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Vol. 150 Issue 19

Illinois hits record high in new cases BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

Illinois hit its single-day high in new COVID-19 cases on Saturday, with 6,161 new cases after 83,000 more tests. Half of Illinois’ 102 counties were moved to the “warning level” for COVID-19 on Friday by the state’s department of public health. The number of counties in the warning level increased by 34 in just a week as the nation grapples with a new surge in COVID-19 cases. “Although the reasons for counties reaching a warning level varies, some of the common factors for an increase in cases and outbreaks are associated with gatherings in people’s homes, weddings and funerals, bars and clubs, university and college parties as well as college sports teams, family gatherings, long-term care facilities, correctional centers, schools and cases among the community at large, especially people in their 20s,” Illinois Department of Public Health wrote

on its website. A county triggers the warning level when it surpasses two or more of the following eight coronavirus risk indicators: • more than 50 new cases per 100,000 people in the county; • weekly number of deaths increase more than 20% for two straight weeks; • the seven-day test positivity rate rises above 8%; • fewer than 20% of intensive care units are available in the region; • the weekly percent of “COVID-19-like illness” emergency department visits or hospital admissions increases by more than 20% for two consecutive weeks; • an inadequate level of testBRIGIDA DOCKUS THE DAILY ILLINI ing is performed in the A student enters the early voting site located at the Illini Union on Friday afternoon. Many first-time voters on campus opted for county; in-person locations. • a large number or percentage of cases associated with certain “clusters” Illinois’ top public health

First-time voters cast in-person

SEE RECORD | 3A

BY ALEXANDRA GERGOVA STAFF WRITER

PHOTO COURTESY OF TERESA CRAWFORD/AP IMAGES

Dr. Ngozi Ezike speaks about the COVID-19 pandemic during a news conference on July 15. On Saturday, Illinois reached a new single-day high in COVID-19 cases.

Following the opening of the three on-campus voting locations on Oct. 19 at the Activities and Recreation Center, Illini Union and University YMCA, a multitude of students who are first-time voters have taken advantage of the opportunity to cast their ballots. Because of COVID-19, the University has taken precautions to ensure the safety of those participating in early on-campus voting. A few of these include the implementation of stickers mandating appropriate distancing between voters, face masks and sanitized pens, said Aysha Ahmad, a sophomore in LAS. “As I entered the room, I saw that there were stickers on the floor to indicate distance between one another, so it was really nice that they took that step to place the stickers and make sure everyone was on them,”

Ahmad said. “When I went to get my ballot, everyone had their face masks on and had their shields, which they were really protective about. They had sanitized pens and would collect them at the end to resanitize them, and the booths were set distantly.” The process itself was rapid and easy, said Jacob Krueger, a freshman in Gies. The registration entailed verification of his identity by means of his last name, date of birth and two forms of identification. Afterward, he was directed to a voting booth where he was able to privately fill out the corresponding bubbles on his ballot. “The ballot itself was really easy to read, and it was well-categorized,” Krueger said. “When I was done, the lady instructed me to bring my ballot to her, and she then gave me a little sticker and shoved it into the machine. The whole

process itself took about ten minutes. It was really quick and really efficient.” Both Ahmad and Krueger attributed their decision to vote early at one of the oncampus locations to perceived uncertainty and risks associated with voting early via mail-in ballot. “I have anxiety, and I feel like doing a mail-in ballot was too much of a risk,” Ahmad said. “I would rather go in-person, vote in-person and feel better about it than the mail-in ballot where I would just be worried about it being accepted and everything.” Krueger echoed similar sentiments when explaining his decision to vote early at the ARC. “(I voted early at the ARC because of) the idea of handing it in personally and not having to wait for it in the mail since I know there’s a lot of speculation about whether or not mail-in ballots would be valid or not or

whether they could get lost,” Krueger said. Despite this shared fear, the state of Illinois has been adamant that local election officials are well prepared for the large amount of anticipated mail-in ballots and that individuals will be alerted about any issues. In Champaign, there are specific procedures in place where the County Clerk’s office will contact any individuals if issues arise. According to the County Clerk’s website, “if you log into My Voter Information, it will tell you when your ballot has been received by the Clerk’s Office. If there is anything that would prevent your ballot from being cast, the Clerk’s Office would contact you immediately to rectify the issue.” As reported by the U.S. Elections Project, 31,600 individuals in Champaign County have requested SEE VOTING | 3A

CU officials worry about census undercounts University test-proctoring BY AMRITA BHATTACHARYYA

Police

The increase in the number of online classes led to the demand for online proctoring, which left the University’s Computer-Based Testing Facility searching for staff. Instead of administering in-person exams at the facility like previous semesters, proctors virtually monitor students during their online examinations. “We hired 54 brand new proctors this semester, on top of some experienced ones who have been with the CBTF from previous semesters,” CBTF Manager Carleen Sacris said. “We are 75 proctors strong this semester.” Earlier this year, CBTF was aiming for “about 80” proctors to meet online testing demands. Meanwhile, many students are calling for the University to end ties to Proctorio, an online proctoring service, over privacy concerns. A petition titled “Stop Proctoring

70 60 50 40 30 20 10 2020 2010 Champaign

2020 2010 Urbana

Illinois total enumerated (including nonresponse followup): 99.9% Source: U.S. Census Bureau comfortable going door to door. “Keep in mind many, many countries around the world delayed their census for a year because of COVID,” Buckley said. “We are alone in making the unique decision to shorten the amount of time for the census.” According to Buckley, the central Illinois area hit

a 99% enumeration rate in early October due to efficient crews, good response turnout and cooperation from respondents. However, concerns still remain due to the obstacles the census faced. “Because there is a disparate impact on who gets counted, it is unduly politicizing the census to muck around with the due date,”

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Buckley said. One possible area of undercount is the student population, as the pandemic forced many to leave campus. “A lot of the concern was the fact that so much of our population was not here at a very critical time for this count,” Marlin said.

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Features: New generation strives to claim ballot box

Sports: Offense falters in loss to Wisconsin

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Exams Through Proctorio at UIUC” has over 900 signatures against this issue. The Graduate Employees’ Organization has also expressed their concern regarding the same. Many students have reported complaints against the software since it requires access to the webcam and microphone that the student uses during exams, as well as downloads and privacy settings. The service monitors movements that students make on camera. While many courses may be looking into other alternatives for proctoring, this may not change much for the CBTF as of now. The CBTF finalizes its schedule a week before the semester begins and does not add any courses in between, so as to plan ahead of time and anticipate the demand for proctoring. This is also affected by capacity and time constraints.

BY PAYAL RATHORE

as of October 16th, 2020

Self-Response Rate (%)

With enumeration for the 2020 Census cut short by the Trump Administration on Oct. 15, C-U officials are concerned about undercounts and are considering a Special Census. Next available in 2022, a Special Census is generally used when local officials believe there has been a significant population change in their community. According to Champaign Mayor Deb Feinen, Champaign has begun to “strategically plan” for the special census. Urbana Mayor Diane Marlin also said, “a special census is certainly a possibility and probably likely.” In the midst of a pandemic and multiple changes to the census’s end date, this year’s enumeration raised concerns about completely capturing the population. “This was a perfect storm,” Marlin said. Cynthia Buckley, sociology professor and enumerator, says the “continual politicization of the census” led to delays in printing census questionnaires, forms and programming the digital enumeration technology. As an enumerator, Buckley went out into the community and door-knocked, following up with nonrespondents of the census. According to Buckley, the pandemic made it impossible for large enumerator training sessions to take place, and many dropped out because they did not feel

facility reaches hiring goal

Census Self-Response Rates

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• Assault was reported at the intersection of First Street and Gregory Drive, Champaign at 6:56 p.m. on Wednesday. According to the report, a woman said she was threatened by another person after being involved in a traffic

accident. Immediately after the Urbana collision, the driver of one vehicle • Violation of a bail bond was threatened to strike the woman. reported on the 1000 block of • Criminal damage to property was Kerr Avenue around 11:30 a.m. reported at University parking lot on Wednesday. According to the E-14, 1625 S. First St. on Tuesday. report, the arrestee violated his According to the report, someone bail bond by breaking a no conused a sharp object to scratch the tact order with the victim. side of a University employee’s vehicle. news@dailyillini.com

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A Black Lives Matter mural may be painted on Chester Street in Champaign next to the Champaign City Building if the Champaign City Council approves the action. The idea was brought up at the council’s Oct. 23 meeting. If the council approves, they would have to give direction on the location, method and the source of funds for the project. The request for the mural also asks that the City of Champaign would also contract with a Black artist to install the mural, which coincides with the City’s Champaign Diversity Advancement Program. Other than an artist painting the mural, the Council could also consider a letter mural created by Public Works Operations crews using preformed paint or thermoplastic letters. White and yellow letters are available up to 10-feet tall for $100 per letter. For the crew to use stencils to paint the mural, it would cost $2,000 for stencils and $500 for 10 gallons of paint. In addition, depending on if an artist is hired to install the mural or if it will be done by City staff will determine the cost of installation and ongoing maintenance of it in the future. The City would also have to weigh in potential safety hazards from paint or pavement

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A Black Lives Matter mural that was painted on Fifth Avenue in New York City is seen directly in front of Trump Tower on July 13.

making materials. The funding would come from the Public Works Traffic & Lighting budget and a budget request would be submitted during the fall budget session. “In recent months, multiple cities in the United States and abroad have painted the words ‘Black Lives Matter’ on the public right of way. Some of these murals have been created by the government, while others have been created by protestors, community volunteers or public arts groups,” a memo to City Council said in a summary of Black Lives Matter. Some of these murals have been the source of First Amendment lawsuits alleging free speech violations “and other

claims.” Part of the First Amendment restricts the government from regulating private speech. However, the government is permitted to regulate some speech depending on the forum where the speech occurs. The courts recognize public forums, designated forums and non-public forums. Earlier this year, lawsuits were filed in New York City and Washington D.C. alleging violations of the First Amendment related to Black Lives Matter murals and other related messages in public spaces. However, the “government speech doctrine” entitles a governmental entity to choose which point of view it expresses. Governments are not

required to endorse both sides of a message nor do they have to speak in favor of both sides. However, the line between government speech and private speech is pretty thin. The memo to the council explained that if the City were to choose an artist to paint the mural, it would be an exercise of government free speech, but if the City subsidized an artist to create the mural in a public space, but didn’t give any direction of the message or subject matter, this could potentially be argued as private speech. Members of the public will be able to provide input on this at the Oct. 27 Study Session for the City Council. sjboyle2@dailyillini.com

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NEWS UI exceeds 2,500 COVID-19 cases

beginning of the semester, while 144 cases were found on campus over the summer. To date, the University has conducted 630,301 saliva tests for COVID-19 as of Friday, and 2,884 people have tested positive. According to University spokesperson Robin Kaler, nearly 49,000 people have tested on campus since the program began in July, and around 38,000 people are regularly testing every week, with 35,000 of them being undergraduates and graduate students. Therefore, around 6% of everyone who’s been tested on campus has tested positive for COVID-19. Local health officials at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District estimate that around 95% of all campus cases have been undergraduates, with 80% being “asymptomatic.” There are just over 33,000 undergraduates at the University, but many aren’t staying on campus. The proportion of on-campus undergrads who’ve been infected is higher, in the range of 10%.

BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

ETHAN SIMMONS THE DAILY ILLINI

Members of Tito Carrillo’s jazz ensemble perform at the Iron Post on Oct. 20. The student musicians played for a live, indoor audience, while engineering students and faculty tracked the carbon dioxide and particles they released.

Engineers make live, indoor jazz ‘COVID-safe’ For the first time in months, there was jazz bouncing off the walls of the Iron Post, and a crowd to enjoy it. Twenty students and faculty were admitted to the Post after showing their Safer Illinois building entry statuses. Student musicians — an instrumental group and another led by a pair of vocalists — performed through different conditions: masked and unmasked, with covers on the opening of instruments and without. All the while, a team of University graduate students tracked CO2 levels in the bar and the number of “particulates,” or atmosphere aerosol particles, going through the air, before and after turning on an air filter and exhaust fan. Tuesday’s performance was the grand experiment of Illinois engineering and music faculty and the owner of the classic Downtown Urbana bar, to see how ventilation techniques could keep live, indoor performances COVID-safe. Ty Newell is an emeritus professor of mechanical

engineering at the University and a longtime patron of the Iron Post. It was Bob Finch, a local lawyer and friend of Paul Wirth, the owner of the Post, who lent inspiration to this experiment. “He said, like a lot of business owners, ‘the weather is going to turn bad soon would you mind going over and seeing what’s going on there?” Newell said. Meanwhile, professors Thanh Huong Nguyen and Vishal Verma had been looking for a suitable campus location to collect data on carbon dioxide, airborne droplets, and airborne microbe concentrations and how they’re affected by filtration and ventilation. Though the venue wouldn’t — in theory — contain any COVID-19-contagious particles, the study could be compounded with other research to see how likely it would be for nearby patrons to get infected given these airborne metrics. “I saw that this would be an opportunity where we could have a realistic venue, and knowing we could get a pool of presumably safe people to occupy it, we could get more realistic data

FROM 1A

CENSUS

RECORD

Local officials, the University and realty companies worked together to share data on students with the Census Bureau. Buckley says another undercounted demographic may be the elderly population. This is due to the closure of many assisted living facilities and elders not feeling safe in answering their doors. “COVID has made it much harder. People don’t want to answer their door to census takers. It’s been a struggle,” Feinen said. This can impact medical infrastructure investments, which depend on the age structure of a population. Another undercount may be the homeless and housing insecure population. Feinen is also worried about the immigrant community, as some were concerned that they may be arrested or deported if they were counted. “I think (the Census Bureau) will get very good estimates by the middle of December. They will be sound, they will be based on the best practices available, and they will not be completely accurate,” Buckley said. Both Champaign and Urbana have conducted Special Censuses in the past. Urbana conducted a Special Census in the early 2000s after a new subdivision was built in East Urbana.

official, Dr. Ngozi Ezike, urged state residents to “fight the fatigue” and follow COVID-19 protocols during the Friday press briefing. “If you’re talking about

BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

abhatt52@dailyillini.com

for business owners, cause if we can resolve it for Paul, we could resolve it for others like him,” Newell said. Chip McNeill, chair of UI jazz performance, was quick to jump on the program when Newell reached out. Not only is the jazz program tight with the Iron Post, frequently performing there, but the live music scene has been in dire straits. “Musicians, at the same time, do they have a future? Are they in limbo for months or years? Do they need to start looking for other work?” Newell said. CO2 trackers were placed near the audience and nearer to the performers. An exhaust fan was turned on midway through each 30-minute performance, and a fan filter about halfway through the entire endeavor. Sure enough, the exhaust brought marked dips to the CO2 concentration, while the filter dropped the particulates to a more promising level. Sounds simple, but the machines weren’t cheap. “As I told the musicians, these instruments are actually more costly than your

instruments. They start getting into the range of a Stradivarius — they just don’t sound that great,” Newell said. The data set is rich enough, the team believes, that it could be brought forward for funding to study at different venues and determine guidelines for more businesses. For indoor gatherings, these metrics are all-important for controlling the spread of COVID-19. “If I’m in a room with an infected person at 1200 parts per million of CO2 for eight hours, like a work shift, it’s like winning the lottery: I’m going to get (COVID-19),” Newell said. “But if we lower that to 800 parts per million, doubling the airflow, if I’m running recirculated air through a filter, if people are wearing a mask, I can lower that chance down to 30%.” With future analysis and recommendations, live jazz standards and crooning could be in store for more than just the Post, just in time for the winter season.

COVID fatigue from having to keep wearing a mask, think about the COVID fatigue for health care workers, respiratory therapists who are going to have to go through this whole episode again, of trying to fight for peoples’ lives, because we couldn’t figure

out how to control this virus, by doing some of the simple measures that have been prescribed,” Dr. Ezike said. The previous single-day high was on Thursday when Illinois reported another 4,942 cases. On Friday and Saturday,

VOTING mail-in ballots and 15,657 of those have been returned as of Oct. 23. Both individuals additionally delineated the importance of voting as a

civic duty and a means for change. “I came from Pakistan originally and became a citizen of America, so I consider this as one of my duties that I should fulfill as a citizen of America,” Ahmad said. “While growing up, my parents always voted, and I

Daily cases remain steady through week, deviates from trend 80 Average cases per day since Aug 24

New cases for the week of Oct. 17-23

60 50 40 30 20 10 0 Saturday

Sunday

Monday

Tuesday Wednesday Thursday

Friday

Source: Illinois Shield Team

@esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com

A student walks through a back door of the ARC to enter a voting site on Friday afternoon.

FROM 1A

Last week was a strange one for the University’s COVID-19 cases; for the first time, they remained steady and even increased through the week, instead of peaking on Monday or Tuesday. University modelers and researchers at the Illinois Shield team have noted the trend of the weekly high in new cases coming at the beginning of the week, signaling weekend socializing from three to five days prior. Monday and Tuesday brought 18 new cases apiece, Wednesday brought 20, then another 23 and 22 students, faculty and staff tested positive for their first times on Thursday and Friday. In all, during the week ended Oct. 23, the University found 109 new cases of COVID-19 after 56,000 tests, up from 85 cases and 54,000 tests the week prior. A total of 2,509 University students, faculty and staff have tested positive for COVID-19 on campus since classes began on Aug. 24. Another 231 tested positive for the virus between Aug. 15, right around when students began moving back @esimmsnews to campus en masse, and the ecsimmon@dailyillini.com

BRIAN NGUYEN THE DAILY ILLINI

the U.S. set single-day records FROM 1A for new cases, with nearly 84,000 new cases of the virus each day, according to Johns “The issue with Proctorio Hopkins University’s COV- doesn’t really affect us, operID-19 dashboard. ationally,” Sacris said. “We have had some inquiries from @esimmsnews courses outside of Engineerecsimmon@dailyillini.com ing based on recommendations from their students. But since we don’t add courses in the middle of the semester, we try to help out in other ways.” This includes sharing materials with other courses interested in online proctoring best practices, conducting workshops for professors and TAs as well as offering consultation to departments who may be interested in proctoring their own exams. To keep up with this demand, some courses have enlisted the help of TAs for final exams while others have shifted to open-note and open-book exams, which will be based on concepts more than memorization. However, before they make a switch to using a different method or platform, course instructors will have to be mindful of their courses and their requirements. “I think it’s important to note that while the CBTF is a good resource, we are not always the best solution for BRIGIDA DOCKUS THE DAILY ILLINI every course,” Sacris said. “For example, if course staff have a very specific way of handling their exams, which idea of voting,” Krueger do not align with CBTF syssaid. “I think it’s great to tems or protocols, then it may do your civic duty and par- be more prudent not to use ticipate in deciding who the CBTF.” runs the country, which is This could also include a really important idea even holding longer examinations if you’re just one vote — one which may not be aligned with vote matters.” the current CBTF system.

was surrounded by people who always encouraged and motivated me to vote.” Krueger also explained the role this duty factors into his decision to vote early, emphasizing the importance one vote can hold. “I have always loved the gergova2@dailyillini.com

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LIFE & CULTURE

Film festival explores digital cinema communities BY NANDIKA CHATTERJEE STAFF WRITER

The Chicago International Film Festival celebrated its 56th year in a unique way by streaming all of its films online from Oct. 14-25. The festival, famous for being the longest competitive film festival in North America, included a variety of panel discussions, tribute events, screenings and special events. Given the circumstances of the pandemic, the festival was made more accessible than ever before. By removing geo-blocking over certain areas, individuals from all over Illinois now could view the festival from their homes. Sam Flancher, programmer for the festival, attested to this. This was Flancher’s seventh festival, and his fifth curating the short film program. “Certain films are available throughout the entire U.S., which means we’re able to reach audiences that typically don’t have any experience with the festival,” Flancher said. “I also feel like it’s (an) incentive for people to roll the dice by watching films that they wouldn’t typically be interested in — it’s easier to take a chance on some lesser-known film from the comfort of your own home because you haven’t had to invest all this energy and time getting yourself to the theater.” Flancher said he hoped the online format of the festival broadened the scope of its audience, encouraging them to adventure into new film styles and genres. Dora Valkanova, lecturer at the Department of Media and Cinema Studies at the University, has been involved with the festival in the past. “I have attended the festival a couple of years in a row,” Valkanova said. “In 2018 I was there as a programmer for the Art Theater previewing screenings I could potentially book for the Art. It’s a great event connecting scholars, filmmakers, and industry professionals. I still remember the first film I ever

56th

Chicago International Film Festival.

