Friday, November 10, 2017 - Vol. 118 Issue 34
Western signs up for The Right Choice By Tabi Jozwick courier staff
Western Illinois University students, faculty, staff and alumni are encouraged to show their Leatherneck pride through social media for The Right Choice social media photo contest until Nov. 25. According to graduate assistant in the Centennial Honors College and Student member to the Board of Trustees Wil Gradle, The Right Choice campaign was Honors College Director Richard Hardy’s idea to promote Western. “The whole idea of the Right Choice campaign is to saturate the market with Western Illinois University,” Gradle said. “We want students to be aware of our institution and we want to make students know that we’re a great place for a quality education, so that’s where the signs came from.” The Right Choice campaign signs are posted throughout Macomb and into other parts of Illinois as well as Missouri. To expand on the Right Choice campaign, Gradle thought of having a social media photo contest to
advertise Western for future Western students. “We have put out more than 2,000 signs to date, but with the Right Choice photo contest, we want to bring the physical sign into cyberspace and make sure that we have a potent social media presence,” Gradle said. “That way, we not only have the active physical advertisements, but we also have passive advertising on social media and so, I think a great way for folks to show their WIU pride is to put it on their Facebook.” Gradle said that by giving faculty, students and alumni signs, it would help recruit future Western students and to bring Western pride to their hometowns. “The whole idea is to promote the institution,” Gradle said. “The thought behind it was that we are all responsible for recruiting for the institution. The admissions office is paid full time to work on it, but it is something that we all have to do our part.”
Choice page 2
WIU.EDU
Western Illinois University president Jack Thomas advocates The Right Choice campaign through one of the many signs are posted throughout the Macomb campus and other parts of Illinois and Missouri.
November recognized as Diabetes Awareness Month By Emily Stieren assistant news editor
For individuals, healthcare professionals and organizations hoping to create awareness of the impact diabetes has on millions of people every year, November is recognized as National Diabetes Month. “Type 1 diabetes is a malfunction where they don’t make insulin or make very little amounts of insulin,” said Michael Waters, Medical Chief of Staff at the Beu Health Center on Western Illinois University’s campus. “It is very complex on how that comes about as it is with type 2 diabetes as well. The basic dysfunction is that the islet cells in the pancreas just stop making insulin.” Without insulin, one is not capable of converting food such as sugar and starches into energy needed for daily life.
Brandon Weidner, 21, of Waggoner, Ill., was diagnosed at 17-years-old with type 1 diabetes, which is considerably late for a diagnosed type 1 diabetic. “People think that I cannot have certain foods,” Weiner said. “I am a type 1, so I take insulin for what I eat. I count the carbs that I eat, and I also count for what kind of activity I am going to be doing. If I get that right, my (blood sugar) numbers will be spot on. It makes me mad when people are like ‘Oh you’re diabetic. You shouldn’t be having that donut.’ I mean it’s not good for me, but it’s not good for anyone else either, so it’s just very rude.” Waters said that type 1 diabetes is either a genetic or autoimmune disease, and it does not mean those diagnosed made poor lifestyle choices. “It is just the way that they
were born. It is nothing that they are doing that is causing them to have diabetes,” Waters said. “With type 1 diabetes, you can’t regulate your diet to make it go away, and you can’t exercise your way out of it. You just have to take insulin to treat it.” Charla Luckey, the mother of 11-year-old type 1 diabetic Isaac Luckey, said that a lot of people cannot distinguish the difference between type 1 and type 2 diabetes, which she thinks is a problem. “Type 2 diabetes is absolutely 100 percent different from type 1, and that is the biggest misconception in the world,” Luckey said. “Type 1 can be inherited, but it doesn’t have to be. Isaac’s is not. He has no one else in either side of his family with type 1. It is not from eating too much, it is not from your weight and it’s not from how you take care of yourself. Type 2 doesn’t
always mean that either. It is not just for obese people or for people who aren’t active. The types are two different things, but there are a lot of misconceptions about them both.” According to Waters, type 2 diabetics can have diminished insulin as well, or their bodies can just be resistant to the effects of it. “For type 2 diabetics, you can’t say that it is because they are lazy people,” Waters said. “Their body is very resistant to insulin, which makes them susceptible to weight gain.” Whether or not an individual is a type 1 or type 2 diabetic, knowing how to take care of a loved one with the disease is very essential, according to Weidner. “Friends and family should be aware of how to help the diabetic because it is one thing to see that there is something wrong, but you also need to
be able to help the person,” Weidner said. “So, you need to know where their juice is or their sweets of some sort are, and you need to just keep track of the person.” Waters said that typically, blood sugar levels should be in the 120 to 180 range. Individuals around diabetics should be capable of handling them with high or low blood sugar. “One thing that people should be aware of if they have a diabetic friend or family member is that sometimes they can have low blood sugar,” Waters said. “That is when you might have to help them. They may seem to be confused, disoriented, weak or they may not be making sense. You need to check their blood sugars to make sure their blood sugar isn’t unusually low.”
