Western Courier| November 26th, 2018

Opinions: Free college has no downfall.

Sports: Catching up with the sports world after Fall break.

Sports: Men's basketball drops third straight game.

Monday, November 26, 2018 - Vol. 119 Issue 38

AWARD-WINNING STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF WESTERN ILLINOIS UNIVERSITY. SERVING MACOMB SINCE 1905.

Macomb community gathers in support for the Rally for Love

devon greene/editor-in-chief

Western Illinois University students, faculty and staff gathered along University Drive, Q-Lot and Tanner Hall to host the first Rally for Love on Satiurday, Nov. 17.

Devon Greene editor-in-chief

Western Illinois University and its LGBTQIA+ community held its first Rally for Love on Nov. 17.

In response to a planned protest from the Kansasbased Westboro Baptist Church, Macomb community members and Western Illinois faculty planned the Rally for Love to be held on the same day.

With Saturday being the first day of fall break, the turnout for the Rally for Love was not expected to be very high. Along with the beginning of break, the weather forecast was bleak with temperatures expected in the low 20s to mid 30s with expected rain and snow.

When the day came, the student and community turnout exceeded expectations for event organizer Chase DeWitt.

“No one. I’m going to be honest with you, I run a lot of events. I don’t expect anyone to show up until they do,” DeWitt said. “But, after seeing the public outcry on social media and the different meetings that I’ve attended when this event was getting organized, I was exceedingly more hopeful and I’m very happy to see the turnout.”

Only halfway through the event, DeWitt had counted 400 members of the com-

munity either inside Tanner Circle, or out in the rain on Q-Lot. Many students that had planned to go home on Friday adjusted their plans for the event on Saturday.

“I know that was the case for a lot of students but I also know that a lot of students specifically stayed for this,” DeWitt said. “Considering WBC, I think it was a happy accident that they ended up being here at the same time that our rally was being planned.”

One member of the student population that stood out in the crowd was Jordan Davidson. Davidson was dressed in rainbow suit, blue shirt and rainbow tie. Davidson walked through the crowd of Q-Lot with a smile on his face. He was stopped multiple times by fellow community members asking for photos.

Jordan Davidson found his suit online when he was searching for pride wear.

“I wanted to wear it to represent the LGBT community and I’ve worn it to other events,” Davidson said. “I figured this was another event to not only tell them that love wins over hate always but to support my LGBT community.”

Rally page 2

2

NEWS

Monday, November 26, 2018

WesternCourier.com

Taiwan Voters reject same-sex marriage.

Colombia 6.0 magnitude earthquake strikes Caribbean Sea.

Rally

from front page

Like some other members of the community, Davidson was surprised when he heard that Westboro was coming to Western’s campus.

“I was surprised honestly,” Davidson said. “You know, Macomb is not as big of an area as some other places. Putting myself in their shoes, I would think they would want to spread their hate to more populated areas. After I found out about it, I figured, I have to be here to support and counter protest

Aleppo, Syria Toxic gas injures more than 100 people.

Lake Victoria, Uganda

Boating accident leads to 35 dead & dozen missing.

MEANWHILE...

their hate.”

Westboro Baptist Church sent five members of their community and they set up at the intersection of Lafayette Street and University Drive. Fences, traffic cones, construction barriers and Macomb police officers protected members of the church.

Across the street stood around 40 to 50 counter protestors. The counter protesters held signs and played music from their cars.

Songs like “Dancing Queen”

by ABBA and “We Are the Champions” by Queen blared out of a white Ford Sudan with Colorado license plates.

Dewitt saw the event as an extreme success and was thankful for all the support that was shown from those who attended the event. He was overcome with emotion as he watched the event take place.

“Ecstatic, exceedingly ecstatic.

I think it’s the same sentiment from a lot of my staff here. They are very excited that the community has shown so much support here. You can see how many posters were handmade. Specifically I do want to thank the organizations that have helped us out.”

Businesses from around Macomb offered various goods

and services in support of the event. McAllister’s and Wal-Mart provided food and beverages for musicians, community members gave donations for shirts and stickers, Western provided the estate for Q-Lot and the young business members of Macomb helped organize the event.

With the success of the event, DeWitt and the Western Illinois community is planning to make the rally an annual event.

“It’s good to know that this is going to be a yearly rally now.

It’ll be Western’s first LGBT+ pride rally that will be happening on Western’s campus.”

5 Day Weather Forecast sourced by MONDAY

Partly Sunny

/

Breezy

27 / 20

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

TUESDAY WEDNESDAY THURSDAY

Mostly Sunny

/

Very Cold

22 / 7

Plenty of Sun

/

Very Cold

27 / 18

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu news editor Marc Ramirez MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu assistant news editor Steven Barnum SS-Barnum@wiu.edu opinions editor Allison Young AN-Young@wiu.edu sports editor Haley Richards H-Richards@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Bradley Piros BJ-Piros@wiu.edu edge editor Jonathan Lynch JJ-Lynch@wiu.edu copy editor Brie Coder B-Coder@wiu.edu

proofreader Amanda Wandachowicz a-wandachowicz@wiu.edu proofreader Chance Darby ca-darby@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 Jacob Day JD-Day@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

Jimmy pierson/production manager

A Little Snow

/

Some Early Ice Mostly Cloudy

36 / 28

PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION

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

The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.

