The Bridge, Volume 51, Issue 3

M A G A Z I N E

Volme 51/Issue 3 9/25/2020 The Inside Scoop on All L&C

9/25/2020 Welcome to The Bridge’s weekly magazine, a collection of stories from thelcbridge.com. Check back each week for early access to Bridge stories, games, photos and more. The Bridge is by and for Lewis and Clark Community College students, but we hope everyone can find something to enjoy at The Bridge.

Alex Johnson Editor-In-Chief

What’s on the cover?

M A G A Z I N E

Mentally Smoke “This is a recreation of a 2017 piece. I was not in a good mental place, it represents how I was feeling at the time; with it now being 2020 I’ve found myself in that place again, but now it represents my evolution in art and how far I’ve come with everything.”

Anthony Brown

Volme 51/Issue 3 9/25/2020

The Bridge is...

The Inside Scoop on All L&C

Alex Johnson

Gary Chapman

Nathan Tucker

amjohnson@lc.edu

gchapman@lc.edu

nrtucker@lc.edu

aagney@lc.edu

Editor-in-Chief

Entertainment and Technology Reporter

Sports Editor

Graphic Designer and Writer

Ashtyn Britt abritt@lc.edu

Hannah Kahl

Associate Editor

hkahl@lc.edu

Krystie Morrison

Copy Editor

kmorrison@lc.edu

Moreena Hall

Web Editor and Social Media Manager

mrhall@lc.edu

Illustrator and Cartoonist

Zack Bussman zbussman@lc.edu

Lakyn Gardner

Illustrator

lagardner@lc.edu

Mary Curvey mcurvey@lc.edu

Illustrator and Cartoonist Lindsey Becker

Jenna Shelton

Madeline Critchfield

jshelton@lc.edu

macritchfield@lc.edu

Ad Manager and Writer

Illustrator and Cartoonist

Writer and Graphic Designer

Dillon Neibel

Anthony Brown

dneibel@lc.edu

antdbrown@lc.edu

Adrienne Lane

Lead Reporter

Podcaster and Illustrator

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Andrew Agney

lmbecker@lc.edu

amlane@lc.edu

Photographer

Web Specialist Maria Martinez mfmartinez@lc.edu

Graphic Designer and

Web Specialist Louise Jett ljett@lc.edu

Advisor

Table of Contents Campus News, pg. 4-6 -Looking at the Response to COVID-19 By Lewis and Clark Community College -Introducing L&C’s 20/21 Student Government Association Executive Board -Nerdology Tests Geek Cred

Entertainment, pg. 8-9 -It’s Astounding, Rocky Horror at Skyview -Meeting at the Drive-in: The Pandemic Concert Experience of Billy Strings

Opinions, pg. 10-13 -Leet Tech: How TikTok and WeChat Was Banned and Unbanned in 48 Hours -The Comedian Exodus from California -Top Five Benefits of Fall

Sports, pg. 14-15 -Ultimate Updates: A Continued Breakdown of the UFC Divisions

Product Reviews, pg. 16 -FabFitFun is Here to Make You Feel Fabulous!

Serial Stories, pg. 17 NEW FEATURE -The Vermillion Sky

Cartoons and Games, pg. 18-20

Missouri Botanical Garden in Fall.

Photo by Alex Johnson Page 3

Looking at the Response to COVID-19 By Lewis and Clark Community College

By Dillon Neibel dneibel@lc.edu The COVID-19 virus continues to impact lives and operations on a daily basis, with constant adaptation being a necessity. That adaptation is not lost on the operations of L&C, as many actions have been taken to continue educating students with safety in mind.

Many classes are offered in a virtual format, but for classes that require hands-on in-person experience, a matter of precautions are being taken.

For any faculty, staff, or students who must be on campus, they are required to fill out a daily certification form stating that the individual is not experiencing symptoms or have possibly been exposed to someone with the virus.

Masks, social distancing, room capacity limits, increased sanitization measures, and several other precautions are being taken to ensure the safety for those who are on campus.

A student relief fund of over $20,000 has been raised for students facing financial struggles because of the pandemic. L&C has also received $1,031,190 from the Department of Education (DOE) for those affected

by COVID-19.

If you happen to test positive or are experiencing symptoms of COVID-19 and have been on campus please contact The Family Health Clinic at (618) 468-6800.