Diabetes page 2
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Friday, November 10, 2017
NEWS
Choice from front page
In the photo contest, participants take a picture with a The Right Choice sign and post it on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram with the hashtag #TheRightChoice and tagging Western to the photo with the following tags: westerniluniv (Instagram), Western Illinois University (Facebook) and @WesternILUniv (Twitter). Showing Leatherneck pride is encouraged in the photos, but not required. Photos should not have any drug/
alcohol references, inappropriate attire/nudity or profane/inappropriate gestures or the photos will be discarded. “We’re encouraging to post on the captions of their pictures why Western is the right choice for them,” Gradle said. Gradle said that the Right Choice campaign is to remind high school and community college students that Western is a great option to get a quality education right at home. In the day of social media, potential college students are bombarded with information about various colleges from
all over the country, causing many Illinois high school and community college students to go elsewhere for their higher education. “The idea was to remind students in a very easy and cost-effective way that we’re a viable option,” Gradle said. “We provide an excellent education, we’re an affordable institution and we’re right here in your own backyard.” The contest ends at midnight on Nov. 25 with winners being announced on Nov. 28. For questions about the contest or to get a sign, contact Gradle at WJ-Gradle@wiu.edu.
WesternCourier.com
Diabetes from front page
The common signs of diabetes are increased thirst, increased hunger, frequent urination, unexplained weight loss and feeling very tired. Weidner said he experienced these symptoms severely for about month prior to being diagnosed with type 1 diabetes. For more information about the disease, visit the Bella Hearst Diabetes Institute located on Western’s campus in Knoblauch Hall. The institute provides individualized nutrition recommendations, health related fitness assessments, individualized exercise programs and a diabetes support group.
itor
WC
STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu news editor Isaiah Herard IA-Herard@wiu.edu assistant news editor Emily Stieren EN-Stieren@wiu.edu opinions editor Shannon Norris SA-Norris@wiu.edu
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
sports editor Mat McClanahan MD-McClanahanw@wiu.edu assistant sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu edge editor Alyssa Hohman AM-Hohman@wiu.edu copy editor Joshua Defibaugh JG-Defibaugh@wiu.edu proofreader Valerie Clemens VN-Clemens@wiu.edu
proofreader Alexis Lowe AL-Lowe@wiu.edu proofreader Tacuma Venzant T-Venzant@wiu.edu photo editor Angel Strack AE-Strack@wiu.edu assistant photo editor Pedro Avila PJ-Avila@wiu.edu production manager Jessie Matias JM-Garcia@wiu.edu business manager Faith Rucker F-Rucker@wiu.edu advertising manager Patryk Mazur P-Mazur@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
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The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb. The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.
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Friday, November 10, 2017
3 OPINIONS
WesternCourier.com
Learn another language, save money One of the most useful things a student can do to give their resume a bump and expose themselves to other cultures in the world is to learn another language. I believe everyone should dedicate some time to learning one, whether it’s a half an hour every night, or a full course load of foreign language education. There are a variety of benefits to doing so, and it isn’t as tricky as many people seem to think. One of the main reasons I think learning another language is important is a fairly obvious one.
It helps with communication. Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past decade will know that the Spanish speaking community in the US has grown tremendously over the past years. Learning spanish will clearly help native English speakers to better communicate with these Americans. But it isn’t limited to spanish speaking people. There are a massive amount of languages present in this country. Whether you want to learn Spanish, French, Mandarin, or arabic
there are many people here who speak those languages, and you would benefit from being able to speak with them and broaden y our horizons. The second reason is a more economic one. According to Forbes, multilingual people earn more money. Depending on one’s career and the language they choose to learn, this pay bump could be quite large. Not only is there extra money involved, but it can be an extra feature on a resume. You don’t have to think very hard to see the advantages a police officer would have from speaking Spanish, and other careers in business and finance would also benefit. The third important reason is a health one. Obviously, learning a language is hard mental work, and this mental workout can pay off. According to the National Academy of Sciences, lifelong bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia and alzheimer's. Elderly bilingual people have consistently scored better on short and long term memory tests. Many people are discouraged by the seemingly gargantuan task of learning another language, and with good reason. It isn’t easy. However, there are quite a few myths surrounding language learning that I would like to dispel.
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For Rent
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Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu
1 & 2 bedroom apartments, new $250 signing bonus on 10 and 12 month leases. Two blocks from campus. Bus stops nearby. Free water, garbage and parking. Laundry onsite. Clean, well maintained and secure. Call Ted 309-837-5600 or visit markertrental.com. Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord. Call 309-255-1233. Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122. FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565.
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The first of these is that it is impossible for adults to become fully fluent in another language.
You don‘t have to think very hard to see the advantages a police officer would have from speaking Spanish.
