Western Courier| September 4th, 2019

Sports: Leatherneck Volleyball wins StarkVegas Classic.

WesternCourier.com

Opinions: Universal basic income is benefitial for all.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019 - Vol. 120 Issue 7

@WesternCourier

Sorority Recruitment kicks off this weekend

By Marc Ramirez news editor

Conal duffy/ courier staff

Conal duffy/ courier staff

Sororities decorate sandwich boards to line the university mall weeks leading up to recruitment weekend.

Western Illinois University’s Panhellenic Council will be conducting primary recruitment starting Friday and concluding Sunday after new members run to their new sorority home.

“Panhellenic Council (PHC) is the governing body of the National Panhellenic Conference and is responsible for setting standards and policy for the chapters at Western Illinois University,” wiu.edu/PHC reads.

There are six Panhellenic chapters within the council at Western; consisting of, Alpha Sigma Alpha, Alpha Sigma Tau, Chi Omega, Delta Zeta, Phi Sigma Sigma and Sigma Sigma Sigma.

Fraternity/Sorority Life (FSL) at Western defies basic myths depicted in the media. FSL at Western has taken preventative steps to ensure the safety and well-being of all members involved. Not only are all organizations involved heavily in their philanthropic efforts, but they are inclusive to all backgrounds according to the Greek Life informational page on Western’s website.

"Going Greek has so many benefits,” Phi Sigma Sigma President Julianna Kessler said. “It gives you a support system while you’re away from home. You get to meet so many women from a variety of backgrounds, and you will make friends with girls going through recruitment and your new sisters when you run home!”

Sara Remar, member of Delta Zeta, said similar things in regards to joining a Greek organization. She explained that girls should join because it presents opportunities for you to find your lifelong friends, best friends or even future roommates. All of which you get to do through bonding experiences and acts of service through multiple philanthropic efforts across campus.

“You really do meet some of

the best people in your lives by simply joining a single organization in college,” Remar said.

“You meet people who constantly push you to be the best version of yourself. You have the people who will pick you up while you’re down and celebrate your accomplishments with you.”

Many people directly associate FSL with partying and not being studious in college; however, according to Western’s Office of Student Activities members of Greek Life on average graduate sooner than those not involved, all while giving back to their communities on a local and national level.

“When you join, you immediately gain so many benefits,” Mackenzee Ellsworth, Alpha Sigma Alpha. “You not only instantly gain around 60 women you consider some of your best friends, but you meet girls who are the same major as you and help mentor you to be successful.”

Alison Coats, Alpha Sigma Alpha member added that when you join the Greek community you instantly have the opportunity to help build your resume through involvement and leadership opportunities, networking and building connections across members and schools.

Across all six chapters representatives all gave the same advice for potential new members to help ease the stress of recruitment weekend. First, make sure you get enough sleep, you have long days ahead of you so making sure you're well rested and being your best self is essential.

Second, make sure you make the right decision for you. Don’t base where you want to go off of friends from high school, or even your roommate. You’ll know where your home is when you complete the weekend, don’t let someone else make that choice for you. Third, make sure you’re focusing on having fun, making friends and being yourself.

That’s what the weekend is all about.

Conal duffy/ courier staff

Conal duffy/ courier staff

2

NEWS

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

WesternCourier.com

Dear University Community, As September is Campus Safety Awareness Month, I'd like to take this opportunity to share information regarding the services, resources and assistance available through Western's Office of Public Safety (OPS). Our 24 police officers ensure the safety and security of students, faculty, staff and campus visitors, 24 hours a day, seven days a week.

The Office of Public Safety works with others across the WIU campus and within our local community to provide a safe environment and to ensure a campus that is pleasant and secure. Western Illinois University promotes a culture of community accountability. If you or someone else is in immediate danger, call 9-1-1 immediately.