ANGELINA CHAN THE DAILY ILLINI

saw there — it was Matthew Cherry’s “9 Rides”(2016) — a film he shot on his iPhone 6. He was there for an electric Q&A and I have continued to follow him.” She illuminated how the hybrid model CIFF adopted this year may have lasting impacts in years to come. Some of the Q&As were open to the public, acces-

PHOTO COURTESY OF SAM FLANCHER

Sam Flancher, one of the festival programmers for this year’s Chicago Film Festival, speaks about the event. The festival celebrated its 56th year by streaming all its films online.

sible through YouTube. Valkanova said this could go a long way in attracting new festival enthusiasts who may be interested in the subject, but unable to commit a full day to attend an event in person. This format may have also lead CIFF to good marketing opportunities since the YouTube links are share-able on social media. This provided them with another way to introduce the festival to virtual communities. Having this sort of accessibility created a lucrative opportunity for students at the University who may not have had the opportunity to go back to the city in time for an in-person festival. Schuyler Harris, a senior in FAA, agreed. “I think this should pique (students) interest because it is easier to attend. Changing the format is good especially in these conditions of COVID,” Harris said. Many would see the pandemic as having scarred

the year 2020. Flancher expressed his experience as a programmer, navigating through the virtual film conversion. “It was a difficult year in many respects, but I feel like the short film program is stronger than ever. We got more films submitted to us than ever before, which I think speaks to the resolute persistence of filmmakers all over the world — they want to get their stories out there,” Flancher said. Valkanova spoke of her own experiences as a lecturer discussing film screenings in her class. “ P re - COV ID t hose screenings were in-person and in-class,” Valkanova said. “I can tell students are eager to have that communal film-viewing experience where they can turn to their classmate after the credits have rolled and say, ‘That was awesome!’ or ‘That was weird, I’m never watching that movie again.’” Both Flancher and Val-

kanova seemed to agree that they see the developments made to accommodate the pandemic creating lasting changes in the outreach approach of the festival. “There are a lot of lessons to be learned from this year that we’ll be able to apply even if things go back to normal and we’re able to operate in-person as we usually have. Hopefully the new audiences we reach with the online Festival format will be more inclined to travel to Chicago since they now have a taste of the kinds of cinema that we’ve got on offer. Chicago is such a wonderful place to visit, we’re hoping we can encourage this year’s downstate and out-of-state viewers that attending the Festival is a great excuse for a trip to Chicago,” Flancher said. Valkanova came to a similar conclusion. Given the added viewership perks, it is possible that a combination of viewers online and

in-person would bring that festival outreach to a completely different level. “We have had similar discussions with Jon Knipp also at Cinema and Media Studies who teaches the Film Festivals class in the spring after the UIUC Student Film Festival went virtual this past year. We had a lot of people from outside the campus community connect to the virtual event and we are thinking of ways of keeping a virtual component beyond the pandemic,” Valkanova said. Flancher was optimistic about the possibilities the future holds. “I think this year’s festival has taught me, though, that the power of film is enduring and will persist against all odds and adverse conditions. I think that, however the landscape shifts, there will always be a place for excellent films and filmmakers,” Flancher said. nandika2@dailyillini.com

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Monday, October 26, 2020

Younger generation emphasizes early voting This year’s election season sees surge of passionate voters BY ETHAN WERNER CONTRIBUTING WRITER

For those who have been voting for years now, many aspects of the 2020 election have been unprecedented. For a whole generation of young people voting for the first time this year though, this is their first exposure to how elections operate in this country. Every four years, a new generation of Americans who have turned 18 are inducted into the United States election process. This year, however, the new voters have experienced what many consider a stark break from the traditional election process. Due to the ongoing pandemic, new regulations have been put in place promoting mail-in ballots and extended early voting windows. While COVID-19 regulations have made many lives more stressful, the option for mail-in ballots reduced the stress and tension many find with the voting process. Noah Jon, a sophomore in Engineering, spoke on this fact saying, “It’s a little less nerve-wracking ‘cause you’re in a comfortable environment ‘cause I just voted in my home … It’s a different experience.” Not only does it make the act of voting less stressful and time-consuming, but voting at home gives voters the opportunity to analyze their options and research who the best pick for them is. Voting in-person is more immediate, many people feel they need to have their research done beforehand. Jon also addressed how easy the voting process was for him in Illinois, but recognized that other people in other areas might have a tougher time registering or simply finding the time to vote. This was a common theme among other firsttime Illinois voters. Lily Lisnic, a freshman in LAS, agreed with this point saying, “It’s relatively easy to go vote here, but I know in a lot of other states, their registration process is a lot more difficult for people who don’t have a residence to put down or that don’t have a proper ID.” Lisnic pointed to how some eligible voters are intentionally barred from

SED

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OFFIC

LO T ENC O L L A B

VOTE

2020 ANGELINA CHAN THE DAILY ILLINI

“It felt empowering that I’m only 18 and still have a voice in some way of what the future of this country could be.” LILY LISNIC FRESHMAN IN LAS

ANGELINA CHAN THE DAILY ILLINI

voting by the regulations and processes put in place. This voting suppression can be changed, though, she said. “In general, our election process is a little outdated,”

Lisnic said. Alex Jin, freshman in Engineering, said, “They need to make voting more accessible to the general public.” Jin is from Texas, but

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for the past three years, he lived in the Netherlands. While had not been a resident there long enough to actually vote in their elections, he said he still learned a great deal about

vote just by being a citizen. If for some reason they are not registered, then it is an extremely easy process. Jin also compared the campaigning processes. “In the U.S., it is basically a free-for-all. In the Netherlands at least, most campaigning is somewhat controlled, so you have all these big banners that list the parties, and then each party has a budget they’re allocated for the campaign, so it’s more balanced,” Jin said. The main improvement that can be made to the American voting process is to make it a lot easier and more accessible than it already is, Jin said. He even said that “automatic registration would be great,” but recognized that it might not be feasible right now. Overall, getting as many people who can vote to show up at the ballots is what’s important to many of these students. Jon said he believes that the publicity that this upcoming election has received can only work to get more people to vote. He said it also can help the first-time voters who might have no idea what’s going on. “It’s a very good thing that we are emphasizing the right to vote,” Jon said. Lisnic, who had to wait in a two-hour line in Cook County to vote, said she loved the fact that she had to wait in line because it meant that more people were voting. “I can’t be mad about active voting participation, I’d rather see plenty of people in line than none at all,” Lisnic said. She, too, said that as many people should vote as possible. Not only is it important for the country, she said, but it is also exciting knowing that citizens get to have a say in such an important election. “It felt empowering that I’m only 18 and still have a voice in some way of what the future of this country could be,” said Lisnic. “It just made me feel very proud to be a part of a system where I have the ability to do this, to change the outcome potentially of the future of our country.”

their election process and how it compared to the U.S. The first thing he addressed was voter registration, mentioning that citizens in the Netherlands are already registered to ewerner2@dailyillini.com

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Musical pieces for one instrument 6 Enthusiastic 10 Shoot out 14 Literary heroine who cries “Curiouser and curiouser!” 15 Apex predator of the ocean 16 Bear whose bed is too soft, in a children’s story 17 Time to watch boxing on TV 19 Vases 20 To the greatest extent 21 “Hmm, I’m intrigued …” 23 . 24 Like getting a $2 bill in change 25 Gulped 28 Modern request to attend 30 One rushing in to save the day 33 Mess up 37 “___ your price!” 38 One of the housewives on “Desperate Housewives” 39 Tears out of the ground 41 Ingratiates 43 Noggin 44 ___ at hand 46 It’s on the plus side 47 It makes your pupils constrict 50 Hawaiian kind of porch 51 Floral wreath 52 Stay in touch? 56 Venusians and Martians, in brief 57 Motion accompanying the words “There, there” 60 Martial art with a belt system 62 Carry 64 “Precisely!”

46 49

50 57

28 31

30 34

19 21

58 64

60 65

PUZZLE BY DANIEL LARSEN AND THE WAVE LEARNING FESTIVAL CROSSWORD CLASS

67 Greek counterpart of Cupid 68 Citrus fruit that won’t win any beauty contests? 69 First-stringers 70 Snakes spawned by Medusa’s blood, in Greek myth 71 Requests 72 Carried

DOWN

1 Less risky 2 Tony who played for 15 seasons with the Minnesota Twins 3 Large hybrid cat 4 Brownish-yellow 5 Goes down, as the sun on the horizon 6 Kind of pond in a Japanese garden 7 Small work unit 8 Sound in a long, empty hallway

9 Alliance HQ’d in Brussels 10 Bird in Liberty Mutual ads 11 Annual New Orleans celebration 12 Paradoxical response to a door knock 13 Pepsi Challenge, for one 18 Witness to the first rainbow in the Bible 22 Rooster’s mate 26 Glittery addition to a Christmas tree 27 Info on an airport monitor, for short 29 Emanations to be picked up 30 Repeated question from an owl? 31 Come out 32 When doubled, a popular number puzzle

33 Foamy drink invented in Taiwan 34 Ones “standing by” in an infomercial 35 Railroad station 36 Cuban line dance 40 Explosive stuff 42 Slangy pronoun 45 Be sick 48 Au courant 49 Walk in the woods 52 ___-Lay (corn chip maker) 53 Enthusiastic 54 ___ Hunt, role for Tom Cruise in “Mission: Impossible” 55 “I’ve got this” 58 Water color 59 Harbor boats 61 Horse developed in the desert 63 Curve in the road 65 Kind 66 “My country, ___ of thee …”