–Ryan Zurek
COURIER STAFF
While it is true that after childhood learning another language becomes more difficult, it is no where near impossible. According to psychologist Steven Pinker in his book “The Language Instinct”, adults may even be able to learn languages faster than children, given that they have the opportunity to objectively study grammar and dedicate time to memorizing words. The second myth is that you simply need to have a special talent to become bilingual. Again, there is a little truth to this, given the existence of people such as Powell Janulus, who is fluent in 42 languages. But these people are rare, and exceptions. Most ordinary people are quite capable of learning another language. All it takes is dedication. According to the US Foreign Service Institute, achieving basic fluency in
LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing. CLEAN, REMODELED, AND WELL MAINTAINED HOUSES AND APTS FOR RENT IN GREAT LOCATIONS. UTILITIES PAID FOR APARTMENTS. RENTING NOW FOR FALL 2017. ALSO RENTING TWO APTS FOR SPRING 2016. CALL JASON AT 309-221-3985. Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message.
languages such as Spanish and French only takes around 480 hours of practice. Now that sounds like a lot, but if you practice for an hour every night, that is less than a year and a half. Also, this practice doesn’t have to be grammar drills or flash cards. You could simply watch a movie or TV show in your target language, and use that for exposure. Nowadays, there are a multitude of resources for learning languages. You probably have heard of Rosetta Stone, but if you don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars, you can always use free apps and websites such as Duolingo or Memrise. These won’t get you to 100 percent fluency; for that you’ll have to actually talk with speakers and practice, but they will go a long way in helping you master the basics, as well as saving your wallet.
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. Westen Investments still has affordable 1-4 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available. Be sure to check out our website (www.westeninvest.com) to see our available listings, and call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to win prize giveaways! 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. 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! 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.
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2017 Basketball Preview
Friday, November 10, 2017
WesternCourier.com
JESSIE MATIAS / PRODUCTION MANAGER
Leaving rings in the past By Mat McClanahan sports editor
Finally, it is basketball season at Western Illinois University, and the defending Summit League champions have officially taken the court once again. The women’s Leatherneck basketball team already has a 30-point win under their belt against the Quincy University Hawks from their Nov. 2 game, but there will be plenty more victories this season. “In the back of our minds, from what we accomplished last year, we do have some goals. Just like every other team, we hope to win the conference and make the NCAA tournament, which are really lofty goals in general,” head coach JD Gravina said. “We are really focused on the process and what we are doing in practice, right now we are just focused on those first early games.” Those early games, however, should not be a test for this experienced team. The Leathernecks’ schedule does not have them playing a worthy opponent until their fourth
and fifth games, when they play in-state foes Northern Illinois University Huskies and the idolized University of Illinois Fighting Illini. Last year, the Leathernecks dominated the state of Illinois in women’s basketball. Western handled the Huskies 8379 early last year, edged out Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville by two 7674, out shot the Bradley University Braves 91-77, smoked the Eastern Illinois University Panthers 83-62, and the sweetest of all, they blew out the Illinois State University Redbirds 80-50. Other than playing state schools in Illinois, the Leathernecks have boosted their competition level. This season, Western put the University of Illinois, Stanford University Cardinals and Gonzaga University Bulldogs on the schedule. “We have to solidify our program and show last year wasn’t just a fluke, whether that be making it to the NCAA Tournament or advancing in any postseason tournament would be huge,” Gravina said. “Two years ago
we advanced in the Women’s Basketball Invitational (WBI) and I think that was a good first step that kind of set the tone for last year. If you look at our schedule, we’re playing Stanford, who is a Final Four team, Gonzaga who’s an NCAA (tournament) team, Illinois, Wichita State (University) and not to mention the schools in our conference that are all really good.” The 2017-2018 season is going to look a lot like last years team, except the Leathernecks are going to add the Fighting Illini to their resume. In the offseason, Western only lost two seniors, guard Mallory Boyle and forward Jasmine Patrick. Both alumni played a big part in Western’s success last season, but that will not hold them back. Even though the Leathernecks lost two leaders on their squad, the team has brought in two stud athletes; 5-foot-10 freshman guard Danni Nichols, who averaged over 16 points per game and was a 5A allstate athlete at David H. Hickman in 2017, they also signed 5-foot-10 freshman
The women’s basketball team celebrating their regular season Summit League championship last year.