OPS safety programs and strategies include: • A campus-based escort system and student patrols • Western's Emergency Alert System • Emergency callboxes • Crime victim assistance and advocacy • Western's Emergency Medical Services (WEMS) [non-transport emergency medical service] • Prevention and awareness programs/presentations, including RAD (Rape Aggression Defense classes, offered free to female students and community members. Watch for information on the Fall '19 class.)

In addition to routine patrol by car, our sworn police officers patrol campus on foot and bicycles, as well as in the residence halls. The officers provide security and traffic control at University events, conduct building safety checks and host educational programming.

Western's Student Patrol provide escorts on campus during the evening to the early morning hours, seven days a week. Student Patrol can be reached by calling OPS at (309) 298-1949. If a Student Patrol member is not available, OPS officers will also provide escorts on campus.

There are 48 emergency callboxes at strategic locations throughout campus. Without dialing, the caller is immediately connected with OPS. Public Safety may also be reached in an emergency by dialing 9-1-1 from any campus phone. In a non-emergency, the number is (309) 298-1949.

Please add our phone number to your contacts list.

The following are some strategies that we share each year with our

WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall.

Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu

proofreader Jacinda Martinez

news editor Marc Ramirez

JS-Martinez2@wiu.edu

MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu

photo editor Becca Langys

opinions editor Allison Young

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

AN-Young@wiu.edu

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

sports editor Bradley Piros

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

production manager Jimmy Pierson

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

JM-Pierson@wiu.edu

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

business manager Janiya Haynes

edge editor Rachel Greene

J-Haynes2@wiu.edu

R-Greene2@wiu.edu

assistant business manager Nash Miller

copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz

NK-Miller@wiu.edu

A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

advertising manager Tyler Hoffman

proofreader Alexis Lowe

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AL-Lowe@wiu.edu

adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

campus community: • Use the OPS Student Patrol Escort System (298-1949) or Go West transit.

• Be an active bystander. Call the police if you see a crime being committed!

• Intimate activity of any kind requires consent. No means no.

• Be aware of your surroundings and trust your instincts.

• When at a social gathering, go with friends. Arrive together, check in with each other, and leave together.

• Don't leave your drink unattended and don't accept drinks from others.

• Lock your room/apartment/office door, even if you are gone for only a few minutes.

• Do not leave property (backpacks, purses, laptops, etc.) unattended.

If you have concerns or questions or need to report a crime or suspicious behavior, call OPS immediately or visit Mowbray Hall at any time [(309) 298-1949]. Sexual misconduct can be reported to OPS or to the Title IX coordinator at Title-IX@wiu.edu or (309) 298-1977.

Should you become a victim of a crime, there are numerous resources available. The University Counseling Center provides free, confidential counseling services to currently enrolled WIU students. The UCC can be reached at (309) 298-2453. The University offers a student hotline [(309) 298-3211 or (866) 435-0480], and the Western Illinois Regional Council's Victim Services unit provides a 24-hour crisis line [(309) 8375555].

Pay attention when walking throughout campus and the community.

Use the sidewalks and crosswalks … when you are looking down at a phone, texting and reading emails, you put yourselves and others at risk.

Drivers, be mindful of pedestrians and observe traffic laws, including stopping at crosswalks and not passing school buses.

For more information about Office of Public Safety resources and services, contact the Office of Public Safety at (309) 298-1949 or email publicsafety@ wiu.edu. You can also find additional campus security information at wiu. edu/ops.

We look forward to working with each of you to ensure a safe and productive school year.

Derek Watts Acting Director Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety

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.

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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 Will Buss at 309-298-1876.

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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.

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

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NEWS 3

•On Aug. 23 at 3:43 pm. a student came into Mowbray Hall to report the theft of $10 and a jacket, valued at $30, from her car parked in Q-Lot. The incident is under investigation.

•On Aug. 23 at 4:17 p.m. a University employee reported that an emergency callbox near Lincoln-Washington halls had been spray painted. Estimated damage was placed at $50. The incident is under investigation.

•On Aug. 23 at 11:09 p.m. one student in Lincoln Hall was judicially referred for possession of cannabis.

