he announced his plans to run for the Democratic nomination for the 2020 presidential election. Sanders
will face off against a diverse selection of Democratic figures like Corey Booker, Kamala Harris and, if successful in the primary, either Donald Trump or more notably former Starbucks CEO, Howard Schultz, who has continuously claimed to either run on the Democratic ticket or to run as an Independent. One problem that Sanders faces in the 2020 presidential election is the diversity within the Democratic party figures. This has made him
stand out like a sore thumb; he is Caucasian and well over 77 -years- old, while his peers are young compared to him, women and people of other races like Corey Booker. This makes Sanders have to fight even harder to prove why he should carry the standard of Democratic nominee. Of course, his base is still completely behind him and his grassroots movement from 2016 is alive and is now a force to be reckoned with, yet it is difficult to say how he will fare against such a diverse selection of candidates this early in the race. Even if he makes it past the Democratic primary in one piece, he still has to face off against the Republican nomi-
nee, which up to this point has almost entirely consisted of Trump besides a former mayor also announcing his bid for the Republican nomination. It is safe to say that Trump will easily secure the ticket. Although pundits argue that Trump may not fare as well against Sanders as he did against Clinton, it is dangerous to underestimate the current president because he was underestimated before and surprised the world with his 2016 presidential victory. Another problem that Sanders might face is the fact that Schultz may run as an Independent. Being a billionaire, he could very well afford to do so and potentially secure the presidency by appealing
to the moderate American voter by painting Trump as too far right and Sanders as too far left. This is probably a long shot, seeing as the only president to ever win the presidency as an Independent was no other than the father of our country and first President of the United States of America, George Washington. Overall, Sanders has a strong chance of securing the Democratic ticket as long as he can beat back the onslaught of Democratic hopefuls. Most importantly, his far-left leaning political ideology might defeat Trump’s far-right leaning ideology, but the problem at that point would be defeating a centrist Independent like Schultz.
Why do we crave validation on social media? The other day I posted a selfie on my Instagram and kept refreshing my feed to see if it got any likes. I caught myself doing it and stopped. I feel like a lot of people can relate to this situation. The question is, why do we feel like we need to get validation from other people? If I post a selfie and I personally like it, that should be enough. Unfortunately, I and many others think if a picture or post we put out onto social media does not get a lot of likes, then we must be ugly, boring or not popular enough. I’m guilty of posting random food or coffee pictures on my Snapchat story, but I don’t understand why I do that. Who cares about my coffee cup or my plate of food? I think people post certain aspects of their lives because they want people to know what they are
doing or what they did that was special. We shouldn’t take a picture solely to post it on Instagram. We should take pictures because we want to remember the moment we are in. It is so sad when I see people at a concert and they are watching the concert through their phone screen while recording it. People need to start living in the moment and stop being worried about having a picture or video of every moment. Social media can be toxic in the way that people only post the good parts of their lives. Rarely does someone post a picture of them with messed up hair and looking like a bum. If you want to post a selfie, you should. Who cares how you look as long as you like it. If comments are what you are afraid of, then turn them off. Validation on social
media is hard to get. Social media is such a broad and huge platform that it is really easy to compare yourself to others. For me, I hate when I see fitness model after fitness model on my timeline. I have nothing against fitness models, but I do not want to start comparing myself to them. There is a fine line between wanting to share a moment and looking for validation on social media. There is an upside to social media. The upside of all these platforms is that there are a lot of nice, supportive people in the world. It is a way to connect to other people. If you post a picture of a book you like, for example, someone could comment their opinion on it. While seeking validation, you could form friendships. In conclusion, do not post on social media for validation but rather for sharing things that you like. Do not follow trends on social media and only post something because it is trendy. You should impact social media, social media should not impact you.
Editorial Policy
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.
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.
