Sports: UFC makes its mark.
Opinions: How do we redeem MLK's dream?
Sports: Baseball back in action.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018 - Vol. 118 Issue 73
Attendance and participation bills back Long-tabled bills passed after revision By Marc Ramirez assistant news editor
SARA REMAR/ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
College of Business and Technology Senator Amanda Wrenn (bottom) presents her bills to the Student Government Association Tuesday night after revision. Interfraternity Council Senator Aaron Steele (top left) is chosen to replace Speaker of the Senate Patrick Quinlan (top right) for the next academic year.
During Tuesday’s meeting of the Student Government Association, discussion of several bills took the floor of the senate. College of Business and Technology Senator Amanda Wrenn brought forth to the floor SGA Bill 2017-2018.004 and SGA Bill 2017-2017.005 regarding grading on attendance and class participation once again. These bills have been tabled since the SGA meeting on Feb 6 due to inadequate data and have since been under reevaluation by Wrenn. With the new revised bills, Wrenn and sponsor Andrew Rosenberg spoke on mandatory attendance affecting the lives of students. SGA Bill 2017-2018.004 reads, “Graded, or mandatory, attendance to class periods may inhibit the professional development of students, cause students to make travel choices that put them at risk of injury related to traveling in poor weather conditions or other circumstances, and inhibit students from choosing another ven-
ue from which to pursue their learning and mastery of class-related materials and learning objectives.” The new bill also enacts that students be viewed as free rather than captive audiences, giving students more of an option on how to prioritize their time. Wrenn believes that by grading students on the basis of attendance is not a relevant, fair or appropriate academic evaluation tactic due to the premise that being physically present in class doesn’t convey ones mastery or knowledge on the class related material. SGA Bill of 2017-2018.004 also reads, “Mandatory or required attendance is an unfair and inhibiting requirement of students who come from a variety of situations, may have more than academics to focus on, are subject to the uncertainties and shifting of life and circumstances, and may find a more conducive learning environment outside of the classroom.”
SGA page 3
Alpha Phi Alpha asks to honor C.T. Vivian
By Steven Barnum assistant news editor
Since the bid discussion for the 2018 Street Improvement Project was postponed, the council was able to concentrate more on a request from the fraternity Alpha Phi Alpha. The group is proposing that the town of Macomb recognize Western Illinois University alumni Dr. C.T. Vivian for his contributions toward civil rights in the United States. Vivian, who is known as a minister and an author, was recognized for his achievements by then-president Barack Obama in 2013. According to Area Director Byron Oden-Shabazz, one way to honor Vivian would be to put a granite bench and a plaque in Chandler Park.
“This would be a way for us to honor him locally. We are an international fraternity, but he grew up here,” OdenShabazz said, emphasizing Vivian’s Macomb roots. “He was also a member of this fraternity, which is a key to this recognition.”
“”
“This would be a way for us to honor him locally. We are an international fraternity, but he grew up here.” -Byron Oden-Shabazz
Alpha Phi Alpha Area Director The fraternity is also proposing that Macomb turn Vivian’s childhood home into a historical landmark. Passionate about the proposal was District Director Mike
Boyd. “We have the opportunity to honor this gentleman for what he has done with the civil rights movement and the role he helped serve with Dr. Martin Luther King,” he continued, “We know this is very much possible and doable.” The motion was carried and Mayor Mike Inman thanked the group for their commitment to the project. Transitioning into the desire for a liquor license in Los Tapatios, Inman said “It’s our intention to issue the license.” The license will allow for alcohol to be sold on Sundays and to be consumed outdoors on the property.
City Council page 3
Mayor Mike inman speaks on the Los Tapatios liquor license Monday.