•On Aug. 25 at 6:25 a.m.

Dreshawn Allen, 20, of 524 Corbin Hall, received a notice to appear Oct. 1 for a Macomb city ordinance violation for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor in the Browne Hall lot.

•On Aug. 28 at 8:51 a.m. one student in Mowbray Hall was judicially referred for behavior.

•On Aug. 29 at 12:31 a.m. two students in Lincoln Hall were judicially referred for cannabis.

Notice of Examination Macomb Police Department The Board of Fire & Police Commissioners of the City of Macomb, Illinois hereby gives notice that examinations will be offered to all eligible applicants to create an Eligibility List for hiring for positions within the Macomb Police Department.

At time of application, applicants must be at least 21 years of age and no more than 35 years of age. Military veterans may extend the age limit one year for every year of active duty, not to exceed ten years. Applicants must have a high school diploma or equivalent; must have completed 60 semester or 90 quarter hours from an accredited academic institution; must possess a valid driver’s license.

To move forward in the hiring process, applicants must pass physical and written exams, medical and psychological evaluation and background investigation; must have visual acuity 20/20 each eye corrected (minimum) with normal color vision and depth perception; must have good habits and be of moral character. Proof of U.S. Citizenship and if hired, McDonough County residence required.

STARTING SALARY as of 05/01/2019, $48,020.34 per year.

Forty-hour work week with time and a half for all overtime.

Application packets may be obtained at the Mayor’s Office, City Hall, 232 E. Jackson St., Macomb, Illinois 61455, Phone (309)-833-2558, or on-line at https://cityofmacomb.com/employment-listings/ All applications and attachments must be completed, signed and on file by 5:00 p.m., Monday, October 7, 2019.

If submitting the application packet in the mail, it must be postmarked on or before the application deadline date AND received at the Mayor’s Office with five (5) calendar days of the deadline. Late or incomplete applications will not be considered.

Testing date is October 26, 2019. Applicants should report to Brophy Hall on Western Illinois University campus at 7:30 a.m.

The City reserves the right to require reimbursement of training expenses on a pro-rata basis if an officer resigns within the first two years of employment.

The City of Macomb is an Equal Opportunity and Affirmative Action Employer Minorities and women are encouraged to apply

4

OPINIONS

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

WesternCourier.com

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

Making money is a necessity, and depending on your financial circumstances, you may have to get a job or two to support yourself. When you are pursuing an education and trying to put a roof over your head, it can be difficult.

This is why having a universal basic income can be beneficial for people.

The United States can afford to give the whole entire country $1,000 per month. This is not some run-of-the-mill pipe dream

because the government is debating on implementing this. Right now, they are trying to test if this could be used with welfare or if it should be used alone.

If UBI was used in conjunction with welfare, it could benefit people that are already on welfare exponentially. What makes UBI nice is that the requirements do not have to be as harsh and the payment is absolute. That being said, welfare can be difficult to get and have a lot of special hidden

requirements. You are required to find work, and if a job is found, then you have to take it regardless of what it is. This obviously means that you may end up with a job you are unhappy with and it can deter you from finding a job that you would put your best effort toward.

Some people believe that if you give people this $1,000 stipend, they would waste it on things they do not need. Studies have shown that this is far from the truth, and when people are given additional funds, they appreciate more. The biggest problem we have right now is that there have not been enough long-term studies on how people react to having this money. If we do not look into this and do these studies, the

time just yet because that just means we are one step closer to the icky wintertime. Personally, I think the fall season is a fad and people just love all things associated with it, such as bonfires, sweatshirts, halloween and much more. It is time to slow down and still enjoy summer nights. We are still able to go to the pool, wear shorts and spend time outdoors without having to wear a jacket. I have never understood the urge to rush into the fall season.

