Opinions: The magic of a snow day
Sports: The Big Ten conference announces a fall season
UNIVERSITY.
WesternCourier.com
Monday, September 21, 2020 - Vol. 121 Issue 5
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Shooting at Thompson Hall
By Rachel Greene editor-in-chief
On Tuesday at around 10:30 p.m., life for Western Illinois University students changed in the blink of an eye. As Thompson students evacuated the building for what seemed like an accidental fire alarm, it soon became clear that this was an entirely different situation. While one or two fire trucks usually handle the alarms, ambulances raced to the scene and students began to piece together what was happening. While gunshots rang out on the 12th floor, many students were oblivious to the
events happening just a few floors away. Junior student Gretchen Maier said, “I was in Thompson at the time of the shooting. At first, the alarm went off and everyone just assumed it was a regular fire alarm, but when we went outside, I saw multiple police officers run into the building. Seeing this, I knew something was wrong. While I did not hear the gunshots from my room, my friend told me that he heard all five. All of the Resident Assistants did a great job keeping everyone back and helping people stay calm. Everyone was listening to the police scanner but no one really knew what
to believe. After a while, students were ushered into Western Hall and given the option to remain there or to go off campus.” The shooting, which began as a roommate dispute, was perpetrated by freshman student Kavion Poplous in the dorm room shared by him and the victim. He has been charged with attempted first-degree murder, aggravated battery and aggravated discharge of a firearm and is now in custody. After fleeing the scene, Poplous turned himself in at a Chicago police station on Wednesday. He is being held on a $1 million dollar bond. Immediately after the
shooting, social media was flooded with panicked students telling their peers to lock their doors and stay inside. While Poplous fled to Chicago, students and authorities believed he was still at large, armed and dangerous within the city limits of Macomb. The panic lasted well into Wednesday morning when it was released that Poplous turned himself in. As for the victim, Interim President Martin Abraham said, “We cannot share further updates regarding the student who was shot. His family has asked for privacy during this time, and we are respecting their wishes. We are in contact with
them, and we ask that you send well wishes to him, his family, and friends for a full recovery.” Classes were cancelled on Wednesday and counseling services have been offered to students as well as members of the housing staff that were on the frontlines of this crisis. The University Counseling Center can be reached by calling (309) 298-2453. All services are free and confidential. As President Abraham said, “This is a shared experience, and we will heal together.”
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Thompson Hall was the scene of a shooting late Tuesday night on the Western Illinois University campus.
Sports on Page 5: Predicting Big Ten football standings FOLLOW US ONLINE @WESTERNCOURIER
Opinions on Page 3: Here lies the magic of a snow day OPINIONS 3 | EDGE 5 | SPORTS BACK PAGE
Courier Staff returns to the newsroom after quarantine
By Rachel Greene editor-in-chief
In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Western Courier opened our newsroom doors and produced the first few issues of the year before disaster suddenly struck. At the end of what seemed like a normal publication day, multiple members of the staff including editors, proofreaders and writers all began to receive word that their places of residence were being placed under a 14 day quarantine. Immediately, the question arose, how is the newspaper going to function? The staff followed proper
precautions such as social distancing and masks in the office, but after coming in contact with students who had tested positive for COVID-19, the quarantine period was inevitable. Unbeknownst to those who have never been a staff member at the Western Courier, being in the Newsroom is an essential part of the job. While stories can be typed from anywhere, the software needed to put them into the layout we use is only available on the computers in the office. While it was deemed too difficult to have one non quarantined person input all stories, photos and pages into the layout, news stops
for no one. EDGE Editor Peyton Finnegan said, “The most frustrating thing about being quarantined was that even with all the technology available to us in this day and age, the virus kept us from being able to do our jobs and provide our usual amount of content to the campus community. I am grateful to finally be back in the office.” Members of the staff were impacted in different ways, with some of their jobs becoming unrealistic to perform from a distance. The Copy Editor and Proofreaders are luckily able to perform their jobs remotely when necessary, but other positions have had to get creative with the
manner in which they do their jobs. Photo Editor Sara Remar said, “It has been a difficult semester to take photos due to a lack of events occurring and the restrictions surrounding events that are occurring. In my position, I am trying to uphold the quality of photographs that readers have become accustomed to.” As the Editor-in-Chief, I began searching for news that could be reported from the comfort of our respective homes. While we may not have been able to attend press conferences, events or even interact with the campus community for our quarantine period, we were able to continue reporting based
on live streams, press releases and helpful outside sources. At the end of the day, there is always news to be reported and the Western Courier staff will always find a way to report it. During times when the office cannot be accessed, news is still published on our website and Facebook. Whether the format remains the same or not, editors and writers strive to uphold the same quality of content for the Western Illinois University community.
