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Vol. 150 Issue 11

New student government resolution faces criticism Chancellor, administration sign statement against company divestment

homeland and the rights of all people to social justice in the United States. Unfortunately, this resolution forces me to make that choice,” Katnelson said. A couple of conservative commentators stopped in to denounce the resolution. Ryan Fournier, founder and co-chairman of Students for Trump, attended the Zoom meeting to share his disapproval. “Freedom hating groups at the University of Illinois, groups like Students for Justice in Palestine and other Israel hating groups on this campus are sponsors of the resolution before you tonight. That deep hatred is one of the reasons behind it,” Fournier said. Rob Smith, contributor to youth conservative group Turning Point USA, disagreed with defunding police, mentioning that a policeman escorted him when he spoke on the University campus in October of last year. “As a Black man, I am repulsed by this transparent and all too obvious attempt to co-opt a movement to pursue a divisive political agenda,” he said. Other members of the public spoke in favor of the resolution. Tyler Fullilove, sophomore in LAS, shared her support. “As a native student on campus, it pains me to see my money and resources invested into this transnational colonizing force,” Fullilove said. “I am also deeply pained by the administration’s silence on issues of police brutality and corruption, as complacency is just another form of encouragement.” Buthaina Hattab, author of the resolution and junior in LAS, explained how she included divesting from Immigration and Customs Enforcement and police departments as well as prisons and the Israeli military. “I included all because it is all one issue. We can’t

BY MONA ALRAZZAQ STAFF WRITER

RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI

Aisha Shekara checks into the COVID-19 testing site at the Illini Union on Aug. 23. The University has now conducted over

About 5% of all tested on campus infected BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

Aound 5% of all people who have tested on the University campus have tested positive for COVID-19, according to figures shared by University spokesperson Robin Kaler on Friday. According to Kaler, 48,605 students, faculty and staff have tested with on-campus saliva tests since they were introduced on July 6. With 2,362 cases identified as of Friday, around 4.86% of all campus testers tested positive for COVID-19. The infection rate among the current campus population is likely higher. Kaler

said around 38,000 people are testing on the UI campus every week, while about 35,000 students are living on and around campus. “Faculty and staff who come to campus must participate in testing, but we don’t track where they live,” Kaler said in an email. “We don’t track how many are coming to campus, but by the testing numbers, I’d guess about 3,000.” Most cases, nearly 2,000, have cropped up since classes began on Aug. 24. To date, the University has administered over 400,000 saliva tests since July, and over 316,000 since classes started. Awais Vaid of the Cham-

pa ig n-Urba na P ubl ic Health District previously said over 95% of all campus cases have been from undergraduate students. If that figure holds, at least 6% of on-campus students have tested positive for COVID-19. The on-campus spread of COVID-19 continued last week, with a higher count of new cases than the week previous. For the week ended Friday, 225 new cases were identified from almost 60,000 campus tests. The week prior, campus found 181 new cases from 58,000 tests, driving down the new case positivity rate significantly.

Tuesday’s tests found 62 new cases, the highest since Sept. 8, when 81 new cases were identified. The University’s twoweek restrictions on undergraduate students helped to curb an alarming spike in cases at the beginning of September, when almost 900 people tested positive for the virus in a single week. Officials at the University have said virus spread is mostly limited to off-campus properties for the time being. @esimmsnews ecsimmon@dailyillini.com

Health officials stress flu shots amid pandemic Flushots available at ARC this week

University administrators quickly condemned an Illinois Student Government-backed resolution 04.22, which called for the University to divest from companies that support fossil fuels, the prisonindustrial complex, Israel’s military and local police departments. “It is unfortunate that a resolution before the group tonight was designed to force students who oppose efforts to divest from Israel to also vote against support for the Black Lives Matter movement,” administrators wrote Wednesday night, shortly after the resolution passed through the student senate. The statement was signed by Chancellor Robert J. Jones, Provost Andreas Cangellaris and four other vice chancellors. “This resolution includes several points on which we can agree, but a foundational value of this institution is inclusion, and this resolution includes language that we cannot and will not support,” the statement says. ISG’s non-binding resolution, titled “Human Rights Violations in University Investments and Police Forces,” passed with 22 “yays,” seven “nays” and 11 abstentions from senators after a three and a halfhour long virtual meeting. Ian Katnelson, a junior at University in LAS, opened up public comment, vehemently opposing the resolution. “I should not have to choose between supporting the right of Jews to their

SEE RESOLUTION | 3A

BY AMRITA BHATTACHARYYA STAFF WRITER

As flu season approaches, Champaign-Urbana health officials are urging community members to get their flu shots this year, especially with COVID-19 in tow. Although health officials encourage people to get vaccinated every year, this flu season is especially important because of the pandemic, said Julie Pryde, administrator at the Champaign-Urbana Public Health District. “In winter, it’s cold and flu season,” Pryde said. “This year, it’s going to be cold and flu and COVID season.” During flu season, health officials are expecting an increased number of patients who present with respiratory symptoms, said Christopher Brooke, professor in LAS. This is a problem because influenza and COVD-19 are both respiratory illnesses that present similar symptoms such as fever, cough, fatigue and sore throat, according to the Center for Disease Control. “Every year we have hospitalization in this community related to flu and the pneumonia that often accompanies f lu, so we don’t want to overwhelm our healthcare system,” Pryde said. As of Saturday, four Champaign County residents are hospitalized for COVID-19. According

RYAN ASH THE DAILY ILLINI

Students line up on the Main Quad to get flu shots at McKinley Health Center’s Flu Shot Clinic on Oct. 1, 2018. Health officials encourage flu shots to avoid overwhelming hospitals this winter.

to Pryde, the hospitals in Champaign County serve about 1.5 million people, with a “catchment area” that extends outside the county.

“In winter, it’s cold and flu season … This year, it’s going to be cold and flu and COVID season.” JULIE PRYDE ADMINISTRATOR AT CUPHD

“ We don’t only need people in our community to get flu shots, we need them all around us to get them as well,” Pryde said. Brooke said it’s still unclear if contracting the

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flu makes a patient more susceptible to contracting COVID-19 as well. “When it’s summer here, it’s flu season in the southern hemisphere,” Brooke said. “Oddly enough, this year there basically were hardly any influenza infections, and this is almost certainly because of all the extra measures that have been put in place to control the coronavirus — they also control flu as well.” There is not enough data about what happened to the people who were coinfected with the flu and COVID-19, he added. In general, “any time you get any type of respiratory illness, you can get like a secondary bacterial pneumonia,” Pryde said. Pryde recommends peo-

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Life

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Crossword

ple get their flu shots at least two weeks before the flu starts circulating in the community because it takes time to build immuniSCREENSHOT OF ZOOM ty. As this is hard to antici- Robert Smith of Turning Point USA speaks at the Illinois pate, Pryde said the months Student Government Senate meeting on Wednesday. Smith of October and November denounced the resolution. are the “standard” time to get it. Since Sept. 15, University students who have paid the Health Service Fee can get flu shots for free at multiple McKinley Health Center outreach locations on campus. This week, flu shots will be available Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday at the Activities and Recreation Sports: Several Features: Students Center from 10 a.m. to 2 former Illini compete have options for p.m.

INSIDE

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Students wait in line outside of Joe’s Brewery on Sept. 17. The Campustown bar reopened after a temporary closure in early September.

Entry age raised to 21 for Campustown bars BY SALEM ISAF ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR

Sept. 25, though an expiration date wasn’t listed. Local bars were hit with several restrictions to curb the spread of COVID-19 as students moved back into Campustown in August. From Aug. 18 through Labor Day, patrons at campus bars and restaurants were allowed outdoor seating only. People under 21 years of age weren’t allowed into bars past 9 p.m. Some bars, like The Red Lion and KAM’s, have been checking students’ building entry status on the Safer Illinois app, which displays whether they’ve tested negative for COVID-19 in the last four days.

On Thursday, Mayor Deborah Frank Feinen amended Emergency Order 20-24 to temporarily raise the age of entry to campus area bars. The entry age is now 21 and over at all times. There is an exception for campus area bars which serve food. Until 9 p.m., these bars may serve customers under the age of 21 food cooked on the premises. Patrons under 21 must leave the business immediately upon finishing their meal, or at 9 p.m., whichever comes first. This amendment went into effect at 2 a.m. on isaf2@dailyillini.com

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Patrons of KAM’s socialize on the second level of the bar on Aug. 29.