There are a few things I do enjoy that are associated with fall, like football and everything pumkin related. I love watch-

ing football even though I do not keep up with it as much as I could. Though, I do get to cheer for Western football and I am so thankful that it comes just a few weeks after school starts. The best part about the fall season, in my opinion, is the pumpkin spice flavor in all things. I enjoy that I get an extra month or so enjoying pumpkin muffins, lattes and scents in my home.

All in all, I think the fall season is a little overrated and people bring it on way too early. We are all our own people and enjoy different things in life. Believe me, I love fall just as much as everyone else, but just not this early in the year. So, if you are one who is all ready to start celebrating and decorating for the season, enjoy. However, if you are like me, let’s keep enjoying the summer weather before it is too late!

government will never fork up the cash.

Requirements are important for something like this and they help keep people that may not need this stipend from receiving it. One way to ensure that the people that need the money get it is to have a proof of age (18+) and monthly income report. These two methods including a background check can ensure that the people getting the money are also law abiding citizens.

Another common misconception is that if you give everyone $1,000 a month it would disrupt the prices of goods. This is not true as studies have shown the increase in income with the perimeters given above can improve the circulation of money.

The reason for this is the money that people are getting can be used to pay off the bills they have. If people can pay off their bills, they will have more disposable income and will be able to buy things that they couldn’t have before.

So, instead of creating higher prices for goods, you can potentially drive prices down because the demand will be higher.

Above everything else, people tend to be happier and more productive when they have an income they can count on. This can be important when jobs get cut or something happens in someone’s life. The possibilities are almost endless and it is up to us as citizens to push for this to happen.

It's too early to start celebrating fall

According to some people, it is acceptable to start celebrating fall as of Sept. 1, and for others they may even start earlier than that. In my opinion, it might be just a little too early. While we did see weather that seemed like fall this past weekend, we are now back to the hot and muggy days that feel like summer. Just because we are back in school does not mean that it is already fall.

The first “official” day of the fall season is Sept. 23 and I think that is the perfect time to start celebrating. While I appreciate some people’s ambition, I do not want to write off summer-

Leaves aren't changing yet, so let's hold off on the fall hype.

PIXABAY.COM

OPINIONS 5

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

@WesternCourier

In-person vs. online class

 As we all know, classes can be hard, but how you tackle them does not have to be; there are multiple ways to divide up your work. This includes workshops, getting a good planner and getting an online schedule. As you continue with your college career, you will learn different ways to manage your time. Here are just a few ideas to continue to help you do so.

Workshops are a good way to not only meet people, but learn how to study and create good habits. Regardless

if you take classes in person or online, if you are not organized and motivated, that will eventually be reflected in the grades you receive.

In different workshops they will show you how to make and, more importantly, follow a planner which will organize and lay your tasks out in front of you. If you can follow your own planner then you are more than half-way to becoming a productive person because following through with plans is one of the hardest steps to being productive.

In an online class, any amount of work you put in will either be directly correlated to a grade or will be study material. You do not have to deal with busy work that sometimes comes with a sit-in class. Most classes also have e-books and online homework assignments that are basically the same as the completely online counterparts.

If you are the type of person that is hesitant to take an online class but have taken a few sit-in classes, you may be more familiar with the type of online environment than you may think. Some drawbacks do exist for online classes and those include less to no oneon-one time with the professor, deadlines are absolute and Internet access and con-

nection are required.

If none of these drawbacks apply to you, online classes may be an option. Another benefit to taking classes online is that you can learn with students that you’re familiar with, so you both can remind each other of assignments.

This can be helpful if you are taking a lot of classes because deadlines sometimes get overlapped with one another.

Taking an online class can mean potentially graduating earlier or catching up in school because the only thing you must be on time for are the deadlines. Since it is an online class, deadlines are not pushed back unless circumstances are dire, which can be good or bad depending on the person. Not to mention, the

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learning can be done at your own pace because some teachers can be hard to understand.

People looking to have a minor should consider taking online classes because sometimes it is only takes a class or two to gain that minor, and being in the classroom for an extra hour can be draining after being in your major classes.