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

MONDAY

October 26, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

OPINIONS Ben Shapiro illustrates David Hume was right

awfully non-factual. Take a moment to fully understand SAMUEL what was admitted. Shapiro RAHMAN admitted that he starts with COLUMNIST some unfounded, unquestioned belief and is forced to find a secondary justifithe 2010s, the cation for why it is correct. youthful darling This is the polar opposite of of new online con“Facts don’t care about your servatism, Ben Shapfeelings;” this is “Your feeliro, coined the phrase, ings choose your facts.” “Facts don’t care about your Shapiro’s admission of feelings.” guilt to the crime of harborWith oh-so-many criing a non-factual opinion is tiques of Shapiro, not least equivalent to the Pope readof which is his prerogative ily admitting to filming a sex of refusing to debate anyone tape. Every position Shapwho is not a college student iro professes on every topic with zero media experi— be it global warming, the KAITLIN MIKRUT THE DAILY ILLINI ence, it is hard to tease out civil rights of transgender in what way the man is most individuals, the purpose of a detrimental to our collecgovernment and American’s tive political climate. Nevright to protest — is the ertheless, his titular catchresult of nothing more than phrase seems to clinch the post hoc justifications for due to the major economconnected by quasi-public groups of teens wandertitle. opinions Shapiro arbitrarily ic downturn the pandemic space. For many, the mall ing aimlessly, free from Over the years, Shapdecided upon over a decade DYLAN GRAY SENIOR COLUMNIST caused, but are actively diswas a humble gathering the surveillance of their iro has wrongly gained a ago and refuses to question. couraged — and often forplace, free from the conparents and other miscelreputation as someone who Is Benjamin Shapiro a bidden — to gather in large fines of weather that often laneous groups of people cares only about the mealying grifter who should groups in contained areas hold back a park, and much with nothing better to do. surable and factual. Shanever be taken seriously? he dreaded holidays around people they don’t more sociable than the Going to the mall simply to piro purports to be above Yes. It could be argued that are almost upon us, know. Malls still exist obvi- stuffy silence of a library. not be at home or outside in the menial fray of feelings, Shapiro might be one of the and while this generously, but their days now The mall may have been bad weather was a popular emotions and opinions most emotional, non-facally entails the beginning appear to be wearing espe- a collection of shops, but pastime. while placing himself at the tual pundits in the public of the consumerist ritual of cially thin. Even the most these often served as little This has been exacerbat- altar of the quantifiable and discourse. Christmas shopping, this successful and profitable more than a backdrop for ed as malls become less and evidence-based. Is it wrong to incorporitual may be quite differof malls are riddled with the social engagements that less profitable and seek othHe waxes prolific that he rate opinions, emotions, ent this year. empty space and stores try- the space itself enabled. er means to keep customers is politically without dogand feelings into public disThe shopping mall, the ing desperately to clear out The commodification of inside. Malls host cultural ma. As Shapiro professes, it courses? No. It is perfectaltar that the acolytes of their inventory. space has left much of the events, board game touris not that he is entrenched ly acceptable to admit you this ritual continue to One might be inclined to U.S. sorely lacking in areas naments and other social in politically conservahave an opinion one way or preach from, is breathing lament the death of a mon- for people to gather where gatherings in an attempt tive ideology and takes it as another on an issue. What is its last breath. The rising ument to late 20th-centuthey are not expected to to lure attendees into their unquestionable gospel, but not acceptable is demanding tide of online shopping has ry economic development spend money. Who would shops. he is merely following the others kowtow to your selfhad these sanctuaries on or inversely commemorate pay for a building and not In a world where public facts. According to Shapprofessed factual superiorthe precipice of collapse for the downfall of an instiask for some kind of comspace is often commodified, iro, by the overwhelming ity when no such superiora decade. Since the 2008 tution that existed solely pensation in exchange for it is both paradoxical and preponderance of the eviity exists. recession, malls never real- to encourage increasingly its habitation? But the mall poignant that the heart of dence, American conservaThe most notable quote ly recovered and have been unsustainable consumerprovided a sardonic answer that commodification itself, tism has never been wrong from Scottish enlightensilently closing their doors ism. But with the loss of the to that question. the mall, continued to rep- about anything ever. Facts ment philosopher David and losing retailers ever shopping mall, we may have For all its effulgence, resent the very thing it don’t care about your feelHume reads, “Reason is, and since. lost something ironically the mall was quite practisought to destroy: the free ings … and facts lead you to ought only to be the slave of This, of course, set up the even more important. cal in many ways. Any time and open public commons. conservatism. That is Shap- the passions, and can never death blow to the mall in The shopping mall, in one made a trip to the mall, iro’s thesis. pretend to any other office the form of COVID-19. Now, spite of all its faults, was lit- they would be met with Dylan is a senior in the College Shapiro is, first and forethan to serve and body not only do people generally erally a massive building elderly people using it as of Media. most, a liar. And Shapiro them.” have less disposable income containing many stores and an indoor walking space, kdg2@dailyillini.com lies well. He attended HarCurrently, Hume is corvard Law School, and when rect because reason, in our an alumnus from Harvard modern discourse, is a slave chooses to live in an echo to the passions. Talk to any chamber and only debate professor studying human college students, the guy behavior or cognition, and with the law degree tends they will reiterate that to get away with lying quite human brains love stories a bit. to the detriment of data. It RAYNA WUH “Morning! You’re COLUMNIST Without digression, the is not any individual’s fault looking purple as following quote of Shapor any institution’s fault, but usual, today! That iro from a segment on gay our species’ evolution. color is really rights reveals the phenomWith proper and focused something.” rowing up in New enon perfectly. Remember, education, though, this Jersey, I was only Shapiro built his entire live- country may prove Hume vaguely aware of the lihood and brand on the idea wrong. If high school educastereotypes associated that he is only concerned tion placed a greater emphawith the Northeast. The with fact, and that feelings sis on statistics, argument perceptions that people have no place at the discusanalysis, fallacy identificafrom the region are rude, sion table. tion and the embrace of new aggressive and constantly “Okay, you have these information, the country’s in a rush seemed extreme. religious principles, is there education system may best When I moved to a suburb any justification outside the Hume’s proposition after of Illinois last summer, I Bible says so for why this several decades. was skeptical that I would is correct? And as a reliLet school administrasee any discernible culgious person who’s actually tions invent their solutions tural differences. thought through his posito correct this problem. Just However, upon arrivtions, I tend to believe there do something: anything. ing in the Midwest, I was REBECCA ORIZA THE DAILY ILLINI is. As a religious person, I Because, if nothing is done, shocked by how stark believe that God didn’t cre- the political grifters will be the differences in culinformation. related to COVID-19. nied by the best of intenate stupid rules. So if you free to continue to blatantly ture were. The pace was In the following The events of 2020 have tions, this tendency can believe that God didn’t cre- lie to the masses — all while slower, the people were months, heinous acts been revealing. Because inadvertently perpetuate ate stupid rules, then you the masses are none the friendlier and the overof police brutality were of how friendly everyexisting problems instead have to come up with some wiser. all environment was more exposed to the public and one is, it was originally of providing solutions. sort of justification for the inviting. Even the roads the Black Lives Matter more difficult to discern While there is nothrules being expressed.” Samuel is a junior in LAS. were populated by more movement gained support instances of veiled racism, ing wrong with trying Belief? That seems srahma37@dailyillini.com forgiving drivers who all around the country. homophobia and other to remain agreeable, it often neglected to honk Social media became a discriminatory practicis impossible to address even when appropriate. more widely used tool for es. However, the closer I underlying problems The commonly coined raising awareness, orgalooked, the more I began without venturing into term, “Midwest nice,” was nizing protests and open- to question how accepting uncomfortable territory. reflected in my reality. ing dialogues about systhe people in my commuThe need to have diffiThis characteristic also temic racism. nity really were. cult discussions applies to applied to my new high Unfortunately, the rapActing “nice” purely for both deep-seated societal school. Although the town id and easy nature of post- the sake of convention in issues like systemic racwas significantly less ing on social media also person is similar to perism and smaller interperdiverse than the one I had has its drawbacks. All too formative activism over sonal interactions. moved from, the commuoften, my feed is filled social media. People often Being polite to someone nity readily welcomed me with people posting mere- gain a false sense of satis not the same as respectboth as a senior transfer ly for show. They alternate isfaction after carrying ing and understanding student and as an ethbetween posts about cur- out these seemingly posi- them. However, the two nic minority. Everywhere rent issues and pictures of tive actions. This sense of are not mutually excluI went, I was met with themselves partying and satisfaction from doing sive. Instead of being nice warm smiles and open unabashedly disregarding “good” things helps peoout of obligation, we must arms. social-distancing guideple justify and reinforce push to approach converIt was not until the lines despite knowing the their current beliefs and sations with openness onset of the pandemic that virus disproportionality behaviors (including prej- and empathy. By making I started to notice holes affects certain minority udiced and discriminato- efforts to have these canin the concept of “Midgroups. ry ones). did conversations, we can west nice.” As schools and Others are more explicThe friendly, surfaceredefine “Midwest nicebusinesses shut down in it, making posts that level interactions assoness” to become someresponse to COVID-19, deliberately undermine ciated with “Midwest thing truly meaningful. students increasingly the Black Lives Matter nice” intentionally avoid turned to social media for movement and discount discomfort and conflict. Rayna is a freshman in LAS both entertainment and scientific information Even when accomparwuh2@dailyillini.com KAITLIN MIKRUT THE DAILY ILLINI

Death of malls prompts public space loss

We need to do much better than just ‘Midwest nice’

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

MONDAY

October 26, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

SPORTS

FOOTBALL

Big Ten football games returned, fans could not GABBY HAJDUK SPORTS EDITOR

PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS

Quarterback Brandon Peters faces pressure from the Wisconsin defense in the first game of the season Friday night. The Illini lost to the Badgers 45-7.