COPYRIGHT 2017

FRIDAY

No reproduction or reuse of material is permitted without written consent of the WC. All rights reserved. To request permission to reprint any material from this publication, please contact Devon Greene or Willl Buss at 309-298-1876.

/

Chilly

38 / 30

ADVERTISING POLICY

The WC does not knowingly accept advertisements that discriminate on the basis of sex, race, creed, religion, color, handicapped status, veteran or sexual orientation, nor does it knowingly print ads that violate any local, state or federal laws.

One copy of the Western Courier is free.

Additional copies $1.

CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.

@WesternCourier

By Steven Barnum assistant news editor

Western Illinois University will recognize five former students during December’ Commencement Ceremonies.

The Western Illinois University Alumni Achievement Award is designed to recognize those who have offered significant contributions to society after graduating from Western.

This award especially recognizes outstanding achievements in one’s career path, their continued support in the improvements and success at Western or helpful service in local, state or national communities.

Randall S. Germeraad, James G. Leahy, Suzan Nash, Dennis R. Papini and Michael G. Steelman will all receive the award during the Commencement Ceremonies in December. Western will recognize Leahy, Papini and Steelman during the 9:30 a.m. ceremony, while Germeraad and Nash will receive the award during the 1 p.m. ceremony.

Germeraad is the executive chair of Springfield (IL) Electric Supply Company, where he serves on the board of directors. After graduating in 1976 with a degree in education, Germeraad has worked in sales, supply chain management, teaching and procurement. He has served or currently serves on the board of Memorial Health System, Memorial Medical Center and Memorial Behavioral Health.

Throughout the community, Germeraad has served as chair of both the Springfield Public Schools Foundation and the Old State Capital Art Fair. The former Rotarian is also responsible for “Adopt

Monday, November 26, 2018

a School,” a mentoring program for kids in Springfield.

Leahy is the chief operating officer of Veterans Canteen Service Department of Veterans Affairs for the last three years. Leahy left Western in 1985 with a degree in business, which he used to pursue a career in the private sector. He focuses on making sure veterans in America get the care they need. Leahy has also spent time in the retailing industry.

Leahy was the Western Illinois University College of Business and Technology Executive in Residence in 2017. He frequents classrooms on campus to talk to students about his experience, and he also helps with the recruiting process at Western.

Suzan Nash graduated Western with a Master of Science degree in recreation, park and tourism administration. She spent time as the executive director of the Western Illinois University Regional Council, where she helped expand the organization from six countries to 16 countries. Additionally, she helped gather funds to improve housing and water quality in areas lacking economic development.

Recently, Nash was the transition facilitator and planner, which allows her to hand out grants for the Community Development Department. She formally served as president of the McDonough County YMCA Board, and is currently the co-president of the St. Paul Women’s Guild. She is a member of various other boards and committees throughout McDonough County.

Dennis R. Papini is the provost and vice chancel-

lor for academic affairs at University of Illinois Springfield. He oversees budgets and priorities in the academic side of business. Papini went into the workforce in 1979 after graduating with a degree in psychology.

Papini worked at South Dakota State University, where he was the dean of the College of Arts and Sciences.

During his time there, he helped establish four new degree programs to provide more career paths for students, while also creating a program that brought in more minority faculty members to the university. He worked at Middle Tennessee State University and the University of Arkansas before working in Department of Psychology at Western, where he advises student organizations.

Michael G. Steelman is the chairman and CEO of Farmers and Merchants State Bank of Bushnell, Ill. and the chair of the board of directors of the Federal Home Loan Bank of Chicago.

After graduating in 1975 with a degree in political science, Steelman has since served as chair of the Illinois Bankers Association, which named him “banker of the year” in 2013. He is also a member of the Illinois State Bar Association and the American Bar Association. Steelman can be seen on Western Illinois University’s Foundation Board of Directors, and has been crucial in getting proper funding for Western.

Before his time in college, Steelman served in the U.S. Navy.

Western’s Commencement ceremonies will take place on Dec. 15.

NEWS 3

4 OPINIONS

Monday, November 26, 2018

WesternCourier.com

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

If college was free it would mostly benefit those who struggle financially. Harvard Law of Education claims that if college was free to students it would mean that states would be funding anyone attending universities.

There would still be financial help from federal and state programs, but whatever was not covered through that would be put on the states.

This would be beneficial to not only people who are not financially able to afford college but also for people who

do not receive any financial help due to FASFA. Having free college education would also benefit those who come from families that are well off, but the student is paying for their own education. Several young adults are penalized from FASFA because their parent’s annual income is high, but in the end, their mother and father are not paying for their education. In this scenario, students end up with thousands of dollars in debt that they must pay back for the rest

of their lives. This raises the cost of living, and it also raises the nation’s debt as well. The cost of attending a university is rising and is not going to stop anytime soon.