Depending on how well you are with planning things out, taking classes online may be easier than the in-class counterparts because of the added stress and different schedules that professors have. In the end, the choice is ultimately up to you. If you trust your gut and use your own experiences to decide what you should do, you will do just fine.

Contact Allison Young

AN-Young@wiu.edu Editorial Policy

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

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

2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

6

September 4, 2019

SPORTS

WesternCourier.com

Women's soccer falls to 1-1-1 after shutout tie and road loss

By Bradley Piros sports editor

KANSAS CITY, Mo. – The Western Illinois women’s soccer team played two games over the three-day weekend, picking up a 0-0 draw to Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis and a 3-1 defeat to the University of Kansas City – Missouri. With those two matches in the books, Western’s record on the season comes down to a solid 1-1-1.

The first game against IUPUI showed a great effort of "bend but don’t break" style of defense by the Leathernecks.

In retrospect, Western should have lost that game. According to the score sheet, IUPUI had their way with Western.

IUPUI outshot the Leathernecks 25-12 (6-0 SOG) and had a whopping 11 corner kicks to Western’s none. Those stats are after 110 minutes because the game went into double-overtime. Western was still outshot 4-3 in overtime but both teams ended up walking away with a shutout after nearly two hours of play.

Assistant coach Josee Primeau was pleased with his team’s ability to end the game scoreless.

“Our girls fought really hard tonight through all 110 minutes for this result,” Primeau said in a post-game interview with WIU Athletics Communications.

“IUPUI was athletic and they had many chances in our half, which forced us to defend late in the game. Defensively we came out with some big time saves and a strong back line that refused to get beat. I'm very happy with our effort tonight.”

Senior goalkeeper Ines Palmiero Herrera made six saves on the day, inching closer to tying Carey Cowhey (200205) for fifth all-time in saves at Western

with 191. It was number zero who came up big yet again, giving her side an opportunity to win as always.

Sophomore defender Zoe Clarke once again led the team in shots with four.

Four of her teammates each recorded two shots: Emily Bollman, Jenna Lundgren, Amy Andrews and Lynette Hawkins. While none of them found the score sheet against IUPUI, that changed on Sunday.

After getting shutout 4-0 the year prior

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Emily Bollman awaits a cross.

by the UMKC Kangaroos, it didn’t seem like Western stood a chance to win this season, but that was not the case in the early goings.

Western got out on the front foot with shots from Lundgren and Lauryn Peters in the first 15 minutes. The shots led to some offense momentum for the Leathernecks, and UMKC had no choice

but to foul to slow Western down. That led to a free kick in the 18th minute.

The ball came in and managed to fall at the feet of sophomore midfielder Carolina Gomes who without hesitation slotted the ball into the bottom right corner of the goal to make it 1-0.

After suffering 11 first half shots, Western was once again dominant in defense to keep the lead into halftime.

On the other side of the locker room break though, the Leathernecks began

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Ines Palmiero Herrera keeps her eyes on the ball to fall apart. Eight minutes into the second half, Western gave up a penalty kick, and UMKC was right back in it, 1-1.

Twelve minutes later, the Roos took the lead and that’s how the game would stand for 20 minutes; until UMKC were awarded a second penalty kick. This

one, just like the first one, found the back of the net, and the game finished 3-1, handing Western their first loss.

Three games into the season, and one thing is for certain: Western can’t let their defense do all the work. Not only do they have to deal with back-toback games of facing 20-plus shots, the defense is also a big contributor of the little offense the team has had so far. It’s a bit of a problem when a defender is your leading shooter.

Take nothing away from the offense, the talent is there. You have Peters and junior Natalie Nagle in the midfield connecting every play and piecing the game together, while there is plenty of depth for the forward position as well.

In that category there is senior Emily Bollman who is a threat from anywhere on the field, to the young freshman Hawkins sisters, Lynette and Elainya.

