Opinions: Finding the perfect spring break destination.
News: Tom Brady continues playoff success.
Sports: Leathernecks blow out the Oak hills Wolfpack 107-45.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 - Vol. 118 Issue 48
Major problem with minor policy
By Isaiah Herard
The Student Government Association (SGA) addressed a change in the major-minor policy that Western Illinois University’s faculty senate seeks to implement in the near future. According to Madison Lynn, Director of Academic Affairs, the faculty senate made proposals to vote on the majorminor policy change which would prohibit students from minoring in their same academic college. “The faculty senate is a voting committee comprised of professors from each academic college that vote on
various university policies,” Lynn said. “They were going to make a proposition that would require students to not minor in their same academic college. For example, LEJA majors would be exempt from becoming a fire science or a homeland security minor.” According to Lynn, If approved, the revised majorminor theory could prompt current and future Western students to continue their education elsewhere. “As a student this is extremely detrimental,” Lynn said. “The logical thought process in degree planning for most students on this campus is to minor in their same academic college. One of the (faculty
senate’s) suggestions to this is for students to pick up a second minor. That would obviously increase time spent on campus which would require them to take out loans and no one wants that. Ultimately these proposals can force students to leave WIU and look for other schools, and in a time of declining enrollment that’s exactly the opposite of what we want.” To combat the proposals, Lynn suggested students form a letter writing committee and bring the faculty committee all the opinions of students who are affected by the change in theory.
a pursuit effort. The chase, beginning in McDonough County and making its way through Henderson County, ended in Warren County, where the male juvenile was taken into custody in a field located on a farm south of Cameron, Illinois. Following the chase, it was reported that several McDonough County Squad cars were damaged as a result of
the male juvenile ramming or attempting to ram them with the stolen truck. No injuries have been reported at West Prairie High School as a result of the incident. The school was placed on lock down into the afternoon. West Central School District in Biggsville, Ill. was also placed on lockdown as a precautionary measure when the chase entered Henderson County.
According to KWQC News, the juvenile was placed into detention and will be charged with aggravated battery, vehicle theft, criminal damage over $500 and fleeing from authority, in addition to other pending charges. Further information is expected as this story develops. All subjects are presumed innocent until proven guilty in a court of law.
news editor
BECCA LANGYS/ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
SGA Director of Academic Affairs Madison Lynn (top eft), Student member to the Board of Trustees Wil Gradle (right) and president Grant Reed (bottom) discuss the faculty senate's major-minor policy.
By Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief
The McDonough County Sheriff’s Department responded to a 911 call at West Prairie High School in Sciota, Ill. yesterday, which placed the school on lockdown for the duration of the incident, and led to a car chase over three counties. The call was made at 11:04
a.m., when a male juvenile student, 15, was reported threatening West Prairie High students and staff. Armed with knives, which were allegedly being thrown at the feet of another student, the male juvenile fled the school after the call was made. The male juvenile was then located in a reportedly stolen truck by McDonough County deputies, who engaged in
SGA
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Wednesday, January 24, 2018
NEWS
By Isaiah Herard courier staff
Illinois State Police (ISP) Troopers saved the lives of two motorists who suffered from drug overdose on Jan. 18 in Winnebago and Madison Counties.
Nicholas Ebelhack editor-in-chief
Jinan University Associate Professor Fanbin Zeng will visit Western Ilinois University on Tuesday, Feb. 13 to lecture on the usage of social media. Zeng, who teaches in the College of Journalism and Communication at Jinan University, has previously worked as a teacher and researcher in China and is a Fulbright scholar. He specializes in new media and political communication. His lecture, “The Relationship Between Social Media Use
WC
An ISP Trooper responded to a motorist’s request for assistance on the ramp from I-270 Eastbound to I-255 Southbound in Madison County at 9:30 a.m. Upon arrival, the trooper found an unresponsive male in the driver’s seat with bradypnea, or decreased respirations.
