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Rauner in Normal

Governor tours DESTIHL Brewery with fellow lawmakers Saturday, praises town’s economic ANDREW DOUGHERTY | Political Reporter | @addough

G

Natalie Stuckslager | Vidette Photo Editor

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner and DESTIHL CEO Matt Potts take a tour around the seven-month old brewery Saturday located at 1200 Greenbriar Drive in Normal. Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington), Sen. Bill Brady (R-Bloomington) and Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington) were there as well.

ov. Bruce Rauner toured the DESTIHL Brewery Saturday in Normal before taking questions.

Rauner greeted local residents who were surprised to see the highest elected official in Illinois. He took photos and spoke with the patrons as he entered the dining room.

“I’m very excited to be here.

I’ve had friends telling me to come up from Springfield and take a tour of this facility, and now I see why,” he said. “What a beautiful and incredible facility this DESTIHL Brewery is.”

The brewery is located at 1200 Greenbriar Drive.

The governor was joined by DESTIHL CEO Matt Potts, state Sen. Jason Barickman (R-Bloomington), state Rep. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) and Sen. Minority Leader Bill Brady (R-Bloomington).

“His success is what I would call our states’ number one sales person and has not only helped bring in policies that have allowed

Guitar World plays its last note Music store has its swan song after nearly 50 years MIKE SMITH News Reporter | @Agora_180

Musical instrument store Guitar World, located in Uptown Normal, closed its doors for good Thursday after nearly 50 years.

The shop on 129 E. Beaufort St. prospered for several years, but financial situations changed and the store could no longer support itself.

Long-time owner Jim Bland said there were many reasons for the close, including the change in market, lack of revenue and rising expenses. However, online sales may have had the most impact on the store’s income.

“There’s a lot of kids that are not from this area,” Bland said. “They are all used to shopping online or from where they live.”

Online sales do not contribute to local sales tax, and with the rise of online shopping, sales

Michelle Carrico | Vidette Photographer

Uptown Normal’s Guitar World closed on Friday after nearly five decades in business. Owner Jim Bland said there were several contributing factors such as lack of revenue and online shopping. tax revenue is shrinking.

Guitar World opened its doors in 1970.

Back then, the store was called Ax-In-Hand.

In 2008, the store moved to its final location in Uptown Normal, after previously

being located at 105 N. Broadway Ave. in Normal.

Other musical instrument shops in Bloomington-Normal include The Music Shoppe, Kidder Music and Carl’s Pro Band.

this but bring things like Brandt Industries, Rivian Motors and other things,” Bill Brady said.

Rauner began by praising the deregulation efforts his administration has taken so that businesses like the brewery are not held back from regulation.

“America is built by entrepreneurs and people taking a risk by putting their own capital, time and hard work to start a business and it often fails,” he said. “But that risk-taking of entrepreneurship is what has created the most dynamic economy in the world here in America and has created economic prosperity for all Americans.”

Rauner noted how Potts was able to start up his own business despite possible risks, and “now [he] has one of the most famous, world-acknowledged beers that is sold around the world and exporting good jobs around America.” see RAUNER page 3

Although the store is closed, Bland said he enjoyed the time he had with the shop.

His favorite thing about working there: the people.

“Ever since we announced our closing, there has been a group of people that have come by or sent emails or Facebook messages,” he said.

“Our philosophy has always been, ‘If you let us teach you the guitar, you’re going to have fun,’” Bland said. “We don’t try to make you a rockstar or a classical performer or concert person; we want you to have fun playing the instrument and playing the music.”

As someone who has been teaching others to play music, the 72-year-old Vietnam veteran has always had an appreciation for the craft.

He began teaching others when a local shop hired him at 16.

“My teacher said she’d pay me to work at the store, and at that age, you’re thinking, ‘Pay me?

Sure,’” he said.

Bland wants to keep making music with Velvet Groove, his band. He also plans on working with his lighting company and spending more time with his wife and children.

“This is the first Saturday I’ve been off that wasn’t for a holiday in about 50 years or so,” he said.

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Loyola professor to speak on undocumented immigrants at ISU ANDREW DOUGHERTY Political Reporter | @addough

“Dr. Chang will be talking about her own experiences and combining that with research she has done. She has whole sets of data and interviews urora Chang, assiswith other undocumented stutant professor dents, so it’s both personal and of teaching and academic in that sense,” she learning in the School of added.

Education at Loyola UniverLynd thinks Professor sity Chicago, will speak on Chang’s point is that at the end “Undocumented to Hyperpeople talk a lot about Dreamers documented: A Journey of in public discourse and about Papers, Protection, and Ph.D. pursuing the American dream status” at 5 p.m. Tuesday in and the importance of giving Room 149 of the Center for access to higher education.

Visual Arts.

“But it puts enormous presThe talk is sponsored by the sure on them,” she said. “They Latin American and Latino can’t mess up, make mistakes and Studies Program at Illinois must go above and beyond comState University. The event is pared to students who aren’t faced free and open to the public. with the undocumented status.”

