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Vol. 150 Issue 12
COVID-19 claims 21st life in Champaign County BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
Another person in Champaign County died from coronavirus-related complications on Tuesday, the Champaign Public Health District confirmed. The 21st person to die from the virus in Champaign County was a woman in her 80s with underlying health conditions, CUPHD Administrator Julie Pryde said. The woman was hospitalized at the time of her death, Pryde said. The last COVID-19 death in the county occurred over a month ago, on Aug. 20. On Wednesday, CUPHD confirmed another 46 cases of COVID-19 in the county, with 40 new recoveries. With the recent death, county hospitalizations are down to seven. Champaign County also conducted another 11,434 tests, bringing the test total up to 526,539.
As of Wednesday, 4,737 people in Champaign County have tested positive for COVID-19 since the pandemic began. Of them, 4,355 are considered recovered by CUPHD, and 361 are active. ZIP code 61820 is still Champaign County’s biggest contributor to the pandemic, with 2,244 confirmed cases there, 218 of them active. The ZIP code 61820 encapsulates the area within I-74 on the north, Prospect Avenue on the west, Windsor Road on the south and Wright Street on the east, covering most of Campustown. The same ZIP code leads Champaign County in total tests with 231,284. The ZIP code with the next highest number of active cases is 61801, in Urbana, with 34. Two-thirds of all county tests have been done on people between the ages of 10 and 30 years old. In total, 1,894 confirmed
cases have been from people between the ages of 10 and 20, while another 1,298 confirmed cases have been between 20 and 30 years old. CUPHD reports breakdowns of cases and tests by race. According to their webpage, 64% of people who’ve tested positive in the county are white, 15% are African American, 6% are Asian, 15% are “Other” and 1% are unknown. By ethnicity, 16% of people who’ve tested positive identify as Hispanic, but only 3.6% of the tested population is Hispanic. Other cases to tests disparities exist in racial demographics. Asian people represent 6% of cases despite getting 18.7% of tests, while African Americans comprise 15% of cases in the county while only receiving 8.1% of tests. @esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com
RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI
A University coronavirus testing site worker organizes vials at the Illini Union testing location on Wednesday morning. Twenty-one people have now died from COVID-19 in Champaign County.
UI COVID-19 costs exceed $300 million BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI
Students socialize at the Red Lion bar on Aug. 21. Sixty-three students are currently on probation for violating COVID-19 guidelines. Students in photo are not necessarily involved with probation.
Students on probation hits 63, 15 dismissed BY DIANA ANGHEL ASSISTANT NEWS EDITOR
Since the semester began, the University has issued decisions on 297 cases of COVID-19 related student behavior. In 58 of these cases, the respondent was not found responsible or the charges were dropped. Of those found responsible, 63 students are on probation, one has been placed on dismissal held in abeyance status and 15 have been dismissed, according to Stephen Bryan, associate vice chancellor for student affairs and dean of student support and advocacy. Two weeks ago, just one student had been dismissed for a COVID conduct violation. The Office of Student Conflict Resolution must now assess every reported case of a social distancing rule-break. “The student discipline system utilizes an educational approach, and each case is examined individually,” Bryan said in an email on behalf of himself and Vice Chancellor Danita M.B. Young. “Decisionmakers consider a wide variety of factors, including but not limited to the nature of the behavior itself, the impact of that behavior on others, the explanation of that behavior, and the extent to which the respondent has reflected on their actions.” According to the Office
of Conf lict Resolution website, the office has the following options when determining whether a respondent has violated a University policy: finding no violation, charge(s) dropped and finding of violation. The formal sanctions for a student conduct violation are as follows: • University reprimand, where a student carries an entry in their disciplinary record for a year that serves as a basis for further sanctioning; • University censure, an official communication that the student’s behavior is inappropriate as a member of the academic community and an entry in the disciplinary record until the student graduates; • conduc t probat ion, where the student is no longer in good standing with the academic community and can be dismissed or suspended if another rule-break happens while the student is under probation; • suspension, meaning that the student’s relationship with the University must be terminated for a definite amount of time; • dismissal, in which the student’s relationship with the University is terminated. The student may petition for read-
On Monday, University leaders revealed the costs of COVID-19 to the school so far: $300 million and counting, straight from the University’s operating budget. Add it ion a l ly, t hey revealed that the Emergency Use Authorization approval the saliva test supposedly received from the FDA back in August hasn’t yet been achieved. Gathering at the Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology, University President Tim Killeen, Chancellor Robert Jones, Dr. Martin Burke and several other University representatives were joined by Democratic Sen. Dick Durbin to contextualize the financial impacts of the virus and the school’s testing while asking for federal aid to expand the saliva tests. Most of the costs are coming from canceled events and student refunds, Killeen said, but the total cost of testing continues to grow. According to Burke, leader of the University’s SHIELD team and co-creator of the saliva test, each test costs the University system around $20 to $25. Through Monday, the University had conducted 423,206 tests, putting total testing costs in the range of $8.4 million to $10.5 million. “We just talked to you about the millions of dollars that we’ve had to stand up to
PHOTO COURTESY OF WCIA
Senator Dick Durbin speaks at a press conference at the University’s Carl R. Woese Institute for Genomic Biology on Monday. Durbin gathered alongside UI leaders to discuss COVID costs and federal funding.
invest in this, but the most important thing to consider is in the middle of a pandemic, it’s in everyone’s best interest,” Chancellor Jones said. As for the test’s FDA approval for emergency use, Burke said the guidelines have changed since August when the University declared the tests’ EUA approval. “What we had said at the time, which was our understanding of the guidance at the time, is that we had completed a bridging study to an EUA, which at the time was exactly our understanding of the guidelines,” Burke
said Monday. “What’s being sought now, which is a really important step forward, is a new EUA specifically for this test to be used for asymptomatic testing.” Chancellor Jones divulged on the difference in his weekly responses to The Daily Illini. “The University validated its laboratory-developed test under CLIA by successfully comparing its performance to an FDA Emergency Use Authorized test. This is different than FDA approval,” he said. Burke said the University is working to drive the cost of testing down, especially
with more than 30 universities that have communicated interest in adopting the saliva tests, along with community schools that have been promised testing help. Sen. Durbin said he’s “never been prouder of the University of Illinois,” and called for Republicans to buy into a larger investment in testing. “If we’re going to have another COVID relief bill, the proposal on our side of the aisle is for dramatic investment in further testing,” Durbin said. @esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com
Urbana early voting location receives first ballots BY ALIZA MAJID STAFF WRITER
Early voting is underway in Champaign County, and some students are taking advantage. Prashant Shankar, senior in Engineering, voted early last week at the gym next to the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana, the only in-person voting location open in ChamSEE PROBATION | 3A paign County. “It was a pretty short line with about a 10-minute wait,” Shankar said. “People were socially distant and it was pretty quick and painless. So I would definitely recommend that people go out to vote early if they do want to vote in person.” Champaign County has brought COVID-19 safeguidelines at the voting Sports: Illini volleyball ty locations this year in order values short, to minimize infections, intense practices bringing a distinct new look to the polling places. The PAGE B1 first location was moved
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Champaign County residents vote at the Brookens Administrative Center in Urbana, IL on Sept. 24. The voting location is currently the only in Champaign County, while 11 more early voting locations will open on Oct. 18.
from the Brookens Administrative Center to the gym to create more space. “We’re asking everyone to wear masks when they come in to vote,” Champaign County Clerk Aar-
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altercation escalated. One subreport, a University student said • Aggravated discharge of a fireject was stabbed then used her her vehicle was scratched with arm, aggravated assault and vehicle to ram the other subject’s a sharp object while parked in criminal damage to property vehicle. the lot. were reported on the 1300 block • Burglary from a motor vehicle of North Walnut Street around was reported on the 1200 block Urbana 8:30 p.m. on Monday. According of West Anthony Drive around • Aggravated battery was reported to the report, the victim’s house 9 p.m. on Saturday. According to on the 600 block of West Univerwas struck by gunfire while he the report, a credit card and cash sity Avenue around 7:30 p.m. on was inside the residence. were stolen from a vehicle. Monday. According to the report, • Arrests were made for aggravatthe offender engaged in a physical ed battery, aggravated battery University altercation with the victim while towards a child and endanger- • Criminal damage to properthe victim was attempting to pering the life/health of a child on ty was reported in a parking lot form his duties as a hospital secuthe 100 block of Kenwood Road near First Street and Windsor rity guard. around 6:15 p.m. on Monday. Road in Champaign around 4:30 According to the report, a verbal p.m. on Monday. According to the news@dailyillini.com
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Illinois Gov. J.B. Pritzker entered self-isolation for the second time after attending an event with a COVID-positive staff member, his office said Tuesday. The staff member tested negative last Wednesday, but after experiencing COVID-19 symptoms, the staffer was tested again on Monday and the results came back positive. The staff member
attended three of the governor’s events in the previous week, including one on Sunday, Pritzker’s office said. However, his office said Pritzker and the staffer wore masks during every interaction. Pritzker and all of his “close contacts” are quarantining for 14 days. Pritzker has had a few documented close calls with COVID-positive folks. He first self-isolated for two weeks in May when a different member of his staff tested positive
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for COVID-19. This COVID-positive staff member was asymptomatic and was in close contact with Pritzker and a few other employees. The governor tested negative afterward. Pritzker tested negative again after attending an event with Illinois Attorney General Kwame Raoul, who had then contracted COVID-19. Just like his first period of isolation, Pritzker plans to give his regular coronavirus briefings from home
until his isolation period ends and he’s cleared to return, his office said Tuesday. On Tuesday, Illinois health officials announced another 1,362 confirmed cases of COVID-19 and 23 additional deaths statewide. On Tuesday, confirmed cases stood at 291,001, while Illinois’ virus death toll sat at 8,637 since the pandemic began. @esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com
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Corrections In Monday’s paper, the photo for “Health officials stress flu shots during pandemic” was incorrectly credited to Ryan Ash. The photo is a file photo fromThe Daily Illini.