If college was free, there would be less of a burden for everyone who is interested in attending a four-year university, and would give everyone an equal opportunity to succeed.

One of the biggest arguments against a free college education is that it will never be 100 percent free. There will be the cost of books, food, somewhere to live and several other expenses that can come up along the way.

Another main argument is that a college education is not needed to succeed.

The argument of college not being entirely free is somewhat true, but students who have their tuition payed for will value that opportunity.

They will be able to have a job and save money as they go. Scholarships will still be awarded, which means that these implied costs could be reduced or even eliminated.

The second main argument of a college education not being a necessity to succeed may not be completely false, but it does raise some eyebrows. College may not be for everyone, and people can surely succeed by not taking that path. But, with the cost of living increasing yearly, it is going to being very difficult for those who have jobs that give them a yearly sala-

ry of only $30,000 to support more than two people. Trade school is always an option, but it is still a form of school that is needed to make more money than people without any sort of higher education.

If there was no cost, there would be much more success seen by individuals who come from low income.

There is also a possibility that in the future the need for free college education will become a necessity. If there is going to be a change, it is gradually going to happen.

This is an important topic that needs to be talked about because it is going to start affecting the futures of students and future employees of the company’s that run the world.

All high schoolers should take self-defense Unfortunately in the world we live in, abductions, rape and murders of young women have become what some would call a trend.

For as long as I can remember my parents have taught me to be aware of my surroundings when I go anywhere; of course, when children are younger they are taught the dangers of leaving their parents side, but it has become much more than that within the last few years. My parents tell me more now than they ever have to pay attention to who or what is going on around

me because of the recent incidences that have been happening to young women. It is sad how popular these events have become, but it is what the world is coming to and women everywhere need to be careful. Young women should have to take a selfdefense class in high school to graduate with a diploma.

As a high schooler, I never imaged a world where I would have to think about defending myself because I grew up in a very small town where things like that did not happen. But at my school, the National Guard came

to physical education class once a semester. One of the times they came, I had the option to take a self-defense mini session with some of the National Guard men. I only took the short 45-minute class for fun, not because I was required to. I had so much fun learning these different techniques, but when I moved to college, I realized how useful a class like this would be to young women everywhere. Adding selfdefense classes to the curriculum would not only be something that would benefit young women, but it would also be a physical activity as well. There are several different ways that this strategy could be implemented into the school system, but there is one way in particular that would be most beneficial to

students and teachers.

Physical education classes in high schools should have a unit every semester where females must take self-defense classes. With the school providing this opportunity for young women, it would make them better equipped to handle situations where they feel threatened. The reason that a small portion of the class should be used instead of making an entire class for it would be that it would not take an entire semester for a class that can be taken in just a few weeks.

There would be a lot of work to put into making this something that schools would implement but because of recent events it would be beneficial to make all students take a self-defense class.

MCCONNELL.FF.MIL

Self-defense is a helpful skill.

On Thanksgiving Day, Walt Disney Pictures released the teaser trailer for the live-action production of “The Lion King,� due to premiere in July of 2019. In just 24 hours, the trailer for this production had been viewed 224.6 million times, according to ew.com, making it the second most viewed movie trailer.

Written by: Tea Wheat

CONT. Page 2

Layout by: jimmy Pierson

E2 EDGE

Monday, November 26, 2018

WesternCourier.com

TWITTER.COM

Lion King

from E1

Fans across the world are roaring with anticipation for this new interpretation of the classic Disney film. The animation shown in the trailer underscores that the movie will make you forget it is not really liveaction. Fans have even created a side-by-side play through of the scenes from the trailer and those same scenes from the 1994 Disney production. It

is absolutely stunning how amazing animation and CGI has come, and that progress shows immensely in the new Lion King trailer.

In addition to the animation, one of the primary contents of the trailer that has fans going wild is that James Earl Jones, the original voice of Mufasa, is featured again as a narrator in the upcoming film.

The teaser trailer opens to the golden sunrise on the open savannah plains, and then cuts to various scenes of savannah

animals in their daily lives, followed by the narration from Jones. The narration is that of the famous words of Mufasa to young Simba, teaching him about the kingdom and that one day, Simba will be king.

One frame of the trailer is young Simba’s paw stepping in the paw-print of his father, alluding to the inevitable truth that one day his father will pass away and he will fill his shoes as king. The trailer then cuts to black before reopening to the beginning

IMDB.COM

scene of the original Lion King with “The Circle of Life” playing in the background. Showing the iconic scene of Rafiki holding Simba up on the large rock.

The trailer then cuts to “The Lion King” title screen and a mini-credit reel with all the names of those who going to be a part of the 2019 film. The teaser-trailer ends with Mufasa’s voice saying “remember” and a lion is pictured letting off a mighty roar with an ominous sky falling behind him.