Peters, offense shut down by Wisconsin BY CARSON GOURDIE ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

This was it. This was supposed to be Lovie Smith’s most talented offense yet. Vetera n qua r terback? Check. Experienced offensive line? Check. Talented receiver core? Check. The Illini were going to prove the pundits wrong and put up a fight — or even upset — the Wisconsin Badgers. That was before the teams kicked off, however. Turnovers, penalties and an off day from Brandon Peters resulted in the offense getting shut out by the Wisconsin Badgers in a humbling 45-7 defeat. W hile freshman quarterback Graham Mertz rewrote the Wisconsin record books, Peters suffered one of his worst games since arriving in Champaign. “We never got into rhythm with our passing game,” said head coach Lovie Smith. “ I mean, the running game can help that an awful lot. But I thought we had some moments where we got to complete more passes. We got to get the ball to our tight ends. Brandon is the first guy to tell you he would like to have some throws back.” The opening drive was a perfect indicator of how the evening would play out. On only the second play of scrimmage, senior running back Mike Epstein, who hasn’t played since August 2019, fumbled the ball, which eventually led to

an early Wisconsin touchdown. The Badgers stuffed the running backs all game long, forcing Peters to keep the defense honest with his arm. Peters struggled with throws in the first half, including almost throwing a pick-six on the second drive. The senior quarterback, who was constantly under pressure from the Badger interior, relied heavily on Josh Imatorbhebhe, struggling to get his other receivers involved early. “I mean, I was just throwing to wear my reads took me,” Peters said. “I don’t just drop back and look for one guy. The guys I threw to in the second half were the ones who got open.” Imatorbhebhe finished with three receptions despite being thrown to 10 times, accounting for over half of Peters’ 19 pass attempts. W hile the of fense couldn’t find any rhythm with the passing game, the Illini found some life in the first half behind Peters’ rushing ability, an underrated facet of his game the Badgers’ momentarily overlooked. Peters, who finished with a team-high 75 rushing yards, was able to bring his team into Badger territory on multiple occasions before the drives got stalled with penalties, inaccurate passing and failed fourthdown conversions. “When a team jumps out

14-0 like that, we need to score some touchdowns,” Smith said on the multiple fourth-down attempts. “ I thought they were manageable. We were just off a little. We want to be aggressive of course.” In the Illini’s defense, the Wisconsin Badger defense lived up to the hype of being one of the most premier units in the nation. Returning nine starters off of a team that finished top 10 in major total and scoring defense, the Badgers’ consistent pressure and fundamental play made every yard hard to come by. Throughout the game, the Illini got the chance to see the potential future face of the program, although it wasn’t effective: Isaiah Williams. Beginning in the second quarter, the Illini pulled Peters in and out of the game in favor of the freshman, who ran a Wildcat offense when in. Limited to only running calls, Williams handed off the ball every time in the first half besides keeping it once for a five-yard gain. “Isaiah has done some good things in practice,” Smith said. “First game, you kind of want to see what you have. Going in, we had a package design just for him, so the plan was for him to play no matter how the game was going. When nothing’s going on, it’s tough duty going in.” Although Peters was informed his backup would

A typical Wisconsin football game shuts down the city of Madison. A sea of red floods the streets of campus, slowly filing into bars, house parties or Camp Randall Stadium. “I would’ve finished up school early, put some off for the weekend,” said Wisconsin junior Mitchell Josvai. “Especially for a night game, you just start so early. We probably would’ve had people over at our house. We threw a couple tailgates, pregames last year. Just drinking, hanging out, listening to music, getting ready for the game, getting pumped up. At some point I would’ve made it over there and gone to the game.” In the Big Ten’s season opener on Friday night, the commotion from the near 81,000 fans would’ve shook my press box seat as the Badgers exposed the Illini’s Homecoming upset last year was — probably — an anomaly following a convincing 45-7 win. “It’s electric,” Josvai said. “It’s super fun. The whole city kind of shuts down for it here. Everyone’s wearing red. It’s kind of the only thing anyone does on Saturday afternoons, like you don’t see anyone going anywhere else.” Instead, I sat quietly and calmly in my press box seat,

staring at the empty stands, listening to piped-in crowd noise. A few minutes before kickoff, the Badgers ran out of the tunnel to silence and the Illini weren’t met with boos. The reality of sports in a coronavirus-filled 2020 set in. No marching bands or pep squads to get the stadium hyped up. No rowdy, drunk fans to provide extra entertainment. Just muffled, fake crowd noise and cardboard cutouts that only filled a couple rows in the stands. I sat in the press box for almost seven hours and never got used to the sports in COVID-19 atmosphere. There were times I missed what happened on the field because there were no screams or cheers to indicate what kind of play was made. And, most importantly, after the third quarter, only the players danced to a faint snippet of “Jump Around.” “It’s ‘Jump Around’ every time,” said Josvai about his best memories at Camp Randall. “The whole student section jumps up and down and shakes the entire stadium ... it was all just the players doing it. You do feel like you’re missing out because you only have so many years in college to be in the student section. And to miss out on a whole one, it does feel like you’re missing something this semester and there’s not as much

see the field, the senior quarterback was surprised by the playing time given. “The amount he was in caught me off guard,” Peters said. “Coming into the game, it was supposed to be only three or four plays. But like I said, SEE FANS | 2B you (have to do) what the coaches want.” On one particular drive, with the score at 14-0, Williams played the majority of the drive and led the Illini down to the Wisconsin 28 yard line. On fourth and 2, though, Smith pulled the freshman out and placed Peters back in, which resulted in an incomplete pass and a loss of possession. “It’s at the coaches discretion,” Peters said. “They do what they feel like they have to do. Personally, it’s tough sometimes getting into a rhythm and get thrown in there at fourth and 2 when you haven’t been in there the whole drive.” Once it became apparent an Illini miracle wouldn’t transpire, Peters was pulled for good, finishing with 87 yards on only eight completions. The scrambling Williams was even less effective through the air, finishing 0-for-3 with an interception. With the Illini offense being absent, Tarique Barnes’ scoop and score was the only thing preventPHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS ing the Illini from being The Illinois football team enters Camp Randall Stadium in Madison, Wisconsin before the game against Wisconsin on

SEE WISCONSIN | 2B Friday. The Illini lost the game 45-7.

MENS BASKETBALL

Adam Miller, Da’Monte Williams form special bond during middle school BY BRANDON SIMBERG STAFF WRITER

The first time Peoria Manual High School assistant coach David Williams saw senior guard Da’Monte Williams play was when Da’Monte was in seventh grade. Williams and another Peoria Manual assistant drove to Calvin Coolidge grade school, just two and a half miles north of Peoria Manual, to watch Da’Monte play. During the game, Da’Monte’s team was playing a zone defense. Da’Monte came from the bottom of the zone, intercepted a pass and took it the other way. David turned to the other assistant coach and said, “Wow. We don’t have two guys that can make that play at our varsity level right now.” From there, the Williams and Williams basketball relationship blossomed. The two spent countless hours together training at 6 a.m. at the John C. Proctor Recreation Center and

after school in a tiny back gym at Manual. David, who describes himself as “rough around the edges,” did not take it easy on Da’Monte, but Da’Monte handled it well. While training, David would make Da’Monte wear a mask that made it harder to breathe in, and David controlled the altitude level of the mask. One workout, David upped the altitude without telling Da’Monte. Da’Monte could feel the difficulty increase but pushed through it. Years later, David finally told him that he raised the altitude, which they shared a laugh about. “He knows how I like to be coached,” Da’Monte Williams said. ”I like to be pushed, say cuss words or whatever. I take it to the chin and we keep moving. That’s what helped us bond even more.” Da’Monte enrolled at Peoria Manual with big shoes to fill. His father, Frank, is a Peoria basketball legend, as he led Manual to two IHSA

final fours and was named Mr. Basketball in 1998. David and Da’Monte continued their workouts alone until one day, Andrea Garry, the mother of Illini freshman guard Adam Miller, asked David if Miller could come to a workout. Garry walked Miller, a seventh grader at the time, into the back gym and put his shoes on for him. This threw off both David and Da’Monte. “I looked at Da’Monte and said, ‘I’m not sure this is gonna work out,’” David recalled. But then Andrea left, and the three of them got to work. After an hour-long workout, David realized Miller was special. “He’s the next one coming out of Peoria,” David said to Da’Monte. “There is no doubt about that.” David had Miller play for him on the club team Mac Irvin Fire. As a 14-year-old, PHOTO COURTESY OF ILLINOIS MEN’S BASKETBALL TWITTER Miller played up on David’s Senior Da’Monte Williams guards freshman Adam Miller during practice on Oct. 19. SEE BOND | 2B

2B Monday, October 26, 2020

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

SOCCER

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

Student coach finds new role with Illini

started hurting again, so I had to go back to the doctors and I had a herniated disc. That was something that was really painful and it was really hard to do gymnastics with that, so the doctors gave me the option to retire from the sport if it was something that I wanted to do.” Later that summer, Gough officially retired from competing to preserve her physical and mental health. She came to Illinois for gymnastics, but her body never gave her the chance to live out her dream. “All of our hearts just really went out to her because we saw how much she was trying to get her dream of competing, but everything just kept pushing against her with her body,” Phillips said. Ultimately, after talks with her close friends and family, she decided to retire. It wasn’t an easy decision; she was forced to choose between living in the moment and her future — whether to continue to try and live out her dream or take care of her long-term health. More than anything, Gough was glad she had so much support from her family and friends. Even with the magnitude of her retirement from the sport, they made it a little easier. Even with all this knocking her down, she never sulked, never made excuses and didn’t stop herself from returning to the gym or from staying involved with the team. “I think it’s always hard and sad when your career ends in a way that you don’t want it to or in a way that is unexpected,” Walsh said. “She gained a ton of confidence and had a really big piece about what she was stepping into as far as her new role.” Taking on a managerial role and an assistant coaching position was something Gough jumped on. Even if her competition days were over, she didn’t want to leave the program and abandon her former teammates. The biggest reason Walsh offered this role to Gough was because of her commitment to the sport; she loves gymnastics and wouldn’t want to be anywhere else. “This role has really given me an appreciation and a love for the sport again,” Gough said. “Being on the other side of it, it’s very different and it’s something that I’ve really enjoyed getting to learn.” Not only can she help with all the gymnastic events, but she has also been able to give advice to players struggling with injuries. She’s there for the women, just like they were for her when she needed the support. “She is one of my best friends, we’re super close, our whole class is,” Phillips said. “I love her to death, she’ll probably be at my wedding.”

BY JONAH PEREZ STAFF WRITER

THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO

Junior Makena Silber battles for control of the ball during the game against Northwestern on Sept. 20, 2019. Illinois won the game 3-1.