guard Grace Gilmore. Gilmore did not achieve the same accolades as her counter part Nichols, but she knows how to win. Gilmore led her team to the state semi-finals in 2017, she will be ready for the biggest stage come March. With everything the Leathernecks have coming back for them, they are still ranked number two behind the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits in the Summit League preseason poll. Western received 12 first-place votes and SDSU received 16, which gave them the edge. Senior guards Emily Clemens and Morgan Blumer also found their way on the preseason all-conference list team, accompanied by three other Jackrabbits. Western’s junior guard Taylor Higginbotham surfaced on the preseason second team all conference squad after a solid sophomore outing. Watch for Western to start their run at the Summit League Title once again tonight against the University of Missouri Kansas City Kangaroos tonight at 7:30 p.m. Twitter: @MacIsland13
FILE PHOTO
2017 Basketball Preview 3
Friday, November 10, 2017
@WesternCourier
Jessie matias/production manager
Men look to hit ground running By Becca Langys courier staff
Entering their 2017-2018 season, the Western Illinois University men’s basketball team looks to start the season strong as they begin their fivemonth journey this Saturday. The team hopes to end with a spot in the March Madness tournament. While March seems but a million miles away, each step is crucial in achieving their goal of a championship. Their first steps will be taken in our very own Western Hall this upcoming weekend, finally making it time to see what the Leathernecks are truly made of. With the end goal of a championship in mind, the Leathernecks have been preparing vigorously since the conclusion of their previous season. They have spent countless hours as a team in the weight room getting bigger, faster and stronger in order to prepare for this upcoming season. On top of spending time in the weight room, the Leathernecks have also put an emphasis on the overall quality of their gameplay. Throughout the months of their offseason and during their practices leading up to
this first game, the Western Illinois men’s basketball team has been making major moves in order to improve upon their previous season. These moves include working on overall skill development, working on being sharper offensively on the court, getting the rebound and being in the right spots on defense. Both their offense and defense look to be sharper this season compared to last season. A good team not only needs the skills to be successful, but they also need great team chemistry. Lucky for the Leathernecks, team chemistry is not an aspect that Western will have any sort of problem with. The men’s basketball team currently has fifteen men on their roster, only three of which are new players this season. The majority of the team is made up of returning players, making the team chemistry very strong. Western’s men’s basketball head coach Billy Wright has also put a large emphasis this year on the health of his players. The team, on top of lifting and practicing, has also been making time for adequate stretching and sleep in order to keep the players healthy and injury free as the season approaches. He wants his team
The men's baskeball team huddles up in a home matchup last season.
to be at their very best during each and every game, and the only way that this is possible is if his players are healthy. The Leathernecks lost a couple of big players last season, including senior guards Jabari Sandifer, Mike Miklusak and Garret Covington. Western is looking to fill the shoes of those graduates with a couple veteran players who have been in the program for several years now. Junior center Brandon Gilbeck plans to step into a leadership role this season, striving to focus on communication on the court. Gilbeck really wants to see his team succeed, and in order to do that, he recognizes that his team needs a couple of new leaders, stating that, “losing all of the seniors last year means that we lost our leaders.” Because of this, Gilbeck as well as the other more experienced players must step into a leadership role in order to strengthen the team as a whole. Wright is also looking to his veteran players to step up and lead the team in place of his previous leaders who have now graduated. “Look at guys like Brandon Gilbeck, Dalan Ancrum, Delo Bruster, Jeremiah Usiosefe and C.J. Duff,” Wright said. “Those
five have the most experience returning, so I’m really looking for them step up and fill the void of losing three seniors. I am anxious to see what they do.” Coach Wright has expressed excitement for this season in a multitude of ways. He is excited not only because his players are healthy, but because many players this season are stepping into new roles and facing challenges that they have never experienced before. The team gets a fresh start and there are endless possibilities. He is excited to see just how well his team will perform this season. The expectations for Western‘s men’s basketball team have been set very high this season. The team intends to continue working hard in order to bounce back from last season and get more wins than they have in the past. Between new leadership on the court and high amounts of team chemistry and motivation, the Leathernecks will be a force to be reckoned with during their upcoming season. The Leatherneck men’s basketball team kicks off their season this Saturday Nov. 11th in Western Hall at 7pm. Twitter: beccalangysxo
Angel Strack/courier staff
4
2017 Basketball Preview
Friday, November 10, 2017
WesternCourier.com
Morgan Blumer finds a home By Haley Richards courier staff