From the animation to the

cast and everything in between, the new Lion King appears to be an extremely promising re-make of the original.

Fans are more than thrilled in response to this trailer and it seems that everyone has seen the trailer and is anticipating the release.

The live-action version of “The Lion King” will be in theatres on July 19, 2019, and there is no doubt that fans will be stampeding towards the theaters to see this new film.

IMDB.COM

E3 EDGE

Monday, November 26, 2018

WesternCourier.com

IMBD.ORG

Bohemian Rhapsody rocks audiences Even though Rialto Cinemas here in Macomb, Ill. took “Bohemian Rhapsody” out of their theater last Tuesday, it is worth the drive to Galesburg or Peoria to see this film.

There are some movies that are forgettable, but “Bohemian Rhapsody” is not. Released on Nov. 2, this 2 hour and 15 minute movie takes young and old fans back to the formation of the legendary British rock band Queen, and all the triumphs and tribulations that they went through from 1968 until the passing of lead vocalist Freddie Mercury in 1991.

The movie begins by showing Mercury (real name Farrokh Bulsara, played by Rami Malek) working as a baggage handler at the Heathrow Airport in England, imaging a life that is better than working at an airport. In the beginning when he was still a college student working a typical low wage job, they made sure to show how Mercury always had a pen and paper near him to write down ideas for songs, which foreshadows all his contributions he’d make down the road for the band.

Off and on in the movie, they

show the relationship between Mercury’s family and how he had known for a while that he wasn’t going to live up to his parent’s high expectations. What ties up the movie is at the end when Mercury repeats what his father tells him in the beginning of the movie and they come together through a hug before Queen’s performance at the historic Live Aid concert in 1985.

In addition to Mercury’s family life, producers Graham King and Jim Beach did an excellent job showing how the group first came together. When Mercury was visiting local music venues, he happened to come across a group called Smile, which consisted of lead guitarist Brian May (played

by Gwilym Lee) and percussionist Roger Taylor (played by Ben Hardy), who would later be a big

part of the formation of Queen along with bassist John Deacon (played by Joe Mazzello). After all four men came together, the rest was history.

I personally think the best part of “Bohemian Rhapsody” was how tiring and aggravating it was for Queen to get EMI Records to understand that their song, which happens to be the title of the movie, was going to be legendary even though it was a six minute piece, which wasn’t the best type of song to promote for radio at the time, along with the critical reviews the song received when it was first released from USA Today, Rolling Stone, etc. Another thing I’m glad the movie touched on was the problems the bands faced with their managers and how shady they became after they all started

living the high life.

Putting all that aside, what made this movie beautifully written and a tear jerker was how close we as fans got to be to understanding Mercury and his bandmates’ highs and lows, and the compositions that were made because of that. I think the biggest thing lost in music nowadays is the sincerity and emotion that can be conveyed through song.

The rock opera performances Queen did throughout the years was a way to evoke an emotion out of their audience, and to inform their fans that they struggled with the same daily hassles everyday people go through.

For those who believe in music therapy, Queen was the original music therapists and “Bohemian Rhapsody” shows their therapeutic strides in a marvelous way.

JIMMY PIERSON, PRODUCTION MANAGER

“Mystery Science Theater 3000” is a 90's TV show where a man and two robots sit in a movie theater and riff on B Movies, which are movies that are low-budget and don’t make it to the theater. It returned for a new season last year as a reboot.

In the not too distant future (next Sunday, A.D.), another season is coming to Netflix. It’s season two of “MST3K: The Return.”

They’ll be watching and making fun of the E.T. rip off from the 80s called “Mac and Me.” This follows a trend of them making fun of B Movie rip offs of popular movies. Last season they watched the horrible 1978 Star Wars rip off called “Starcrash.”

There wasn’t a plot at all in that movie. The funniest gag was when they said one of the rooms in the movie looked like a laun-

dromat. The episodes are usually the length of the movie they are watching.

A bubblegum machine robot named Tom Servo, and a golden sarcastic robot named Crow accompany a guy named Jonah.

All they do is sit in a movie theater and make fun of bad movies, usually from the 20th century. You see them at the corner of the screen, sitting in movie theater seats.

Their jokes are pretty funny.

Last season, they watched a bad 1950s sci-fi movie in which some scientists literally open a window to the future in their lab. They step through it and end up in

2077. They find some people who are trying to launch a rocket. The plot becomes lazy. One of the actors from that terrible 1950s science fiction film appears in the next episode’s movie, which is a 70s ski resort movie called “Avalanche.”

For season two, here is the list of movies they’ll be watching: “After Mac and Me” they’ll watch “Atlantic Rim” (2013), obviously it’s a Pacific Rim rip off.

“Lords of the Deep” (1989) is next. This one is an undersea science fiction thriller. In “The Day Time Ended” (1980), a family encounters extraterrestrials that whisk them back

to the prehistoric times.

