Opinions: Conservatives dreams come true
Sports: First look for the Leathernecks
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Friday, September 25, 2020 - Vol. 121 Issue 7
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No officers charged in Breonna Taylor's death By Rachel Greene editor-in-chief
More than six months af ter her death, an indictment came in the case of the murder of 26-year-old Breonna Taylor. The case began on March 13th, when the house Taylor shared with her boyfriend, Kenneth Walker, was raided by police. The officers were carrying out a drug-related no-knock warrant. Due to the no-knock style of entry, Walker called the police to report a break in and retrieved his gun, which he was licensed to own. Shots were fired on both sides and
Taylor was shot at least eight times during the shootout. On Tuesday, one former officer who was involved, Brett Hankison, was indicted on charges of wanton endangerment regarding a neighbor ’s home that he shot into, but the two who shot Taylor, Jonathan Mattingly and Myles Cosgrove, faced no charges. This decision made by the grand jury means that no one was criminally charged for the killing of Taylor. Despite the ruling, Taylor ’s family received a $12 million settlement from the city of Louisville for police misconduct. Immediately following the decision, demonstrations began. Protesters took to the
streets in cities such as Louisville, New York, Chicago, Washington and various others. As they have since June, citizens of Louisville continued to demonstrate, but were impacted by a curfew set in place following the indictment hearing for fear of outbursts and retaliation regarding the outcome. The curfew was set for 72 hours. Louisville, along with places around the country, continue to protest. The Black Lives Matters protests sparked by the deaths of George Floyd and Breonna Taylor continue, and the streets of Macomb are no exception. On Sept. 9, the Black Student Association led a protest for Black
Lives Matter and townspeople with signs have been consistently placed at Chandler Park for months. In light of the indictment, the Black Student Association posted a tweet that said, “Say her name! Breonna Taylor deserved better! Black women matter!” and the Gwendolyn Brooks Culture Center posted a tweet that said, “Justice was not served today.” Hulu, a streaming service that is home to a documentary titled “The Killing of Breonna Taylor,” received backlash after using the media craze around the indictment as a time for promotion. In a tweet, Hulu said “Breonna Taylor‘s life was chang-
ing. Then the police came to her door. #NYTPresents: The Killing of Breonna Taylor traces the missteps of the deadly raid. #FXonHulu.” Later that day Hulu tweeted again after their comments were received negatively and in poor taste by followers, “Earlier today, we promoted content that we felt would be meaningful in light of today’s events. That was, quite simply, the wrong call. We've taken the posts down and are deeply sorry. Thank you for holding us accountable - we will learn from this.”
WAVE 3 NEWS
The Gene Snyder U.S Courthouse and Custom House was where the news was delivered regarding this case.
Sports on Page 5: Leatherneck predictions
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Friday, September 25, 2020
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Ruth Bader Ginsburg dies at 87 By Emma Garcia assistant news editor
At the age of 87, Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg passed away from complications of metastatic pancreatic cancer at her home in Washington D.C. on Sept. 18, 2020. Her death received immediate public attention as memorials and vigils were held in places like Chicago, New York, Maine, San Francisco and some were even held online. Within hours of the news of her death, hundreds of people began gathering in front of the Supreme Court. The “Mourners Kaddish” (a hymn of praises found in Jewish prayer services) was recited as well as “Amazing Grace” and “America the Beautiful,” and by the next morning, a
makeshift memorial was set up on the steps of the court. On Sept. 19, 2,500 people attended a vigil that evening where Senators Kirsten Gillibrand (D-New York) and Elizabeth Warren (D-Massachusetts) were among several speakers who made references to abortion access, of which Ginsburg was a proponent. Jasmine Clemons of Planned Parenthood said, "I made the best decision for my life, my future and my body. That was made possible because of women like Justice Ginsburg.” Across the state of New York, landmarks like the One World Trade Center, Grand Central Terminal and the Kosciuszko Bridge were lit in blue as a tribute to Ginsburg, as well as her image being projected onto the New
York State Civil Supreme Court building along with the messages “Thank you” and “Rest in power.” In the state of Minnesota, Mayors Jacob Frey and Melvin Carter issued proclamations to declare September 21st “Ruth Bader Ginsburg Day” in the respective cities. White collars, such as the ones worn by Ginsburg were placed on several statues across the United States, and there were multiple proposals of statues and renaming of locations in her honor, such as the Brooklyn Municipal Building in New York City where Ginsburg was born and raised. Governor Andrew Cuomo announced that he will be appointing a commission to the task of selecting an artist and location to install a statue of Justice Ginsburg in Brooklyn.
