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Vol. 149 Issue 7

UI library renovations promote accessibility BY EUNICE ALPASAN STAFF WRITER

When the Main Library’s first floor bathrooms were under construction in 2015, Applied Health Sciences Librarian JJ Pionke was compelled to do a walk-through of the library map in search for accessible bathrooms in the building. “Here I am as a person of size — without being in a wheelchair, without using a cane — and I’m having problems finding a bathroom in this building,” Pionke said he thought at the time. “What would this be like for someone in a wheelchair or someone who’s using a walker?” Since then, Pionke brought up the Main Library’s accessibility issues to the now-former Assistant Dean of Libraries for Facilities Jeffrey Schrader. Many of these issues were resolved over the past four years, including installing a handrail to the interior ramp near the Interlibrary Loan services, rebuilding the west-entry ramp to Library 66 and adding more signs. Older libraries such as the Main Library, which was built in 1924, continue to renovate to improve accessibility for students. The University Library announced major plans last October to renovate the Main Library, which is estimated to cost about $54 million, according to a press release. Renovations began a few weeks ago with the moving of the library’s information desk from the second floor

to the first floor, according to Greg Knott, University Library’s assistant dean for business and human resources. The Main Library’s renovation plan, which also entails renovating the main reading room and replacing the oldest part of the Main Stacks, is projected to be completed by 2024. The Undergraduate Library is also working on building a new accessible sound booth located in the Media Commons, according to Craig Grant, associate director of Campus Code Compliance and Fire Safety. Construction started in the summer and is expected to be completed soon. Lauren Bryant, senior in LAS, has a condition called osteogenesis imperfecta, a genetic disorder that causes her bones to fracture easily. She has used a power wheelchair since she was six years old. Bryant said she sometimes goes to the UGL but faces issues with the elevators. “The elevators are ancient and really small,” Byrant said. “You could fit one power chair and maybe one person into those elevators. The building itself is pretty nice accessibility-wise; they have automatic door buttons.” Bryant said in cases where she can’t access resources, she will ask for help from a librarian or student. “Everybody has always been super nice about it; they have been more than willing to help,” she said. “It’s more about me get-

CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI

Lauren Bryant, senior in LAS, talks about her disability at the Ikenberry Library and how the University can improve on its accommodations. The University Library announced their plans to renovate the Main Library, which is estimated to cost about $54 million.

ting over that ‘Oh, I’m being annoying if I ask someone to help me.’ Even though no one has ever given any indication like that.” Severa l Un iversit y Library committees have also addressed virtual accessibility of library resources and information. Virtual accessibility includes factors such as whether or not a website can be navigated intuitively and whether or not a website or database is compatible with a screen reader for those with vision impairments, Pionke said. The Americans with Disabilities Act, passed in 1990, prohibits discrimination against individuals with disabilities in all areas of pub-

lic life, including all places that are open to the general public. Pionke said even though the Main Library is ADA compliant, newer-constructed buildings are always more accessible. “(Grainger Engineering Library) is much more accessible because when it was constructed, they took into account not just the minimum requirements of ADA but what else they could do to make their building more accessible,” he said. Great Value Colleges recently ranked the University as 22nd on its list for the top 50 colleges for students with disabilities.

The University was one of the first in the nation to provide a support service program for students with disabilities with the founding of the Division of Rehabilitation Education Services ( now Disability Resources and Educational Services) in 1948. For students with disabilities, Bryant says her biggest advice is to plan ahead, because the accessible entrance for some buildings may be far from the main entrance. She said she uses Google Maps, where it will indicate accessible entrances for some buildings. She also uses the ADA accessibility maps on the Univer-

sity’s website, which provide detailed descriptions of accessible features of every University building. Pionke, who has PTSD, also considers accessibility in terms of how easily someone with social anxiety can navigate a building. He said it’s important to have compassion, take a moment and notice your surroundings and the people in them. “If you see someone struggling, just reaching out, making that human connection, I think is really important,” Pionke said. “Just being aware that not everyone is experiencing the world like you are.” alpasan2@dailyillini.com

Walmart gun regulation extends to Champaign market share of ammunition from around 20% to a range of approximately 6-9%, according to McMillon. “As a company, we experienced two horrific events in one week, and we will never be the same,” McMillon said. Referring to two recent shootings in Walmarts in El Paso, Texas, and South Haven, Mississippi, resulting in 24 lives lost. In 2019, the United States has experienced 39,243 gun-related incidents, 295 of those incidents being mass shootings. Because Walmart cannot prevent an individual from carrying a gun into stores in particular states by law, the company is “respectfully requesting that customers no longer openly carry firearms into our stores or Sam’s Clubs in states where ‘open carry’ is permitted.” Champaign has no provision or “open carry” laws in place, so the store will have no discrepancy over this matter. Champaign police said in an email it is difficult to determine what the impact will be, so the department has no comment on this matter at this time. McMillon wrote letters to the White House and Congressional leadership calling on them to

BY REBECCA WOOD STAFF WRITER

MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI

An array of fruits and vegatables is displayed on a table on the Main Quad hosted by the Sustainable Student Farm on Thursday. The farm is interested in creating a local food system tied into the campus community.

Sustainable Student Farm thrives, profits grow BY GRACE MALONEY STAFF WRITER

This past season has been one of the hardest in decades for the farmers of the Midwest. However, the Sustainable Student Farm at the University has not been influenced due to alternative farming techniques. “Most farmers had a very bad year this year, and that’s really rough, and our heart goes out to them,” said Ben Joselyn, assistant farm manager at SSF. SSF strives to show there are other options and measures that can be taken to protect the farm’s profits and efforts. “Our farm is doing better this year than it did last year, and that’s because we’re growing a diversity of crops,” Joselyn said. Matt Turino, SSF farm manager, said the farm grows 35-40 different crops in a given year on its 6.5 acres of land. “Our biggest crops by far are tomatoes, peppers, car-

rots and beets. By weight they’re the largest things that we grow,” Turino said. Due to the farm’s broad diversity, SSF was able to have record sales, Joselyn said. The farm is currently about $10,000 ahead, a little more than 10% of where it was last year. “We’re doing pretty good in a year that a lot of people struggled, and so not only are we trying to show that it’s healthier for people and healthier for the planet, but it’s financially viable,” Joselyn said. Though being a diversified farm adds a lot to the complexity of the work, it also adds a little bit of a buffer from year to year like what has happened this year, Turino said. SSF works to use lowinput systems as much as possible, Turino said. “We don’t use any synthetic fertilizers,” he said. “We typically use other sources of nutrition for our soil that we can grow on the farm.”

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Turino added that the farm tries to use as few possibly harmful chemicals as possible. “We use no fungicides or herbicides,” he said. “We do use some organic pesticides for insect pressure, but we try to minimize that as much as possible by doing crop rotations and trying to do things that really increase the health of our plants.” Turino said the farm tries to be mostly self-sufficient to pay for most of the farm’s needs and inputs. “Eighty-five percent of what we grow goes to the dining services here on campus,” Turino said. “We’ve had a major relationship with them since the beginning, and we’re part of the crop science department and the College of ACES.” The other 15% is sold on the Main Quad every Thursday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. until October at the SSF farm stand. The farm is also interest-

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ed in creating a local food system tied into the campus community. SSF has collaborated with groups to do different kinds of projects. People have been coming up with research projects or other ways to contribute to the infrastructure of the farm, Turino said. “These projects are interesting to us,” Turino said. “If a student is interested in doing a project that might plug into the farm, we’d be interested in talking to them.” Kimberly Ward, senior in ACES and former SSF intern, works the farm stand on the Main Quad every week. “The farm stand has been really taking off, and it’s by us being here,” Ward said. “We have regulars, we’re setting things aside for people. ‘Oh it’s too heavy, let me bring it to your office,’ like going that extra mile and being

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Wa l m a r t r e c ent l y announced the company will completely end the sale of handguns, while also halting the sale of various ammunition, including in Champaign. Specifically, Walmart will discontinue sales of short-barrel rifle ammunition, such as the .223 caliber and 5.56 caliber; handgun ammunition and handgun sales in Alaska — the last Walmart to sell handguns, according to Doug McMillon, CEO of Walmart, in a memo. This type of ammunition is commonly used in some hunting rifles but can be used in large capacity clips on military-style weapons. “The assortment of ammunition we continue to carry will be focused on the needs of hunting and sport shooting enthusiasts,” said Delia Garcia, senior communications director for Walmart. Garcia ex pla ined Walmart is unsure when this policy change will take effect, as the store must first sell through its current ammunition and handgun inventory. “The bottom line is that we are motivated to do what is best for our customers, our associates and our communities,” Garcia said. Walmart believes these changes will reduce their

