Western Courier | February 24th, 2020 by The Western Courier

Opinions: Is this the worst season of The Bachelor?

Sports: Men's basketball drops final home game.

WesternCourier.com

Monday, February 24, 2020 - Vol. 120 Issue 59

@WesternCourier

Getting to know 93rd District State Representative Candidate Emiliano Vera By Devin Brooks NEWS3 reporter

BUSHNELL, Ill. (NEWS3) — Illinoisans are about a month away from the 2020 primary elections and locally, 93rd District’s State Representative Democratic candidates will battle to see who receives a spot on the ballot to face Republican incumbent State Rep. Norine Hammond. NEWS3 recently talked with both Democratic candidates who are trying to campaign hard before the March primary. The 26-year-old Bushnell native Emiliano Vera explained why he chose to run and why voters should elect him into office. “Families like mine, are the first ones to get thrown under the bus,” Vera said. Vera said he’s running to be a voice for families who work

hard but are left behind. “I know where I stand. I’m going to choose working people over corporations,” he said. Vera has a strong background in education. He currently works as a full-time substitute and resource teacher in the Bushnell-Prairie City School District. His mom and sister, Angela and Rebecca Vera, said he’s always been passionate about politics. They always tell him to never give up in what he believes in. “Stay true to yourself. Don’t let other people change your mind,” Angela said. “He’s a deep thinker; hard-worker; studies a lot,” Rebecca said. Emiliano is confident he can win the primary election and plans to become the next representative for the 93rd district. “I’ll take a fight against a corporate businessman any day

and then I’ll take that same fight and take it against Norine,” he said. Vera said he’s going to do all it takes to bring resources that have been lacking far too long. “We have to look at the things that we need that the market is not providing,” he said. Vera said there’s enough talking going on; he wants to put talk into action. “What we have been doing, just like vague, bland statements, about we need to focus on economic development; that’s not going to cut it,” he said. Universal healthcare, more jobs and better public education is what Vera said is at the top of his list that he’s ready to take to Springfield.

Emiliano Vera page 2

FACEBOOK.COM

Emiliano Vera is running his first campaign for State Representative.

Western Illinois to host Employee Wellness Health Fair

By Devon Greene editor-in-chief

Western Illinois University is hosting their Employee Wellness Health Fair on Thursday. The fair will include multiple events that highlight cardiovascular health. The day will begin at 2 p.m. in the University Union where employees have the opportunity to visit various vendors. Aetna, BlueAdvantage HMO, CVS/Caremark, Health Alliance, HealthLink, HMO Illinois, Humana, United Healthycare, ConnectYourCare, Delta Dental of Illinois, EyeMed, Magellan Health and Secural Financial will all offer their healthcare expertise and discuss how to prevent cardiovascular issues. Dr. Brad Nieder will give the keynote address at 4 p.m.. Nieder, also known as “The Healthy Humorist,” is a doctor, speaker and comedian based out of Denver and is making the rounds to universities around Illinois. Aside from booths and the keynote, employees will also have the opportunity to walk through a giant heart and see up close the inner workings of the cardiovascular system.

The Mega Heart is a tool utalized around the nation to show the workings of the heart.

COURTESY OF MEDICALINFLATABLES.COM

Monday, February 24, 2020

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

Emiliano Vera from front page

“Together we can do it. And I’m the only one on the ticket this way around that’s going to be fighting that fight,” he said. Vera is the first openly gay candidate for state representative in downstate Illinois. He received his Bachelor ’s degree in education and social policy from Northwestern University. He also has a Master ’s degree in international relations from the University of the Americas in Mexico. Vera is running against Rushville resident, Scott Stoll, in the March 17 primary election. Both candidates will be live in our NEWS3 studio on Feb. 26. The League of Women Voters will host a candidate debate forum at 7 p.m. NEWS3 will carry the forum live that night on our YouTube channel NEWS3 WIU. On Feb. 14 at 11:05 a.m. non student Jori Sheats, 20, of 715 W. McDonough St., was arrested in the 800 block of Wigwam Hollow Rd. for no valid driver's license. She was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 11:11 a.m. where she was lodged pending bond. On Feb. 16 at 3:04 a.m. Deshawn Scott, 18, of 1409 Thompson Hall, was arrested near Lafayette Street and University Drive intersection for obstructing identification and resisting a police officer. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 3:08 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. On Feb. 18 at 8:55 a.m. Thomas Patterson, 24, of 414 W. Wheeler St., was arrested in Mowbray Hall on a warrant for failure to appear. He was lodged in the McDonough County Jail at 9:13 a.m. pending bond. On Feb. 18 at 9:34 a.m. a student in Mowbray Hall was judicially referred for behavior. On Feb. 21 at 12:34 a.m. one

FACEBOOK.COM

Emiliano Vera meets with citizens.

Campus Crime Reports

FILE PHOTO

Office of Public Safety student in the Thompson lot was judicially referred for cannabis and one student was judicially referred for cannabis and alcohol. On Feb. 21 at 2:15 a.m. Brianna Thompson, 27, of 369

Eggers Dr., was arrested for driving under the influence of alcohol on Eggers Drive. She was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 3:21 a.m. where she was lodged pending bond.