The trooper gave the driver two doses of NARCAN (naxolone HCI) nasal spray prior to the victim becoming responsive. The driver and passenger who appeared to be under the influence of illegal drugs were transported to a local hospital for treatment.
and Citizen Participation,” is scheduled for 5 p.m. in the University Union Sandburg Theater. He will also present a second lecture the same day at Spoon River College, room 106 at 1 p.m. titled “Social Media Use and Citizen Participation in the United States.” The lectures are sponsored by the Fulbright Scholar Program’s Outreach Lecturing Fund, which allows scholars to travel to the United States and share their research and speak about their home country. Both of his lectures cover open source tools and social
networking platforms. According to a press release from University Relations, the lectures look at new opportunities for young people to take action despite declining news consumption and political knowledge levels in their demographic. Zeng has previously been awarded research grants pertaining to political participation in China and the Internet, which he has published books and academic articles on as well. More information can be obtained by contacting Western Art Professor Keith Holz at DK-Holz@wiu.edu.
STAFF MEMBERS proofreader Alexis Lowe AL-Lowe@wiu.edu editor-in-chief Nicholas Ebelhack NA-Ebelhack@wiu.edu news editor Isaiah Herard IA-Herard@wiu.edu opinions editor Ryan Zurek RP-Zurek@wiu.edu sports editor Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu
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At 2:54 p.m., two ISP Troopers responded to a call in Winnebago County for a woman overdosing in a vehicle on the Mosey’s Liquor parking lot located at 4203 W. State St. in Rockford, Illinois. The troopers arrived and observed a bystander pulling a 20-year-old
female out of the vehicle. The troopers saw the patient was pulseless and breathless. The troopers gave her NARCAN and performed CPR on the victim, restoring her breath and pulse. EMS then arrived and transported the victim to a local hospital for more treatment.
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SGA
from front page
The major-minor policy isn’t the only issue some SGA members has with the faculty senate, they also advocated student complaints about professors basing a high percentage of their grading scale on class participation and attendance. “I’ve been speaking with some students who are involved with university athletics and its been a concern that’s been brought up, but professors are grading on attendance,” Lynn said. “This is a problem for athletes that have to travel long distances frequently and that can be detrimental to your grade. That’s not fair to those students.”
Wednesday, January 24, 2018 Student Member to the Board of Trustees Wil Gradle agreed professors excessively use videos and presentations to teach students the material as opposed to traditional lectures. “It is worth while to say, we as the students take issue with a particular process or policy,” Gradle said. “Maybe it’s not the university coming out with policies to say they can do one thing or the other but rather students studying thoughts and opinions coming up with our own stance.” Moving forward, SGA passed Bill of Appointment 2017.016019 approving SGA president Grant Reed, Director of Technology Rome Hamm, Director of Student Services Killian Tracey and Senator of
NEWS 3
the Latin American Student Organization Alexander Lopez for the position of member to the Committee on Tuition Waiver and Talent Grants by a unanimous vote. Hamm said the Committee on Tuition Waiver and Talent Grants dictate how the money is being dispersed and decide what areas will be funded. “As a finance major and being involved in organizations that give out talent grants and tuition waivers I think its really important to put student voice on those kinds of committees and figure out the right way to give money back to the students.” The next SGA meeting will be held next Tuesday at 7 p.m. in the Capital Rooms located in the University Union. •On Jan. 14 at 8:48 p.m., Moet Fults, 19, of 701 Henninger Hall, was arrested in Henninger on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. She was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 8:52 p.m. where she was lodged pending bond. •On Jan. 15 at 6:26 p.m. one student in Thompson Hall was judicially referred for behavior. •On Jan. 16 at 6:53 p.m. Katherine Hammond, 18, of 737 Tanner Hall, was issued a notice to appear in court Feb. 20 for a Macomb City ordinance violation of unlawful possession of drug paraphernalia and unlawful possession of less than 10 grams of cannabis in Tanner Hall. •On Jan. 17 at 10:37 p.m. a student in Tanner Hall reported his cell phone, valued at $335, missing. The incident is under investigation. •On Jan. 18 at 1:55 a.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Simpkins Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Jan. 19 at 3:37 a.m. a student on North Charles Street was judicially referred for unlawful possession of cannabis. •On Jan. 19 at 3:37 a.m.