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same lot. The second Thursday. According to threatening text mes• Harassment was reportthe report, an unknown vehicle was then stolen sages from a former ed in the 900 block of and dumped elsewhere. coworker. offender stole the victim’s bicycle’s rear tire. South Second Street • Unlawful use of weapons • Theft was reported at was reported at FedEx, Scott Hall, 202 E. Pea- • Aggravated discharge around 2 a.m. Friday. According to the report, 102 Mercury Drive of a firearm and armed body Drive between 1 the victim had been around 6 p.m. Thursday. p.m. and 3 p.m. Wednesrobbery was reported receiving harassing text According to the report, day. According to the in the 1000 block of East messages on her phone. during a search of a locker Kerr Street around 1 p.m. report, an unknown • Burglary and theft from at the shipping facility, a Thursday. According to offender stole a stua motor vehicle were firearm was found inside the report, the offender, dent’s wallet that had reported in the 800 block of a backpack. been left unattended in while armed with a fireof North Randolph Street an unlocked residence arm, stole illegal drugs around 11 p.m. Thursday. University hall room. and cash from the victim. According to the report, • Harassment was reportWhile fleeing from the an unknown offender victim’s car, the offender ed around 4 p.m. Thurs- Urbana day. According to the • Theft was reported in the burglarized a vehicle, discharged the firearm. 200 block of North Gregreport, a Universiwhich contained keys to another vehicle in the ory Street around 10 p.m. news@dailyillini.com ty employee received

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A new shuttle service, UI Ride, will connect the Urbana-Champaign and University System’s Chicago campuses. The service was created for staff, faculty and students to promote more collaboration between the two entities. “UI Ride will provide an efficient and convenient mode of transportation for University personnel to conduct official University business and to encourage and facilitate the growing collaborative research endeavors between our Universities,” said Mohamed Attalla, executive director for Facilities & Services at the University, in an email. The University’s Facilities & Services and the Chicago campus’s Facilities Management will operate this service together. Although other transportation methods exist on campus, this system was created for the University of Illinois community. Rides will be available starting Oct. 31. However, interested riders must start registering Oct. 1. The buses will always leave from the UrbanaChampaign or Chicago campuses.

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Students get on an MTD bus at Illini Union. UI Ride will be available starting Oct. 31, and was created to promote collaboration between the University and Chicago campuses.

All shuttles that will be used for this service are wheelchair accessible and can seat up to 18 passengers. The shuttles will also have free Wi-Fi, comfortable seating, restrooms and a collaborative work space. The buses will allow riders to work while traveling to their destination. “Pickup and destination locations were designed with University business needs in mind providing direct connections to encourage and facilitate research collaborations,” Attalla said. Prices vary for this shuttle service. An employee or student with a valid Net ID would pay $40 for a one way trip and $80 for

a round trip. Bianca Galvez, sophomore in LAS, was also unaware of this new service and was surprised the University made this decision for both campuses. “The idea is creative, and it gives an opportunity to work on the go,” Galvez said. “However, I think it is expensive to use this shuttle service. They should give a small discount if anything, because I don’t think anyone would pay unless they really want to.” Rocco Wlodarek, foreman of the Transportation Facility at the Chicago campus, believes the shuttle service is another access point for students and staff members.

In addition to providing alternative methods of transportation, the shuttles are eco-friendly. “It was made to have less of a footprint in reducing the number of individual vehicles that are going back and forth to campus with these new buses,” Wlodarek said. James Wong, co-owner of Peoria Charter, said he was unaware of this new shuttle service on campus. “I don’t think it will compete with Peoria Charter at all,” Wong said. “It sounds like they’re not going to any of the destinations that we go to.” lvelaz20@dailyillini.com

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September 16, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

NEWS

CU encourages support of black-owned businesses BY CLARE BUDIN ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR

The online directory Buy Black Chambana is rapidly gathering contacts and attention from those interested in supporting the area’s black-owned businesses. The directory was started by a single Facebook user hoping to explore Champaign-Urbana’s community and culture. “I moved to ChampaignUrbana three years ago, and while I exceed financially, I felt like I was missing the social aspect,” Mariah Madison, founder of Buy Black Chambana, said in an email. “I set out on a journey to learn about and support C-U’s black-owned businesses and realized I wasn’t the only one who felt this way.” The online directory now showcases over 20 businesses based on provided products and services. The site encourages any blackowned businesses in the area to register. “Buy Black Chambana is so impactful because it will allow people to seek services and spread the directory around, businesses can register and use technology to spread information, awareness and support,” said Will Kyles, president of the Champaign County Black Chamber of Commerce. According to small business financing company Guidant Financial, while there has been a dramatic rise in the number of minority-owned small businesses in recent years, black-owned businesses often face a greater magnitude of challenges in running a profitable business, such as a lack of capital cash flow and approvals for financing when compared to other businesses. “There was a time where African Americans were prohibited to own land or make any money,” Madison said. “Even with the Jim Crow era we faced redlining and job discrimination which segregated us from higher-paying jobs and home ownership opportunity that prevented wealth building. As a result, we don’t have generational wealth, and with

our delayed start it’s rare that we own large businesses in America.” Kyles said greater awareness of inequalities prompted new programs to assist black-owned businesses, but not all of the programs were particularly insightful or successful within communities. “If you’re a start up business, year one or even year two or year ten, you may not be able to take advantage of certain program requirements,” Kyles said. “As a small business owner no matter your race, you’re grinding and often won’t have time to figure a program out and take advantage of it when you’re busy trying to stay afloat.” Olivia Carter, junior in Business, said greater hope comes with newer generations that, studies show, are willing to look more for businesses and products whose ethics surrounding sustainability and diversity more closely align with their own. “There’s a trend to make sure companies are moving to achieve their maximum potential,” Carter said. “So many companies are adopting more welcoming policies, so companies that don’t move forward in the same way will be looked down upon.” Carter said she and many other students are advocating for diverse workplaces and leadership in businesses. “It’s really important for people to work with and learn from people from all different backgrounds, and it’s definitely something I look for in companies I hope to work for,” Carter said. Kyles said the globalizing influence of online marketing and shopping provides countless new opportunities for businesses who normally wouldn’t be able to afford conventional marketing to advertise their innovative products. “When used correctly, technology can help bridge the gap,” Kyles said. “It allows companies to be innovative and reach younger audiences who use technology as a way to reach out and purchase

CLOTHING STORE

38% of black-owned businesses struggle with a lack of capital and cashflow as opposed to 33% of businesses on average

ART STORE

69% of black-owned businesses are profitable as opposed to 78% on average Source: Guidant Financial CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

goods. The Internet doesn’t see color: If you have a great product, people patronize your business and don’t even think about it.” Madison said consumers

are those who truly hold the power to support ethical consumption and diversity in business alike. “Frederick Douglass once said ‘Who you give your

money to, is who you give your power to,’” Madison said. “When you support a black-owned business you help close the racial wealth gap, strengthen local econ-

omies, foster job creation, celebrate black culture and hold other companies accountable.”

FROM 1A

to the memo. “ We encourage our nation’s leaders to move forward and strengthen background checks and to remove weapons from those who have been determined to pose an imminent danger,” McMillon said. At this point in Wash-

ington, a House committee will be taking up legislation on greater gun control. President Trump has called for action but has not made clear what policy changes should occur. “I’m a gun owner myself,” McMillon said. “We understand that heritage, our

deeply rooted place in America and our influence as the world’s largest retailer, and we understand the responsibility that comes with it.”

WALMART

act on gun control policy and offering the incidents at Walmarts nationwide to serve as a resource in the national debate on responsible gun sales, according

claredb2@dailyillini.com

rnwood2@dailyillini.com

U.S. gun violence in 2018 MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI

Students approach the Sustainable Student Farm Stand booth on the Main Quad on Thursday. Fruits and vegetables are sold each Thursday from 11 a.m.-4 p.m. until October.