Legend Cannabis

Alcohol by a Minor

Burglary/Theft

Fire Alarm

Other Report

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.

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E-mail letters to the Editor and Local Forum messages to micour@wiu.edu. Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammar, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2020 Spring Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

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

proofreader Mary Kilbourne

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news editor Devon Greene

photo editor Becca Langys

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RE-Langys@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

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sports editor Bradley Piros

production manager Brandon Trost

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

BL-Trost@wiu.edu

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

business manager Janiya Haynes

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edge editor Rachel Greene

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copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

advertising manager Tyler Hoffman

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TE-Hoffman@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

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

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Nevada, U.S.

Monday, February 24, 2020

NEWS 3

Louisiana, U.S. Two people killed by Mardi Gras floats in same week.

Bernie Sanders wins Nevada Caucus by a landslide.

Italy Italy reports 132nd case of the Coronavirus.

MEANWHILE...

NOTICE OF EXAMINATION MACOMB FIRE DEPARTMENT

The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations will be offered to all eligible applicants to create an Eligibility List for hiring for positions with the Macomb Fire Department. All applicants must be at least 20 years of age, and under 35 years of age as of the date of testing in order to apply for employment with the Macomb Fire Department. Exceptions: The age limitation does not apply to any person previously employed as a full-time firefighter in a regularly constituted fire department of any municipality or fire protection district located in Illinois. Any person who turned 35 while serving as a member of the active or reserve components of any of the branches of the Armed Forces of the United States or the National Guard of any state, whose service was characterized as honorable or under honorable, if separated from the military, and is under the age of 40 as of the date of testing may apply for employment with the Macomb Fire Department. All applicants must possess a high school diploma or equivalent; must possess a valid driver’s license, must pass physical and written examinations; must have visual acuity of 20/20 in each eye corrected (minimum) with normal color vision and depth perception; and must have good habits and be of moral character. To be considered for appointment, the candidate must pass medical and psychological evaluation, must pass a background investigation and either be licensed as an EMT or be eligible for licensing as an EMT. If hired, McDonough County residency is required within 90 days after completion of the probationary period. STARTING SALARY $47,152.83 per year Application 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://cityofmacomb.com/employment-listings/ . All applications and attachments must be completed, signed, and on file by 5:00 p.m., on Thursday, April 30, 2020. If submitting 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 Saturday, May 16, 2020. Physical agility test will begin at 8:00 a.m. and take place at the Macomb Fire Department, 219 West Jackson Street, Macomb, Illinois; written test location is to be determined. The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Minorities and women are encouraged to apply

this week in Macomb monday - 5:15 p.m. city council @ macomb city hall wednesday - 5 p.m. racial justice town hall @ macomb city hall

wednesday- 5 P.M. foos fundraiser @ chubby’s Thursday - 5 P.M. mac n cheese fest @ the american legion saturday - 5 p.m international bazaar @ university union saturday - 5 P.M. polar plunge @ western hall

OPINIONS

Monday, February 24, 2020

WesternCourier.com

BRANDON TROST/PRODUCTION MANAGER

There has been a lot of talk this season about the do’s and don’ts when you are The Bachelor or The Bachelorette. However, this season's Bachelor, Pilot Pete, has been coined by many as “The worst Bachelor in the history of the Bachelor.” Frankly, if you watch the show or even follow it vaguely, it isn’t hard to see why. Peter is whole-heartedly a really great guy, but this causes him to be easily influenced and afraid to hurt people at times. We even see this

getting in the way of his ability to commit as well. Even before the season took off this winter, it was evident that Peter still had strong feelings for Hannah B., the last Bachelorette. These feelings took up almost the first two episodes of the show and completely imploded the first group date. The groundbreaking moment was when Peter asked Hannah B. to join his season of The Bachelor. Now, I’m not even sure if that’s something you’re allowed to do, so Hannah’s

choice of not coming back onto the show may have had to do with the fact that she literally wasn’t allowed to, but why would Peter do that in the first place? I mean really, dude, she broke your heart. Let her go. Peter ’s season has had an obscene amount of drama as well, and it isn’t even the good kind that makes you want to watch the season more. It is petty, high-school drama that could have easily been resolved by removing the people that were causing the issues. But instead of doing that, Peter kept them on week after week and wasted a good amount of his season being swept up in the drama that was being caused by these girls. To top it all off, I’m pretty sure that Peter is color blind because

will keep this country safe on the borders, in the air, in the water and on land. In our present world, everything is online and we have access to any information at the tips of our fingers. When we are locked out of certain Internet sites, we can go to the ‘cloud’ to retrieve that information. This current age of technology has also been

the age of counter-terrorism. Both our privacy and national security is very important and we need both, but our national security is the most important as a country. Privacy is important to keeping your information to yourself and national security helps the nation keep its sanity in regards to safety. Our national security and national armed forces are the most vital and should be kept important. National security lowers the risk of terrorism events like 9/11. Like stated earlier, our privacy on the Internet is already being