Kelly Maday’s graduation leaves gap BY ANGELLE CORTES STAFF WRITER

Illinois soccer alum Kelly Maday graduated this May. The Wilmette native was a two-year starter up top as a forward. She finished her Illini career with 12 goals and 11 assists, and she was nominated for the Dike Eddleman Female Athlete of the Year award her senior year. With Maday graduating, a spot in the lineup is up for grabs. For the past two years, Maday has been playing up top with current junior forward Makenna Silber. Maday was the type of player that was fast and able to get behind the backline, while Silber stayed more central forward and held the ball. “We worked really well off each other,” Silber said. “We’re two very different players, and we complemented each other well.” Senior midfielder Hope Breslin, who played in the midfield behind Maday and Silber, said the dynamic the

two of them had worked for the midfield. “As a midfielder, you really want to look for that; you like having multiple options,” Breslin said. “I liked always having them there because they always had something different on their minds.” With nine forwards on the roster, without Silber, it’s anyone’s game to grab a forward spot. For the past year, Illinois has been playing a 3-5-2 formation since it suited Silber and Maday well. In the spring, the formation can change: adding three, keeping two or even going down to one on top. Rayfield is looking for a player to complement Silber as well as fill in the speedy, get behind the backline and goal-scoring threat type of forward that Maday was. “I think we’re going to have to fill her (Maday’s) shoes with several different people, certainly Makenna Silber will take a lot of the goal-scoring threat, but I think the pace that Kelly

(Maday) brought will sort of be a contribution of people like Ashley Prell, Haley Singer and Julia Eichenbaum,” Ray field said. “You’re really going to see them fill in the part about being dangerous in terms of speed and ability to get behind defenses.” With Friday Night Lights replacing the fall season and helping prepare for the spring, it allows Rayfield and the team to figure out what works best. Currently, the competition for starting spots is underway and she’s looking for players with goal-scoring ability. “There’s a battle for every position and when it comes to replacing Kelly Maday, I think it’s going to be we’ve got to find two or three players to score goals for us in order to make up for the hole that she leaves with graduation,” Rayfield said. Throughout Maday’s Illini career, she was plagued with a left knee injury. She wouldn’t attend practice every day and instead

underwent therapy and rested her knee to get ready for matches. “She did a special kind of training called blood flow restriction training where she would essentially put on a blood pressure cuff (on her knee) and do exercises that she could strengthen the muscles without putting the strain on her knee,” Rayfield said. The prolonged injury became a constant problem during Maday’s sophomore year. However, she still played and gave her all in every game that led to her having a tremendous senior year. “The fact she could play 60 or 70 minutes at the level she did and be as effective as she was as a senior was pretty much phenomenal,” Rayfield said. “I’m not so sure anyone else would have been able to deal with what she dealt with and produced the way she produced.” @AngelleCortes acorte37@dailyillini.com

FROM 1B

BOND

PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS

Offensive Lineman Doug Kramer sits on the sideline during the game against Wisconsin on Friday.

FROM 1B

WISCONSIN shut out for the first time since 2018. Taking two steps backward for every step forward proved to be too costly against the Big Ten’s premier defense. “It comes down to con-

FROM 1B

FANS

to look forward to.” Josvai, along with the majority of campus, elected to watch the game from his couch with friends and roommates Friday night, but with no more than 10 people, of course. “ L ot s of st udent s (watched) the game either

15U team. Miller became a regular to David and Da’Monte’s workouts, and it pushed him to become a better player. Miller attended Manual for his freshman season, but Da’Monte, a senior at the time, tore his ACL just three games into the season. Now, Miller and Da’Monte are reunited on the Illinois roster. Da’Monte has been helpful to Miller’s acclimation to college basketball and is someone the freshman can rely on. “I’ve just been talking to him more,” Da’Monte said. “Obviously I’ve been here for a while so telling him what’s expected and being there to guide him.” When Miller and Williams step onto the court for the Illini, it’ll be their first official game action together since December 2016. David is a regular at the State Farm Center, often going to support his former player. But this season, it appears unlikely fans will be able to attend games. David joked that for the first time, he’ll have to get the Big Ten Network to support his guys. When Miller and Williams do share the court together, they’ll have come a long way since the back gym at Manual. “I treated those kids like they were my sons,” David said. “I pushed them and pushed them and they worked their asses off. They deserve everything they’ve gotten.”

Every team has someone behind the scenes who keeps the team moving. For the women’s gymnastics team, that person is Grace Gough, a senior who has been a manager and assistant coach for the last couple of years. “I take on the managerial side of the sport, helping with apparel for competitions, making sure everyone has their bags ready to go with all their leos (leotards) and competition gear,” said Gough. “In the gym, I help wherever I’m needed, whether it’s getting mats for the girls or helping with board settings on vault or if they need any kind of coach. I just do whatever anyone needs me to do to make the girls’ lives easier.” As a former athlete herself, she’s had plenty of experience with time management, and she’s able to balance her duties with her schooling. She’s also able to connect with the gymnasts, not being far removed from her athletic career. “When I get a correction from her ... it’s more of a conversation instead of an authority figure telling you, which I really appreciate because she has so much knowledge from being a gymnast,” said senior Tessa Phillips. “We all relate to her so well cause she’s on our same intellectual level when it comes to gymnastics ... instead of a head coach or one of the assistant coaches telling you what’s wrong and having the pressure to fix it.” According to head coach Nadalie Walsh, having a bridge between the players and coaching staff is healthy for team culture. “She doesn’t have an event that she coaches primarily, but she supplements every coach on every event and she’s helped me a lot on beam these last two years,” Walsh said. “She still really helps with the equipment. She helps with simple things that really matter, like playing the floor music. She’s there to play the music for the team and help set up conditioning stations and tear down different mat stacks. “It’s a lot of the work that maybe feels like a thankless job, but what it really is doing for her is creating a really strong work ethic in her. I don’t think what she does goes unnoticed at all.” She may be excelling as a coach but it wasn’t her first choice. Decisions are not always in our control. “My senior year of high school I got a stress fracture in my back and that took me out for the whole season,” Gough said. “Then, I came here in the summer right before my freshman year. I was trying to come back and that following December, I got a concussion and so that took me out for a couple of weeks. And then after coming back from that, I hurt my hand, so I had to get surgery on my hand.” “Once I was kind of healed from all that stuff, in the @jonahap2 spring, summertime, my back jonahperez@dailyillini.com

verting on fourth and third down,” Peters said. “We have to stay ahead of the chains and move the chains.” While this performance will make Illini fans question how last season’s 24-23 stunner over the Badgers was even possible, the team can only go up from here.

However, the Illini have serious problems awaiting if a passing threat isn’t established. “Thank the football gods we have eight more games to go,” Peters said. @gourdiereport gourdie2@dailyillini.com

@BrandonSimberg simberg2@dailyillini.com

Former Illinois gymnast Grace Gough poses for a promotional photo during her gymnastics career. Gough retired from the sport to preserve her mental and physical health.

from home or from bars or restaurants tonight since they can’t be there in-person,” said Wisconsin junior Zack Hurst. “Bars (weren’t) super crazy (Friday night), at least the one I’m working at, because all the bars down here have social distancing requirements so we can’t pack them anywhere near as tight as we could’ve before COVID, but they’re

all still pretty busy.” While there were small groups of students decked in Wisconsin gear — some with masks, some without — heading to find a place to drink, most bars in Madison were noticeably dead. With the University of Wisconsin Police Department enforcing the 25% capacity rule, Josvai said he thinks most students

were put off by the bar scene, not a typical feeling for Wisconsin students. The fairly empty streets just hours before kickoff and the awkward vague field noise that filled Camp Randall were eerie enough. But, the silence outside the stadium following a dominant season opening victory at midnight in one of the most vibrant college towns

in America perfectly illustrated what it’s like to play sports during a pandemic. “It was weird,” Josvai said. “It felt like it was an away game. Everyone was still wearing red, but there weren’t as many people out at all. There wasn’t the normal buzz you would get where everyone’s excited to tailgate. “It just felt like we were

PHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS

playing away or it was a Packers game or something where everyone knows there’s a game, everyone’s looking forward to a game, but it doesn’t feel like it’s actually there.” @gabby_h11 ghajduk2@dailyillini.com

MONDAY

October 26, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

COVID-19 Champaign County reaches new highest weekly positivity rate Illinois continues to exclude UI tests from regional totals