“Well there’s been a quesSome of those pressures for tion of the undocumented undocumented students include student’s experience and having no access to financial aid has been in the news quite a and emotional stressors. bit lately with the adminis“Having others not knowing tration’s decision to rescind how you experience things or DACA last spring,” Juliet how it affects your life is diffiPhoto courtesy news.illinoisstate.edu Lynd, acting director of latin Assistant Professor of teaching and learning at Loyola University Aurora Chang will cult,” Lynd said. “Those who are american and latino studies, speak on undocumented students at 5 p.m. Tuesday in the Center for Visual Arts. under DACA and indeterminate said. fates and have chosen to go for“There’s been various politward and put their names and ical punting with what the future of that program who could address the topic. personal data into this database might disappear might be as well as the discussion of Dreamers “It came from a desire to educate the commu- with more uncertainty in their future.” and undocumented students seeking to pursue nity about undocumented people and their family For more information contact Latino Studies at higher education despite their status,” Lynd said. members,” she said. latinostudies@IllinoisState.edu.

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Meet the candidate

THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 3

Veteran, professor Jon Ebel confident on 13th District win

EDITOR’S NOTE: This is the third in a series of profiles of candidates in Illinois.

ANDREW DOUGHERTY Political Reporter | @addough

In his first foray into the turbulent political atmosphere, Jon Ebel, Navy veteran and associate professor at University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign’s (UIUC) Department of Religion, said he is confident that voters in Illinois’ 13th Congressional District will elect him as the Democratic candidate in the March 20 primary election.

Ebel announced his candidacy last August and is one of five candidates running in the Democratic primary with the hopes of unseating Rep. Rodney Davis (R-Taylorsville) in the November midterm elections.

Ebel grew up in the small town of Hopkins, Minnesota, before earning his undergraduate degree in education at Harvard University. He went on to earn his doctorate at the University of Chicago.

Between earning his degrees, Ebel served in the U.S. Navy as an intelligence officer for four years in active duty, and then stayed in the reserves for another seven.

During his time in college, politics did not seem as urgent to him because he said there was more bipartisan agreement and responsible leadership in Washington.

Now, he says this is no longer the case and it is time for people who have an even keel and good moral compass to try and direct the ship.

“As someone who serves in the military, you are working with people who are by definition from different backgrounds and you’re working with them in a diverse organization to get things done,” Ebel said.

“The military experience is one that is great training for accomplishing things in a bipartisan manner,” Ebel said. “I worked with people

in my squadron who were politically, socially and religiously different, but we got along and that’s the spirit I see missing in D.C. and one that I would bring back.”

Ebel differentiates himself from the other candidates by spotlighting his military credentials and electability. He is the only veteran among the Democratic candidates.

“Being in the military I know what foreign policy feels like. I’ve been deployed and mobilized, and the decisions being made in congress and D.C. are illiterate to the others in the field who don’t have this experience,” he said.

“Congress has a lot to do in the realm of foreign policy and we need to send someone who knows those decisions that need to be made.”

As an intelligence officer in the Navy, he received the highest level of security clearance that can be obtained. He said this gives him the knowledge of what is at stake and should not be trifled with.

“When Davis went to college at John Hopkins University, I went on to serve my country. I can drive a stark contrast to the policies he’s pursued of serving special interests and the top one percent and my record of service,” he said.

“He has only

talked the talk and I have walked the walk.

Voters will see that and see the difference between someone who knows veteran’s affairs and one who simply talks about them.”

Ebel said his desire to run for office and become a part of the solution is that he has three daughters and is concerned about the country and its future.

“I’m concerned about the future of our country and society will grow out into and I want to do everything I can to promote and protect democratic values which I see are under attack,” Ebel said.

“I want to help shape a world that will give my daughters a fair shake, paycheck and not show hostility towards them in any way.”

Personally, and as a citizen, he said he believes it is his duty to run for office.

His experience as a researcher and teacher at UIUC gives him the opportunity to listen to different voices and build a consensus and community out of it are directly related to be a representative.

“Davis is afraid to listen to those voices,” Ebel said.

“Your job is to represent not the wealthy or ideological compadres but rather

everyone else. He has failed in that and I will not.”

The Cook Political Report has the 13th District “likely Republican,” but Ebel explained that in the 2016 Democratic primary, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vermont) won 13 out of the 14 counties in Illinois, which showed a progressive message for the district.

“The right candidate who can articulate the right message to call for something higher and bigger reminds the electorate that we’re all in this together and we need to build a link and a winning coalition,” he said.

“My military background is one of the qualities that make me electable and it’s an area where I can attract voters from both the center and right.”

He also said soldiers’ lives should not be wasted and the district will appreciate someone who stands up for the rights of veterans and who will make Congress stand up for its constitutional and moral obligation to take power back from the executive branch.

“I know what I think the voters are going to want and choose on primary day, which is someone who will stand up for their interests and not corporate or insider interest,” Ebel said.

“They want someone who cares more about the endorsement of the common voter and not elite politicians and I feel good about our chances.”

Ebel said he understands what college students endure and supports them.

“I know how hard it is for students to get what they desperately want in their degrees and I see you’re working two or three jobs just to make ends meet,” he explained.

“I know how that feels because I worked four part-time jobs while in school. I have your back and I will be a tireless advocate for making the education you want affordable and high quality.”

“Your job is to represent not the wealthy or ideological compadres but rather everyone else.

[Rodney Davis] has failed in that and I will not,” Jon Ebel, 13th Congressional District Democratic candidate

Sales career, internship fair helps foster connections CINDY LE News Reporter | @Cindy_Pear

The College of Business has many students who are working toward a career in sales and they are looking for those networking opportunities.

The Professional Sales Institute (PSI) will host the Spring 2018 Sales Careers Job & Internship Fair at 4 p.m. on Feb. 21 in the Bone Student Center.

RAUNER continued from page 1

On Wednesday, Rauner held his fourth State of the State address where he discussed his hopes for a strong Illinois full of strong businesses.