one student was judicially referred for possession of cannabis at the intersection of Charles and Elting streets. •On Jan. 19 at 3:32 p.m. Jordan Stovall, 20, of 420 Corbin Hall, was arrested in the recreation center on a McDonough County warrant for failure to appear. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 4:09 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Jan. 19 at 10:29 p.m. one student in Tanner Hall was judicially referred for possession of cannabis. •On Jan. 20 at 2:29 a.m. Carfia Tripp, 20, of 437 Corbin Hall, and Alexis Harris, 19, of 820 Bayliss Hall, were each given a notice to appear Feb. 27 for a Macomb city ordinance violation for fighting outside of Bayliss and Henninger halls. •On Jan. 21 at 10:33 p.m. one student in Tanner Hall was judicially referred for possession of cannabis. •On Jan. 22 at 2:42 a.m. David Marshall, 27, of 305 Washington Hall, was arrested in L-Lot for driving under the influence of alcohol, possession of cannabis (less than 10 grams) and possession of drug paraphernalia. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 4:32 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond.
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
4 OPINIONS
WesternCourier.com
It's time to talk about our gun problem fix problems when they arise yet, we see one of the largest problems that continuously plagues the United States and they choose to do nothing about it. Republicans are the main issue in my eyes when it comes to legislation regarding gun laws. Unless of course, a person of color or a different religion other than their own commits the crime. Whenever it is a Caucasian male, the nation waits to label that person as a terrorist and screams that it is probably just mental illness. However, when a person of color or a person
of a different faith commits a mass shooting Fox News and all the conservatives that are looking to further their agenda jumps to ISIS, terrorism and call for the asinine travel ban proposed by Donald Trump. The United States is by far the leading country in the world in gun related crimes and our leaders are doing nothing to resolve it. It is time to stop standing blindly by the Second Amendment and try to resolve this issue. I remember six years ago when the Sandy Hook Elementary school shooting happened. I was 13 or 14 at the time and I knew that I was sad about what happened, but I didn’t follow gun laws or legislation and didn’t realize that there were things that we could’ve done
to stop the shooter from massacring those 20 children and 7 adults before killing himself. Now that I am more educated in laws and legislation, that moment in 2012 when those shots fired out taking the lives of 20 children, all between the ages of 6 and 7, was a seminal moment in the gun debate in America. If children getting shot doesn’t make our leaders want to restrict gun usage in the United States, then they never will. Last year we saw a gunman murder 58 people and injure 851 in Las Vegas but Republicans, along with the president chose to coin the trademark Republican phrase when talking about a Caucasian male shooter. It usually goes along the lines of, “Now is not the time to
As a foreign languages major I, and perhaps many other students with non-STEM majors, get pretty frustrated when I talk to friends, family, and even strangers that insist that going to college and receiving an education can only be worth it if it leads to a high paying job. While I understand that some people value having money a great deal, I fully believe that the worth of an education goes
far beyond the monetary value it can produce. Just about any student can attest to the importance of learning new things. For many people, this importance comes from the fact that they will be more attractive to potential employers, or learn new skills that will one day allow them to earn more money. But there is an intrinsic value to learning as well. Classes that are geared
towards learning about other cultures or time periods will go a great way into making you a more well rounded individual. It helps you to develop a crucial understanding of the world around you, that may not translate into instant financial success. This type of education is incredibly important if we want to be good citizens in a democracy. In order to have our society function, we need to have the capacity to look beyond our own experiences and see things from other people's point of view. Of course, it is certainly possible, but a broad education that isn’t entirely
geared towards one set of principles will go a long way in developing and nurturing these traits. But even ignoring the intrinsic value of a libral arts education, it is still incredibly rude and inconsiderate to criticize someone for their major. Don't do that! If your goal is to get really rich one day and the way you decide to go about doing that is to study business or STEM, then good for you! But that does not give you the right to look down upon other people and students that you deem unworthy, simply becasue their career prospects aren't as good as yours.
In response to Madison Lynn, Jan, 22, 2018
cations must be broad, we must be willing to expose ourselves to something outside our major. Otherwise, we are getting a training degree. Anyway, employers want to hire people who can think broadly and outside the box. If I were an employer, I'd be pretty bored with with candidate who couldn’t speak about her education outside of her major.