from the way I see it, Victoria F. has been throwing up a lot of red flags that he continues to not see, or just ignores. She is blatantly emotionally manipulative and just not emotionally mature at all, yet somehow she has made it to fantasy suites. Her hometown date with Peter consisted of crying, warnings from individuals about her integrity and more crying. Peter was not even able to meet her family, and she still advanced to the next week. The majority of Bachelor Nation was in a complete uproar due to this, because it makes absolutely no sense. While all of the things listed above seem to lead the Bachelor Nation toward thinking that Pilot Pete is the worst Bachelor ever, it is worth

noting that not all of his decisions may be his in this. That’s right, the producers of The Bachelor also have a say in what contestants stay and what contestants go and can also influence other dramainducing factors that happen on the show. For example, the fact that the country singer singing at Peter and Victoria F’s one-on-one date just so happened to be her ex-boyfriend was definitely staged by the producers. So it’s hard to say if this season being the mess that it is entirely Peter ’s fault or not, but he definitely has not been my favorite Bachelor to watch on the show. All I can say is, I hope that Peter does find love, but it may not be on his season of The Bachelor.

Our privacy and national security

Drawing a definite line to determine what is more important between our privacy and national security is very debatable. Our privacy is being able to keep our Internet and web access to ourselves without the government being able to infringe upon it. Our national security is having adequate armed security that

stalked and looked upon by the government. When random scam callers, random bill collectors and even random companies call to ask for money, it shows our information is being shared. When we have data breaches in great big corporations like Target Inc, we as the citizens of this country should see that our right of privacy is limited. Due to our government already infringing upon our privacy rights, we need to boost up our national security. The most important job of our government is to secure

the general welfare of their citizens. Security is a common good that’s promised to all Americans and it must outweigh any personal concerns about privacy. In our new era of technology, security agents have the technology to help monitor technology against terrorism. Tighter security controls at airports and borders will help prevent attacks and loss of life. Such measures could include more intrusive scanning, body searches, watch lists, etc. We as a country need to focus on our national security to help keep us safe

E2 EDGE

Monday, February 24, 2020

WesternCourier.com

New Netflix series tests the theory that love is blind The experiment is quite simple, yet utterly complicated for the individuals involved. Similar to The Bachelor, these individuals are shipped away to a remote location unable to contact the outside world. During this time, the group of individuals will go on “dates” with each other, however they will do so by not seeing what the person they are dating looks like. This is done by all dates being conducted in pods, the pods are very pretty and seem like normal rooms, except that they are connected with another pod by sound only. This allows for the two individuals to enter their pod and be able to speak with the other individual in the conjoining pod. When not on dates, the individuals are divided up by sexes, men are with each other in one suite and women in another. So, while they are all dating the same individuals, they are also living with each other. Additionally, while the men do not know what the women look like and vice versa,

they do know what all the people of the same sex look like, as the show is hetero-normative and does not allow for dating within the same sex. As the couples talk to one another in the pod, they are able to narrow down who their future husband or wife may be. That’s right, this show, much like the Bachelor, ends in an engagement. Actually, the show ends with a wedding just 40 days from when initial conversations begin, because if you know you know, or something like that. Once a couple feels strongly about each other they have the opportunity to propose, however, the proposal will still take place without ever seeing the individual on the other side. This means that if a couple becomes successfully engaged in the pods, they will be engaged to someone they have never seen before, someone they fell in love with based solely on their personality. However, the next day after the proposal takes place, couples will finally be able

to meet each other in person. After this phase of the experiment, all successfully engaged couples are taken to Mexico for a private vacation in Mexico, where they can get used to their fiancé in the flesh, too. Then, in the final phase before the weddings, the couples will return to the real world and move in together. This is also where their families and friends will get to meet their future husband or wife. In all honesty, this show is a trainwreck, but most shows like these are, and that’s why people love them. There is unnecessary drama and some people that were clearly selected just to stir up trouble. However, this show, while it seems like a good test of blind love on paper, does not really test if love is blind. Every person on this show is physically attractive and fit to begin with, so when individuals see who they have been talking to they are pleasantly surprised at the fact that their future husband or wife could literally be a model. If you like drama and pointless reality television shows, or just want to see how the experiment ends up, it can be found on Netflix with new episodes airing every Thursday.

Rather than seeing eachother, contestants communicate through the walls of pods.

COSMOPOLITAN.COM

Jessica, one woman on the show, is actually a WIU graduate.

COSMOPOLITAN.COM

Want to write for EDGE? Contact r-greene2@wiu.edu

E3 EDGE

Monday, February 24, 2020

WesternCourier.com

The one where they finally reunite

After years of constant rumors and speculation, it is finally happening. Fans of the hit sitcom “Friends” are rejoicing after the announcement of a reunion was made on Friday. The show, which originally aired in 1994, ended in 2004. It has been a long 15 years and 9 months for fans, but the wait is finally over. Cast members all shared the news with identical posts on

social media sharing the same photo of the cast and stating, “It’s happening.” The reunion will air as an exclusive HBO Max Special, launching the new streaming service. While the show certainly draws attention, it does not necessarily distract from the fact that the service is one of the most expensive ones on the market, coming in at around $15 a month.