He explained two reasons that Illinois is not booming economically is due to excessive regulations and taxes that are too high.

“We have every other reason to boom,” he said.

Rauner then spoke about the financial burden of student loans that college students in Illinois leave with after graduation.

“We want to work to bring down the cost of education and tuition for higher education. We have tuition costs that are some of the highest in America and for our state universities. In order to do that we have to do several things,” he said.

“We need to increase state support for our schools, but very importantly we need to help our schools lower their costs. We put a lot of burden on our university system.

High pension costs, high regulatory burdens and a great deal of bureaucracy,” he added.

Rauner continued to say that state universities in Illinois end up looking much like the state government which is “inefficient, filled with overheads and

This event is one of the top-rated sales career fairs in the country and gives the opportunity for employers to meet with potential sales professionals.

The PSI is a partnership between businesses and higher education that provides students the networking skills necessary to find a job after graduation. Director Mike Boehm began the Sales Careers Job & Internship Fair back in 2005.

“Career fairs have over 100 companies and usually have long lines of students waiting to talk to employers,” Boehm said.

Boehm not only wanted to provide opportunities for students looking for a career in sales but also a more relaxed environment for both employers and students to meet.

There will be more than 35 companies attending the event.

Most students, on average, end up receiving three job offers their senior year with companies such as Dish Network, COUNTRY Financial and State Farm Insurance.

Other companies that will be attending the event include Groupon, Sherwin-Williams, Sprint, Northwestern Mutual and

Enterprise Rent-A-Car. Normal’s very own Young America will also be at the Sales Career Job & Internship Fair. They are looking for prospective freshmen and sophomores who will greatly benefit with sales experience.

This career fair offers a professional setting for students to introduce themselves to employers. But it will also provide an informal atmosphere for employers to socially interact with students. The PSI will provide light appetizers for everyone to enjoy throughout the event.

Boehm encourages students from all major backgrounds to attend because this kind of experience could benefit everyone delving into the world of business.

“Dress professionally and make more resume copies than you think you’ll need,” Boehm said.

Boehm also suggests looking at day-in-the-life videos of the companies that are on the PSI website. Students can see what it is like to work for the company they are interested in.

bureaucracy.”

“If we can help them reduce that with pension reform, with mandates, we can bring down those costs and the money can go in the classrooms for students rather than to an expensive bureaucracy which forces tuition up.”

He then explained the major legislative goals and objectives he would fight for if re-elected in November.

“My priority in the second term over the next five years is to roll back the income tax hike so it’s back down to 3 percent and create property tax reduction as well through mandated relief efforts and more local control over the cost of government.

“Getting more good paying jobs through regulatory relief just like DESTIHL Brewery, you heard the story.

His business is booming because we got regulations off.

We need to do this in every sector of the economy,” he said. “Illinois will boom because we have great people, and we’re a great location.”

Illinois’ primary elections take place March 20, and the general election is Nov. 6.

Rauner will hold his State of the Budget address Feb. 14.

Check out the Destihl Brewery tour gallery on videtteonline.com

Natalie Stuckslager | Vidette Photo Editor

Gov. Bruce Rauner and Sen. Dan Brady (R-Bloomington) pose for a photo at Destihl Brewery with a bridal party that was celebrating at the brewery’s restaurant.

Viewpoint

PAGE 4 | THE VIDETTE

VIDETTE EDITORIAL

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

Show your love for the transgender community

W

ith February being the month of love, let’s start making a list of all the things we care about.

From our favorite television shows to the sweetheart that has our attention, the list could be endless.

As we continue jotting down those fancies, let’s not forget the love for our fellow humans.

At this point in adulthood, we should be accustomed to caring about the people around us. The need to protect each other has been with us since the day we were born. Even for the people we do not know, we feel a sense of obligation to look out for them.

Yet one community has slipped through the cracks of our brains and we have left them to fend for themselves.

The transgender community is being put in dangerous situations every day. People’s lives are at stake simply for being brave enough to be themselves.

Stories on people’s deaths have clouded social media, yet we still do not focus many of our conversations around them.

Being different is a feeling each person knows all too well. Regardless if it stuck with you or not, there was a

time when you did not feel welcomed or that you did not belong. During those moments, the need for someone to show you a little kindness was so strong because one person could make a difference.

As you grew from a child to an adult, you learned the proper ways to address the people around you. You learned what was appropriate and what was not. You learned about respect and feelings. These are the same ways of communication that need to be used when addressing the transgender community.

It is your obligation to become an ally for transgender individuals because this

will not be a fight they can endure alone.

As you step into becoming a real ally, a lot of learning needs to take place. According to the Gay and Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation (GLAAD), it offers three pieces of advice to allies, but education on the matter should be never-ending.

Never make assumptions about a transgender person’s sexual orientation.

Regardless of what someone’s appearance is, that does not lay out a map of their sexual attractions. Everyone’s preferences are different.

Pronouns are an important part of someone’s identity; don’t just assume

them. This is something you will have to find out. You may listen to the people around them to see the pronouns they use for that individual or you can introduce your own pronouns, as GLAAD states.

Pronouns differ from person to person, and it should not be a hassle for an individual to be called the correct pronouns.

College programs have started incorporating that into introductions, which is a step closer to being an inclusive space.

When you can, challenge anti-transgender jokes, spaces and remarks. Utilize the voice you have. The jokes/remarks said about a transgender individual are harmful to the progress of their communities. These jokes can encourage stereotypes that prevent transgender people from feeling included and normal. Regardless of who is saying what, use your voice to call them out. Make it known to others those types of comments will not be tolerated.