Next, they’ll be making fun of “Killer Fish” (1979). Apparently, this is an under the sea jewel heist. They’ll be watching “Ator, The Fighting Eagle” (1982), which is a rip off of “Conan: The Barbarian.” Exciting times are ahead for MST3K fans.

On Twitch.tv, you can watch them on the Rifftrax channel pretty much 24/7.

My favorite episodes from the original 90s series have to be “Pod People” and “Manos: The Hands of Fate.”

It’s a terrible 1960s film that doesn’t make sense, but the jokes are hilarious. Also, “Laserblast” and “Werewolf” have great jokes too.

E4 EDGE

In any high up industry, there are people who think they can get away with everything they do, and instead find out that they aren’t so invincible. In the music industry, rapper Tekashi 6ix9ine (real name Daniel Hernandez) just happens to be one of those people who is realizing his fate will now be behind bars, possibly forever.

Hernandez is currently facing a minimum of 32 years, maximum of a life sentence if convicted after being charged with several federal charges. Some of those charges

Monday, November 26, 2018

WesternCourier.com

Tekashi 6ix9ine facing

HARD TIME

JIMMY PIERSON / PRODUCTION MANAGER

include racketeering, unreported armed robbery, possession of an AR-15, drug charges stemming from sale (heroin, fentanyl, MDMA and marijuana) and involvement in two additional shootings.

According to Assistant US Attorney, Michael Longyear, Hernandez was involved with Nine Trey Bloods, a violent sect of the Bloods. It was only a matter of time before the rapper ’s criminal acts were going to catch up to him.

Hernandez’s attorney, Lance Lazzaro, strongly begged the court to instead give Hernan-

dez bail under the condition that he surrendered his passport, paid over $1 million and be placed under house arrest.

The judge however denied bail, and cited that the rapper may still be a danger to the community even if those bail conditions were met.

After last Sunday’s arrest and hearing on that Monday, Lazzaro made a statement online that Rolling Stone published saying that his client is innocent and being wrongfully convicted only because of the music he creates and the image he has to have to succeed in the rap industry.

“Hernandez is completely innocent of all charges being brought against him. An entertainer who portrays a ‘gangster image’ to promote

his music does not make him a member of an enterprise,” Lazzaro wrote on his social media account.

This arrest was not something that was out of the blue.

Instead, this arrest came from a violation of his probation back in October, for his ongoing case of the use of a minor in a sexual performance.

The judge in that case sentenced Hernandez to a fouryear probation if he followed two orders: not get arrested during his time that his probation was set for and to not associate himself with any gang members.

Hernandez began his rapping career in 2014 when he released several tracks and music videos such as “Scumlife,” “Yokai” and “Hellsing Sta-

tion.” He became an Internet sensation because of his rainbow-dyed hair and rainbowpainted grills. In April of 2017, “Poles1469” was released, which raised the bar for his music career and was one of the first of his songs to receive significant views from YouTube. On Nov. 10, 2017, “Gummo” was released and eventually peaked at the No.12 spot on the US Billboard Hot 100.

The saddest part about this whole thing is that Hernandez will not be a part of his daughter ’s life who is only five years old. There will be more to come out in the next couple of weeks about this case and where the 22-year-old stands in the court system.

Write For EDGE Contact

JJ-lynch@wiu.edu

Monday, November 26, 2018

@WesternCourier

OPINIONS 5

Aftermath of the 2018 midterm elections

The 2018 Midterm Elections are one for the books. Most of you may about just move on not really caring what happened, but some of you are either celebrating or upset over the results.

The Illinois election saw a huge shift in the control of government. In Illinois, we saw the Democratic Party take control. The Democrats won the Governorship, Attorney General, Secretary of State, Treasurer, Comptroller, State Senate and State House of Representatives. There is a majority of Democratic House of Representatives in the United States House representing Illinois with 13 and only five Republicans. So, the State of Illinois experienced a blue wave, but it was projected. Now for the rest of the United States, was there a blue wave? I do not believe so.

Republicans already knew they would lose the House. The Democrats have successfully won 229

seats to gain majority compared to the 199 seats held by the Republicans. A party needs 218 to gain the majority, so the Democrats barely gained that status. So, if the blue wave did happen then we would have seen a bigger increase of seats switching. But, the Democrats got the majority by only 11 seats, and that is a tight win. Republicans did hold onto the Senate with a 51-seat majority. Many Democrats believed that the blue wave would show a big win by getting control of the House and Senate to help block any more proposed legislation that either party brings to a vote, or any legislation the Trump Administration would like to see happen.

One action the Trump Administration wants to see is the repealing of the Affordable Care Act. The Trump Administration failed to get it done when the Republicans had control of both chambers, so the likelihood of it passing with only one control is

slim to none.

Something that is also a blow to the Democratic Party is the upset races in Texas, Florida and Georgia.

In Texas, the Senate race between Ted Cruz and Beto O’Rourke there was a strong support for O’Rourke and unfortunately, we saw him get defeated by Cruz in a tight race.