2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board
Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young
OPINIONS 5
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
@WesternCourier
JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER
 College athletes are undoubtedly some of the hardest working people in the world. Not only are they living the life of an average student, they also have a strenuous schedule with their specific sport. One of the most discussed topics in the world of college athletics is whether or not student athletes should be paid money for playing a sport. The people who disagree with the idea have some good arguments to make. The primary reason is that the athletes get to go to school for free, or at significant discount for playing a sport. Another argument is that if studentathletes were to get paid, it would ruin the amateurism of college sports. People who are against paying athletes do not want to see them
Contact Allison Young
become focused on money, but rather stay focused on their love for the sport as well as their academics. However, as times change, there is a greater profit margin in college sports than there was half a century ago. I am not proposing that college athletes should be given excessive amounts of money, but that they should be fairly compensated for their effort and dedication to their athletics. For instance, in 1950, Bud Wilkinson earned $15,000 per season as the head football coach of the Oklahoma Sooners. During that same time period, the football players were only given scholarships. This year, Bob Stoops, the current coach of the Oklahoma football team, will earn $4.55 million. That
is 300 times more money per season than just 69 years ago. College football and men's basketball generate revenue of more than $6 billion every year. Yet, not one penny goes toward paying the people who make the sports possible: the student athletes. It is only reasonable that student athletes have a share in the millions of dollars that their sports businesses bring in. If it weren't for them, college athletics would not even exist. The universities, coaches and sports companies are getting rich off of these athletes and it is time for a change. It isn’t necessary that colleges begin to pay players thousands of dollars each week, but just enough money so they do not struggle with finances. If universities truly care about the well-being of the student athletes, then pay them what they deserve. Colleges should start reimbursing athletes for the millions of dollars the school makes off of their athletic abilities.
AN-Young@wiu.edu
6
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
Sports
WesternCourier.com
Men's basketball look to end cold Machado signs 10-year, spell at second place Omaha $300 million deal with Padres; not White Sox lead them to victory. Webster is leading the team in scoring with 17.4 points per game while also courier staff leading the team in assists and steals. The last time The Western Illinois University men’s basketball these two teams met, four of Western's five starters team will be in action tonight against the University of scored double digits. This season’s history is not Nebraska-Omaha. The Leathernecks look to reclaim a on the Leathernecks' side as they are 2-11 on the win after losing to Omaha at home 71-80, on Jan. 17. road. This is obviously something that the team The Mavericks are 10-2 in the conference and have an isn’t happy with and will be looking to better that overall record of 16-9, which has them sitting at the sec- record with this game. ond spot in the Summit. On the opposite side They are on a four-game of the stat sheet, the wining streak beating Mavericks are going both the No. 1 and No. to be relying on senior 3 teams in the conferguard Zach Johnson. ence, South Dakota Johnson leads the State and Fort Wayne Mavericks with 18.6 respectively. Their latpoints per game, est victory came from while doing so at an South Dakota State by efficient clip of 50.6 an 85-84 margin. percent. This isn’t an Unfortunately, this abnormality among isn’t the case for the their team, as all of Leathernecks who their starting five are are coming off a 67-80 averaging double digloss at home to the its on the season. They University of South are the only team in Dakota Coyotes. The the conference to have Leathernecks are on that many players to a four-game losing average double digstreak dating back to its, let alone in their Jan. 26 when they beat starting five. the Coyotes, 65-59. As the season However, they have winds down, the been right in a couple of Leathernecks are MY'ANNA PURDUE those disappointing outhoping to gain some Kobe Webster sets his feet to shoot the ball. comes. In games against momentum heading North Dakota and North Dakota State, the Leathernecks into the Summit League Tournament. Including have lost by a combined margin of three points. In all Wednesday’s game against Omaha, the Leathernecks four of their previous games, the Leathernecks have have three games remaining against Oral Roberts, let the second halves slip away after being in closely Denver University and South Dakota State. With contested first halves. three of these four teams being in the top half of the Heading into Wednesday’s game, the Leathernecks conference, these games will provide a good presit at eighth in the Summit, leaving them seven and view and taste of the competition that Western will a half games back of first place in the conference. see come tournament time. Starting Wednesday at Looking to turn things around, our Leathernecks are 7 p.m. the pressure is going to be turned up for the going to be looking at sophomore Kobe Webster to Leathernecks as they look to end their cold spell.
By Christopher Gibson
CLASSIFIEDS
WC
For Rent
For Rent
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. 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: Leasing season has officailly begun, and we’re showing properties now! 1-5 bedroom houses close to campus are ready to be leased for this upcoming school year! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule an appointment! Stay updated with us on Twitter @Western_Invest 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!
