Opinions: General election investigations come to a boil.
Page 8: Astros win in seven.
Sports: Redbirds and Leathernecks prepare for 100th matchup
Friday, November 3, 2017 - Vol. 118 Issue 31
Students seek T-lot revitalization By Emily Stieren assistant news editor
There are approximately 180 parking spaces for approximately 1,000 students who live in Thompson Hall. Many of the parking lots at Western Illinois University have minimal parking, but maybe not as significantly as Thompson’s T-lot. “In the T-lot, there are not enough parking spots,” said Campus Parking Manager Lance Johnston. “Every lot on campus that is attached to a building does not have enough parking to accommodate every single person that lives in that building. There is just not enough space or room for parking.” In a Western Courier survey, out of 100 Thompson residents surveyed, 99 percent said they think the T-lot does not have an appropriate number of parking spaces for the number of students who live in the hall. Taryn Underwood, a student at Southern Illinois University studying to obtain her master’s degree in architecture, referred to the International Zoning Code for more information regarding how many parking
spaces Thompson should have. According to Underwood, the code stated that there should be two parking spaces per dwelling unit (dorm room) no matter the number of people living in each room. Although this might be a long shot, Johnston said he is always looking for ways to expand the parking lot. “The reason why that parking lot is so small is because there is no place to build,” Johnston said. “There is a little bit of green space between the Thompson lot and the woods to the north, but there are also some 100-year-old trees there that people would not want to cut down. I thought about trying to maybe expand that back toward the woods, but that would be a fight with the people who don’t want to see trees get cut down. But of course, they don’t live there.” Isaac Asche, Thompson resident and the Speaker Pro Tempore of the Student Government Association, said he thinks a building as large as Thompson should have more parking spots, given the number of residents housed in the building.
Parking
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NICHOLAS EBELHACK/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Aerial view of Thompson Hall's parking lot (left.) Demolition cleanup continues at the Higgins Hall demolition site, which will be transformed into grass area as progress continues (middle and right).
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
By Tabi Jozwick courier staff
The Western Illinois University Veteran Resource Center will have several events throughout campus and the Macomb community from Nov. 6 to 11, to honor American veterans for Military Appreciation Week. “Military Appreciation Week
is an opportunity for us to acknowledge veterans and service members who have served and to honor those that paid the ultimate sacrifice,” said Assistant Director, Student Assistance Center Veterans Resource Center Kathy Meyers. “We take that week as an opportunity to offer a variety of programs for veterans, service members, staff, faculty
and administration to attend.” “Celebrations, Triumphs and Challenges: Gender Differences in the Military” will feature a panel of students, alumni, faculty and staff of veterans and service members to discuss gender differences with Educational Studies Professor James LaPrad as facilitator in the military on Nov. 6 in the Multicultural Center
at 6:30 p.m. Recreation, Parks and Tourism Administration Assistant Professor Jeremy Robinett will be doing his presentation Appreciating Western Military Service Students’ Experiences: Friendly Faces and Conflicted Spaces on Nov. 8 in the University Union Fox Room at 3 p.m. “Robinett completed a study
last year here at Western,” Meyers said. “He will present his findings of the survey and provide opportunity for us to move forward and how we serve our veterans and service members and we are looking forward to that information.”
Military
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2
Friday, November 3, 2017
NEWS
WesternCourier.com
Western welcomes 'Say Her Name' campaign
JULIAN SALGADO/COURIER STAFF
Atendees and members of the audience participate in the 'Say Her Name' campaign and recite the 'I Am My Sisters Keeper' pledge establishing a covenant to honor and protect their sisters on campus.