2
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
NEWS
WesternCourier.com
Mali Macomb
Jimmy pierson/production manager
By William Turkington courier staff
Four airplane rides and 5,550 miles away lies Mali’s capital city of Bamako, the birthplace of a proud Leatherneck by the name of Kadidia Samassekou. Samassekou is fluent in English, French and Bambara, which is a local dialect. She first got to put her English skills to use in America when she came to the states for an exchange program in junior high at Colorado’s CIVA Charter High School. “The first three months were a little hard,” Samassekou said. “It was my first time being away from my family for so long.” The high school she attended was small in size. So small that everyone was familiar with one another, which suited Samassekou. “I always say that CIVA is my first American
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
family,” Samassekou said. “That’s part of the reason why I wanted to come back to the US for college.” Samassekou thoroughly enjoyed Colorado and all its quirkiness when it came to its bizarre weather patterns and wildlife. “The weather was very weird. I experienced rain, snow and then sun within two hours. That's something I would never see in Mali,” Samassekou said. “I have also seen bears walking down the streets. That was pretty shocking.” Samassekou’s older brother was the one who helped her in her decision to choose Western. He had a friend who majored in chemistry at Western, same as Samassekou, and enjoyed her time here very much. “The education system here suits me well,” said Samassekou.
“I like doing things on my own and asking professors for help when needed.” Besides being away from family, Samassekou said that the lack of African food in Macomb is one of the hardest parts about going to school in America. She lives off-campus now and can use packaged spices to cook food more preferable to her taste buds, which was often not the case in the dorms. However, there are some American dishes that Samassekou is quite fond of. “My favorite American dish is meatloaf with baked potatoes,” Samassekou said. “I had that when I was at Paula’s one night. It was delicious.” The Paula she’s referring to is Paula Rhodes, Samassekou’s host parent in the international neighboring program that Western provides. It pairs up
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu assistant news editor Marc Ramirez MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu assistant news editor Steven Barnum SS-Barnum@wiu.edu opinions editor Ryan Zurek RP-Zurek@wiu.edu sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Haley Richards H-Richards@wiu.edu edge editor Baylee Brynteson BM-Brynteson@wiu.edu copy editor Brie Coder B-Coder@wiu.edu
proofreader Valerie Clemens VN-Clemens@wiu.edu proofreader Alexis Lowe AL-Lowe@wiu.edu proofreader Tacuma Venzant T-Venzant@wiu.edu photo editor Becca Langys RE-Langys@wiu.edu assistant photo editor Sara Remar SE-Remar@wiu.edu production manager Jimmy Pierson JM-Pierson@wiu.edu business manager Faith Rucker F-Rucker@wiu.edu advertising manager Patryk Mazur P-Mazur@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
an international student with a local family in the community so that they can feel more at home, become familiar with American customs and have somebody they can go to for help if they need it. “Participating in the international neighboring program is one of the best decisions I have made,” Samassekou said. Rhodes took Samassekou to her first football game in America and taught her the rules. The pair have also volunteered together and attended events like the festival of trees, the Altrusa bazaar, the kid’s circus and the steel band concert together. “She is always there for me,” Samassekou said. “Whenever I need something or I feel a little homesick, I know that I can count on her. She has
been a great support and the best part of my experience in Macomb.” Samassekou got her bachelor in biochemistry with a minor in microbiology here at Western. She’s currently pursuing a master’s degree in chemistry at Western as well. She intends on doing a PhD in environmental chemistry but has not yet chosen a school to do so at. “I chose environmental chemistry because I want to contribute to the well-being of the people,” said Samassekou. “Water treatment and electrochemical energy storage are the areas that interest me the most.” After she acquires her PhD, Samassekou plans on staying in America for a few years to get valuable job experience before returning home to Mali. “I need to give back to my country” Samassekou said.