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NEWS
Champaign police listen to excessive force concerns BY MONA ALRAZZAQ STAFF WRITER
At the City of Champaign’s second community listening session with the Champaign Police, held on Tuesday, public commenters focused on previous cases of excessive force, along with recent police-involved incidents that rung through the Champaign community. The meeting began with a brief introduction and summary of the last session by Champaign Chief of Police Anthony Cobb. “We need to review which services are appropriate for police response, more investment into community resources, improved communication and a conversation over mental health,” Cobb said. In the last session, citizens were concerned over the status of a case in which a red truck drove through protesters outside of Rogue Barber Company in Champaign at a Black Lives Matter protest in July. Cobb said that this case is “currently at the state’s attorney office with a charge in consideration.” Cobb then introduced the moderator of the listening session, Dr. Travis Dixon, professor in LAS. Dixon went over the ground rules for the session and then called on the first speaker in the Zoom call. Brian Dunn, a citizen of Champaign, started off the session with his perspective on the process of defunding the police. He mentioned that the beginning of the process means “having funds to operate mental health crisis response teams that operate
independently of the police.” Dunn argued that such response teams could have saved the life of Richard Turner, a homeless man who in late 2016 was tackled, had his face pressed into the ground while he was being detained by Champaign police officers and was later pronounced dead. In 2019, a judge cleared an excessive force leveled against the Champaign officers involved. Other cities have adopted mobile crisis unit programs that decouple mental health and substance use crises from police responses, which have decreased the police response rate, Dunn mentioned. “The time has come for more than just lip service. It’s time for action and time for change,” Dunn said. A lot of the recommendations from citizens that followed reiterated support for mental health and psychiatric response teams separate from the police. April Garrison, a former caseworker at a college in San Diego, recommended something similar to a program implemented there named the Psychiatric Emergency Response Team. Emily M. Rodriguez, teaching assistant in LAS, criticized Champaign’s police officers’ role as the first responders when a sexual assault is reported. She claimed that having police as the first responders disconnects the women from the resources available to them on campus to help them deal with sexual assault. “I know these women are typically scared and don’t know how to communicate with police particularly after
SCREENSHOT OF ZOOM
Champaign Police officials gather in a Zoom call for the second community listening session. Dr. Travis Dixon (first row, center), professor in LAS, moderated the session via Zoom on Sept. 29.
an incident like that,” Rodriguez said. Kristin Jones, another speaker, agreed that the entire system of reporting sexual assault needs to be reformed and promoted “traumainformed training.” She also argued for eliminating the time limit for citizens to file the complaint and providing different locations for somebody to file a complaint. Another concerned citizen, Daniel Thompson, reiterated prior calls for action against racial disparities in policing, instead of a simple conversation. “We can talk intent and policy until we’re blue in the face, but if the numbers bear out that there’s a discrepancy, then that’s problematic and we have to continue to go back to the drawing board,” Thompson said. “I think it would be exhausting for a member of an impacted community to hear these conversations to spin around and for
only intent and not impact to be a thing that is looked at.” Drake Materre, graduate of AHS, questioned why nobody has been charged in the red truck incident that Cobbs mentioned in his introduction and also criticized the response and forced movement of a food pantry built by his friend. He also suggested a diversion program in which, depending on the nature of the crime, the person charged has an option of a diversion path that increases their involvement in the community as a substitute for incarceration. Kristie Stasi, a lifelong Champaign resident, was upset by listening to some of the comments tonight. She said it appeared that some citizens who spoke “don’t really seem to know what police do or what their role is.” “I’m not gonna lie, the people in jail right now are not the people we want walking around in our community,”
Stasi said. Niko Johnson Fuller, another speaker, followed that people are currently “rightfully concerned with police behavior.” He mentioned the case of Tavion Jones-Premo, who was wrongfully arrested with excessive restraint and taken into juvenile detention for ten days at 16 years old. The city settled with Jones-Premo, now 18, for $74,500. A former police officer for the Indiana State Police, Greg Boysaw, offered his perspective on this issue by advocating for police engagement with the community as well as emphasizing the importance of officers knowing “if they see something that isn’t fair, equal or unbiased by their peers or leadership, they need to be able to say something and say something without repercussion.” The last speaker, Alicia Williams, a social worker in Champaign County, agreed
with Rose’s call for the implementation of traumainformed care in the police academy. She said that in order to implement traumainformed care, “police officers need to realize they’re also part of the problem.” She also called for the implementation of a program that accounts for citizens with intellectual disabilities as well as mental health problems, similar to one that was implemented in Bloomington called Frequent User Systems Engagement. “Public safety requires a true community partnership, and your concerns are a huge part of it so hearing them this evening was definitely helpful,” Cobb said at the end of the session. There are three more community listening sessions set for Saturday from 1-3 p.m., Oct. 9 from 1-3 p.m. and Oct. 13 from 6-8 p.m.
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apartment complex to call on campus party patrol. “There were seven of us; I didn’t think it was a big deal,” the student said. “We got a little loud and party patrol came. They saw the people in my apartment. They just told me to lower the music down and that this was just a warning.” Two days later, an email communication from a student conduct coordinator was sent to the source informing him that his case was under investigation. After a phone interview, the decided disciplinary action was a year-long probation period and an entry in the student’s transcript for graduate school applications, because the gathering did not follow social distancing guidelines. The student said he did not know social distancing and mask-wearing rules applied to gatherings under 10 people. “The people wore masks outside of my building and through my building once they entered the door,” the student said. “I checked their (Safer Illinois) apps once they entered the door to make sure that they all got tested, which they all did. I thought, when you go to a campus restaurant, and you sit down with a group of friends, you’re allowed to take your mask off.” The student wrote a letter of appeal, which is a student right described in Section 3.01 of the Student Conduct, under the grounds that the punish-
ment was not fit for the violation. Student appealers must base their appeal exclusively on one or more of the following grounds: procedural irregularity, new evidence that was not reasonably available at the time the determination, a conflict of interest or bias from the conduct subcommittee toward the appealer or the punishment imposed were not appropriate for the violation found. For anyone reporting on-campus COVID violations, Bryan recommends that the reporter discloses his or her identity because most actions are severely limited if the reporting party uses an anonymous reporting method. The University prohibits retaliation against anyone who reports a violation, he said. “Students have a right to confront the evidence against them, so if the reporting party desires that disciplinary action be taken as a result of their report, they should understand that requesting confidentiality limits the degree to which the University can respond through the disciplinary process,” Bryan said.
count as a part of the census here, so you mean money. You have just as much of a right to vote here as anyone else.” This year, the University Senate has declared Election Day as a holiday for the campus community. This opportunity will allow students to vote without worrying about their classes for the day. “I think a great thing about making Election Day a holiday is that not only does it give people free time from things that would have otherwise occupied them, but it also raises awareness,” Shankar said. “I think it’s a very good precedent for the future and for potentially
implementing a statewide holiday.” The official day off will not be made up anytime this semester and raises some concern for the academic calendar because some classes may have to adjust to the change. “I imagine it will throw off some classes. I know I have a senior design weekly meeting on Tuesdays, for example,” Shankar said. “So I definitely can see this being a pain, especially for lab oriented classes.” The Champaign County Clerk website has more information about the election period and voting locations for reference.
PROBATION
RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI
The McKinley Health Center sits on Lincoln Street on Sunday. McKinley is currently offering free flu shots at the ARC.