By Brendan Reidy courier staff
It was only a few months ago, when the White Sox began their pursuit of coveted free agent Manny Machado. It’s not every day when a 26-yearold, future Hall of Famer is on the open market. As the free agent period dragged on, White Sox fans were teased by the little things Machado would do. Whether he was seen allegedly wearing a Sox hat or getting a customized glove in black and white, it almost seemed inevitable that the dream White Sox fans had would come true. As the days of the offseason went on, every day seemed like it would finally be the day Machado would sign. With the Southside Club on the brink of finishing their rebuild, they felt they were ready to make a move to alter the franchise. The White Sox front office, spear headed by the very aggressive and confident Rick Hahn, promised fans of the struggling franchise that they will go down swinging on “big fish” free agents. He also noted they would have the funds provided by owner Jerry Reinsdorf to get a deal done. As a beloved fan of the Southside Club, I was fairly confident we would sign Machado. I mean, was there a reason to doubt? The signs were all pointing to him signing with the White
LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! First 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. 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. Westen Investments: Are you looking for an apartment? We are now showing our beautiful 1-3 bedroom apartments for this upcoming school year! Don’t like paying for utilities? Ask about our ALL UTILITIES options, and be sure to check out our website (westerninvest.com) to see our listings! Schedule an appointment with us today at 309-833-5995. 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.
Sox. The one to pull us fans out of the misery we have felt for the last decade. I was not nervous, just excited picturing Machado and Eloy Jimenez hitting back-to-back home runs in the World Series one day. However in class Tuesday, all that went out the window. I usually don’t check my phone in class, but for some reason I did, and that’s when my heart broke along with thousands of other Sox fans. At that exact moment, I kid you not, a notification popped up on my phone reading, “the San Diego Padres ink Machado to New Deal.” Jon Heyman reported a 10-year, $300 million contract. I was stunned, heartbroken and most of all embarrassed. How could this happen? The Padres? The team who joined the sweepstakes late? Pathetic. That’s how the White Sox front office should feel. Just when I thought the White Sox were turning over a new leaf and were ready to turn into spenders, this happens. The front office should feel embarrassed that they talked the talk, but couldn’t walk the walk. I’m sad; I’m not going to lie. As a lifelong fan, I’ve seen enough losing, and just want a chance to see good baseball. Machado or not, I will still cheer on the black and white, but things need to change if they want to stop playing second fiddle to the Cubs. Twitter: breidytv
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. 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. 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.
Sports 7
Wednesday, February 20, 2019
@WesternCourier
Swimming eyes Summit League Championships By Christopher Bean assistant sports editor
SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Western Illinois men and women’s swim and dive teams will compete at the Summit League Championships starting today till Saturday. The Leatherneck men’s squad will go up against Valparaiso, Denver, Eastern Illinois, South Dakota and South Dakota State. The women’s teams will face Omaha, Denver, Eastern Illinois, South Dakota and South Dakota State. The women’s team is 0-3 in head-tohead matches this year, and their last win came against Bulter, 155.5-143. Senior Ericka Hagen surged the Necks to victory, giving head coach Greg Naumann his first win over Butler on Jan. 27. Their last competition came on Feb. 2, against Olivet Nazarene. They lost a close one, 116-102 just a day later after losing to Iowa, 172-49 and Northern Iowa, 181-43. The men’s teams are coming off a
win against Olivet Nazarene, 161-76. Junior Brennan Bladel had himself a day. He was the only Leatherneck to get multiple wins on the day. Western is 1-2 in head-to-head matches this year going into the tournament. Naumann was proud of the team’s effort. “It's been a very tough week of competition and training, so it will definitely be nice to rest for the Summit League Championships over the next two and a half weeks." University of Nebraska-Omaha women’s team heads into the Championships with a 3-5 record and 2-1 in conference play. Their last head-to-head match was against SDSU, which came off in a dominating fashion. They honored eight seniors on senior day, and four of them won multiple events. The last time the Mavericks were in action was on Feb. 2 against South Dakota and University of Illinois-Chicago. They were very successful placing in the top-10 41 times, and 25 of those came