Yesterday, there was another mass shooting in the United States and we again find ourselves in a position where we are losing young lives to gun violence and the nation is not even going to blink an eye. A 15-year- old male student shot 14 people in Marshall County High School in Benton, Kentucky. As of yesterday afternoon, two 15year- old students have been reported dead and 12 more are injured. As these shootings keep happening, I keep losing faith in our government officials. We are supposed to
Your degree isn't better than anyone else's
Letter to the Editor
Dear Editor, In a University, (and that is still what we call ourselves) it is the faculty who determine what a university degree consists of. Consider the word "university" itself. It shares the same root with "universe." That's VERY broad. None of us have to get a "university" education, and WIU does not have to continue to call itself a university, but if we want the credentials of "university," then our edu-
Holly A. Stovall, PhD WIU alumna Associate Professor of Women's Studies (in unresolved arbitration)
speak about this.” Or “Can we not take a beat before we talk about gun laws?” Then we just never get back to fixing the problem and finding justice for these innocent American citizens that continuously lose their lives because the spineless people in office won’t pick up their pride and actually do something that would help anyone but themselves. At this point, I am in a place where I’ve seen too many children, mothers, fathers, sisters, brothers and friends die due to gun violence, I just want to see them banned completely. I know that will never happen but we need to do something to to resolve these crimes for those who's lives were lost
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
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OPINIONS 5
Republicans should worry about 2018 Now, more than ever, we are seeing a pattern in Washington of members of each party refusing to work or cooperate with the other party. Most bills recently introduced have been more-or- less one sided, as the Republicans have held control of congress and the White House, and have used that to push their agenda, starting with the tax bill that many democrats protested and economists said would hurt the middle class. Most recently, it’s been apparently impossible, but absolutely necessary to develop a budget. After a brief government shutdown, some Democrats caved in to the overpowering
Republican Party’s plans, just to have some form of continuance for the government. This past year, more than ever, we have seen a more aggressive approach from Congress, as the House and Senate Republicans try to pass bills wanted by their supporters and President Trump. The question is, what’s the rush? The reason is that 2018 is a major election year. While we don’t have people lining up for the presidency just yet (or at least not officially), a number of congressional seats are up for election. Every House seat is up for grabs where the Republicans hold a strong majority. With every seat up for election
though, things can change. Many Conservatives are weary after state elections in primarily Conservative states, such as Virginia, have had an increase in Democratic winners last November, including a few long time incumbents losing their seats. The House could easily flip over night if a similar event were to occur. While only 34 of the seats in the Senate are up for election, the Republican majority is much slimmer there. With 51 current seats and 8 up for election, Republicans could lose the majority during this election as well. The flip side with the senate is that many Democratic senators who voted for the short-term budget bill that did not have everything the party wanted, voted for the bill primarily out of fear that a government shutdown of large proportion would have hurt their chances of re-elec-
tion. The 26 Liberal leaning seats are up for election and too great of a loss could kill the Democrats in the Senate. The Democrats may not be putting up much of a fight in congress but their strategy is simple, let President Trump represent the Republicans. While just generally making himself and the country look bad, Trump is also bringing down the party. Many of the Congressional leaders he now works with did not always support him. In fact many opposed him up until he received the Republican nomination, even then, some members were not his biggest advocates. In just a year, it’s been made very clear that most of the plans to help the middle class and working families that voted for Trump were made up of the same material those families and farmers use to fertilize their crops. People are starting to
become aware that if conservative heavy Virginia can vote in someone who is transgender, a change could be coming. The one smart move President Trump made was picking Mike Pence to be his Vice President, making him nearly impeachable by Democrats. Impeachment motions made by Democrats have been shot down by fellow Democrats because liberal congress members know the ultra conservative Pence would be able to move ultra conservative legislation a lot easier than Trump was able to. The Democrats best hope to give President Trump a one way ticket out of D.C. is to control both the House and the Senate and to do what Pence and the Republican congress did to Obama near the end of his term. So until November, lets see if we can prevent the government from caving in on itself.