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September 28, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

NEWS

Hearing-impaired adapt to life amidst COVID-19 Masks, Zoom present unique challenges, greatly limit visual cues for interpretation BY GRACE MALONEY STAFF WRITER

While COVID-19 has completely up-ended every area of life, the pandemic has brought additional challenges for the hearingimpaired, including those on campus. Sadie Braun is a clinical assistant professor in the Speech and Hearing Science Department, specifically in audiology. She had 10 years of clinical experience in hospitals before she came to the University to assist graduate students with hearing loss research. “Masks are presenting a challenge for hearing impaired people in general for a number of reasons,” Braun said. “You wear your glasses, your mask and then people with hearing impairments wear their hearing aids as well. That’s a lot of stuff right there behind the ears. Physically, that can be a lot to manage.” A round 30-40% of speech sounds are visible on the lips alone, Braun said.

With masks muddying visual cues, “That just makes it so much more difficult for them to understand with or without hearing aids,” she said. “Some of them (in the clinic), even with their hearing aids, are really struggling to hear us with the masks on, and sometimes we have to talk very loudly, and sometimes that still doesn’t help.” Braun shared that using plastic face masks that are both CDC compliant and keep the mouth visible are “very helpful” for those hard of hearing. “If you think about certain professions where people with hearing impairments may interact such as healthcare or essential workers at the grocery store, if they can be wearing that type of mask, it makes it so much easier,” she said. For students in the hard of hearing community, Zoom classes are audibly challenging. “Zoom thankfully has more visual cues,” Braun said. “However, you introduce a lot of variables that people with hearing impairments can’t control … and a lot of times they’re variables that are very troublesome for hearing such as interference from background noise or poor connection and the quality of the sounds of voices.” Zoom is also not closedcaptioned, though there are

third-party companies that will offer closed captioning for Zoom or other services in real-time for a cost. In spite of charging a fee, these services are helpful for students or people who are hearing impaired and have to be in meetings often. Braun said asynchronous classes are helpful wherever

“Masks are presenting a challenge for hearing impaired people in general for a number of reasons.” SADIE BRAUN PROFESSOR IN AHS

possible, in case the students “missed things and they can review on their own time.” Furthermore, Braun shared that anyone who is struggling with hearing at this time should reach out to their audiologist because there is likely something that can be done. “If someone has hearing aids but is struggling with meetings via Zoom, there are always accessories we can add to hearing aids to improve what we call the signal to noise ratio for the patient, such as a Bluetooth microphone that they can place in front of whoever i s

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speaking,” Braun said. A khila Keeranoor, a freshman in Business, has a different kind of auditory challenge that has heightened with COVID-19. She suffers from sensory and auditory processing challenges, making her hypersensitive to certain sounds. Chew i ng , yaw n i ng , unloading dishes and high frequencies are just a few of the soundbites that can feel torturous. Keeranoor is fully online for her first semester of college courses, and these sounds are harder than ever to avoid. “What happens when I hear these sounds, (is that) it’s not just like a normal irritation, it goes way beyond that,” Keeranoor said. “It aggravates me to a point where I feel rageful and violent, or I just break down completely and want to cry. I just feel completely overwhelmed.” She said that she tries to keep a fan on in her room and will use earplugs or noise-canceling headphones when her family is cooking. “If I’m around people who are eating, I might lash out at them, and it might come out of nowhere,” Keeranoor said. “I think my parents are pretty understanding and know what’s going on, but still, it’s not the best reaction.” The at-home environment, now standard with COVID-19, isn’t kind to her condition. “Usually I’m able to get out and be on my own most of the time, I have more control of what I hear,” Keeranoor said. “Being cooped up at home has heightened my anxiety in general. When I’m more anxious, this gets worse.” Though she said she has always experienced auditory sensitivity, she shared that she has just recently begun to understand it more, especially during this quarantine.

PHOTO COURTESY OF UNIVERSITY OF ILLINOIS

Professor Sadie Braun poses for a professional headshot for the College of AHS. Braun calls on her 10 years of clinical experience and her knowledge of audiology to elucidate the struggles that the hearing-impaired community faces due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

“I guess whenever I hear something going on at home, it’s hard to focus on my classes because my mind only goes to that sound and I can only focus on it,” she said. “So that’s hard. I think a classroom setting is just better than my house because my house is really small and it’s got terrible acoustics.” Keeranoor explained that many, including her parents, think she takes things too seriously or over-dramatizes certain situations, and she often does not have someone whom she can share these feelings with. “I think most people who have sensory processing issues also have something

else going on,” she shared. “It’s a good idea, maybe, to speak to someone if you’re comfortable like a medical professional. I don’t think that’s much of the case with me, but that’s often the case. My advice (to people) would be don’t take offense if I’m getting away from you if you’re doing something that’s bothering me. It’s not personal.” For University students in particular, DRES can provide additional support and accommodations for those who may be struggling with hearing impairments or sound sensitivity. However, DRES could not comment at this time. gnm2@dailyillini.com

Urbana mayor extends 10-guest restriction on social gatherings Guidelines placed in August remain active through Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

masks are required when social distancing isn’t possible among attendees. Urbana’s restrictions on social gatherings began in August as tens of thousands of students moved into properties on and off campus. Since then, dozens of “nuisance parties” have been reported and responded to by local police departments. Punishment for hosting a noncompliant gathering may include a fine up to “$750 per violation per day,” according to the Emergency Order issued by Mayor Marlin.

Urbana Mayor Diane Wolfe Marlin extended her city’s restriction on social gatherings to 10 people or fewer, not including the legal residents of the property, from Sept. 23 through Nov. 1 at 11:59 p.m. @esimmsnews For these gatherings, face ecsimmon@dailyillini.com

KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILINI

Patrons of Murphy’s drink and eat at the outdoor seating area located on Green street on Aug. 28. Residents of Urbana cannot host social gatherings of over 10 people until Nov. 1.

FROM 1A

RESOLUTION

SCREENSHOT OF ZOOM

Ryan Fournier denounces the resolution at the Illinois Student Government Senate meeting on Wednesday. Fournier founded the organization “Students for Trump” in 2015.

just divest from American police departments and American prisons,” Hattab said. “We also have to divest from companies that contribute to the Israeli military because it literally trains American police and ICE forces in this country.” Hattab was disappointed by the members of the public that spoke out against this resolution. “This public comment should have been nothing but support and solidarity for Latinx students, Black students and Palestinian students who have suffered at the hands of transnational companies through our tuition dollars,” Hattab said. “There should be no controversy in upholding peoples’ human rights and human dignity.” When the Speaker of the Senate, Arnoldo Ayala, asked if there was any debate opposing the resolution, Senator Harrison Freeman, a junior in Gies,

responded. Freeman shared concerns that the resolution “creates a hostile environment towards me and other Jews who support our homeland.” Senator Jamiel Abed, a sophomore in Engineering, spoke in support of the resolution and attempted to address concerns about the opposers’ belief that the resolution was anti-Semitic. “The reason nobody has been able to point to any anti-Semitic rhetoric is because this resolution does not mention Judaism or any other religion for that matter,” Abed said. “This resolution in no way shape or form attacks any marginalized racial, ethnicity or religious group.” Abed also explained how this resolution simply attempts to “divest from organizations that commit violations of human rights from many facets all around the world.” After a citation error was resolved and a motion by Senator Freeman to send

the resolution back to the committee for review, which would potentially repeat the entire voting process, failed, the resolution passed. Viewers of the meeting on Facebook Live were concerned about the privacy and safety of the senators that supported the resolution. One warned senators to, “put (their) socials on private if they are not already.” The comment section was filled with celebration immediately after the passage of the resolution. “FREE FA L A STEEN AND BLACK LIVES MATTER,” one user commented. Fullilove, who spoke earlier in support of the resolution, commented “FREE PALESTINE TILL IT’S BACKWARDS.” The author of the resolution, Hattab, commented “LOVE YOU ALL.” monaa2@dailyillini.com

MONDAY

September 28, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

LIFE & CULTURE

Covalence impacts community, creates relief

Student group volunteers to provide COVID-19 crisis relief locally, globally BY JARED EBANKS ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

Amidst the chaos of returning home last spring break for the rest of the semester, a group of students were brainstorming how they could bring their collective intuitions together in order to provide some solutions to the chaos caused by the pandemic. Peter Chien, junior in Engineering, started bringing up the complications of the virus in the Champaign-Urbana area to his RSO Zero2One. “We were all staying inside during quarantine, feeling useless,” Chien said. “We were doing some research: What can students do at this point? When we realized, there’s so much that we can do, especially college students. We have the skills that we need to help out.” Chien’s motivation was matched by students in his own RSO and around campus. However, across the country, there was a severe lack of movement for students to take action against the pandemic. Students were willing to help, but they didn’t know how. Combating the complications of a pandemic on top of school responsibilities was a daunting task, and students needed guidance. After reaching out to socially impact RSOs on campus, Covalence was born, a global movement inspiring students to work on crisis relief toward

PHOTO COURTESY OF COVALENCE

Board members of campus group Covalence hold up signs to promote their organization. Covalence was formed April 9, and its primary function is to provide aid to those affected by the pandemic.