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Council from front page
“All necessary steps have been taken and all publications have been met,” added City Attorney Kirsten Petrie, signaling the restaurant is now clear of hurdles when it opens later this month. Sticking with liquor, a special event liquor license was requested for a West Central Arts Center event on Friday, April 13. The event, which is a fictional meeting titled “When Patsy Met Hank”, will also offer barbecue. Since special event liquor licenses are common and the event is quickly approaching, the council agreed to waive the second reading of the proposal and
SGA
from front page
The legislative body with a vote of 16-3-0 passed the proposed bill. Wrenn’s second bill was on the topic of graded class participation. In the proposed bill it is stated that participating in a classroom setting is not always an accurate way for students to reliably convey their mastery on classroom material or concepts therefore it shouldn’t be used as a basis for grading students. “I have several friends who suffer from anxiety and do not enjoy speaking in public, a disorder for which they have to take medicine,” Senator at Large Hayden Goleman said. “So it’s not like this isn’t something serious that they’re dealing with and this needs to be an issue that’s talked about.” In contrast, Director of Academic Affairs Madison Lynn brought forth concern that could be construed with a bill of such topic being passed without careful consideration.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018 approve the license. The event will be casual and will feature musicians playing songs by Patsy Cline and Hank Williams. For those interested, it will be held at the West Central Illinois Arts Center at 6:30 p.m. Tying up a loose end from previous meetings, the amendment of 20 minute restricted and handicapped parking on the southeast corner of Washington Street and Randolph Street has been adopted. Also discussed was the town’s budget for the upcoming FY 19. According to Petrie, records of the proposed budget have been made available to the public, and the public hearing will take place at the next city council meeting on April 9, at 5:15 p.m. “This bill has been talked about a little bit in one of the committees that I am a representative for in Faculty Senate,” Lynn said. “A concern that some faculty members have about this type of bill going forward is that there are some departments such as kinesiology or studio art where participation is relevant to the coursework and understanding the concept of each class and that is pivotal to grading since if you’re not there to participate you are not taking the class.” With careful consideration and discussion throughout the association, Wrenn accepted a friendly amendment to the bill reading, “The term ‘participation’ should not be construed to mean relevant skill assessment, conducive to topic mastery; or other activities fostering a productive learning environment.” This bill was passed by a vote of 15-4-0 meaning that the Student Government Association holds that graded participation places unreasonable evaluation and is not an accurate evaluation of student mastery in classes.
NEWS 3
GURF MORLIX Saturday April 7, 2018 7:00 pm
Tickets: online at TSPR.com By phone: 298-1873 or 800-895-2912 Tri States Public Radio Members—$10 General Public —$15 Canned good for local food pantry
Location:
Tri States Public Radio Vallillo/Holtz Performance Studio 320 W. University Drive Macomb, IL
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APRIL 13
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Wednesday, April 4, 2018
4 OPINIONS
WesternCourier.com
MLK’s dream still isn’t realized
As we embark on Wednesday, April 4, 2018, we remember and commemorate the 50th Anniversary of the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., in Memphis, Tennessee. Dr. King was born on Jan. 15, 1929, in Atlanta, GA. Dr. King lived a very influential and profound life that affected the world; past, present and future. Dr. King lived during the times of deep segregation and prejudice toward African-Americans. Dr. King’s ultimate dream and vision for this world was equality and
justice for all; no matter the race or color. Dr. King worked tenaciously and tirelessly day after day to see equality. King has been through torture, pain, blood, sweat and tears to fight for African-Americans freedom and equality for all. On this day, we reflect on King’s well-lived life, his profound work, his touching and motivational speeches and his legacy that lives on for future generations. Looking at Dr. King’s ultimate dream for equality, we evaluate King’s dream. The question is, ‘Are we living out King’s dream?’
When we as a country see African-Americans voting and have had an African-American president for two consecutive years, we say King’s dream has been fulfilled. On the contrary, when we see the homicide rates among the African-American race and the police brutality towards African-Americans; and more targeted Black men; we rethink our thoughts that King’s dream has not been fulfilled. In my opinion, King’s dream hasn’t been fulfilled. The definition of fulfillment is to satisfy and successfully carry out a specific command/duty. Dr. King’s dream was for everyone to be considered equal. He devoted his life to making sure that his dream would become reality. But, at this point in society, we have not fulfilled
Damper, 25, were parked in a Valero gas station in Houston, Texas during the time of the incident. The live video was taken on Coleman’s page, who refers to himself as “Cadillac.” The three were sitting in the car with a gun laying on the armrest between the driver and passenger seat, where Holmes and Damper were sitting. The three were seen laughing and joking with one another as Damper proceeded to pick up the gun and play with it, pointing it at Holmes’s head. “You’re making me nervous,” stated Holmes’s as Damper continued with her irresponsible foolishness. Coleman then informed the two that there was no clip in the gun, or so he thought. Damper, with the gun pointed at Holmes, pulled the trigger, shooting him in the head. All of this, by the way, was seen in the video. The horrific sight of Homer's body going stiff, blood spilling from his head, made my stomach turn. Coleman immediately ran out of the car, followed by Damper, who reacted in utter astonishment after she seen what she’d done to her so-called friend. Whether it was an accident or not, Damper had absolutely no business pointing a gun to her friend’s head. A gun’s sole purpose is to
kill, or at the very least, temporarily disable a person or thing. Pointing a gun at a person should not even be considered as a joke. And in my opinion, Damper should be charged with a sentence to reflect her stupidity for playing in such a manner. As well as Coleman, who was also seen holding the gun briefly in the video. Why there was even a gun in the car to begin with is still in question. But all I know is that this whole situation could have been avoided if they were more conscious of their decisions. This is not the first time something like this has happened. In addition to pushing stricter gun laws, those who use them irresponsibly should be punished. Even if they do something as simple as waving it the air. This will hopefully reduce the amount of people who tamper will lethal weaponry as if they were toys, which they most certainly are not. Not only are they dangerous, but because we are all tired of seeing innocent lives being put at stake. Thankfully, Holmes is currently recovering from his injury. He was placed on life support, but one of his relatives recently confirmed that he is now able to breathe and respond on his own. Let's all send our prayers to Holmes and his family, and hope for a successful recovery. He is a father of two and a scholar. As well as a man of amazing strength. Justice shall be served on his behalf.