Carle Hospital offers drive-thru flu shots BY SAMANTHA BOYLE MANAGING EDITOR FOR REPORTING
Now more than ever, health officials are encouraging everyone to get a flu shot for the upcoming flu season as it will overlap with the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic. This year, McKinley Health Center and Carle Foundation Hospital are providing several locations across campus and ChampaignUrbana for members of the community to get their flu shots. Carle is offering vaccines at several locations in which some offer drivethrough flu shot services. The drive-throughs will be available at Carle Outpatient Services at the Fields as well as Carle Urbana on Windsor. Both of these locations will be open from Sept. 26 through Oct. 18. There will also be a walkin flu shot clinic at Marketplace Mall every Tuesday, Wednesday and Thursday from Sept. 29 through Oct. 22. Several other drivethrough and walk-in locations are also available in Danville, Mattoon, Milford, Monticello and Tuscola. Flu shots provided by
McKinley are available for all students who have paid their Health Service Fee, which is a part of all students’ tuition and cannot be waived. A Massmail sent to students, staff and faculty on Monday listed all the locations available for flu shots through McKinley:
A Massmail sent to students, staff and faculty on Monday listed all the locations available for flu shots through McKinley.
Residential Programs Building Hours for each location differ by day and location, but range anywhere from 10 a.m. to 7 p.m. “This is an extremely important year to prioritize getting your flu vaccination to help ensure we are each doing what we can to support our local healthcare system, so they can allocate their resources to fighting COVID-19,” Chancellor Robert Jones said in the Monday MassMail. During the flu season, health officials are also stressing the importance of recognizing symptoms and the differences and similarities between coronavirus, f lu and allergies. According to Carle, coronavirus symptoms include fever, dry cough, shortness of breath; f lu symptoms include fever, cough, muscle aches, fatigue, weakness, chills and sweats; and allergy symptoms include sneezing, itchy nose, eyes or roof of mouth, runny or stuffy nose and watery, red or swollen eyes.
• Now through Nov. 20: Campus Recreation Center East • Sept. 28 through Sept. 30: Activities & Recreation Center • Oct. 5 through Oct. 8: Grainger Engineering Library • Oct. 12 through Oct. 15: Business Instructional Facility • Oct. 20 through Oct. 21: Veterinary Medicine sjboyle2@dailyillini.com • Oct. 22 through Oct. 23: Student Dining and
mission after a specified period of time. “No students have been suspended through the student discipline system (for COVID-19 violations) — but note that a dismissal, like a suspension, is separation from the University for a period of time,” Bryan said. However, there have been interim suspensions in the past, which are issued by the Chancellor. When the subcommittees decide to hold a punishment “in abeyance,” they’re deciding that the sanction is the appropriate course of action, but the circumstances of the case cause holding the formal sanction in a state of temporary suspension. The student may continue enrollment under certain restrictions, per the student code. For party violations, Bryan said that “attendees also face disciplinary actions, but the outcomes for the host are likely to be more severe than the outcomes of attendees.” The Daily Illini spoke with a student that is currently under a year-long probation period for holding a social gathering. Due to the student’s disciplinary status and fear of retaliation, The Daily Illini granted anonymity for the student. The student held a party at his apartment, which led to a resident of a nearby
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VOTING
The Brookens gym voting location on 1776 E. Washington St. has been open since Sept. 24 and will be open 8:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. Monday-Friday until Oct. 18. After that, its hours will extend to 8 a.m.-7 p.m. Monday-Friday, along with 9 a.m.-5 p.m. on Saturdays and Sundays, and another 11 early voting locations will open across the county. For registered student voters, Ammons encourages them to weigh voting on campus or at their homes. “Students have the right to vote where they go to school,” Ammons said. “You all pay taxes here, you
monaa2@illinois.edu
danghel2@dailyillini.com *To protect the privacy of the student that spoke about their experience in hosting a gathering, The Daily Illini granted anonymity to the source.
alizam2@dailyillini.com
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THURSDAY October 1, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
LIFE & CULTURE
KAITLIN MIKRUT THE DAILY ILLINI
COVID-Pals brings people together BY ELIZABETH SAYASANE FEATURES EDITOR
As Ege Onal, a junior in Engineering, prepared to return to campus this fall, he knew it would be different from when he left in the spring. With a high number of positive cases and restrictions about how and where people could go, it would not be the traditional lively homecoming returning students remembered. One particular new aspect of life on campus concerned Onal: students stuck in isolation after testing positive for COVID-19. “We don’t actually see those people around the streets, they are isolated, and they are probably lonely, trying to actually get themselves better,” Onal said. “There are also academics, school work they have to do, and social responsibilities and other things going on.” When considering the toll this must take on these students, Onal came up with an idea to help them cope with their time in isolation. He started working on a website: COVID-Pals. Through this website, students who are in isolation, or even students who are taking precautions by staying inside as much as possible, can connect with other students on campus. They can schedule 30-minute meetings to chat with a volunteer, a stranger and fellow student, about anything they would like. It was important to him that these volunteers taking calls were also students, as
it would be more comfortable for those reaching out. “Speaking with a student is always different instead of a counselor,” he said. “Students, we tend to kind of better understand each other in terms of workload and what’s kind of going on.” The service is live and Onal has been working to get the word out to other students. He has already recruited several volunteers ready to take calls. One of these volunteers is Aidan Rogers, a freshman also in Engineering who met Onal through one of his classes. He had similar concerns for those students stuck in isolation. “I know if I was in isolation, that’d be super difficult,” Rogers said. “I signed up because I wanted to see if I could help people get rid of the struggle of being in isolation.” Another volunteer, Romir Singla, freshman in Engineering, saw participating in this program doubly beneficial. Singla decided to stay at home this semester, so he has also been unable to explore campus and meet other students. Singla said that volunteering for COVID-Pals would be a great way for him to help students going through similar or more extreme situations. He could help others while also meeting new people and potentially making new friends. “A lot of people need that sort of connection just to get through college, so I wanted to help participate in that,”
he said. As the initiative has only just begun, they have not taken any calls yet. Nonetheless, Onal already looks to the future for this platform. He said it could eventually be more than just a way to help those lonely in isolation. Even those who don’t have to stay isolated still do not have the same opportunities to meet other students as they have had in previous years. Freshmen missed out on Quad Day, orientation programs and
in-person classes where they can mingle amongst each other before the lectures begin. COVID-Pals is one avenue that students can use to try and meet others on campus who are also looking for friends. Both freshmen, Rogers and Singla are aware of this struggle. Rogers said even with the recent efforts made by the University, such as the movie nights and concerts, it is still difficult to actually form meaningful friendships. He said he is
trying to find friends in the balance between students who will not leave their dorm room and those who disregard all safety measures when going out. Singla said he feels that he isn’t getting the most out of his freshman year because of missed experiences from not being on campus. What has helped him cope is taking more initiative in forming these connections. Singla recognized the importance of being able to meet new people when he began volunteering.
“People need others to talk to because we have very similar connections with one another and we need to voice those, we can’t just keep that inside of us,” he said. Onal’s first emphasis on this initiative was always to connect people. He said his focus is “connecting people around campus so they’re not that lonely, especially during this time.” “We as Illinois, are strong together,” he said. eis3@dailyillini.com
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5A
Thursday, October 1, 2020
Espresso Royale thrives, reopens in CU BY KARENA TSE STAFF WRITER
Amidst a slew of COVID19-induced business closures, the farewell of one local favorite hit hard for the campus community. The announcement came months after what was supposed to be a temporary shutdown that began during spring break. “Sadly, our company has not survived the coronavirus pandemic,” Espresso Royale, LLC said in a statement from June 11. Assistant manager Anika Nims was working a quiet closing shift when she got word of the initial closure back in March. “My manager just texted me one day while I was closing and was like, ‘Hey, throw away everything in the store. We’re going to be closed,’ Nims recalled. “I had a complete emotional breakdown.” By June 11, Nims had adjusted to unemployed life in quarantine. So when she received a text asking if she could return to work, she said she felt both hesitation and relief. The fact that the text came just hours after Espresso Royale’s announcement of permanent closure added a thick layer of confusion. Unbeknownst to Nims, her coworkers and forlorn Espresso regulars, a plan of recourse was in motion. A small local group of Espresso higher-ups had pulled together to reclaim and reopen the ChampaignUrbana cafes under Espresso Royale C-U (ERC-U) — inde-
BRIGIDA DOCKUS THE DAILY ILLINI
Anika Nims, assistant manager of the Espresso Royale on Oregon Street, prepares a coffee order on Tuesday. Champaign-Urbana’s Espresso Royale locations reopened under the name Espresso Royale C-U.
pendent from the greater Michigan-owned Espresso Royale, LLC. While locations in Michigan and Wisconsin said their final goodbyes, C-U’s stores on Oregon Street, Neil Street and Village Green at the Crossing came back to life.