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Party on beaches Winter break has come and gone, and many of us, myself included, are already counting down the days to spring break. This famous week of no school can bring different levels of excitement to different people. For some of us, it will bring the comfort of going back home to relax in our own beds. For others however, it means pulling together every last bit of your reimbursed student loan money to try to make your way to a beach somewhere. The common debate for spring break is which destination is the best? South Padre, Texas has been on the up and coming these past few years with its spring break action but the real question is, has it fully beaten out the legendary Panama City Beach? Urban Dictionary properly defines spring break as, “A week where all the dumb kids go to Cancun and all the level headed people get to relax.” If you are one of those dumb kids looking to soak up a little sun and get a little sand in-
between your toes, then you may have been faced with the epic dilemma of where you are going to spend your week. The past two spring breaks I have gotten the liberty of spending mine in South Padre, but as amazing as it was I’m not entirely sure it takes the cake. When it comes to pricing, a trip to Panama City Beach and a trip to South Padre are going to be roughly the same. Since South Padre is an island, it is considered to be much smaller, which in result means a lot less options when it comes to lodging and food. For lodging, in South Padre, you will find mostly all hotels or resorts. Panama City also has the mega-hotels and resorts but you will have more options when it comes to condos or renting from private owners. As far as transportation while on your trip, both places are pretty comparable as well. Both locations are fully equipped with your regular Uber, Lyft and taxis. Many
churches or other private organizations also cruise the streets giving free rides to spring breakers in the area. The night life is exceptional at both, but one big difference is going to be your closing times. Bars and clubs in Panama City Beach have a closing time of 4 a.m., whereas in South Padre they have a 2 a.m. closing time. Both destinations do have the 18+ age to get into the clubs but if you are one of the young ones be careful because they are both strict on their 21+ for alcoholic beverages. The past few years Panama City Beach has seen a decline in their regular spring breakers due to a beach alcohol ban they enforced to try to keep their vacationers safer. However, last year they removed that ban. Keep in mind the beaches in both locations restrict glass bottles and keep your coolers close to you because theft is common. Whether you are trying to blow the end of your change jar getting yourself to a beach this spring break, or simply going to catch up on sleep in the comfort of your own home, a week of no school work is always something to look forward to.
Editorial Policy The editoral views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editoral presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editoral board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.
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2018 Spring Semester Editorial Board Editor-in-Cheif - Nicholas Ebelhack News Editor - Isaiah Herad
Edge Editor - Baylee Bryntesson Opinions Editor - Ryan Zurek
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
6 SPORTS
Tennis
from back page
The Championships were from Thursday to Saturday, and on day one of the two, the competition began in doubles against Marta Olveria and Animal Ismail, from the University of Missouri. Lubbers and Bravo would lose the match 8-5 to the fourth ranked team in the region. On day two, Bravo opened up in consolations singles as she won her match 6-1 and 6-2, against her opponent from Creighton. She continued her good form into her next match against a Southeast Missouri player, winning 6-2, 3-6, and 10-6. Lubbers also competed in consolations singles matchups on day two, however she lost her match 3-6 and 2-6 to Nebraska. On the final day, Bravo played in her final consolations singles
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match and dropped to Arkansas 4-6, 7-6 and 11-13. Lubbers did end the tournament on a high note for the Leathernecks as she won her first Regionals match against Southeast Missouri 6-2, 3-6 and 10-6. Coach Bjelica was extremely pleased once again with his two competitors. “Overall it was a very good tournament for us that showed us more clearly what the best competition in our region has to offer and what our performance standards need to be in in order to compete successfully.” Bjelica said. After a relatively good fall season for the Leathernecks, they are looking to come back stronger and better against the Green Bay Phoenix as they begin their spring season on the road this Saturday at 10 a.m. Twitter: bradjp08
Men’s Basketball from back page
Defensively, the Pioneers are led in blocks by Amigo, who currently has nine blocks. Following Amigo, sophomore guard Ade Murkey has earned a total of seven blocks for Denver. Statistically speaking, Western defense dominates over the Pioneers in regards to blocking percentages. The Western Illinois men’s basketball team is also currently ranked 9th in the nation for defensive rebounds per contest. The Leathernecks currently
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1 & 2 bedroom apartments, new $250 signing bonus on 10 and 12 month leases. Two blocks from campus. Bus stops nearby. Free water, garbage and parking. Laundry onsite. Clean, well maintained and secure. Call Ted 309-837-5600 or visit markertrental.com. Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord. Call 309-255-1233. Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122. FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565. Westen Investments has only two 4-Bedroom brich houses available. Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing! We will show to 2-3 person groups as well!