Don’t play around with guns
With all the lives lost due to guns, you would think people would be more responsible while handling them, or maybe not use them at all. However, the madness with guns still continues as people use them carelessly as if they were toys. The fact that a lethal weapon can be toyed with, despite the history of the many people who died by the gun, is irrational to me. It’s downright disgusting. I don’t know what it is about guns that makes people so fascinated with them. It could be that they give people a sense of empowerment. Or maybe because the excessive use of them is influenced by the media. Guns are seen in music videos, movies and even video games. Children are even exposed to this content at an early age, leading them to believe that it is okay to mess around with them. Guns also give users confidence, and to make matters worse, society portrays them as “cool.” In a nutshell, guns are a modern trend in today's society, when realistically they are problematic. On Easter Sunday, 26 -year -old Devyn Holmes was shot in the head on a Facebook Live video. Holmes and his two friends, Johnathan Coleman, 25, and Cassandra
his dream and we have a while to go for his entire dream to be fulfilled. In today’s society, where we still see underlying segregation, racism and prejudices in the academic, work and social worlds, we have some work to do. I think that his dream has not been fulfilled; there are still restrictions on the Black race. When our race is a factor that affects determining financial aid offers, admission to certain groups, promotions, etc we see that we aren’t all equal. When we see more of one race in certain leadership and administration positions we begin to realize that not all of us are equal. When we see more of one race on a certain job we can assume that King’s dream hasn’t been fulfilled. This country sees many people
of one race get off free when it is clear and evident that the suspect is indeed guilty. This country sees too many police brutalitites along with shootings/killings at one targeted race. This is proof that the dream of King’s hasn’t happened just yet. We have a long way to go as a human race to fulfill King’s dream. When our country can aid and assist in the growth and promotion of all races together, we can then say King’s dream has been fulfilled. When we begin to see equality amongst races; in leadership positions, in great positions of wealth and other areas we can then say that King’s dream has been fulfilled. Let’s continue to live out Dr. King’s dream and bring equality for all.