If you are a transgender person who is feeling out of place, there is a Pride student group on campus that would love to meet you.

If you are an ally, educate yourself always.

Editorial Cartoon by Flynn Geraghty | Vidette Art Director

EDITORIAL POLICY Editorial written by LEXI ABHSIE, a member of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Editorial policy is determined by the student editor, and views expressed in editorials are those of the majority of The Vidette’s Editorial Board. Columns that carry bylines are the opinions of the author and do not necessarily represent those of The Vidette or the University.

Instagram’s new feature might take a hit on privacy MY VIEW KAMARA TURNER | Columnist

I

nstagram is one of today’s hottest apps on smartphones and is constantly adding new features to impress its users.

However, the popular app might have taken a risk with its new update, which allows a user’s followers to see when they were last active on the app.

Instagram now has a messaging section where users can send messages to followers, reply to a photo posted or share posts. Now, not only can you scroll through the app to “love” photos and follow

people, but you can see when they were last using Instagram.

The new feature is called “Show Activity Status” and is enabled automatically. Users can choose whether they want the feature on or off. If the feature is off, people’s own and other users’ last activity information will not be shown.

The feature is fairly new and it is possible they are testing out the waters to see how users feel about it. The new feature is available for both Android and iOS users.

To be more clear on the feature, your followers cannot see when you were last active on Instagram, only people you have previously direct messaged will see how many minutes or hours have passed since you were last scrolling through your feed.

The app will show either “active today,” or it will become even more specific and show “active now” status when you’re scrolling through the

VIDETTE LETTERS TO THE EDITOR POLICY The Vidette welcomes letters to the editor, provided they are no longer than 250 words and are typed and double-spaced. Letters that exceed the 250-word limit can be published at the editor’s discretion,but shorter letters take precedence. Letters containing name calling and insults will not be published.

Letters must be signed and contain the major or official title of the writer, the year in school if presently enrolled, address and a daytime telephone number for verification. Letters without phone numbers will not be considered for publication.

Names may be withheld upon request, but only after approval by the editor. Letters are subject to editing for style and space at the editor’s discretion.

Letters sent via e-mail to: vidette@ilstu.edu are accepted, provided they include a telephone number for verification.

application at the exact moment.

Although Instagram does give its users the option to turn the feature on or off, there has been a variety of complaints about the update.

One Instagram user on Twitter said, “Hey @Instagram there is literally zero need for people to know when I was last active. Why did you do this?”

Another user said, “Thanks Instagram for baiting out everyone’s life with this new last active thing?”

As an avid Instagram user, I don’t mind the app indicating when I was last active, but I do believe Instagram could have done a better job at announcing the new feature because many people may not want anyone to know when they are on the application, especially when other social media apps such as Facebook show when you are online through the Messenger app.

Some Instagram users see this

update becoming an issue for stalkers and people who monitor others’ every move and could potentially be dangerous. Luckily, Instagram does give its users the option to turn it off.

If users want to turn this feature off, they need to go into their Instagram settings and turn off “Show Activity Status.”

While many find this new feature as a safety issue, Instagram did a great job at making sure it can be turned off. However, they could do better by letting users know more about new features before they become live.

KAMARA TURNER is a mass media major and a columnist for The Vidette. Any questions or comments regarding her column can be sent to katurne3@ilstu.edu. Follow her on Twitter @kvmara.

THEY SAID IT

MORE OPINIONS ONLINE

I’ve had friends telling me to come up from Springfield and take a tour of this facility, and now I see why.”

Letter to the Editor: Avoiding a dangerous pot hole

“

Illinois Gov. Bruce Rauner said after he took a tour of the Destihl Brewery Saturday in Normal. He discussed the town’s economic growth and his plans for the future if re-elected.

Editorial: Care about customer safety, not just profit Letter to the Editor: Other views on U.S. policy are needed Visit The Vidette’s website or mobile app for complete details on these web-only opinion pieces by Vidette Editorial Board

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Cast your vote at Videtteonline. com or by using The Vidette mobile app

EDITORIAL BOARD EMA SASIC Editor-in-Chief | @ema_sasic KEVIN SCHWALLER News Editor | @kevschwa KAYLA JANE JEFFERS Columnist | @KJJeffers KAMARA TURNER Columnist | @kvmara LEXI ABHSIE Columnist | @labhsie

THE VIDETTE | NEWS | PAGE 5

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5 2018

Designer purse fundraiser to benefit cancer patients

Mennonite College of Nursing online programs ranked among the best in state

HANNAH ZETTL News Reporter | @HannahZettl

ANDREW DOUGHERTY Political Reporter | @addough

United Way of McLean County is set to host the third annual Power of the Purse, a fundraiser aiming to benefit the diagnosis of cancer at 5:30 p.m. May 31 at the Hilton DoubleTree in Bloomington.

Proceeds of the event will go toward the purchase of a PET/CT scanner for the Community Cancer Center in Normal.

“The PET/CT is a very important diagnostic imaging tool that assists in the diagnosis and treatment of cancer patients in McLean County and surrounding counties we serve,” Joe Prosser, executive director of the cancer center, said in a written statement. “It allows great convenience for our patients to receive all their care under one roof for their treatment planning and follow-up care.”

One hundred twenty designer handbags will be up for auction and purchase at this year’s Power of the Purse. Fine chocolate, wine bottles, spa packages and accessories will also be available at the event. Wine pulls, raffles, a silent auction and electronic bidding will occur throughout the evening.