While the show may have aired a while ago, it has a sort of cult following surrounding it. Merchandise inspired by the show is still being bought and sold, new generations have come to love it and the stars often pay tribute to their “Friends” roots online. Fans were absolutely devastated when the show was removed from Netflix this past January. Luckily, along with the announcement of the reunion came the announcement that all 236 episodes of the series will be available to stream on HBO. To secure the rights to this iconic show, the company paid around $425 million to outbid Netflix and now has

rights to all 10 seasons. The show starred Jennifer Aniston as Rachel, Courteney Cox as Monica, Lisa Kudrow as Phoebe, Matt Perry as Chandler, Matt LeBlanc as Joey and David Schwimmer as Ross. All six original members of the cast will be returning for the special, but for a price. Each actor is allegedly being paid $3 million to participate. This is more than double what they were paid per episode during the last season. Interestingly enough, the episode will also be untitled and unscripted. It is certainly a change from what they are used to but will be unique and different than other show reunions.

While fans are excited, some critics have also emerged and are not too thrilled about the reunion taking place. They claim that the show lacks diversity and representation, which is entirely true. As a fan myself, I understand those frustrations, but also recognize that the cast cannot really be changed due to this being a reunion, not a reboot or remake of the series. If this were to be a remake, I think that some new cast members and storylines could be added, but this is not even a scripted episode. For all we know, this could just be a televised hangout session between the actors.

TVLINE.COM

All six members of the cast have agreed to participate in the reunion.

AMAZON.COM

The iconic sitcom will be returning to the screen for a one time special event.

E4 EDGE

Monday, February 24, 2020

WesternCourier.com

The 1975 promise alliance The band The 1975 just upped the ante on how to be a voice for female musicians. The 1975 is as progressive of a band as they come, so it shouldn’t come as a surprise that the frontman, Matty Healy has made a promise in the form of a tweet to only play festivals with a balance of gender performers on the show’s bill. If you’re wondering what this means and why it’s important to please read on. Since the beginning of time, women have always been seen as inferior to men, but as time goes on, and the more women push back on their rights as humans, the more we progress as a society. It takes men like Matty Healy to recognize their stature in the world and act upon it as an ally. The Guardian’s music editor, Laura Snapes exchanged tweets with Healy about the Reading and Leeds music festival indicating there is a heavy male lineup with a few female musicians, basically an

unequal representation of artists. The exchange started out with Snapes pointing out Reading and Leeds music festival's Managing Director Melvin Benn “doesn’t give a s--- about representation,” said Snapes. There was some confusion because Snapes linked an article about Rage Against the Machine’s announcement of the headlining Reading and Leeds festival this year. Snapes clarified and went on to specify, “Rage would be a dope booking if they used their leverage to demand equality on the bill. Any act with power that isn’t doing that, yet is speaking out against inequality, is failing to understand the gamechanging role they could play in this situation.” Followed by another tweet from Snapes, “do it MH [Matty Healy], add a condition to your rider that says you’ll only play festivals that commit to X% (ideally 50%) acts that include women and nonbi-

nary performers.” To which Healy replied, “Take this as me signing this contract- I have agreed to some festivals already that may not adhere to this and I would never let fans down who already have tickets. But from now I will and believe this is how male artists can be true allies,” ending the tweet with a red heart emoji. The power of social media has proved over and over again the social change our society needs in real time. Healy thanked Snapes for calling out and bringing attention to the inequality and responsibility male artists should uphold. “But times up man people need to act and not chat thanks for the kick up the a--- snapes you’re making a difference,” tweeted Healy. It’s an exciting time to be alive and witness this turn in history in the form of a newsfeed, with real ideas to promote change in our society. It makes me wonder if other predominant male artists will be as open and vocal about this change, or if they will turn a blind eye for fear they won’t be as demanding to be booked. Only time will tell, but for now, there is only hope and a promise from The 1975’s Matty Healy.

The 1975 conisists of four male members, but is gaining public attention for their policy to help female artists.

METRO.COM

Matt Healy made a promise to fans to only partake in festivals that promote gender equality.