Cruz won 50.9 percent of the votes compared to O’Rourke’s 48.3 percent. So, the Democrats took a huge lose on not being able to gain control over that highly contested Senate seat. Now let’s look at Florida.

There was a highly contested Governor race between Democrat nominee Andrew Gillum against Republican frontrunner Ron DeSantis.

As the votes came in, it was too close to call. They finally projected Republican DeSantis to win. Gillum conceded, knowing he was going to lose. After the votes were counted, DeSantis had a narrow lead of 49.6 percent to 49.2 percent. Then there were discoveries that ballots were not counted and there might have been election fraud taking place.

Andrew Gillum withdrew his conceded statement and they have declared a recount for the Florida Governorship. So, we do not know

what will happen; there are still projections that DeSantis will keep the victory, but Gillum isn’t giving up.

Now a very similar case is happening right above them in the state of Georgia. The race has been a small margin ever since the polls closed between Republican Brain Kemp and Democratic Stacey Abrams.

Currently the polls closed with Kemp winning the election 50.3 percent to 48.8 percent. Stacey refused to concede, wanting every vote to count. Georgia is one state where you must win the majority to be elected to Governor. Stacey believed that she could get every vote counted and push Kemp under 50 percent. As votes still rolled in, there was belief of election fraud.

Kemp currently stands at 50.2 percent of the votes with votes still being found. There is a possibility to push Kemp under 50 percent and force a run-off. So, we still wait to see what happens in these highly contested, highly watched elections.

In conclusion, I do not believe there was a blue wave in the United States. The Republicans projected to lose the House, so they were not too

worried. They also lost some key races that they felt like they were going to win. The Republicans kept the Senate to not allow the Democrats to gain much power. Depending on the outcomes of the two Governor races down south, which look like it is going to stay red, the “blue wave” failed. Leading up to election, many Democrats said they were going to take over both chambers and win high-contested races.

They only won the House and did not win a single contested race. I do believe that Illinois saw a “blue wave” since the Democrats control almost every seat in Springfield. I believe this was due to the problem with the budget under Governor Rauner.

So many people projected and knew that Illinois was going to become a true-blue state. Also, this midterm election shows the importance of voting. Many races were close, and a couple hundred votes could have changed the outcome. As many people believe that their vote doesn’t matter in the Presidential election, it is evident that that doesn’t happen in a state election. State elections run off of majority votes, so every vote counts.

Add us on Snapchat:

westerncourier

Editorial Policy

The editoral views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editoral presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editoral board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.

Letters & Local Forum Policies

E-mail letters to the Editor and Local Forum messages to micour@wiu.edu.

Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammer, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2018 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Jonathan Lynch Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

Monday, November 26, 2018

6 SPORTS

CLASSIFIEDS

WC

For Rent

For Rent

Submit a classifieds ad to JD-Day@wiu.edu

Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord.

Call 309-255-1233.

Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122.

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

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

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

Westen Investments: Leasing season has officailly begun, and we’re showing properties now! 1-5 bedroom houses close to campus are ready to be leased for this upcoming school year! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule an appointment! Stay updated with us on Twitter @Western_Invest STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com.

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

.

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

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

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

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

Westen Investments: Are you looking for an apartment? We are now showing our beautiful 1-3 bedroom apartments for this upcoming school year! Don’t like paying for utilities? Ask about our ALL UTILITIES options, and be sure to check out our website (westerninvest.com) to see our listings! Schedule an appointment with us today at 309-833-5995.

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

WesternCourier.com

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Basketball page 7 If anything, this game was a wake up call for the team. The Cornhuskers won by 24 points last Saturday, with the final score being 73-49. There wasn’t a lot of scoring for Western, but trying to lead the way was Duff one final time.

He had 13 points, followed

by Johnson with nine and Gilbeck with eight. The problem wasn’t really Nebraska’s defense, it was Western’s shooting. They went 30 percent from the field and behind the arc, with only nine points coming off the bench.

These three games brought Western’s record down to 2-4, and they have yet to win on the road. They’ll have a chance to get out of this slump this Wednesday when they take on the Southern Illinois University – Edwardsville Cougars. The game will be at 7 p.m. inside Western Hall.

Twitter: bradjp08

Sports 7

Monday, November 26, 2018

@WesternCourier

Update page 7 Tuesday was all college basketball. No. 1 seed Duke took on No. 8 seed Auburn in a highly anticipated matchup in the Maui Invitational. Duke continued to prove they are the No. 1 seed in college basketball as all five of their starters scored in the double digits.

They scored 78 to the Tigers and 72 to get to the final round of the tournament.

In the NBA, drama surrounded the Washington Wizards roster as they announced they are willing to trade away their all-star frontcourt players John Wall and Bradley Beal. Their phones are probably ringing off the hook as many teams are looking for a star that will allow them to compete at the top level.

The Warriors started to find the struggles most NBA teams face as they lost a few games.