ty, the highest daily count in more than a month, along with 9,438 more tests. CUPHD also reported another 63 recoveries from the virus, who are no longer contagious or have been released from hospitalization. The active case count BY ETHAN SIMMONS bumped up by 24, to 325 NEWS EDITOR active cases countywide. Excluding the UniversiChampaign County ’s ty’s tests, the surrounding active case count has hovChampaign County area ered between 300 and 400 reached a new high for cases since mid-September. weekly COVID-19 test posAnother 125 close conitivity, at 4.41%, according tacts entered quarantine to state data up to Oct. 22. on Sunday after potential Champaign County ’s exposure to COVID-19 posrolling positivity has risen itive people. They must from below rema in in 3% ju s t qu a r a nt i ne BRIGIDA DOCKUS THE DAILY ILLINI two weeks for anothA student voter checks in to cast his ballot at the table in Multi-Purpose Room 7 at the ARC on Friday. There are multiple early prior. er 14 days On Oct. 14, the voting locations on campus. The surbefore being r ou ndand Illinois Department released, ing Region they will be 6 of Illiasked to test of Public Health nois, which on their fifth includes began separating the or sixth day most of the of quarane a s t- c e n - University’s tests from tine. Thirtytral counmore the rest of the region. seven BY ELIZABETH SAYASANE judge. ties in the people i n FEATURES EDITOR “I looked at it and I st ate, is Cha mpa ig n As Election Day draws thought ‘this is something now at 7.6% County were near, many have raised that I think is worth doing’ rolling posreleased questions as to how vot- and so I registered for the itivity excluding UI tests. from quarantine ing works in the middle of training,” Rushing said. A sustained rolling posSince July, when Illia pandemic. Debates about To work as an election itivity above 8% percent nois ordered CUPHD to mail-in voting as well as the judge, one has to meet a would put Region 6 at risk track the data, 9,101 peosafety and accessibility of list of qualifications. The for new mitigation mea- ple in the county have been polling places have fired up County Clerk Office’s websures issued by the state. ordered to quarantine and across the country. site says candidates must be On Oct. 14, the Illi- 1,170 of them are currently The number of people comfortable with technolnois Department of Pub- quarantining. opting for mail-in voting ogy, able to speak, read and lic Health began separatHospitalizations for the has surged, in large part write in English, be a citizen ing the University’s tests virus have held at seven because of COVID-19. Pew as well as several other basic from the rest of the region, people for five straight Research Center found that requirements. Most imporas officials believe the high days. mail-in voting accounted tant, the website says, elecvolume of tests would artiTo date, 5,939 have testfor 11.3% of primary votes tion judges must be flexible ficially depress the posi- ed positive for COVID-19 in before March 13, the date and able to adapt. tivity rate and cloud virus Champaign County. Twenthe President declared the Every judge must comtrends. ty-eight of them have died pandemic a national emer- plete a four-hour training On Sunday, the Cham- and 5,586 are considered gency. After that date, Pew before each election which pa ig n-Urba na P ubl ic recovered. found that the number shot is carried out online this PHOTO COURTESY OF SASHA RUSHING Health District confirmed up to 51.5% of votes. year due to the pandemic. Sasha Rushing, a freshman in LAS, poses for a photo. Rushing is another 87 cases of COV- @esimmsnews Those in ChampaignRushing said elections working as an election judge in Champaign County this election ID-19 in Champaign Coun- ecsimmon@dailyillini.com Urbana who still wish to judges fit into two main season. vote in person may head to positions: registration and one of the many polling sta- tabulator. ly. Sometimes, if one of the ning of the process then put tions located around camFor registration, the elec- categories is blank, the it in a box when they’ve finpus and throughout the tion judge checks in voters. machine may say the bal- ished turning in their balcities. Widespread early vot“Especially for early vot- lot has a problem. The elec- lot. After the box is full, ing opened up on Oct. 19 in ing, there’s a lot of people tion judge will check with election judges spray all the Champaign County and will who are registering to vote the voter then to see if they pens down before returning continue until Nov. 2. Voters for the first time,” Rushing intended to leave that sec- them to the front desk again. can choose from 11 polling said. “They have to get their tion blank, or if they wanted For those coming to vote sites in Champaign, Urbana, names, address, ID and stuff to fill it out. over the next couple of Mahomet, St. Joseph, Ran- like that and then you regBecause of the pandemic, weeks, Rushing asks peotoul and Tolono. ister them in the system.” some of the processes have ple to be considerate. At each of these given Rushing wanted to been altered to make vot“It would be very nice sites, voters will be met with remind new voters to bring ing a safer experience for and it would really help that elections judges to help the two pieces of ID, most like- everyone. everybody comes in wearing process. Sasha Rushing, ly their driver’s license and “All election judges are a mask,” he said. freshman in LAS, works in student ID, as well as proof required to wear masks at Overall, though, Rushing this position on campus. of address. This could be a all times,” Rushing said. said the process has been This will be Rushing’s piece of mail or an amazon “We ask that voters also operating smoothly. first year as an election delivery receipt from the wear masks, but we are not “I think (voters) should judge as well as his first past 30 days or the housing allowed to enforce that.” know that it’s quite safe, time voting in a presidential registration page for those In addition to wearing there’s a lot of space in all of election. After registering students in dorms. masks, the elections judges the locations,” he said. “I’d to vote in the primary elecWhen working at the must also sanitize the poll- say things are pretty good CAMERON KRASUCKI THE DAILY ILLINI tion, the Champaign Coun- tabulator station, they ing center thoroughly and overall, we don’t have any Senior Jonathan Starr deposits his completed COVID-19 test ty Clerk’s Office reached out help people to make sure often. They also have a sys- particular concerns.” into the receptacle at the State Farm Center testing site on Oct. asking if he would be inter- the ballot they submit goes tem put in place so voters 8. Champaign County saw its highest daily count in more than ested in being an election into the machine correct- pick up one pen at the begin- eis3@dailyillini.com a month, at 87 new cases.

Election judges adopt pandemic practices Freshman helps run local polling places

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VOLLEYBALL

Illinois’ middle blockers prepare to take over spotlight Ashlyn Fleming leaves mark on trio of sophomores BY WES HOLLENBERG STAFF WRITER

In recent years, Illinois volleyball has developed a rich history of excellence at the middle blocker position, with players like Ali Bastianelli and Ashlyn Fleming leaving marks on Illini record books. Now that they’ve both graduated, the team’s next generation of middle blockers — sophomores Rylee Hinton, Kennedy Collins and Kyla Swanson — will get the chance to seize the spotlight. Last season, Fleming spent a lot of time helping set the table for today’s trio of sophomore middle blockers. As she was dominating on the court, Fleming also found the time to nurture and mentor her younger teammates off it. “(Fleming) was an amazing player, there’s no doubt about that,” Hinton said. “I think (what helped) more

was her demeanor. She’s so willing to help. It says a lot for a senior like that to reach out to the freshmen and the new kids and just take them in and show them the ropes. It was really nice having someone like her who I’m really comfortable with.” The time Fleming spent with her younger teammates blossomed into an intimate and collaborative relationship. Last year, the middle blockers went as far as labeling her their “middle mom.” Now that she’s graduated, there will be big shoes to fill on the court. As a result of her mentorship, the players seem more than prepared. “(Fleming) left us in a good place,” Swanson said. “She did everything that she could and now it’s up to us to fill that role. We want nothing but to do as good or even better than she did, and I know she wants that for us, too. We’re excited to be able to step up and do what we can to contribute to the team” Beyond just her quality of play, Fleming also took up a large portion of the quantity, as she played 118 sets last year. Collins is likely to

THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO

Sophomores Kyla Swanson and Kennedy Collins block a spike during the match against Tennessee on Sept. 1, 2019. Collins and two of her teammates stayed in touch last semester to workout over zoom.

see the most action of the trio after playing 96 sets last season, a significant number when compared to Hinton’s 29 and Swanson’s 16. Swanson may be a dark horse candidate to see a jump in playing time, as

THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO

Sophomore Kennedy Collins bumps the ball upward to keep it in play during the match against Penn State on Nov. 15. Illinois lost the match 3-2.

she has worked to reinvent her game from the ground up since she came to Illinois as a freshman. Despite competing for the same minutes, all three players seem to have a positive and supportive attitude towards each other. They are an incredibly tight group, and Collins and Swanson are roommates this year. “I’m so proud of the relationship that we have on the court,” Hinton said. “Three middles can’t play, but we all genuinely want everyone to do good. If someone plays over someone else, there’s no animosity. We all support each other wholeheartedly. We want the best for the team.” After students transitioned to remote learning last semester, Hinton, Swanson and Collins stayed in touch by working out together over Zoom every morning. While most of the work

over quarantine was to try to maintain a feel for volleyball, the intensity returned immediately when they got back in the gym at Illinois. “(For) a lot of teams, it would be easy to not take this time as seriously,” Swanson said. “I feel like we’ve gone into the gym with a really determined mindset every single day. It’s really hard to focus right now on the things that we can control when there’s so much around us that we can’t control, but I feel like we’ve done a really good just with doing what we can. We’ve been given eight hours a week in our offseason, and we’re doing what we can do to capitalize on that.” With the work they’ve put in, all three feel they’ve become much better players than they were even at the end of last season. The largest point of emphasis from the coaching staff has been to work on blocking.

While it may seem simple, blocking requires exact control of every body part. According to Swanson, perfecting blocking requires precise footwork, arm speed and timing. It’s supposedly much more difficult than it seems from an outside perspective. “I feel like middle blocker is almost an attitude,” Swanson said. “It’s a lot of work that people don’t realize all the time. Having to block three or four attackers coming at you from the other side of the net, I feel like I bring that attitude to make all those moves at the net to be an efficient blocker. “You really have to have the mindset to work hard and do your best to get involved in every play. Fight for any little touch on the block because even if you get one finger on the ball from a hitter, it’s a slowdown that can help benefit the team.” @WesHollenberg wih2@dailyillini.com

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Monday, October 26, 2020

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, OCT. 26

Virtual Open Mic Night via Zoom! PHOTO COURTESY OF WIKIPEDIA

Members of the band Wallows pose for a press photo on May 24, 2018. The bands newest EP was released Oct. 23, titled “Remote.”

Wallows’ new EP is an emotional journey buzz factor: BY CAILEIGH ALEXANDER STAFF WRITER

On Oct. 23, Los Angeles indie and alternative rock band Wallows released their newest album, “Remote.” Compiled of six songs with a running time of 16 minutes, “Remote” is a flawless embodiment of the phrase “short but sweet.” Wallows band members Dylan Minnette (guitar and vocals), Cole Preston (drums) and Braeden Lemasters (guitar and vocals) never fail to combine uplifting, experimental tones with heartfelt lyrics. The album begins with their single “Virtual Aerobics,” an enduring love song about when you start to care about someone, they can make you see the beauty in things you have never found beautiful. After a few listens, you get the euphoric feeling of being with someone who gives life a purpose. However, the lyrics are simple and can, at times, get repetitive. The music accompaniment helps give this song dimensions and save it from being a basic love song you hear every day on the radio.

The next song, “Dig What You Dug,” opens up with the high pitched, angelic vocals of Braeden Lemasters. Contrasting Dylan’s deep rhythmic tone, switching lead vocals gives the songs and the entire album a new depth. It is truly a gift when Dylan and Braeden combine their polarized voices into one harmonic duo. During a first listen, you can notice that the song is more instrumental-focused than lyric heavy. Although repetitive, This song gives out a message that is important for everyone to hear. Braeden sings, “You never wanted all the friends you’ve got, turned into someone that you know you’re not.” These lyrics reflect a person’s struggle of changing themselves to fit in with either their friends or society; a problem that, especially nowadays, is increasingly relevant. Personal favorite parts of the album are the smooth transitions into each song, making it hard to distinguish when one song ends, and another begins. That leads us into the third and a personal favorite song, “Nobody Gets Me Like You.” Written about Braeden’s

girlfriend, “Nobody Gets Me Like You” offers nearly three minutes of appreciating your significant other during this ongoing pandemic or forgetting how single you are. By far, this is the album’s best song as it features buoyant instrumentals, passionate lyrics and a fun music video to match. Changing tones and singers, the fourth song, “Coastlines,” is a melancholy song delivered by Dylan Minnette about the struggles of long-distance relationships. It explores if being with someone is worth the struggles you both face and if the other person feels the same way. This song is one of the most lyric heavy and emotionally impactful, and it is a great listen if you need to cry. The line “too embarrassed to admit I’ve cried, sort of hope it’s that way on your side” is enough to wreck you, emotionally, for ten minutes. Listen with caution and not when you are in a good mood. Allowing us to recover from the emotional damage “Coastlines” gave us, the fifth song of the album “Talk Like That” brings us

 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, OCT. 27

Champaign Farmers Market: Halloween Market

 3-6 p.m.  Champaign Farmers’ Market, Neil and Washington St., Champaign  Free This Tuesday will be the final market of the season, and it’s Halloween themed! Join us for a kids’ Halloween hunt with goodies from various market vendors. A kid’s kit will be available with everything from delicious pumpkin bars to a fun avocado decorating activity. The Carle Mobile Health Clinic will be on-site, providing its regular services and offering flu shots. Many of your favorite vendors will be there, so don’t miss out. Don’t forget to wear a costume!