average a total of 75.1 points per game, while the Pioneers average 71.8 points per game. From a scoring perspective, both the Leathernecks and Pioneers have similar scoring patterns, making the teams evenly matched. Western currently has a conference record of 1-4, while Denver has a record of 2-4. Both teams will be hungry for another conference win during this upcoming match. Western is currently ranked eighth in the Summit League while Denver is ranked sixth,
LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! Firsrt come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall. NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing. Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing. CLEAN, REMODELED, AND WELL MAINTAINED HOUSES AND APTS FOR RENT IN GREAT LOCATIONS. UTILITIES PAID FOR APARTMENTS. RENTING NOW FOR FALL 2017. ALSO RENTING TWO APTS FOR SPRING 2016. CALL JASON AT 309-221-3985. Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message. Westen Investments has just one 3-Bedroom ALL UTILITIES INCLUDED (Water, Sewer, Trash, Gas, Electric, and Internet) Apartment left! That’s right you just pay for rent, and the rest of it is on us! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to check it out.
making Thursday’s contest a battle for the Leathernecks to inch higher up into a better conference position. Western’s main goal this season was to improve from their previous season. The Leathernecks finished off their previous season in seventh place, meaning that they still have some work to do in order to be successful in achieving their goal. Considering how early it is in their season, the Leathernecks still have room to move up the ranks of the Summit League. Twitter: beccalangysxo
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For Rent Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished. Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets. Semester leases offered. Call 309 837 4369 and leave your phone number if not there. Email: MandKhousing@gmail.com ALL APARTMENTS - ALL INCLUSIVE Get control of your budget. Know exactly what you are spending each month. Each apartment includes free a/c, free heat, free electricity, free water, free cable tv, free hi speed internet, and free off street parking. Laundry on site. No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment. Westen Investments still has affordable 1-4 Bedroom Apartment/Houses available. Be sure to check out our website (www.westeninvest.com) to see our available listings, and call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule a showing. Be sure to follow us on Facebook and Twitter to win prize giveaways! APARTMENT FOR RENT: FOR QUIET PERSON. ONE BEDROOM APARTMENT FOR RENT LOCATED AT 314 West Carroll ST Macomb, Ill 61455. Available end of August 2017-new carpeting yearly lease SMALEST FURNISHED IN MACOMB $345.00/month - HEAT & AC INCLUDED private entrance, off-street parking included call for appointment309-837-4748 or 255-5075 woodburning fireplace, ask for Paul. For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo. (309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime. Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message
Sports 7
Wednesday, January 24, 2018
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Brady tames the Jaguars
In every single second of our lives, there is something that we can learn from. I try to sit back and think about what I can learn from and build upon it. On Sunday, the NFC and AFC Championship games took place and there are a few things I learned as the games unfolded on our television screens. The first thing I learned, which is really something that I learned a very long time ago, is that New England Patriots’ quarterback Tom Brady is unbeatable. Brady is 40-years old and playing better football than I play on rookie mode in Madden. It also became apparent against the Jacksonville Jaguars that he is indestructible. Brady was playing with ten or twelve stitches in his throwing hand. I have to go to the emergency room and hire a twentyfour hour-a-day nurse when I get a paper cut. Brady and the Patriots found themselves trailing 14-3 at halftime and 20-10 in the fourth quarter. Early in the game they lost one of the top three tight ends of all-time, Rob Gronkowski. Leaving their number one receiver a 5-foot-11-
inch tall wide receiver in Danny Amendola. Along with all of that adversity, keep in mind that they were playing the number one pass defense in the NFL. If you just gave me those terms without telling me what team was playing, I would say that they had no chance of winning. However, it was the Patriots and Brady. I’ve never had more confidence in anyone like I have confidence in Brady. He just keeps coming back and winning and it never gets old. My favorite thing to see is when anti-Patriot and antiBrady fans watch games and see them getting smacked upside the head in the first half, they go to all their social media accounts and laugh and boast. They’re so confident that this is the time that Tommy Terrific goes down. Then, he flips a switch and transitions from a human, to a football robot with bionic arms and super-vision. Brady comes back, and he wins and those same people that were berating him are suddenly nowhere to be found. There’s a few things that I am positive will die or be gone before Brady is done making other NFL