WIU COVID-19 updated numbers
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This data regarding COVID-19 cases on campus is accurate as of Sunday night.
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
PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION
StAFF MEMBERS
proofreader Mary Kilbourne editor-in-chief Rachel Greene
MC-Kilbourne@wiu.edu
R-Greene2@wiu.edu
photo editor Sara Remar
news editor Rachel Greene
SE-Remar@wiu.edu
R-Greene2@wiu.edu
assistant photo editor Sara Remar
opinions editor Allison Young
SE-Remar@wiu.edu
AN-Young@wiu.edu
production manager Brandon Trost
sports editor Chris Bean
BL-Trost@wiu.edu
CR-Bean@wiu.edu
business manager Janiya Haynes
assistant sports editor Chris Bean
J-Haynes2@wiu.edu
CR-Bean@wiu.edu
assistant business manager Nash Miller
edge editor Peyton Finnegan
NK-Miller@wiu.edu
PM-Finnegan@wiu.edu
advertising manager Tyler Hoffman
copy editor Amanda Wandachowicz
TE-Hoffman@wiu.edu
A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu
adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu
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 RegisterMail in Galesburg, Ill.
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4
OPINIONS
I’ll never forget my first snow day as an elementary school student. The excitement of sitting in front of the television screen and watching the “school cancellations” run across the bottom of the morning news. Snow fell outside as my dad and older brother tried to keep on top of shoveling it so it didn’t become unmanageable to shovel it all at once. Asking my mom 10+ times what school district I was in so I can find it as it flashes across
Monday, September 21, 2020
the screen, and when it finally did, that feeling of pure happiness. Knowing that school work was canceled for at least today, I got to stay home and play outside in the snow and drink hot chocolate all day. As a child, one of the most reallife magical experiences is that of a snow day. However, with the changes that 2020 has brought, the snow day may be a magical event of the past. Advances in technology
Introducing the Staff Hello, my name is Mary Kilbourne and I am a proofreader for the Western Courier. I started working for the Western Courier last year and have been perfecting my proofreading skills ever since. I am a senior here at Western Illinois University, I am a double major in Law Enforcement and Communication. This past summer I was supposed to be an intern for the Elgin Police Department but the pandemic had other plans so my internship has been postponed until next summer. When I was a sophomore I went through formal recruitment and became a member of Sigma Sigma Sigma. I never saw myself joining a Greek organization when I entered college, but I felt like something was missing from my college experience. I am so glad I decided to get out of my comfort zone because it was one
of the best decisions I have ever made. I have held multiple leadership positions in the chapter and currently, I am the Recruitment Director.