To sports fans at Western Illinois University or even the town of Macomb, the name Morgan Blumer might sound familiar. Blumer is a senior guard from Milton, Wisconsin and has fought through adversity and found herself a home as a Leatherneck. Last season was the first time she was able to step on the court as a Leatherneck, and she made sure not to disappoint. Not only did she help lead her team to a remarkable season, the junior transfer also received many accolades. During the 2016-2017 season, she set a program record for the most three-pointers in a single season with 89. She was named Summit League Transfer of the Year, Summit League First Team Honoree, Summit League Newcomer Team Honoree and Summit League AllTournament Team Honoree. Along with those honors, Blumer also hit a three-quarter shot against conference opponent Indiana University-Purdue University Indianapolis before halftime, to make the No. 1 spot on Sportscenter’s ‘Top 10 Plays.’ Despite all the credit she received this past season, her college sports career has not always been so easy. Ever since Blumer was a child, she dreamed of playing college basketball and following in the footsteps of her older sister, who played basketball at St. Joseph’s College in Indiana. “Looking up at her and watching her play really made my dream of playing college basketball become a reality,” said Blumer. In high school, Blumer was looking at schools such as the University of Nevada—Las Vegas, Indiana University and Florida Gulf Coast University. Unfortunately, the summer before her senior year, she broke her hand and was unable to play in the tournaments where many college scouts would be. After that, a few of her offers drifted away, however, FGCU was still interested. She went on to commit to FGCU in November of her senior year of high school. After graduation in 2013, Blumer made the cross country move from Wisconsin to Florida to carry out her dreams of playing basketball in college. As a freshman, she redshirted her first season as a college athlete. In her second season, Blumer did not see much of the court at all. She finished the year making an appearance in eight games with a total of 37 minutes played overall. That was when Blumer made the decision to transfer. “I decided to transfer because I wanted to actually play and make a difference,” Blumer said. “For me ultimately, I wanted to play basketball, I didn’t want to just sit there and be left alone to the side.” After the season, Blumer got
in contact with her old AAU coach to begin searching for a new school. Blumer then contacted Western’s head coach JD Gravina, who said he was happy to have her. She committed to play for the Leathernecks without even taking a visit. “It’s been a really effective recruiting strategy for us and we have a lot of transfers that have been impact players. It’s a way to get players that we probably couldn’t have recruited,” Gravina said. “We probably couldn’t have recruited a Morgan Blumer or an Olivia Braun out of high school because they were just bigger time than us and after they went to their schools and felt things out a little bit, then we were able to get in the mix with them.” Transferring in the college sports world is something that is seen often, however, the student-athletes that make the decision to switch schools know that it is not an easy thing to do. It takes a lot of courage to leave the school, team and life you’re used to and start all over again. Blumer, like most athletes, was nervous to make the change, but fortunately for her it has seemed to pay off. Gravina has played a huge role in the success of Blumer’s college career. She has done a full 180 from her time at FGCU to here at Western. “I’ve just been more confident under Gravina,” Blumer said. “He believed in me and it was nice to have coaches that you could look to for advice, even if it’s about life. He is one of those coaches I could go to and talk to about anything.” As appreciative as Blumer is of Gravina, the decision she made to continue her sports career as a Leatherneck was a choice I’m sure Gravina was glad she made. “A big part of her strengths is her versatility,” said Gravina. “She’s a really good shooter and she understands the game better than most players I’ve coached.” Last season, Blumer played in all 33 games with 32 starts. She averaged 16.8 points, 6.1 rebounds and 1.4 assists per game. She also tied a singlegame program record of seven three-pointers made in the same contest. She currently ranks third in the Summit League for scoring. “She’s just given us such an offensive boost,” said Gravina. “She can shoot from the three-point line and beyond but she can also attack the basket and score inside. She’s also been one of our better rebounders, defensively.” Some college athletes have a path that’s smoother than others. For Blumer, the path she took might not have been the one she had originally planned, but it has worked in her favor. She has joined a program that she has significantly impacted from the start until finish and I’m sure she can say now that she’s proud to be a Leatherneck. Twitter:@hayfourrr
Friday, November 10, 2017
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2017 Basketball Preview 5
Duff takes the reigns By Devon Greene
assistant sports editor Western Illinois University Leatherneck sophomore guard C.J. Duff took a backseat to former Leathernecks Garrett Covington and Mike Miklusak last year, but this time around, he is looking to define his own legacy. Duff grew up in the Waukegan, Ill., part of the Chicago Metropolitan area. Duff grew up playing basketball, and the sport became one of his first passions. “It’s always been a part of my life.” Duff said. “My family all played, my dad played junior college basketball and my mom played in high school. It’s really become a tradition in my family.” Duff praised his dad, Christopher Sr., for his influence on his basketball career. “He always taught me to work hard for what I want in life and has constantly pushed me to be the best I can be,” Duff said. Duff has worked hard to improve on his game as he’s advanced in his career. Before he got to Western, Duff started to take form in his junior year at Caramel High School in Waukegan. He averaged 21 points, 6 rebounds and 3 assists per game in his junior year. The tremendous season earned him All-State Honorable Mention and Lake County News-Sun All Area First Team. He finished out his high school career averaging 19 points, 6 rebounds, 3 assists and 2 steals per game. This performance was enough to be named an AllEast Suburban player. In his first season here at Western, Duff started all 28 games. He was third in 3-point percentage behind then junior Dalan Ancrum and Leatherneck alumni Mike Miklusak. He was also fourth in scoring behind Covington, Miklusak and Ancrum. With Covington and Miklusak departed and signed with professional teams overseas, Duff is going to take a bigger role this year. Duff has worked hard to improve his game this offseason to prepare for his bigger role on the team. “For me, it’s being more assertive, being a two-way player,” Duff said. “I’m a slasher on offense and kind of have the role of guarding their best player on the opposite team on defense.