COVID-19. The team created a Facebook group to centralize their initiative. Along with a website, Chien and others created an online community where students could share resources and opportunities related to the pandemic. More than 2,000 students joined the page. Covalence searches for any way they can put their

student resources to use. They’ve built websites for struggling small businesses, distributed PPE kits and helped the homeless find isolation centers. Covalence doesn’t look at one problem or one solution to help; they want to help everyone however they can. Through Facebook, students at the University were able to aid a group in

PHOTO COURTESY OF COVALENCE

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Cameroon that was looking to enact COVID-19 relief solutions. Thanks to their online community, they were able to provide the expertise of student web developers to build websites with the group in Cameroon. Some students lent their time to internal projects like the pen pal program they started last semester. For students isolating from the virus, Covalence created a system that matched college students across the country to one another to share their frustrations and complications with the virus. Jake Krumwiede, junior in Media, contracted the virus two weeks ago and has been self-isolating in a hotel room off-campus. While Krumwiede isn’t a part of Covalence, he and other students who have tested positive have thought of helpful resources the University should create having gone through the 14-day quarantine period. “I do think there should be some way of getting a statistic and name of what students are no longer at risk so that establishments that are struggling can open their doors and get back to a sense of normalcy,” Krumwiede said. The acts of service Cova-

lence provides spans a wide range. The group recognized that not every student could offer their help nationally, so Covalence created an excel sheet to centralize all local opportunities to help. “If you want to join an existing effort, here’s a list of things you can hop on right away,” Chien said. “If you want to start your own project, here’s a list of problems that we already did research for you on. And here’s a list of solutions that already exist that you can emulate within our own communities.” For six months, Covalence has continued to search for how they can lend their help to the crisis the pandemic has created both locally and globally. From volunteering to partnered events, the initiative created a lot of ground to be covered. “This whole COVID situation has lasted so much longer than a lot of us anticipated, a trend we’ve noticed among students and even ourselves is the drive to do something about it has faded away, we’re kind of exhausted from it,” Chien said. With the University’s lockdown recently lifted, students are exhausted, searching for activities to take their mind off the

concerns for positives tests that clouds their optimism. Hans Stilp, junior in LAS, found himself stuck in a mental rut. Downtrodden from the all too familiar surroundings of the walls of his room, Stilp motivated himself to find a new hobby. “I just started running since I can’t really do anything,” Stilp said. “I started a week ago and days where it hasn’t rained I’ve been averaging 10 miles a day. My calorie counter is at like 4,500 calories a day.” The escape from a mindset focused on not contracting the virus has resulted in students distracting themselves with other forms of work, whether it be volunteering or going for a daily run. While the impact of Covalence has lessened due to students being back in the full swing of a college semester, the initiative that the group started within the Champaign-Urbana community will continue to create relief for the pandemic for as long as the need is there. “The fact that we actually did it, will help us in the future to take action against group efforts that students need to unite to do,” Chien said. jaredde2@dailyillini.com

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Monday, September 28, 2020

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Know when, where, how to vote this November obligated to change their ballot if the tabulator identifies mistakes. On the way out, voters are given an “I Voted” sticker.

BY GWYN SKILES CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Many students will vote for the first time this upcoming November. For those on campus, the current state of the COVID-19 pandemic combined with distance from their voting jurisdiction presents challenges when voting. Below is a list of different ways students may vote including registration, deadlines and location information.

Mail-In/Absentee Ballot

How to register

In order to vote, students must register with the United States government. Each state has a different registration process and different registration requirements. To register in Illinois, students must be a citizen of the United States, turn 18 before or on the General or Consolidated Election and live in their election precinct at least 30 days before Election Day. Students may not be currently serving a confinement sentence as a result of a conviction or claim the right to vote anywhere else. There are several ways to register, the most popular being online. By going to illinois.turbovote.org and submitting an applicable permanent or school address, students are taken to their state’s registration application. From there, students must answer a series of questions regarding citizenship status, age verification, personal informa-

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tion and mailing/contact information. Students need a valid Driver’s License/ State ID to fulfill their identification requirement. Students may also change their registration address, their registered name or both by filling out the same form. Students in Illinois must register by Oct. 18 to vote by General Election Day, Nov. 3. Students may also register to vote by mail or inperson by going to vote. gov. In Illinois, mail-in/ absentee ballot registration requests must be received by Oct. 6. In-person registration is due Nov. 3. These deadlines vary by state. Regardless, register-

ing as early as possible is the best way to ensure students will be able to vote in the upcoming General Election. For more information on how to register, students may reference the Student Success & Engagement, civic engagement webpage.

Go to the polls

For those on-campus and registered with an address in Champaign-Urbana, students may elect to vote in person. Students have the option to vote on Election Day, Nov. 3, or early. Early voting started Sept. 24 and continues through Nov. 2. The advantages of early voting include less

crowded polling centers and more time for their vote to be counted. Polling centers on-campus include the ARC and the Illini Union. At University polling sites, masks are required. More locations in Champaign County can be found at champaigncountyclerk.com. Students may also travel to polling places within their registered county to vote in person. Students do not have to worry about class conflicts, as the University Senate announced an official holiday on Nov. 3. When voting in-person, election judges will ask voters for their name and date of birth. Voters will sign a

For students that registered with an address outside of Champaign County, mail-in ballots are an option. Advantages include less exposure to COVID-19 at polling places and no need to travel. This option is common for students who are unable to get to their registered voting jurisdiction within the early voting and regular voting time frame. Mail-in/absentee ballots prove especially helpful for out-of-state students. To vote by mail, students must apply. The process to request a mail-in ballot is similar to the registration process. Eligibility varies by state. Students can request a mail-in ballot application at vote.org. Deadlines to submit mailin ballot requests vary by state. Students should apply as soon as possible to ensure their ballot will be counted by the voting deadline, Nov. 3. In Illinois, students must submit their absentee ballot request by Oct. 29. When students receive their ballot, they must fill it in and return it no later than Nov. 3. Absentee ballot instructions can be found at vote.gov.

signature pad to verify their identity. Election judges will ask voters for their political party and give them the according ballot. Demonstrations for filling out the ballot will be outlined by election judges. Once the voter completes their ballot, they should double check to make sure it’s completed correctly and to their satisfaction. If a voter makes a mistake, Election Judges will issue a new ballot and cancel the incorrect one. When complete, the voter will place their ballot in a privacy cover and insert it into a tabulator machine. The tabulator will notify voters if their ballot is filled features@dailyillini.com incorrectly. Voters aren’t

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD

IF THEY CAN DO IT,

SO CAN YOU!

WEAR a MASK THE

D A ILY ILLINI

ACROSS

1 State of irritability 5 Oaf 9 Undercoat of an oil painting 14 Cabernet, e.g. 15 Opening stake 16 “Oh, no, not ___!” 17 Stress between you and your former lover? 19 Carried 20 “In excelsis ___” 21 One of a pair of Old Testament books with female names 23 Place for a baseball team’s insignia 24 Canada’s Prince ___ Island 26 Thing your former lover said about you? 29 Straight up on a compass 32 The Beatles’ “___ Leaving Home” 33 Historian’s concern 36 “QB VII” author Leon 38 Halved 41 Former lover’s text, e.g.? 44 What alumni do on important anniversaries 45 Write with a chisel on stone 46 Cold summer treats 47 Something Santa makes (and checks twice) 49 Aptitude 51 Former lovers’ stances in photos? 54 Absolutely everything 58 See 27-Down 59 Juneau’s home 62 Singer Grande, informally 63 Busy, as a restroom 66 Current lover who seems suspiciously preoccupied?