Draymond Green and Kevin Durant had some beef at the end of one of their games that ended with Green getting a one game suspension. Then Stephen Curry got injured, causing for the offensive part of the team to suffer. They ended the week with a record of 12-7.

Wednesday morning came, and it was all basketball all day long. The most notable matchup once again was in Hawaii as Duke played its toughest opponent yet: Gonzaga, who is ranked as a No. 3 team. Zion Williamson led the Blue Devils

but they were tamed by the Bull dogs who prevailed 89-87.

Through the night professional basketball took over showcasing greatness.

The Philadelphia 76ers outlasted the New Orleans Pelicans as Anthony Davis missed a free throw in the closing seconds of the game. James Harden dropped 43 points in an impressive win against Detroit. Most eyes went to Cleveland as LeBron James went back home wearing a Lakers jersey. The city celebrated his years in Cleveland and the championship he brought to the fans in 2016. As the team struggles in his absence, it was nice to see Cleveland pay their respect to the King of Ohio. James put a show on for them scoring 32 points and securing a win 109-105.

Turkey day brought its NFL greatness as the Cowboys faced off against the Washington Redsksins, the Bears took on the Detroit Lions and the Falcons faced the New Orleans Saints.

The Cowboys used their new asset Amari Cooper well as he had 180 yards receiving and two touchdowns to win the game with 31-23. The Bears started the game without Mitchell Trubisky due to injury, but veteran Chase Daniels stayed calm, moving them past the Lions with a score of 23-16. The final game of the day showcased MVP Drew Brees once more throwing four touchdowns and crushing the Falcons 31-17.

Friday marked the start of rivalry week for NCAA football,

and one of the years most unique sporting events. Golf legends Phil Mickelson and Tiger Woods squared off in a winner take all one-on-one matchup that has been dreamed of for years. For 15 years these two were the biggest names in golf, Tiger still is, but the historic pair have never played against one another in this type of setting. Not to mention the duo were playing for a $9 million.

Of course, the duo did not let the fans down as nearing the 17th hole Mickelson was only up one on Woods looking to seal the deal. Only in Tiger fashion on this hole as Woods chipped from the back of the green into the hole to square the match up. “You've been doing that crap to me for 20 years, I'm not sure why I'd be surprised now,” said Mickelson after the hole. Eighteen holes were not enough to decide a winner, so they prepared for extras. After 22 holes of golf, Mickelson birdied a hole to win the match.

As the match was still going on, playoff hopeful football teams battled it out on the gridiron. University of Central Florida dominated University of Southern Florida, but star quarterback McKenzie Milton went down with a traumatic leg injury. For the past two years he is responsible for 75 total touchdowns in their 24-win streak. Despite their record, the playoff committee will have a tough choice to put them in over other teams. That night the Oklahoma Sooners played a thriller against West Virginia.

There were four ties, four lead changes and Oklahoma escaped with a 59-56 win to keep their team in the playoffs.

Saturday, the rest of the top 25 played and all eyes were on Nick Saban leading his undefeated and dominant Alabama Crimson Tide who played Auburn in the Iron Bowl. After the Tigers kept the game close by halftime, Alabama went to work and rocked the second half to win 52-21, to remain as the top No. 1 seed. As the day settled into night, my finger got tired switching between Clemson versus South Carolina, Notre Dame versus University of Southern California and Louisiana State University versus Texas A&M. Clemson, Notre Dame and LSU are all playoff potential teams, but all needed wins to stay in the hunt.

Clemson after allowing South Carolina to score 35 dominated the fourth quarter to win 52-21.

Notre Dame went down 0-10, but they could not complete the upset losing score of 24-17.

And finally, LSU went into overtime with the Aggies. Not once, not twice, not three times, but seven overtimes later Texas A&M defeated seventh ranked LSU 74-72.

A long break concluded with a night of thrilling sporting events, which other than turkey, was the theme this week.

The sports world continues with NCAA football nearing playoff selection, the NFL going into the final quarter of the season, and basketball is just getting started.

Football fails on senior night MACOMB, Ill. – It was a lowscoring, snowy affair inside Hanson Field Saturday (Nov. 17) where 21 Leathernecks played in their final collegiate football game. The Western Illinois – Indiana State matchup featured a tie and five lead changes before the visiting Sycamores converted on a 27-yard field goal as time expired. The final score read in favor of the team, 15-13.

"We just didn't make enough plays at the end of the day," said head coach Jared Elliott.

"That's what it comes down to; they made more than we did.

"It was just one of those days, even if we did get something going, we had to keep battling adversity. I think we gave ourselves a chance at the end and we just didn't make the plays we needed to when that moment arose. Having said all that, I'm so proud of our 21 seniors. I told them that they left our program better than when they found it, and they have a lot to be proud of."

Entering the second quarter, Adam Fellner pinned the Sycamores at the one-yard line, but the visitors traveled 99 yards downfield for a touchdown. The 13-play drive broke the 3-3 stalemate set in the first frame, and the extra point was no good.