For me, it’s getting better on the defensive end and also scoring more efficiently and becoming a consistent scorer on the offensive end to help my team win.“ With all of the starting experience that Duff obtained last season, he is expected to be a leader in the locker room. Being only a sophomore, he’s tried to learn from last season and draw from all of the lessons he found himself in and put them into effect this year to become a strong influence on his teammates. “That’s something I’m working on, being more of a vocal leader,” Duff said. “And that’s something that I’m going to need to do this season. I’ll be expected to score the basketball more this season. And also, getting my teammates open will be another huge part of my focus this year.” Duff doesn’t just focus on the offensive side of the ball, he is one of the Leathernecks’ best players, on both offense and defense and has tried to model his game to players that reflect that. “I try to be like a Marcus Smart type player,” Duff said. “He’s more of a defensive player but also I can score the basketball on the offensive end too." Duff has also looked at former Los Angeles Laker Kobe Bryant as a strong influence on his mentality and the way that he plays the game. “Kobe is also a guy I really admire,” Duff said. “The legacy that he has left on the game is amazing. The amount of work that he put in daily motivates me to do the same.” Duff has placed a lofty goal for himself going into the 2017 season. “I’m really trying to be a strong defensive player this season. I’m trying to be First Team All-Defense.” Duff has high hopes for his sophomore season and thinks the team has a great chance at surprising the Summit League with all of their new additions. “We have a lot of new pieces, so I think people are doubting us and just don’t know what we have,” Duff said. “It’s all about being consistent and making sure we stay stable, and if we do that, we have a great season ahead of us.” Twitter: devondeadlysins
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Friday, November 10, 2017
2017 Basketball Preview
WesternCourier.com
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
By Mat McClanahan sports editor
PEDRO AVILA/ ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
JD Gravina gauks at the ref in Western’s first win over Qunicy University.
A Summit League title, an NCAA March Madness appearance, Summit League player of the year and now six returning seniors are what the Western Illinois University women’s basketball team brings to the table after a stellar 2016 outing. Last season, the Leathernecks put themselves on the map by taking the Summit League by storm, which carried into their NCAA tournament appearance. However, even after a dominant 26-win season, the Leathernecks are ranked second in the Summit League preseason predictions. The six returning seniors on the Leatherneck squad have expectations for themselves that no preseason poll can rank. “We talked about it last year, we’re a band of misfits,” said head coach JD Gravina. “A lot of kids, we were their only offer, or they weren’t necessarily wanted by another program. We embrace it, we can do more with those kids, and they come in with a chip on their shoulder.” The leader of the athletes that went under-recruited was the Summit League Player of the Year and senior guard Emily Clemens. Clemens led the conference in scoring last season, when she averaged 19 points per game. “I only had one offer coming out of high school and that was Western,” said Clemens.
“I was over-looked, which is fine because I have definitely enjoyed my experience here and I wanted to go somewhere that I could make an impact on the program.” Clemens has done just that. Now in her fourth and final season, she has been a starter every single year. Clemens is just one of the six returning seniors, and the only fourth year senior, but has been the leader of the Leathernecks. She is able to reflect on her success from last season, but she is putting that behind her. Similar to Clemens, Western is leaving the Leatherneck’s success to the barbershop. “We try not to get too caught up in goals, but if we had a goal it would be to be the best team that we can be. It would be easy for us to get caught up in defending our conference championship or going back to the NCAA tournament, and we don’t want that to be our focus.” said head coach JD Gravina. “We have five fifth year seniors; we may be the oldest team in the nation if you did the math. They have been through a lot, they have seen teams accomplish good things, bad things and individually they have overcome challenges; we feel like we have been there and done that.” Other than returning the conference’s best player, Western has five other seniors on their roster, all of which were a huge part in their success. In 2016, senior guard Morgan
Blumer beat the Western threepoint record when she made 89 last season. Senior guard Taylor Hanneman had a big part in the Leatherneck Summit League tournament championship. Hanneman drilled a three to tie up the ball game as time expired, and the Leathernecks went on to win and advance to the NCAA tournament. Senior guard Taylor Higginbotham was a three-point sharp shooter and made her way onto the second team all-conference. Senior forward Olivia Braun made her Leatherneck debut last season and plans to play a bigger role for Western this season. Senior guard Michelle Farrow averaged six points per game last year and was fourth in three-pointers made last season. The final, and most intriguing, senior on the squad is forward Krishna Merriman, who was on the volleyball team the last three years, but switched over to basketball this season. Merriman is a 6-foot-1 athlete that is ready to help the Leathernecks reach another conference title. Western brought back all their key pieces from last season, and added a few players with potentially great upsides. Western’s senior-led squad will play at home again tonight against the University of Missouri Kansas City Kangaroos at 7:30 p.m. Twitter: @MacIsland13
Friday, November 10, 2017
@WesternCourier
2017 Basketball Preview 7
all in jessie matias/production manager
Wright ready for action By Devon Greene
assistant sports editor The Western Illinois University Leathernecks men’s basketball program had a disappointing season last year, but head coach Billy Wright is looking toward the future and hoping to improve his team. “I thought we had a really good summer,” Wright said. “We did a great job of getting in the weight room and getting bigger, faster and stronger to improve upon our game.” Western has a relatively young team this season with only three seniors on the roster. However, the Leathernecks do have 10 returning players who picked up playing experience last season and will be expected to take leaps forward this year. Developing the young talent as they come into the basketball program is a huge focus of Wright and his coaching staff. “We coach one through thirteen and we develop one through thirteen so that when guys do graduate or when guys get hurt, it’s the next man up,” Wright said. “We take pride in our player development so when we have one or two guys graduating, the next two or three guys can step up.” The basketball team lost two of the best players to ever wear a Leatherneck basketball uniform last season in Garrett Covington and Mike Miklusak, but Wright is confident that his returning players and new additions can fill the shoes of the Leatherneck greats. “From the inside, we look at Brandon Gilbeck, who has had the most experience in that position. We expect him to get some more scoring this year and play defense. We’ve seen that he’s a tremendous