FROM 1A

SUSTAINABLE

make the farm a place of self-care. “Especially for me coming from a very urban background, I think that it’s just nice to experience a farm and just take it in. There are definitely people I’ve met who describe their farm as not just a place for growing food but a place of personal growth, quiet time, healing and things like that,” Ward said. “I really do feel like you can find that on a farm.”

very personable and having those direct partnerships. I feel like it’s worth a lot more. That’s what’s missing in the American farm system.” Turino said experience out on the farm gives people a sense of what farm work is like and hopefully a greater value of how food is grown. Although farming does require a lot of hard work gnm2@dailyillini.com and care, Ward said weekly dinners with the SSF team

U.S. Incidents involving gun violence: 27 incidents in 16 states Number of deaths: 85

Injuries: 128 Active shooter incidents in Illinois: 2

Source: FBI CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

LIFE & CULTURE

MONDAY

September 16, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

Open Mic moves to another Espresso Royale The show goes on: Campus coffeehouse hosts weekly open mic BY THERESE POKORNEY FEATURES EDITOR

Since the creation of the online audio distribution platform SoundCloud, artists and podcasters could freely upload their art for millions of users to listen to across the world. However, many poets and writers seem to get the short end of the stick and are left to perform in a live setting for people to listen. Fortunately for those unlucky artists, many spots in Champaign-Urbana are home to open mics to have their voices heard. These shows are usually a live performance at a cafe, comedy club or pub and attracts amateur performers. The Espresso Royale on Daniel Street was a popular destination for up-andcoming artists, but since its closure in May, the open mic community was left to find a new spot. Anika Emily, a 2018 University alumna and open mic host, said the open mic community started a new schedule at the other Espresso Royale location on Oregon Street. Emily, along with cohost Shaya Robinson, run the open mics at Espresso Royale the first Thursday of every month from 6-9 p.m. Open mics are also hosted every Monday night at The Canopy Club at 9 p.m. Unlike the shows at Espresso Royale, tickets are $3 for those under 21 years old. Mike Ingram, the open mic host, welcomes all genres and art mediums. Emily not only performs at the open mic shows, but at other locations on campus like the vegetarian res-

BEN TSCHETTER THE DAILY ILLINI

Madelyn Childress, freshman in FAA, and Matthew Childress performed during an open mic night at Espresso Royale on Sept. 5. The open mic community was forced to find a new spot after the Espresso Royale location on Daniel Street closed in May.

taurant The Red Herring. She said starting out with open mics has made her more a lot more comfortable performing. “My favorite thing about open mics is getting to watch a lot of unique people express themselves,” Emily said. “I especially love it when people perform original pieces because open mics were the thing that helped me get over my fear of performing original songs in front of an audience.” As an Espresso Royale

employee for five years, Emily said the local cofEmily said she feels very fee house is a great place comfortable because the for more established musicafe is like a second home. cians to try new things, as

“I love the music scene in Champaign-Urbana, and I think it would be great to see even more students and people in general get involved. Having more open mics and free shows around campus is a great start.” ANIKA EMILY

OPEN MIC HOST

well as being a comfort- performing. “I love the music scene in able space for people who haven’t played in front of Champaign-Urbana, and I an audience before to begin think it would be great to see even more students and people in general get involved,” she said. “Having more open mics and free shows around campus is a great start.” Espresso cohost Robinson also hosts SPEAK Cafe, which stands for Song, Poetry, Expression, Art and Knowledge and is an open mic public performance space at the cafe in the Krannert Art Museum lobby. The program is cosponsored by the Bruce D. Nesbitt African American Cultural Center and Krannert Art Museum. “I host SPEAK Cafe because it is important to give space for people to share and grow in their gifts,” Robinson said. “I learn so much about the artists but also myself in that space.” Robinson said she hosts in coffee shops and prefers the close, family-like vibes the space gives. “I love the fact that social and political movements can surface out of a space where people share the same ideology,” she said. BEN TSCHETTER THE DAILY ILLINI “You form a family.”

Patrick Fang, graduate student in Business, performs during an open mic night at Espresso Royale on Sep. 5. Open mics are also hosted every Monday night at The Canopy Club at 9 p.m.

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Monday, September 16, 2019

Bathroom graffiti facilitates anonymous conversation BY THERESE POKORNEY FEATURES EDITOR

When it comes to graffiti, the words “political,” “wholesome” and “existentialism” don’t usually come to mind. But, some public bathrooms at the University challenge this statement and are home to heated political debates, cries for help, relationship advice or discussions of six-second videos from the discontinued social media platform Vine. Most of the bathroom graffiti is done with the classic Sharpie marker, and other times it’s carefully etched out with a knife. The intrepid yet anonymous authors seem to be attracted to Altgeld Hall, the English Building and the first floor of the Undergraduate Library. View some of the most intriguing and thought-provoking stall graffiti below.

MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI

Bathrooms across campus are sometimes a platform to write and share ideas and thoughts. Above are some examples of this in the Altgeld Hall and English Building bathrooms.

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1 Sharp’s counterpart, in music 5 “Livin’ la Vida ___” 9 Stories with many chapters 14 Like rain forest vegetation 15 “Ars Amatoria” poet 16 Story that lets you off the hook 17 Theatrical honor 19 Mountaineering spike 20 Person to exchange letters with overseas 21 Fortune 500 listings: Abbr. 23 Jane Austen novel 24 “Star Wars” role for Alec Guinness 27 Put into operation 30 They: Fr. 31 Zig or zag 32 Lauder with beauty products 35 Little extra attention, as from a repairer, for short 38 Where education is pursued doggedly? 42 “Mad ___” (Mel Gibson film) 43 “It’s a ___ shame” 44 Approximately 45 “You stink!” 46 Sent out, as rays 49 Delivery people? 54 Foundry detritus 55 Environmental prefix 56 Inventor’s quest 60 Chicken raised for cooking 62 “Hush, you!” 64 Big-time football venue 65 Honey-based drink 66 Start to deteriorate, as a cord

23 26

41 44 46

54 60

45 50

19 21

55 61

56 62

PUZZLE BY JEFFREY WECHSLER

67 Put back to zero, say 68 A and Z, in the alphabet 69 Chop down

DOWN

1 Theatrical failure 2 Auto maintenance job, informally 3 X ___ xylophone 4 Where stray animals are taken 5 Darkish, as the interior of a restaurant 6 Sperm targets 7 Approximately 8 Supplemental item 9 Weaken 10 “Futurama” figures 11 U.S. base in 28-Down, informally

12 Detonation of 7/16/45 13 Egyptian peninsula 18 Rhyme scheme of Robert Frost’s “Stopping by Woods on a Snowy Evening” 22 Irving Berlin’s “Blue ___” 25 Teeny-___ 26 Certain utility: Abbr. 27 Quark’s place 28 Havana’s home 29 Image in the “Jurassic Park” logo, informally 33 Biol., for one 34 Guiding principle 35 Legal wrong 36 Misplace 37 Lump of soil 39 Stylized “W” for Microsoft Word, e.g.

40 Wear away 41 Something extremely cool, paradoxically 45 Past 47 Two-wheelers 48 Baghdad’s land 49 One of five for composer John Williams 50 Sound loudly, as a trumpet 51 Registers awe 52 “___, All Ye Faithful” 53 Singer/songwriter Leonard 57 Dublin’s land 58 Actress Patricia of “Hud” 59 “Bye for now,” in a text 61 Singer ___ King Cole 63 Deserving to get gonged

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

MONDAY

September 16, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

OPINIONS

Government needs to regulate vitamins Excel can help you excel ALICE LEE COLUMNIST

ith how big of a role social influencing seems to now play in our day-to-day lives, it’s easy for misinformation or misleading facts about products to reach us. Whether it’s Instagram or YouTube, social media stars are promoting anything and everything to their fans. From Sugar Bear Hair vitamins to Care/of vitamins, dietary supplements are a popular product for influencers to push to consumers. Though you might think vitamins go through a process of rigorous testing and trials to make sure they are safe and healthy to take, that’s not the case. Manufacturers are not required to seek FDA approval before selling dietary supplements. This means companies are allowed to claim whatever health benefits they want so long as they have some research and a disclaimer that the FDA has not reviewed their claims. This l a i s s e z -f a i r e approach regarding vitamin regulation is in stark contrast to the rigid structure of ensuring drugs are safe and effective by requiring clear proof they work. If drugs need to be held to the utmost standard of safety, vitamins also need to be regulated. Many people suffer from vitamin deficiency and need to take dietary supplements, and they should feel confident the pills they take are actually fulfilling their functions; but