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Campus News

Introducing L&C’s 20/21 Student Government Association Executive Board

By Jenna Shelton jshelton@lc.edu

Lewis and Clark Community College’s Student Government Association (SGA) has multiple duties including, but not limited to, representing the student body as a whole and its interests at the board of trustee meetings, overseeing all student clubs, providing funding for club activities and formulating policies that can affect the student body.

The SGA is comprised of elected officers, club representatives, a Student Trustee and independent members with all positions filled by students and the proceedings overseen by SGA Co-Advisors, Dr. Sean Hill and Jared Hennings, and SGA Administrative Assistant, Christine Strotheide.

Each school year, L&C’s SGA holds an election in the spring semester for the upcoming year to allow hopefuls to campaign for the Executive seats that can be elected; including President, Vice President, Secretary and Treasurer. The complete SGA Executive Board is made up of eight student officers who will be in their positions for the entire 2020/2021 school year.

There are four additional officers on the Executive Board that are made up of Representatives of clubs or organizations and are people that have their finger on the pulse at L&C including - Student Trustee; Student Activities President; Editor-in-Chief, The Bridge; Promotion Director Representative, WLCA Radio Station.

Campus News

L&C’s SGA 20/21 President Marenike Moyegun •Age:19 •Town Currently Resides In: Godfrey, Illinois •Major: Chemistry •What Marenike Has To Say… “As a new student at L&C, I made an effort to be involved on campus. I joined Student Activities and even became President of The Black Student Association to satisfy my desire to engage in cultures and create events to enjoy with my peers. During my attendance at SGA meetings, I observed the hard work and great potential of the organization and recognized how I could be a contribution. As the newly elected SGA President, I am very excited about my achievement and with the cabinet, we will do our best to make this year great!”

L&C’s SGA 20/21 Vice-President David Crull •Age: 20 •Town Currently Resides In: Moro, Illinois •Major: General Education •What David Has To Say… “I plan to make L&C a more fun and eventful place, while keeping safety a priority! I’m so excited to work with my fellow students and faculty this year!”

L&C’s SGA 20/21 Secretary Milli Carter •Age: 20 •Town Currently Resides In: East Alton, Illinois •Major: Human Services •What Milli Has To Say… “I am really grateful for another opportunity to serve on this board and I hope that I will be as good as the secretary before me. I am excited for the opportunity to continue to work on the Hygiene Pantry, a

project that was started last year that was put on hold due to this pandemic, that I know will be a great benefit to our students.”

learn things and skills that I may not have had the opportunity to learn otherwise feels like a blessing.”

L&C’s SGA 20/21 Treasurer Shaggy Draper •Age: 20 •Town Currently Resides In: Medora, Illinois •Major: Elementary Education •What Shaggy Has To Say… “I am very excited to have gained the position and I will do my best to help serve the student body.”

L&C’s SGA 20/21 Editor-InChief, The Bridge Alex Johnson •Age: 31 •Town Currently Resides In: Bethalto, Illinois •Major: Graphic Design/Social Media & Marketing •What Alex Has To Say… “I’m happy to be involved at L&C, I love the effort the school puts forward and the power it gives to the students.”

L&C’s SGA 20/21 Student Trustee Ashtyn Britt •Age: 22 •Town Currently Resides In: Godfrey, Illinois •Major: Criminal Justice •What Ashtyn Has To Say… “I ran for this position because I truly love this school and the students in it, and wanted to step up to make sure their voices and concerns were heard. Being the student trustee has been a very rewarding experience. I’ve worked with SGA for a few years now, and am excited to continue not only the work I’ve accomplished with them but also on the college board.”

L&C’s SGA 20/21 Student Activities President Jenna Shelton •Age: 35 •Town Currently Resides In: Bethalto, Illinois •Major: BA in Human Services with a minor in Psychology •What Jenna Has To Say… “I feel like I have been offered a wonderful opportunity being able to be on this board two years in a row. Having the ability to work with these amazing individuals, make these connections, and

L&C’s SGA 20/21 Promotion Director, WLCA Radio Station Samantha Bauer •Age: 19 •Town Currently Resides In: Hamel, Illinois •Major: Radio Broadcasting and Elementary Education •What Sam Has To Say… “I wish to be able to use my skills learned in my degree to start a podcast or speak on air regarding issues I find important to me and things I believe need change in our current world (racism, homophobia, transphobia, etc). As far as education, I wish to help raise children who will be safe and grow up loving themselves as well as others.”