shot blocker and he does that already.” Size is going to be a huge factor for the Leathernecks this year. They have versatility and depth that Wright is excited to showcase this season. “I like the fact that we can go big with traditional power forwards with 6-foot-8 Charles Gavin, the junior college transfer will help out down low.” Wright said. “And obviously, the big man down low Brandon Gilbeck can hold down the middle. I like that we can play small ball with four guards. Looking at our schedule we feel prepared for either this or that and we feel we can adjust how we want to play if we want to go big or small.” The men’s team was ranked eighth in the Summit League preseason poll. Most teams and coaches would use that for motivation to prove people wrong, but Wright and his team didn’t even have to look outside of their own campus to find the motivation that they were looking for. “We’re inspired by what the women did, and how they did at Western,” Wright said. “We were picked eighth in the Summit League but we don’t focus on that at all. All we have to do is look across the hall at what the women did. For me, that’s inspiration enough.” It’s been a long summer of hard work and preparation for the basketball team, and Wright and his guys can’t wait to get back in Western Hall and in action in front of all the Leatherneck fans. “We’re ready to play,” Wright said. “Our guys are excited and hopefully we get some good fan support on opening night.” Twitter: devondeadlysins
Friday, November 10, 2017
3 OPINIONS
WesternCourier.com
Learn another language, save money One of the most useful things a student can do to give their resume a bump and expose themselves to other cultures in the world is to learn another language. I believe everyone should dedicate some time to learning one, whether it’s a half an hour every night, or a full course load of foreign language education. There are a variety of benefits to doing so, and it isn’t as tricky as many people seem to think. One of the main reasons I think learning another language is important is a fairly obvious one.
It helps with communication. Anyone who hasn’t been living under a rock for the past decade will know that the Spanish speaking community in the US has grown tremendously over the past years. Learning spanish will clearly help native English speakers to better communicate with these Americans. But it isn’t limited to spanish speaking people. There are a massive amount of languages present in this country. Whether you want to learn Spanish, French, Mandarin, or arabic
there are many people here who speak those languages, and you would benefit from being able to speak with them and broaden y our horizons. The second reason is a more economic one. According to Forbes, multilingual people earn more money. Depending on one’s career and the language they choose to learn, this pay bump could be quite large. Not only is there extra money involved, but it can be an extra feature on a resume. You don’t have to think very hard to see the advantages a police officer would have from speaking Spanish, and other careers in business and finance would also benefit. The third important reason is a health one. Obviously, learning a language is hard mental work, and this mental workout can pay off. According to the National Academy of Sciences, lifelong bilingualism can delay the onset of dementia and alzheimer's. Elderly bilingual people have consistently scored better on short and long term memory tests. Many people are discouraged by the seemingly gargantuan task of learning another language, and with good reason. It isn’t easy. However, there are quite a few myths surrounding language learning that I would like to dispel.
CLASSIFIEDS
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For Rent
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Submit a classifieds ad to Micour@wiu.edu
1 & 2 bedroom apartments, new $250 signing bonus on 10 and 12 month leases. Two blocks from campus. Bus stops nearby. Free water, garbage and parking. Laundry onsite. Clean, well maintained and secure. Call Ted 309-837-5600 or visit markertrental.com. Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord. Call 309-255-1233. Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122. FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565.
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The first of these is that it is impossible for adults to become fully fluent in another language.
You don‘t have to think very hard to see the advantages a police officer would have from speaking Spanish.
–Ryan Zurek
COURIER STAFF
While it is true that after childhood learning another language becomes more difficult, it is no where near impossible. According to psychologist Steven Pinker in his book “The Language Instinct”, adults may even be able to learn languages faster than children, given that they have the opportunity to objectively study grammar and dedicate time to memorizing words. The second myth is that you simply need to have a special talent to become bilingual. Again, there is a little truth to this, given the existence of people such as Powell Janulus, who is fluent in 42 languages. But these people are rare, and exceptions. Most ordinary people are quite capable of learning another language. All it takes is dedication. According to the US Foreign Service Institute, achieving basic fluency in
LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing. CLEAN, REMODELED, AND WELL MAINTAINED HOUSES AND APTS FOR RENT IN GREAT LOCATIONS. UTILITIES PAID FOR APARTMENTS. RENTING NOW FOR FALL 2017. ALSO RENTING TWO APTS FOR SPRING 2016. CALL JASON AT 309-221-3985. Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message.
languages such as Spanish and French only takes around 480 hours of practice. Now that sounds like a lot, but if you practice for an hour every night, that is less than a year and a half. Also, this practice doesn’t have to be grammar drills or flash cards. You could simply watch a movie or TV show in your target language, and use that for exposure. Nowadays, there are a multitude of resources for learning languages. You probably have heard of Rosetta Stone, but if you don’t want to shell out hundreds of dollars, you can always use free apps and websites such as Duolingo or Memrise. These won’t get you to 100 percent fluency; for that you’ll have to actually talk with speakers and practice, but they will go a long way in helping you master the basics, as well as saving your wallet.