NME.COM

@WesternCourier

OPINIONS 5

Monday, February 24, 2020

Learning to spot when someone is a narcissist

The root of all evil. It’s entitlement, disregard for human life and an ego the size of the moon. Narcissism is classically defined as an inflated sense of self importance. There are several different subsections of narcissism which include narcissistic traits, narcissism and narcissistic personality disorder. Each one is gradually worse than the one preceding it and should not be ignored. It is one of the major problems of this era. Knowing what a narcissist is and how to deal with them is something that everyone should have knowledge of. Narcissism is not a character flaw, it is a personality disorder. It is

nothing that can go away with TLC or even with therapy. It is a disorder that will remain with an individual for their entire life. Here is a quick checklist to see if a person has narcissistic personality disorder. Do they have a grandiose sense of self importance? Fantasies of power, beauty, love or success? Believe that they are special and that no one can understand them, or only a select few can understand them? Have a sense of entitlement? Need for excessive admiration? Exploitative behavior? Lack of empathy? Envious of others or believe that others are envious of them? Arrogant behaviors or attitudes? If you know someone

who checks a majority of those questions as a yes, you might be dealing with a narcissist. Narcissism usually starts with childhood trauma that the child does not learn how to cope with, leading to unresolved C-PTSD (complex post traumatic stress disorder). Unresolved C-PTSD for the narcissist in the making comes with narcissistic traits that eventually lead to narcissistic personality disorder that fully presents itself in late adolescence and early adulthood. There are several areas in the narcissism spectrum that a person can end up and not progress into. Some people have C-PTSD and no narcissistic traits while others have C-PTSD and do display traits. Some people are plain old narcissists that people can interact with in their daily lives and not have any problems with while others have narcissistic personality disorder that lead to abusive and

dysfunctional relationships, psychological trauma and even death. Narcissists need a supply (usually a person) like a drug addict needs drugs. They need people to be around to soak up their energy since they are lacking energy themselves. Admiration, support and drama are a constant for these individuals and once they can no longer get that from their supply, they discard them and move onto another person with their sob story of how they were wronged in their previous relationship and how no one truly “understands” them. It is the classic tale of the boy who cried wolf. Sure, there might’ve been a time where they were the victim and needed help, but now they are in this self-perpetuating cycle of victimization that leads them feeling empty inside, needing someone to connect with until they get tired of them. They start the cycle over again with someone

Write for Opinions

new because they do not want to look inside themselves and realize that they are an empty shell of a human being and need to work on who they are. Their frailty over their sense of self is something they do not want to deal with and run from one person to the next, hoping that they will be their savior, when no one is going to save them from their own self destructive habits. Narcissists leave a trail of destruction in their wake. When confronted with their past mistakes they go, “Who? Me? I would never do the thing I obviously did. I’m an innocent victim. Pity me” and suck someone else into their destructive tornado. Narcissists are all around us. The best defense is a good offense with these individuals. Know your values, defend your boundaries and walk away when need be. Keep your sanity intact.

Contact Allison Young

AN-Young@wiu.edu

Editorial Policy

Letters & Local Forum Policies

2020 Spring Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Rachel Greene Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

Monday, February 24, 2020

SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Baseball swept by Butler Bulldogs in substitute weekend series By David Koier courier staff

The Western Illinois baseball team altered its plans for the weekend and added a three-game series versus Butler. Western played a lone game Saturday afternoon before playing a doubleheader on Sunday against the Bulldogs in Indianapolis. The Leathernecks were initially scheduled to play in the 2020 Jackie Robinson Tournament, but flooding in the area canceled the outing. This three game series marked the first time Leatherneck head coach Andy Pascoe faced off against Butler, the school where he served as an assistant coach for three years before taking the head coaching at Western back in September. Alex Dorethy gave the Leathernecks an early lead with his first home run of the season, a solo shot in the top of the second. Saturday’s game marked the second game in a row that a Leatherneck has hit a home run, the other being Trent Bauer against Tennessee last weekend. Butler responded and scored its only runs of the series opener in the middle innings off of a two out single, along with an error that gave the Bulldogs a 3-2 lead over the Leathernecks. Despite loading the bases in the top of the ninth, the Leathernecks weren’t able to plate a run, giving Butler the 3-2 decision. Right-hander Javin Drake pitched 6.2 innings while striking out four, only allowing two runs. Jack Carberry relieved the senior in the sixth and threw a perfect eighth as he struck out two batter of his own. Dillion Sears went three for three on the day, tying his career high for hits in a single game, knocking three singles and drawing a walk. Coach Pascoe was impressed with

his team’s performance, telling GoLeathernecks.com, “Javin Drake gave us another great performance on the bump, and Jack Carberry came in and was lights out to give us an opportunity to win a ball game,” head coach Andy Pascoe said. "We had some chances offensively in a few different innings with Luke Schwartz and Dillon Sears having great games, but could not come up with a hit or a simple RBI groundout. We have to do a better job in those situations of finding a way to get the run across and on the flip side, be better with taking care of the baseball defensively." Sunday’s double header began early Sunday morning, but unfortunately did not begin with a Western win. The top of the second saw not only two doubles by Dorethy and Kevin Raisbeck, but Dorethy and Bauer were both able to cross in the frame to give the Leathernecks an early 2-0 lead. The Bulldogs responded in the 2nd and 4th with five unanswered runs putting the Leathernecks in a three run deficit. A two run homer by Dorethy in the 6th brought the Purple and Gold within one but unfortunately that wasn’t enough. Butler was able to tack on four more to take game one 9-4 over Western. Game two continued the misery for the Leathernecks when the Bulldogs scored six unanswered runs in the first three frames of the game. An RBI single in the top of the fifth by Drue Galassi drove in Diego Munoz but that would be it for Western Illinois as the Leathernecks dropped game three of the weekend 6-1. Western Illinois moves to 0-6 on the season after the weekend’s losses. The Leathernecks travel down to Memphis next weekend to take on the Tigers. Game one is set for Friday the 28th with first pitch at 4 p.m. Twitter: @DavidKoier

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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.