By Matthew Armour courier staff
Western Illinois University welcomed the Say Her Name campaign to document stories of women of color who have been assaulted or killed by police or assaulted by domestic violence on Monday in the Gwendolyn Brooks Multicultural Center. The campaign provided some analytical frames for understanding the struggles of black women by creating a sisterhood. The campaign also aimed to heal mental wounds by conducting stimulating conversations filled with recommendations and advocacy around black women’s experiences of police and domestic violence. “This is the first time the Say Her Name has been brought to WIU campus,” said event orchestrator Joi Wells. “It’s not the actual first time it has been done though,” According to Wells, the goal of Say Her Name is to bring awareness and justice to Sandra Bland, a 28-yearold black woman who was found hanged in a jail cell in Waller County, Texas, in July 2015, three days after being arrested during a traffic stop. The traffic stop escalated and led to her wrongful arrest
and charge of assaulting a police officer. “There wasn’t much exposure of (Bland's) story, activists made a campaign ‘Say Her Name’ to tell the story of what happened to bring more awareness,” Wells said. The makers of Say Her Name aspired to bring light and exposure of the everincreasing cases of police brutality, prejudice and racial injustice. “There are a lot of women who experience domestic violence in relationships and with friends and things like that and you don’t really hear their stories as much,” Wells said. “This is just bringing more awareness and for their stories to be heard.” To turn the tide to receive more coverage in the news and media, the Say Her Name event allowed different students to give brief summaries of young women whose lives tragically ended too soon. One of the most popular and unfortunate stories was that of Kenneka Jenkins, 19, from Chicago, who was found dead in the walk-in freezer of a hotel. “There have been a lot of unanswered questions that have come up,” Wells said. “A lot of different videos have come up on social media for you to kind of see what happened and a lot of people have been doing
their own investigations as to what’s been going on.” When tragedy occurs, it can cause a demographic to become hopeless when government officials and abiding police officers aren’t held accountable. “With the Sandra Bland case they wanted to integrate policy responses from that and demands for justice and also media representation since it wasn’t being shown that much on the news as well,” Wells said. Providing an open space is important for students feeling their voices aren't heard and concerns aren't being acknowledged. “We’re hearing each other’s ideas and making recommendations and we’re trying to put those ideas into action,” Wells said. “(Say Her Name) started from a conversation that we had in the Gwendolyn Brooks Cultural Center.” Attendees and members of the audience participated in an ‘I Am My Sisters Keeper’ pledge, a promise to honor and protect sisters on campus. “We’re going to do an ‘I Am My Sisters Keeper’ Pledge, so we will all recite that, if they agree, and pledge to honor, and protect, and encourage and speak up for other sisters’ on campus.” Wells said.
OR
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
PUBLISHING AND CIRCULATION
The Western Courier is published Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays during the regular school year, excluding holidays, finals week and semester breaks. The WC updates the website weekly during the summer. All content reflects the editorial discretion of the students operating the newspaper and must be interpreted as unofficial university communication. While every attempt is made to determine the validity of advertising contained herein, the advertising in the WC is not to be construed as endorsements of any specific products or services. The WC assumes no responsibility or liability resulting from the content of paid advertisements. Subscription price is $36 per year mailed third-class bulk rate from Macomb. The WC is printed by The Galesburg Register-Mail in Galesburg, Ill.
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CORRECTIONS AND CLARIFICATIONS The WC needs your help to maintain accuracy. If you find a factual error, call the WC office at 309-298-1876 between 8 a.m. and 4:30 p.m. weekdays. Please ask to speak to an editor to ensure the inaccurate information can be corrected as quickly as possible.
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Parking from front page
“I think the parking is horrifically inadequate for the number of students that live here versus the amount of parking spots available,” Asche said. “I feel that on the site where Higgins used to be should be more properly utilized as additional parking spots for Thompson.” According to Johnston, the empty lot will become “just grass” where Higgins formerly stood. Yet 98 percent of the students surveyed think it should become a parking lot for Thompson residents. “That is something maybe we can look at in the future,” Johnston said. “It is going to take at least a year for it to settle and get all the debris
Military from front page
On Nov. 9, the Vets Club will be passing out yellow ribbons at the University Union Concourse from 9 a.m. to noon, Western alumni Vietnam War-era veterans will be sharing their experiences the University Union Sandburg Theatre at 4 p.m. and a social to honor the Vietnam Warera veterans at the Western Illinois Museum, 201 S. Lafayette St, at 6 p.m. “The thing about this year, because it is the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam-era War, we are honoring our Vietnam veterans,” Meyers said. “So, former mayor Tom Carper has been instrumental in helping us bring back Vietnam era students from Western and so, they will be returning that week and they will be providing discussions in various areas and courses, English classes, whatever, history, that type of thing.” “I feel like the Vietnam veterans didn’t receive the public support that they deserve,” said cyber security major and student veteran Matthew
Friday, November 3, 2017 cleaned up, and then I am not for sure what they will do. I am going to have to see exactly what it looks like when it is done. It might be a big mound like where Wetzel used to be, so a new parking lot would not be able to go there. That is a good idea though.” Meanwhile, Thompson residents can always park at the baseball field’s lot, which is close to Thompson, but has limited parking as well, or they can venture out to the main Q-lot near the Spencer Student Recreational Center. “The Q-lot never fills up, so there is always parking for anyone with a permit on campus,” Johnston said. “You might have to take the bus or walk farther than you would like to that’s for sure.” Sixty-eight percent of Thompson
residents surveyed reported that they feel unsafe while walking to their dorm from Q-lot at night. Western’s Office of Public Safety (OPS) Police Lt. Thomas Clark said there are two emergency call boxes on the walk between Q-lot and Thompson, and the area is well lit due to the installation of brighter LED lights. Despite there being very few reported issues in that location, students still feel uneasy on the walk back to their residence hall. Thompson’s small parking lot permits fewer than 20 percent of residents to park at one time, which leads students to believe it is time for an expansion. Johnston made it clear that this issue is a priority, but the lack of space and money is the primary problem at hand.