Regional Manager Doug McCarver helped to lead the local effort. “It wasn’t a difficult decision,” McCarver said. “I knew the stores were great, and that they deserved another life.” McCarver’s relationship
BRIGIDA DOCKUS THE DAILY ILLINI
Anika Nims pours milk into a coffee order at Espresso Royale on Tuesday.
with Espresso Royale began in the early ‘90s. He was a University student living in Allen Hall — a five-minute walk from the Espresso on Oregon Street he would grow to love and then to join as a pioneering team member. He spent three years in Madison helping the company break ground in Wisconsin, then returned to C-U to open a shop on Sixth and Daniel streets — a cozy little spot that was just demolished in summer 2019. Multiple locations sprouted up under McCarver’s management since, each of which he treasured as a part of his journey. “I didn’t want to see them go,” McCarver said. “I had such a long personal history with each location.” McCarver recognized that Espresso Royale meant as much to its regular visitors as it did to him. The coffee shops have built up loyal patronage during their three decades of service. For Mackenzie Schabowski, senior in LAS, Espresso Royale was a daily ritual. “Espresso became some-
thing I felt like I lived on,” Schabowski said. “It was a comfort to me. As time went on, I began to frequent the Oregon Street location more and more. It’s a safe space.” Kevin Zhagui, senior in Business, found a home at the Undergraduate Library location. “I’ve spent so many days and nights studying there that a good chunk of my life was just sitting, relaxing having a coffee or croissant before I had to work again,” Zhagui said. While the stores’ return was cause for celebration in the community, the reopened ERC-Us were, by some metrics, hardly recognizable from their pre-pandemic days. For-here service was suspended at all locations, along with public bathrooms and cash payment. Nims found herself regularly prompting customers to mask up. Keeping business alive during the coronavirus required near overhaul of normal protocol. “That’s kind of what we do,” McCarver said. “We get
a challenge, and we come up with a solution, and then we make it happen.” As temperatures start to dip below outdoor seating weather, Espresso Royale C-U faces new challenges on the horizon. The first winter in the pandemic will be a brutal test for already struggling local businesses. McCarver looks to the company’s future with optimism. He felt inspired seeing employees come back to work despite the risk — employees like Nims, who continues to serve customers during a pandemic the same way she has for the past six years. With such faith from its supporters, McCarver said he is certain that Espresso Royale C-U stands a chance. “There is something to be said about those early pioneers, those brave people who actually came back and are still around,” he said. “Those people are doing it not for any reason other than that they just really believe in keeping the stores alive.” kvtse2@dailyillini.com
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ACROSS
1Halima Aden became the first Sports Illustrated model to wear one in 2019 6 Luxuriate 10 Animal tracker’s clue 14 Romance, in one of the Romance languages 15 Sch. with the song “Hail to the Hills of Westwood” 16 “Thirty days ___ September …” 17 Discussing 19 Resounding comeback? 20 CPR pro 21 Entry-level workers? 23 Nest egg source 24 British nobility title 25 Squeezing 27 Drive 30 Dubuque residents, e.g. 32 Comportment 33 “Imagine that!” 37 The Admiral Benbow in “Treasure Island,” e.g. 38 “All will be well” 39 “Just like I told you!” 40 Obstacle-based competition show, informally 42 Reply to “Can this be true?” 43 Term for a naval builder that looks like an aquatic insect 44 Like some medical tests, briefly 45 Drink once advertised as “Twice as much for a nickel” 46 Generation ___ (cohort born in the early 2010s) 49 Stat for a starter 50 Staple breakfast in Scotland 53 Cream ___ 56 Galileo’s birthplace
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PUZZLE BY NANCY STARK AND WILL NEDIGER
58 Windbag, as seen three times in this puzzle? 60 Strokes 61 Painted Desert feature 62 What usurers do 63 Urgent order 64 The right way? 65 Small particles
DOWN
1 Not at all fancy 2 Certain religious leader 3 Unpleasant surprise 4 Cousin of a puffin 5 Word with party or shower 6 Cause of dread 7 Something to squirrel away? 8 Dickensian setting 9 Writer DiCamillo with two Newbery Medals
10 “Murder, ___ Wrote” 11 Laugh uproariously 12 U.S. city named for a European capital 13 It doesn’t cover much 18 Word between here and there 22 Just starting to learn 24 Soul singer ___ E. King 26 White-water rental 27 “Fold” opposite 28 Show in parts 29 Food that’s cut diagonally 30 Security fig. 31 Cause for nosepinching 33 “Would that it ___” 34 Main ingredient in the German stew hasenpfeffer 35 Cable news host Melber 36 Participant in a sting?
38 One-named Italian male model 41 Scavengers on Luke Skywalker’s home planet 42 Plan with a “Simple” variety 44 One of the four humors 45 “___ Pig” (children’s TV show) 46 Stockpile 47 Unleash upon 48 Overly rehearsed 51 Top 52 Fritz Lang collaborator ___ von Harbou 53 Share a side 54 Elite seats 55 Members of a defunct union 57 Reptile with a bad bite 59 Joey who’s friends with Owl
The crossword solution is in the Classified section.
6A
THURSDAY October 1, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
OPINIONS THE DAILY ILLINI EDITORIAL
CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI
The Daily Illini endorses Joe Biden for President It
has been said the 2020 election will be the most consequential in recent history — but it is assuredly not. The 2016 presidential election was the most consequential election in recent history, and every day since Jan. 20, 2017, America is reminded how it dropped the ball. The last four years have been a persistent inundation of consequences from the 2016 election. After seeing America’s institutions debilitate, its international reputation suffer and its people factionalize, the United States finally will have the opportunity to restore professionalism and dignity to the White House on Nov. 3. This can only be done by rejecting the incumbent’s divisive and brash style of politics and installing Joe Biden to the office of the Presidency. In this race, there is policy and there is personality. On both accounts, former Vice President Joe Biden is the higher quality candidate. Joe Biden, who started his career honorably serving as a public defender before entering politics, is best remembered as a bipartisan negotiator. Although Biden always contends that “politics is personal,” party affiliation has never hindered his ability to build interpersonal relationships with those across the aisle. As a president, he would be a unifier and emblematic of
a return to a period when politics are not characterized by hyperpartisanship. Biden has always been known as someone charismatic, trustworthy and empathetic. Although his platform reflects some antiquated beliefs, such as an opposition to marijuana legalization, his agenda is not completely devoid of progressive ideas. Biden’s agenda would include some progressive policy proposals, particularly those that help parents and workingclass people. Biden has had his fair share of senior moments on the campaign trail, but President Trump has never been a symbol of eloquence and wit that voters might prefer. The current president has had an equal if not more severe proclivity for gaffes and scandals. Unfortunately, this race is less about the merits of Joe Biden and unavoidably centered around the gross inadequacies of the Trump administration. At this dismal point in American history, the Trump administration fails to suffice even the lowest hopes. When Fox News commentator Sean Hannity asked the president about his potential secondterm agenda, Trump failed to even provide one policy objective in an answer that was widely regarded as a dodge. Not only is it difficult to back an incumbent president with no apparent pol-
icy vision for his second term, but that reality is particularly disappointing when the president’s firstterm agenda was far from fulfilled. Despite promises of infrastructure reform, which would have been an easy legislative win for the administration that would have commanded wide bipartisan support, the administration never seemed truly interested in achieving this. Health care reform is consistently one of the most important issues to the American public, and yet Trump’s first term was spent attempting to dismantle and bastardize Obamacare with no replacement. “The wall” was never paid for by the Mexican government and barely was erected in new areas rather than replacing existing physical barriers, the debt soared rather than being “eliminated” as Trump vowed and paid maternity leave that the president supported never came to fruition. Although a common slogan for the Trump campaign is “Promises made, promises kept,” the first term ends with a slew of broken promises. The president managed to achieve a few legislative wins, such as the First Step Act and the Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, but this is quite an underwhelming record for an administration that once had an advan-
tage in both chambers of Congress. The president’s handling of crises was poor, almost uniformly. America suffered through powerful hurricanes, tenacious forest fires and most recently, the COVID-19 epidemic. The federal response each time was meager. It also usually included the White House blaming local and state governments for the response blunder or even the crisis itself, rather than address its shortcomings. But the biggest issue with the last four years is the abysmal lack of character and moral leadership present in the White House. Some would argue, in 2016, that America is electing a president, not a saint. But as the head of government and head of state, someone responsible for representing all Americans domestically and abroad, the president fulfills the role of “chief citizen” and is meant to serve as a role model. The president has failed in this duty by wide margins. What is even more distressing is that the American people cannot trust the information coming from the executive branch. The White House has been caught in so many lies, echoed so many disputed claims and peddled so many conspiracy theories that many find themselves trusting the word of foreign ministers before our own Secretary of State. The administration has shred-
CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI
ded its credibility at every turn. Americans are faced with a dilemma: unquestionably believe the word of the president or accept that he is almost always lying. The president has been at odds with the intelligence community, the Center for Disease Control, Pulitzer Prize-winning newspapers, allied governments and many of his own administration officials. It is a dreary day in American history when the public places little trust in its own president. Perhaps the biggest betrayal is the president only seemed interested in serving those who voted for him and punishing those who did not. When disaster strikes, the president is quick to send aid to states like Alabama and Texas but
quick to criticize California or Puerto Rico. No wonder the country seems to be torn between two realities of Trump’s governance — loyalists have received different treatment than the rest of America. It’s hard to imagine many people can look at the chaotic state of the country and truly assess that things are better off than they were four years ago. America needs a president who will serve as a role model, govern for all Americans and tell the truth. Of the two majorparty candidates, Joe Biden is the only feasible choice. Vote early and, if possible, in-person to ascertain the vote is counted. It’s time for America to rectify its mistake from four years ago and make Donald Trump a one-term president.