The 9-3 score stuck through halftime, but with less than a minute to go before the half, there was a shift in momentum. Indiana State fumbled the snap on a punt, and the kicker was quickly wrapped up by Cole Watts to give the Leathernecks the ball at the INS18.

An offensive pass interference call negated what would have been the game-tying touchdown, and the ensuing field goal was missed wide right. Western was unable to add points to the board before halftime, but the energy catapulted the team into the second half where Cameron Clemons worked a 35-yard kick return at the start of the third and Steve McShane crowned the drive with a

65-yard rushing touchdown.

The teams traded field goals after the score, and neither found the end zone again, though Isaiah LeSure nearly added a go-ahead score on a 68-yard reception called back on a Leatherneck penalty.

The final drive of the game saw Indiana State take over at its 20-yard line and as one of the nation's top rushing offense, the team stuck with its best weapon for six rushes.

A facemask penalty helped move the Sycamores into field goal range with a little over 1:30 left.

For seniors, Isaiah LeSure ,Timothy Smith, Steve McShane, Xavier Rowe, Sean McGurie, Izaiah Fuller, Zach Muniz, Justin Fitzpatrick, Larry Harleston, Quentin Moon, Michael Bishoff, Pete Swenson, Hunter Varga, Natian Oquendo, Riggs Baxter, Thomas Kirsch, Drew Wagner, Adam Conrady, LaQuay Brown, Grant Kasal, and Khalen Saunders the outing marked the last of their Leatherneck careers.

Steve McShane fields a punt.

BECCA LANGYS/PHOTO EDITOR

Men’s basketball lose three straight

By Bradley Piros

assistant sports editor

FILE PHOTO

Kobe Webster dribbles the ball up court in Western Hall.

MACOMB Ill. – The Western Illinois University men’s basketball team went on a three-game road trip over Thanksgiving break and were unable to find a win in their travels.

They took on the Eastern Illinois University Panthers back on Nov. 17 and narrowly fell 68-66. Sophomore guard Kobe Webster with his 18 points, five rebounds and three assists led Western. He wasn’t alone though, as junior guard C.J. Duff tallied 16 points, followed by sophomore guard Isaac Johnson with 13 points.

These three may have been the blunt of the offense, but they also combined to 12 turnovers.

Western had 16 overall, which gave EIU the upper hand.

Either way, this was a very close game, all the way down to the wire. After the end of the second half the game was tied at 60. Western made two three pointers, but it wasn’t enough as Eastern ended the game with a couple layups and made free throws to get the overtime win.

The Leathernecks continued

their trip when they traveled to the University of Tennessee at Martin last Wednesday. It was another close game, this time a little more high scoring. The final score was 92-90 in favor of UT. Webster once again led the team, this time having 21 points, seven assists and six rebounds.

Duff helped him this time and the two were the teams leading scorers. Duff finished with 12 points.

Not starting, but also making a huge impact was junior guard Jeremiah Usiosefe. He tallied 19 points and six rebounds but was taken out because of his four personal fouls. Brandon Gilbeck and Zion Young each had 10 points on the night, as Western shot at 55 percent from the field.

Western’s final game, which brings us up to date, was against the University of Nebraska. It isn’t often that Western plays against the BIG 10, but when they do, it typically doesn’t go well.

Basketball page 7

Late November all around update

By Michael Harms courier staff As we settle in for the last few weeks of the semester, its time to catch back up in the sports world. While some may have been enjoying the company of friends and family, or catching up on sleep or maybe even going on an actual vacation, I was glued to any screen with a sporting event on it.

I may or may not have been streaming NFL games on the runway while flying home Sunday afternoon, despite the need to put my phone on airplane mode. That Sunday I watched the Pittsburgh Steelers make a comeback and defeat the Jacksonville Jaguars in the last few seconds. The Dallas Cowboys put down the Atlanta Falcons with a last second field goal and the Detroit Lions survived the Carolina Panthers who failed to win the game on a two-point attempt.

There was just too much going on to put my phone away! The NASCAR Playoffs ended in a thriller at Homestead as Kevin Harvick, Kyle Busch, Martin Truex Jr.

and Joey Logano battled it out in the last race. Logano ended up winning, pulling away with 20 laps to go ending a season dominated by the other three. This was his first Monster Energy Cup title.

On Monday we saw a flurry of activity on the basketball court as Duke continued to dominate defeating San Diego State University 90-64. But no one cared about that game on Monday. All eyes were on Monday Night Football as two juggernauts, Kansas City Chiefs and Los Angeles Rams, battled it out in Los Angeles.

This game showcased the best the NFL has to offer with a combined 105 points and over 1000 yards of offense.

With 14 touchdowns, three defensive and 56 total first downs; this game will forever be framed in the history books. With a final 40-yard touchdown throw from quarterback Jared Goff in the final minutes of the game, the Rams won 54-51.

Update page 7

Jared Goff stares down a teammate in a home game.

WIKIMEDIA.ORG