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Vol. 150 Issue 27
Champaign County continues vaccine push BY ALIZA MAJID STAFF WRITER
RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI
A senior Champaign County resident receives the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 12 at the I-Hotel. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has recently expanded vaccinations to individuals who are 65 or older and have underlying health conditions.
COVID-19 vaccines have become available to the 1B group, the second pool of eligible individuals who have been authorized to receive the shot by the federal government. Phase 1B consists of individuals who are 65 or older and frontline essential workers including public transit workers and educators. The Champaign-Urbana Public Health District has been administering COVID-19 vaccines for residents who were 75 or older but have expanded eligibility to individuals 65 or older with underlying health conditions. “The 1B group is a much larger population of people that need to be vaccinated,
New UI testing tools aid robotic processing BY MONA ALRAZZAQ STAFF WRITER
The University’s rapid saliva-based COVID-19 test has been altered to give students the option of using a straw or a funnel to assist them in filling a narrower test tube with saliva. Dr. Martin Burke, associate dean of research at Carle Illinois College of Medicine, said the switch from thicker test tubes to narrower test tubes occurred due to robotics and to make the testing process more efficient. A robot was invented at the University specifically to make the testing process more efficient by TEKMILL, a contract design and fabrication business located in the University of Illinois at Research Park. “Engineers came, they saw what we needed, and TEKMILL created these robots just for us,” Burke said. These two customdesigned robots take off the cap of the test tubes and place it into a rack. A second robot takes the sample out of the tube and places the sample in one of the 96 well plates. A third robot then takes four 96 well plates, combines them, and loads them
into the PCR machine. This robotic addition and switch in test tubes allowed the testing process to be more efficient, which will also assist the University in being able to expand testing to the outside community, according to Burke. In addition to speeding up the testing process, Burke said the smaller test tubes help eliminate the overall amount of waste collected as a result of testing, which makes them more environmentally friendly. When it comes to choosing between a straw and a funnel, Burke said he doesn’t think there is a significant difference in the environmental impact. The straws offered are chosen carefully in order to ensure that they are environmentally friendly. As University students adjust to the new way of testing, some are finding it difficult to fill the test tube with bubble-free saliva up to the marked black line. Anthony Erlinger, sophomore in LAS, said that his friend was once in the testing center for 30 minutes because he kept being turned away from sub-
SEE VACCINE | 5A
B117 lineage spreads 50% faster than other strains, may require annual vaccination RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI
Pharmacist Katie Lampan prepares shots of the Moderna COVID-19 vaccine on Jan. 12. Vaccine supplies are currently limited to older and at-risk citizens.
BY MATT TROHER STAFF WRITER
effects have been identified, with one of them having a 20 times greater binding affinity to our cells. “The reason why these new variants are of concern is due to the increase in binding affinity, meaning that it is easier for the virus to spread,” Procko said. On Wednesday, Chancellor Rober t Jones announced that the UI “expect(s) to see the highly contagious B117 variant enter our community. “This variant of the virus appears to spread 50% faster than any other strains,” Jones wrote. With reports from Africa and now also in the United States about new variants of the virus, it has been a concern to some whether the distributed vaccines in places like Carle Hospital are still effective. With vaccines being distributed after under a year of development and testing, many are worried if annual vaccination is necessary. “Each of the vaccines out there right now handles the virus differently and I doubt these mutations will make the virus completely resistant,” Procko said. As for annual testing, Procko explained how things are still a bit unclear as to whether or not that is necessary. The duration of COVID-19 antibodies have been reported differently across many scientific research studies, and it will take more trials and studies to be done before knowing whether it is needed to vaccinate just once or annually, similar to a flu shot.
BY ROYAL SHRESTHA STAFF WRITER
Vaccine explainer: When will students get their turn?
INSIDE
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are another high risk group that could potentially infect others and will have the opportunity to receive the vaccine. “Since I’m doing social work services in the school district that I’m a part of right now, support services are considered specialty work,” said Kevin Soto, graduate student in the School of Social Work. “I’m working with students in person and we were considered 1A.” Soto got his first shot of Moderna on Jan. 13. He hasn’t experienced any side effects, and he will receive his second dose of the vaccine in a month. Champaign County has administered more than 16,000 vaccines so far, with
UI expects UK COVID-19 variant to enter campus
The process of distributing vaccines to the eligible population is well underway in Champaign-Urbana despite transparency issues from the federal government. Brandon Meline is logistics chief at the ChampaignUrbana Public Health District, which oversees the community’s vaccine distribution program. Meline and his team have been successfully working to get the first doses of the vaccine out despite short notice and limSEE NEW TEST | 5A ited supplies. “The limited vaccine has been the biggest barrier to distribution right now, and the (lack of) transparency about knowing what we’ll be getting from week to week and being able to plan accordingly,” Meline said. “The transparency from the feds down to the state is pretty limited on the allotment. We’re not ramping up in volume as quickly as we thought Sports: Bielema we would. The limitations in rounds out staff, the planning and distribukeeps seniors tion are based on how many vaccine doses we get and PAGE 1B when we get them. We’re not able to really forecast out too
News: Joe Biden is elected 46th President of US
and the state did not break it up into priorities within the group,” said Awais Vaid, the deputy administrator of CUPHD. “At the local level we have been subcategorizing within the groups to reach out to the most vulnerable groups first because the vaccine supply is very limited.” The number of vaccines administered depends on the number supplied by the government on a weekly basis. The categorization has been set up in order to prioritize those who are the most vulnerable to COVID-19 and have one of the highest rates of morality in the county. Individuals who are forced to have interactions where they’re unable to keep physical distance, such as daycare providers,
far in advance, we’re pretty much working week to week right now.” According to the CUPHD COVID-19 vaccinations homepage, of Champaign County’s eligible population, which includes all individuals over the age of 16, 9.8% have received their first dose of the vaccine, while 1.27% have received both doses as of Jan. 23. A major issue associated with vaccine distribution is deciding who gets the vaccine first. The Illinois Department of Public Health has divided the eligible population into three phases, with the first phase being divided into three sub-phases — 1A, 1B and 1C. The state is currently in phase 1B of the vaccination plan, which includes healthcare workers and those in long-term residential care such as nursing homes. The IDPH wanted to vaccinate as much of phase 1A as possible before moving onto the next phase. Although regions like Champaign County will have some autonomy during the later phases of the plan, Meline SEE STUDENTS | 5A
Over the last few months, vaccines have completed phase three of trials, and over 30.6 million doses have been distributed across the U.S.. However, just a few weeks ago, it was reported that new variants of the coronavirus have been detected in the U.K. and Africa, one of which the University expects to enter the community. It has been almost a year since COVID-19 was declared as a pandemic by the International World Health Organization. During this time, new mutations that were introduced to the virus caused it to be more infectious, including the infamous D614G variant, which now is in the genome of almost all the virus samples gathered from individuals. Erik Procko, assistant professor of biochemistry in MCB, explained how the coronavirus genome containing a single, long strand of RNA is one of the fastest mutating virus types. Like all viruses, including influenza, the coronavirus mutates to potentially gain new characteristics that will be beneficial for its survival and growth. The new variant in the U.K. is known as the B.1.1.7 lineage and there are over a royals2@dailyillini.com dozen random point mutations to the genome. Only two of these point mutation
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* Spring 2021 Commencement
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Look ahead at updated UI spring calendar University cancels break, adds three noninstruction days to semester BY SAMANTHA BOYLE MANAGING EDITOR FOR REPORTING
After a longer than average winter break, students are finally returning back to campus to finish one of the UI’s most unusual years. However, because of COV ID-19, students will not be getting a
spring break this year, instead getting a few non-instruction days throughout the semester — all during the middle of the week. The UI Senate decided the schedule modification in their meeting on Oct. 19, officially changing the start of the semester to Jan. 25 instead of Jan. 19. The three noninstruction days added to the calendar are Wednesday, Feb. 17; Wednesday, March 24; and Tuesday, April 13. Commencement is still scheduled as its original
date, May 15. When approving this plan, modelers at Illinois’ SHIELD team endorsed these changes considering the risk of infection could increase with people taking vacations during break. “We know that travel is a risk to members of our community,” Rebecca Smith, epidemiologist and co-leader of the SHIELD Target team said during the Senate meeting in October. Several other Big Ten schools have decided to cancel their spring
breaks as well and delaying the start of the semester would allow students, staff and faculty on campus to get their two negative tests before continuing oncampus activities. “We recognize that the schedule isn’t everyone’s first choice, but I believe we are doing as much as possible to balance these competing interests,” Kevin Pitts, Vice Chancellor for Undergraduate education said at the October meeting. sjboyle2@dailyillini.com
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VACCINE
cine distribution and have been sending information to various members in the community in order to inform others about these openings. “We are hoping that at some point the state will allow local providers to be able to order vaccines directly and then be able to administer it similar to a flu shot,” Vaid said. “But that has not happened as yet because of the limitations of the federal government in a number of vaccines we get every week.”
more than 2,000 individuals fully vaccinated for COVID-19, according to the CUPHD. “We’ve had no major reactions that would limit the person from getting the second dose or requiring any additional hospitalization or care as only a handful of people have had minor allergic reactions so far,” Vaid said. The clinics are anticipating between 4,000 to 7,000 appointments for alizam2@dailyillini.com the upcoming week’s vac-
FROM 1A
NEW TEST
PHOTO COURTESY OF REDDIT USER IM_NOT_BEN_WYATT
Students stand in line while waiting to enter TheRed Lion on Saturday afternoon. The University has recently instated new guidelines asking students to participate in a soft lockdown.
University asks students to stay home BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
After a week of preliminary COVID-19 testing, University of Illinois students have been asked to limit themselves to essential activities until at least early February. For students who disobey the soft lockdown, UI administrators say consequences could be severe: Aside from dismissal, students could lose their internet access. “Please note that this semester, students who are out of compliance may also lose access to University Wi-Fi, Zoom, Compass and other technologies,” wrote Chancellor Robert Jones in a recent Massmail, which was bolded and underlined.
Feb. 8 is the tentative end of the campus stay-at-home directive, though that’s subject to change given virus trends in the community. For the time being, attending class, COVID testing, grocery shopping, attending religious service, going to work, exercising outdoors and getting medical care make up the advised activities. Meanwhile, Champaign County has moved back into Phase 4 of the Restore Illinois plan, and local restaurants and bars are resuming indoor dining. The reopening doesn’t come without restrictions: indoor dining at bars and restaurants must cease at 11 p.m., and service is limited to either 25% of the
normal dining capacity or 25 guests — whichever is smaller. Dining groups are limited to four guests per party, and all indoor diners must stay at their tables to eat. Champaign County and the rest of Region 6 were allowed to return to Phase 4 after meeting three key metrics: • seven-day rolling test positivity rate at or below 6.5% for three consecutive days • intensive care unit and hospital bed availability above 20% for three days straight • no sustained increase of hospitalized COVID-19 patients for seven days in a 10-day period. As of Saturday, Cham-
paign’s seven-day positivity rate for COVID-19 — excluding UI tests — stood at 5.3%, while Region 6’s hung around at 5.9%. The return to Phase 4 and its decreased mitigations came just as UI students are flowing back into the C-U community for their first rounds of testing before the school year begins. Long lines at several campus bars, pictures of which were shared to social media, dispirited some campus-goers this weekend during the UI’s call for essential activities. @esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com
MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI
A student boards an MTD bus outside of Gregory Hall on Sunday morning. MTD will be reducing its Spring 2021 semester services starting on Jan. 24.