L. Frank Baum deserves recognition for ‘The Wizard of Oz’ not only featuring beloved characters like Dorothy, the NOAH NELSON SENIOR COLUMNIST Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Lion, but also ones few folks have heard of. Those include the likes of Jack hen one thinks of Pumpkinhead, Tik-Tok and classic movies, films the Nome King. like “Gone With Much like what J.K. Rowthe Wind,” “Citizen Kane” ling did with Harry Potter, and “Casablanca” typically Baum planned out everycome to mind. One film that thing in the Land of Oz. He stands out above them all created well-known locais Metro-Goldwyn-Mayer’s tions within the world like 1939 classic “The Wizard the Wicked Witch of the of Oz.” West’s castle, the EmerAs the film has astonald City and Munchkinished movie critics and fans land. While doing so, he alike for over eighty years, also divided the land into hardly anyone knows what four countries, including happened way before the Munchkin, Winkie, Gillikin film premiered Grauman’s and Quadling, all connected Chinese Theatre in Holby the famous Yellow Brick lywood. Not many people Road. realize the film was based Though Baum never saw off of the 1900 children’s the premier of the 1939 clasbook titled “The Wonderful sic, as he passed away 20 Wizard of Oz” by L. Frank years prior, he left a pop culBaum, the man who started ture legacy that continues to it all. And his name should thrive today. be appreciated. Over the years, “The WizAfter the publication of ard of Oz” sparked a culthe classic book that later tural mania that will never became the hit movie, Baum be matched — sorry Marvel continued to write stoand Stars Wars fans. Spinries set in the Land of Oz, off films include the likes of
W
1978’s “The Wiz,” featuring Michael Jackson and Diana Ross, 2005’s “Muppets’ Wizard of Oz,” starring Queen Latifah and everybody’s favorite puppets and 2013’s “Oz: The Great and Powerful,” starring James Franco and Mila Kunis. In 2003, the witches of Oz first told their side of the story, long before Dorothy dropped in. The Broadway hit, which starred Idina Menzel and Kristin Chenoweth as Elphaba and Glinda respectively, follows the Wicked Witch of the West and Glinda becoming friends. Even today, “Wicked” continues to play for sold out shows on Broadway and all across the globe. Besides the world of film, “The Wizard of Oz” has also turned millions of people into fans, some who have invested way too much in the Land of Oz. In Wamego, Kansas, the small town has dedicated it’s entire downtown to all things Oz, featuring a museum full of artifacts and several businesses named after Oz places and characters. There
PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB
Judy Garland, Ray Bolger and Jack Haley star in “The Wizard of Oz” which was released in 1939. Columnist Noah argues that the writer of the book the film is based on, L. Frank Baum, should receive more recognition.
are also annual Oz festivals in towns like Macedonia, Ohio and Grand Rapids, Michigan. If you’re feeling inclined to do so, there is also the International Wizard of Oz Club. Not many realize who L.
Frank Baum is, but everyone knows and loves the world he created. Next time you watch a movie set in the Land of Oz, catch “Wicked” on Broadway or read one of his children’s books, let Baum come to mind and
thank him for all he has done for pop culture. Without him, who knows where the world would be today. Noah is a junior in the College of Media. noahen2@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.
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THURSDAY October 1, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
SPORTS
FOOTBALL
VOLLEYBALL
Illini complete first practice with pads BY GABBY HAJDUK SPORTS EDITOR
THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO
Head volleyball coach Chris Tamas speaks with senior Megan Cooney during the game against Tennessee on Sept. 1, 2019. Tamas has implemented a shorter practice style that parallels the speed and feel of a real match.
Practice style influences success BY WES HOLLENBERG STAFF WRITER
A typical Illinois volleyball practice looks different from most college programs across the country for one key reason: brevity. Head coach Chris Tamas has brought a ‘less-is-more’ philosophy to the program and now has the results to back it up. One of Tamas’ goals when designing practices is to match the speed and feel of a real match. As a result, practices focus on scrimmaging and typically range from an hour and a half to two hours long, the length of an average volleyball match. To compensate for the shorter length, Tamas expects his players to be ready to give maximum effort the second that practice begins. “I don’t want to take 25 minutes to get warmed up,” said Tamas. “You’re (expected to be) warm when you step in, and your first rep better be as intense and intent as your last rep.” As a kinesiology major in college, Tamas learned of different theories as to how to practice most effectively. The most popular theory among most coaches is what Tamas calls “multiple reps theory,” which argues the more repetitions players put in, the more they will improve. However, Tamas believes that fewer but more intense
reps may be most effective. “I feel that if you’re going to get good at this game then you want to maximize every rep that you have,” said Tamas. “It’s not necessarily about how long we can be in the gym, it’s about how to go as hard and as fast as you can for that hour and a half to two-hour block and really train as if you were in a game.” Beyond his background in kinesiology, Tamas also credits his approach to his time on the U.S. national team along with reading coaching books and scientific studies. When describing Illinois practices, “efficient” has been the most common word among players, such as setter Diana Brown and hitter Megan Cooney. According to Cooney, Tamas will often end practices early when he feels the team is working hard and locked in. Another large benefit to Tamas’ approach to practice is the potential for injuryprevention due to the overall lower number of reps the volleyball team takes. “For our positions that jump a lot like middle blockers and outside hitters and setters, we want to make sure that we know that we’re not going to put so much load on them that they’re going to get injured,” said Tamas. “We definitely have load manage-
ment, making sure that we’re tracking jumps. That’s a part of the reason that we practice a bit shorter than most teams would as well.” Over the past few years, the concept of load management has risen to prominence across sports, such as in the NBA where players routinely sit out of games and practices to reduce their injury risk. While Tamas has utilized his efficiency-focused approach since the day he became head coach of Illinois, the proliferation of load management as a widely-used, effective strategy has certainly reinforced his belief in it. Due to his strong belief in reducing the overall loads on his players’ bodies, Tamas doesn’t like the idea of doing a team conditioning test. “It’s really tough to say that (we should do a conditioning test) because, in our game, it’s a marathon run by 100 or 150 sprints depending on how many rallies that you end up having,” said Tamas. “We have 10 to 20-second bursts of going as hard as you can.” While overall conditioning is important, the nature of volleyball lends itself towards staggered movement, allowing players to rest between rallies. If players were to spend their summers exhausting their bodies in order to pass a condition-
ing test, their injury risk may increase, and mental burnout could become a factor. A large risk with shorter practices and less of a focus on offseason conditioning is accountability among players to stay in shape. According to Tamas, however, it hasn’t been an issue as he takes special care during recruitment to make sure his players will buy into his culture. “I don’t want to have to explain to someone how to work hard,” said Tamas. “We should have already seen that in their tournaments or in their practices that we’ve seen. I would say our roster is very much built around that”. If all else fails, players know Tamas will not hesitate to cut their playing time with such a competitive and deep roster at his disposal. Tamas has emphasized that he feels he has the results to back up his style of practice. With a Final Four appearance just two seasons ago, he has certainly earned the respect to conduct practices however he thinks will best help the team win. The only question now is whether or not his practice model can work with a new group of players. If it can, the sky may be the limit. @WesHollenberg wih2@dailyillini.com
The Illinois football team hasn’t put on the pads since the Redbox Bowl on Dec. 30. The Big Ten’s restrictions over the summer limited the teams to workouts and just before training camp kicked into full gear in August, the conference postponed the football season. On Wednesday, nearly two weeks after the conference reinstated football, the Illini practiced in full pads. “It feels great, I’ve been itching to put on pads,” said senior defensive back Nate Hobbs on Monday. “We’ve been in Spiders and helmets for as long as I can remember, like months. So it feels great to get out there and put them on.” The Illini practiced a few times in August but were forced to stop after the Big Ten halted fall sports and anticipated a spring season. Due to COVID-19-related medical developments, including conference-wide antigen testing and extensive cardiac screenings to detect myocarditis, the conference’s presidents re-voted to begin the football season on Oct. 24. While the Illini won’t have a normal training camp before they kick off at Wisconsin in less than four weeks, both head coach Lovie Smith and Hobbs said they don’t need one. The team has used the extended practice time valuably, focusing on improving all three phases of the ball and making each detail count. “I think most coaches would say they would like
more time to teach and to be able to teach where you’re not rushed,” Smith said. “It seems like every year I’ve been coaching before you go into the first game, there’s never time. We’ve had a lot of time, so many walkthroughs. What we’ve been concentrating on is seeing where some of our younger players are athletically and from there, installing our systems, offense, defense, special teams in detail.” Smith and the Illini added several transfers and freshmen in the offseason, but this season’s team will still rely on the veterans. The weeks leading up to training camp gave young players more time to find their footing at the collegiate level, but the level of the experience will speak for itself come game time. “Our preparation has been a lot more geared towards eliminating a lot of those first game inexperienced mistakes that you make,” Smith said. “Starting off with, we’re a senior ball club. We have guys that have played a lot of football, so you expect to not be where we were two, three years ago and we’re not. We’re farther along.” “We all talk about this should be our best football team based on who we have and what we’ve seen from the guys daily.” More practices don’t necessarily mean better production at this level. As a coach, Smith said it can be easy to want to scrimmage every day, but that physicality can SEE PRACTICE | 2B
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS
Sophomore Chase Brown runs with the ball during football practice on Aug. 7. On Wednesday, the Illini practiced with full pads for the first time since the Redbox Bowl on Dec. 30.
WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
Early ESPN rankings show tough road for Fahey’s young team
BY CARSON GOURDIE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR
er Six conference for basketball, the Lady Bears of Missouri State are getting some preseason love. That’s what happens after landing 6-foot3 Auburn transfer Abi Johnson as well as returning two of the top scorers. The Missouri Valley Conference crown looks like a runaway robbery.
After an abrupt end last spring, women’s college basketball is around the corner, and ESPN released their WayToo-Early rankings for the 2020-2021 season. Although head coach Nancy Fahey and her Illini didn’t crack the list, the ranking shows what could be in store for the fourth-year Big Ten Overview head coach. Although the Big Ten doesn’t have a team currentNational Overview ly ranked in the top 10, IlliAfter ending last season nois’ conference did place No. 1, South Carolina will five teams in the Top 25, begin this season at the same with Maryland, Northwestspot as they look to capture ern, Indiana, Ohio State and its first national champion- Michigan all cracking the list. ship since 2017. Despite losThe Terrapins and Wilding Mikiah Herbert Harri- cats ran away with the congan and Tyasha Harris to the ference last season, with both WNBA draft, a good recruit- squads finishing 16-2 in coning class and returning talent ference play. should have them set. Maryland, under Brenda The Connecticut Huskies Frese, has done a fantastic come in at No. 4 after a very job at reloading, not rebuildsuccessful 29-3 regular sea- ing. Despite losing a majorson. After going a perfect ity of last season’s production, 139-0 against the American the return of Ashley Owusu Athletic Conference, Geno should have the Terps set for Auriemma and co. will be another run for the confergoing back home to the Big ence crown. East for the first time since With a full season hope2012. Although the Huskies fully in store, look for the will probably still win their Wildcats to stay hungry and conference by a mile, a bump secure their second NCAA up in competition might tournament berth since result in UConn’s first con- 1997. If the Wildcats can repference loss since 2013. licate their defensive power — Despite not being in a Pow- third-ranked scoring defense
RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI
Sophomore Jeanae Terry high-fives a teammate during the game against Ohio State on Feb. 6. Head coach Nancy Fahey and the Illini did not make ESPN’s Way-Too-Early rankings for the 2020-2021 season.
— the Wildcats could claw Losing guard Petra their way to its first Sweet 16 Holešínská to University of in program history. North Carolina is a big blow. Holešínská had the ability to Illinois Overview get hot from three and could Disappointment isn’t the will the Illini to victory some right word for Illinois’ lack of nights, but her departure success. Head coach Nancy doesn’t doom Illinois. Fahey inherited a mess after What held back Illinois leaving Washington Univer- was size. Too often, Illinois sity, and the progress could would get embarrassed in the look inadequate on paper. rebounding margin. Coach But this season, with Fahey’s Fahey, though, noticed the recruits, baby steps could be problem and added 6-footmade. 5 redshirt junior center Eva
Rubin and a pair of 6-foot-3 forwards in junior Geovana Lopes and freshman Erika Porter. As for guard play, the Illini are young but experienced. Returning sophomores Jada Peebles and Jeanae Terry, the Illini will have a full season for the two to gel with one another and climb the Big Ten standings. Winning in the Big Ten conference will not be easy for the Illini. With five
ranked teams, as well as solid programs such as Iowa and Michigan State on the schedule, the Illini will have their work cut out for them every night. But the key is improvement. Improving from only two conference wins last season should be an attainable goal, setting up the foundation for success in the near future. @gourdiereport gourdie2@dailyillini.com
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Thursday, October 1, 2020
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
FOOTBALL
Illini draft prospects have season to prove themselves BY JOSH PIETSCH STAFF WRITER
On Aug. 19, eight days after the college football season was postponed, the NCAA announced it would grant an extra year of eligibility to all fall athletes whether or not they participated in a fall sport or not. This affects each of the 27 seniors on Illinois’ football roster, even more so the ones that are considering the NFL after college. The Illini haven’t had a player drafted into the NFL since Nick Allegretti was taken in the 7th round by the Kansas City Chiefs in 2019, but that’s expected to change this year. Senior offensive lineman Alex Palczewski is almost a lock draft pick at right tackle and could be as high as a mid-round pick. Redshirt junior Kendrick Green is also expected to forego his senior season and enter the draft. Following Palczewski and Green, however, there aren’t any sure-fire picks, which leaves a number of Illini seniors with an important decision to make following the conclusion of this year’s college football season.
Least likely to stay
Doug Kramer, a center who was ranked by Pro Football Focus as the third-best returning center in the coun-
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PRACTICE
try, will be on a lot of people’s draft boards for 2021. Kramer is strong and has been productive over his last three seasons at Illinois, though he is undersized. An undersized lineman, especially at the center position, needs to show dominance in order to get drafted. Kramer has shown why he’s considered one of the top centers in the Big Ten, which is why a lot of people think Kramer should slide into the draft in the later rounds. If the nine-game season doesn’t end with Kramer as a likely pick, he could use an extra year to improve his game and consistency and potentially end up in the NFL. But, any improvements should land Kramer in the late rounds of the draft. On the defensive side of the ball, linebacker Milo Eifler is in a similar position to Kramer. The odds lean in his favor right now to sneak into the draft, but Eifler still has improvement to show in order to be a certified pick. Like Kramer, without any improvement season this fall, we may see Eifler back another year to raise his draft stock if needed. Daniel Imatorbhebhe, a tight end transfer from USC, would need a tremendous season this fall in order to get drafted. However, this will be Imatorbhebhe’s sixth
year in college. Considering he would need to improve a dramatic amount to reach the NFL — and he would be choosing to enter a seventh year taking classes — it isn’t likely to see him back after this fall.
Somewhat likely to stay
Offensive lineman Vederian Lowe and wide receiver Josh Imatorbhebhe are key offensive pieces that could raise their draft stocks more than anyone this fall. Both have a high ceiling and unique skill sets but were far too inconsistent last season to get drafted after their junior years. Both would have to take big steps this fall in order to be considered for the draft, which may make them more likely to come back for an extra year. Consistency is the key for Lowe and Imatorbhebhe this fall. Defensive back Nate Hobbs is in a similar position. Hobbs is fast and athletic and forced enough turnovers last season, but he lacked consistency. He has the second-best odds on the defensive side of the ball to get drafted, but without showing consistently in his senior season, Hobbs could come back to increases of getting to the NFL. Jim Nagy, the executive director of the Reese’s Senior Bowl, named Brandon Peters
PHOTO COURTESY OF MICHAEL GLASGOW / FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS
Senior linebacker Milo Eifler stands ready before the play during football practice on Sept. 17. Eifler is one of several Illini that will consider the NFL Draft after the fall.
as his Big Ten quarterback that benefits most from playing this fall. The key to Peters is his consistency. He is above-average on his feet and can throw an accurate ball. An above .500 season recordwise should put Peters’ name on the draft board.