SGA meetings are open to everyone and are being held only on the third Wednesday of each month at 1 p.m. via Zoom due to COVID, contrary to what is posted on the L&C SGA website. Further updates can be found on the SGA Facebook page.

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Nerdology Tests Geek Cred

By Jenna Shelton jshelton@lc.edu

Lewis and Clark Community College’s Student Activities recently partnered with 6 other colleges in an Illinois Community College Student Activities Association (ICCSAA) collaboration to plan virtual programming.

In addition to L&C, the other colleges are Richland College, Lincoln Land Community College, Moraine Valley Community College, Morton College, Joliet Junior College and Oakton Community College.

The first event to be hosted by the collective of colleges was on Wednesday, Sept 2, 2020, at 7 p.m. on Zoom, of course, as it was an event for multiple colleges throughout the entire State of Illinois. It was advertised as an interactive trivia show with audience participation for students who thought they seemed to always know the answers to questions about pop-culture, video games and comic books.

Students were met with what looked like the inside of a bank vault and loud music when joining the Zoom call. They were instructed to keep their cameras and microphones off and to pull the chat feature up as that would be one of the main features of communication while playing, along with Google forms and the occasional opportunity to jump on your camera.

There were three regular rounds in which there would be a Google document form link put in the chatbox and the students would answer the 10 questions for each round. While the rounds were being Page 6

tallied up, there would be quick games played. During this quick game time, Student Activities member and L&C student, Elise Gremli, attempted to correctly guess what phrases were actually Harry Potter spells. Gremli said, “I had so much fun and was so close to winning a few times.

I really wish Lewis and Clark would do more trivia events like this.”.

Nerdology was an event that was created and presented by entertainment company Bass/Schuler, an award-winning agency that represents live, professional music, games, acts, comedy, speakers, novelties and similar events to colleges, festivals and corporate markets since 1999.

L&C Student Government Association Secretary, Milli Carter, said, “Trivia events like this normally have a pretty good turn out and this one was really fun with the different colleges kind of rallying against each other.”. With an attendance of over 50 students all rooting for their own colleges in the chatbox, it was most definitely an exciting night!

Campus News

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6/2/20 7:09 AM

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D

It’s Astounding,

Rocky Horror Tonight 9/25 at Skyview Tomorro&w 9/26

By Alex Johnson amjohnson@lc.edu

It’s not often a box office flop goes on to remain in theaters for 45 years. It’s also not often that a movie will make you laugh, cry, question gender norms, shout “asshole” repeatedly, sing and dance.

In 1975, the box office bomb, The Rocky Horror Picture Show, did what others often don’t.

To celebrate 45 years of debauchery, The Skyview Drive-In, located on classic Route 66 in Litchfield, Ill., will be screening The Rocky Horror Picture Show this weekend.

Originally released Sept. 25, 1975, Skyview is waiting 45 years to the day for their anniversary screening, with night one being on Sept. 25, 2020, at 7 p.m. and a Saturday, Sept. 26, show starting at a more traditional 11:55 p.m.

Part of Rocky Horror’s popularity is the audience participation, which includes specific lines one is supposed to shout at certain points, sing-alongs, costumes, and more. “[The] audience will most certainly participate!”, says Mindy Pastrovich, one

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ONLY

of the four owners of Skyview Drive-In, “We do not have a live action [cast] or host – we have played this (now) four of our five years, and this is the first we’ve been asked! Costumes are encouraged [and] we do visit with patrons as they get in and get settled.”

Pastrovich and the rest of the Skyview crew are Rocky Horror fans, stating “Time Warp of course!” when asked about her favorite song from the film. She also explained they will be taking photos for their Facebook page and giving away “goodies” for participation, so if you plan on attending be sure to wear your tuxedo, corset and fishnets. “Anything from tickets, to posters and popcorn and logo’d apparel” are up for grabs for those who want to get involved in the show, according to Pastrovich.

The Facebook event page for The Rocky Horror Picture Show at Skyview can be found here. Be sure to check Skyview’s main Facebook page regularly for new and classic movies.