Brogdon. “Compared to now, the public support is greater than it was then.” On Nov. 10, a tribute ceremony will be held at the Sherman Hall flagpole to recognize all the veterans and service members. In case of bad weather, the ceremony will be at Sherman Hall Auditorium, located on the third floor of Sherman Hall. On that day, the University Union Bookstore will be offering a 20 percent discount to veterans and service members with military ID during normal business hours and Sodexo will be offering veterans and service members a free small drink at Dividends, Sbarro, Einstein’s and the residence hall dining centers. Flags of Love will be at Chandler Park on Nov. 11 for Veteran’s Day. Volunteers are needed to help set up flags at 7 a.m. and take down the flags at 5 p.m. “Most recently, the longevity of the program has been questioned because we have it in place for many years,” Meyers said. “It is certainly a ritual that we don’t want to lose in the Macomb community, so we really
want individuals to do that.” Also on Nov. 11, the Battle of the Forces Bench Press Competition will have veterans and service members of all military branches to compete as part of their military branches in a bench weight completion. Entry fee is $10, and all fees will be donated to student Anthony Fillingham, who been diagnosed with leukemia and is undergoing a stem cell transplant. The Macomb VFW Post 1921, 1200 E. Jefferson St., will have a public ceremony on Nov. 11 at 10 a.m. with free soup and sandwiches. American Legion Post 6, 221 E. Washington St., will be hosting a free meal to American Legion members at 5:30 p.m. and are accepting new Legion members. “There is a bond between veterans,” Brogdon said. “I talked to veterans from different eras and I talked to a few Vietnam veterans and compared to other veterans, I really don’t see a difference. I get along great with them as I do with anyone else.” For more information, contact the Veterans Resource Center at 309-2983505 or by email at veterensresources@wiu.edu.
NEWS 3
•On Oct. 20 at 9:19 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Henninger Hall. No smoke or fire was found and no injuries were reported. •On Oct. 21 at 12:17 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Grote Hall. No smoke or fire was found and no injuries were reported. •On Oct. 22 at 12:32 p.m. Jayanna Estes, 18, of 1322 Tanner Hall, was arrested in Tanner for battery. She was lodged in the McDonough County Jail at 12:41 p.m. pending bond. •On Oct. 25 at 10:36 p.m. non-student Michael Carter, 22, of Chicago, was arrested in Olson Hall for aggravated domestic battery. He was transported to McDonough County Jail at 10:42 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Oct. 26 at 1:42 a.m. three students were judicially referred for obstructing identification, and two students were judicially referred for cannabis near Wetzel Hall. •On Oct. 26 at 12:10 p.m. Mekyell Brown-Champion, 18, 820 Tanner Hall, was arrested in Tanner Hall for a domestic battery incident that took place Oct. 25. He was transported to McDonough County Jail at 12:23 p.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Oct. 26 at 8:45 p.m. one student in Tanner Hall was judicially referred for cannabis, and another student was judicially referred for possession of alcohol. •On Oct. 26 at 11:26 p.m. a student reported the theft of $50 ($20, $5 and $25) taken from her wallet in Thompson Hall over a period of one month, beginning Sept. 17. The incident is under investigation. •On Oct. 27 at 9:37 a.m. nonstudent Matthew Shughart, 24, of Macomb, was arrested on West University Drive for no valid driver's license. He was transported to the McDonough County Jail at 9:43 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Oct. 27 at 6:05 .m. nonstudent Shalonda Moore, 26, of Macomb, received a notice to appear Nov. 28 for a Macomb city ordinance violation for possession of cannabis (less than 10 grams) during a traffic stop at Jackson and Ward streets. •On Oct. 27 at 8:50 p.m. Christina Healey, 19, of 317A Grote Hall, received a notice to appear Nov. 28 for a Macomb city ordinance violation for possession of cannabis (less than 10 grams) in Grote. •On Oct. 29 at 2:11 a.m. Karina