14 18

22 26 30

59 65

46 50

54 60

PUZZLE BY DAVID ALFRED BYWATERS

68 Chef’s item for preparing apples 69 Panache 70 Author unknown, for short 71 Arrogant look 72 Things janitors keep on rings 73 Wagers

DOWN

1 Neighbor of a Norwegian 2 Vetoed 3 Dragging behind 4 Prop for a golf ball 5 Percussion instrument in a marching band 6 Hop ___ (get to work) 7 Texter’s transition 8 Actress Zellweger 9 Gift of ___

10 Latin “I” 11 Like “Yeah, that’ll ever happen” 12 Mideast’s ___ Peninsula 13 End of a lunch hour, maybe 18 Emperor just before the Year of the Four Emperors 22 Prescriptions, for short 25 Villain in Shakespeare’s “The Tempest” 27 With 58-Across, 1980s fad that “sprouted” 28 Soup legumes 30 Factual 31 Clues 33 The “p” of b.p.s. 34 It can chop a tree down … and then chop a tree up 35 Three-dimensional art

37 Ailing 39 Tale of ___ 40 Come-___ (enticements) 42 Target of a cleanup 43 Fraidy-cats 48 Throat soother 50 Money to tide you over 51 Long stories 52 Arc lamp gas 53 Aerodynamic 55 Augusta’s home 56 “Believe It ___!” 57 Yield and Right Turn Only, e.g. 60 Connector of a pair of wheels 61 Fix, as a dog 64 “Get it?” 65 Go wrong 67 Smidgen

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

MONDAY

September 28, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

OPINIONS

Taylor Swift should return to country music NOAH NELSON SENIOR COLUMNIST

he’s a leading figure in the music industry. She’s arguably one of the most influential musicians in recent years, if not all time. She still plays acoustic guitar at all of her shows. If you haven’t figured out that I’m talking about Taylor Swift, then you must be living under a rock. Whether you like her or not, there’s no denying Swift has taken the music world by storm. In 2014, she completely switched from country to pop with her critically acclaimed album “1989,” initiating her image as a pop star. This summer, Swift brought fans an unexpected brand new record called “Folklore.” Something felt very nostalgic about it. The 14th track “Betty” sounded like music from her country days. Maybe this is a sign for Swift to return to her country music roots, at least for one album. Last week at the American Country Music Awards, Swift performed “Betty” by herself on acoustic guitar live from the Grand Ole Opry. Boy,

did it bring back memories. It felt like Swifties had stepped back into a time machine to see her frizzy hair and innocent persona once again. In 2006, Swift first jumped into the country music scene with her song “Tim McGraw.” The single was soon followed by hits like “Picture to Burn,” “Should’ve Said No” and “Our Song.” These songs served as stepping stones to a great career in country music. While in the genre, Swift released three more albums including “Fearless,” “Speak Now” and “Red.” Selling millions of copies and embarking on world tours for each, these albums brought fans hits like “Love Story,” “Mean,” “22” and countless others. But Swift knew she wanted more out of her career. When Swift switched to the pop genre six years ago, she got everyone wondering: will her music be just as good? Will she still be relatable through her lyrics? Will she still be a success? The answer to all those questions was a big yes. Since the release of “1989,” which brought fans hits like “Shake It Off,” “Style” and “Bad Blood,”

Swift brought fans three more albums “Reputation,” “Lover” and the aforementioned “Folklore,” which includes songs like “Look What You Made Me Do,” “ME!” and “Cardigan.” All of her pop albums have maintained the same quality as her country albums, if not even better. She has proved to fans and critics everywhere that she can make great music in two separate genres. But what if she made another country album? When speaking to many Swift fans, they will tell you her country songs are better than her pop tunes. Many fans preferred her in the country genre. Then again, other fans prefer her in the pop genre. However, Swift should return to her country roots, if just for a little while. Depending on how you look at it, you could say Swift never left the country genre. In recent years, she penned Little Big Town’s hit 2016 song “Better Man” and was featured on Sugarland’s 2018 hit tune “Babe.” Swift has even brought numerous country stars as guests on her tours, including Miranda Lambert, Tim McGraw, Faith Hill and Dierks Bentley.

PHOTO COURTESY OF EVA RINALDI

Taylor Swift performs at her Speak Now tour on March 9, 2012. Columnist Noah reminisces on Swift’s country phase prior to her transition to the pop genre.

There is no doubt that Swift has many more decades of music ahead of her. In that time, she should release a country album, or if anything, at

least a song. Many Swifties miss her country days. She doesn’t have to do it for herself, but for the fans. If or when Swift releases a country album and

returns to her musical roots, fans will be ready. Noah is a junior in the College of Media. noahen2@dailyillini.com

Fill Supreme Court vacancy before election MATTHEW KRAUTER COLUMNIST

he late Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg once said, “you can disagree without being disagreeable” regarding her unlikely friend Justice Antonin Scalia. Though my views land far closer to Scalia’s than hers, I’d be remiss to not acknowledge the impact she had through her voice on the court. The appropriate thing to do when someone passes is to offer condolences to their loved ones and remember their legacy. Unfortunately, the nature of the ghoulish deathwatch that is the Supreme Court mandates the question: who’s next? President Donald Trump intends to nominate a woman such as Amy Coney Barrett or Barbara Lagoa for the vacancy before the election. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConell stresses the Senate will vote on his nominee. The Democrats are predictably outraged over the timing of this vacancy, insisting a nomination should not occur until after the election. Justice Ginsburg reportedly wished on her deathbed not to be replaced until a new president was installed. Joe Biden has made it an issue of his campaign, and Barack Obama, whose nomination of Merrick Garland was blocked by Senate Republicans before the 2016 election, argues “a basic principle of the law … is that we apply rules

PHOTO COURTESY OF SARAH SILBIGER / GETTY IMAGES

Late U.S. Supreme Court Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg participates in a discussion at the Georgetown University Law Center on Feb. 10 in Washington, DC. Columnist Matthew argues that the vacancy in the Supreme Court, left by Ginsburg, should be filled prior to the election.

with consistency.” Congressional Democrats have threatened to expand and pack the court, a bully tactic notably used by Franklin Delano Roosevelt to advance his unconstitutional New Deal legislation. Biden ironically wrote an op-ed in 2016 for The New York Times wherein he stressed the constitutional duty of McConnell and the Senate to hear Obama’s nomination before the election. Now since he’s running for president, McConnell magically has the constitutional duty to do the opposite. Similarly,

everyone must respect Justice Ginsburg’s wishes but ignore that she was “not at all in favor” of expanding the court for political purposes. What faux moral high ground. The Republicans are not obligated to wait because RBG wished them to. There is no “Biden rule” or “McConnell rule.” There is only one rule for judicial hearings and it is located in Article II, Section II of the Constitution: “(the President) shall nominate, and by and with the Advice and Consent of the Senate … Judges of the

Supreme Court.” The lesson of the Merrick Garland nomination was that when the White House and Senate are controlled by different parties near the end of a President’s term, the election best ends the inter-branch deadlock. This is not the case now, as the White House and Senate are both held by Republicans. With a 53-member majority, McConnell can only tolerate three defectors and still confirm the nominee with Vice President Mike Pence’s tiebreaking vote. Fortunately,

McConnell has gathered 51 Senators to vote on the nomination. Only two Republican Senators, Murkowski and Collins, have taken a stance against the nomination. The lionization of individual Justices and this battle of political norms illustrates how astray the court has gone from its original duties. In Obergefell v. Hodges, the Court circumvented both federal and state legislatures to declare a right for gay marriage that had no grounding in the Constitution. The same can be said of the

abortion protections stemming from Roe v. Wade and Planned Parenthood v. Casey. In Federalist 78, Hamilton thought the Judiciary would be the weakest branch, as it possesses “neither force nor will, but merely judgment.” In legislating from the bench, the “liberal” Justices actualized Hamilton’s worst fear: “For I agree, that ‘there is no liberty, if the power of judging be not separated from the legislative and executive powers.’” Republicans should advance a nominee because constitutionalism creates stability in the court. Originalist nominees aren’t activists; rather they let the duly-elected legislatures decide issues outside the purview of the Constitution. The frenzy surrounding the prospects of a 6-3 “conservative” court is merely babble from partisans with little concern for protecting constitutional principles over personal policy preferences. President Trump reportedly has been saving originalist Judge Amy Coney Barrett for Justice Ginsburg’s seat. Having formerly clerked for Justice Scalia and currently serving on the Seventh Circuit Court of Appeals, Barrett is more than qualified for the position. If Democrats truly believe “women belong in all places decisions are being made,” I see no reason Barrett should be denied a fair hearing before Nov. 3 if nominated. Matthew is junior in LAS. krauter3@dailyillini.com