Freshman Megan O’Neil has still yet to make her debut while Gomes scores in first appearance as a Leatherneck.

Rounding out the position is Amy Andrews. The sophomore only scored one goal a year ago but is bound to have a break out year, and why can’t this be that year?

With the midfield and defense often times jumping into the offensive third, it’s only a matter of time until the Leathernecks start putting them in the back of the net.

After a tough two-game road trip, the Purple and Gold return home tomorrow afternoon to face the University of Illinois at Chicago and on Sunday to take on the Northern Illinois University Huskies.

The game against UIC kicks off at 4 p.m. at John Mackenzie Alumni Field in Macomb.

CLASSIFIEDS

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For Rent

For Rent

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

Call 309-255-1233.

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

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

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Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com

Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu

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!

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 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.

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.

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

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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.

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Sports 7

Wednesday, September 4, 2019

@WesternCourier

Hope can only get you so far

Everything is almost normal.

School started back up again, the weather is getting just slightly cooler for fall, pumpkin spice lattes are back, but something's not quite right.

Soon it will be, as my Sunday routine will once again be surrounding the television, awestruck while watching NFL football.

The NFL is the most popular professional league in the United States. Millions of people follow it religiously. Even in the six months without football, it is talked about, followed and even still watched with fervent eyes. In fact, for most people, the best part of the year is without football. Not because they do not like the game, but because this is the only time that people talk about the positives of their team.

For example, the New York

Giants. Over the offseason, the talk of the Giants' camp was sadly Odell Beckham Jr. The star wideout was traded from the Giants to the Browns in a blockbuster trade. For a long while, this is what everyone in the Giants fan base talked about. Then, it was Daniel Jones. The first round selection out of Duke was mainly criticized rather than praised in NY. The fans wanted other players instead and were upset. Then he played.

In the preseason, Daniel Jones might win MVP. 29 completions for 34 attempts for a 85.3 completion percentage, 416 yards and two touchdowns with just one start.

Now the Giants have hope.

More than hope, they have hype. A quarterback for the future and a bright spot with an organization that has been

surrounded by failure in the past few years. However, Jones most likely will not play.

The Giants have stated that Eli Manning will start this season with Jones as the backup. This means that once again, the Giants are looking at a mediocre season with no playoff appearance and a sad ending. The season will not be pretty for NY. Giants fans know it, but they’re still waiting for a miracle to save the season. The odds for that are ever so slim, and Giants fans are now walking into the worst part of the year.

Just ask Cleveland fans. In fact, do not ever doubt the patience of a Browns fan.

Years and years of sucking, of losing again and again, season after season without fail.

Everyone knew the Browns were bad, and Browns fans just kept with it. Why? The offseason: a time to have hope that your team is improving.

After the draft, free agency, training camp and trades, every team believes they have improved over the off-

season. Of course, this cannot always be true. Not every team improves, and Browns fans know it.

Now, the Browns are the up and coming favorite. The underdog that finally made it.

They have Superbowl dreams in sight, and they just might get there. This has been the story over the offseason at least, but that is most likely because this is the first time Browns fans can even say this without being laughed out of the room. Truly, I hope every Browns fan is shouting from the rooftops that they will win it all because until this year, that has not happened in my life.

Now, the Giants, Miami, Washington and a few other teams are most certainly heading into the worst part of the year. For weeks, people have been screaming for the NFL to start back up. Fantasy teams have been drafted, jerseys pressed and tailgates cleaned. The world is ready for the NFL, but what some do not realize is that when it shows up, it will bring

with it a dark cloud of losing for many.

While most of us in this area are going to experience great football, cheering for winning teams like the Chicago Bears, Green Bay Packers and Pittsburgh Steelers, many will have no such luck. So, think back over the last few months.

Take a look and be thankful for every improvement your team might have made.

Smile and bask in the glory of the unknown, because once Thursday night rolls around, it is all over. Reality will settle in and while we all believe our team will end up on top, only one will. The odds are not in your favor no matter what team you root for.