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.

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!

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.

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!

Westen Investments has just one 3-Bedroom ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED (Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas, Electric, and Internet) Apartment left! That’s right you just pay for rent, and the rest of it is on us! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to check it out.

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 NEGOTIABLE RENT!!! NiCE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1-6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2020-2021 Our houses have hardwood floors, central air, washer and dryer and lawn service. All are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

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Javin Drake winds up for a pitch.

CLASSIFIEDS Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu

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Alex Dorethy awaits a pitch.

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. 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.

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

Employment Employment Opportunities For Early Childhood, Teaching and Education Majors - Part-Time or Full-Time Work. Monday though Friday 6:30 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Have your weekends and evenings free. Gain valuable experience with children 0-12 years for your resume. We are open year round. We are looking for mature, dependable adults that enjoy working with children between the ages of 0-12 years old. Must pass a physchical exam and an extensive background check. Preference given to those submitting transcript with 60 study hours of college education and 6 study hours of child development. Applications can be found on our website at www.CatchAStarLearningCenter.com

Monday, February 24, 2020

@WesternCourier

Sports 7

Adjusted NHL Power Rankings Zach Remelius courier staff

No. 1 Boston Bruins: After a brief slump, the Bruins are back on top of the NHL with 90 points. Despite Saturday’s ugly loss to Vancouver, this team is clicking and the addition of Ondrej Kase is only going to help. No. 2 Tampa Bay Lightning: Their 11-game win streak was finally halted, a winning streak in that saw them outscored their opponents 38-19. Their analytics have always been there but the question is still if they can finish the job and win a Cup. No. 3 Pittsburgh Penguins: Just when we thought they were dead after last year ’s sweep by the Islanders, they have come roaring back. Jason Zucker has fit in nicely with four points in five games. No. 4 Washington Capitals: Alex Ovechkin scored his 700th career goal Saturday night against the New Jersey Devils to become only the eighth player in NHL history to hit that mark. The Capitals have seen their massive division lead evaporate though and need to get things rolling again before the playoffs. No. 5 St. Louis Blues: The Blues are back with three dominant performances this past week including two shutouts by Jordan Binnington. Binnington only had to make 31 saves combined in those two games as the defense has gone back to an elite core. No. 6 Colorado Avalanche: This team just keeps being able to overcome injuries. Mikko Rantanen is the latest to join the injury list with Philipp Grubauer and Nazem Kadri. The race between the Blues and Avs for the top spot in the west will be entertaining. No. 7 Philadelphia Flyers: They are 7-3 in their last 10 and are only three points out of the top spot in the division. They are getting scoring from all over the lineup and the tandem of Brian Elliott and Carter Hart are finally

starting to stop pucks. No. 8 Dallas Stars: First place was on the line on Friday night at home and they got absolutely shelled by the Blues. They play outstanding defense and get great goaltending but that offense is going to keep them in the second tier of contenders unless they make a move. No. 9 New York Islanders: That massive win streak earlier in the year has kept them afloat in this lastest stretch. The east is a grind and a good team is going to miss the playoffs. The Islanders might be that team unless they can find some scoring. No. 10 Columbus Blue: Jackets: Still in a playoff despite injuries to basically everyone that is important to their roster. The injuries just keep coming and they still are managing to win games and get points in tough matchups. No. 11 Carolina Hurricanes: One of these last three teams is not going to make the playoffs. That is how outstanding the Metro division is. What a win, though, Saturday night in Toronto with an emergency goalie in net. That’s the kind of win that could spark a team and get them on a roll. No. 12 Vegas Golden Knights: Don’t look now, but the Knights are 7-2-1 in their last 10 and have taken the top spot in the Pacific division. Their underlying numbers have been outstanding all season and if Marc-Andre Fleury can start playing like we know he can, Vegas could shoot up these rankings quickly. No. 13 Edmonton Oilers: No McDavid? No problem, the Oilers keep finding ways to win games. Leon Draisaitl has 97 points in 61 games, while Ryan NugentHopkins has picked the pace in McDavid’s absence. The Oilers aren’t going to be an easy out in the playoffs. No. 14 Vancouver Canucks: While trading for Tyler Toffoli was a nice move, losing Brock

Arizonasports.com

Phil Kessel skates towards the puck.