LETTER TO THE EDITOR

Americans face imminent eviction epidemic amidst COVID-19

ore than six months into the COVID-19 pandemic the United States has suffered more death, unemployment and social unrest than any other major industrial power. Despite these crises, the economic and political classes have failed to address the Sword of Damocles dangling over

the country: 40 million evictions. In the ensuing economic chaos, poor Americans have had to face the brunt of wages and hours cuts. This working class was stressed going into the crisis, with one in four tenants spending more than 50% of their income on rent. A decentralized response by local and state

officials followed. This left precarious tenants to the mercy of their government officials — of whom only some extended eviction moratoriums. Attempting to resolve the resulting chaos, the Center for Disease Control stepped in on Sept. 4 to impose a uniform eviction moratorium on the country. Landlords, the

remnant feudal class, sued the CDC in response. This is despite the fact that the CDC avoided rent forgiveness and allows landlords to raise rents, shut off utilities or find other evictable infractions as means to force out their tenants. Last year, 1.5 million Americans were evicted. Compare this to France, where evictions are prohib-

ited during “la trêve hivernale” — the five month long winter truce — and come in at only 15,000 annually: a stunning 100:1 ratio. Only after the cold has passed can the police move in to throw out the pensioners, sick and unemployed onto the streets. Not in the United States — on Jan. 1, the bill will come due for tens of mil-

lions of Americans. What will happen then? Are we to expect the police, in a year of extreme discontent, to move in and evict millions of people? Faced with this the United States has two options: Provide direct economic relief or kick the can further down the road. Ethan is a senior in LAS. opinions@dailyillini.com

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

MONDAY

September 28, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

SPORTS

ALUMNI

Former Illini compete across five sports leagues BY JACKSON JANES ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

After months of inactivity due to the coronavirus pandemic, sports have returned, though not without a few minor issues along the way. While we still have to wait another month for the Illini to take the field once again, let’s take a look into how former Illini have performed in their respective sports. Note: former Illini in the NFL will not be included; please see last week’s story for an update on the 10 Illini currently on 53-man rosters.

MLB

Tanner Roark (Starting pitcher, Toronto Blue Jays) 2020 marks Roark’s first season with the Blue Jays, which is his fourth big league team since leaving Illinois in 2007. The shortened season has been a bit rough on him, as he has a 7.01 ERA across 10 appearances this season, with a record of 2-3. Roark features prominently as a starting pitcher, and while the Blue Jays have already clinched a postseason berth, it is unclear what his role will be in the playoffs, as the team also features the likes of Hyun Jin Ryu and Robbie Ray. Joey Gerber (Relief pitcher, Seattle Mariners) Gerber is the latest Illini to make his MLB debut, appearing out of the bullpen against the Los Angeles Angels on Aug. 4. Gerber has looked really solid since making his debut, allowing one or more runs on only three of his 15 appearances thus far, while he has a 3.21 ERA. Though he features out of the bullpen,

PHOTO COURTESY OF MATIAS J. OCNER / MIAMI HERALD / TNS

Kevin Anderson returns a shot to Joao Sousa during their match at the Miami Open on March 25, 2019. Anderson played tennis for three seasons at Illinois, winning the national doubles championship his sophomore year in 2006.

Gerber earned his first professional win against the Texas Rangers on Sept. 5. Though the Mariners are out of playoff contention this season, expect to see Gerber in the majors next year and beyond.

NBA

Meyers Leonard (Center, Miami Heat) After averaging 6.1 points and 5.1 rebounds per game across 51 appearances during the regular season, Leonard has only played in one playoff game for the Heat thus

far, getting nine minutes of action and two assists in Miami’s Game 3 victory over the Milwaukee Bucks on Sept. 4. Though he has not contributed in the Eastern Conference Finals series against the Boston Celtics so far, Leonard still remains available off the bench if needed. Miami is currently one win away from the NBA Finals. Kendrick Nunn (Guard, Miami Heat) Nunn has featured a bit more prominently than Leonard, though neither player has

received consistent playing time in the playoffs. Averaging 29.3 minutes and 15.3 points per game in the regular season, Nunn has seen both statistics drop in the playoffs, as he is averaging only 11.5 minutes and 3.2 points per game in nine appearances. This is still only his rookie season, so expect his game time to increase in the future after gaining essential playoff experience this season, though he has the chance to make the NBA Finals in his first year in the NBA if the Heat secure

FOOTBALL

one more victory against the 1000 Rome, falling in the first Celtics. round in both competitions. Rajeev Ram Tennis Ram featured for the ChiKevin Anderson cago Smash in its debut seaAnderson has featured son in World TeamTennis in three events since ten- in July and August, guiding nis resumed, though he has the team all the way to the struggled after the long break. finals before ultimately fallAnderson competed in the ing to the New York Empire ATP Masters 1000 Cincinna- in heart-breaking fashion, ti, falling in the Round of 32 21-20. More recently, Ram to world No. 6 Stefanos Tsit- has competed with his dousipas, 6-1, 6-3. The Johannes- bles partner Joe Salisbury in burg, South Africa native also the U.S. Open, making it to faced early-round exits in the SEE FORMER ILLINI | 2B U.S. Open and ATP Masters

MENS BASKETBALL

Illinois featured in preseason rankings BY BRENDYN JONES ASSISTANT ON-AIR EDITOR

And while the Illini are the top-ranked Big Ten team, Iowa and Wisconsin are right on their tail. The Big Ten, which is stacked, has three teams ranked in the top-10 and eight in the complete 36-team ranking. Between the two heated competitions from last season, Luka Garza and Dosunmu both trying to have a stake in the Big Ten Player of the Year award and both teams looking to win the Big Ten, Iowa is no doubt one of Illinois’ biggest threats this season.

With September ending, we are getting closer to the start of NCAA Basketball. On Sept. 16, the NCAA approved moving the start date of the 2020-21 men’s and women’s basketball season to Nov. 25. Illinois men’s basketball had its promising season cut short in March before the Big Ten Tournament. With the returns of junior guard Ayo Dosunmu and sophomore center Kofi Cockburn, newcomers like freshman guards Adam Miller and Andre CurPHOTO COURTESY OF FIGHTING ILLINI ATHLETICS belo and established seniors Current senior Mike Epstein runs the ball during the game against Akron on Aug. 31, 2019, at Memorial Stadium. Epstein injured Trent Frazier and Da’Monte Gary Parrish - CBS Sports his knee during the game that ended his junior year season in Week 1. Williams, the experience and (No.6) talent are in abundance for Parrish made a lot of IlliIllinois. Many people feel the ni fans happy when he says Illini have a good chance of that, for the Illini, “a trip to being a top team in the nation the Final Four is a realistic this year, and the rankings goal.” That’s something even BY JOSH PIETSCH Despite not being able under his wing so I was really after Brown transferred to reflect that. some casual Illini fans hoped STAFF WRITER to play on the field in 2019, appreciative of him,” Epstein Illinois from Western Michcould be a possibility last year In 29 days, senior running Epstein made a point to be at said. “He’s been through a lot igan. Brown says he’s already Andy Katz - NCAA.Com (No. before the tournaments were back Mike Epstein will put every meeting and practice to … He just taught me how to learned a lot from his team- 4) canceled. The difference this the pads on under his Illinois stay connected with his team. work and how to take care mate and that they push each For Illinois fans, it’s no year is if the Illini stay atop football jersey for the first He said being surrounded by of my body … I’m confident other in practice to get better. surprise Andy Katz has Illi- the rankings all year, they time since Week 1 of the 2019 the winning environment of a about what I did with him.” “We are (pushing each oth- nois ranked as the highest won’t need a semi-Cinderelseason. Epstein and the Illini bowl-bound team helped him Additionally, Epstein has er during practice),” Brown Big Ten team in the nation. la run to make it. faced Akron on Aug. 31, 2019, through his recovery. been working on new ways said. “He knows what he’s He has been on the Illini Parrish, along with everyabout nine months after the After a full year of recovery to prevent injuries. Yoga and doing, knows the offense well wave for a while now. Katz one else, is in agreement the running back’s second sea- time, however, Epstein is back extra stretching have been a so I’ve learned from him and is high on Dosunmu and key for Illinois is Dosunmu son-ending injury. healthy and ready to make key part to improve function- I try to pick his brain every Cockburn coming back and and Cockburn. But, he has Not even three quarters an impact in 2020. The ini- al movement. Epstein added single day. It’s only helping the coaching ability of Brad Iowa ranked above Illinois in against Akron, an ante- tial postponement of football range of motion has became me get better, I think we help Underwood. by one spot on the back of rior cruciate ligament inju- on Aug. 11 pushed the season equally as important as “load- each other when we do drills. Katz has Gonzaga at No.1, Garza, who he thinks is the ry forced Epstein to watch back, but it gave Epstein more ing weight up and trying to get I really pay attention to the Baylor at No. 2 and Villanothe 2019 season from the way he moves and his foot- va at No. 3, all above Illinois. SEE RANKINGS | 2B sideline. work on certain things. It Needless to say, when can only make me better Epstein takes the field at learning from that.” “I know it’s easy to get lost when you’re not Camp Randall Stadium Epstein and Brown are playing or feel bad for yourself, but that’s to face Wisconsin in four expected to be in a similar weeks, the moment will be situation as Reggie Corbin not something I wanted to be a part of.” memorable and Dre Brown were last “It’s gonna be a lot of emoyear for the Illini. Corbin MIKE EPSTEIN tions, but I’m gonna save that and Dre split carries all last SENIOR RUNNING BACK for that moment,” Epstein year and were an effective said. “We’ve got work to put rushing combo. Epstein says in now, but that’s in the back he and Chase learned a lot of my mind motivating me.” time to heal and get ready to a rep or two.” from them and plan to “build Three substantial low- be back on the field. Epstein Epstein has played in 13 on that and carry over what er-body injuries impact- added the knee feels “great.” total games as Illini, collect- they had.” ed Epstein’s mental health Over the offseason, Epstein ing 802 rushing yards and 145 Epstein expects more peoalmost as much as his physi- had the chance to work with receiving yards. He was sup- ple than just Chase and himcal health. Instead of letting NFL running back Frank posed to be a big component self to make a difference this the game go, Epstein decid- Gore to train and learn from in the rushing game last year year in the rushing game, ed his time at Illinois was far him. Gore has dealt with sim- with Reggie Corbin and Dre naming redshirt sophomore from over. ilar injuries, including two Brown prior to the injury. Jakari Norwood and fresh“I know it’s easy to get lost torn ACLs, so he was a great Redshirt sophomore Chase man Reggie Love as guys when you’re not playing or person for Epstein to work Brown, another running back he could see on the field. He feel bad for yourself, but that’s with. expected to be in the mix with thinks the running back THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO not something I wanted to be “It was a good person to Epstein, has been practicing The Illini huddle up during the game against Indiana on March a part of,” Epstein said. hang out with. He took me with Epstein this past year SEE EPSTEIN | 2B 1. Illinois is highly ranked in multiple preseason polls.