Cisneros, 19, of 911 Henninger Hall, received a notice to appear Nov. 28 for a Macomb city ordinance violation fighting in Henninger. Another student received a judicial referral for illegal consumption of alcohol by a minor and fighting. •On Oct. 29 at 10:47 p.m. two students in Bayliss Hall were judicially referred for behavior and weapons (use of a taser). •On Oct. 30 at 3:05 p.m. Paris White, 21, of 900 Linden Lane, was arrested near LaMoine Village on an active McDonough County warrant. She was transported to McDonough County Jail at 3:11 p.m. where she was lodged pending bond. •On Oct. 30 at 5:45 p.m. OPS and the Macomb Fire Department responded to a fire alarm in Tanner Hall. No smoke or fire were found and no injuries were reported. •On Oct. 31 at 10:56 a.m. nonstudent Jahi Allen, 18, of Chicago, was arrested at Mowbray Hall for domestic battery, unlawful restraint, and criminal damage to property from incidents that took place in Tanner and Bayliss halls on Sept. 10 and Oct. 30. He was transported to McDonough County Jail at 11 a.m. where he was lodged pending bond. •On Oct. 31 at 2:13 p.m. a student reported criminal damage, estimated at $120, to his motorcycle parked near Knoblauch Hall between 12-2 p.m. The incident is under investigation. •On Oct. 31 at 5:46 p.m. the Western Illinois University Office of Public Safety received a report from two students that they were each sexually assaulted by a male known to them. The assaults occurred Oct. 29 and Oct. 15, as well as on previous dates stemming back to last year. The incidents took place in a residence hall room. The University is investigating the incident. •On Oct. 31 at 9:05 p.m. a student reported the theft of his wallet, containing ID cards, a debit card, a credit card and $20, from the Thompson Hall dining center between 5-6 p.m. Fraudulent charges were made to both cards in the amounts of $65 and $33. The incident is under investigation. •On Oct. 31 at 10:32 p.m. one student in Olson Hall was judicially referred for cannabis. •On Nov. 1 at 12:04 a.m. one student in Corbin Hall was judicially referred for suspicion of cannabis and illegal possession of alcohol by a minor.
Friday, November 3, 2017
4 OPINIONS
WesternCourier.com
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
If you’ve been reading the news this past week, you will have heard all about Robert Mueller, his investigation and the arrests he made Monday. This is a huge event, and more people should be more informed about it. For those who haven’t heard anything about it, here’s your chance to catch up a little bit. In May of this year, Robert Mueller was tasked by the Department of Justice to serve as special counsel in the investigation into links between the Russian government and now President Donald Trump’s presidential campaign. Since then, he has been interviewing suspects, collecting evidence and trying to figure out what transpired during the general 2016 election. When people say that there was collusion between Russia and the campaign, they don’t mean that Russia hacked voting machines and changed votes. Instead, the idea is that Russia worked with the campaign to hack into the Democratic party databases and release their data, as well as to coordinate efforts to spread false information. These are
the allegations that Mueller has been looking into. On Monday, the first arrests were made in this case. The two arrested were political consultant Paul Manafort and his associate Rick Gates. Manafort was the manager of Trump’s campaign from June to August, but worked on the campaign since March. Gates was the deputy underneath him, and stayed with the campaign after he had left. They were arrested on charges of laundering money, and of being unregistered foreign agents. Trump and his defenders have correctly stated that all of Manafort’s and Gates’ criminal activity happened before the campaign. However, those arrests were not the only major events that happened Monday. The other bit of important news that came out was that the Trump campaign‘s former foreign policy advisor George Papadopoulos had been arrested July 27 and had since been cooperating with the Mueller team. He also had pled guilty to making false statements to the FBI.
The reason this is significant is because while Papadopoulos was working on the campaign, he had contact with various Russian agents, setting up meetings with them and higher-ups within the campaign. Papadopoulos forwarded one of these requests to Manafort, who in turn sent it to Gates, saying “We need someone to communicate that (Trump) is not doing these trips. It should be someone low-level in the campaign so as not to send any signal.” All of this information can be found on the documents released by the FBI and Mueller’s team. So why does this matter? First off, this is not a partisan issue. It is not a Republican or Democrat thing. Regardless of your political party, it should bother you that a foreign government was secretly attempting to influence our elections. Perhaps worse than that, is how some people are attempting to frame this as a political witch-hunt. They are saying that Mueller, a lifelong republican, is attempting to destroy Trump for political gains. That is absurd. We, as citizens, need to do our duty to stay informed about this issue. We need to hold our news organizations to higher standards, and call them out if they attempt to spin the truth.