Most likely to stay
Defensive back Tony Adams, running back Mike Epstein, wide receiver Trevon Sidney and defensive ends Isaiah Gay and Christian Bell are all seniors with some draft potential that need
standout seasons to be good enough for the draft after this fall. If anyone in this group is serious about a future NFL career, barring a breakout season, they would benefit from another year at Illinois. Punter Blake Hayes and kicker James McCourt are two of the top special teams players in the country after impressive junior seasons, but they’re at positions that only see one or two players go each draft, making the pair more likely to stay. Hayes has already expressed interest in staying another year, and
McCourt has not commented on his eligibility. If both do stay an extra year, it will keep Illinois’ special teams game as one of the best in the country. Needless to say, Illinois has a lot of unknowns for the 2021 season. The NCAA’s decision to grant an extra year of eligibility could bring back multiple key players for the Illini on both sides of the ball, but only time will tell if players take advantage of the rule. @JPietsch14 pietsch3@dailyillini.com
no previous 2020 tape on either of the teams, the game will come down to strictly performance in Week 1. “I think it would be more challenging if you played a team that’s new,” Smith said. “Like Northwestern has a new offensive coordinator, Michigan State has a new staff. That’s a little different, you don’t know what they’re going to do. (Wisconsin) knows what we’re going to do and we know what they’re going to do. It’s just going to be about execution and who does their job better that day.”
lead to players breaking down before the first week of the season. Smith said the Illini have avoided that mentality in practice, focusing on “good teaching reps.” When Oct. 24 rolls around, Smith and Hobbs feel the team will be ready to face No. 19 Wisconsin in Madison. The tension between Illinois and Wisconsin will be a factor, as the Illini upset the No. 6 Badgers in Champaign last season. On paper, it would seem unlikely for the Badgers to let a repeat of last season happen @gabby_h11 on their own turf. But, with ghajduk2@dailyillini.com
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS
Junior defensive back Derrick Smith stares forward while on the line of scrimmage during football practice on Aug. 7.
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THURSDAY October 1, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
COVID-19
Andy Borst handles admissions amidst pandemic Director of Undergraduate Admissions remains optimistic despite challenges BY ELIZABETH SAYASANE
ing life as usual, admissions operations had to reconfigure itself quickly. “Throughout a typical year, we’ll host about 50,000 people to campus who are prospective students and their families,” Borst said. “In order to ensure the health and safety of our currently enrolled students, we have discouraged students from visiting campus.”
FEATURES EDITOR
Every year, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions takes responsibility for recruiting, admitting and enrolling new students at the University. As Director of Undergraduate Admissions, Andy Borst helps to oversee these operations. Around this time every year, those working at the admissions office are traveling throughout the world. They go to high schools and speak with counselors and meet with students. They also direct campus visits, both the large operations as well as daily tours, for prospective students. With the pandemic halt-
“We’re right there building the plane with you as it takes off into the air.” ANDY BORST DIRECTOR OF UNDERGRADUATE ADMISSIONS
The office has scheduled more than 2,000 opportunities for students and their families to engage with representatives from the University virtually. A focus of the office has been
ensuring that communication between the school and students has been smooth as possible. Even with these dramatic changes being made, though, Borst said the transition went smoothly. This, in part, has been thanks to the frequent COVID testing available on campus. This has also made answering questions from counselors, students and parents about how campus is coping easier. “It’s been a really great, I think, positive image of the University with showing how well we planned for this event,” Borst said. “It is nice to be able to communicate to students and parents and counselors that we feel like we’re doing better than everybody else in the nation with doing the regular testing and with the Safer Illinois app.” He knows one of the biggest concerns for students, particularly high school juniors, at the moment is ACT and SAT testing. The University is moving to test-optional for the academic year which has led to some additional anxiety
THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO
Though the physical office is closed, the Office of Undergraduate Admissions in Urbana, photographed April 23, 2019, is still available to advise prospective students about applying to the University of Illinois.
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY BORST
Director of Undergraduate Admissions Andy Borst poses for a professional headshot. Borst has had to adapt to the COVID-19 pandemic during this admissions season.
for students. Those who do not want to send scores have concerns about what they will be reviewed on for the admissions process. Those who do want to send scores are concerned that the pandemic will affect their performance on the test. “I think that we do have a good process in place of how we’re going to do our review. We’ve done wholistic review for a long time at Illinois, so I think that we’re pretty good at this,” Borst said. Nonetheless, he hopes to help ease these anxieties for students. Borst said they should not be concerned too much about their scores because “We’re not going to penalize a student for something that is truly beyond their control.” The pandemic has taken away so much of the students’ control, and the University will not hold them accountable for that in the
admissions process. Borst said that he really hopes to communicate to these students that everyone is there alongside them, trying to maneuver the difficulties that go with working from home. Borst said many students ask exactly how they will be reviewed and judged but stressed that there is no special formula for admissions. Applying for college is already a stressful time for many high school students. During the time of COVID-19, students carry the additional stress of uncertainty. “We’re right there building the plane with you as it takes off into the air,” he said. “We’re figuring this out as we go, so we’re going to do our best to put the most fair process in place for this fall.” Looking to the future and how admissions overall will be impacted by the
pandemic, Borst said, is like trying to look into a very murky crystal ball. Their typical projection models are based on known data. Nothing about the current situation with the pandemic is known. “The varied questions of helping students has really tested our limits for staffing,” he said. The department has struggled to answer questions from all different kinds of students. One question could have several different answers, depending on if that student is a resident of Illinois, comes from another state throughout the country or is an international student. “I anticipate challenges in bringing in next years’ class; however, I feel optimistic that we’ll be able to hit the numbers that campus expects,” he said. eis3@dailyillini.com
University reports increase in new cases on fifth week of classes Over 2,000 test positive since students returned to campus in early August BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
With another 28 cases of COVID-19 identified from 4,402 University saliva tests on Sunday, testing from the fifth week of classes showed a discouraging trend: every daily case count exceeded the total from the same day last week.
The week ended Sept. 20 featured the lowest new case count of the semester: 178 new cases after over 58,000 tests. For the week ended Sept. 27, the virus’s spread picked up, with 245 new campus cases after 59,000 new tests. The University has found more than 2,000 new cases of COVID-19 since classes began on Aug. 24, and 2,356 since Aug. 15, when students began moving in. Near the beginning of the semester, modelers predicted to find around 700 COVID-19 cases on campus through the entire fall term. W hen campus cases spiked in late August and
early September, with over 600 new cases found in just four days, UI administrators issued a two-week stay-at-home order for undergraduate students, who constitute more than 95% of all campus COVID-19 cases. Testing was limited to once a week for faculty, staff and graduate students. Students were limited to essential activities only, like getting food, getting tested and individually exercising outdoors. After two weeks, the lockdown significantly curbed campus spread, but the stagnation hasn’t been reduced to a trickle like the UI hoped. The last two weeks of testing data, plus
36 new cases on Monday, have brought in an average of more than 30 new cases a day. If that rate continues, the University would be in for another 1,600 cases before fall break begins. More than 2,400 people have tested positive through oncampus tests to date. C u r r ent ly, a r ou nd 38,000 people are testing on campus every week. A 4,000 case count would bring the percentage of students, faculty and staff on campus who’ve tested positive for COVID-19 would exceed 10%. @esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com
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Thursday, October 1, 2020
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5B
buzz calendar BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN 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.
THURSDAY, OCT. 1
The Great Pumpkin Hunt
PHOTO COURTESY OF HONG KONG BOYFRIEND’S YOUTUBE
Hong Kong Boyfriend performs his new song “Cold Waters” in a Youtube video that was released on Saturday. The song is Hong Kong Boyfriend’s first Spotify release.