He describes her as someone who “pursued truth and justice in a world of division, giving voice to the voiceless and uplifting those who were pushed aside by forces of hate and indifference.” Her death was announced as both Donald Trump and Joe Biden were campaigning in Minnesota, so neither of them made statements immediately after the announcement. Upon hearing of her death for the first time, Trump said Ginsburg "was an amazing woman who led an amazing life." Biden made a statement after landing at Newcastle Airport that her death was “very sad news,” and encouraged the need to choose a successor after the election. Nancy Pelosi ordered flags at the U.S. Capitol to be
flown at half-staff to honor Ginsberg, and described her death as “an incalculable loss for our democracy and for all who sacrifice and strive to build a better future for our children.” Hillary Clinton, who was the first lady at the time Ginsburg was appointed to the Supreme Court said, “There will never be another like her.” Former President Bill Clinton paid tribute to her in a televised interview with Face the Nation, stating that, “People were really pulling for her and they really gravitated to her because of her sense of equality and fairness, and they thought, unlike much in politics today, she was totally on the level.”
Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg honored at Supreme Court Ceremony.
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Friday, September 25, 2020
NEWS
Board of Trustees September meeting
By Rachel Greene editor-in-chief
On Wednesday, the September Western Illinois University Board of Trustees meeting took place at 8:30 a.m. The Board met in person, while other guests and speakers partook in the meeting via Zoom. The meeting was also live streamed via YouTube. While 10 items of business were voted on, three of them were especially notable. As the first act of business on the agenda, the Board voted on Resolution No. 20.9/1, the Fiscal Year 2021 All-funds Budget. As for what the budget includes, the agenda said, “Pending Board approval, the Uni-
versity will continue to aggressively pursue Strategic Plan priorities. Personal services, Medicare and CMS health insurance expenditures totaling $101.9 million represent 50.7 percent of the University’s Fiscal Year 2021 planned allfunds budget expenditures, followed by items supporting the academic mission of the University: contractual services (primarily utilities and food service), awards and grants (student financial aid) and commodities.” The Board voted to approve this budget. Another item of business that was voted on was Resolution No. 20.9/2, the Fiscal Year 2022 Appropriated Operating Budget Recommendations. The justification behind these recom-
mendations in the agenda said, “Since fiscal year 2002, Western Illinois University has experienced declining State support. During that time, the appropriation from Illinois has decreased from $64.3 million to $49.6 million. In fiscal year 2016, the university received only 29 percent of a typical appropriation. This drastic swing in support caused the University to make the very difficult but necessary decisions that have affected our current and former employees. The continued erosion of state support causes further pressure on student tuition and other revenue sources. The fiscal year 2021 state budget of $49.6 million is a seven percent increase over fiscal year 2018, but is still below the fiscal
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year 2015 level of $51.4 million. The requested amount represents a restoration to the fiscal year 2015 level.” The Board voted to approve this budget. The last budget recommendation voted on by the Board was Resolution No. 20.9/3, the Fiscal year 2022 Appropriated Capital Budget Recommendations. This set of recommendations encompassed repairs and improvements to be made to Western Illinois University’s campus. The agenda said, “Western Illinois University recommends $335.7 million for capital projects to support high-quality academic programs, co curricular services and regional economic development for fiscal year 2022. All of the requested funds will
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support new construction on the Macomb and Moline campuses to address highly needed space for premier academic programs. A total of $23.9 million in capital renewal funds is also requested to support critical deferred maintenance needs.” Improvements listed further into the agenda include renovations to Waggoner Hall, Stipes Hall, Horrabin Hall, Malpass Library and the Quad Cities campus. The Board removed Tillman Hall, a previous priority for renovation, from their proposed list. The Board voted to approve this budget.
Conservatives dreams come true Last Friday, I, like many in this country, was shocked to learn that Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsberg passed away. With her recent health complications and elder age, it doesn’t really come as a surprise, but her passing is extremely consequential on how it now shapes the Supreme Court and the ideological shift it will dramatically take. Ginsburg was a true advocate for women’s rights becoming the second woman to become a justice, but her death means that President Trump and the Senate Republicans will almost certainly nominate and confirm and conservative justice, thus making the court strictly conservative with a 6-3 majority for possibly the next 20 to 30 years. Ever since Trump became president, reshaping the judicial courts has been a fervent goal of Kentucky Senator Mitch McConnell. By this time, Trump has
already confirmed over 200 district and appellate judges and has already confirmed two Supreme Court justices with Neil Gorsuch and Brett Kavanaugh. Ginsburg’s seat is a crushing blow to liberals because her seat will most likely be filled with someone who has a completely different judicial ideology than she did. This nomination is so critically important with everything on the line; this election is considered to be contentious and close, especially with the significant amount of mail-in ballots being requested. With states like Pennsylvania and Michigan extending their delivery dates of ballots being returned a couple of days after the election (as long as they were postmarked on Election Day), this election could very much be a repeat of Bush vs. Gore in 2000, where the Supreme Court decided the election by voting 5-4
Introducing the Staff Hello! My name is Amanda Wandachowicz and I am the copy editor for the Western Courier. I started working for the Courier my freshman year as a proofreader and was promoted last year. I am currently a junior and my major is Forensic Chemistry. In the future I hope to work in a forensic laboratory to assist in solving
crimes through DNA analysis. On campus, I am a part of the Centennial Honors College and a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority. I also serve on our chapter ’s Executive Board as the secretary. I have found such an amazing home in Western Illinois University and look forward to the rest of my time here!