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
Everyone has heard of it, most fear it, many have experienced it, few have been able to avoid it. Yes, you know what I’m talking about — the dreaded “freshman 15.” It's something I’ve heard complained about by many, and it's something I’ve seen happen with my own eyes. I would bet that most people can recall someone they know who left for college for a few months and came back a little chubbier. It happens to the best of us. But why? And how do we fight it? I can’t tell you exactly why people gain weight in college, but there are plenty of clues out there. New college students coming from high school are suddenly bombarded with a plethora of all different kinds of foods, available most hours of the day. Most of those options are not as healthy as they probably should be, and we all know we like to pick the ones that are less healthy than we’d like to admit. On top of the additional food is the lack of exercise. Many of us who used to be high school athletes have suddenly found ourselves doing absolutely zero exercise besides walking to class, and even that is on the decline since everyone wants to take the bus as the temperatures drop. Finally, the thing no one wants to admit is bad for them — alcohol. It is no secret that college students have access to a lot of alcohol. Many types of alcohol are high in calories and low in nutritional value. And you know you don’t just drink one. If a person drinks five cans of beer, even a light beer, they can be consuming a minimum of about 500 calories. Drinks that are not light have many more calories in them. So is it the food, the exercise or the alcohol? I believe it to be some twisted combination of all three. It’s a sick idea. Here you are, college students just trying to live your lives, already
stressed out because of school, and then you try to dress up by wearing jeans instead of leggings for once, only to find that your favorite pair of jeans won’t button. So now, you’re stressed on top of your stress because you’ve noticed you have gained weight. And then you stress eat. It's a vicious cycle. So how does one avoid the dreaded freshman 15? Grumpily. But you get through it. First off, watch what you eat. I’m not saying you have to go on a full-out diet, just try to match the calories you eat here to what you ate at home, without gaining weight. Second, go to the Rec Center. Even though it is so much easier to not go, just go. Our facility is so big and fancy, you’re sure to find something to do there that you can handle, whether it be an exercise machine, swimming or playing games. Just something to get you on your feet. Finally, and I cannot stress this enough, do go to Einstein’s. Don’t do it. There’s nothing in that place but high-calorie goodness and you’ll quickly find yourself going through withdrawals, like I did when I made myself stop going there. In fact, don’t get food in the Union. It is all terrible for you, and it is all delicious. It sucks. Gaining weight can be stressful, and college makes it really easy to do. Maybe you don’t have a problem with gaining a few pounds. If that’s you, then go ahead and live your life. But if you’re as terrified as I am, spend some quality time and thought taking advantage of the facilities provided to us at Western. The dining hall does give you pizza and noodles, but it also gives you fruit, salad and grilled chicken. Our Recreation Center is huge and really top-notch. Take advantage of what we are offered. You already paid for it in your tuition and fees anyway.
Friday, November 3, 2017
@WesternCourier
OPINIONS 5
Letter to the Editor Dear Editor: In response to the minimum wage argument: If today’s federal minimum wage is not substantial, what is an appropriate amount? Without defining any of the parameters, it is difficult to gauge a suitable limit. Let’s be clear: it isn’t 1933. One must acknowledge the multitude of changes such as automation, globalization, WIC and food stamps that have changed the nature of the federal minimum wage. Individuals have more opportunities today, whether federal or private, to supplement their low earnings than they did 85 years ago. The difficulty of raising a family with a minimum wage seems to be a different issue all together. The Brookings
Institute reported in 2003 three principles that, if enacted properly, have the potential to allow anyone to reach and stay in the middle class. “At least finish high school, get a full-time job and wait until age 21 to get married and have children.” Leaving out those between the ages 20 and 24 doesn’t represent the demographic properly. According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics in 2016, “workers under age 25 represented only about a fifth of hourly paid workers, (but) they made up about half of those paid the federal minimum wage or less.” Those between 16 and 19 make up about 20.6 percent. In capitalism, inequality of income is one driving force that incentivizes
an individual to seek better jobs, increase their variety of skills, pursue higher education, invest for future returns, or save for future expenditures. Opponents of minimum wage increases fear the lack of incentive and individuals striving for a bare minimum rather than the extraordinary. A monolithic argument such as Ryan‘s lacks the ability to define specific complex parameters that are considered when configuring a federal minimum wage. Too much of an increase will drive businesses toward more automation, increased prices, and layoffs of employees that you wish to protect. Ian Schielein, Biologly major
JESSIE MATIAS/PRODUCTION MANAGER