MTD reduces campus service for Spring 2021 University accommodates students’ call for reduced transportation fee following service cuts THE DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT
The Champaign-Urbana Mass Transit District will be reducing its spring semester campus services starting Jan. 24. The service and frequency of MTD rides will mimic the model that was in place over winter break, with some changes. “The service that we run during (breaks) is basically what students are going to have in the spring semester,” said Amy Snyder, chief of staff for MTD. “The only difference is that we’re going to offer more (22 Illini) service than we would
if you guys were on break.” According to Snyder, these service reductions came after the University contacted MTD regarding “compromised revenue streams.” “The University needed MTD to pull back the service because they could not pay for the normal full UI service that we normally provide,” Snyder said. The University maintains a service contract with MTD that dictates the specific routes and level of service MTD provides for on campus bus routes. These routes are in turn funded by the University through campus fees. “Students are asking for fees to be reduced and the University is accommodating those requests,” Snyder said. According to a press release by MTD, the 2 Red, 12 Teal, 13 Silver and 22 Illini bus routes will be affected and will run at 20-minute intervals instead of the normal 10-minute intervals.
“Every digital tool that students, faculty and staff use to look at the service is going to be fully updated,” Snyder said. Additionally, MTD will be cutting back late-night and weekend bus service, and SafeRides will only run until 12:30 a.m. during the spring semester. MTD’s rationale for reducing SafeRides services is that there would likely be less campus movement after midnight, according to Snyder. “With a lot of campus buildings restricting their hours, and group activities really at a minimum because of COVID, cutting back on that midnight service made sense,” Snyder said. Furthermore, Snyder also notes that MTD has been experiencing challenges with staffing due to the effects of the pandemic on their operations. “We have operators who need to quarantine, or have COVID-related childcare issues,” Snyder said. “We
also needed to plan the service based on our ability to staff it.” While MTD plans on reducing service for their campus routes during the spring semester, Snyder noted that their community service will not change because they are “just funded differently” than campus routes. Currently, MTD plans on returning to full campus service next fall semester. However, Snyder notes that MTD may make adjustments if the University approaches them again, as “COVID seems to have a way of being continuously unpredictable.” “Our current plan and understanding with the University is that come the start of the fall semester, students can see a return to 10-minute-frequencies, SafeRides running all night, the late-night service, et cetera,” Snyder said. news@dailyillini.com
iest in my opinion,” said Amira Dadar, freshman in Education. This new change occurred at the beginning of what Burke said “is going to be a very challenging semester” due to the higher percent positivities around the state as well as the new COVID-19 strains from the U.K. However, he encouraged students to keep being diligent with testing. “We all have to redouble our efforts not get tired because the virus doesn’t get tired, and be really proud of being an example to the country and to the world,” Burke said.
mitting his test tube and ordered to properly fill it instead. “It definitely takes longer with the straw than when you were dribbling it into the longer tube,” Erlinger said. Some students have decided to stick with the straw for the new process, while others find the funnel a lot easier to work with. “The straw takes forever because technically you’re blowing air into the tube so there’s going to be a lot of bubbles, but the funnel has been the absolute eas- monaa2@dailyillini.com
FROM 1A
STUDENTS
medicine, whose research focuses on infectious disease control. Smith explained the challenges associated with distributing a vaccine to a large population, such as the C-U community. “Getting to a vaccine is the first step, the actual getting the vaccine into people’s arms is far more complicated,” Smith said. “The question of prioritization is the first one we have to talk about, whether we prioritize people who are most exposed or people who are most likely to be affected by getting infected. The current system usually does a little bit of both. Those two groups are the easier groups to vaccinate because we know who they are. The next steps are going to get more complicated, and as we go on it gets more and more complicated, of identifying who are the next priority individuals, and make sure they get access to the vaccine.” The federal government has left vaccine distribution up to the states, with each state in charge of its own distribution program. However, the federal government did not provide funding to states for their vaccination distribution programs. Additionally, many states have left vaccine distribution programs up to the counties, leaving the county in charge of funding their own programs. This lack of federal funding and national organization has been a source of frustration for Smith, as well as many other epidemiologists. “My networks on Twitter have been commenting on how indicative the entire process is of what we’ve seen for years,” Smith said. “The basic research is extremely well-funded and wellpublicized, but the practical measures of getting the work out there and in use are under-funded and somewhat neglected.” The lack of federal funding and organization has had its effects on Champaign-Urbana. Meline has cited short notice and lack of transparency as the main issues with running the COVID-19 vaccine distribution program at the county level. “The rollout from the (federal government) on down has been a little bit lacking in transparency, and it has been making it really difficult to answer questions about whether or not we’re going to have a vaccine clinic later this week, because we don’t know if we will or won’t have the vaccine,” Meline said. “That makes it tough.”
and CUPHD had to wait to get the green light from the state until they move onto phase 1B. “We have some local flexibility on how we do things, but the state is trying to do it all as one thing, which, with different population centers, can be difficult,” Meline said. Another challenge associated with distributing the vaccine to the community is the uptake rate or the percentage of the eligible population that decides to take the vaccine. The majority of University students will be vaccinated during Phase 3, in which children over the age of 16, young adults and the rest of the general public will be eligible to receive the vaccine. Although the future is unclear due to limited information about vaccine allotment rates and uptake rates, Meline believes that the student population will be eligible to be vaccinated by April. “My hunch is that it will probably be sometime in March or April before folks leave for the end of the semester. The students are going to be all the way down in phase 3, especially all the healthy ones if they don’t have any chronic medical conditions that make them high-risk,” Meline said. “The healthy typical 18-year-old freshmen or sophomore is going to be later in the spring, but I think we’ll get them vaccinated before the end of the year.” Students with underlying health conditions will take precedence over students without underlying conditions. Depending on the severity of the condition, those with underlying health conditions will be eligible to be vaccinated as part of phase 1C or 2. According to McKinley Health Center director Robert Parker, McKinley will be partnering with CUPHD to distribute the vaccine to sections of the student population once they become eligible. According to preliminary plans, the I-Hotel and Convention Center, located south of the State Farm Center, will be converted into a vaccine distribution center. Another vaccine distribution center will be at Market Place Shopping Center located in north Champaign. According to Parker, the University’s COVID-19 testing program will continue throughout the rest of the semester, regardless of the vaccine’s availability. Rebecca Lee Smith, asso- mtroher2@dailyillini.com ciate professor in veterinary
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The Daily Illini recaps presidential inauguration Biden, Harris call for unity following Capitol siege, heightened COVID-19 anxieties BY CHIEH HSU STAFF WRITER
On Wednesday, Joe Biden was sworn in as the 46th president of the United States. His election partner, Kamala Harris, was sworn in as the 49th vice president.
Here are the highlight moments of the ceremony:
• Former President Trump and former first lady Melania Trump headed to Florida • Joe Biden and Kamala Harris attended mass at the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle • Acting deputy Senate sergeant-at-arms Eugene Goodman, famous for responding to the capitol riot, escorted Kamala Harris • Lady Gaga sang “The Star-Spangled Banner” • Kamala Harris was sworn in by Justice Sonia
PHOTO COURTESY OF KENT NISHIMURA/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
President Joe Biden takes the oath of office from Supreme Court Chief Justice John Roberts as his wife, First Lady Jill Biden, stands next to him during the 59th presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C., on Wednesday.
Sotomayor • National Youth Poet • Jennifer Lopez sang Laureate Amanda Gor“This Land is Your man recites “The Hill We Land” and “America the Climb” Beautiful” • Joe Biden was sworn in Here is a more in-depth by Chief Justice John description of the events: Roberts During the Jan. 6 siege
PHOTO COURTESY OF KENT NISHIMURA/LOS ANGELES TIMES/TNS
U.S. Vice President-elect Kamala Harris greets former First Lady Michelle Obama and former President Barack Obama as she arrives for the 59th presidential inauguration in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday.
of the Capitol, Capitol Policeman Eugene Goodman attracted rioters from the entrance of the Senate Chamber to a hall with police reinforcements, which bought time for the Senators to evacuate. G ood ma n’s ac t ions earned him the title of Hero of the Capitol Riot, and he was promoted to the acting deputy Senate sergeant-atarms shortly after. Bipartisan lawmakers also introduced legislation that would award Goodman the Congressional Gold Medal. Kamala Harris is the first female Vice President of the United States. Owing to her Indian and Jamaican heritage, she is also the first Asian and Black Vice President in U.S. history. On her way to the stage, Harris fist-bumped Barack Obama and Michelle Obama. The trio made
up the first Black president, first lady and vice president. Harris was sworn in by Justice Sonia Sotomayor, the nation’s first Hispanic and Latina Justice. Harris swore on two Bibles, one which belonged to the late Justice Thurgood Marshall, who helped inspired her career path, and one of family friend Regina Shelton, whom Harris recognizes as a “second mother.” Joe Biden used the same family Bible that he used twice when sworn in as the vice president and seven times as Senator of Delaware. In his speech, President Joe Biden chose to highlight the aspect of division in the country. “I will be a president for all Americans,” he said. “All Americans. And I promise you I will fight as hard for
those who did not support me as for those who did.” At the end of the ceremony, Amanda Gorman, the country’s first-ever National Youth Poet Laureate, addressed the nation with her poem “The Hill We Climb,” calling Americans to rebuild, recover and reconcile. “Inaugurations signal a tradition of a peaceful transfer of power,” former President Barack Obama said. Although Donald Trump broke the long-standing tradition by not attending his successor’s inauguration, the day was still composedly concluded in Gorman’s powerful words “For there is always light, if only we’re brave enough to see it. If only we’re brave enough to be it.” chiehh3@dailyillini.com
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January 25, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
LIFE & CULTURE
PHOTO COURTESY OF TERRI REIFSTECK
A sampling of six dishes from Hamilton Walkers lay on a table. The Champaign County Area Restaurant Week will run from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6.