to deliver the state of Florida to George W. Bush. One the most conniving aspects of this entire process is how many Republicans who refused to even consider President Obama’s Supreme Court pick, Merrick Garland, when Justice Antonin Scalia died months before the election, are now eager to confirm Trump's pick less than 45 days before this election. The move is blatantly hypocritical and gross, but that doesn’t change the fact that it will happen. As of now, two Republican senators have said they will not vote for a nominee until after the presidential election, but even so, the Republicans still have enough votes to confirm who they want. This goes to show how important both presidential and midterm elections are because there is a real possibility that such a scenario such as this can happen. Regardless of whether Trump wins re-election or not, his most impactful accomplishment will be the amount of young conservative judges he’s been able to place on the bench that will decide important cases for the next 30 to 40 years.
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Ruth Bader Ginsberg is known for being an advocate for women right's movements.
Predicting Leathernecks spring football season COURIER STAFF
The Western Illinois Football schedule was released to the public yesterday afternoon, with the Missouri Valley conference announcing there will be an 8-game season starting the weekend of Feb. 19. Before I get into the predictions for Leathernecks, let’s take a look at who will be suiting up in the Purple and Gold this season. Western lost notable contributors on defense last season but brought back some promising talent. Looking to lead the way for the defensive unit is Herschel Blankenship and Cole Watts. The returning linebackers look to be the heart of the defense followed by Zaire Williams leading a new look secondary. On the offensive side of the ball, the Leathernecks bring back most of their core players. Conor Sampson, Clint Ratkovich, Dennis Houston, and Tony Tate highlight a very seasoned offense. However, the biggest storyline for this offense has been Western signing JaTarvious Whitlow, the transfer running back out of the University of Auburn.
Whitlow figures to be a big part of the Leatherneck offense and should be a matchup nightmare for every team in the Valley. Now, let’s take a look at that newly released schedule. Week one the Leathernecks travel to face former Western head coach Bob Nielson and the South Dakota Coyotes. A season ago, Western was able to escape with a win in the final seconds to secure their first and only win of the year. I expect more of the same this season, but this time more wins will follow for a more successful season. Western wins 24-21. Week two Western travels to face in state rivals Illinois State after getting a bye week to follow week one. This is going to be another close game, as the last few matchups have gone down to the wire. However, the Redbirds aren’t the same team who lost in the FCS final four a year ago. They lost the center of their offense in running back James Robinson who was signed by the Jacksonville Jaguars upon graduation. This
Cole Watts ready to presure the quarterback.
Dennis Houston runs into the endzone for six.
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one figures to be a defense battle, and I believe the experienced Leathernecks come up on top by one score 17-14. As we head into week three, the Leathernecks sit at 2-0. Pretty good, right? But now their schedule bumps up a notch. They face Northern Iowa for their home opener. They went 10-5 a season ago, and sit at third in the FCS preseason rankings only behind NDSU and James Madison University. This will be a tough one for the Leathernecks to pull out even as the home team, and my guess is the Leathernecks will lose 31-14. After their first loss of the season, Western goes back on the road to South Dakota State. This will be Western’s toughest two-game stretch the whole season. While SDSU may not be ranked higher than NDSU or UNI, they have historically been in the top three of the FCS rankings year in, and year out. This year they are currently ranked fifth and will be as tough as ever. Western drops their second straight, losing 28-14. The next few weeks get a bit easier for Western as they face off against North Dakota and Youngstown State, respectively. The Leathernecks should be able to close out these two games fairly easily. The reasoning behind it is
that North Dakota is new to Missouri Valley competition and Youngstown State lost their head coach so they will be dealing with new leadership. Western now is 4-2 through six games. With two weeks to go in the season, their seventh matchup will be against Southern Illinois. SIU is coming off a very promising season with a young roster. After being snubbed out of a playoff spot a season ago, they'll be very hungry. With both teams likely still in the playoff hunt at this point, this should be awfully close. However, I believe SIU pulls it out with the amount of talent they have, especially if they build off last season. Western falls 28-24. In the season finale, Western comes in at 4-3 facing Indiana State. The Sycamores are coming off a disappointing season highlighted by their QB going down with a season-ending injury. This one can go either way, with both teams around the same skill level. So, with the positive energy I bring, I’m going to say Western comes out on top 20-17, and finishes the year 5-3. So, after going through the schedule, Leathernecks improve from 1-12 to 5-3, but whatever happens, I’m just glad football’s back! Only time will tell how this season unravels.
Tony Tate in open space looking to miss tackles.
Clint Ratkovich finds a hole up the middle.
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