This week, a huge debate raging online has the internet divided. Even a Fortune 500 CEO vowed to “drop everything” until this debate was resolved. Is this debate about world hunger or preventing nuclear war or even saving the rainforest? Nope. It was about a burger ... emoji. Yes, there has been controversy over the apparent blasphemous emoji on Google devices because the cheese is underneath the meat in the emoji. That was the whole controversy. There are literally people sitting around comparing burger emojis and debating what is the proper order for toppings on a cheeseburger, because apparently if the toppings are not in the right order, we will never know what the emoji is supposed to be. Granted, most emojis i receive are just boxes with X’s inside, but I digress. Google CEO Sundar Pichai actually did tweet about this, saying he would drop everything for this debate until folks could all agree on the right way to do this. I’m interested what he actually had to drop to take on this project. The new Google logo? Looking into what other platforms Google can get themselves into, I say as I type this on Google Drive. The Google CEO makes almost $200 million a year and has a net worth estimated around $2 billion. How can an emoji debate become his top priority? Is he that worried about losing customers over a single emoji? Some users said that Microsoft had the most accurate burger emoji, yet I don’t see Bill Gates sitting at home maniacally
laughing while stroking a cat. He’s incredibly busy with charity work and trying to spend money as fast as he makes it, a problem I wish I had. Anyway, I have a hard time believing that Google doesn’t have more going on right now despite the fact we are just a few weeks away from the biggest electronic buying season of the year. They just released the Pixel 2 in an attempt to compete with Apple’s recent iPhone releases coming into the holiday season. I’m guessing there’s something else Google could probably be handling. If not, I definitely want to work for them. I’m pretty good with Google products, I even know how to do advanced searches. Just let me know where to send my resume. I understand that Google is trying to take any potentially positive publicity it can get before the big holiday season, which is a smart business move, but it questions what exactly consumers are prioritizing themselves with. There are a lot of major discussion going on in the news right now on a local, national and global scale. I understand that people need distractions but this seems so trivial. Are we getting that negative as a society that these little pictures have this much importance and meaning to us? I mean we literally had an “Emoji Movie” which I still haven’t seen, yet and that doesn’t upset me one bit. Right now we need to be having a conversation as a country about sexual harassment, violence and terrorism, not emojis.
Friday, November 3, 2017
6 SPORTS
Football
World Series
from page 8
from page 7
Western will need junior quarterback Sean McGuire and senior receiver Jaelon Acklin to find the same connectionsthey found early in the season. McGuire and Acklin fueled the Leathernecks to a 5-1 start before the recent skid. Acklin has not found the end zone in the past two games and was limited to a season-low 56 yards receiving last week against the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits. The Leathernecks and Redbirds are expecting a playoff atmosphere in Normal. Head Coach Charlie Fisher is looking for his team to come out of this rough patch they’ve had the past two weeks. “We’re good, most of the kids are pretty resilient but you have to be resilient more than anything this time of year,” Fisher said. “Mentally, the highs and the lows, it’s a long season and these are young kids and it’s a battle physically, it’s a battle mentally too, a lot of people forget about that, but you have to stay in the present and keep going.” This matchup will prove to be huge in determining if the Leathernecks will make the playoffs this year and can separate themselves from the history of last year’s collapse. Twitter:@devondeadlysins
Kershaw has led the MLB in ERA during his tenure, but in the playoffs, Kershaw has not been at his best. Kershaw proved all the doubters wrong and got the Dodgers a victory. Kershaw had some help with a homerun from Dodgers centerfielder Chris Taylor and third basemen Justin Turner to take the victory 3-1. The following day, game two was in the midst. The score and storyline were much different when the ballgame went into extra innings and Springer stepped up and blasted a homerun in the eleventh inning to give the Astros a one run advantage and brought the score to 7-6. The series was tied and
CLASSIFIEDS
WC
For Rent
For Rent
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. 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!
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WesternCourier.com moved to Houston, where they had not lost yet in their playoff run. In game three, the Astros kept their momentum rolling and took a commanding 2-1 lead with two more games left in Houston. However, the storyline to game three was similar to game seven; Dodgers pitcher Yu Darvish got shelled and the Astros scored early. The Astros won 5-3 and scored four of their five runs in the second inning. In a do-or-die game for the Dodgers, they prevailed to tie up the series once again. Los Angles’ first baseman rookie phenomenon Cody Bellinger hit his only homerun of the series, that ultimately won the Dodgers the game. However, this was the only game that Bellinger was relevant. The Dodgers won the game 6-2 with just one game left in Houston. The fifth game of the series was the best for the fans and for the Astros. A 13-12 barnburner that gave the Astros a 3-2 series lead over the Dodgers and their ace Kersshaw. Houston’s two stars shorts stop Carlos Correa and second basemen Jose Altuve each homered and had a couple hits in the win. The Dodgers did not
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.
just lay down, each team had 14 hits and an error, but the Dodgers proven closer Kenley Jansen blew a save and lost the game. Game six was similar to game one with a score of 3-1. However, the Astros had one of their aces on the mound, Justin Verlander, who had an ERA of under one in the playoffs, but the Dodgers fought him out of the game and then capitalized. The series was once again tied and the Dodgers were back at home. Manager Dave Roberts was given a tough decision on whether to start Kershaw for the third time of the series or put his second ace Darvish on the hill once again. Roberts made the poor decision to place Darvish on the mound and the results were the same as before. The Astros scored a quick five runs and Darvish was quickly replaced by Kershaw who did not give up a run and only allowed two hits. The game ended in a 5-1 Astros victory. When it was all said and done, the early five-run lead was too much for the Dodgers to comeback from and Houston finally won the title that their city has been waiting for.