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. Westen Investments still has affordable 1-4 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available. Be sure to check out our website (www.westeninvest.com) to see our available listings, and call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to win prize giveaways! 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. 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! 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.
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Friday, November 10, 2017
As we start to approach the holiday season, it may be a little harder for consumers to go out Black Friday shopping this year. Retail chains have been struggling this year and many have had to close down brick-and-mortar stores and focus on online sales. While this isn’t true for all retail stores, more retail stores have closed than have opened so far this year. According to Bloomberg, around 3,000 retail stores opened in the first three
quarters this year while around 6,800 stores were expected to close in that same time period. Here in Macomb we saw the slump of the retail market. Both K-Mart and J.C. Penney closed their Macomb locations within the last year. Wal-Mart is the only major retail chain in Macomb to survive the slump. So why the sudden downturn? Original thought believed it had to deal with the rising success of websites like Amazon and other online re-
tailers who can sell anything anywhere. This was supported by the amount of retail stores moving from brick and mortar to an online presence instead. While this definitely did play a factor, it doesn’t entirely explain the huge downfall of retail stores. We are currently in a period where unemployment is the lowest it’s been in a while, by having a growing economy we grow consumer confidence which should mean an increase in retail demand, not a decrease, even despite Amazon’s growing popularity. The issue primarily has to do with increasing debt, a topic I’m sure many college students aren’t familiar with. Just looking at the stores that closed in Macomb
alone, debt has played a major issue. J.C. Penney’s ratio of long term debt to total assets is a whopping $46.1 billion. K-mart’s is a little less, at $28.8 billion. Sears Holdings sold their namesake Craftsman tools brand earlier this year to cut their debt, while watching the tools go to rival Lowe’s. Sears has also just recently cut ties with Whirlpool, another major brand that made Sears famous. This panicked cutting of major brands shows a company that’s trying to stay afloat. They’ve also announced even more K-mart stores being closed across the country. A headline we’ve been seeing almost every six months at this point. Looking at other stores
struggling, stores with billions in assets such as Sport’s Authority, Payless Shoesource and real shocker Toys ‘R’ Us have all filed bankruptcies in recent years. Toys ‘R’ Us had been the industry leader in toys for years with no real major competition, yet debt had come back to bite them, also stating that children’s interests in electronics had hurt the toy business. Now, we just wait to see what industry leader will go down next. According to experts, this is only the beginning. The amount of debt that is due to be paid in the next couple years is estimated to be much greater than it is now and the side effects are yet to be seen.
it may be the turkey, or the pumpkin pie or maybe the yams whatever those are. But I have to say, without a doubt, the best Thanksgiving food (as well as any time of year food) out there is the potatoes. Potatoes can take on so many delicious forms. They can be mashed, or cheesy (which my mom makes the world’s best of, for the record), or cheesy and mashed. They can be fried, scalloped, au gratin or baked and topped with all your favorites. There are even the sweet potatoes for those questionable people who enjoy them. It doesn’t even have to be Thanksgiving for the potato to reign supreme over all the other foods. The potato has managed
to gracefully integrate into every meal and every season. The potato is the supreme food because of its so many forms. There is not a bad way to make a potato (except potato salad). Potatoes go perfectly with breakfast, lunch, dinner and all the snacks in between. And the absolute best part — after the taste — is that they are a vegetable. I do not care how starchy they are, they are a vegetable. It’s the law (Potato crops are taxed as vegetables). Even here at Western Illinois University, potatoes serve as a vital part of the dining menu. Nearly every day, there are multiple potato dishes to choose from. There are almost always french fries in various forms. There are often times either chopped red potatoes or mashed to choose from in the other lines. The baked potato even makes its way in occasionally. Clearly, potatoes are a favorite. Back to Thanksgiving. When
it comes to the best meal of the year, potatoes are essential. Sure, you need turkey, but the main dish only goes so far. You need sides, you need variety. In come potatoes. Your turkey is nothing without mashed potatoes and gravy by its side. While I obviously cannot determine what anybody else will be loading up their Thanksgiving plate with, you can be sure that mine with con-
sist of about 30 percent turkey and bread, and the other 70 percent various potatoes, most likely mashed and cheesy. It may not be the healthiest dinner, but it is a happy one. One I am beyond thankful for, and that’s what Thanksgiving is all about. And if you think after all those potatoes on one plate I will go back for seconds, you are absolutely right.
Thanksgiving is right around the corner and I know everyone is looking forward to the nice week-long break we enjoy. There are so many things to look forward to on Thanksgiving: seeing your family, the chilly weather, the red, yellow and orange leaves, the scents of the season whether coming from the oven or your Scentsy. Either way, it’s an exciting week. I will tell you though, the thing I am looking forward to the most is the food. I hope I am not alone in saying that I cannot wait to go home and stuff my face with Thanksgiving food, arguably the best food of the year. Now, everyone has a favorite Thanksgiving food. For some,
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