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
@WesternCourier
OPINIONS 5
Russia is a big threat
As of late, North Korea has been front and center in conversations about nuclear weapons. This past weekend though, that conversation has moved to Russia. This has been a domino effect in the events that have followed the death of Russian spy Sergei Skripal, who worked as a double agent for British intelligence before being caught in Moscow in the early 2000s. He was traded for Russian spies as part of an exchange in 2010 and had lived in England since. He and his daughter both died from a nerve agent in early March. Britain and the U.S. both concluded that the nerve agent and attack of this magnitude had to come from the Kremlin and President Putin himself. Both countries and many others have expelled Russian diplomats because of this event. Putin stated that Russia had nothing to do with this attack and expelled the same number of corresponding diplomats from Russia as had been expelled from their respective countries. The U.S. also
seized a Russian diplomatic property, which the Russians matched as well. According to CNN, a day after these expulsions were announced, the Russian government released footage of a successful test of their new missile “Satan-2.” This follows a Kremlin statement last month that Russia wants to try to hold back the arms race. I don’t understand at this point why we don’t just listen to what Putin says and expect the exact opposite. President Trump has tried to make better diplomatic relations with Putin and Russia, but the poisoning has definitely strained the relationship. They tried to discuss the arms race but it seems like it would be more of a bragging session and less of a discussion on preventative measures. Both world leaders have shown an interest in powerful weapons, but Putin’s display seem to be more of a warning of Russian strength than as a use in conflict right now. The recent release seems to be more of a warning of what
Russia is capable of after numerous countries have teamed up against them following the poisoning. This show of force isn’t rare for Russia and something along these lines was probably expected, it’s the nature of the missile that has been drawing the most attention. To begin with, the name of the missile is literally Satan-2. At that point, you’re expecting to become the bad guy here. A Russian with a missile named Satan almost sounds like a James Bond plotline. It’s also pretty safe to rule out easy diplomatic relations regarding the arms race unless Satan translates to “bouquet of flowers” or “friendly pinky swear” in Russian. Saying that we need to curb the arms race and then releasing footage of a new missile seems a little counterproductive. Especially after Putin unveiled new Russian military weapons last month including an animation of a missile strike reaching Florida. If a Russian missile could reach Florida, it could easily reach Washington D.C. Whether or not it was implied, it still should be something to be concerned about. We’ll see how this situation develops in the coming weeks.
Editorial Policy The editoral views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editoral presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editoral board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.
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2018 Spring Semester Editorial Board Editor-in-Cheif - Nicholas Ebelhack Edge Editor - Baylee Bryntesson Opinions Editor - Ryan Zurek
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
6 SPORTS
Baseball from back page
The two combine for 41 hits and 18 RBIs. Thompson edges out Fleek in batting average posting a .266. Thompson is a thief on the bases as well, tying for first for stolen bases in the Summit League with nine. The Braves have had their own successes this year, boasting a 14-7 record on the year. The Braves are coming off of a 2-1 series win over the Crusaders
WesternCourier.com
of Valparaiso University this past weekend. Leading the Braves in batting average is junior infielder Luke Mangieri. The infielder has a .388 average on the season. He has appeared in every game for the Braves this season. In his 21 appearances, Mangieri has 33 hits, five doubles and 12 RBIs. Mangieri also leads the team in on-base percentage, ending up on base 48.1 percent of the time during this season. Twitter: theefluffy66
JASMYNE TAYLOR/COURIER STAFF
Ira readies her pitch.
Softball from back page
Whenever she is on the mound, it almost certainly seems like something spectacular is going to happen. Earlier in the season, she nearly had a perfect game, and when playing elite programs, she always seems to
JASMYNE TAYLOR/COURIER STAFF
Deion Thompson prepares to throw out a batter.
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1 & 2 bedroom apartments, new $250 signing bonus on 10 and 12 month leases. Two blocks from campus. Bus stops nearby. Free water, garbage and parking. Laundry onsite. Clean, well maintained and secure. Call Ted 309-837-5600 or visit markertrental.com. Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord. Call 309-255-1233. Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122. FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565. Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well! STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com. You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!
LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing. CLEAN, REMODELED, AND WELL MAINTAINED HOUSES AND APTS FOR RENT IN GREAT LOCATIONS. UTILITIES PAID FOR APARTMENTS. RENTING NOW FOR FALL 2017. ALSO RENTING TWO APTS FOR SPRING 2016. CALL JASON AT 309-221-3985. Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message. 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. 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.
keep them in the game. For the Mastodons, Bailey Benefiel leads their pitching staff. Benefiel has a record of 9-6 and has posted an impressive 2.85 ERA. It will be a pitching dual this weekend, and whichever team has the best performance will walk away with the series victory. Twitter: BrendanReidyII
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For Rent Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished. Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets. Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site. No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment. Westen Investments still has affordable 1-4 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available. Be sure to check out our website (www.westeninvest.com) to see our available listings, and call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to win prize giveaways! APARTMENT FOR RENT: FOR QUIET PERSON. ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR RENT LOCATED AT 314 West Carroll ST Macomb, Ill 61455. Available end of August 2017-new carpeting yearly lease SMALEST FURNISHED IN MACOMB $345.00/month - HEAT & AC INCLUDED private entrance, off-street parking included call for appointment309-837-4748 or 255-5075 woodburning fireplace, ask for Paul. For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo. (309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime. Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message
Sports 7
Wednesday, April 4, 2018
@WesternCourier
New lightweight champ to be crowned
Conor McGregor grabs the mic in UFC press conference.