MADELINE PIERCE THE DAILY ILLINI

Bottles of vitamins are displayed in an aisle at Walgreens on Thursday. Columnist Alice demands the FDA begin regulating vitamins to ensure consumer safety.

because the FDA has more leniency regarding the testing of vitamins, many consumers are unsure which brands are the most

effective. Americans spend $25 billion a year on dietary supplements, and some even view it as a more nat-

ural and safer alternative to potent drugs. So many people depend on dietary supplements for their daily lives, and the FDA is doing a disservice to the integrity of public health by letting it go unregulated. When Kim Kardashian and James Charles go on Instagram to advertise the long-term health benefits of taking a bright blue vitamin in the shape of a bear, consumers buy into the things they’re saying. Not only is there little chance they’ve actually taken the vitamins long enough to see a difference, but they are paid to endorse these products by rich companies who care more about making money than making people healthy. Dietary supplements should be made and handled by people in the medical field who know what they’re doing, not corporations who depend on the influence of social media stars to make sales. There are objectively better vitamins out there, but people may not know the difference because the FDA doesn’t regulate it. It’s important for the vitamins actually worth taking to be given credibility with a seal of approval by the FDA so consumers can trust in the product they’re buying. We need to be able to discern the difference between the truly healthy pills and the fake pills endorsed by celebrities instead of health professionals. It’s up to the FDA to create rules and regulations for us to be able to do so.

TOMMY BLOCK COLUMNIST

to New York City. I realized too late I should have charged an hourly rate. I’m not complaining it was a time-consuming task, I’m just saying it would literally take 22.7 years to eat at every restaurant in New York. For one desperate week, it felt like a futile effort. Browsing through Yelp felt like walking in circles, and the list of restaurants in my Word document had crumbled into an alphabet soup. Enter Excel. What if I wanted to see all my destinations in alphabetical order? With just the click of a button, my wish was granted as if I had waved a magic wand. Duplicates didn’t stand a chance. But why stop there? Why not make a separate column for the kind of food these spots served? Soon enough, I could put a filter on my list and show you only the Indian restaurants in a matter of seconds. And yes, I could do the same thing with Vietnamese sandwich shops, too. Why had I never thought to use this miracle tool before? Probably because I’d only ever used it for basic pie charts and painful lab reports. It doesn’t have to be like this. Try experimenting with Excel. Make a planner with it. Track your expenditures, and stay on top of your budget. Make a list of your favorite songs, and noodle around until you find a perfect playlist. Better start by putting all those recommendations into a workbook.

et me propose three random, but nevertheless realistic, scenarios: (A) You can’t keep track of your homework. (B) You’ve forgotten how you managed to spend $100 on groceries in one week. (C) You feel like you eat at Signature Grill at a disproportionate frequency, and while you’re honored to put your money toward such an upstanding business, you’re really considering researching some new restaurants before you turn into a human falafel wrap. Like I said, completely random. What if I told you there are one universal solution for all of these nagging problems and many more? Well, my friend, there are not one but two solutions: rows and columns. We are not equipped to deal with the messy hurdles of daily life on our own. Just as the wheel transformed early society long ago, Microsoft Excel was invented to aid humankind in its quest for pure organizational bliss. “But Tommy,” you may protest. “Excel is just something that I use to fluff up my resume! Are you telling me I have to use it outside of work? Gross!” To the doubters: Open your eyes to the full potential of Excel. You also wear your shoes to work, but I don’t think you could imagine a life outside of the office without them. Alice is a sophomore in LAS. This past summer, I vol- Tommy is a junior in alicewl2@dailyillini.com unteered to plan the meals Engineering. on my family’s vacation tblock2@dailyillini.com

Asymmetric polarization leaves center more conservative ANDREW PROZOROVSKY COLUMNIST

ccording to media outlets, Democrats are swiftly polarizing into neo-Marxists. Don’t listen to their feigned outrage. The political spectrum is complex and completely relative. Although ‘left’ and ‘right’ have disparate meanings in other countries, they also can have different connotations in other time periods. The meanings change constantly. The world is currently established in a political era still imbued by Reaganism. While it may seem as though the newer generations are becoming radical liberals, that may only hold true when one considers that it is relative as most of society has been politically socialized into a spectrum where the center is more conservative when compared to the recent past. In American politics today, both parties are polarizing, but the postulation that both parties are polarizing equally is obverse. The Republican Party, at least as recently as the data is available, is polarizing much more quickly to its reactionary pole than the Democratic Party is to the left in a phenomena political scientists call “asymmetric polarization.” Democrats are moving away from the center, but they are not traversing unexplored territory. Their stance is reminiscent of the zeitgeist of the West postWorld War II. The U.S. experienced a similar period of time where both Democrats and Republicans believed in strong unions, a strong social welfare net and even pushed health care for all. Besides, the Democratic Party finally uniting on fun-

damental ideas and principles is not dissimilar to the Republican Party. The Democrats, which contain members from Joe Manchin to Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, have long since been the scattered and unorganized leftovers of the political spectrum after Republicans consolidated under Newt Gingrich and moved farther right in recent years. Therefore, it is not unexpected when Republicans and conservative media become outraged at the fact Democrats are not assenting to moderate or even conservative stances, but it is unfair when Democrats are lambasted for revitalizing political stances the party previously subscribed to during the New Deal era. Yet the Democratic Party struggles to gain positive press coverage on the unveiling of “leftist” stances, because as the Republican Party has pulled sharply to the right under Trump, media is refashioning the American moderate in an attempt to look objective. Now, overtly conservative pundits and politicians like Ana Navarro and John McCain are being chronicled as moderates simply because they do not like President Trump. Conservatives who dislike President Trump are not necessarily moderates, Democrats taking a more liberal stance are not necessarily radical and far-left politicians like Representative Ocasio-Cortez or Senators Warren and Sanders are not unprecedented. These are shrouded efforts to trick the public into misinterpreting where the center of the modern American political spectrum is and quietly placing it in a far more conservative position. As this Politico opinion outlines, Democrats are restoring their old image.

PHOTO COURTESY OF SENATE DEMOCRATS

Representative Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (center) speaks on the Green New Deal with Senator Ed Markey (right) in front of the Capitol Building in February. Columnist Andrew urges the public to recognize the asymmetric polarization of the partisan system.

Ideas such as universal basic income and government-paid education enjoyed broad support within the party and therefore planted itself in the mainstream in America following World War II. Liberals have even been trying to accomplish singlepayer health care since President Roosevelt — the first one. Medicare, social security and a federal minimum wage — once ideas stymied by the conservative wing of American politics — now exist today and are widely accepted, but they only exist because Democrats championed those very pol-

icies back in the mid-twentieth century and persevered through staunch Republican opposition. Historical recollections like these are testaments to just how conservative American politics have become in the wake of Reagan, Clinton and Bush. To argue the “progressive” agenda promulgated by new, young Democrats is inconsistent with the party’s past is ahistorical. Democrats are simply attempting to recover from a Clintonesque Democratic Party. Many Democrats have attempted to connect themselves to the party’s antecedents by branding their new

aspirational proposal as the Green New Deal. Perhaps the connection to the New Deal is not undeserved. Conditions today are similar to the 1930s in some ways. America is still recovering from an economic disaster, wealth inequality is worsening and corporations are consolidating power without a Teddy Roosevelt-type present to trust-bust. Argue policy for its merits and its shortcomings. Progressive ideas have both. But arguing that this Democratic Party falls dangerously beyond the limits of the American political spectrum

is incongruous with history and fails to recognize the overall conservative shift in its politics since the 1980s. Conservatives can abuse the word “socialism” and brand it to every proposal as they have for decades, but they should recognize much of the economic security and social safety net they enjoy, and for the most part approve of, would not exist were it not for a robust, united, progressive Democratic Party like the one re-forming today. Andrew is a sophomore in LAS. atp4@dailyillini.com

SHARE YOUR THOUGHTS | opinions@dailyillini.com with the subject “Letter to the Editor.” The Daily Illini reserves the right to edit for length, libel, grammar and spelling errors, and Daily Illini style or to reject any contributions. Letters must be limited to 300 words. Contributions must be typed and include the author’s name, address and phone number. University students must include their year in school and college.