Appetizers and a cash bar will also be available. Tickets cost $45 and will be up for purchase starting March 1 at www.uwaymc.org.

Last year, Power of the Purse raised $32,070 for the YWCA Labyrinth and Mid Central Community Action’s Neville House. $31,000 for Habitat for Humanity of McLean County’s Women Build crew was raised at the 2016 event.

Power of the Purse is intended to bring women from all walks of life together in a powerful setting to encourage philanthropy, leadership and success in the McLean County community.

United Way of McLean County was created in 1935 and built on community partners such as donors, volunteers, businesses, nonprofits and local government.

Their mission is to improve the lives of McLean County citizens through health, academic and financial success. The organization has worked with YMCA, YWCA, The Baby Fold, The Salvation Army, Boy Scouts, Girl Scouts and the Day Nursery.

Those interested in getting involved with United Way can find more information at uwaymc.org.

United Way is located at 201 E Grove St. Bloomington, Illinois.

Illinois State University’s Mennonite College of Nursing’s (MCN) online Registered Nurse to Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program has been ranked 77 the for “Best Online Bachelor’s Program” by U.S. News & World Report.

According to U.S. News & World Report’s website, “These are the best online bachelor’s degree programs, based on factors such as graduation rates, indebtedness of new graduates and academic and career support services offered to students.”

Emily McMahon, MCN’s director of marketing and recruitment, said there are a couple things she thinks are good to point out about the program.

“One is that healthcare as a field and industry is changing and the American Medical Institute has laid out a statistic that they want to increase the number of bachelor prepared nurses by 80 percent by 2020,” McMahon said. “There’s a huge push for nurses to get RN and bachelor’s degrees and our online program allows them to do that.”

The online RN to BSN program is designed for licensed registered professional nurses who have completed an associate degree or diploma in a nursing program and are looking to earn their bachelor’s degree as stated on the MCN website.

“Personally, as someone who has taken online courses at Cornell, ISU and a couple other places, I think we do a great job helping students make that experience of working and going back to school doable and manageable,” McMahon said.

“The factors that the rankings are based on are things such as class sizes, preparation of faculty and do they have a Ph.D.” McMahon said the online program provides students with an in-class experience that is delivered online, which is one thing that sets it apart from other programs.

“That engagement between faculty and students in the course is something we drive home because in a lot of online classes the students interact in forums and the faculty is not participating on those discussion boards,” she continued. “Our faculty members are in those discussion boards talking and communicating as if they were in a lecture and interplay with the students.”

Mennonite College of Nursing has received praise for its online nursing program.

According to McMahon, MCN alumni have told her the program makes it an on-campus experience but also makes the process for online learning easier to navigate than other online programs.

“Other programs are very self-paced learning and you’re essentially teaching yourself out of a book with no support system,” McMahon said. “That is an area that we focus and excel at and the rankings we have received show we have done a good job at that.”

“We cap our online classes at 30 students and no more and that’s the difference between us and other programs that have class sizes such as 100 students or more,” she added.

McMahon continued by saying nursing students should think about where they are in their life, whether they are on a full or part-time path and to think beyond getting a degree.

“This is both an investment in time and financially, so you want to make sure the program you’re enrolled in will give you tangible skills that you can use in your life,” she said.

“This is where our program stands out because

Blo-No jobless rate continues to fall MIKE SMITH News Reporter | @Agora_180

The jobless rate in BloomingtonNormal continued to decrease throughout December.

According to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, the rate

of u nemploy ment i n t he Bloomington-Normal area has steadily been decreasing over time. This is a continuation of a trend that has been ongoing for seven months.

With more construction being done along Veteran’s Parkway to

it puts a focus on leadership skills that will help make you a leader in your work environment and professional life,” she said.

McMahon said the MCN aims to have excellent quality in all of its programs and build students as professionals.

Last fall, the MCN’s America’s Promise Schools Project received an Innovation in Nursing Education award from the American Association of Colleges of Nursing (AACN). The awards program recognizes outstanding work of AACN member schools to re-envision traditional models for nursing education and lead programmatic change.

“Our undergraduate and clinical experience programs were recognized because we take students out of traditional clinical studies like hospitals and put them in places like schools,” McMahon said. “This way they get a bit of a taste of public health and it’s a pretty cool project as part of that experience as it is for the betterment of public health.”

fix roads, build and deconstruct new establishments, the jobs continue to grow.

Just back in July 2017, the unemployment rate peaked at just 4.5 percent. A month later, that number fell to 4.2 percent.

As of Nov. 2017, 92.9 percent of residents were employed to one or more jobs.

Nationally, the unemployment rate has stayed steady at 4.1 percent for the months of December and January.

Jef f Mays, The Illinois Department of Employ ment Security director, says that this level of unemployment hasn’t been seen in at least a decade.

“Eleven metro areas saw their lowest December unemployment rates since 2006,” Mays said in a statement. “The unemployment rate also decreased in all 102 counties over the year.”

This data coincides with the decreasing number of closing establishments in the state.

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21 & Over After 6 pm

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Vidette Photo Archive

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PAGE 6 | THE VIDETTE

Features

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

Icing on the cake

Downtown Bloomington sweetens F1rst Fr1day with Tour de Chocolat RACHEL SCHOLLMEIER Features Reporter | @r_schollmeier

F

ebruary’s F1rst Fr1day was every chocolate lover’s dream.