such as Zoom, Google Classroom and other applications and websites that can make remote learning possible are unfortunately the very things that may make the snow day a thing of the past. The technology advancements and increased knowledge on how to effectively teach remotely is increasing throughout the United States and world, which is a must in the face of a pandemic. Students being able to access their education from the safety of their own homes through hopping onto Zoom to meet with their class is now the new normal. These applications help us keep ourselves and students safe through minimizing contact and allowing for students to still
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be able to learn and get instruction from a teacher. These new remote ways of learning also allow for students to interact with each other virtually, and while it isn’t the same as the face-to-face contact that they are used to, it is better than nothing. While the new-normal of remote learning is becoming easier for parents and teachers alike to navigate, the future of things like a snow day may become things of the past. A snow day used to occur when the snow was so bad you could not leave your house and therefore school could not happen, is now altered since school takes place primarily in the students house to begin with. It will no longer be “no school today,
snow day!” rather it will be a “remote learning day!” In my personal opinion, the snow-day is one of the most magical days for students, and that should not end just because of advancements in technology. Our new way of remote learning is amazing and so wonderful for keeping students safe. However, when there is a day that would otherwise be eligible for a snow day I think that it is so important we take it and let students embrace the excitement of the snow day. While there may still be stormdays or those days when Zoom and other applications crash and disrupt the ability to learn virtually, it is important to keep snow days alive.
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OPINIONS 5
Monday, September 21, 2020
Virtual production meets the firms
 Before the virtual meet the firm event I was trying my best to be optimistic. Since last spring I have been to a few conferences and the meet the firms event in a traditional setting. So I had to admit that I had my doubts but wanted to stay positive with the opportunity to still learn about some businesses I may not have met with the current circumstances going on in the world. I think that this format of virtual presentations can be more beneficial because it takes the stress of the in person interac-
tion and more people can listen to the same person at any given time. Before the first session, I had to teach myself about a lot of the different user interface items that would allow me to attend the sessions. You have to make sure you are RSVP to the event before it even starts. Once you RSVP you sign up for different time slots with different companies. You select what time you want to sign up for although only some companies have one on one sessions, so they are
filled quickly. After I officially reserved my time I waited for my first session to begin. Once it started I realized that these sessions would be very similar to a lecture or presentation. The only difference is that more people are showing their cameras and of course dressed less casually. I found out information from the representative that I would not have thought to ask or even look up which is always helpful and I still had the opportunity to ask my questions before I had to move on to the next session. The other session I attended was more presentation based on the last one; the company representative actually used a PowerPoint slide during this session. So It was a lot easier
to take notes during the session instead of trying to commit everything the representative said to memory. I was familiar with the company a little bit before attending the session but I realized that the virtual format would prepare us (me and the employer) to how we may have to interact if I worked for them. Since it is very unlikely that everything goes back to complete normal within the next few months. Remote working was on the discussion and it was inspiring to see how much they had done to make the employees feel comfortable either returning back to work or working from home. I hope that this concern for how the employees feel should continue not just for health concerns but
also lifestyle. I think this unprecedented time has exposed a lot of weaknesses companies have and employees are not letting them off the hook anymore. Overall I am glad that I attended the session and listened to the two sessions. Unfortunately, due to time constraints, I could not attend any more sessions to see what other companies talked about but I am sure that there were many parallels with the two sessions I did attend. I attended two sessions through the handshake format and was able to connect with the professionals even after the event was over. I would do an event like this again and hope that most people took something away from the meeting as I did.