defenses look like those puppies from the “Puppy Bowl,” that airs every year on the Animal Planet, which happens to be the greatest sport, human or animal, to ever be invented. Walking will be dead before Brady is done with football. Instead of walking, we will all be riding on those hover chairs that all those people in “Wall-E” were riding on in the spacecraft after the Earth became inhabitable. The art of cooking food will also be eradicated. All food will be made instantly, using the microwave and food packets like they had in the “Spy Kids” movies. Trees will no longer exist because humans will have used them all for their pencils and clogs. We will get most of our oxygen supply from those cheap fake trees from the Dollar Store with oxygen dispensers built inside the wicker pots and fake soil. And lastly, the NFL will be dead. All of the critics of the game will finally get the upper hand and they will tear down the sport for being too barbaric. The immortal Brady will be left throwing applesauce with a perfect spiral at his pesky nurse in his senior citizen’s home. The second thing I learned from the AFC Championship game was that Blake Bortles is painfully average. Bortles almost fooled the entire football community. He was undefeated in his playoff
career, it was only two games but let’s forget about that part where he looked like the next savior of the Jacksonville Jaguars. He beat a Hall of Fame quarterback Pittsburgh Steeler, Ben Roethlisberger, and it looked like he was about to beat the greatest quarterback of all time and stop the most impressive dynasty in sports history. Brady, Belichick, Amendola and James Harrison. Long ago, the 32 NFL franchises lived in harmony. Then, everything changed when Brady and Belichick attacked. Only Bortles, the master of all four of the average quarterback talents, had the chance to stop them. And only he stood between the Patriots and their eighth Super Bowl, but when the NFL needed him most, he vanished. Former Steeler Harrison and Patriots defense started to put pressure on Bortles and he turned into mush. Bortles proved to be unable to make the big plays that the Jaguars needed to pull out the victory and they fell to the same fate that it seems like every team that faces the Patriots do. A loss after a comeback victory in the fourth quarter. After the AFC Championship game took place, it was time for the Philadelphia Eagles and Minnesota Vikings to face off in the NFC Championship game. The biggest lesson I learned from this is that Nick Foles is my new
hero. Foles put to rest the evil Vikings that crushed the hopes and dreams of the entire state of Louisiana with a miracle play to end their divisional game with the New Orleans Saints. The Vikings looked primed to advance to the Super Bowl with a dominant defense, and a quarterback in Case Keenum, that was starting to get offensive with how good he was performing after being a backup quarterback. Foles won the battle of the backups easily putting together a near perfect game with the 38-7 rout of the Vikings. The second thing I learned from the NFC Championship game is that the Saints would’ve done better. The Vikings got lucky and dethroned the 2018 Super Bowl champions too early. Drew Brees would’ve climbed higher on the all-time quarterback rankings with a 400-yard, 3-touchdown performance in the big game that would’ve led the Saints to a 52-24 win over the Patriots. Brees would’ve also won MVP and gone on to become the Governor of Louisiana. The final thing I learned from the AFC and NFC championship round of the playoffs is that the Patriots are about to win another Super Bowl. The Patriots’ dynasty will continue on until 100 years from now, when someone else finds the new Avatar.
By Haley Richards
Morgan Blumer had 15 points in that game. Alt led the Pioneers with eight points. This is the first time that Western Illinois will face Denver this season. In the 2016-17 season, the Leathernecks beat the Pioneers three times. The first game in early January, they won 87-62 at home. The second time facing Denver was over a month later where they won 80-68. They then faced the Pioneers for a third time in the Summit League championship quarterfinal game. They defeated Denver, the 8th ranked team by a score of 82-39 in that game. The 39 points scored by Denver were the fewest points allowed by Western last season from a Division I opponent. The Pioneers are surely looking for revenge against the Leathernecks as the last time the faced each other, the Leathernecks eliminated them from a chance at the Summit League championship. After this game, the Leathernecks will have only eight more games until the regular season closes out. The Purple and Gold will see Denver again at the end of February, which will be their last game of the season. twitter: hayfourrr
Leathernecks face Pioneers at home assistant sports editor
Emily Clemens looks up from her dribble to find a pass.