The theme of February’s F1rst Fr1day was Tour de Chocolat. F1rst Fr1day started in 2008, but Tour de Chocolat has been going on since 2005.

On the first Friday of every month, Bloomington holds its F1rst Fr1day event.

Events and Outreach Coordinator Catherine Dunlap said, “F1rst Fr1days are a way to showcase the diversity of businesses, art galleries and restaurants that are within our district. It is a chance to discover businesses or art galleries that you might not have known were there.”

This F1rst Fr1day provided a vibrant atmosphere and a ways to support and interact with artists and small businesses within the community while indulging on delicious treats.

For the event, businesses and galleries were spread out over an eight block area. Businesses in participation included Kelly’s Bakery and Café, Satio, Vintage & Handmade Market, Eaton Gallery, Art Vortex, Alethia Art Gallery, Three Square Studio, Reality Bites, That Dapper Pet, The Stash, Neighbor Thrift Store, Yarn Garden, McLean County Museum of History and many more.

“I have lived in Bloomington for five years and I love all that the town has to offer” Cynthia Davis

Bloomington resident

Businesses served a wide variety of unique chocolate delights. One of the many popular businesses to visit was Bloomington’s Coffee Hound. The small-town business served an Aztec Elixir Hot Chocolate, a spicy cayenne pepper hot chocolate, offered exclusively during F1rst Fr1day.

Bloomington resident and attendee Cynthia Davis said, “I have lived in Bloomington for five years and I love all that the town has to offer. Despite the cold, I’ve been able to stay warm tonight with my hot chocolate from Coffee Hound.”

Some of the other assorted chocolate treats included Yarn Garden’s apple truffles and Kelly’s Bakery and Café’s signature chocolate soup with Scottish shortbread cookies. In addition, Common Ground served Black Bean Chocolate Chili, chocolate covered raisins, Love Buzz coffee and salty snacks.

“It is always fun to hear that someone didn't know that you could get a certain product in Downtown,” Dunlap said.

Businesses typically stayed open from 5 to 8 p.m., but some stayed open even later. For example, Red Raccoon Games stayed open until 11 p.m. “[F1rst Fr1day] provides a chance to visit and discover many of our businesses who are closed in the evening," Dunlap said.

Be sure to check out Downtown Bloomington’s next F1rst Fr1day to have an extraordinary Downtown experience. Cost of attendance is free, but many businesses have items to sell.

Ali Rasper | Vidette Photographer

TOP: The Goeckner family served baked goods to the F1rst Fr1day attendees. Ivy Lane Bakery was named after Susan and John Goeckner’s two children, Ivy and Lane.

ABOVE: Inside Out: Accessible Art Gallery and Cooperative held a chocolate contest for the Bloomington residents in celebration of Tour de Chocolat.

University Galleries gives professors opportunity to shine in 2018 Faculty Biennial RACHEL SCHOLLMEIER Features Reporter | @r_schollmeier

The 2018 Faculty Biennial is on display at University Galleries until Feb. 11.

It showcases work by 33 different faculty members in the School of Art and the Program in Arts Technology. The art in the exhibition reflects a diverse range of studio practices including studio art, graphic design, art education and arts technology.

The exhibition will feature painting, drawing, photography, printmaking, video, animation, ceramics, glass, wood, metals, sculpture and graphic design. It will also include two faculty collaborations, a sound installation and a multimedia window installation.

Director of University Galleries Barry Blinderman said, “It was our goal in this show to try to [produce] and give faculty the opportunity to work as big as they liked, to use formats that might exceed or be different from what people would normally expect.”

One of the largest pieces in the exhibit is a collaborative graphic design piece by Alice Lee and Ladan Bahmani. The piece will take up an entire wall.

Both artists got inspiration for their pieces by their linguistic differences.

Samantha Brinkman | Vidette Photographer

The 2018 Faculty Biennial presents work reflecting a diverse range of studio practices by 33 faculty and staff in the School of Art and the Program in Arts Technology.

Lee is Korean-American and Bahmani is Persian. That said, the center letters spell out the word ‘translate’ in English. Up and down is ‘translate’ in Korean while left and right is

the word ‘translate’ in Persian.

Viewers can also interact with the piece by using a flashlight to form patterns with the letters, which accentuates the mobility of

language.

Bahmani sees her work in translation as a way to communicate.

She said, “Not limited to human communication, I view translation as a vital component of various systems in the world. My work looks at the translation process as a method that shapes our visual and textual communication.”

Another piece featured in the show is Derick Downey’s installation that he has been working on for over a period of years.

Although Downey typically works in virtual reality, for this piece everything was drawn out. It includes many drawings with different elements of world thought. It goes from comical to deadly serious.

Overall, University Galleries hopes to get the exhibition as much visibility as it can.

“At night, we leave the lights on so people walking by can also partake in the exhibition,” said Blinderman.

The 2018 Faculty Biennial provides a great opportunity to indulge in and witness the creative spirit of ISU’s art faculty members.

RACHEL SCHOLLMEIER is a features reporter at The Vidette. She can be contacted at raschol@ilstu.edu. Follower her on Twitter @r_schollmeier.

THE VIDETTE | SPORTS | PAGE 7

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

All in the family Gillespie duo looks to rebuild ISU women’s basketball JON BARLAS Sports Reporter | @janveselybarlas

From football royalty like the Harbaughs and Grudens, sports tends to find a way to surface as a family affair. Generations of coaches and players seem to pass on their knowledge to their next, continuing the never-ending cycle of sportsbound families.