MONDAY

September 16, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

Illini lose heartbreaker against Eagles BY JARED FARMER STAFF WRITER

So close, and yet so far. With 12 minutes left, it looked insurmountable. The crowd sat silently in frustration, hoping for something big in the closing minutes. At seven minutes, it looked promising. At two minutes to go, the screams from Memorial Stadium could be heard all throughout campus. But when the clock struck zero, Illinois coined its first loss of the season. So close, yet so far. Illini football dropped its final non conference game to the Eagles in a nail-biter, with a lastsecond field goal being the deciding factor. “(It was a) disappointing game,” said head coach Lovie Smith. “We knew what type of team we were playing. We knew we had the opportunity to finish the nonconference schedule with a 3-0 record. I thought we would play a lot better than we did.” After a scoreless first five minutes, junior James McCourt kicked off the first-quarter shootout with a 57-yard field goal. The goal stands as the new record holder for the longest field goal conversion in Memorial Stadium’s history. Eastern Michigan University responded with its own major play by way of a 47-yard carry from sophomore wide receiver Jairus Grissom. In the subsequent play, senior quarterback Mike Glass found senior receiver Arthur Jackson for a 26-yard completion to put Eastern Michigan University on the board up 7-3. “Defensively, when you start out like that, giving

up big passing plays, it’s not a good sign,” Smith said. “Their quarterback played outstanding ball, passed for over 300 yards and had three touchdowns. We’re not set up to give up plays like that.” The punch-counterpunch sequence between the two offenses continued throughout the remainder of the first. Sophomore tight end Daniel Barker would then have his own 52-yard carry. The advance led to a touchdown completion by junior receiver Ricky Smalling from transfer quarterback Brandon Peters to put the Illini up 10-7 with 6:52 left. Eastern Michigan University took the lead back with another 50-yard play, this time a 54-yard completion to senior receiver Mathew Sexton to go up 14-10. As the first quarter came to a close, Peters found junior receiver Dominic Stampley for a tough 27-yard catch that put the Illini into the Eagles’ end zone. Junior running back Ra’Von Bonner would rush the remaining 4 yards to flip the advantage back in Illinois’ favor 17-14 just as the first quarter came to a close. As the second quarter kicked off, the shootout that had transpired in the first subsided as the defenses settled in. Illinois was the first to crack. After holding each other scoreless for the first seven minutes of the quarter, Glass found Jackson again, this time with a 31-yard pass to swing the lead back over to the Eagles 20-17. Eastern Michigan then had a major field goal of its own with a 52-yard field goal by sophomore Chad Ryland, the second 50-yard

JONATHAN BONAGURO THE DAILY ILLINI

Brandon Peters (18) dropped back in the pocket at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. Illinois lost to Eastern Michigan 34-31.

field goal conversion of the game to extend the lead 23-17. A hard sack on Brandon Peters by Eastern Michigan University’s senior lineman Hunter Andrews for a fourth down gave the team another opportunity to score, but they failed to capitalize before the end of the half. Instead, senior running back Reggie Corbin rushed for 35 yards, ending the second quarter for the Illini at the Eagles’ 35-yard line. Eastern Michigan University’s defense began to really punish Peters throughout the third period. After a strong first quarter, the Illini QB suffered five sacks up to the midway point in the third period. Oluwole Betiku Jr., who currently leads the nation in sacks, had another big sack on Glass that cost 6

VOLLEYBALL

yards, but the Illini weren’t able to capitalize offensively. What would have been another major pass completion from Glass turned into a fumble recovered by junior linebacker Jake Hansen for the Illini, but shortly after another sack on Peters resulted in a fumble that was recovered by senior defensive back Brody Hoying with 6:09 left in the third. The slugfest would continue for the remainder of the period as both teams went scoreless throughout. The Eagles ended the scoring drought by opening the fourth with a touchdown from Sexton and a two-point conversion, taking a commanding 31-17 lead. The situation for the Illini looked dire as the first half of the first quarter started coming

JONATHAN BONAGURO THE DAILY ILLINI

The Illini celebrate after scoring a point at Huff Hall on Sept. 1. Illinois defeated Tennessee 3-2.

Illinois finishes 1-2 at Redbird Classic The Illinois volleyball team (3-4) headed west to compete in the Redbird Classic over the weekend facing the host Illinois State (7-1), University of Central Florida (6-3) and Marquette (6-2). The team finished the weekend 1-2, only picking up a win against No. 7 Marquette. In the first game of the tournament, the team lost to the Redbirds in four sets (16-25, 21-25, 21-25, 21-25) with the Illini winning only the second set in the match. The Illini were able to fight back after losing the first set of the match by taking the second set. But, after strong starts by the Redbirds in both the third and fourth sets, the Illini could not secure another set. The Illinois offense was led by Jacqueline Quade, putting up 17 kills through the four sets. Redshirt freshman Diana Brown recorded her fourth-career doubledouble on Friday, putting up 25 assists and 14 digs. Freshman Rylee Hinton had her first action for the Illini in this match and led the defense by putting up eight blocks. “I knew we were up against some big hitters,” said Hinton. “And I know

@jaredefarmer jaredef2@dailyillini.com

New coach, program conquer adversity ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

STAFF WRITER

ing 12 yards in two plays, he threw for 23-yards in back to back plays to put the Eagles right into the Illini end zone with eight seconds on the clock. Ryland finished the game off with a field goal from the 24-yard line, securing a win for the Eagles 34-31. “We’re a Big Ten team, and we start Big Ten play next week,” Smith said. “Reality is, we clean up things and take care of business next week, we’ll forget all about this. But right now, you just have to take it game by game. We had the opportunity to do something we hadn’t done in years, but we didn’t get it done.”

FOOTBALL

BY RACHEL SPENCER

BY BRENDYN JONES

to close, but a 28-yard find from Peters to Corbin midway through the fourth gave the Illini an opportunity to tie up the game. Illinois regained the football with just under four minutes left to play. Stuck at their own end zone, the Illini’s chances were again looking slim that they would be able to complete their fourth-quarter comeback. But then, Peters completed three straight firstdown passes to advance to the Eagles’ 36-yard line. Peters capped off the possession with a 36-yard bullet to junior receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe to tie the game with 1:44 remaining in the fourth. Glass came alive for Eastern Michigan University in their final drive. After gain-

it’s definitely harder to get the ball through the middle sometimes. The way I’d be most effective is on the block, so I made that my main focus and expected that was what would help my team the most.” In the second game of the weekend, Illinois fell to UCF in four sets (21-25, 20-25, 22-25, 20-25). The team gave away the first two sets but was able to cinch the third. However, they could not push the match to the fifth set. Senior defensive specialist Caroline Welsh led the defense by putting up 20 digs in the match, and the offense was again led by Quade, who earned a double-double with 21 kills and 13 digs. Other standouts were Hinton, who totaled three blocks in the match, and Brown who reached 51 assists through the four sets. “I don’t think there was necessarily an issue,” said Quade about the first two matches. “I think collectively ,we weren’t very clean in those two matches, and I think it was things that we know we can do and we knew that we could fix.” The final game was against the highest-ranked team in the tournament, No. 7 ranked Marquette.