Entertainment

Drive-in Drive-in Meeting At the Drive-in: The Pandemic Concert Experience of Billy Strings

By Dillon Neibel dneibel@lc.edu

Billy Strings, the wunderkind acoustic guitarist and singer from Michigan recently put on a show at the Exposition Gardens in Peoria, IL on Saturday, Sept. 18-19.

It’s not really a secret that attending events have been far and few between since the pandemic has started.

Concerts certainly have been victim to this circumstance, so when a talented musician, of whom I only discovered a month or so before everything shut down, announced a show, I decided I’d take the voyage with some fellow brethren. In order to make things safe for the concert to take place, the show was made a drivein.

I knew it would be a different experience as far as concerts go compared to what I was used to, but I gotta say, I could get used to it. The event staff had a lengthy maze set up for the vehicles to get through before getting into the main lot.

Billy Strings “At theDrive-In” event flyer.

They lined cars up with several feet all around each so that people could get out and have their own space.

The rules stated that when outside the vehicle guests were to wear a mask. Staff and security made rounds to enforce the rule, and several reminders over the PA system rang out through the gardens. As to be expected, some people followed the rules a bit better than others, but everyone seemed to be respectful of others’ space and distance.

cades). His style is a fused blend of bluegrass, folk, jam-band and other herbs and spices.

Loudspeakers and large billboard-like screens ran all the way down the lot for the audience. The stage was pretty hard to see from where we were, but with the big screens, it wasn’t bad at all. As a matter of fact, I found myself darting back and forth from screen to stage simply to watch the incredible light show accompanied by an exceptional performance.

The entire show was a rich musical performance for the ages, the type of high-level musicianship that can really justify the journey in a pandemic. Strings played a number of his own tunes such as Dust in a Baggie and Meet Me at the Creek, along with classic country, blues, and bluegrass covers as well as a handful of popular covers. Covers included In Hiding by Pearl Jam, Me and My Uncle by the Grateful Dead, Running on Empty by Jackson Browne and, most surprisingly to me, Circles

by Post Malone.

It was comforting to be able to bring a cooler, chairs and whatever else to a concert, not to mention the relief of not having to trek your way in search of your vehicle after.

Now the music of Strings is something special. His abilities on the acoustic guitar are practically out of this world from a technical stand-point (admittedly I’m not a guitarist, but I have known many and have been a staunch fan and observer for deEntertainment

As “possibly” the best pure modern-day guitarist with such a tight and funky psychedelic sound, I can’t help but fantasize about this man playing with the likes of Les Claypool. Like Claypool, Strings would not be able to play at the caliber he performs at without the accompaniment of such a tight sounding band behind him.

If you haven’t seen or heard Billy Strings I highly suggest you do both, the man shines a bright light on music whether he is playing one of his own songs or any of his left-field covers, this guy has the world at his feet.

I think the drive-in experience overall was different in a really enjoyable way and I would definitely do it again.

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How TikTok and WeChat Was Banned and Unbanned in 48 Hours

On Sept. 18, a press release from the U.S Department of Commerce was released stating TikTok and WeChat were to be banned in the U.S., and not even 72 hours later, everything is pretty much back to normal. What happened?

The press release by Wilbur Ross declared that the apps were to be banned due to security concerns, as they allegedly released data to Mainland China. The apps were to be removed and disabled on app stores on Sept. 20.

Ross stated, “Today’s actions prove once again that President Trump will do everything in his power to guarantee our national security and protect Americans from the threats of the Chinese Communist Party [and] at the President’s direction, we have taken significant action to combat China’s malicious collection of American citizens’ personal data while promoting our national values, democratic rules-based norms, and aggressive enforcement of U.S. laws and regulations.”

WeChat was due to be banned on Sept. 20 and TikTok was to be banned on Nov. 20. The bans were directed at Bytedance and Tencent, which allegedly had connections with the Chinese government.

The actions against TikTok were revoked on Sept.

19, due to the development of Oracle buying a Page 10

stake in TikTok, creating a company called TikTok Global. The company will be owned by Bytedance, Oracle and, strangely enough, Walmart.

WeChat, however, was saved by a federal judge. U.S. District Court Judge Laurel Beeler gave an injunction on Sept. 20 after a lawsuit claimed that the ban would violate the plaintiffs’ First Amendment rights. The reasoning is the fact that WeChat is how a lot of Chinese-Americans communicate with their families from Mainland China.