Have fun this football year, but never forget the losers.

You get to enjoy the season, yes, but they will have their moment, so do not boast too much, do not brag too harshly, because one day you will be the loser looking forward to the offseason, remembering the time when you, too, had hope for your team.

15 and Illinois State rounds it out, coming in at No. 16. This is a good sign for the MVFC, showing that they have some of the best talent in the FCS. This also means that every game will be important for our Leathernecks this season, and knocking off any of these teams will be a huge win.

The Power Five conferences went a combined 47-18 in Week One. The Big 12 saw every single team win their first week, making the conference undefeated allaround. Out of the preseason top 25 for the FBS, there was only one loser Week One: No. 11 Oregon fell at home to No. 16 Auburn. Freshman quarterback Bo Nix was able to put together a game-winning drive in the last couple of minutes that included a clutch last-minute touchdown. The Tigers could be a team to watch out for as the season progresses, especially if Nix gets more confident

slinging the ball from the pocket. Clemson, the reigning kings of college football, resumed right where they left off, trouncing Georgia Tech 52-14. Alabama, who is sitting at No. 2 in the polls, also easily won in their opening week, beating Duke 42-3. These two teams are who everybody is predicting will be the last two standing at the end of the college football playoffs come January.

The standout performance of the week has to go to Oklahoma’s newest quarterback: Jalen Hurts. Hurts, who transferred from Alabama, put up impressive numbers.

Not only did he complete 20/23 pass attempts and throw for 323 yards in the process, he also threw for three touchdowns and managed to run for three more, for good measure. It was an all-around dominant effort from Hurts, but he still said after the game, “I gotta go talk to my boys… We gotta get better” in an interview with ESPN’s Holly Rowe.

Imagine playing not only the best game of your career, but one of the best individual

games within recent memory and still not being satisfied with how things ended. Now, obviously this would be a different story if Oklahoma had still lost after Hurts’ performance, but to win and still not be satisfied? That just shows how much of a competitor Hurts is. Speaking of competition, thanks to his Week One performance, Hurts is now tied for the best odds at the Heisman trophy alongside his former backup Tua Tagovailoa and the sophomore out of Clemson, Trevor Lawrence.

Hurts’ situation is an interesting one. A four-star recruit out of high school, Hurts began his college journey at Alabama and started for the Crimson Tide his freshman year. His run as the starting quarterback for the Tide ended during the championship game his sophomore year. Hurts was benched after the first half of the championship game in favor of the freshman out of Hawaii: Tagovailoa.

Tagovailoa ended up bringing Alabama back into the game and eventually won it for them in overtime. Hurts stayed on for

another season with the Tide, but after being limited to a back-up spot his junior campaign, he decided to transfer once the season ended.

Hurts could have gone and played anywhere he wanted and ended up choosing Oklahoma, the school that has produced the previous two Heisman trophy winners and has been one of the top programs in the country over the last couple seasons as well.

Oklahoma’s head coach, Lincoln Riley, had been dubbed a quarterback whisperer and it seems that the nickname is true. While Hurts has always been a dual threat quarterback, he’s always been more of a threat on the ground than in the air, which is part of the reason he ended up taking a seat in the national championship game a few seasons ago. Riley has been able to change that already through one week.

And while the season just started and a lot can still happen, don’t be surprised if Hurts works his team back to the college football playoff with revenge as his main motivation.

Quarterbacks perform well for top teams

This past weekend, college football programs got to put into action what they had been working for since Clemson beat Alabama in the National Championship last January. And boy, did some teams really impress.

Starting with the Missouri Valley Conference, only two teams were able to pull out victories. Youngstown State University and North Dakota State University (NDSU) both managed to handily win this past week away from home.

NDSU winning doesn’t come as much of a surprise, as they are once again the heavy favorites to win the FCS championship. While the entirety of the conference didn’t do so well, there are still five MVFC teams ranked in the top 16 for the FCS. NDSU comes in at No. 1, followed

by South Dakota State at No. 3, Northern Iowa follows them coming in at No. 12, followed by Indiana State at

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Trevor Lawrence throws down field.