Mike Epstein aims to come back strong after injury

Monday, September 28, 2020

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

FOOTBALL

Upsets open two playoff spots for Big Ten

FROM 1B

BY CARSON GOURDIE

the semi-finals before falling to duo Wesley Koolhof of the Netherlands and Nikola Mektic of Croatia. Ram also announced he will be a volunteer assistant coach for the University of California men’s tennis team. Aleksandar Vukic Vukic participated in the Ostrava Open, falling in the Round of 32 to Germany’s Oscar Otte in three sets, 3-6, 6-4, 6-3. The Sydney, Australia, native saw more success in the Moneta Czech Open, making through four rounds of competition before falling in the quarterfinals to eventual tournament champion Kamil Majchrzak of Poland, 6-4, 6-1.

ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

Although college football has been back for a few weeks, this past Saturday felt like a return to normalcy with the return of the Southeastern Conference. While the Big Ten still has a few weeks until they resume play, Saturday provided one of the most unpredictable opening weeks in recent memory. Defending national champions Louisiana State University expected to take a step back. Aside from losing Joe Burrow, the Tigers lost double-digit starters and both of their coordinators. The after effects were apparent. Mike Leach and the Mississippi State Bulldogs shocked the Tigers on the road 44-34 behind a monster performance from K.J. Costello, who passed for over 600 yards and five touchdowns. LSU became the first defending champion to lose as home opener since Michigan in 1998. Spencer Rattler and Oklahoma Sooners blew a threetouchdown lead against Kansas State, who got upset against Arkansas State earlier this year. Although Rattler, who’s the first non-transfer to start for the program since 2014, put up some sparkling stats, he struggled down the stretch with turnovers, finishing with three interceptions. This is the second consecutive year the Wildcats have upset head coach Lincoln Riley and the Sooners. Alabama and Nick Saban came out strong against the Missouri Tigers on the road, winning 38-19. With Tua Tagovailoa out of the picture, Mac Jones and his

FROM 1B

RANKINGS clear preseason favorite for the Player of the Year award.

Jeff Borzello - ESPN (No. 7)

In ESPN’s rankings, the Illini went from unranked

FORMER ILLINI

Golf KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI

An aerial view showcases the scale of Memorial Stadium on May 23. Louisiana State University and Oklahoma’s upsets on Saturday opened up spots for Big Ten teams in the college football playoffs.

ing painful, inefficient offenses, the Miami Hurricanes have come alive under Houston transfer quarterback D’Eriq King. Miami whacked rival Florida State 52-10, cementing their status as an ACC front runner and college football playoff contender. With the turnover chain, combined with the arrival of King, Clemson has a new worthy opponent who can rival them for ACC supremacy. Although the Big Ten doesn’t resume play until Oct. 24, the conference got a huge boost with the recent upsets. With LSU and Oklahoma losing at home, the possibility of getting two teams in the playoffs has gained traction for the Big Ten.

Ohio State, a national championship contender, has the easiest path to the playoff with the amount of the talent Urban Meyer and Ryan Day have collected. Ohio State, Wisconsin and Penn State have the most realistic shot to steal a playoff shot. The Pac-12, who doesn’t start until November, might not have enough games to qualify. The top contenders in the Pac-12 have struggled out of the gate, while the SEC suffered a big blow with LSU being upset. If Ohio State finishes 9-0 and another team finishes 8-1, the Big Ten could FROM 1B send two teams to the playoff for the first time ever.

to No. 7 after the return of Dosunmu and Cockburn. Borzello sees the experience of the Illini as one of the biggest assets. “Dosunmu will earn preseason All-American attention,” wrote Borzello. “And Cockburn is a dominant big man down low. Illinois returns five players who

started at least 22 games last season, and there is going to be competition due to the additions of ESPN 100 guards Adam Miller and Andre Curbelo.” Borzello has the Illini as the third highest-ranked Big Ten team behind Iowa at No.5 and Wisconsin at No 6. Borzello is big on Gar-

za and his potential Wooden award campaign, but Iowa shares the same experience that Illinois has with players like Jordan Bohannon, Joe Wieskamp and CJ Fredrick all returning.

EPSTEIN

@brendyn_jones brendynjones@dailyillini.com

Soccer

Vanessa DiBernardo (Midfielder, Chicago Red Stars) Though there are other Illini competing on teams overseas, none of those leagues have started yet, leaving DiBernardo as the sole Illini to compete since soccer’s return. DiBernardo has featured in both of the Red Stars’ two games of the NWSL Fall Series, though she also played a prominent role in Chicago’s run in the NWSL Challenge Cup in which the team ultimately fell to the Houston Dash in the finals. Across two games in the Fall Series, DiBernardo has started both games, and she bagged a goal and an assist in the team’s 4-1 win over Sky Blue FC. The team has two more games before wrapping up the season.

Thomas Detry Detry has only competed in one golf tournament since the sport returned, playing in the U.S. Open Sept. 17-20. After ending day one of competition shooting only one stroke over par, Detry ended the final day of competition shooting 11 over par, finishing the event +17, which saw him tie for 49th place. Thomas Pieters Pieters also competed in the U.S. Open, and he got off to quite a hot start. The Antwerp, Belgian, native shot four under par on day one which saw him tied for second place, and only one stroke behind @JacksonJanes3 the leader going into the sec- janes6@dailyillini.com ond round. Pieters struggled

receiver core took over with ease, scoring 28 points in the first half. The Crimson Tide, who haven’t won a national title since 2017, look hungry and ready to reclaim college football’s top prize. Head Coach Tom Herman has battled inconsistencies since leaving Houston for Texas, with a Sugar Bowl and a six-loss season on his resume. Quarterback Sam Ehlinger saves Herman from hot seat talk after the Longhorns came back from a late deficit to hold off Texas Tech in overtime, 63-56. In what has been a rough year for the Big 12, Texas was able to save face and keep their playoff hopes alive. After a season of watch-

@gourdiereport gourdie2@dailyillini.com

during the final three rounds, shooting a combined +14 over the three days. He would go on to finish tied for 23rd place after four rounds. Steve Stricker Stricker participated in the U.S. Open as well, though he was unable to make it through all four rounds of the competition. Shooting four over par after the first day of the event, Stricker failed to make the cut after the second round, shooting +7 on day two and +11 overall.

as an Illini, Epstein has battled through the injuries and is ready to make an impact in an abnormal season. Until the Illini head to Madison to face the Badgers in Week 1, Epstein is committed to working hard and being in the best shape he can be for the season opener. “I’m blessed,” Epstein said. “I’m able to be healthy now, got some extra time under my belt to make this a special season and I’m gonna do everything in my power to do that.”

position is one that is slept on for the Illini and expects big things out of his group for this season. “I think it is an overlooked group for sure,” Epstein said. “I mean that doesn’t matter to me, I don’t think it matters to us as a group. I think we know the work we put in on a daily basis and we know what we’re capable of doing … At a time and point, it’ll show.” Despite missing 20 games @JPietsch14 through his first three years pietsch3@dailyillini.com

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MONDAY

September 28, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

COVID-19 Champaign County reaches 500,000 total COVID-19 tests Sunday brings 59 confirmed new cases PHOTO COURTESY OF JAHAIRA BUSTOS

Jahaira Bustos, freshman in AHS, wears a face mask outside. Bustos became a wellness ambassador earlier this year.