COVID-19 impacts county’s Restaurant Week BY GWYN SKILES STAFF WRITER
Restaurants featuring everything from doughnuts to vegan burgers and Zambian food will be featured in the Champaign County Area Restaurant Week, Running from Jan. 29 to Feb. 6. Due to COVID-19, this five-year tradition for Champaign County looks a little different, according to Terri Reifsteck, Vice President of Marketing & Community Engagement for Visit Champaign
County. Reifsteck said even though Governor Jay Pritzker permitted indoor dining with limited seating and safety precautions, many restaurants elected takeout as their only option for customers. Reifsteck said financial strains have forced many restaurants to lay-off employees. Due to this, restaurants are understaffed and find serving indoors difficult. “The majority of the restaurants that are partici-
pating are preferring to do the takeout edition,” Reifsteck said. “Most of our restaurants are short-staffed right now.” However, some restaurants will have indoor dining. This is the case for The Wheelhouse, an American restaurant in St. Joseph. “We’re happy to have customers either way right now,” Ryan Rogiers, chef and owner of The Wheelhouse, said. Rogiers said due to COVID-19 limiting dining options for customers,
The Wheelhouse has faced financial difficulties. “Our overall revenue for the year is definitely down, and when it was just takeout only we were surviving but just to be able to open the doors again,” Rogiers said. These financial difficulties are common for many local restaurants, which is part of Reifsteck’s motivation when planning Restaurant Week. Reifsteck said she was sad to see that many of Restaurant Week’s past partic-
ipants have closed within the past year. “I always ask the restaurants that have participated in the past if they will join us again for the year,” Reifsteck said. “That was a bit challenging this year. Some of our past participants have closed.” In addition to dining restrictions due to COVID-19, late January and early February tends to provide slow business for restaurants, Reifsteck said. Rogiers has experienced this and cites the
lull after the holidays as the main reason. “After the holidays and the New Year, January is usually a slow time,” Rogiers said. In addition to restaurants, Reifsteck said Restaurant Week features caterers. She said caterers have been hit especially hard by COVID-19. “Caterers had been hit very hard during the pandemic, because there are no events for them to cater,” SEE RESTAURANT | 9A
University of Illinois alum runs for Urbana mayor BY KARENA TSE STAFF WRITER
As thousands of December graduates departed for new callings and communities, Andy Ma decided to water his roots where they laid. For Ma, last semester’s commencement marked the beginning of his campaign for Urbana mayor. “I live here,” he said, “might as well make the place you’re living a better place.” On Feb. 23, voters in Champaign and Urbana will cast their ballots in the 2021 primary election. Urbana voters will be met with three mayoral candidates: Diane Marlin and Dennis Roberts, who have each served in the Urbana city government for more than a decade, and Ma, a passionate activist and political science graduate. Ma’s priorities include defunding the police, ending chronic homelessness and enacting a moratorium on utility shut offs and evictions. He centers people in his politics and rejects the American legal system’s tradition of punishment. “If it comes to a person being thrown in jail, you’ve already failed,” Ma
said. “There’s so much you could’ve done before you start arresting people — that’s not a solution.” Ma traced his political convictions back to his days as a young student in Memphis, Tennessee. He was a senior in high school when Donald Trump took office as the 45th president. Coming of age in such a volatile political landscape left Ma charged with an energy for change. In these formative years, politics saturated his inner and outer lives. “All my friends, a lot of our conversation was politics,” Ma said. “And I really felt as a high schooler this powerlessness. I really didn’t like feeling powerless.” Ma has found empowerment in local politics. He worked on the Stefanie Smith congressional campaign last spring, collecting signatures and distributing flyers. In the fall, he worked on his own campaign for precinct committeeperson — a position he ultimately won against Illini Democrats’ Mallory Wentworth. Ma’s work is driven by a sense of moral urgency so
profound and irreducible, he finds the feeling almost redundant to explain. “I just have to do something,” he said. “There is no alternative. Things are getting worse.” Ma credited much of his energy for activism to his community at UI’s Young Democratic Socialists of America. The RSO has helped him connect with peers who share his vision of true social equity. Dat Luu, sophomore in LAS and acting YDSA president, values Ma as a comrade. “I think he’s a principled person,” Luu said. “He cares very much about fighting for working-class people, fighting for socialism, and fighting for posterity.” Luu took leadership of YDSA last summer with a modest, matter-of-fact attitude — an attitude which mirrored Ma’s approach to his own candidacy. Like Ma, Luu came forward out of a simple sense of duty. “I felt like if I have the opportunity to step up, then I should do it,” Luu said. As a new leader, he grappled with what his activism should look like. He consid-
PHOTO COURTESY OF ANDY MA’S FACEBOOK
Urbana mayoral candidate Andy Ma poses outside of the Urbana Free Library on Dec. 19. The primary election will occur on Feb. 23.
ered the kind of political participation he should ask of his peers in a season marked by such strife and sorrow. Luu also had to leave room for his own emotional processing. When his mother contracted a life-threatening case of COVID-19 at her nursing job, Luu awakened to a painful understanding of what it means to be a working person in the U.S. “I understood that my mother’s situation was something that would happen to many more people if we didn’t do something,”
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Luu said. “It became personal for me — trying to change things, trying to help people.” Aside from Ma, there are many candidates Luu is excited to support in next month’s primaries. Ma is just one in a slate of progressive leftist candidates running for office — candidates like Rita Conerly, Meghan McDonald and Justin Micháel Hendrix are also running on platforms of defunding the police and ending chronic homelessness.
Ma and Luu agree that a great task of ChampaignUrbana progressives is to tap into the student body’s awareness. They urge students to recognize their potential to guide the movement of local politics. “I’m just one student up against some established incumbents,” Ma said. “If I can get people to know I’m running, and that there’s an election, that can really change things.” kvtse2@dailyillini.com
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Monday, January 25, 2021
FROM 8A
iCAP teams stress energy sustainability RESTAURANT BY FARRAH ANDERSON STAFF WRITER
When Bill Rose started consulting the University about the Illinis Climate Action Plan energy efforts, he said there was no plan on how to meet the goal of net-zero emissions by 2050. Now the current co-chair of the iCAP energy team, he said they are creating a plan with the looming 2050 goal in mind. Over 12 years ago, the University announced its commitment to achieving net-zero emissions in 2050 through the Illinois Climate Action Plan. Since the iCAP was updated in 2020, energy sustainability efforts on campus have remained underway despite COVID-19 challenges and budget restraints. “Somebody has to face the sticker shock that the goal is going to carry,” said Bill Rose, co-chair of the iCAP Energy team. The energy team is now creating a Comprehensive Energy Plan to see where the university is and what is still left to be done. Although officials report that the University has decreased its energy consumption by 25% since 2008, some iCAP energy members have doubts about reaching the 2050 goal because of financial constraints. “We have the target; we don’t have the plan,” Rose said. “No one has generated a dollar figure for how much it’s going to cost to meet the goal.” Because of suspected budget cuts for the next fiscal year, officials like Morgan White, the co-chair of the iCAP Working Group and associate director at F&S in iSEE, said she suspects it could be harder to continue making progress with fewer available funds. “The University as a whole is looking at scenarios for budget cuts in the next fiscal
CASSIDY BRANDT THE DAILY ILLINI
year, so trying to continue to make progress when there’s just a tighter budget can be difficult,” White said. Because the University allocated $270 million toward COVID-19 costs in November, budgets have shifted while the University prioritizes pandemic relief. Funding that could have been put toward sustainability is now going toward the cost of research, COVID-19 staff and widespread testing. “The energy program on our campus is very, very complex,” White said. “That’s really dependent on funding, and COVID has seriously impacted our funding opportunities.” With the increased costs of pandemic relief, White said energy consumption is also up across campus. “We’ve actually had some increase in energy consump-
tion because of COVID and those increases have a direct impact on our funding,” White said. According to the 2020 iCAP, the University spends $90 million each year on campus utilities, including steam and electricity, sewers, water supply, renewable energy Power Purchase Agreement costs and campus electrical distribution network. “Due to sheer volume and versatility of distribution, energy-based emissions occupy a major portion of the university’s efforts toward carbon neutrality,” the University wrote in the 2020 iCAP. “Therefore, curtailing our energy consumption is essential to achieving carbon neutrality by FY50.” Rose, the co-chair of the iCAP Energy team, has headed recommendations
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to increase funding toward energy efficiency and conservation. But, as recommendations get made, the University continues to struggle to come up with the funds. “No one has budgeted or set some money aside to actually meet the goal,” Rose said. “And it’s going to be awfully expensive. It’s going to be hundreds of millions of dollars to meet that goal.” Although the University has reduced over a quarter of its energy consumption since 2008, the Energy iCAP team said there’s still a lot of work to be done to meet the 2050 goal. As a member of the working group, White said the funding that was recommended would be difficult to come by. “The Energy iCAP team submitted a recommendation that the University advocate $10 million per year for 10 years which would be $100 million,” White said. “And the U of I does not just have $100 million just sitting around.” Although major iCAP funding can be difficult to secure, groups like the Student Sustainability Committee work with students, faculty, and administrators to fund sustainability projects across campus. Although SSC usually has an annual budget of roughly $1 million collected from student fees, Josh Woolf-Senoff, senior and cochair of the Energy Work-
ing Group, said the pandemic seriously impacted their budget, leaving them with roughly half that. “This year, obviously, has been different and has been impacted because everything has a downstream effect,” Woolf-Senoff said. “There’s less students on campus and there’s less student fees to collect, so our budget was a lot smaller this year.” Historically, the SSC has focused on funding smaller, student-led sustainability projects. And although Woolf-Senoff said that’s what they prefer to fund as students themselves, he also stressed the importance of the University providing major funding. “The University is the one that needs to really step up when it comes to creating larger projects and expanding their own budgetary purposes for some larger scale, long-term projects that need to occur,” Woolf-Senoff said. As the campus community reflects on the progress that the iCAP has made in creating a more sustainable campus over the past 12 years, White said as an administrator she is reminded of how close the 2050 goal feels now. “I started working on this in 2010, and 2050 seemed a long way away,” White said. “But now that it’s 2021, it does not seem so far away.” farrah2@dailyillini.com
Reifsteck said. Due to takeout being primary focus of Restaurant Week, Reifsteck said that like caterers, the event has a more diverse list of food providers than in the past. For example, Reifsteck said there is a food truck: La Paloma. “You can go to this food truck and pick-up the specials they’re offering and take it home like you would any other time,” Reifsteck said. “La Paloma food truck is always on campus, so this is a great opportunity for students to take advantage of.” Moving forward, Reifsteck said Restaurant Week might see a shift in what the event has previously looked like in order to be more inclusive of those willing to participate. In order to attract more business, many restaurants are offering meals in family packs, Reifsteck said. “We have a lot of family packs available, which is great for students who have apartments where they all want to feed everyone there,” Reifsteck said. On The Wheelhouse’s menu is a Quarantine Date Night Special, a fourcourse meal with wine for two. There are currently over 30 restaurants participating in Restaurant Week, but Reifsteck expects more to join. When asked which restaurants Reifsteck is personally excited for, she responded, “That’s like asking who my favorite child is.” Reifsteck said all the restaurants are unique and have delicious food. She mentioned Stango Cuisine specifically, the only Zambian food restaurant in the country. For the community to share their experiences interacting with restaurants, Reifsteck said there’s a social media contest for a $100 gift card to a participating restaurant. To enter, one can post using the hashtag #ccrestaurantweek. “The opportunity for people to try new flavors is really exciting, and it really shows the diversity of our community,” Reifsteck said. gskiles2@dailyillini.com
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ACROSS
1 Prattle 8 Public square 13 Like records stored for research 15 Popeye’s profession 16 Browser’s start-up point 17 Buses, as tables 18 Freshly 19 Nonsense 21 Second letter after epsilon 23 Tic-tac-toe win 24 Prohibit 25 Worthless talk 31 Fury 32 Financial claim 33 Hanker (for) 37 Neighs : horses :: ___ : sheep 39 Landscaper’s tool 42 Raft for a polar bear 43 = 45 It’s not odd 47 R.N.’s touch 48 Unintelligible jargon 52 “So that’s it!” 55 Itinerary preposition 56 Inexperienced reporter 57 Twaddle 61 Line down the length of a skirt 65 Signing-on info 66 Sudden thought that makes you go “Wow!” 68 Poisons 69 Goes through hurriedly, as during a robbery 70 Jacket alternatives to buttons 71 “Huh?” … or a possible response to 1-, 19-, 25-, 48and 57-Across
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1 ___ Men, group with the 2000 hit “Who Let the Dogs Out” 2 Scientology founder ___ Hubbard 3 Highest point 4 Where spiders get their information? 5 Way cool 6 Actress Saint of “North by Northwest” 7 Alternative to Prego 8 1957 title role for Frank Sinatra 9 In ___ of (replacing) 10 March goes out like this, as the expression goes 11 “___ the Greek” 12 Pyromaniac’s crime 14 Old NASA moonlanding vehicle
15 Great Dane of cartoons, informally 20 Short hairstyle 22 ___ Aviv, Israel 25 Match up (with) 26 Baghdad’s land 27 Boyfriend 28 Bartlet of “The West Wing” or Clampett of “The Beverly Hillbillies” 29 Figure made by lying in the snow and waving one’s arms 30 Sports official, informally 34 Voice below soprano 35 Chocolate/caramel candy 36 Narrow part of a bottle 38 Droop 40 Christmas ___ (December 24)
41 Mao Zedong was its leader 44 1960s hippie gatherings 46 Big Apple sch. 49 Hawks and doves 50 Rebuke to a dog 51 “Pygmalion” playwright, for short 52 Borders 53 Wears, as clothes 54 Amazon’s virtual assistant 58 Icicles and burning candles both do this 59 ___ Lingus 60 Mineral springs 62 Individually 63 Singer/lyricist Paul 64 Classic computer game set on an island 67 “Gangnam Style” singer
The crossword solution is in the Classified section.