E3 EDGE
Monday, September 21, 2020
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Virtual Emmy Awards
This year, in light of the recent pandemic, the Emmys have decided to go virtual. The Emmy Awards recognize excellence and achievement throughout the American television industry. The name of the award originates from the word “immy” which is a nickname for the image orthicon tube that was common in early television cameras. The award itself is a statuette that depicts a winged
woman holding an atom. The Emmy is one of the four most prestigious entertainment awards that you can receive in America. Other awards include; Grammy (music), Oscar (movie), Tony (live theater). The Emmys originated in Los Angeles in January of 1949 at the Hollywood Athletic Club as an image building and public relations opportunity. The original award ceremony that
took place in 1949 was only aired in the Los Angeles area, not nationally televised. The first actress to ever receive an Emmy was Shirley Dinsdale for Most Outstanding Television personality. The most famous Emmy ceremony that takes place is the Primetime Emmy Awards. The Primetime Emmys are generally more viewed by the American public than any other Emmy award ceremonies. This is due to the fact that more people watch primetime television than daytime television, therefore there is a larger viewing audience. The Primetime Emmys are usually held in mid-September, the Sunday before the start of the official tele-
vision season. They are run and voted on by members of the ATAS (Academy of Television Arts and Sciences). For most categories, members from each of the ATAS's branches vote around June to determine the nominees into their respective categories. All members can however vote for nominations in the best program categories. The final voting to determine the winners is held in August. This year ’s decision to make the Emmys virtual was not an easy decision to be made by producers. The producers elected to get rid of the dress codes required for the event along with setting up more than 100 live camera feeds for
nominees. One of the most treasured traditions of the stars in attendance as well as viewers is watching the attendees walk down the red carpet in elegant gowns. While it is sad to see this tradition skipped this year, it is important to respect social distancing guidelines and keep people safe. While the producers are trying to do the best they can under these circumstances, it is unclear if the format of the award show will remain the same. It will be interesting to see whether or not producers seamlessly pull this off. Hosted by Jimmy Kimmel and airing on ABC, it is sure to be a night that makes history.
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Actors and actresses that have made appearences through the years.
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The Emmy Award statuette that winners receive.
Predicting Big Ten football standings Christopher bean assistant sports editor @cre_bean
The Big Ten announced last week that they will play football in the fall, starting in late October. This conference was under pressure by the students of the players of all teams who wanted their kids to play the sport they have played their whole life. Especially when three of the power five conferences have/are starting this month. The only other power five conference not playing is the Pac 12. The Big Ten released their eight game schedule on Saturday and will start on October 24th, playing their last regular season game on December 12th, with the Conference Championship on December 19th. With that being said, let’s take a look at what I think the 2020 Big Ten standings will look like, and predict the record of each team. No. 14 Rutgers University Scarlet Knights (0-8): Yes, Greg Schiano may be back to start his second stint as the Scarlet Knights head coach, but he still has a lot of work to do before he gets them back to winning football. The Scarlet Knights play Michigan State first on their schedule, who they have played well in the last couple of years, and have favorable crossover games against Illinois and Purdue (who they beat in 2017), but with a tough division that has OSU, Penn State and Michigan, there's not a lot of opportunity for wins for this team. Plus, it doesn't help when they haven’t won a Big Ten game since 2017 when they won three games: Illinois, Purdue and Maryland. This time it will be under a
new regime. No. 13 University of Illinois Fighting Illini (1-7): I know Lovie Smith led the Illini to a bowl game appearance last year, but they scuffled at the end of the season, losing three straight including a disappointing blowout loss to California. An eight game schedule that only consists of Big 10 games, doesn’t boat well for a team that struggles in Big Ten play. No. 12 University of Maryland Terrapins (2-6): Over the past several years, Maryland is a team that starts the season great. Not only do they look great, but everyone talks about how good they look, and how their offense is clicking on all cylinders. However, they get to the Big Ten And in the second year of Mike Locksley, it won’t be any different. I think they come out strong and look good against Northwestern, but then lose six straight before beating Rutgers to end the year. No. 11 Michigan State University Spartans (2-6): It was an unjust ending to Mark Dantonio’s tenure, who is the best head coach the Spartans have ever had. After an unsuccessful 7-6 season last year, a season that started with high hopes, and a ton of eternal problems the University is dealing with, Dantonio and MSU parted ways. Now, it is the Mel Tucker era in East Lansing. Tucker went 5-7 in his first season at Colorado, and took the MSU job once it opened up. Not only did MSU lose their head coach, but they lost a lot of seniors and players who went to the
Adrian Martinez throws to his intended receiver.