PEDRO AVILA/PHOTO EDITOR
Macomb, Ill.— The Western Illinois women’s basketball team will take on the University of Denver on Wednesday at Western Hall. Tipoff is set for 7 p.m. This will be the 7th conference game for the Leathernecks. Sitting at third in the Summit League at 4-2, the Purple and Gold will look for their fifth win of conference play. The Pioneers are currently 12-9 in regular season play and 3-3 in Summit League play. They are coming off of a conference loss against Oral Roberts University. The lead scorer for Denver is freshman guard Claire Gritt of Arlington Heights, Illinois. She is averaging 10 points per game which puts her at 10th in the conference statistics. However, Denver’s senior forward Jordyn Alt ranks first in rebounds, averaging 7.7 per game. Freshman guard Carie Weinman is ranked at the top of conference in 3-pointer percentage at 47.1 The last time these two teams met, senior guard Emily Clemens led the Leathernecks with 17 points. Senior guard
Monday, August 21, 2017
Leathernecks look to hault Pioneers By Becca Langys
assistant photo editor
PEDRO AVILA/PHOTO EDITOR
Kobe Webster drives past a defender.
The Western Illinois men’s basketball team is scheduled to play against the University of Denver Pioneers this Thursday. The Leathernecks will travel to Denver to participate in their 6th conference game of the season. Leading the Leathernecks from an offensive standpoint, freshman point-guard Kobe Webster continues to be a standout player, earning a total of 286 points so far this season. Webster also proves to be the top overall 3-point shooter, having a total of 42 successful 3-point shots on the season so far. Closely following Webster is senior guard/forward Dalan Ancrum, who has earned 266 points for the Leathernecks. Ancrum is currently ranked 4th in the Summit League for his free-throw percentage. Junior center Brandon Gilbeck is also catching some conference status, currently ranking 2nd in the Summit League for his field-goal percentage. Webster currently averages a total of 15.9 points per game,
followed by Ancrum who averages 14.8 points per game. From a defensive standpoint, Gilbeck continues to dominate on the court. Gilbeck currently averages 2.9 blocks per game and has a total of 53 blocks this season so far. Gilbeck not only leads the Leathernecks in blocks, but he also leads in the Summit League making him ranked first in conference for blocks. Ancrum also leads Western defensively; with 20 steals for the season so far. Closely following Ancrum is Webster who has raked up a total of 14 steals. Taking a look at Denver’s bench, the Pioneers are currently being led by senior center Daniel Amigo, who has earned 315 points this season so far averaging in 15.8 points per game. Following Amigo is junior guard Joe Rosga who has 309 points and averages 15.5 points per game. Both Denver and Western have topscoring players that average about the same per game.
Women’s Basketball page 6
Tennis to rise from ashes against Phoenix By Bradley Piros courier staff
MACOMB, Ill. – Temperatures are finally rising, and spring is right around the corner. Women’s tennis rounded out their regular fall season on Oct. 1 against Knox College as they routed to a 7-0 sweep against the visiting Prairie Fire. The Leathernecks won every doubles match up, as the senior out of Wichita Kansas, Courtney Lubbers, teamed up with sophomore teamate Natalia Bravo to win 6-2 in the No. 1 spot. In the No. 2 spot was senior Cary Milanes and sophomore Laura Ballesteros, defeating the Prairie Fire 6-1. Rounding out the doubles competition was senior Maria Bessmertnaya from Russia, teaming up with sophomore Andrea Haines to sweep Knox 6-0. Their success in those match ups quickly carried over into singles action, as five Leathernecks were able to sweep their opponents. Bravo won 6-1, and 6-0 in the No. 1 singles action
and Lubbers won 6-0, and 6-0 again in the No. 2 spot. Ballesteros and Milanes both swept their opponents 6-1, and 6-0 in the No. 4 and No. 5 spots respectively. Haines also grabbed a singles win that Sunday afternoon, as she won her matchup in three sets (6-2, 2-6, and 10-5). Head coach Mirko Bjelica was extremely pleased in the way his team performed. “All our team members did well, but I especially want to commend Andrea Haines for walking onto the team just over two weeks ago and already contributing with a hard fought win at No. 3 doubles and No. 6 singles.” Haines said. After that match with Knox College, Western was off to compete at the ITA Central Regional Championships in Lawrence, Kansas. Representing the Leathernecks was Lubbers and Bravo, who were doubles partners, but also competed in singles matches as well.
Tennis page 6
Courtney Lubbers returns a ball.
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