in the top-five. The Valparaiso Crusaders men’s team is winless this year with a 0-6 record in head-to-head match play. In three of the four invites they have participated in, they have finished in fifth place. Their last competition was at the Bulter Invitational on Jan. 27. They struggled, finishing in last place. Denver women’s team comes into the week with a 6-3 record. Their last race was on Feb. 2 against in-state rival, Air Force. The Pioneers dominated 184-38 on a day where they won nine different events. The men’s team is 7-3 on year, and just like the women, they beat Air Force, 161-61. They had eight first place finishes to carry over into this week. The Panthers of Eastern Illinois women’s team comes into the week with a 1-6 record. Their lone win of the year in head-to-head match play was against Valparaiso in their last contest. The Panthers had their best meet of the year with a 191-67 win
and 13 first place finishes. The men’s team is 2-4 and also coming off a win against Valpo. They won 170-92 and picked up nine, first place finishes. Wins have been limited for Eastern Illinois, but they carry momentum into the week. The South Dakota Coyotes women’s team is 4-1, and the men are 2-0 in head-to-head match play this year. Both teams last competed at their own invitational back on Feb. 1-2. They combined for 15 wins to carry over into the Summit League tournament. South Dakota State’s women’s team is 0-4 in head-to-head's this year, while the men’s team is 1-1. Their last meet was at South Dakota’s invitational. The Jackrabbits had five first place wins and four personal record times. Western has had limited success this year, but one competition and or tournament can change the outcome of their year. Twitter: cre_bean
T W I T T E R.CO M
Denny Hamlin's eyes peered upwards for a split second to watch the checkered flag conclude the great American race, the Daytona 500. No driver was in front of Hamlin, who won his second Daytona 500 in four years and honored his team’s late owner in the process. Hamlin’s No. 11 finished a storybook ending for the Gibbs racing family. JD Gibbs was a co-founder of the Joe Gibbs Racing team and gave Hamlin a shot 14 years ago. Many know about Gibbs for his accomplishments in the NFL for being a part of the Washington Redskins team and bringing home one of their Super Bowl victories. On race day, Hamlin dedicated his victory to Gibbs, who passed away in January due to a neurological disease.
He died at age of 49. Gibbs wore the No. 11 jersey when he played for the Washington Redskins, and on lap 11 all of NASCAR celebrated his legacy. For the rest of the team that was not enough. In fact, JGR took home a 1-2-3 finish as Kyle Busch and Erik Jones completed the podium. In fourth place was Joey Logano who, despite missing the podium, took a moment to admire what had occurred, “I'm not a Gibbs driver but for what J.D. has done for my career is the reason why I'm sitting here today,” Logano said. “As bad as I want to win it, it is pretty cool to think that the first race after his passing, to see those guys one, two, three, it just says he's up there watching and maybe gave [those] guys
a little extra boost there at the end.” Wherever Gibbs is now, we hope he is smiling as big as us racecar fans, and not just for him, but for the entire race. After a mediocre speed week of non-confrontational and often times boring races people were not sure how much fun this year ’s Daytona 500 would be. Well, for the 101,000 fans that showed up in the grandstands, almost all 101,000 waited until the race was over to leave. Fortunately for us the racing was intense, action packed and competitive. The race featured a 21-car crash, five yellow flags, and two red in the last 20 laps, taking over 40 minutes to get through the home stretch. “The Big One” happened with 10 laps to go and took out a majority of the front pack. It started with Paul Menard making an aggressive move trying to push Matt DiBenedetto who had led 49 laps, a field high, and ended up turning
DiBenedetto upwards into the wall, collecting the rest of the field with him. Menard took blame for the wreck despite most of the racers claiming that he did nothing wrong. In the end, that’s Daytona. After the wreck, Hamlin and Busch were on front row and battled it out until the last restart. Hamlin received a big push from Michael McDowell, and he blocked the rest of the way. Logano was upset with McDowell who did not work with him in the last laps. McDowell stated that Logano does not help pay his bills, and he won’t help the 22 win the 500. In the end I do not think it would have mattered since Hamlin was unbeatable. This ending surprised many analysts, as most of the fans believed a Ford would win the race. Over the offseason, Ford rebranded and remodeled its engines for the Monster Energy Cup Series. They changed their engines from the Ford Fusion model to the Ford Mustang model.