draft. And they also don’t know who is going to start at quarterback come opening week. So it is a complete rebuild for Tucker and his staff. No. 10 Purdue University Boilermakers (2-6): The Boilermakers are hoping their best player, junior wide receiver Rondale Moore chooses to come back and play after opting out after the season was moved to the fall. If he plays they could be around .500, but if he doesn’t, the Boilermakers aren’t as effective without him. No. 9 Northwestern University Wildcats (3-5): It was a very disappointing 4-8 season for NU in 2019, after winning the Big Ten West and playing in the Big 10 Championship Game a year before. Don’t be mistaken by where I have Northwestern. Yes, I have them at 3-5, but it could easily be 5-3. They will be in a lot of close games, but unfortunately, I think they lose most of those games. One thing we do know is that Pat Fitzgerald will get his players ready for the season no matter how many games they play. No. 8 University of Nebraska Cornhuskers (3-5): A program that has struggled to meet expectations since Scott Frost decided to come back to his alma mater, after leading UCF to a perfect 13-0 season. However, it’s been everything but perfect heading into year three. Junior Adrian Martinez, who also had high expectations heading into last year, is entering his third year as the signal caller for the Cornhuskers. I brought into the hype of the program from the transition from year one to year two, but I’m not buying the from year two to year three. In a division where they already have to play, Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, add Penn State and Ohio State to their crossover
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games. I don’t think Frost will come close to the expectations set in front of him in year three. No. 7 Indiana University Hoosiers (4-4): The Hoosiers are set up for their best finish in the Big Ten East. They have had some good teams and players under Tom Allen, but being in one of the best divisions in college football, Allen has never had a better finish in the Big ten East than fifth. With MSU rebuilding this year, Allen and the Hoosiers are in prime position to have their best finish in the Big Ten East, since the Big Ten moved to the East and West divisions in 2014. No. 6 University of Iowa Hawkeyes (4-4): The Hawkeyes seem to be right in the middle of the Big Ten every year. Head coach Kirk Ferentz is the longest tenured head coach in FBS football and has held the position since 1999. Ferentz and the Hawkeyes continue to fight the battle of mediocrity since he took over. No. 5 Penn State University Nittany Lions (6-2): Penn State has one of the more favorable schedules in the Big Ten. Their crossover games aren’t overly difficult, going against Nebraska and Iowa. QB Sean Clifford should improve in his second year as their play caller. However, I think they lose to Michigan and OSU, they’re two biggest games on their schedule. No. 4 University of Wisconsin Badgers (6-2): Wisconsin has been the best team in the West, winning the division three of the last four years. Paul Cryst has done a great job in his tenure but has still yet to win a Big 10 Championship. I think their season comes down to their game against arch rival Minnesota. Last year the Badgers won the Big Ten West over Minnesota in the
Justin Fields scans the field on the run.
last game of the year to win the West. This year I think they lose that match up, as well as going on the road to play Michigan, a place they haven’t won in almost two decades. No. 3 University of Michigan Wolverines (6-2): Entering year six of Jim Harbaugh, yes I said that right, year six. The Wolverines have still yet to beat arch rival Ohio State. I don’t think anything changes this year, especially having to replace four of their five starters on the offensive line, and more than half of their starters. This will affect them the most in week 1 against Minnesota. They will settle in after that, but lose to OSU to end the year, just like it’s been over the last two decades. No. 2 University of Minnesota Golden Gophers (8-1): The Golden Gophers are coming off their best season in program in almost sixty years. They went 11-2 in the third year of PJ Fleck, beating Auburn in the Outback Bowl. Like I said earlier, this team was one win away from the Big Ten Championship, and I think they run the table and get there this year. However, I think they lose to the beast that is Ohio State. No. 1 Ohio State University Buckeyes (9-0): The New England Patriots of the Big 10. Since Urban Meyer took over the program just under a decade ago. Now, Ryan Day is in his second year after taking over for Meyer, and the Buckeyes didn’t skip a beat. They went 13-1 last year, winning in the Big 10 and losing to Clemson in the College Football Playoff. They did lose defensive end Chase Young, who was the best defensive player in the country last year. But they bring back junior Justin Fields and will be primed for not just another Big Ten title but another national championship.
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