10A
MONDAY
January 25, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
OPINIONS
Avatar bears cultural significance ANDREW PROZOROVSKY OPINIONS EDITOR
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ince 1988, the National Film Registry’s goal has been to archive movies that have been recognized to bear cultural significance. Classic films have been preserved like Star Wars, Jurassic Park, the Breakfast Club and the Dark Knight — films that are not only masterful in their production and ingenious in their writing, but also could be argued to have affected the political beliefs or values of the impressionable generations that were blessed with them. Unfortunately, there does not appear to be an equivalent for television series that left a mark in their prime, but one show that should be recognized for its cultural impact and undoubtedly land in a hypothetical National TV Registry — should it ever be founded — is the animated series “Avatar: The Last Airbender.” “Avatar: the Last Airbender,” often referred to as Avatar or, to avoid confusion with the 2009 James Cameron film, abbreviated ATLA, was a hit show that premiered on Nickelodeon in 2005. It inspired a spin-off sequel series, “The Legend of Korra,” which, although not as popular, still received favorable reviews and a number of comic books to add to the ATLA universe canon. ATLA also inspired an M. Night Shyamalan
live-action film, which fans have admonished and condemned with their disappointment. ATLA is a fantasy show in a world where certain people are born with the ability to “bend” one of the four elements: air, water, earth or fire. The Avatar, a rein-
carnated soul with the ability to bend all four elements, is discovered frozen in a block of ice. Aang, a 12-year old airbender who has learned he is the Avatar, finds himself in the middle of a century-long global conquest by the Fire Nation. Aang travels the world with Katara, a waterbender from the Southern Water Tribe, and her brother Sokka. He must master the four elements and stop the Fire Nation before its imperial conquest is complete. Although ATLA was marketed as a show for kids, its current popularity among young adults has demonstrated the diversity of its audience. It does not contain swearing or on-screen
deaths and certainly has many lighthearted moments of humor tailored to a younger audience, but the political themes the show addresses are heavy and real. One particular Twitter thread captures the themes the show explores. The show truly is quite progressive for
its time. ATLA addresses the effects of genocide, war and imperialism. It depicts the strength of its characters with disabilities. Authoritarianism, grief, neglect, xenophobia, sexism and countless other serious topics are handled in an educational manner and with the right amount of sensitivity. One episode of ATLA even received awards for its realistic illustration of the evils of animal abuse. Avatar is also incredibly unique as a show. Its premise is clearly unique, but beyond that, its inspiration is rooted in Eastern culture, unlike most Western series and movies produced today, which represents a Western
point of view. Each “nation” in the show is inspired by a cultural group, in many cases a marginalized minority seldom included. The Water Tribes draw inspiration from Inuit culture and the Air Nomads from Tibetan monks. Each style of bending is based on a unique Eastern martial art. Its soundtrack draws from Eastern styles of music. One would be hard pressed to find a member of “Gen-Z” who did not grow up watching ATLA and has not rewatched parts since its recent acquisition by Netflix. Gen-Z’s progressive values should be, in part, accredited to the popularity of this show during the generation’s formative years. Gen-Z’s proclivity to be sympathetic to refugees, opposition to imperialism and respect for nature may have been influenced by this widelyadmired show. For that, the show deserves recognition. ATLA boasts likeable yet fallible characters, strong worldbuilding and lore and phenomenal storytelling. And, unlike many shows, its series finale sticks the landing. Its lessons left an impact on millions of impressionable youth who have now grown up and still praise the show. Regardless of your age, if you have not seen “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” it should earn a place on your must-watch list.
KAITLIN MIKRUT THE DAILY ILLINI
Modern holiday stockings pervert traditional meaning DYLAN GRAY SENIOR COLUMNIST
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existed solely as a prop for holidays, much like the stockings themselves. Finally, the stocking eventually became its own sign entirely. At this point it’s not uncommon to find socks as a gift in a Christmas stocking. In its own ouroboros, the stocking has consumed itself. The very thing it was once supposed to represent is now swallowed whole in the grotesque representation of its long lost ancestor. However, this observation is not entirely new. In 1981, French Sociologist Jean Baudrillard published “Simulacra and Simulation,” a work which largely details the process described above. According to Baudrillard, there are four stages through which a signifier moves into simulacra. First, the sign is a faithful copy, and is a reflection of a profound reality. Second, the sign becomes a perversion of reality and the sign moves to being an unfaithful copy. Next, the image masks the absence of a profound reality, the sign pretends to be a faithful copy but one with no original. Finally, the sign marks the absence of reality, and has become pure simulacra with no bearing in reality whatsoever. The simulacra calls into question if reality itself even exists. This process detailed above about the evolution of the Christmas stocking is essentially the same. It has moved from being a reality to a twisted perversion which hardly resembles what it was once trying to signify. However, I did not say this to indict Christmas as a holiday or chastise those who participate in it. On the contrary, I have a deep respect for the traditions which have become touchstones of our culture, and I am saddened to see them perverted like so. Next holiday season, try to take a moment when hanging up the stockings to remember their original purpose and pay homage to the traditions that helped mold our modern conceptions of the holiday. Bring the family together and take a moment to explain to the little ones the origin and story of the stocking. After all, are the holidays about consumption, rather than togetherness?