Illinois started slow in the match, losing the first two sets. However, after the second set, the Illini won three straight to get their first win of the weekend. Quade recorded her second double-double of the weekend scoring 21 kills and 11 digs, leading the offense, as she usually does. Junior Megan Cooney contributed 16 kills to the offense and redshirt freshman Bruna Vrankovic chipped in 10. “Even though we were down, no game is ever over until the last point is played,” said Quade. “I think prior (to the third set) we were doing some really good things. I think we could all feel that things were kind of coming together. Especially the first set, it was super close, it really could have gone either way ... I think just having the confidence that we weren’t going to go away, regardless of if we were down or not.” Illinois will be competing in its final tournament next week before entering Big Ten conference play. It will compete in the Bulldog Brawl in Indianapolis, playing Pacific on Friday and Loyola Marymount on Saturday. @brendyn_jones brendyn2@dailyillini.com

The Illinois men’s club rugby experienced a few setbacks at the start of head coach Joe Rasmus’ first year at the helm of the program. The Illini started the fall season in Belleville, Illinois, facing off against the Lindenwood Lynx. A David versus Goliath situation, Illinois held its own against Lindenwood, but lost 28-12 on Sept. 7. This weekend, results were closer with the Illini losing 25-24 to Spartans at home on Saturday. As any first-year head coach, Rasmus is looking past the outcomes of the matches and focusing on aspects of his team’s performance that have potential — these past two weekends, in particular, he has seen potential in the program’s defense. “Kudos to our boys; they went out there, they had an absolutely fantastic defensive performance, which I think was really the hallmark of the last two weeks,” Rasmus said. “Our defense has been absolutely incred-

ible. The guys are making big hits every single time.” Even as Rasmus sets out to build a program, the men’s rugby team has encountered its fair share of difficulties. From struggling to secure a practice field to working with a club team budget while trying to develop a reputation in the Big Ten, the club rugby program has dealt with adversity on and off the field. In spite of these setbacks, Rasmus views the attitude of his team as one of the advantages of the program despite its growing pains. “Every time there’s adversity, the boys are reacting in a positive way, picking each other up,” Rasmus said. “It’s absolutely incredible to see.” As the fall rugby season moves forward, the Illini will continue to compete against fellow Big Ten teams. The Hoosiers, Badgers and Boilermakers are only a few Big Ten teams on the schedule for the Illini this fall. Crucial to their performance later in the sea-

son will be the presence of seniors such as Chris Royer, Luka Pavlakis and Lonnie Buchanan. Their experience and knowledge will aid the team as they look to brush up on some of the weak spots identified by Rasmus — including playing within their defensive quarter of the field and avoiding penalties, which the Illini struggled within their first two matches. “Our seniors are also really stepping up into leadership roles and driving intensity at practice, so it’s not just me, which makes it easier,” Rasmus said. “Everyone wants to be there and everyone wants to improve.” Next up, the Illinois men’s rugby team will be on the road at Indiana University to take on a ranked Indiana program on Saturday. It will remain on the road until Oct. 12, facing Purdue at home at the Florida Lincoln Complex in Urbana. @rachelspenc rachels4@dailyillini.com

PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINOIS RUGBY

The Illinois Rugby team faces off against Michigan State on Saturday.

This week at a glance: MONDAY, TUESDAY, WEDNESDAY Men’s Tennis All Day

THURSDAY

FRIDAY

SATURDAY

none

Soccer vs. Northwestern 7 p.m

Football vs. Nebraska 7 p.m

Volleyball vs. Pacific 11 a.m

Baseball vs. Butler 4:05 p.m Volleyball vs. Loyola Marymount 8 a.m

2B Monday, September 16, 2019 FOOTBALL

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

ILLINOIS VS. EASTERN MICHIGAN

The opportunity for the Illini to achieve its first 3-0 start under head coach Lovie Smith teetered back and forth on Saturday, but Illinois ultimately came up short, falling 34-31 to Eastern Michigan. Offensively, the Illini started out hot but suddenly lost all momentum, largely due to penalties, in the second and third quarters only to heat up again in the fourth. For the defense, it was just the opposite: a sloppy start followed by an improved second half only to end in capitulation in the fourth.

D EF E N S E

SPECIAL TEAMS While there were many things that went wrong on Saturday, junior kicker James McCourt tied the school record for the longest field goal, as he got the Illini on the board with a 57-yard make. Though he was happy to have placed his name in the school’s record book, McCourt would’ve liked one more kick to win the game, no matter how far away. “The scenario, with the score, the game-winner was (an) outcome that could have happened, so my mind was pretty focused on a game-winner in the fourth quarter,” McCourt said. “I wasn’t really worried about the distance, I was

just worried about making the field goal.” Returner Jordan Holmes also had a crucial fair catch that saved the Illini a few yards before their final offensive position, as the punt had hung up in the air with three Eagles in position to down it. The competition only ramps up from here on out, as Illinois opens up conference play under the lights at home against Nebraska next Saturday. Lovie Smith’s team will be looking to erase not only the pain of losing but the let-down from falling short of their goal to finish the non-conference season undefeated.

After giving up two early touchdowns, the defense clamped down and allowed just nine points through the second and third quarters. However, the unit crumbled again in the fourth, letting up a touchdown to give Eastern Michigan a two-score lead, and then let the Eagles march down the field and kick a game-winning field goal as time expired after all the offensive heroics to tie the game. “You saw it,” Smith said. “They were behind us. They made plays, we didn’t. Normally when that’s the case, pass-rush is not good, or a combination of both of those and I’d say that (was) the case.”

The unit could only muster up one sack, and consistently let Eagle quarterback Mike Glass pick their poison with the read-option. Glass finished the game with 316 yards passing and three touchdowns, displaying a big arm throughout the day. “Their quarterback played outstanding ball,” Smith said. “Passed for over 300 yards, three touchdowns. We shouldn’t give up big plays like that.” Indeed big plays plagued the Illini defense, as all of the Eagles’ touchdowns came from 25+ yards away through the air, as the secondary was consistently losing jumpballs and missing tackles.

O FFEN SE While 30+ points for a third straight game is a positive aspect to relish, the Illini offense simply was not consistent enough. After starting out strong with 17 points courtesy of a James McCourt field goal, a 14-yard touchdown catch from junior receiver Ricky Smalling and a four-yard touchdown run from junior tailback Ra’Von Bonner, turnovers and penalties slowed the Illinois momentum. “Offensively, if you look at the final stat-sheet, we did some good things, Reggie Corbin rushed for a lot of yards, Josh (Imatorbhebhe) had a good game, caught a lot of passes, as did Daniel Barker,” Smith said. “(We) gave ourselves opportunities to do some things but were stomped in the fought a little bit. Turnovers, turnovers really hurt us, penalties maybe hurt us even more.“ The Illini went scoreless from the second quarter until the fourth, in large part due to turnovers. Quarterback Brandon Peters, who finished with 297 yards passing and two touchdowns, fumbled and threw an interception in consecutive third-quarter drives, as Illinois couldn’t help but let Eastern Michigan hang around and even gain a 14-point lead by the fourth quarter. Furthermore, Illinois committed nine penalties for 80 yards, with the offensive line being responsible

for the majority of the infractions. “You look at this game (and) last game, it was just penalties that killed us,” said junior right tackle Alex Palczewski. “We need to stop shooting ourselves in the foot.” With the game looking all but over, Peters led an 11-play touchdown drive, culminating in a 28-yard touchdown run from senior Reggie Corbin, who was finally back healthy and ran for 145 yards, to cut the deficit to 31-24. After forcing a punt, Illinois was backed up to its own 7-yard line and facing a fourth and 10 with the game on the line. Peters proceeded to find junior Josh Imatorbhebhe down the field, and the Southern California transfer ran after the catch for a 32-yard gain. Peters went to Imatorbhebhe again for 14 yards the next play and then hit him for a touchdown from 36 yards away to tie the game. Despite catching four passes for 91 yards and a score, Imatorbhebhe felt the game could have gone much better. “I don’t feel like we played our best football at all,” Imatorbhebhe said. “It’s hard to find the good in this if I’m being honest because it just wasn’t good at all. If anything, we didn’t really play that well and we still almost beat a team that was better than we thought they were, so that shows the potential that we have.” JONATHAN BONAGURO THE DAILY ILLINI

Veteran Lowe (79) and Ricky Smalling (4) run through the end zone on Saturday at Memorial Stadium. The Illini came up short against the Eagles offensively and defensively.

Fans acknowledge unrealistic expectations after devastating loss BY TATIANIA PERRY STAFF WRITER

Insanity: Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting different results, according to Einstein. Example: Saying the Illini will begin their season 3-0 for the fourth straight year only to be disappointed. Disappointment: Sadness or displeasure caused by the nonfulfillment of one’s hopes or expectations, according to the Oxford Dictionary. Example: Believing in the fourth quarter Illinois will actually stop the run enough to go into overtime with 1:24 left on the clock, but then, of course, it doesn’t. Grief: Deep sorrow, especially that caused by someone’s death, according to the Oxford Dictionary. Example: Watching a 3-9 season in 2016, a 2-10 season in 2017 and a 4-8 season in 2018. At some point during Saturday’s train wreck, Illinois played really exciting football. James McCourt kicked a 57-yard long field goal to tie with the school record, the Illini came back after being down two touchdowns and the receivers showed out. But as trains do in a wreck, the Illini derailed.