Wellness ambassador encourages safety BY ELIZABETH SAYASANE FEATURES EDITOR

Jahaira Bustos, freshman in AHS, started working as a wellness ambassador at the beginning of the school year. In this position, Bustos is responsible for reinforcing, educating and encouraging others to participate in safe and healthy practices. This group works by distributing goodie bags containing masks and hand sanitizers and little sunglasses around the Main Quad or the Ikenberry Commons. When they saw students walking around without masks or not staying socially distances, they would make sure the students were aware of their actions and ask them to use preventive behaviors. “We just want to carry out the rest of the year successfully,” Bustos said. “Just by us going around, you know, passing around small things like hand sanitizers (and) masks will make that a lot more effective, so that’s what our job is.” Typically, the wellness ambassadors will work two hour shifts a couple times a week. Depending on the group working together, they decide what part of campus they would like to target.

Some of the more popular spots include freshmen buildings like the Ike. Being in this position has greatly affected Bustos’s first year on campus. She said that it has even opened her eyes to potential future careers. She had never experienced working in public affairs before, but now says she is looking more into it. The communication she has been able to have with the rest of the school has also been encouraging for a freshman coming in without having already made strong campus connections. The colleagues she works with come from a wide variety of majors and hometowns, all participating in different RSOs and other campus extracurriculars. Meeting them has helped widen her perspective of campus. “It makes this campus feel so much more smaller,” she said. “It’s such a big school and communicating with people who are just passing by, it just makes me feel a little bit more at home.” As far as those who she connects with while working, it has been more of a mixed bag. Many students she approaches with reminders to wear masks give her simple excus-

es. They’ll say they have their mask in their pocket or they left it at home. Sometimes people do not acknowledge her and her coworkers at all and just walk past. Others have been more receptive. “There are other people who are very very appreciative of the work that we do and it feels good to know that we’re being acknowledged,” Bustos said. “It feels nice to know that we get that thank you every once in a while.” Bustos said the constant talk from upperclassmen about how campus is dead and not at all like it usually is has been disheartening. The experience is made better by her roommate as well as other students in her residence hall who all communicate with each other. In general, Bustos said she tries to keep her head up as she goes through the transition onto campus. “I try and stay positive,” she said. “I have so much time to experience college. Right now, I’m just focused on making sure that we’re still here, you know, that we’re not getting sent home.” Bustos said she does think that her experience as a new student trying to adjust to

all of these new changes has helped her as a wellness ambassador. She is better able to communicate with the audience because she can relate to their experiences. While she understands that this is all new to the faculty and school leadership as well, she finds that communication between students works best. One student sharing these health messages with another student is more effective than Mass Mails. “I feel the work that we do is valuable because the message is coming from the students, the message is coming from someone who understands what it feels like to be thrown in into the situation,” Bustos said. She wants other students to know how important their choices are right now and how they affect the whole campus community. “Your actions are making a difference, your actions are making an impact on everything,” she said. “I feel that’s definitely one thing a lot of students should understand, you know, it’s so minor putting on a mask or not wearing your mask, but it makes a difference.” eis3@dailyillini.com

BY ETHAN SIMMONS NEWS EDITOR

reside there, and there have been 2,167 confirmed cases there. Thirty of Sunday’s new cases were from the 61820 ZIP code. The ZIP code 61820 encapsulates the area within I-74 on the north, Prospect Avenue on the west, Windsor Road on the south and Wright Street on the east, covering most of Campustown. The same ZIP code leads Champaign County in total tests with 218,559. Adjacent ZIP codes 61801 and 61821 are second and third in county testing, with 114,673 tests and 43,659 tests to date. The ZIP code with the next highest number of active cases is 61801, with 30. Of the county’s 502,886 total tests, 66% have been done on people between the ages of 10 and 30 years old, while 67% of county cases have come from the same age groups. CUPHD reports breakdowns of cases and tests by race. According to their webpage, 64% of people who’ve tested positive in the county are white, 15% are African American, 6% are Asian, 15% are “Other” and 1% are unknown. By ethnicity, 16% of people who’ve tested positive identify as Hispanic, but only 3.3% of the tested population is Hispanic. Other cases to tests disparities exist in racial demographics. Asian people represent 6% of cases despite comprising 18.6% of tests, while African Americans comprise 15% of cases in the county with only 8.2% of tests.

Champaign County has conducted over 500,000 tests for COVID-19 since the pandemic began as of Sunday. Champaign outpaces all other Illinois counties in tests per capita. Per the Illinois Department of Public Health, Champaign County has conducted over 2.33 tests per resident, over four times that of Sangamon County, the runner-up. On Sunday, the Champa ig n-Urba na P ubl ic Health District confirmed another 59 cases of COVID-19 after 20,323 new tests. CUPHD also reported another 65 recoveries. Of the county’s 4,608 confirmed cases, 4,244 are considered recovered, while the active case count sits at 344. Recovered doesn’t mean the patient is absent of any symptoms, however. According to CUPHD’s Julie Pryde, “recovery” means the person is no longer infectious and that they can leave isolation or hospitalization. They may still be dealing with debilitating conditions from the virus. CUPHD reports four hospitalizations for the virus, the same since last Monday, and 20 deaths since the pandemic began. ZIP code 61820 is Champaign County’s biggest con- @esimmsnews tributor to the pandem- ecsimmon@dailyillini.com ic: 190 of the active cases

Chancellor talks biggest challenges limiting COVID-19 spread The Big Ten announced that they’d test their athletes every day with an antigen test. Will students at the University be able to have access to these same tests? Our student-athletes on the football team will be tested with antigen tests daily, as mandated by the Big Ten Conference. Also, these student-athletes and the rest of our student-athletes will continue to be tested with our on-campus saliva-based testing. Our on-campus saliva testing is among the best in the country, and that will continue to be the on-campus COVID-19 testing we offer our faculty, staff and students. Through your observations since the semester

began, what has been the biggest challenge in limiting the spread of COVID-19 on campus? The biggest challenge with limiting the spread of COVID-19 on campus is getting a small number of students to understand that their actions affect others. I’m proud that most members of our university community are taking this seriously and are doing their part to maximize the safety of everyone, and I am encouraged by the progress we have made. What is the University’s relationship with local public schools in terms of sharing saliva test technology with them? The university is very committed to our local communities, including our local

school districts. SHIELD Illinois, a program run by the University of Illinois System, is working with school leaders in our communities to determine the best way to provide access to the salivabased testing for their students and staff as soon as that is possible. What is the status of the saliva test’s official FDA approval? The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is now performing its new rapid, saliva-based COVID-19 test on all students, faculty and staff. The University validated its laboratory-developed test under CLIA by successfully comparing its performance to an FDA Emergency MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI Use Authorized test. This is Chancellor Robert J. Jones prepares to deliver the State of the University Address on Jan. 24. different from FDA approval. Jones answered questions concerning the challenges of limiting COVID-19’s spread on campus.

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buzz calendar BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

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

Henry Cavill and Millie Bobby Brown star in “Enola Holmes,” which was released on Netflix on Wednesday. Brown plays the younger sister of Sherlock and Mycroft Holmes..