he holidays have come to a close once again, and with this comes the requisite removal and stowing away of all the associated decorations. Trees, lights, Andrew is a junior in LAS and oversized inflatables and, the Opinions Desk Editor for of course, stockings. The the Daily Illini. Christmas stocking is a atp4@dailyillini.com quintessential part of the holiday tradition and has KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI an interesting dual purpose as both a decoration and a prop used in a specific ritual. As anyone who has celebrated Christmas will tell you, stockings are “hung NOAH NELSON by the chimney with care” SENIOR and are then filled with COLUMNIST small gifts, candy and trinkets. While this tradition is something often enjamin Franklin taken for granted as part once said: “An investof the modern Christment in knowledge mas festivities, something always pays the best about it seems decidedly interest.” postmodern. Each year, hundreds To begin, the origin of of thousands of college the Christmas stocking students participate in is quite humble. During higher education to earn the winter months of old, a degree and take the people would often hang next step in their careers. their socks (or stockWhile some universiings) by their fireplace ties may be more diffiafter a long day of trudgcult than others, there is ing through the snow so no doubt that each college they would warm up and student struggles at some dry off. At some point this point during that time. led to putting small gifts Although it may seem in these socks for children like a struggle now, countto enjoy. less people have graduatAs consumerism and ed from the University of the gift-giving ritual Illinois and continued on became a more domiwith successful careers. nant part of Christmas, This long list of accomthe stockings were forced plished alumni should to get bigger. Eventually inspire every current stuthey ceased to function dent to take on the world PHOTO COURTESY OF LIONEL HAHN/ABACA PRESS/MCT as socks entirely and took and do what they love to Roger Ebert attends the IFP Independent Spirit Awards in Santa Monica, California, on March 22, on a new purpose solely do. 2003. Columnist Noah stresses the successes of famous Illinois alumni like Ebert. as Christmas stockings. Since its inception in They represent a perver1867, University alumni sion of tradition — the have made their mark on Emmy awards, played in on the world in fields like But at the end of the day, desire for holidays to be the world, cementing the the NFL, NBA and MLB, engineering, science, we are attending a Big bigger and better made school’s legacy. Over the earned Olympic medart, journalism, music, Ten university with a rich manifest. years, 10 alumni have won als, made science breakagriculture and so much history and a great list of Further into the future, the Nobel Prize and 29 throughs and so much more. Current students accomplished alumni. these stockings not only have earned the Pulitzer more. are carrying on that legInstead of stressing served a single purpose Prize. But the success did Who can forget the acy as this is being writover the next test, wheth- as gift receptacles, but not stop there. legacies of well-known ten. It is no wonder why er or not Zoom will work they eventually ceased to University alumni have alumni like Roger Ebert, so many students choose and the career search resemble a sock entirely. gone on to design wellDick Butkus, Red Grange, to become an Illini. It is after college, take a step At this point the stockknown structures such Hugh Hefner and Suze why I did. back and breathe. It is all ing had at once become as the Lincoln Memorial Orman? Without many While most college stu- going to be okay. Just look its own entity, but also in Washington, the Wilother alumni, the world dents love participating at the thousands of alum- little more than a refleclis Tower in Chicago and wouldn’t have the board in higher education, many ni who have come before tion of a reflection, a carithe United Nations Build- game Operation, the red question why they attend you; they have all been in cature of a longstanding ing in New York. Compasolo cup, Baskin Robbins college and long for grad- your spot at one point too. tradition. nies founded by Univerice cream, the Harlem uation day. From speakTheir success should be This, paired with the sity alumni include the Globetrotters or Disney ing with many friends at motivation that you too increasing popularity of National Football League, Channel. the University over the can take on the world and central heat and air in Yelp, PayPal, YouTube, Over the years, the Uni- last several months, those do whatever it is you love most houses throughout the Weather Channel, versity has continued to thoughts have come to to do. Wherever life takes the 20th century meant Tesla and Oracle, just live up to its reputation as mind. Most of them agree you, it is always a great that no longer were stockto name a few. Alumbeing one of the best pub- college is even more difday to be an Illini. ings hanging above a fireni have also traveled lic research facilities and ficult and stressful now place. Often now fake to outer space, worked venues to earn a degree dealing with remote Noah is a junior in the College stockings hung above a Dylan is a senior in the in federal government, across the country. Alum- learning due to the ongo- of Media. fake fireplace that was College of Media. won Tony, Grammy and ni have made their mark ing COVID-19 pandemic. noahen2@dailyillini.com either ornamental or kdg2@dailyillini.com
University of Illinois alumni should inspire students
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SPORTS
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January 25, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
FOOTBALL
Bielema builds all-star staff BY JOSH PIETSCH STAFF WRITER
Just over a month after being named the new head coach at Illinois, Bret Bielema has finalized his staff for the 2021 football season and has retained multiple key players for an extra year of eligibility. Bielema hired nine new coaches and kept one coach from the 2020 season, giving him 10 total coaches on his staff for the upcoming season. His first hire as head coach came shortly before the new year, naming Tony Petersen as offensive coordinator. Petersen comes to Champaign after spending a season as offensive coordinator for a highscoring Appalachian State offense and was also the OC for the Louisiana Tech team that handled Illinois in the Heart of Dallas Bowl in 2014, scoring 35 points. Shortly after the hire of Petersen came Bart Miller, who was hired as the offensive line coach. Miller coached under Bielema at Wisconsin and has proven on multiple occasions that he knows how to coach impressive offensive lines that boost run games and give quarterbacks time to throw. During an introductory press conference, Miller put an emphasis on how important it’ll be to recruit in-state players, something Bielema himself has stressed and was looking for while hiring coaches. “Bart has Midwest roots and will help us recruit and keep Illinois players at home wearing the Orange and Blue. We are very excited to have Bart join our Illini family,” Bielema said. One member of Lovie Smith’s coaching staff that stood out among the rest was Cory Patterson. Patterson was Illinois’ tight ends coach under Smith
but helped the Illini out by doing much more than coaching. Patterson has ties in different parts of the country and was the best recruiter on Smith’s staff. He recruited quarterback Isaiah Williams, an ESPN top 300 player, and many more key Illini players. Bielema understands the importance of Patterson’s recruiting skills and retained him on his staff, moving him to running backs coach. “After meeting Cory a few weeks ago, I came away impressed with his passion for coaching and the Illini family,” Bielema said. “During our transition, he will now coach our running backs and work with us in recruiting to find the individuals who can best help us win championships.” In one of the more surprising hires Bielema has made as an Illini, Ryan Walters, who has been the defensive coordinator at Missouri for the past five years, left to take the defense coordinator job at Illinois. Walters, considered to be one of the best young coaches in college football, has successfully transformed what was a weak Missouri defense into one of the best in the SEC. Defense has been a struggling area for the Illini over the last decade, and Bielema is bringing in a proven coach to now lead his defense. “Ryan has demonstrated great success in his coaching career as an assistant, as a coordinator and as a leader of young men” Bielema said. “He’ll be a great addition to our staff to help us motivate, recruit and develop a roster full of champions.” Under Lovie Smith, Lovie was the defensive coordinator as well as head coach,
never naming another official DC. His biggest strength was supposed to be his defensive coaching ability, but his NFL success never seemed to translate to the college game. Now, after over two years of having zero previous defensive coordinator experience on the staff, Bielema has brought in three new coaches that have defensive coordinator experience. In addition to Walters, Southern Methodist defensive coordinator Kevin Kane was hired by Bielema as an associate head coach and outside linebacker’s coach. Andy Buh, who has over 20 years of coaching experience, including as a defensive coordinator, was hired as Bielema’s linebackers coach. “(Andy) has been a part of several Big Ten programs as a successful defensive coordinator as well as linebacker coach … I first hired Kevin as a defensive graduate assistant and now I’ve seen his career grow, develop and flourish in the coaching profession as an assistant coach as well as a coordinator. He brings a wealth of knowledge to our staff at Illinois,” Bielema said of Buh and Kane. Bielema’s other four hires were George McDonald as assistant head coach and wide receivers coach, Terrance Jamison as defensive line coach, Aaron Henry as defensive backs coach and Ben Miller as tight ends coach. Between Bielema and the rest of his staff, the coaches have a combined 189 years of coaching experience, giving the Illini 11 bright, experienced minds to lead them during the 2021 season. @JPietsch14 pietsch3@dailyillini.com
Bret Bielema Head coach
Ryan Walters Defensive coordinator
Kevin Kane OLB coach
Andy Buh LB coach
Aaron Henry Terrance Jamison D-Line coach DB coach
Tony Petersen Offensive coordinator
Bart Miller Cory Patterson RB coach O-Line coach
Ben Miller George McDonald TE coach WR Coach
BRIAN NGUYEN THE DAILY ILLINI
FOOTBALL LS Ethan Tabel P Blake Hayes K James McCourt
X TE Daniel Barker
X
X
OL Alex Palczewski
QB Brandon Peters
X
OL Doug Kramer
OL Vederian Lowe
XDL X DLX X XDL DL Isaiah Gay
X X
Owen Roderick Jamal Carney Jr. Perry Woods
DB Tony Adams
DB Kendall Smith
BRIAN NGUYEN THE DAILY ILLINI
Seniors return for fifth season BY JOSH PIETSCH STAFF WRITER
In addition to finalizing his coaching staff, and despite losing offensive lineman Kendrick Green, wide reciever Josh Imatorbhebhe and linebackers Jake Hansen and Milo Eifler to the NFL draft, Bielema has retained several key players for 2021, either returning for their senior season rather than entering the transfer portal or opting to use their extra year of eligibility due to the pandemic. Offensive linemen Alex Palczewski and Doug Kramer were the first Illini to announce their plans to return to the team for a fifth season. Palczewski and Kramer are not only two of the most talented players on their team, but Kramer is also a two-time team captain and is one of the most influential voices in the locker room. Palczewski suffered a season-ending injury in midNovember during a game at Rutgers, and Kramer missed two games due to contacttracing. Without these players missing time, there is a chance both would have moved on and be preparing for the draft. Instead, the duo will be back for another year in hopes of boosting their resumes and getting drafted in 2022. Vederian Lowe, who was also a senior in 2020 and is an important member of the offensive line, announced his return shortly after his fellow linemen did. Lowe has been in the mix since his freshman year, has a child and is engaged, but will still be back to give it his all with the Illini for another year. “It’ll be great,” Lowe said, on returning with Palczewski and Kramer. “We’ve already played with each other for so long. We’ve already built such great chemistry with each other. I just think that everything can only be better. We can only just build off what we’ve done. We can only all become greater men and better football players as the time goes on. I think that
will carry over and transition into us winning football games.” In addition to key members of the offensive line returning, another unit will be returning all of its key members for their fifth seasons: special teams. Illinois has one of the best special teams groups in the country, with punter Blake Hayes widely regarded as one of the best in the country and kicker James McCourt proving to be clutch in big moments and the ability to kick long field goals. Long snapper Ethan Tabel is also returning, completing the trio. “Just having us all back together is super special,” McCourt said. “We all feed off each other’s energy really well, we all know each other really well at this point we’ve been together for a long time … There’s no reason why we can’t perform at the highest level next year and we all have high expectations for ourselves.” Quarterback Brandon Peters also announced his plans to return to the team for a fifth year of eligibility, Illinois’ primary starting quarterback over the past two seasons. Peters missed three games his junior year and another three this past year and never hit the consistency levels he had hoped for. A senior captain in 2020 and returning with one of the best offensive lines in the country, Peters will return to play under Bielema and new OC Petersen to try and boost his game in hopes of eventually making it to the NFL. “There really wasn’t much said on my part, other than I told (Bielema): ‘I don’t want to leave Illinois. I want to come back and play here’,” Peters said. “He was very upfront and honest with me. He said: ‘That’s great, I’d love to have you back.’” On the defensive line, Bielema was able to retain Isaiah Gay, Jamal Woods and Roderick Perry. Despite low expectations coming into 2020, the defen-
sive line held their own and was one of the better parts of Illinois’ defense this past season. With three key players returning, Walters will have multiple veterans on the line with experience to lead the defense upfront. Perry, who expects to play in the NFL in the future, had a tough decision to make after an injury near the end of the season. Like Palczewski, his injury may be what is bringing him back to the Illini for an extra season. “Coming back would allow me to prove that I was good after my injury,” Perry said. “Also, coming back would be better because it would only help my draft stock. Going into the draft with an injury, you won’t get taken in the round that you would have if you were healthy.” Owen Carney, a defensive lineman that led the team in sacks and was All-Big Ten second team, entered the transfer portal in early January and didn’t plan to return to the team. However, Carney recently pulled his name out of the portal and will finish his time with the Illini. Bielema and his staff’s ability to keep Carney is a huge win for a defense that will already lack depth in some places, but with defensive backs Tony Adams and Kendall Smith also announcing their decisions to stay, the defense is slowly beginning to feel better as players continue to return. Everyone surrounding the Illinois football program knew that major changes were needed, and ever since athletic director Josh Whitman hired Bret Bielema back in December as head football coach, things have been different. An almost brand new, experienced coaching staff hired by Bielema and several key players returning to play under the new coach have the Illini feeling good about not only the 2021 season, but for several seasons to come. @JPietsch14 pietsch3@dailyillini.com