Beeler said in her decision that, “Certainly the government’s overarching national-security interest is significant. But on this record — while the government has established that China’s activities raise significant national security concerns — it has put in scant little evidence that its effective ban of WeChat for all U.S. users addresses those concerns,” and, “as the plaintiffs point out, there are obvious alternatives to a complete ban, such as barring WeChat from government devices, as Australia has done, or taking other steps to address data security.”

Well, both are practically saved, so I guess the ban was for naught, except getting TikTok partially owned by Walmart and Oracle. Some people argue the ban was partially for political reasons as TikTok’s user base is left-leaning, but we will never know.

Opinion

The Comedian Exodus from California

Graphic by Maria Martinez Nogueda

By Dillon Neibel dneibel@lc.edu

The community of stand-up comedians is scattering as many leave major cities across the U.S. The state hit the hardest by this loss of performance talent is easily California, as a large number of stand-ups reside there so that they can frequent what is essentially the mecca for comics, The Comedy Store.

Because of COVID-19 and the governor’s response, comics are unable to perform in front of a live audience. Many states are allowing shows with reduced crowds and social distancing, some only allowing as little as 15 people. While some comics have tried different methods of virtual shows, many feel like it is not an adequate way to work material without the energy of a crowd.

Joe Rogan has taken his giant following from L.A. to Texas and has already set up and begun producing his largely successful podcast there. Stand-up’s favorite uncle Joey “CoCo” Diaz has ended his eight-year podcast and moved back to his home state of New Jersey. “Reverend” Duncan Trussell has taken his talent and underground cult-like following to a currently undisclosed location. “Rat King” Theo Von is supposed to be leaving Cali as well.

As L.A. stand-up regulars leave, the scene will surely suffer once things do reopen, and a great deal of many other comics have expressed interest in the exodus, as many of them frequent each other’s podcast, and the talks of leaving are on

Opinion

the tip of everyone’s tongue.

New York appears to be going through the same thing, as it is the second-largest home to comedy in the country. Ari Shaffir and others either already have or have vowed to leave the state, while the rest are in consideration of the same.

COVID-19’s response is not the only issue, it is also the fact that these major cities are hotbeds for the virus to spread. Not to mention the chaos from the rioting and looting, which while all the formerly mentioned support the BLM protests, most of them have families to consider, and unfortunately, residents of cities are much more affected by everything happening now.

Other factors include the exponential rise in homelessness in these places and the tent cities that come with it. The cost of living and overcrowding are also hot topics for reasons for the exodus.

I believe that the consensus seems to be that massive cities like L.A. and New York are hit the hardest in times like now and provides extended concern and uncertainty for those who live there. Even in more peaceful times, city living presents its share of struggles, but when it hits the fan, it hits it even harder the bigger the city is.

One has to wonder what the future of stand-up and the legendary Comedy Store will look like in this ever-changing world.

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Top Five Benefits of Fall Story by Ashtyn Britt abritt@lc.edu Illustrations by Moreena Hall

As we leave behind the awful humidity of the Summer and continue into the year to celebrate by far the best season of the year - Fall! I love Fall and the second mid-August hits, I am already looking for pumpkin spice iced coffees and picking up decorations to keep up until Dec. 1. Why do I love Fall so much? Well, I can give a shortlist off the top of my head!

The weather is fantastic!

I hate warm temperatures. There is nothing more gross to me than sweating and humidity frizzing my hair beyond recognition. In the Fall, I do not have these problems! For a few short months, I can enjoy a nice cool breeze outside and a pleasant walk in the afternoon before the dreaded Illinois Winter comes and freezes us all over.

The scenery is always more beautiful in the Fall!

The colors in the leaves make everything so much more beautiful around here. Suddenly, you have gone from a walk in the park to a walk in one of those Parade Magazines that your grandma reads.

It gives perfect opportunities for photo ops and making many treasured memories in a pumpkin patch!

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Opinion

Pumpkin spice everything!

Yes, I am one of those people who are obsessed with pumpkin spice. Pumpkin spice cookies, bread, coffee, Oreos, chapstick, just bring it all on! I have no shame in it and have big plans to be around as many pumpkins and pumpkin spice things as humanly possible this year. 2020 has been hard for us all, and I have earned not having to hide pumpkin spice as my not-so-guilty pleasure!

Fall Semester!