‘Enola Holmes’ premieres on Netflix, offers cheerful escape BY RUKAYAH HUSSEIN BUZZ CALENDAR EDITOR

buzz factor: In the wake of such bleak times, it is important to find some joy and positivity to boost your mood, even for a few hours. The newly released Netflix film “Enola Holmes” fits that bill, and it is a lovely addition to the evergrowing Sherlock Holmes universe. “Enola Holmes,” directed by Harry Bradbeer, stars Millie Bobby Brown as the spunky and charming younger sister of famous detective Sherlock Holmes, portrayed by none other than Henry Cavill. The film also stars Sam Claflin as Mycroft Holmes, Helena Bonham Carter as Eudoria Holmes and Louis Partridge as Viscount Tewkesbury. With all the world’s present darkness, it can be hard to get away from the news cycle and stresses that life brings. Sometimes, it is nice and more than necessary to take a break and escape into a world full of love and possibilities. “Enola Holmes” is an incredible choice for that. It is a movie filled with light-hearted humor, vibrant colors and a great soundtrack. It also has incredibly detailed, fun and period-accurate animations between scenes that warm viewers’ hearts. In addition to this, Enola Holmes con-

tinuously breaks the fourth wall to loop us in as if we are on the adventure with her. It is a great family-friendly movie to have on after a long week or if you need entertainment that is less dramatic than your Twitter timeline. The film starts with the narration and fourth-wallbreaking of Enola Holmes or the familiar face of Millie Bobby Brown. As she explains, she is often the lesser-known Holmes compared to her older brothers Sherlock and Mycroft. She lives with her eccentric mother, Eudoria Holmes, who unconventionally raises Enola, making her unfit for a lady in British society. Enola is taught little about embroidering and table manners but instead learns about history, physics and hand-to-hand combat. When her mother seems to leave without a trace, Enola summons her brothers to help solve the case. Her brother Mycroft, who becomes her legal guardian, wants to send her off to a ladies boarding school. Therefore, she takes matters into her own hands and decides to run away to find her mother. She eventually runs into Viscount Tewkesbury, a boy her age who has also run away from his demanding family. When Tewkesbury’s life is threatened on more than

one occasion, Enola decides to solve his case instead of the one involving her mother. Throughout her adventures and many disguises, she begins to learn more about her mother. She discovers that her mother is not who she thought she was. While retracing her mother’s history, she stumbles upon an alarming revolutionary plot. The plot is also complemented by a much more sinister plan involving Tewkesbury and a voting bill that will be voted upon soon. As a young woman, Enola is underestimated. Many people, including the detective of Scotland Yard and her brother Sherlock, begin to realize that is bright, intelligent and just as gifted as the rest of her family. By the end of the film, audiences witness Enola Holmes transform from the forgotten younger Holmes sibling to a confident young lady — no longer in the shadows. Enola regards her mother’s advice and realizes she has the power to control and make her own future. Millie Bobby Brown is charming and hilarious as Enola, and you can’t help but also love the Sherlock and Mycroft brotherly duo by the end as well. “Enola Holmes” is an entertaining and energetic movie you can’t help but love.

MONDAY, SEPT. 28

Shawn Farbman Duo

Hootenanny All-Stars: Hosted by Emily Anne ! 7-9 p.m. " Rose Bowl Tavern, 106 N. Race St., Urbana # Free Emily Anne is back and will play songs at The Rose Bowl Tavern every Monday. Guests can bring their own food, but masks are required.

Virtual Open Mic Night via Zoom!

WEDNESDAY, SEPT. 30

Wine Wednesdays

! 7:30-11:30 p.m. " Virtual Event hosted by The Canopy Club # Free Join the Canopy Club & ChampaignUrbana Open Mic Nights crew, including Mike Ingram for Champaign County, 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, SEPT. 29

Champaign Farmers Market

! 6-8:30 p.m. " Boomerangs Bar & Grill, 1309 E. Washington St., Urbana # Free Join local guitar hero Shawn Farbman and his keyboardist as they rock Bommerang’s patio. This is a free show, and the kitchen will be open until 7 p.m.

! 3-6 p.m. " The Land Connection Champaign Farmers’ Market, Neil and Washington streets, Champaign # Free The Champaign Farmers Market returns for another season of fresh local food and fun! This year looks a little different to start the season, but you can still shop from local vendors to get fresh produce from farmers in our area.

! 11 a.m.-8 p.m. " Silvercreek, 402 N. Race St., Urbana # Free Join us for half-priced bottles of wine every week! Grace has impeccable taste, and you can try some of the fantastic wines she has selected for our cellar. The best thing about it is that they’re all half the cost! Make Wine Wednesdays a part of your routine and expand your palate. Try a different wine each week!

The Live Jukebox at The Clark Bar

! 7-9 p.m. " Clark Bar, 207 W. Clark St., Champaign # Free Choose from over 400 songs in this live show, consisting of faithful renditions and twisted remakes. Don’t miss out!

Crafty Adults: Tin Can Luminaries

! 7-8:30 p.m. " A virtual event hosted by Champaign Public Library # Free Learn a new craft every month at Crafty Adults! Light up your evenings with Tin Can Luminaries! You bring the recycled cans, and we’ll provide you with the tools and directions. Crafters of all skill levels are welcome!

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September 28, 2020 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

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PHOTO COURTESY OF WEFT COMMUNITY RADIO

Billy Flynn and Mark Hummel play a tune for the WEFT 90.1 listeners. WEFT 90.1 is based in Champaign and highlights music from local artists.

WEFT 90.1 showcases local music through livestreams BY ZOE NIELSEN STAFF WRITER

WEFT 90.1 is a not-forprofit radio station based in Champaign with the primary goal of giving access to local music. Since its start in 1981, WEFT 90.1 continuously finds ways to bridge the gap between broadcasting music from local artists and the rest of the community, which is very important in today’s circumstances. COVID-19 has made it harder for musicians to perform their music live. Luckily, WEFT 90.1 offers a solution. Every Monday, WEFT 90.1 broadcasts WEFT Sessions, a one-hour program dedicated to showcasing live music from a specific local musician in the Champaign-Urbana area each week. Mike Ingram, one of the primary people in charge of WEFT, was gracious enough to talk about the radio station’s current activity and contribution. “This is a station that has local roots and can promote local artists in a way that other stations can’t because local musicians aren’t given enough air time,” Ingram said. Following the COVID-19 regulations in Champaign County, only small acts are allowed in WEFT 90.1’s studio to encourage social distancing. “We are only allowing like one or two people in the studio right now,” Ingram said.”This year, it’s a pretty atypical setup.” Ingram has booked all of

PHOTO COURTESY OF KURT BIELEMA

Urbana artist Kurt Bielema poses with his guitar on Feb. 10, 2017. Bielema will perform Sept. 28 on WEFT

WEFT Sessions since 2003, and the station continues to be a great first place for artists to showcase work. The only requirement that the musicians have to be local. “With WEFT, and that show (WEFT Sessions), there is no threshold,” Ingram said. “I can literally ask, ‘do you have an hour of music?’”

Emerging artists can treat being on the show as a learning experience. “There is no need to be polished, and this can be somebody’s first gig,” Ingram said. “WEFT is a great place for people to learn how to be on stage.” Ingram also books for several other local venues in C-U. He said that it is much more relaxed given

Best of CU 2020

today’s circumstances. “From WEFT, I know if I can book someone somewhere else,” Ingram said. WEFT 90.1 posts all their sessions online, which gives more opportunities for musicians to have a professionally recorded video for booking gigs. Ingram tends to space out performances by the same musicians around the year, but

Ingram said there had been many notable performances for him. Many unique musicians have come in and out of the studio, and Ingram has luckily watched and helped them grow. “There was this one band, whether they were doing acoustic or not, with a drummer that never brought any supplies, besides drumsticks obviously,” Ingram said. “He would find everything that he was going to play in the space that they went to. It was always funny to watch that happen because it would make his set up and his sound different every time.” Most things are up in the air right now, but WEFT 90.1 is still going strong. Streams for the live music sessions are accessible on WEFT’s Youtube and Facebook pages. This gives people not in the C-U area, like a friend from home or parent, the opportunity to still enjoy live music that the community has to offer. Local musicians of any level or age are welcome and encouraged to reach out to WEFT 90.1. “WEFT Sessions have allowed me to pass on things that I learned the hard way,” Ingram said. “WEFT 90.1 is meant to be a place for growth and experience.” To catch this Monday’s live stream of Kurt Bielema, keep updated with WEFT 90.1’s Facebook page.

sometimes he makes exceptions for promotional reasons. With all sessions being on Youtube, it is easy to see growth between certain groups as they gain experience. “Especially for young musicians, if I space them about a year apart, they sound and look a lot different,” Ingram said. In working with WEFT, zln2@readbuzz.com

Voting starts October 1st at readbuzz.com!