MEN’S BASKETBALL
Illinois is running out of time to meet lofty expectations BY BRANDON SIMBERG STAFF WRITER
Expectations were higher than they had been in 15 years for Illinois basketball entering the bizarre 20202021 COVID-19 influenced season. But in its first real challenge against Baylor, Illinois lost. The Bears, however, are indisputably one of the two best teams in the country and have yet to lose a game. They responded to that loss with a resounding win at Cameron Indoor stadium against Duke, which at the time appeared to be a signature win. But the Blue Devils have faltered since, dropping out of the AP
rankings for the first time since 2016. They would then lose two of their next three (at Missouri and at Rutgers). The Tigers have remained in the AP poll, but the Scarlet Knights have sunk to the bottom half of the Big Ten. A four-game winning streak gave some hope that maybe those losses were behind them. But none of those wins (Penn State, Indiana, Purdue and Northwestern) were against high-caliber teams. Those victories were not a sign of things to come, as Illinois dropped consecutive home games to Maryland and Ohio State. Head coach Brad Underwood was
as vehement as ever after the loss to the Buckeyes; they needed to improve. Despite a relatively hard schedule, nobody expected the preseason No. 8 team in the country to have five losses before the second week of January. “We have to stop riding the emotional rollercoaster that is this team right now,” Underwood said. “And it’s frustrating. I wish I had the exact answer. We’re going to have some very tough meetings.” Illinois went on to cruise past Penn State, a team that has struggled to put wins together this year. That leaves them at 10-5 and in fourth place of the Big Ten,
with their toughest stretch of the season coming up. They play current Big Ten leaders Michigan and Iowa once, Wisconsin twice, a road game at Minnesota and at Indiana. Bart Torvik projects them as underdogs in three of those games and in three of those 10, Illinois is just a one-point favorite. For the Illini, it’s time to live up to that top 10 ranking. At times, they’ve shown what they’re capable of. They annihilated Minnesota, beat Northwestern by 40 points in one half and were in a close game with Baylor for 30 minutes. Ayo Dosunmu has been as good as advertised. So has Kofi Cockburn. At times, Adam
Miller and Andre Curbelo have flashed what makes them so enticing, just rarely in the same game. Even Da’Monte Williams has taken that coveted leap as a three-point shooter. But the consistency from all role players hasn’t always been there, leading to the losses. In terms of their offensive and defensive efficiency, their numbers most closely mirror the 2010 Xavier team, 2014 Kansas team and 2014 Xavier team. Of that group, the 2010 Musketeers went the furthest in March, losing in the Sweet Sixteen. For a program that hasn’t made a Sweet Sixteen in
over 15 years, most would be pleased with that result. But for this team that has Final Four aspirations and has at times shown those f lashes, a Sweet Sixteen loss is probably a disappointment. Illinois needs to play their best basketball of the season down the stretch, not only to improve their NCA A Tournament seed but also to show they’re capable of winning big games. These questions will be answered in due time, and it starts on Friday against Iowa and Luka Garza. @BrandonSimberg simberg2@dailyillini.com
2B
Monday, January 25, 2021
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
WINTER SPORTS
Wrestling, gymnastics, volleyball teams start off undefeated mine where the Illini truly stand among Big Ten teams Just 10 months ago, the and among March Madsports world came to a sud- ness-caliber teams. den halt due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Winter Women’s basketball sport playoffs and tourDespite losing last seanaments were canceled, son’s leading scorer Petra and almost the entirety of Holešínská, who transspring seasons were never ferred to North Carolina, played. Now, sports have the Illini opened the seareturned with nine differ- son strong, winning two of ent Illini teams currently its first three games against in action, though multiple non-conference opposition: games for multiple teams a 68-49 win over Indiana have already interrupted State to open the season competition. Regardless, and a close 53-50 victory let’s take a look at how these over Omaha. programs have fared so far In Big Ten play, however, in this unusual, unpredict- the team has dearly missed able and unprecedented its top scorer, falling in six season. straight games to open its Big Ten campaign while Men’s basketball averaging under 60 points The expectations for the per game while allowing men’s basketball team were just over 80 points each through the roof to start contest. But the team has the season, as the team also faced some of the best were ranked No. 8 in the AP teams in the conference, preseason rankings. After including Iowa, Indiana, opening the season with Ohio State, Michigan and three straight wins against Northwestern. Illinois has North Carolina A&T, Chi- a stretch of winnable games cago State and Ohio, Illi- coming up, as the team has nois traveled to take on six straight games against No. 2 Baylor in one of the unranked opponents. most highly anticipated matchups in recent histo- Men’s gymnastics ry, though they would ultiAfter last competing on mately fall 82-69. The Illini March 7, the men’s gymnaswould then fall to the Mis- tics team returned to action souri Tigers in the Braggin’ on Jan. 15 against Northern Rights game for the third Illinois in a unique manner: straight season. the meet was conducted virThe team entered the sea- tually for the first time ever. son as one of the favorites The No. 3 Illini dominatto win the Big Ten, but they ed in their opening meet, now sit fourth in the con- winning 384.750-310.100, ference at 6-3 after losses winning all six event titles: to Rutgers in the second sophomore Evan Manivong Big Ten game of the season won on floor (13.600) and and back-to-back defeats vault (14.550), redshirt at home to Maryland and senior Tommy Mistretta Ohio State. Though Illi- took pommel horse honnois has beaten Minnesota, ors (13.700), graduate stuPenn State twice, Indiana, dent Danny Graham won Purdue and Northwest- on rings (13.700), freshern, the team has yet to man Logan Myers won on face any of the “big boys” bars (13.500) and freshman of the Big Ten. With the Will Hauke and senior Jorteam’s toughest stretch yet dan Kovach won on high bar to come (they still have to (13.000). Mistretta, Myers face Iowa, Michigan, Wis- and Hauke took home their consin (twice), Ohio State first career event titles. and Minnesota), these next Illinois also defeated few games will help deter- Ohio State to open its Big BY JACKSON JANES STAFF WRITER
RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI
Senior Dylan Duncan attempts to break the hold of his opponent during the meet against Purdue on Friday. The men’s wrestling team is undefeated this season (4-0).
Ten campaign on Saturday, 402.550-396.250. The Illini took home four event titles, including an all-around title from junior Hamish Carter. Junior Ian Skirkey won on pommel horse (14.550), Kovach and Graham won on rings (13.750), Manivong won on vault (14.750) and Carter won on bars (13.400). Manivong, Kovach and Graham all won titles in two consecutive meets.
Amelia Knight and Abby Mueller. Illinois took home first place in a tri-meet with Rutgers and Maryland, beating the Terrapins 195.525-195.300 and the Scarlet Knights 195.525192.500. Sophomore Mia Takekawa tied for the bars event title (9.875) while Scott and senior Kylie Noonan tied for the floor title with a score of 9.875.
Women’s gymnastics
After receiving news that all sports would be canceled for the remainder of the season in the middle of a meet in March, the Illini swimming and diving team returned to action on Jan. 16. The team dropped its season opener to Purdue 173-122, though freshman Cara Bognar and junior Abigail Cabush both had multiple first-place finishes. Cabush won two freestyle events, 100-yard (51.77 seconds) and 200yard (1:51.37), while Bognar took first place in 200yard butterfly (2:02.56) and 500-yard freestyle (4:59.59).
Like the men’s team, the women’s gymnastics team competed on Jan. 15 for the first time since early March. After breakout performances from several Illini gymnasts last season, the team looked solid in its first meet, taking down Nebraska 195.475-193.400 and winning three of the four events. Individually, sophomore Lexi Powe won on vault (9.825), freshman Kaitlyn Ewald won on bars (9.900) and junior Shaylah Scott won on floor (9.875). Three Illini made their debuts, Ewald, who won her first career event title,
Swim and dive
The team bounced back on Saturday, however, picking their first win of the season against Nebraska, 164-136, the program’s first conference dual-meet road win since 2015. Bognar and Cabush led the team again, with Bognar picking up wins in 200-yard butterfly (2:03.62), 500-yard freestyle (4:59.260 and 400-yard individual medley (4:27.75) while Cabush took first-place honors in 100-yard (51.91 seconds) and 200-yard (1:52.11) freestyle. The team also finished first in the 200yard medley relay (1:46.20) and the 400-yard freestyle relay (3:30.85).
Track and field
The men’s and women’s track and field squads opened their seasons in Madison, Wisconsin, in the Badger Icebreaker on Jan. 16, winning eight events, including women’s long jump, women’s high jump, men’s weight throw, men’s long jump and men’s shot put, after nearly 11 months since their last meet. Freshman Nick
Drayden, sophomore Olivia Howell, redshirt sophomore Will Rezny, juniors Lucy Lux-Rulon, Nya Carr and Bret Dannis, redshirt junior Rebecca Craddock and graduate transfer Manning Plater all picked up wins in their first meets of the season. In the Larry Wieczorek Invitational on Friday and Saturday hosted in Iowa City, Iowa, the Illini won three events, including the men’s 3000m premier, men’s 600m premier and women’s 400m dash, though the men’s team finished third and the women’s team finished fifth out of five total schools. Redshirt senior Jon Davis took home the 3000m premier, while sophomore Aman Thornton won the men’s 600m premier, finishing with a time of 1:18.06, the ninth-fastest time in school history. Sophomore Danni Stoughton took home the final event victory for the Illini, finishing first in the 400m dash. SEE UNDEFEATED | 4B
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January 25, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
COVID-19 University sees 400 new cases since start of year BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
BRIGIDA DOCKUS THE DAILY ILLINI
Illinois COVID Wellness Ambassadors walk on the Main Quad on Oct. 7. The University is currently in the process of obtaining permission from the Food and Drug Administration to allow the rapid-based saliva test for emergency use.
UI seeks FDA approval for saliva test BY MONA ALRAZZAQ STAFF WRITER
The University of Illinois in Urbana-Champaign is currently undergoing the process to earn emergency use authorization status from the Food and Drug Administration for the rapid-based saliva test and expand the test developed by the University across the state. The test was submitted for EUA FDA approval on Dec. 30. The saliva test is still being distributed to students under a clinical laboratory improvement amendments certification which ensures that the lab meets the federal regulation requirements for testing. According to UI spokesperson Robin Kaler, other universities such as Purdue and Ohio State are working to adopt the rapid salivabased testing operations similar to the University’s by obtaining their own approved certification. Rebecca Lee Smith, an epidemiologist who is help-
ing validate the test, specializes in infectious disease control. Although her area of specialization is currently timely, she laughed as she explained how she wishes it wasn’t. “None of us who are experts in this are surprised that it happened, but we all had hoped not to see it in our lives,” Smith said in regards to the pandemic. Smith is currently working with a team in charge of the trials to validate the University’s COVID-19 test for the purposes of FDA emergency use authorization. This team wants to make the test readily available across the state for both people with and without symptoms. In order to get this approval for asymptomatic screening, she explained how the University’s data has to include 20 asymptomatic positive tests and 100 asymptomatic negative tests (which Smith is “pretty sure” they have) through both the nasal swab and the University developed sali-
va-based COVID-19 test. Smith said that the team is currently working to get approval to test on another college campus in order to find the 20 asymptomatic people who test positive since there have been very few COVID-19 infections at the University. They are hoping that on the other campus with a higher positivity rate, they will be able to get more COVID-19 tests to meet the criteria with the right subject pool and earn authorization. Until the emergency use authorization use status is achieved and the test can be made more available to the public, the University will continue relying on COVID-19 test and contact tracing to limit the spread of the virus on campus. The constant testing will likely remain for a while even after the new COVID-19 vaccine will be available, according to Smith. She said she can’t say with certainty that the vaccine will be mandated because
to gain access to academic buildings. The University opted to cancel spring break in favor of an extended winter break and weeklong period dedicated to student move-ins and testing, along with three non-instruction days tacked on through the semester. Several of the University’s saliva testing sites remained open during the break, and plenty in the campus community tested positive in the dead of winter. More than 500 of the University’s individuals tested positive for the virus since the fall term concluded, with 403 new cases in January alone, many of which came right after the holidays. The University surpassed the 1 million tests mark, after averaging almost 5,000 COVID-19 tests per day since the semester concluded. In the last two weeks, campus conducted 80,000 tests, bringing back 261 new cases. To date, 5,045 students, faculty and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 on campus since the testing program began in July of 2020.