There is nothing better than the feeling you get returning to school (or in this year’s case, Zoom) and seeing your friends along with learning new skills in your classes! This is especially nice when daylight saving’s time comes and we get another hour to sleep before a big test!

Halloween!

The real reason for the season, whether it be to dress up and collect candy corn, or watch Tim Burton movies until you pass out, Halloween is by far the best part of Fall. I love the spooky movies, seeing everyone in costumes, the haunted houses, all of it! There is nothing that raises my spirits more than how everyone in October can bond over the fun of Halloween together.

Opinion

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fight, so close that in his first defense he gave Holloway a rematch in July. That fight was even closer than the first, and many believe that Holloway won the fight.

The Champ has a good argument for wanting a new opponent since he beat Holloway twice on the judge’s scorecards, but given how close the fight was and the fact that Holloway is the most dominant champ this division has seen, a third bout is not the craziest idea.

Graphic by Anthony Brown

A Continued Breakdown of the UFC Divisions

By Dillon Neibel dneibel@lc.edu In my first and previous article dubbed Ultimate Updates, I broke down what was happening in each division from Heavyweight down to Lightweight. I will continue to move down the divisions in this article starting with Featherweight.

Featherweight (145lbs):

Who would Volkanovski face if not Holloway? Well, the always exciting and ridiculous striker Zabit Magomedsharipov has been running through this division since he first arrived in the UFC. In just a few weekends, former title challenger and #2 ranked veteran Brian “T-City” Ortega will fight “The Korean Zombie” Chan Sung Jung, in a highly anticipated fight night main event that could give either man the title shot.

Yair “El Pantera” Rodriguez and rising dark horse Calvin Kattar are certainly in the running as well. Personally, I am looking for #12 ranked Ryan “The Wizard” Hall to get his chance once again inside the octagon, as his Jiu-Jitsu abilities are some of the most astounding we have ever seen. It is not a secret either that the UFC is simply having a hard time finding someone willing to fight this grappling expert.

Bantamweight (135lbs):

Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski and Max “Blessed” Holloway.

What is next for Featherweight? It is a fair question that fight fans have yet to be given an answer for, as current champion Alexander “The Great” Volkanovski seeks his next opponent.

Volkanovski won the belt last December to longtime champ Max “Blessed” Holloway in a highly contested close Page 14

Since the recent and unexpected retirement of two-division champ and Olympic gold medalist “Triple C” Henry Cejudo, this division has crowned a new king in Petr “No Mercy” Yan. Yan beat the legend, Jose Aldo, in convincing fashion for the vacant belt, but has yet to be tested with a first defense.

A number of contenders come to mind, but many believe that given his recent streak, Aljamain “Funk Master” Sterling should have been the guy facing Yan for the vacant title in the first place.

Conor McGregor vs. Nate Diaz.

“Magic” Marlon Moraes has been itching for another title shot, along with the recently returned Cody “No Love” Garbrandt who is coming off one of the best BUZZER BEATER walk-off knockouts I have ever seen. However, it appears that Garbrandt has plans to move down a weight class to pursue that belt.

Flyweight (125lbs):

Deiveson Figueiredo This division has seen some of the most talented fighters and champions on paper, but it has never quite caught the buzz that heavier divisions get. So when Cejudo vacated this belt as well, it gave the division room to grow.

The young and tough powerhouse Deiveson “Deus Da Guerra” Figueiredo was given a shot for the belt against the skilled veteran Joseph Benavidez, and due to not qualifying because of weight, had to fight Benavidez twice.

Both times Figueiredo KO’d the veteran, and therefore, now holds the crown of the men’s smallest division in UFC. Other than Garbrandt moving down to this division for a title shot, not much can be said right now. Hopefully, more talent will start to rise and shine to give these men the competition they deserve.

Sports

Lef Rig

Women’s Featherweight (145lbs): At one time this division was the buzz I can only think of one other fight as of of women’s MMA, and while many fighters could make a resurgence, most have been beaten by the GWOAT Nunes. Former Bantamweight victims include Ronda “Rowdy” Rousey, Miesha “Cupcake” Tate, Holly “The Preacher’s Daughter” Holm, Germaine “The Iron Lady” De Randamie and many others.

ft: Amanda Nunes and her championship belts. ght: Amanda Nunes vs. Ronda Rousey.