Chicago Farmer’s Folkin’ Tuesday Livestream  7 p.m.  A virtual event hosted by Chicago Farmer  Free Every Tuesday, Chicago Farmer streams live from his Facebook page. Expect songs, stories, special guests and other shenanigans. .

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buzz calendar Want to submit an event? Email calendar@readbuzz.com

WEDNESDAY, OCT. 28

Masquerade Car Parade

 5 p.m.  Market Place Mall, 2000 N. Neil St., Champaign  Free A partnership with Champaign Park District, Urbana Park District and Market Place Mall brings you the Halloween Masquerade Car Parade! Costume your car for Halloween and grab a goody bag for the family while you’re at it! Enjoy Halloween and social distancing in a fun, new way. Come out to Market Place Mall, decorate your vehicle and cruise in our parade. Participants must be a part of the parade and remain in vehicles to receive goody bags. No registration is required. We can’t wait to see your creative ideas! Some decorating materials will be on-site while supplies last, but we recommend you plan and bring supplies. Unfortunately, due to COVID restrictions, spectators are prohibited.

Wednesday Night Trivia at Barrelhouse 34

 7-9 p.m.  Barrelhouse 34, 34 E. Main St., Champaign  Free We’re back! Grab your friends and join us for the best weekly trivia around! Each week, we have seven rounds of trivia designed to challenge you and ensure it’s your best night of the week. See you there!

MONDAY

October 26, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

buzz

The Idea Store celebrates 10 years in CU community BY CAROLINA GARIBAY ASSISTANT BUZZ EDITOR

Calling all crafters, office supply fanatics and environmentalists! The Idea Store, a creative reuse center in Urbana, is celebrating its 10th anniversary this year, and they want all creative minds to explore what the store has to offer. “We’re like a thrift store for arts and crafts supplies and school supplies,” Jessy Ruddell said. “Kind of anything you can think of that you don’t find at the regular thrift store, you can find here.” Ruddell started volunteering for the store in 2015, and she is now the executive director. The Idea Store started in 2010 as a part of the C-U Schools Foundation, and this year the store is celebrating its 10th anniversary. As a part of this celebration, the store offers 20% off on gift cards now through November, which customers can purchase in-store or online. Ruddell said that she wanted to have a big celebration to celebrate, but COVID-19 regulations have caused Ruddell and other store employees to adapt, not just for the 10th anniversary but for regular business as well. “Like many other small businesses, it’s hit us very hard. We were closed for about five months, so our budget has completely gone out the window,” Ruddell said. After closing in mid-

March and reopening in August, Ruddell first experimented with an online store model, which ended up not suiting the nature model of the business. Now, though, the store is open to a limited number of in-person customers. All customers are required to wear a face mask at all times while in the store. Since all of the store’s merchandise is donated, Ruddell has adapted the donation process to follow COVID-19 regulations. For example, she is also now requiring appointments for donations instead of the walk-in donation process the store had before COVID-19. She’s also limiting the size of donations. Though this new appointment-based donation system may not be as convenient as before, Ruddell said this process has made managing inventory easier. Currently, donation appointments are completely booked about a month out. “We are very dependent on the community for the items we bring in and sell to people and for volunteers,” Ruddell said. “There’s no way we could get all the work we have to do done without a great crew of volunteers.” This donation-based nature of the store allows for a different shopping experience for customers almost every time. The store has some items available, such as fabric, pencils, markers and other school and office

KEVIN GAO THE DAILY ILLINI

A customer inspects goods at the Idea Store on Friday afternoon. The store celebrates its 10th anniversary this year.

supplies, but everything else depends on what people bring in. Graduation tassels and iPhone boxes are just a couple of examples of the unique items one might find at the store. “We try to post anything new and cool on our social media to keep that interest up and remind people that it is a different store pretty much every day you come in,” Ruddell said. Prices are also cheap, said Ruddell, which allows customers to find supplies at a

lower cost than new items you might buy elsewhere. The store also helps reduce waste, which Ruddell said is one of the store’s primary goals. “Part of our mission is environmental and keeping stuff out of the landfill,” Ruddell said. “Every time you buy something new, there’s a whole manufacturing and distribution process that goes into that, and there’s a lot of waste that comes with that. You can cut a lot of that out by choosing

to reuse.” The store is also passionate about social justice issues. In the past, Ruddell said that the store had donated materials to protestors, and they have an ongoing offer for any Black-led organizations for free supplies whenever they need them. Ruddell also has some advice for those visiting the store for the first time. She suggests coming in on any day that isn’t Saturday (the store’s busiest day), so

Pop Can Records battles homelessness with new album BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

It is no secret that the entertainment industry has been impacted tremendously by the COVID-19 pandemic. Theaters have been closed, film production has decreased, and tours have been postponed. Many throughout the industry are finding new ways to get their film and music back out into the world — because we need art more than ever right now. In the heart of the pandemic lockdown, Pop Can Records, a new artist collective record label, emerged in Los Angeles. The record label aims to support smaller artists and “championing vibrant, visceral sounds.” We got to speak with some of the artists involved in creating Pop Can Records and asked when their music passion began. Pat Morrissey, half of the duo “ill peach,” says they were first introduced to music at the age of 10 when they started playing the piano. This led to the formation of a middle school band, which continued to perform throughout high school. “That was my big focus in life,” Morrissey said. May Mahmoudi, also musically known as Maral, says

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The cover for Pop Can Record’s latest album, “Sound the Alarm, Vol. 1 — Louder Feelings,” is pictured above. The collective record label recently released the new project to raise money to combat homelessness in Los Angeles.

they use a computer to create most of their music. “Ten to 12 years is how long I’ve been making music. I also work in the music industry,” Mahmoudi said. “In the past six years, I feel like I’ve grown as a musician and someone in the music community.” Jesse Schuster, also musically known as Safe Jazz, has also been playing music since childhood.

“I’m a bass player first and foremost,” Schuster said. “I’ve been playing since I was 12, and I’m 33 now. That long.” All three artists have been friends for a while, and it wasn’t until the pandemic when they made plans to start a record label together. “The general idea had been brewing for some time. During the spring is when we started getting more specific

for Pop Can Records,” Schuster said. “This idea of starting a label, and having it be independent and sort of keeping creative control, was really important to all of us,” Morrissey added. “From my experience, I see that so many times, artists have to meet other people’s agendas.” “The fact that a lot of labels nowadays don’t take chances on newer artists is terrible,” Mahmoudi asserted. “That was a big focus for me. How do we provide the same resources, like industry connections, to a newer artist who doesn’t have those resources.” Pop Can Records recently released a compilation album called “Sound the Alarm, Vol. 1 — Louder Feelings” on Friday. The compilation album concentrates on political and social justice as well as protest songs. Many artists have contributed, in addition to Safe Jazz, Maral and ill peach. These artists include Jarina De Marco, Dylan Brady, DWY, Model Child, Eddington Again, G.Smith, Tay Dex, All City Jimmy, Tony Kill, Sednah, DÆMON, Pedazo De Carne Con Ojo and Bapari. This album aims to use their voices as artists to address the current social and

political climate and stand up against these injustices. “This idea of protest music needs to be a conversation with longevity,” Morrissey said. “I think it’s important that music continues to take a stand and be a part of these conversations and be able to represent us as artists. Artists are just the voices of the people, and we can give mood and color to the way people are feeling,” Schuster said. The funds from the release of “Sound the Alarm” will be donated to Street Watch LA, a coalition that focuses on fighting and protesting for tenants’ rights. Street Watch LA also provides aid to the unhoused community in LA. In addition to “Sound the Alarm,” Pop Can Records has more releases coming soon. “Pop Can is just getting started, and we’re excited about the future,” Mahmoudi said. Pop Can Records and their releases, including “Sound the Alarm, Vol. 1 — Louder Feelings,” can be found on Bandcamp, Spotify and Soundcloud. Be sure to check them out on Instagram, Facebook and Twitter @popcanrecords as well. rukayah2@readbuzz.com

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you can take your time. She also encourages newcomers to check out every corner of the store. “It’s pretty fun to see customers when they first come through the door when they’ve never been here, and it’s sort of overwhelming, but it’s pretty magical,” Ruddell said. Those interested in donating items or money to help out the store can visit The Idea Store website. garibay5@readbuzz.com

FROM 6B

WALLOWS right back to the energetic tones Wallows have mastered. It would be the perfect “going out” song if going out was a thing nowadays. Instead, it is an ideal “blare in your room while dressing up just to go to your dining hall” song. It is catchy and fun but doesn’t deliver the emotional undertones in the previous songs. “Wish Me Luck” rounds out the album and showcases the band’s poetic abilities. A song about anxiety and self-deprecation, especially in a relationship, “Wish Me Luck” is tender and sincere. The instrumentals are slow but become upbeat at parts. Combined with the lyrics, it delineates the feeling of pulling yourself out of a low point in your life. “Remote” is a personal favorite so far in Wallows’ career. Their ability to make you want to fall in love, dance and cry in 16 minutes shows how talented this band truly is. If you are a fan of indie music, this album will not disappoint. If you don’t listen to indie music, this is a good starter album to engage you in the genre. cda8@readbuzz.com

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8B Monday, October 26, 2020

Champaign Campustown Target is Now Open. Find us at E Green St & S 6th St.

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