The initial screening week for returning University of Illinois students, staff and faculty has concluded, and the results are in: 179 new cases of COVID-19 identified from Jan. 16-22 after nearly 58,000 tests. The number of imported cases is remarkably similar to the week before fall semester, when the University found 192 cases from Aug. 15-21, albeit with 10,000 fewer tests. Once classes began in the fall, the growth of cases on campus steadied, then spiked by the second week, when more than 800 students, faculty and staff tested positive for COVID-19 in seven days. Unlike last semester, however, the University’s spring term is starting with a practical lockdown on student activities, where undergraduates are being asked to limit their in-person activities to essential functions only, like going to classes, getting groceries and exercising individually. Students on campus were mandated to test negative twice last week, with the tests separated by at @esimmsnews least three days, in order ecsimmon@dailyillini.com
the people involved in that decision will want to look at the safety data and efficacy of the vaccine first. “The vaccine is not going to be a silver bullet that all of a sudden solves the pandemic, unfortunately,” Smith said. Emphasizing the need for continuous monitoring of the virus on campus in order to make sure things are “under control,” Smith said the time it will take to return to a pre-COVID-19 lifestyle is based on the vaccine’s ability to properly prevent infection. If the vaccine is effective at preventing infection like it is at preventing sickness, Smith estimates it will take around a year from availability of the vaccine to return to normalcy. She noted the importance of having “wide uptake” of the vaccine and “lots of messaging” supporting the vaccine in order to actually CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI slow the spread. Jessica Osemwngie checks in at the COVID-19 testing site at monaa2@dailyillini.com
State Farm Center on Oct. 9. This past week, 179 new cases of COVID-19 were identified from Jan. 16-22 after nearly 58,000 tests.
Winter brings increase in death rate, lower positivity rate for Champaign County BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR
When students went away for break, Champaign County was in the throes of a nationwide surge in COVID-19 hospitalizations. Though far fewer people are testing positive for the virus than a month or two ago, the county is dealing with a prolonged uptick in deaths from COVID-19. In October of 2020, the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District had confirmed just 28 county deaths from the virus. November brought 35 more deaths, while another 27 COVID-19 patients died
in December. Through January of 2021, at least 16 county residents have passed away after battling COVID-19 complications. The vast majority of those who died from the virus are above 70 years old: 81 of the county’s 106 deaths have come from this demographic. Meanwhile, the test positivity rate of the county and the surrounding region have slid in recent weeks. Two weeks ago, Region 6 of Illinois had a seven-day rolling test positivity rate of 8.9%, which warrants increased mitigations, while Champaign County’s was up to 7.3%. Just 10 days later, Region
6’s rolling positivity rate had dropped to 5.6%, along with 5.1% in the county. To date, 15,883 residents of Champaign County have tested positive for COVID-19 after more than 1.3 million tests. Of them, 15,102 are considered recovered, 106 have died and 675 are active for the virus, including 24 who are currently hospitalized. According to the most recent count, 70 COVID-19 patients from surrounding counties are receiving medical attention at Carle Foundation Hospital. @esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com
JACOB WARGO THE DAILY ILLINI
Students sit on the Main Quad on Oct. 8. In January 2021, at least 16 COVID-related deaths occurred in Champaign County, the majority being 70 years old or older.
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4B
Monday, January 25, 2021
THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM
MEN’S AND WOMEN’S BASKETBALL
UNDEFEATED
Illini basketball connects with fans through social media
Volleyball
BY CLAIRE O’BRIEN
FROM 2B
After not playing since Dec. 6, 2019, the volleyball team opened up its 2021 campaign with two matches on the road against Iowa. The team is almost entirely transformed from its last game, though the Illini picked up two wins to start off its new season on a strong note. In the first match, senior Megan Cooney led the team with 17 kills, while senior Kylie Bruder registered her first career double-double with 21 assists and 10 digs, both career-highs, as the Illini took down the Hawkeyes 3-1 (25-20, 23-25, 25-15, 25-23) in dominant fashion. On Saturday, the Illini carried their momentum into the match and pulled off the sweep, winning 3-1 (25-20, 25-13, 19-25, 25-13). Redshirt freshman Ellie Holzman put together a solid performance, finishing with a match-high 15 kills, while Bruder and redshirt sophomore Diana Brown had 20 and 19 assists, respectively.
Wrestling
Arguably the most successful Illini program so far this season, the men’s wrestling team is off to an undefeated start. The team has won all four meets, including against three ranked opponents: No. 8 Ohio State, No. 22 Wisconsin and No. 17 Purdue. The team is also ranked in the top-10 nationally, currently sitting at No. 7. Sophomores Lucas Byrd and Luke Luffman and redshirt senior Dylan Duncan are all off to undefeated starts, helping guide the team to a 4-0 start. The team looks like a true Big Ten contender thus far, though they will be tested in a tri-meet with No. 1 Iowa and No. 2 Michigan next weekend. @JacksonJanes3 janes6@dailyillini.com
STAFF WRITER
In a college basketball season where the fans “watching” the game are mostly cardboard cutouts, social media is one of the sources where fans go to keep tabs on their favorite teams and athletes. Some fans come for the content, others come for the memes. And the Illinois’ basketball social media team is balancing keeping fans informed and including the latest social media trends in their content. The men’s basketball social media team has focused this year on highlighting the behind-thescenes of the basketball program with the content fans know and love. Thursday night, the team tweeted a video of Kofi Cockburn blocking a shot followed by the ball traveling in various backgrounds. One of the scenes was of Senator Bernie Sanders, whose pose sitting at President Joe Biden’s Inauguration ceremony Wednesday has turned into an internet meme over the last several days. Kelsea Ansfield is usually the one who comes up with much of the content fans engage with on the men’s basketball social media accounts. The team had dropped the Kofi block video Thursday but has also kept the feed interactive with plenty of GIFs and videos. The Illini men’s basketball team was set to play Nebraska on Jan. 13. The game got called off due to COVID-19, but the social media team still decided to drop the pregame hype video. Ansfield credited Grace Duggan, the Illinois Athletics’ social media strategist, as the person whose idea it was to send that video into the world. “It was a pretty genius idea by Grace to be able to put that out,” Ansfield said. The men’s basketball team is in the midst of one of its best seasons in recent years,
PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS
State Farm Center sits empty while not in use. With COVID-19 limiting in-person attendance this year, the Illinois basketball social media team has kept fans updated with frequent posts.
but Ansfield said the strategy would have stood even if fans filled the State Farm Center every game. Ansfield has been at Illinois for a few years, and in that time, the social media team has pivoted to things beyond the team on the court. “I think our strategy has changed in that it’s not just about having a basketball on every post,” Ansfield said. “I mean, there was a week there, almost a week, between games, where we didn’t make a post that had a physical basketball (in it) because it’s not just about that anymore. We’re trying to promote the brand. We’re trying to tell you what our program is about.” The combination of interactivity and giving fans a glimpse of what it’s really like in the basketball program is paying off. SkullSparks, which releases data surrounding the interactivity of college sports social media accounts, noted in a Jan. 8 tweet that Illinois had about two more million impressions on social media in 2020 than they had in 2019. Only Kansas’ men’s basketball social media accounts, which have a significantly larger following than Illinois’, had a larg-
er increase in social media impressions. “So, you know, during a time when we didn’t have any basketball to talk about we still (found) a way to be efficient,” Ansfield said. “Kansas, I believe, has almost double the followers we have on most platforms.” The Illinois women’s basketball team has taken a similar approach as the men’s team has. Sports information director Danny Mattie is usually the one who runs the Illinois women’s basketball social media accounts. Mattie has been in his role for just short of a year, and most of that time has been during the offseason. Fans currently aren’t able to attend the games, and for much of the offseason, social media was one way to keep fans engaged. “We were able to come up with some fun things to try and keep content fresh on social media platforms,” Mattie said. “Because even though there was sort of (an NCAA recruiting shut down), right, like it’s still possible for recruits, and fans and donors and everybody else who follows us to see the content that’s going on, on (social media platforms).” Mattie collaborates with
or 1,000s of fans in the arena, people are able to check in with the team whenever they want to come,” Mattie said. “And obviously, that’s not the case this year. So people are more reliant on watching, watching on TV or streaming, listening on the radio, and obviously social media (is) a big thing for fans (to) follow along.” In the off-season, Mattie said the program focuses on more in-depth content, but the team has still put out features during the season. Fighting Illini Productions put together a short video about J-Naya Ephraim about her childhood in the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the team posted it to its social media accounts. Though Mattie hasn’t been running the social media accounts for a long period of time, he has found he enjoys sharing the players’ stories with the world. “I think it’s fun to be able to run these accounts where you’re able to focus on good and positive stories and kind of put that stuff out into the world (and) try to promote student-athletes who really are working hard to compete at the highest level possible,” Mattie said. As the accounts have gotten more interactive over the years, the teams’ social media accounts have gone from posts being about in-game and basketballrelated activities to highlighting the people who are part of the program in addition to interacting with the followers. The team’s accounts have gained traction in recent years, and in a season where fans aren’t able to watch their favorite teams compete in-person, changing the strategy has been a boon for the program. “I would say that we’ve evolved for the better,” Ansfield said.
a lot of people in the athletic department and the program to produce content for the social media accounts. He mentioned he works closely with the athletics creative services staff, but within the program, he also works with Tianna Kirkland, who is the head coordinator of recruiting and director of studentathlete development for the program and Jenn Dynis, the director of video and scouting operations. Kirkland is in her first year in her role and was a former assistant coach, and Dynis played for head coach Nancy Fahey at Washington University in St. Louis. The creative services team helped make much of the content that fills the Twitter feed during the season, especially many of the GIFs that fills the feed during games. “As far as posts during the game, (our) creative services staff does a really good job of coming up with some assets and things that we can have at our fingertips so that we can use them,” Mattie said. In a season where fans are watching from places other than the State Farm Center, social media has been one of the largest ways to connect @obrien_clairee with fans. claireo3@dailyillini.com “While you have hundreds
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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.