WIKIMEDIA.COM
If you’re a combat sports fan, then this weekend is like your Super Bowl. Saturday night begins the festivities with Cody Rhodes versus Kenny Omega for the leadership of the Bullet Club through the Supercard pay-per-view, and WWE’s NXT Takeover: New Orleans. Then Sunday night starting at 6 p.m. is “The Ultimate Thrill Ride” known as WrestleMania 34. There is one big fight that is happening in the middle of all this excitement, and it just so happens to be UFC 223. This Saturday, in Brooklyn, New York, a new UFC lightweight champion will be crowned. However, getting to this matchup has had its setbacks. Originally the lightweight championship match was supposed to be Tony Ferguson versus Khabib Nurmagomedov. When this match was announced three years ago, multiple factors interfered, causing several postponements for Ferguson and Nurmagomedov’s fight. Their matchup is the modern day “Boy Who Cried Wolf.” Just when they thought the curse was lifted, UFC president Dana White decided it was safe to say that the two
men would be able to meet up against one another and finally compete this Saturday. Unfortunately, bad news would follow not too long after, with Ferguson announcing that he tore his LCL during a press conference for this match, and will need surgery before returning to the octagon ring. So much frustration followed and White couldn’t postpone this matchup anymore. He announced to multiple sport sources that the fight is still on, but they’re going to make the stakes higher and bring in UFC featherweight champion Max Holloway. Holloway is currently 19-3, and the sixth highest UFC fighter in the featherweight and lightweight divisions. He has held the featherweight belt since June of 2017. Nurmagomedov is one man you do not want to mess with. He is a two- time Combat Sambo World Champion, a freestyle wrestling champion and a Judo black belt. Not only is that impressive, he also currently holds one of the longest undefeated streaks in MMA with 25 wins and no losses. The Eagle fears no one, and plans to wear
Conor McGregor ’s former belt in glory. Now you may be asking yourself, wait isn’t McGregor the current lightweight champion? He is, but not for long. Since McGregor hasn’t defended his title in two years, White will be stripping him of his title and crowning the new winner of Saturday’s match with it. “As soon as one punch is thrown, it's on for the full title, and it's only fair,” White said to the Los Angeles Times. This will be the second time that McGregor has been stripped from a title, without a single defense. McGregor won the lightweight championship belt back in 2016 at UFC 205 against Eddie Alvarez. Die hard fans of McGregor's’ are quite upset with this outcome, but the Irishman plans to come back and fight sometime in September. I’m usually good at predicting who will come out the winner, but for this match I’m split down the middle. If Holloway wins, he’ll be the second man in UFC history to hold onto two belts at the same time (the first was McGregor). However, Nurmagomedov hasn’t held a title just yet and is quite deserving of that opportunity. No matter the outcome, both fighters will be giving a performance of a lifetime, and finally fans and White can take a sigh of relief and know that this match is finally on.
Golf has individual success at invitational
NORMAL, Ill. — Jackson Wetherbee led the way for the Western Illinois men's golf team, as he recorded his eighth career top-10 finish. The Galesburg, Ill. native placed seventh with a thirdround low of 71 as the Leathernecks improved to 12th overall in the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate (April 1). Overall, Wetherbee totaled a three-round score of 7-over at 220. “Jackson had a fantastic round today and a great tournament overall finishing seventh,” said head coach Mel Blasi. ”Overall, I know we could have finished a few spots higher, but I am very pleased with how we conducted ourselves and hung in there.” Duke won the event with a total of 871, followed by Wisconsin as the runnerup with an 886 (+34) and host Illinois State in third at 895 (+43). The Purple and Gold recorded an individual-round low in the tournament with a 298. Western finished with a total score of 919 (+67). Following
Wetherbee, were teammates Trent Snodgrass and Drew Eaton, who both finished +20 overall to tie for 61st. John Duggan III tied for 67th, as he finished his two-day total just one stroke behind his teammates at 21-over (234). Sean Miller rounded out the Leathernecks with a 244 (+31) to tie for 85th. “I am extremely proud of our team for their effort and perseverance at the D.A. Weibring Intercollegiate,” said Blasi. “They played through the most difficult and unusual conditions imaginable, never gave up and other than a tough stretch in the second round, played some really good golf. Winds gusted over 50 miles-per-hour yesterday and today we played in a snowstorm. The greens and the grass were nearly unplayable and we played our best round in those conditions.” The Leathernecks now have some time off before playing and hosting the 46th annual Beu Mussatto Invitational, which is set to take place April 16-17. GoLeathernecks.com
Jackson Wetherbee eyes the hole on the course.