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! 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.
Sports 7
Friday, November 3, 2017
@WesternCourier
Soccer ties with Bradley University By Hayley Richards courier staff
Western Illinois University’s men’s soccer team took on the Bradley University Braves on Tuesday at John Mackenzie Alumni field and recorded their first tie of the season. The game ended with a score of 0-0 in a double-overtime matchup. The Leathernecks move onto 5-8-1 on the season and the Braves are now 9-7-2. A cold day in Macomb was not the ideal game setting for a match; however, both teams came out to play. Throughout the game, there was a lot of back and forth movement, but not much possession from either team. “Bradley was able to put some pressure on us. I thought we were more under pressure in the first half, and in the second half we adjusted better,” said Director of Soccer Eric Johnson. “For us to get a shutout was a big step, but we had some guys that had good games, along with our backline. We looked organized and that we had a plan today, so it's a credit to those guys who came out and prepared today.” It was a scrappy game filled with not only many fouls, but also a few yellow cards. The Purple and Gold recorded
eight fouls while the Braves had 13. Bradley also was given three yellow cards throughout the match. Both teams went back and forth as 18 shots came from the Leathernecks and 22 shots from the Braves. The closest opportunity of the game for the Leathernecks came in minute 74 after they received an indirect free kick inside the box. A questionable call from an accidental pass back to the goalie left Western Illinois with a free shot in the box. Senior forward Fernando Pacheco took the shot that was then deflected off a Bradley defender. In the 77th minute, a service into the box caused trouble for the Leathernecks. As sophomore goalkeeper Tim Trilk was on the ground from a previous save, senior midfielder Amadeo Carbo was able to save a goal from occurring by deflecting the ball with his chest. With seconds left in regular time, senior forward Drew Whalen took a shot that could have been the game winner. Unfortunately, the ball was a bit too high and sailed over the crossbar. As overtime began, Western Illinois came out with a spark. They were putting Bradley under much more pressure, trying to look for a win. However,
the Braves were not going out without a fight. With 30 seconds left in double overtime, junior forward Frank Bak of Bradley had a shot that was a nail biter for the Leathernecks. As his shot went over the crossbar the final whistle blew. Pacheco recorded six shots on the game, followed by senior forward Armel Kouassi with three shots. Trilk recorded a career-high 10 saves for the Purple and Gold. Taking a look into their next competition, Western will face the Denver University Pioneers for their last game of the season. This match will not only close the season for both teams, but it is also the Summit League regular season championship. "We know that we are peaking in terms of fitness and we played in overtime. We got through it and they are ready to go. They are disappointed they didn't win, but they also aren't because we were able to get the shutout,” said Johnson. “This is the time of year we have to shine, and they are ready for Saturday." Western sits at 3-1 while the Pioneers are 4-0 in conference play. A win would allow the Purple and Gold to capture their first regular season conference championship since 2011. Twitter: hayfourrr
Josh defibaugh/copy editor
Drew Whalen jogs to position in a home match.
Volleyball heads to hunt Jackrabbits By Becca Langys courier staff
Victoria Ketterer/ courier staff
Emma Norris returns the ball in a home game.