Boeser for the rest of the year is going to hurt. Still though, if Jacob Markstrom continues to play like a Vezina candidate there's no telling where they could end up in the playoff picture. No. 15 Toronto Maple Leafs: After an impressive showing against the Penguins, this model team of inconsistency gets doubled up in shots and loses at home to a team playing an emergency goalie that, get this, works for the Leafs. David Ayers is a zamboni driver for the Toronto Marlies, the Leafs AHL team. No. 16 New York Rangers: The Rangers now sit four points out of a playoff spot and have won their last three games. Rookie goalie Igor Shesterkin is 8-1 as a starter with a .938 save percentage. Artemi Panarin is also a leader in the MVP conversation with 81 points in 59 games. No. 17 Florida Panthers: They will be battling the Leafs for this last quarter of the season for that three seed in the Atlantic division. The offense is fine, but they could use an upgrade on defense especially the left side, or they could simply have their $10 million goalie in Sergei Bobvrosky play like a $10 million goalie. He currently has a .898 save percentage among the worst in the league for a starter. No. 18 Winnipeg Jets: With all the injuries and the Dustin Byfuglien situation, it is a miracle this team sits this high. All credit goes to Paul Maurice and Connor Hellebuyck for keeping them afloat along with six skaters with more than 40 points. No. 19 Nashville Predators: When the Preds added Matt Duchene, it was thought of like a big move that would take them to the elite of the league. It clearly hasn’t, depth has been an issue all year while the Ryan Ellis injury hasn’t helped. They are going to need to get hot quickly if they want a chance at the playoffs. No. 20 Arizona Coyotes: What do the Coyotes do? They added Phil Kessel and Taylor Hall to improve scoring. Hall has been fine but Kessel only has 13 goals and the young guns like Clayton Keller have not taken that

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Alex Ovechkin gets prepared in warm-ups.

next step like Arizona had hoped. Getting Darcy Keumper back is going to help for the playoff push and after all the moves they made missing the playoffs is not an option. No. 21 Calgary Flames: They are one of the teams in the Pacific battling for the three seed or a wild card spot. The talent is there to get to the playoffs and make a run but until they show that they can on the ice, there is no point in believing the Flames are anything more than a first round exit. No. 22 Minnesota Wild: All the chaos and turmoil and yet the Wild only sit a few points outside a playoff spot. A big win against Edmonton led by a Jared Spurgeon hat trick has them only four points behind Winnipeg in the playoff picture. Monday’s trade deadline is going to bring about some interesting decisions from the state of hockey. No. 23 Montreal Canadiens: Luck has really bitten Montreal all season long and it appears this might be another lost season. There is hope though, as the kids have been improving and the assets they are going to get through some trades are only going to help. It wouldn’t be surprising at all to see this franchise take a big leap next year. No. 24 Buffalo Sabres: General Manager Jason Botterill is putting up a sign in the Sabres press box saying everything must go. After what was thought of as a good summer for the Sabres, they haven’t been able to get a save and the pieces they acquired like Colin Miller have not lived up to the billing. Jeff Skinner has been a disaster after signing a $9 million a year contract. No. 25 Chicago Blackhawks: Another team that will be selling at the deadline, it will be interesting to see what Stan Bowman does with the two goalies in Robin Lehner and Corey Crawford. Both are free agents after this year and reportedly contract discussions with Lehner have not gone well. No. 26 San Jose Sharks: Joe Thornton has been quoted as saying he might be open to

Reddit.com

Leon Draisaitl stares down the puck.

a trade to a contender. The thought of Thornton going back to the team that traded him in the Bruins and winning the Cup is actually quite sickening so we will leave it at that. No. 27 New Jersey Devils: Losing Blake Coleman hurts, but the haul they got for him was impressive, as was the assets gotten for Andy Greene. Might we see more from the Devils at the deadline? Damon Severson or Kyle Palmieri perhaps? No. 28 Anaheim Ducks: The Ducks made the weird decision of helping out the Boston Bruins in a big way. Giving the Bruins what they needed, a winger for David Krejci, and took on the 75 percent of the David Backes contract, while only getting a middling prospect and a low end first round pick. The Josh Manson for a million things trade is still around so maybe that will help in these bleak times. No. 29 Ottawa Senators: Pierre Dorian and the Senator ’s front office seem to have a pattern with their upcoming free agents. Wait until right before the deadline to extend them, fail to do so and then have to trade said player for a less then they could have gotten if they had planned things out so they can at least get some kind of prospect or draft pick. This year ’s player is Jean-Gabriel Pageau who is going to make another team very happy. No. 30 Los Angeles Kings: Yes, the Kings are bad, but they have acquired a lot of good players and picks from their recent trades. Trading away Toffoli, Alex Martinez, Kyle Clifford and Jack Campbell was what was best for the franchise. The additions from these moves and what is already a top farm system and the Kings aren’t going to be bad for much longer. No. 31 Detroit Red Wings: They have 34 points in 63 games with only 15 wins. They have been outscored by 108 goals on the season. They are easily the worst team of the last five years or so and Steve Yzerman has a lot of work to do before this franchise is close to relevant.

nhl.com

Dustin Byfuglien screams at teammate.