The initial panic of losing to Eastern Michigan began to settle into acceptance in the midst of the third quarter. Illinois also loves to test the heart strength of its fans and began to really shake things up in the fourth. At this point, we should know what outcome in inevitable yet we, nay I, still dare to hope. The only thing this hope does is thrust me into my weekly grief cycle. When Illinois began to turn it around, I was in denial. To me, the only option was overtime, giving Illinois either more time to pull off the win or flop. It didn’t occur to me the 1:24 was enough time for Eastern Michigan to take the win. Then I was simply angry. I return to this emotion quite a bit. Just check my Twitter to see how often I begin to doubt and simply get mad. As for bargaining, I don’t get much of a chance for this one, as going into the locker room of the opposing team and begging them to lose falls just outside of my job description. I would also probably get arrested and/or banned from the stadium. Depression tends to take place during the press conference when I get to see the

JONATHAN BONAGURO THE DAILY ILLINI

Jake Hansen (35) tackles Willie Parker (26) at Memorial Stadium on Saturday. The Illini experienced their first loss of the season against Eastern Michigan.

looks on the players’ faces, the sadness in Brandan Peters’ eyes and the crack in his voice as he takes on the guilt of losing. It breaks my heart. We as onlookers feel some type of

way about the loss, but to look into the eyes of the people who actually had a part in it is incredibly heartbreaking. It’s at this point in which acceptance sets in. I know I

don’t feel good after watching a loss, so I know they can’t feel good about letting themselves and fans down. Am I a dramatic Illinois fan? No. I’m a dramatic person

in general who happens to find an outlet in the emotional roller coaster that is Illini football. @tati_perry14 tp3@dailyillini.com

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

Monday, September 16, 2019

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September 9-28, 2019 Monday – Saturday 10 a.m. - 7 p.m.

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OFFICIAL YEARBOOK AT THE UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS SINCE 1894

4B Monday, September 16, 2019

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Bailey Apartments

FU RN / LA U N F U UN DR RN YI A/ C NU NI PA T RK I UT NG O IL I NS TIE S I ITE NC L.

# BDROOMS

FU RN / LA U N F U UN DR RN YI A/ C NU NI PA T RK IN G UT ON IL I S TIE S I ITE NC L.

Rental Quicklist # BDROOMS

MISC.

217-344-3008

www.baileyapartments.com

1010 W. Springfield, U.

2,3,4

Green Street Realty

217-356-8750

www.greenstrealty.com

4 4

2.5 blocks to the Quad, Remodeled units available

108 E. Daniel, C.

2,3,4

4 4 4 4 Near the Quad, Full size Washer/Dryer!

106 E. Armory, C.

2,3,4

4 4 4 4 Near the Quad, Balconies

505 S. First, C.

2,3,4

4 4 4 4 Balconies, Great Location

201 W. Green, C.

1,2

4 4 4 4 Includes water & internet

111 S. Lincoln, U.

2,4

4 4

Near Lincoln and Green

911 W. Springfield, U.

4 4

Quiet building, office location

Burnham 310

MISC.

217-239-2310

www.burnham310.com

310 E. Springfield Ave.

1B/1B

4 4 4 4 Newly renovated, very spacious, pet friendly

213 W. Green, C.

1,2

4 4 4 4 Includes water & internet

310 E. Springfield Ave.

2B/2B

4 4 4 4 Close to campus, renovated amenities, open floor plan

501 E. University, C.

2,3

4 4 4 4 Close to Engineering

310 E. Springfield Ave.

3B/3B

4 4 4 4 Near Engineering campus, 10ft ceilings, individual leases

204 S. Fifth, C.

2,3

4 4 4 4 Close to Engineering and bus lines

310 E. Springfield Ave.

Studio

44 4 4

314 E. White, C.

2,3

4 4 4 4 Walking distance to County Market

509 S. Elm, C.

U/F 4 4 4 4 Quiet Location, Steps away from Campus

Green Street Realty

Next door to local grocery store, secure access, new flooring and appliances

217-356-8750

www.greenstrealty.com

809 W. Nevada, U.

3,4

4 4 4 4 Brand New

Hardwick Apartments

55 E. Green, C.

1,2,3,4 F

401 E. University, C.

104 E. John, C

1,2,4

4 4

4 Brand new, 4 bd - Echo show& $200 Giftcard

209 E. University, C.

Studio,1,2,4 F

4 4 4 4 Brand new, Fitness Center, Study Room

308 1/2 E. Clark, C.

4 4 4 4 Duplex with Rooftop Lounge

901 S. Fourth, C.

2,3

F 4 4

F F

Brand new, Fitness Center, 3&4 bds - Echo show& $200 Giftcard!

217-621-1012

www.hardwickapartments.com

44 4

Wtr, trash, sntry incl; 3 blks to Quad & grcry str, rltvly new, av. now

Susan Linnemeyer 1005 W. Daniel St., C

217-359-9094 3

B 4 4 4 4

Driveway prkg, 5 min. from campus-2 bus lines, pet friendly, great for grads, $325

Prime Property Mgmt. Group

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704 W. Illinois St., U.

4 Midway - Home of the Illini Inn; Prime Location

520-881-8695

F 4

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Monday, September 16, 2019

buzz calendar BY LIAM DWYER BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

The buzz calendar is a compilation of events happening in the Champaign-Urbana area. Follow our top picks in Monday’s and Thursday’s papers for ideas on what to do on any night of the week, from where to eat to what to watch. Want to submit an event? Email calendar@readbuzz.com.

MONDAY, SEPT. 16

One Child Nation

 5 p.m.  The Art Theater, 126 W. Church St., Champaign  $8.75 Standard, $8 Student & Senior Citizen After becoming a mother, a filmmaker uncovers the untold history of China’s one-child policy and the generations of parents and children forever shaped by this social experiment.

Native Plant Sale

PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB

Jennifer Lopez stars in the new film “Hustlers.” The movie has received glowing reviews so far, particularly concerning

FROM 6B

LOPEZ

That all being said, this movie really is the Jennifer Lopez show. Ramona has to plausibly be a mother figure, friend, force of nature, temptress and plausible snitch all at once, and Lopez makes all of those sides believable without appearing to do any work whatsoever. She has not been allowed to be this charismatic in a long time, and she was milking her screen time for every bit it’s worth. “Hustlers” was the recipient of ecstatic reviews out of the Toronto International Film Festival, and that level of hype seems to be just setting people up for mild disappointment. It’s not a masterpiece, just a very solid little movie anchored by a fantastic central performance. It may not be “The Wolf of Wall Street,” but at the very least, it’s not “Gigli.”

until halfway through, at which point Scafaria has made an engaging enough character study that you almost don’t want the plot to kick in. It helps that Scafaria has attracted such a starry cast to follow. Wu is an excellent audience surrogate character gone to seed, laying the groundwork for serious emotional connection early on so it stings even more when she goes off the rails with everyone else. As the reporter tasked with uncovering the truth of the story, Julia Stiles is an ideal foil for Wu, shutting her down with the smallest of expressions. And my heart goes out to any movie that gives a significant supporting part to Mercedes Ruehl, too rarely used after her incredible turns in “Married to the Mob” and “The Fisher wt2@readbuzz.com King.”

 5-7 p.m.  Red Oak Rain Garden, 1005 W. GregoryDrive, Urbana  Prices vary Red Oak Rain Garden is selling native plants right outside the garden. Come early for the best selection of plants! Cash and check only. Plant species available include, Aromatic Aster, Blazing Star and Cardinal Flower.

Peace Paper Project

 10 p.m.  Unit One/Allen Hall, 1005 W. Gregory Drive, Urbana  Free Peace Paper Project Facilitators Johnny LaFalce and Drew Matott will conduct ongoing drop-in papermaking workshops in front of Unit One/Allen Hall. Participants will use bicycle power to transform old clothing into paper pulp and then make beautiful sheets of paper. This event is free and open to the public.

David Crosby Remember My Name

 7:30 p.m.  The Art Theater, 126 W. Church St., Champaign  $6 A revealing and deeply personal documentary explores the life and creative renaissance of music icon David Crosby. A cultural force for over 50 years, Crosby faced uncertain future after the 2015 dissolution of Crosby, Stills and Nash. Racked with health issues and personal obstacles, Crosby forged a new path at the age of 77. Seeking out younger musicians and recording a pair or critically-praised new albums, Crosby now sets out to make a mark in a world now so different from the generation he came to define in the ‘60s. With unflinching honesty, self-examination, regret, fear, exuberance and an unshakeable belief in family and the transformative nature of music, Crosby shares his oftenchallenging journey with humor and bite.