Full Moon Hike
Hong Kong Boyfriend debuts song Up-andcoming R&B, indie artist releases ‘Cold Waters’ on Spotify BY CAROLINA GARIBAY ASSISTANT BUZZ EDITOR
On Aug. 26, up-andcoming R&B and indie artist Hong Kong Boyfriend blessed our ears with his first-ever Spotify release, “Cold Waters.” It’s the perfect summer to fall transition song that should be added to your fall playlist immediately. In “Cold Waters,” Hong Kong Boyfriend recalls a relationship defined by obsession. Throughout the
song, he explores the spiral that accompanies such infatuation. This infatuation can be heard in the song’s opening lyrics: “I’m watching you go underwater / I want you to take me down / Let’s hold each other’s noses and / See how long it takes to drown.” Hong Kong Boyfriend makes clear that he accepts that wherever his girlfriend is going, he’ll follow, even if that means having to drown in cold waters. The song’s opening lyrics are intense and reveal a lot about Hong Kong Boyfriend’s past relationship. However, the music starts less intense, giving off an uplifting, peaceful vibe, which contrasts much of its darker lyrics that reveal a toxic mindset. The prechorus builds up the song’s speed as more voices come
! Midnight " A hybrid event hosted by Champaign and Urbana Park Districts # Free Are you ready to solve clues to find pumpkins all over Champaign-Urbana? We’ve teamed up with Urbana Park District to hide pumpkins in the parks throughout October. Get your detective gear ready and see how many you can find! Be sure to snap a picture and share your discoveries with us on our Facebook and Instagram accounts by tagging #CUpumpkinhunt.
in. The chorus is the highlight of “Cold Waters,” the part that makes you stop everything you’re doing to appreciate the way it sounds and makes you feel. Here, Hong Kong Boyfriend adds beautiful harmonies that pull the entire song together and establish that this is a fantastic song. In the second verse, Hong Kong Boyfriend’s R&B side comes out as he delivers a soft rap, similar to something you might hear in a Frank Ocean song. Just as the song progresses, so does his spiral into infatuation with his girlfriend as he describes what it feels like to sink lower into cold waters. He’s upset that his girlfriend brought her friends, saying, “I told you
! 7:30 - 9:30 p.m. " Allerton Park & Retreat Center, 515 Old Time Road, Monticello # $5 Take in the sights and sounds of Allerton Park at night! Let your eyes adjust to the ambient light as you enjoy the shadows of the dark woods and the sparkling stars in the night sky. Listen for the hooting barred owls and trilling screech owls and the trees blowing in the wind. Bring your sense of adventure on this nature-filled and educational moonlight outing led by our expert Natural Areas Managers.
FRIDAY, OCT. 2
Fall Festival
! 10 a.m.-6 p.m. " Antiques & More, 606 S. Staley Road, Champaign # Free Join us for a fun-filled and socially distanced weekend. The mall will be bursting with autumn decor for all your decorating needs.
Fall Praire Skies
! 8 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by Parkland College # Free Join us during this virtual, live-narrated tour of the wonders of the night’s sky, accompanied by some of the legendary stories of the ancient sky. Find out what constellations and planets are visible tonight and how to find them. This show is updated seasonally and is intended for all ages. Join us on Zoom.
SATURDAY, OCT. 3
Market at the Square ! 7 a.m.-noon " Corner of Illinois and Vine streets in Downtown Urbana, Urbana # Free Urbana’s Market at the Square returns for another season. This year looks a little different to start the season, but you can still shop local vendors to get fresh produce from farmers in our area.
C-U Oktoberfest at Home Virtual Event ! 4-8 p.m. " Virtual Event hosted by C-U Oktoberfest # No cover The C-U Oktoberfest at Home is a fall celebration of music, beer and food at home. In past years, the event occurred in downtown Champaign. This year, the 8th Annual C-U Oktoberfest will be a virtual event. The festivities kick off on Oct. 2 with a live raffle basket drawing on the C-U Oktoberfest Facebook Page and will culminate on the evening of Oct. 3 with a live cash raffle drawing. You must be 21 to participate.
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buzz
Black Voices Theater Production hosts first cultural arts series ‘Can you hear me?’ premiere held at Independent Media Center on Saturday, available online BY JILLIAN LITTLE BUZZ EDITOR
As civil unrest continues across the United States, citizens should use this as a time to discuss and listen to different perspectives. Luckily, Champaign-Urbana offers many opportunities for community members to do so, even from the comfort of their own homes. This year marks the debut of the ‘Can You Hear Me?’ series, which is hosted by Black in America Voices Theater Production. Participants are encouraged to express their experiences of being Black using a multidisciplinary art. The first part of this series occurred on Saturday. Leslie Smith, the founder of Black Voices Theater Production, conceived the series’s idea when visiting the Independent Media Center in Urbana last year. From a young age, Smith exposed herself to poetry, creative writing, film and other creative outlets. Her passion reawakened after realizing that many of these arts were no longer available in school systems due to budget cuts. “It became a passion of mine to express myself through the arts because I came from an era when children were only supposed to speak when spoken to,” Smith said. “When I was organizing the ‘Can You Hear Me?’ series, I thought about my community and how I could give back to underrepresented populations.” Black Voices Theater Production aims to transform, educate and inspire the youth and community members by using cultural arts as a platform. In turn, Smith hopes it’ll help people
learn new coping skills and alleviate violence. “We understand this is not a catch-all solution,” Smith said. “However, together, through various programming and engaging activities, we can begin to process the Black experience.” The “Can You Hear Me?” series consists of a poetry contest, which occurred on Saturday, and future days dedicated to Black music, Black dance and gospel praise dancing. Each portions’s topics were preselected, but some recurring subject matter includes domestic violence, mental health, substance abuse and mass incarceration. “There are a lot of current social issues that plague us all, yet, many times, we turn a blind eye to them,” Smith said. “For example, gun violence has become prevalent in our community. It occurred to me that we are asking people to put down the guns, but what are we willing to give them in return?” Smith and her team had a late start with organizing the series due to COVID-19 shutdowns. “It started as a presentation, but we had to change our set-up to limit large group gatherings,” Smith said. The event locations are now closed to performers actively involved in the “Can You Hear Me?” series, but people at home can view the events on a live stream, available on IMC’s Facebook page. Despite this change, Smith hopes that the series’s goal will be fulfilled. “I want people to leave the experience knowing that they are not alone with their feelings,” Smith said. “They should also have a heightened awareness of the reality of the community around them that can no longer be ignored.” Though the poetry contest was for adult participation only, people of all ages can participate in the rest of the series’s events. “One or all of these topics may have affected people directly or indirectly, so anyone can relate to an
SCREENSHOT COURTESY OF URBANA-CHAMPAIGN INDEPENDENT MEDIA CENTER’S FACEBOOK
Above: A local man performs at the “Can You hear Me Now” poetry competition on Saturday. Below: Event organizer Leslie Smith speaks at the “Can You Hear Me Now” poetry competition on Saturday. Her organization, Black Voices Theater Production, aims to educate and inspire with cultural arts as a platform.
event like this,” Smith said. This goal of solidarity doesn’t ring truer as the United States is more divided than ever. Last week, a grand jury issued no charges against the Louisville officers involved in Breonna Taylor’s shooting. With new evidence in the form of leaked body-cam footage, more protesting could erupt across the country. “I try not to look at the newsreel because it’s depressing and shows things that have been happening in our country for decades now,” Smith said. “The justice system is broken and needs to be fixed. I think because protests are now more widespread, America’s having an awakening.” With the 2020 Presidential election coming up on Nov. 3, there are a few pieces of advice that Smith would give. “We’re going to end up in the same situation if people don’t get out there and vote,” Smith said. “If you choose
to protest as well, stay safe out there. Just know there are alternatives you could be doing to help.” Smith hopes that the “Can You Hear Me?” series will become an annual occurrence and shed light on more topics that need to be addressed in Black America. For now, Black Voices Theater Production will host various events in the upcoming months. Some
of these include open mic nights, pageants and poetry slams, which will be available for audiences from middle schoolers to adults. Smith will also find ways to collaborate with artists and organizations in the community to alleviate violence. “We want to continue developing engaging and inspiring activities for the community,” Smith said. “By working together, indi-
vidually and collectively, we can transform our community into a better place and start the healing process.” To learn more information regarding the “Can You Hear Me?” series or any other Black Voices Theater Production events, stay up to date with Black Voices Theater Production’s Facebook page.
FROM 5B
enjoyable. The song then falls back into the familiar pre-chorus, which only means the chorus is coming up. “Cold Waters” offers so much both musically and lyrically, and you won’t find a song with the same creative dynamics or model harmonies that make you press repeat at least fifty times. The only real criticism I can offer is that the song should’ve been twice as long so I could hear Hong Kong Boyfriend’s strong vocal skills and catchy melodies for even longer.
DEBUT
PHOTO COURTESY OF HONG KONG BOYFRIEND’S YOUTUBE
Hong Kong Boyfriend performs his new song “Cold Waters” in a YouTube video that was released on Saturday.
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jel3@readbuzz.com
we’re not like them / They just wanna chit chat.” However, Hong Kong Boyfriend and his girlfriend continue to chill deep in cold waters, not worrying about her friends above. He even sings, “Straight up we could stay forever,” proving that he loves drowning in cold waters with her, even though he shouldn’t. This part of the song deviates from the smoother melodies Hong Kong Boyfriend sings earlier, but it still fits perfectly and makes the song even more garibay5@readbuzz.com
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