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Jalen Hurts stares down his target.

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Tua Tagovailoa scans for the open receiver.

Leathernecks’ volleyball picks up first win at StarkVegas Classic

By David Koier courier staff

STARKVILLE, Miss. — The Western Illinois Volleyball team traveled to Starkville, Miss. this weekend to participate in their first tournament of the season.

The Starkvegas Classic pitted the Leathernecks against Mississippi Valley State, University of Tennessee-Chattanooga and Southeastern Conference (SEC) for Mississippi State.

Day one, the Leathernecks were underway with their 2019 season with a clean sweep of Mississippi Valley State. The Leatherneck offense, which posted a total of 47 kills in the game, was led by middle hitter Mackenzie Steckler who herself had 14 kills and a .542 hitting percentage against the Devilettes.

Head Coach Ben Staupe was pleased with the team’s performance. He told GoLeathernecks. com, “We were excited to start out the season with a strong offensive performance.”

With a quick break in between games, the Purple and Gold were back out on the court to face off against the Mocs of Chattanooga.

Despite the quick turnaround, the Leathernecks were able to take a quick 10-4 lead thanks, in part, to three service aces.

The Mocs would fight back, eventually tying the game up at 19 apiece. A kill by senior out-

side hitter JoJo Kruize brought the Leathernecks up 20-19, but it wasn’t enough to turn the momentum in Western’s favor. An attacking error by Steckler followed by a poor set by freshman setter Jessie Connell gave the Mocs a 21-20 lead they wouldn’t relinquish. Three straight kills later and the Mocs took set one from Western.

Western dropped the next two sets as well with scores of 25-19 and 25-14. The Purple and Gold still put up a strong offense with help from sophomore Mariah Mitchell who led the Leathernecks with 10 kills along with Kruize and Steckler who both recorded nine kills.

Saturday pitted the Purple and Gold against their toughest challenge of the weekend. Any time you face a Power 5 school in any sport, it is going to be a challenge.

When it comes to the SEC, you know you’re playing the best of the best.

The Southeastern Conference currently has three of its 13 teams in the American Volleyball Coaches Association Top 25 (Florida at 7, Kentucky at 12 and Tennessee at 21). While Mississippi may not be in the Top 25, they still sit tied for first in the SEC standings.

The Leathernecks showed both offensive and defensive dominance in the first set against Mississippi State, holding the Bulldogs to just 15 while they themselves recorded 13 kills.

The second set did not go in favor of Western, as they dropped it to the Bulldogs 25-19. However, the Leathernecks were still able to statistically defeat Mississippi State, leading the Bulldogs in digs (19-14) and blocks (8-4).

The Leathernecks once again showed offensive and defensive prowess, beating the Bulldogs once again 25-15 and giving the Purple and Gold a 2-1 lead. The fourth set went back and forth until everything was all tied up at 23 apiece.

A kill by Kruize and a block by Steckler forced the game into extra points. The Bulldogs were able to pull away, though, winning the set 26-24 and tying the game at 2-2.

The Leathernecks couldn’t pull out the upset in the fifth and final set as Mississippi were named the victors after a 15-7 victory. While the Leathernecks didn’t win the game, it doesn’t mean that the Leathernecks didn’t show their strong offensive play.

“Statistically we beat them in almost every category, but couldn't come up with the win.

We showed a lot of heart and growth throughout the match and the weekend,” Staupe told Athletic Communications.

Mariah Mitchell was named to the All-Tournament team after recording 33 kills and five and a half blocks. The Leathernecks travel to Southeast Missouri State Friday and Saturday to compete in the Redhawk Invitational.

JOSH PURNELL / PHOTO STAFF

Mariah Mitchell serves the ball.

JOSH PURNELL / PHOTO STAFF

Mackenzie Steckler goes up for a return.