MONDAY, JAN. 25
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PHOTO COURTESY OF BATMAN ARKHAM WIKI
A promotional image for the “Batman: Arkham Asylum” game is pictured above. The game was originally released on Aug. 25, 2009.
Play ‘Batman: Arkham Asylum’ for death-defying experience BY AIDAN FINN STAFF WRITER
Over a decade ago, one title from an unknown developer, Rocksteady, would change not only the comic book video game landscape, but become one of the most innovative action games that many would imitate for years to come. “Batman: Arkham Asylum” is a 2009 actionadventure game released for PS3 and Xbox 360. The game is a part of DC Comics’ late-2000’s wave of excellent adaptations like “The Dark Knight” and “Watchmen.” Before “Batman: Arkham Asylum,” there was never a proper, well-done superhero title. Most games were just rushed movie-license bargain bin material. Developer Rocksteady not only broke the mold of superhero games but also erased it, providing a title that simultaneously broke genre conventions and expectations. “Batman: Arkham Asy-
lum” opens on a thunderous note. Batman, voiced by the excellent Kevin Conroy, delivers an apprehended Joker, voiced by the just as excellent Mark Hamill, to the foreboding Arkham Asylum, the iconic prison housing all of Batman’s rogues. As the opening progresses and the player moves deeper and deeper into the asylum, something doesn’t seem right — the unnaturally calm Joker and the cold-stares of other inmates make you feel on edge. Claustrophobia consumes you as you are seemingly trapped in a box, locked in with an army of blood-hungry criminals. In traditional comicbook fashion, the Joker springs an escape attempt and takes control of the asylum. Batman is now trapped, and across a 10-12 hour long storyline, battles his iconic roster of foes, the likes of Bane, Poison Ivy and the never-ending assortment of goons. “Arkham Asylum” uti-
lizes an innovative system for melee combat, dubbed “free-flow.” Mashing the attack button triggers a seamless flow of combat animations, and countering just before an enemy attacks leads to a brutal counter-attack. Many iconic gadgets are at your disposal, from explosive goo to throwing knives that don’t kill despite being giant. Combine this easy-to-learn system with the amazing voice acting of Conroy and Hamill and Rocksteady’s attention to environmental detail, you have a timeless classic that played a decade later is still refreshing. If you need a fun, straightforward comic book romp, “Batman: Arkham Asylum” delivers an unforgettable experience. “Batman: Arkham Asylum” is available on PS3, Xbox 360, Xbox One, PS4 and PC. aidanf3@readbuzz.com
! 7-8 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by the Champaign Public Library # Free The internet is a valuable resource for consumers, but hackers and scammers can easily take advantage of internet users without proper procedures. Don’t let these bad actors take advantage of you! Come and hear a representative from the Illinois Attorney General’s Office tell you how you can use the internet safely and protect yourself against online scams such as phishing, tech support scams, identity theft, COVID-19 scams and more.
Virtual Open Mic Night via Zoom!
! 7:30-11:30 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by The Canopy Club # Free Join the Canopy Club & ChampaignUrbana Open Mic Nights crew, including Mike Ingram, Anika Emily, Moe Pesci da Goodfella, Jake Fava Music, Lola Honey and more for weekly COVID-19 induced Zoom open mics. Until we can all be back at The Canopy Club, this is the best we’ve got.
TUESDAY, JAN. 26
Getting Started with Apple Computers
! 2-3 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by the Champaign Public Library # No cover In this free webinar library, staff will demo how to get started using an Apple computer. If it’s been a while or you want to learn more about how Apple computers work, then this is the webinar for you! We will cover the basics of the Apple computers and explore the operating system, including terminology and settings. Knowledge of keyboard and mouse skills are helpful but not required.
Focus on Photography
! 7-8 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by Parkland College # Free Capture the world through the lens and learn to express your personality through amazing digital photographs. Grab your DSLR camera and start learning from Ray Silva, the professional photographer. Learn basic photography skills using a DSLR camera and master beginning techniques like exposure settings, lighting and getting the right angle for that perfect shot. You will need a DSLR camera.
WEDNESDAY, JAN. 27
Get Savvy: Tackling Taxes
! Noon-1 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by the University of Illinois Extension # Free, but online registration required The earlier college students and young adults start smart money-management habits, the sooner they can be on their way to a stable financial future. Learn techniques for smart spending, investing, securing loans and money management in a 7-part series. Our experts break down these financial topics into easy-tounderstand practices to get you started. All webinars are free and open to the public.
Lunchtime Live Storytelling
! 1:15-1:45 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by Spurlock Museum # Free Take a relaxing lunch break and join Kim Sheahan Sanford, our assistant director of education and resident storyteller, for family-friendly stories from around the world. You can access a live stream of the event on Spurlock Museum’s Facebook page.
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January 25, 2021 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com
buzz ‘WandaVision’ adds to MCU with new storyline buzz factor: BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR
PHOTO COURTESY OF THE DATA WAVES’ FACEBOOK
The Data Waves pose for a full band photo.
The Data Waves release stellar fourth album buzz factor: BY CAILEIGH ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER
On Nov. 20, local band The Data Waves released their fourth album, “Revolution.” As The Data Waves are alums of the University of Illinois and already popular in the community, I was excited to explore their self-proclaimed “funkbased grooves.” However, as much expanding music tastes and delving into different genres is important, I’ve never been a fan of music without lyrics. Yes, like most of us, nothing is more cathartic than emotionally screaming lyrics in a car after a long day to feel something. However, “Revolution” is surprisingly moving. After first realizing that the album is twenty-eight minutes and forty-five seconds of jazz and funk music, I was hesitant. We all like to think we are music connoisseurs until it comes to a genre we are not familiar with. However, the sound of a crying saxophone on the album’s first track, “Shade in the Evening,” will instantly entrance a listener. The deeper into the song you get, the louder you will want to turn the music up, progressively sinking into the music. There is so much raw emotion expressed through bass, saxophone, f lute, guitar and drums. All the instruments seem to duel with one other while simultaneously working together, delivering a harmonious and euphoric sound. “Shade In The Evening” is a personal favorite. It can make you miss going to live shows and miss sitting in coffee shops while typing a paper. While the tone is upbeat, the whining sound of the saxophone at the end of the track, played by Kevin King, feels experimental yet full of emotion. The piece is an instant attention grabber to the audi-
PHOTO COURTESY OF BANDCAMP
The cover of The Data Waves’ new album, “Revolution” is pictured above. The album was released on Nov. 20.
ence to show the band’s range. D r u m mer Sh r av a n Raghuram gives an impressive performance throughout the entire album. It is easy to find yourself repeatedly tapping your feet and bobbing your head to the drums in every track. Their song “Best Left Unopened,” one of the slower tracks, is saved by Raghuram’s ability to change tempos and showcases his ability to hold the song together. It would be criminal not to mention how influential bassist Aditya Kashyap and guitarist Sammy Gessesse are on “Revolution.” One of thei best performances is on third track, “Clientele.” Starting at 1:14 seconds, the two musicians, along with Raghuram, deliver a stun-
ning performance, battling and feeding off each other. Hopefully, we will experience their stellar performances live soon. By far, my favorite song on the album is “Wild Hare.” No matter the genre, every album should have at least one song that makes you want to dance, and this song delivers that exact emotion. By the time I started listening to this track, I wanted to drop everything and learn how to play the saxophone at that moment. “Wild Hare” is the kind of song you can blast on repeat for an hour despite being in a dorm. No matter what type of music you listen to, everyone should listen to “Revolution.” It is an immersive experience everyone
can enjoy, as it combines all kinds of music into one album. Thanks to saxophonist, Kevin King, has made the saxophone my new favorite instrument. The Data Waves have made the University of Illinois proud as this is one of the most talent-packed and emotional albums I have heard in a long time. This album is perfect for anyone who likes jazz, funk or hip-hop music. Again, everyone should listen to “Revolution” if they want to expand their music taste. It should be exciting to see what this band will release in the future.
seems like “WandaVision” takes place after the events of the last few films. If you have not watched the previous Avengers movies, you probably should not read any further. To understand the setting and plot of “WandaVision,” you must understand the characters’ condition after that saga. In “Avengers: Infinity War,” Vision met a tragic end after Thanos brutally removed the Mind Stone from his (synthetic) skull, thus separating him from what could be described as his life source. He is, after all, an android. If Vision’s dead, how can he be with Wanda in the show, you might wonder? After just a few episodes, the miniseries has been the talk of the town for many Marvel conspiracy theorists. The first episode seems to take place in the 1950s, focusing on the life of the newly married Wanda and Vision — but as you look more closely, you get this feeling that something isn’t right. Wanda and Vision seem to have no recollection of their lives as superheroes, and regular audiences already know that Vision is dead in the present day. By the second episode, you’ve speculated that the lives of Wanda and Vision on your screen aren’t real. It is merely something Wanda has invented in her mind or otherwise has been a subject of mind-altering. The show’s cryptic nature has kept viewers hooked, as people are left staring at their screens in confusion. In between the hijinks of Wanda and Vision getting acquainted with their neighborhood and lives as newlyweds, there are unsettling moments where Wanda starts to question reality, where she begins to realize that something is wrong in her world. Whether we’re exploring Wanda’s psyche, a fantasy world she’s created to cope with or the machinations of a new villain, Marvel has done an excellent job once again at keeping their fans waiting for more.
The Marvel Cinematic Universe is ever-expanding as nerd culture has become pop culture, and discussions about the Avengers is as common as discussions about politics or the latest fashion trends. Ever since Disney acquired Marvel Entertainment’s rights back in 2009, they have done an impressive and overwhelming job at bringing Marvel comic book characters to life on the big screen. Now, with their very own streaming service, Disney has plans to roll out dozens of original miniseries, including those within the Marvel franchise. The first Marvel miniseries to premiere is “WandaVision,” which began with two episodes launching on Disney+ on Jan. 15. With a new episode arriving on the streaming platform each week, the first season will contain nine episodes. The show focuses on two powerful and familiar characters within the Marvel Cinematic Universe, Wanda Maximoff (or Scarlet Witch) and Vision, portrayed by Elizabeth Olsen and Paul Bettany. For those who may only watch the Marvel movies casually and have skipped a film here or there over the past decade, the choice to focus on characters like Wanda and Vision may seem surprising. After all, they have been mainly in the background of the most recent Avengers films — “Infinity War” and “Endgame.” However, this miniseries will allow Marvel to explore the relationship between these two characters in a creative and unsettling way. Many viewers will probably realize that they are perhaps amongst the most exciting and influential personalities in the franchise. Scarlet Witch and Vision’s narratives in the Marvel films have been tied primarily to their powerful abilities and their connections to a few of the Infinity stones that were integral to much of the MCU plot. It rukayah2@readbuzz.com
cda8@readbuzz.com PHOTO COURTESY OF IMDB
Paul Bettany stars in “WandaVision.” The show premiered on Jan. 15.
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