Now, the Illinois State women’s basketball team welcomes its own duo – head coach Kristen Gillespie and her cousin Scott Gillespie – to strive to restore the success of the Redbird program.

As Kristen Gillespie navigates through her inaugural season as the Illinois State women’s head coach, she has a familiar face on her coaching staff to help with the transition.

Scott Gillespie most recently served as an assistant men’s basketball coach at Indiana University – Purdue University Indianapolis. As a player, Scott Gillespie was a standout scorer for Division III Ripon (Wisconsin) College, where

Ali Rasper | Vidette Photographer

ISUl head coach Kristen Gillespie (left) and her cousin Scott Gillespie (right) Friday against Loyola. he remains the program leader in both points (1,871) and assists (602).

With the unprecedented experience of the game under his belt, Kristen Gillespie feels as confident as ever working alongside her cousin.

“He gets our players to believe in themselves more than anyone,” she said. “He wants our players to get better ... he’s the one that’s in

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the gym working with them extra.

He really inspires them to work on their [game].”

The Gillespies come from a long chain of basketball-minded personalities, including their grandfather, Gordie Gillespie, who coached at Lewis from 1951 to 1965.

Scott Gillespie was a member of one of his grandfather’s teams, and he says he learned a lot from NICK LANDI & KADE HEATHER Sports Reporters

Entering the weekend on a threegame skid, the Illinois State women’s basketball team knew it had some ground to make up in the Missouri Valley Conference standings, especially if the Redbirds want to avoid the dreaded play-in game at the MVC Tournament in March.

ISU continued its four-game homestand by knocking off Loyola Friday night and ousting Valparaiso in a tight-knit affair Sunday at Redbird Arena.

In the win over Loyola, the Redbirds relied on a team-high 15 points from Katrina Beck. On Sunday, ISU tallied four players in double-digit scoring: Megan Talbot, Viria Livingston, Simone Goods and Beck to bury the Crusaders and notch its second consecutive victory.

observing his coaching style.

“I think the coolest thing I got to see was Grandpa in practice and to see how he treated the best player on the team and the freshman who didn’t play at all. It only took about two weeks for me to see that in Kristen,” Scott said. “‘Genuine’ I think is the word everyone uses to describe Grandpa Gordy, and Kristen definitely has a lot of

him in her.”

Kristen says she learned valuable lessons from Gordie.

“He would always tell me, ‘Whatever job you have, coaching is the greatest job in the world,’ because you get to do what you love and you’re getting to impact kids and that was really important to him,” she said. “That’s why I [coach] and I know Scott and I share the same morals of why we do this.”

Although Kristen and Scott Gillespie did not necessarily grow up together, their close personal relationship today impacts their working relationship. Whether it be on the court or in the office, that level of trust that comes from family is unmatched when it comes to support during the games.

“He calls me coach in the office and it’s really strange, but I respect him for that,” Kristen Gillespie said. “It hasn’t been the easiest year, but we’re trying to have fun with it.”

Currently posting a 10-12 record, the ’Birds now face the hump of achieving a .500 season. When it comes to mid-year reviews, both Gillespie coaches are ready to silence the negativity and rise above the adversity to not only improve their season but also to develop themselves as a program.

“How can we help our kids,” Kristen said. “[Although] we are somewhat limited and don’t play a ton, how can we continue to give them tools, whether it’d be plays or skill development, to give them confidence.”

Friday: ISU 57, Loyola 49

Sunday: ISU 63, Valparaiso 55

In the previous meeting, Loyola outscored Illinois State women’s basketball 24-19 in the fourth quarter to earn a 62-59 win in Chicago on Jan. 7.

On Friday night, Loyola was looking to use another fourth quarter comeback to once again steal a win from the Redbirds.

Behind Beck’s 13 points in the final quarter, ISU held on to beat Loyola 57-49 Friday night at Redbird Arena.

“Our mindset was going into this weekend, we’re going to be 1-0 tonight,” ISU coach Kristen Gillespie said. “We didn’t think we played our best at Loyola and we kind of wanted to play with something to prove and I thought we did enough to win.”

Despite being tied in the fourth quarter, the Redbirds never trailed, and they beat Valparaiso, 63-55 Sunday afternoon at Redbird Arena.

ISU (10-12, 4-7 MVC) struggled to find a rhythm offensively early on, but lucky for them, so did the Crusaders (10-12, 4-8 MVC).

“I thought we were able to play through Simone,” ISU coach Kristen Gillespie said about the difference maker of Sunday’s win, “she got good looks and then she got some calls. She draws a ton of attention. I thought she played with a tremendous amount of poise and patience.”

Full story online.

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Sports

PAGE 8 | THE VIDETTE

MONDAY, FEBRUARY 5, 2018

REDBIRD RE PORT ISU softball voted preseason favorites Illinois State was given 88 points and two first place votes, leading the league in the preseason polls.

ISU had four players named to the all-MVC preseason team.

Shannon Felde, Sarah Finck, Riley Hale and Allison Spence are the four Redbird representatives.

“

Coach says

It is exciting to be in this position. We feel we have a good group coming back. This is the first time in the last four years or so that we have an upper class group returning. Coming off what we did last season, we are still hungry and want to finish it in a little better way. The way the votes came in, this is going to be an exciting year.

ISU head coach Melinda Fischer

Monica Mendoza | Photo Editor

William Tinsley takes flight after driving from the right wing in the first half of Illinois State’s victory over Evansville. Tinsley finished with five points.