BROOKINGS, ND. - The Western Illinois University volleyball team (6-18) is scheduled to play against the South Dakota State University Jackrabbits (2-22) this Saturday in Brookings, ND. This will be their second matchup against the Jackrabbits this season. Western’s volleyball team continues to struggle during their trek throughout the Summit League schedule. The Leathernecks have a record of 1-9 in conference thus far, making it, at this point in the season, impossible to climb out of their hole and into a positive record. The Jackrabbits are having an almost equally unprosperous conference experience this season, having no conference wins under their belt. Based on records, it is hard to predict which team will come out on top, seeing as though both teams have been struggling tremendously with conference play. Leading the Leathernecks offensively this season, red
shirt freshman outside hitter Mackenzie Steckler leads Western in kills, earning a total of 197 this season so far. Following Steckler, freshman outside hitter Emma Norris closely leads the Leathernecks with 185 kills. Junior Setter Jaime Johnson leads Western offensively with 14 aces on the season so far. Johnson also leads the Leathernecks in assists with a total of 730. Defensively, the Leathernecks continue to have a strong presence on the court. Currently, sophomore libero Claire Grove leads Western with a total of 360 digs. Closely following Grove is senior outside hitter Shalyn Greenhaw, who has earned 266. At the net, Steckler leads the team in blocks with a total of 84 this season so far. Trailing Steckler, junior middle hitter Emilee Dechant has 75 blocks under her belt for the Leathernecks. In Saturday’s matchup, the Leathernecks and the Jackrabbits will both need to bring high amounts of energy and momentum to the court in order to increase their chances of winning the match. The overall season statistics of
both teams are very closely matched. Currently, Western has a total of 970 kills, and the Jackrabbits closely follow with a total of 803 team kills. Western defense has had a slightly stronger presence on the court this season, earning a total of 1436 digs, compared to the Jackrabbit’s 1062. At the net, Western leads the Jackrabbits yet again, having a total of 187 blocks compared to SDSU, who has earned a total of 131. Whilst the Leathernecks tend to lead the Jackrabbits statistically, the numbers are overall still very close to each other and therefore the outcome of this game will depend greatly on the energy that both teams bring to the court. Saturday’s big matchup between the Western Illinois Leathernecks and the South Dakota State Jackrabbits should be a very closely matched game with an equal set of skills on either side of the net. The game will very greatly depend on the amount of energy, momentum and intensity brought to the court by both teams. Twitter: beccalangysxo
Monday, August 21, 2017
Hundreth game between in-state foes By Devon Greene
assistant sports editor The Western Illinois University football team is heading to Normal, on Saturday for their 100th matchup against the Illinois State University Redbirds. This hallmark game will come 103 years after the first encounter between the two teams. The first matchup occurred on Nov. 25, 1904 and has been a back and forth series ever since. The Leathernecks are currently leading the all-time series between the two teams with a 5046-3 record, however, they have lost the last 7 games against the Redbirds. Junior running back Steve McShane had one of his biggest games last weekend and the Leatherneck offense will need him to put together another game like that in order to win against the conference rival. However, Illinois State is the fifth ranked team in the FCS against the run, so McShane and the Leatherneck offensive line have their work cut out for them on Saturday. The Redbirds dominated their last two games against ranked opponents. They’ve done this
in large part due to their offense, scoring 37 and 35 points during the short winning streak. Sophomore running back James Robinson has put up at least 100 yards in his last two games, but he is not the only concern out of the backfield for the Leathernecks. Redshirt freshman running back Markel Smith has also had big games with over 90 yards in his last two performances. The Redbird’s run game will prove to be a huge deciding factor in this game. Western currently ranks 35 in the FCS against the run this season and have been plagued by running teams all year. The Redbird defense also looks like they’ve hit their stride. They held the University of South Dakota Coyotes’ lethal offense to 21 points in route to the 37-21 victory to hand the Coyotes their first loss of the season. The week after, Illinois State’s defense shut out the Youngstown State University Penguins on their home field in a 35-0 thrashing.
Football page 6
NICHOLAS EBELHACK / EDITOR IN CHIEF
Jaelon Acklin waits for the cadence in a loss to South Dakota State University.
Astros take October
Jose Altuve rounds the bases in his first World Series victory.
In debatably the most exciting World Series in the history of the MLB, the Houston Astros captured the team’s first World Series title. The title did not come easy, as the Astros had to take
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down the force out of the National League that was the Los Angles Dodgers. The Astros fought tooth and nail and were forced to a game seven that happened on
Wednesday night. Game seven seemed underwhelming compared to the other six games, when the five of six runs for the whole game were scored in the first two innings. However, the other six games did not disappoint. During the series, the pair of teams broke the homeruns record in a single series with 25, the previous record stood for fifteen years when the Anaheim Angels beat the San Francisco Giants in seven games and blasted 21 homeruns. This series took down a few other records too, when Astros centerfielder George Springer homered in four straight games and reached on 29 bases, which led to a World Series MVP. He took down the base record that was held by Hall of Famers Reggie Jackson (1977) and Willie Stargell (1979) that reached 25 bases. In the first game the Astros started their ace Dallas Keuchel against the greatest pitcher of this generation, Clayton Kershaw. However, regular season Kershaw and playoff Kershaw have proven to be two different pitchers.
World Series page 6
PEDRO AVILA / ASSISTANT PHOTO EDITOR
Taylor Higginbotham scores in a win over Quincy University.