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Baseball sets eyes on Braves By David Koier courier staff
Johnathan Fleek keeps his eye on the batter as he leads off second base.
JASMYNE TAYLOR/COURIER STAFF
MACOMB, Il. — The Western Illinois Fighting Leatherneck baseball team will face off against the Bradley Braves after a tough series against the Fort Wayne Mastodons last weekend. The first game of the series was held on Friday, and it was a pitching dual throughout nine innings. Brandon Phelps and Ian Koch pitched extraordinarily for each team, but the bats were the key difference maker in the first game. The Mastodons scored runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings. Shannon Baker, who went 2-3 with two walks and an RBI, led Fort Wayne. Behind Baker's strong performance at the plate and Phelps' outing on the mound, the Leathernecks were no match for this overpowering display of talent. Western Illinois notched their only run in the top of the ninth inning. They were led by outfielder Steve McShane who went 2-5 at the plate, but hitter Alex Dorethy made some waves
late in the game going 1-1 with the teams only RBI. However, it was a quick turnaround for the Purple and Gold the next day. In the second matchup against IPFW the tides began to turn. Dunne pitched seven innings and allowed only two runs, while recording eight strikeouts for the Leathernecks. “Everything was really clicking for our team today and it felt good to go out there and give us a chance. I'm happy. Our defense was going again early in the game and helped get me in a groove, but it took a lot of pressure off when we got that first run in the first inning and a couple more after that in the sixth. Our offense did well,” said Dunne, who got his first victory on the mound this season. Dunne’s teammates saw the performance he was showing on the mound and provided plenty of run support to get the job done.
Baseball page 6
Necks face off with Fort Wayne Brendan Reidy courier staff
MACOMB, Il. — The Western Illinois University Leathernecks (10-22) will face off against the University of Fort Wayne Mastodons (1420) this upcoming weekend. Both teams are off to a rocky start with losing records. However, conference play is just beginning to start, and this offers a glimmer of hope for both teams. The series will kick off this Friday, as the Leathernecks will look to stay atop the conference ranks with a perfect 3-0 record in conference play. However, they will be playing against a hungry Mastodon team looking for their first conference victory. This will mark the second conference matchup for Western Illinois, and it will be the first conference series for Fort Wayne. The Leathernecks are coming off a three-game series sweep against the University of South Dakota. Western can thank their bats for coming alive in their first conference series. The team scored five, seven and 20 runs respectively in their three games. They were led by the electric offense of
Ashley Minyard and Kelsey Marlow. The two capped off an incredible series going off a combined seven of 12 with five RBIs in the series finale against the Coyotes. The Mastodons are coming off a two-game series sweep against the university of Northern Kentucky. The offense was on a roll for Fort Wayne in the series scoring three runs in the first contest and 11 in the series finale. The bats of Demitra Burns and Courtney Holm led them. The two combined to go 5-6 with two RBIs in the team’s first victory of the series. In the finale, the team blew by the Norse scoring eleven runs to cap off an impressive 11-6 victory. Both teams hope to keep their bats alive in the upcoming series. However, the conference showdown will come down to pitching. The Leathernecks should have the upper hand in this category because of their ace, Emily Ira. Ira has been superb for the Purple and Gold this season. On the season, she has a record of 4-7 and has posted an ERA of 3.93.
Softball page 6
Kelsey Marlow glances at the umpire.
JASMYNE TAYLOR/COURIER STAFF