Men’s basketball falls to Omaha Mavericks in home finale By Brendan Reidy courier staff MACOMB, Ill. — The Western Illinois Fighting Leathernecks took the floor one last time at Western Hall this season against Omaha. It was senior day for the men’s team, as they honored seniors Keshon Montague, James Claar and CJ Duff. In a game that was extremely important for the Purple and Gold, it got off to an exciting start. With the first Western bucket, Duff joined the 1000point club, becoming the 24th player in school history to join the elite group of players. “That is something to reflect on when the time comes,” Duff said. “It is a big accomplishment and I am very blessed since a lot of people don't get the opportunity, but I am looking at a chance to play in the postseason. That's my only mindset right now,” Duff said to GoLeathernecks.com. Following the historic shot for Duff, the Maverick offense began to hit their stride. They went up by as many as 12 points in the first half behind JT Gibson’s hit shooting from behind the arc. However, Kobe Webster and Zion Young had an answer with a couple of three's of their own to cut the lead to two going into the break. The second half was a shooting clin-

ic. It seemed like both sides couldn’t miss, but eventually, Omaha’s hot shooting would lead them to a 93-86 victory over the Leathernecks, despite Webster ’s historic 40 point night from the Hall and the lack of production from star big man Matt Pile. “I am going to do whatever I can for a chance to win,” Webster said. “If that means score 40 points or having 12 assists or grabbing 10 rebounds, I am out there to win,” Webster said via GoLeathernecks.com Unsung hero Marlon Ruffin who dropped 30 points in the contest led the Mavericks to a victory. Omaha also had three other players score in double figures. The Western men’s team has a tough road ahead of them as they enter their final week of conference play. They will head out on a two game road trip that will take them to Oral Roberts first, and then off to the University of Denver. To clinch a postseason berth in The Summit League Tournament, the Leathernecks have to beat Denver on the road, or their season may end a little earlier than usual this year. Hopefully, Billy Wright and company can get things rolling down the stretch, but the playoffs are starting a little early this year as they get set for that big game against Denver next week. Twitter: @briedytv

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

CJ Duff jogs up into the offensive play.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Zion Young stays focused during a game.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

Kobe Webster thinks to take a shot inside Western Hall.

BECCA LANGYS / PHOTO EDITOR

James Claar plays defense.

WIU swimming wraps up season at The Summit League Championships By Bradley Piros sports editor

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Brenna Bladel swims in a freestyle event.

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Miranda Mathus competes in a butterfly event.

SIOUX FALLS, S.D. – The Western Illinois University men and women’s swim and dive teams wrapped up their season over the weekend when they competed in The Summit League Swimming and Diving Championships. The four-day event saw many Leathernecks pick up some silverware and set new school records. It only took until the second event on day one for Western to pick up a medal. Seniors Brennan Bladel and Connor Owens as well as sophomore Adam Peterson and freshman Garret Kemp teamed up to take home third in the 200-yard medley relay with a time of 1:31.75. The first women’s event was up next and it saw seniors Miranda Mathus and Madison Chao come together with sophomores Alexis Dreyer and Maddie Pittman to take

sixth in the 800-yard freestyle relay, clocking in at 7:50.19. Day two kicked off with another women’s event, this time the 200-yard freestyle relay. Mathus teamed up with fellow senior Casey Roberts and freshman Allison Spielman and Anika Gram. They took sixth coming in at 1:38.17. Going back to the men’s side, Bladel took third in the 200-yard IM and broke a school record with a time of 1:49.77. Peterson also shattered a school record that he set himself with a time of 20.29 seconds in the 50-yard freestyle. He broke his own record again in the final clocking in at 20.08 seconds to pick up another bronze medal. Kemp moved into ninth all-time in program history in the 100-yard butterfly (0.29) while Mathus moved into 10th in the same event (58.86). That wrapped up day two. Day three kicked off with

another sixth place finish on the women’s side. Roberts teamed up with three freshmen: Olivia Lesley, Gram and Skylar Robinson in the 400-yard medley (4:01.85). S o p h o m o re Ty l e r Cunningham took Western's first placemark in the second heat of the 200-yard freestyle prelims event with a time of 1:43.66. It was once again Bladel though finding himself on the podium, this time in the 100yard backstroke with a mark of 49.97 seconds to take third and move into third all-time in program history. “I wouldn’t be able to do it without the support of my team,” Bladel told WIU Athletic Communications after day three. The championships wrapped up on Saturday and day four started off with a few Leathernecks climbing into the programs top 10. Freshman Gram made

the list in the 100-yard butterfly (58.91) and senior Isaiah Pihlstrom took 10th all-time in the 200-yard free (1:42.51). Bladel and Peterson both set school records in the prelims. Bladel clocked in at 1:48.20 in the 200-yard backstroke while Peterson finished 44.87 in the 100yard freestyle. Kemp also moved to second all-time in the 200-yard butterfly with a time of 1:51.04. Back on the women’s side, Mathus took second in her final collegiate event. She finished with a time of 59.92 seconds in the 100-yard IM. The Summit League Championships was the last collegiate event for seven Leathernecks, four on the women’s and three on the men’s. Western will say goodbye to Chao, Mathus, Roberts and Angel Sturdivant on the women’s side and Bladel, Owens and Pihlstrom on the men’s. Twitter: @bradjp08