’Birds draw an Ace

Illinois State avoids scare as Evansville erases 13-point first half ISU lead, awaits injury status of Keyshawn Evans after MRI Monday MIKE MARRA Sports Editor | @MikeMarraILSTU

Nothing comes easy against Evansville, ISU coach Dan Muller alluded to on Friday.

And Saturday afternoon’s tilt with the Purple Aces was anything but easy for Illinois State.

Without Milik Yarbrough and Phil Fayne to end the first half and no Keyshawn Evans for the second half, ISU managed to down Evansville, 75-71, to win its thirdstraight game.

“Hard fought win, really proud of the guys,” Muller said. “Keyshawn went down, obviously, and Elijah [Clarance] gave us great minutes ... I don’t think it was the prettiest game ever, but we found a way down the stretch there.”

Illinois State improved to 13-11 overall and 7-5 in Missouri Valley Conference play.

After Fayne missed a pair of free throws, Evasnville’s Ryan Taylor nailed his eighth 3-pointer of the game to cut ISU’s lead to 73-71.

On the ensuing possession, the Purple Aces fouled freshman Taylor Bruninga, sending him to the free throw line for a pair of his own free throw attempts.

The freshman would split the pair, giving Evansville one last shot at tying the ballgame.

Taylor came down and tried to pull up and hit a 3-pointer, similar to the one hit seconds ago.

Recently Madison Williams has had an act for flashy plays, and this was no different.

Williams blocked Taylor’s shot, arguably cementing the victory for ISU. In the first half, Illinois State jumped out to a 7-0 lead out of the gate.

From there, the Redbirds would build their lead up to as many as

13 points.

The lead would not last long as foul trouble, combined with some ugly free throw shooting, allowed Evansville back into the game.

Fayne and Yarbrough were limited with two fouls each, as Yarbrough only played seven minutes in the first half.

“Once Phil and Milik went out in the first half, we just struggled so much to score we actually lost our confidence,” Muller said. “Luckily, we found it.”

The Purple Aces trimmed to the ISU lead to one-point, 34-33, going into halftime, but bad play to end the half was not the only thing in the halftime message to the Redbirds from Muller.

“The message was we weren’t playing very smart on either end,” Muller said. “We weren’t playing smart, we weren’t rebounding, other than that I was fine because two of our best offensive players were out and then Keyshawn went out down the stretch.

“We also found out Keyshawn wasn’t going to play the second half, most likely. And so the message was just a positive, confident one: ‘we’re fine, Elijah be ready to play, you’ve been great, Milik and Phil, I doubt I’ll take you out because you didn’t play much in the first half ... and we played a half we don’t think we played great and we still have a one-point lead so just go out there and play.’”

Evans injured his knee toward the end of the first half, resulting in the junior missing the entire second half.

“He hurt his knee. Just was — didn’t feel very good and got a doctor to look at it and said he probably should not go back in,” Muller said of Evans’ injury. “We’ll get an MRI, I’m guessing it’ll be Monday. We’ll keep our fingers

crossed until then.”

As the second half opened, it seemed Illinois State was in the danger zone as Evansville continued to bury shots and stifle the Redbird offense.

The Purple Aces finally took their first lead of the game and that’s when a second message was presented to the Redbirds in the huddle and it was much similar to the halftime message.

“We were just saying calm down, just stick to what we were doing [before that],” Yarbrough said.

“We just really relaxed ... we just came out and got to our principles, started guarding hard and just

made it hard for Ryan Taylor.”

Taylor would finish the game with a season-high 32 points, making eight 3-pointers and playing all 40 minutes.

Yarbrough shared a team-high 13 points with Fayne and Matt Hein, as Yarbrough played all 20 minutes in the second half.

David N’Diaye played as big as his seven-foot frame, tying a career-high six blocks, scoring eight points and grabbing five boards.

The next test for Illinois State comes Thursday when Southern Illinois invades Redbird Arena, with tip-off set for 8 p.m.

BY THE NUMBERS

13

After setting a new career-high in points on Dec. 31, Matt Hein scored 13 points versus Evansville, good enough for a new high.

30

Points from the Illinois State bench in the victory Evansville.

After struggling to get offense out of any besides the ‘big-three,’ this is a good sign.

MVC MBB SCORES Illinois State 75, Evansville 71 Indiana State 77, Northern Iowa 66 Loyola 97, Missouri State 75 Southern Illinois 65, Valparaiso 59 Drake 78, Bradley 68

MVC STANDINGS

Conf Ovrl

Loyola Southern Illinois Drake Illinois State Bradley Indiana State Evansville Missouri State Valparaiso Northern Iowa

9-3 8-4 7-5 7-5 7-5 6-6 5-7 5-7 3-9 3-9

19-5 16-9 13-12 13-11 17-8 11-13 15-10 15-10 12-13 11-13

UPCOMING Men’s Basketball ISU hosts Southern Illinois on Thursday at 8 p.m. before a Sunday matchup at Valparaiso at 3 p.m.

Women’s Basketball After a four-game homestand, the Redbirds travel to Southern Illinois Friday and Missouri State on Sunday.

Softball ISU opens the season Thursday against USF at 5:30 p.m. in Tampa, Florida at the USF-Wilson DeMarini Tournament.

Monica Mendoza | Photo Editor

Illinois State alum Doug Collins took in Saturday’s action from courtside, shown here speaking with ISU Athletic Director Larry Lyons at halftime.

Complied by MIKE MARRA Vidette Sports Editor