McDowell led the cars after the last practice as the fastest car in the field. The Ford teams thought they would work together with their new model in hopes to get their new model into victory lane. Ford did not get their way and must wait at least another week to see their precious Mustang stained with champagne and confetti in celebration of a win. Ford is attempting to take the momentum with them after the end of the 2018 season where they won the drivers’ championship and manufactures championship with 19 wins. Joey Logano drove his Ford Fusion into victory lane after winning the Monster Energy Series championship last year. This is just the first race of the season. Every race win, leads to a playoff spot at the end of the year and now that Hamlin has one, the rest of the field is in a hurry to catch up. They will get their chance on Sunday at the Atlanta Motor Speedway.
Baseball swept by Golden Eagles on the road By David Koier courier staff
COOKEVILLE, Tenn. — The season didn’t start off the way the Western Illinois Leathernecks baseball team wanted it to this weekend, as Western got swept in three games against the Tennessee Tech Golden Eagles. Junior Javin Drake started the opening day against the Golden Eagles on a positive note. In six innings, Drake faced 26 batters, allowing five hits, three runs (two of those earned), striking out four and walking three. The Golden Eagles struck early in the bottom of the first when infielder Jason Hinchman singled up the right-side scoring infielder Jay Meuse who reached on a single. Tennessee Tech didn’t stop there as outfielder Anthony Carrera hit a solo home run off of Drake in the bottom of the third to widen their lead to 2-0. A line out to center field by Hinchman and a throwing error by Leatherneck third baseman Deion Thompson saw Meuse cross the plate once more, bringing the Golden Eagles lead to three. The Leathernecks didn’t go down without a fight. A single by Leatherneck second baseman Kevin Raisbeck in the eighth put Western on the board, and a fielder ’s choice in the ninth scored first baseman Bailey Montgomery, which brought the Leathernecks up one. However, the late game rally wasn’t enough as the Golden Eagles topped Western 3-2. Coach Ryan Brownlee had some positive things to say about his team’s play in game one via GoLeathernecks. com: "Our team had a lot of great input after the game on what we did well and what we need to improve on. Drake and Jace [Warketien] both did a great job of competing in the strike zone. They both pitched through adversity and kept the score down in a very hitter-friendly ballpark." Game one of Saturday’s double-
Steve McSahne swings for the fences.
header saw Leatherneck sophomore Alex Dorethy face off on the rubber against Golden Eagles lefty Nic Dye. A double by Western’s catcher Trenton Bauer, scoring Montgomery, put the Leathernecks up early in the top of the first. The Leathernecks continued to add to their score as an RBI double in the second by Nolan Ard and a bunt single by Steve McShane in the third saw the Leathernecks take a 3-0 lead. This would however be the last inning that the Purple and Gold saw a lead in the game as a four-run rally in the bottom of the fourth by Tennessee Tech helped the Golden Eagles take the lead and never look back. A few more runs late in the game widened the lead to a point that the Leathernecks couldn’t recover. The Golden Eagles took game one 8-3 with pitcher Alex Hursey earning the win with Dorethy receiving the loss. Game two saw a similar start by the Leathernecks as an RBI double by Thompson and an RBI single by Dillon Sears in the second led the Leathernecks to an early 2-0 lead. In the bottom of the third with the bases loaded for Tennesse Tech, Carrera singled back up to the pitcher for an RBI single putting the Golden Eagles on the board. Back to back walks by Western starter Justin Foy saw the Eagles take a 3-2 lead. The Leathernecks bounced back quick with two runs of their own in the top of the fourth off of a Drue Galassi single and a throwing error off of a grounder by McShane, putting the Purple and Gold up 4-3. Just like game one, the Leathernecks couldn’t hold onto the lead. A late game rally launched the Golden Eagles to a game two win 7-4, completing the sweep. The Leathernecks' next series will be at Southeast Missouri State. The three-game slate starts this Friday at 4:30 p.m. Twitter: thefluffy66
GOLEATHERNECKS.COM JIMMY PIERSON / PRODUCTION MANAGER