TUESDAY SEPT. 17

Sacred Space Evenings

Urbana  Free Sacred Space is created by and for young adults ages 18-35 to decompress from their busy lives and to nourish their inner world within safe community. Participants can bring a yoga mat, art supplies, a journal or anything else that will help them connect more deeply with themselves or others.

Church Street Ramblers

 7-9 p.m  The Iron Post, 120 S. Race St., Urbana  Free Late summer traditional jazz concert features the Church Street Ramblers and a special guest appearance by Carl Johnson.

WEDNESDAY SEPT. 18

We Will Rock You - The Musical

 7:30 p.m  State Farm Center, 1800 S. First St., Champaign  $39-65 WE WILL ROCK YOU is a quirky, eccentric and heartfelt story of outsiders. It is also a creative cautionary tale for the cyberage. With the Oscar-winning film Bohemian Rhapsody, music by Queen is more popular than ever. WE WILL ROCK YOU follows two revolutionaries, Galileo Galilei and Scaramouche, on a quest to save rock ‘n’ roll in a postapocalyptic world where there are no musical instruments and rock ‘n’ roll has died.

Music Trivia Bingo

 7 p.m  Pour Bros. Craft Taproom, 40 E. University Ave., Champaign  No additional cost Come to Pour Bros. for a night of Bingo Fun featuring Music, Music Trivia and great drinks. There are many fun prizes available and the event is always food-friendly.

Free Language Labs

 6-7 p.m  Phillips Recreation Center, 505 W. Stoughton St., Urbana  Free Learn a new language, talk with friends who share your language and meet new people. Urbana Park District will be hosting round-table gatherings each featuring a specific language. All are welcome — native speakers and beginners who are interested in learning.

 5-7 p.m  Channing Murray Foundation, 1209 W. Oregon St.,

Eat Breakfast, lunch, cake, coffee at Intermezzo cafe

shop Lovely gifts, funny cards, tasty snacks at Promenade showcase + gift shop

play AD 3x5

Stunning spaces, amazing artistry, down-to-earth vibe and U of I students never pay more than $10 a ticket

AD 3x5

at Krannert Center

KrannertCenter.com 217.333.6280

MONDAY

September 16, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

buzz

Spooky podcast performs first local live show BY JADA FULCHER STAFF WRITER

On a seemingly calm summer night, ChampaignUrbana locals and University students donned their Manic Pixie Dream Tarantula shirts and their darkest black lipstick in celebration of the “Welcome to Night Vale” live show. On Wednesday, the creators of the acclaimed podcast stopped at The Canopy Club for their first-ever live show in the area. Hosted by Meg Bashwiner (who also voices Deb, a character known to fans as everyone’s favorite sentient patch of haze), the show was filed with locals and students alike to see their favorite podcast performed on stage. “Welcome to Night Vale” is a podcast set in the fictional spooky desert town of Night Vale. Through the eyes (or more aptly, the voice) of Night Vale’s Cecil Palmer, a character performed by Cecil Baldwin, listeners follow the strange comings and goings of the unique cast of characters. The podcast is structured based on community news updates from the small town of Night Vale, such as local weather and news, announcements from the Sheriff’s Secret Police and updates described by the creators of the podcast as mysterious lights in the night sky, dark hooded figures with unknowable powers and cultural events. Since its premiere in July of 2012, the podcast has attained a massive following. New episodes are released twice a month. The show is produced by Night Vale Presents which makes 14 podcasts. With merchandise sales, appearances at conventions and new live original live shows running all over the world, “Welcome to Night Vale” has become a

CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI

staple of the medium. This was evident as The Canopy Club filled with enthusiastic fans from all walks of life. Fans of the show were fervent to see their favorite characters performed in person, with one woman even yelling out, “All hail the Glow Cloud,” just minutes before the show’s

opening, in reference to a memorable plot line from the podcast’s second episode. As is custom within the fandom, the crowd immediately responded, “All hail!” to honor a gaseous deity in another reference to the same episode. Long-time fan and audience member Miranda Phair shared her love of

the program, praising it as being “not like anything else.” As The Canopy Club went dark, Bashwiner began the show by talking to students near the front of the stage. As the conversations moved from gay whales (and no that is not a reference from the show, that’s just the kind of con-

versation that comes from a Night Vale show) to safe words, it became clear very quickly this performance was not only a safe space but a very strange space that which a rational or unsuspecting person might have left immediately. A performance from another program from the Night Vale Presents cata-

own Martin Scorsese movie. “‘Goodfellas’ with strippers” is a simplification of what this film has going for it, but it’s a good starting place for what to expect. There’s the expected riseand-fall narrative, the entrance of drugs heralding the downfall of the operation and the soundtrack of period-appropriate pop hits. It’s not up to the level of “Goodfellas,” but come on; what is? Destiny (Constance Wu) begins the film as a babe in the woods, the new stripper at a club where every man in sight is taking advantage of the strippers in one way or another. She’s just another victim of a vicious cycle until she meets Ramona (Lopez), the club’s star dancer. Introduced

doing a pole routine to Fio- edge of the earth, as they na Apple’s “Criminal,” she end up doing. immediately blows everyThe strip club seems to one else off the screen. operate solely on the backs

2008 financial crash leaves Ramona, Destiny and many of their colleagues without jobs. So they decide to go

log, “Dreamboy,” served as the show’s opening act. Bashwiner pointed out to the crowd there is nothing more 2019 than a live podcast performance opening up for another live podcast performance. “Dreamboy” follows the life of a musician named Dane, played by Dane Terry, and through a mix of song, score and story, the audience was enraptured by tales of the character’s childhood. Telling stories of interesting boys, ominous tarot card readers and trips to Disneyworld, Terry left The Canopy Club’s audience in awe by the end of his short set. Some audiences members may have even shed a tear. As “Dreamboy” came to a close, the audience was met with the familiar bass of the best radio host on this side of Desert Bluffs. Baldwin emerged as Cecil Palmer to uproarious applause before beginning what he referred to as a “descent into this spooky little town we call home.” In a story shrouded in mystery, deception and a bunch of fun audience participation, it’s safe to say that “Welcome to Night Vale’s” performance of “A Spy in the Desert” was another lovable addition to the show’s canon. With guest appearances from Deb the sentient patch of haze, rebel Tamika Flynn, a character performed by Symphony Sanders and other fan-favorite characters, this was a great show for first-time viewers and longtime fans alike. Fans of the show left The Canopy Club clad in their new merchandise and ready to head home and cue up their favorite episode. jadaef2@readbuzz.com

Jennifer Lopez steals spotlight in ‘Hustlers’

BY BILL TAYLOR STAFF WRITER

buzz factor: There’s been a question on the minds of many cinephiles for the last two decades; when is Jennifer Lopez going to make another good movie? She’s a charming actress even in the worst of the dreck she’s put her name on, but the one-two punch of “Selena” and “Out of Sight” in the late ‘90s gave people the taste of her having a more serious-minded career than she ended up having. I’m now happy to report Lopez has indeed made another good movie; not quite a great one, but close enough. “Hustlers” is another in the time-honored tradition of filmmakers making their

incapacitated and getting them to hand over their credit cards and absurd sums over to the girls. What are they going to do, let everybody else know that they’re frequenting strip clubs? What separates writer amd director Lorene Scafaria’s work here from many lesser Scorsese wannabes is how relaxed she lets the pacing be. A “Goodfellas” knock-off, like “I, Tonya,” is overcaffeinated until it’s a drag to watch, but “Hustlers” wisely invests a lot of quiet time in developing friendships and laying out the processes by which the strip club operates. The She’s so effortlessly capti- of Wall Street business- freelance, cornering stock- central plan isn’t revealed vating it’s no wonder peo- men, but they also end up brokers in bars, drugging ple would follow her off the being its downfall after the them until they’re near SEE LOPEZ | 3B

This movie really is the Jennifer Lopez show. Ramona has to plausibly be a mother figure, friend, force of nature, temptress and plausible snitch all at once, and Lopez makes all of those sides believable without appearing to do any work whatsoever.