Second-home to the queen of MMA and the largest women’s division in the UFC, the Women’s Featherweight division has been pretty much all but wiped out by the greatest women of all time (GWOAT) Amanda “The Lioness” Nunes.

As one of only four double champions in the UFC’s history and the only woman to do so, Nunes is in a class all her own. After taking the belt from long-time champ Cris Cyborg in incredible fashion, Nunes focused on defending her Bantamweight belt while the talent grew here.

Over the summer, Nunes made her first defense of this belt against Felcia “FeeNom” Spencer, and put on one of the most dominating championship performances in recent history. Not only did Nunes prove that she had the cardio to go the distance, but she proved that she could dictate the fight in any direction she wanted.

The only real contender left in this division is Megan Anderson, who has already lost to Spencer, but supposedly this fight is in the works for later this year. Nunes has expressed interest in taking time off as her partner is pregnant with their child.

Women’s Bantamweight (135lbs):

Much like the 145lb division, Women’s Bantamweight has been conquered by Nunes.

Sports

now that could be the fight of the year, but I put my money on this one. In one of the most back and forth slugfests ever, the champion Zhang won by split decision. With over 300 strikes thrown in the first two rounds alone, it was one of the most technical displays of striking we have seen.

Three women that could earn a title shot that have not yet had one are Aspen Ladd, Irene Aldana and Julianna “The Venezuelan Vixen” Pena.

Women’s Flyweight (125lbs):

Another queen sits on top of an entire division’s mountain, and that woman is Valentina “Bullet” Shevchenko.

Like Nunes, Shevchenko has basically run through the talent of this division. As a matter of fact, before moving down to Flyweight, she and Nunes fought twice in Bantamweight, both fights seeing Nunes victorious.

With three successful title defenses and a who’s who list of victims behind her, it will be interesting to see who the UFC puts up against her in the future.

Shevchenko was supposed to fight Joanne “Jojo” Calderwood over the summer, but due to injuries and travel restrictions that fight has yet to happen.

Joanna Jedrzejczyk, left, and Weili Zhang, right, before and after an explosive fight.

Being such a close fight, talk of a rematch is still buzzing, but it appears we might see the champ face another former champ in “Thug” Rose Namajunas who recently redeemed a loss against Jessica “Bate Estaca” Andrade.

How talented is this division? Well, Namajunas was the one to dethrone 5-time defending champ Jedrzejczyk, before losing her belt to Andrade in her 2nd defense, who lost to Zhang in her 1st defense.

I have yet to mention any of the other

Women’s Strawweight (115lbs): great talents from this division, which Unlike the other women’s weight classes this division is stacked with hungry talent and might be one of the most exciting divisions in the sport right now.

includes Tatiana Suarez, Nin Ansaroff, Carla “Cookie Monster” Esparza, Claudia “Claudinha” Gadelha and many others.

First, let’s talk about the last time the belt was put on the line.

Recently #8 ranked Michelle “The Karate Hottie” Waterson fought #13 ranked Angela “Overkill” Hill in a hellacious battle that ended in a split decision victory for Waterson. This was a fight proving once again why these women are worth watching.

It was March 7, 2020, right before the world shutdown from the pandemic, and it was the eve of international women’s day. First Chinese UFC champion Weili “Magnum” Zhang fought former longtime champ Joanna Jedrzejczyk in one of the best fights of all time and undoubtedly the greatest women’s fight of all time.

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Fabulous Fabulous

FabFitFun is Here to Make You Feel Fabulous!

By Ashtyn Britt abritt@lc.edu

I think it’s safe to say that I enjoy a good mystery box. However, what if it wasn’t always a mystery? What if there was a box that you could actually customize to your specific tastes and receive items worth over $200 dollars overall from great companies that seem almost too good to be true? Well, luckily for you all, such a subscription box already exists! It’s called a FabFitFun Box, and it’s an amazing 4-time-ayear subscription you can’t afford to miss out on!

The Customizable Fall 2020 FabFitFun Box to Start your Fall off Fabulously!

I first signed up with FabFitFun for their Seasonal Winter 2019 box, and absolutely fell in love with all the products I received, and knew I would be a repeat customer for many boxes to come!

FabFitFun offers two types of subscriptions, either the Select Membership, which pre-pays for an entire year of FabFitFun boxes at a discount or the Seasonal Membership which charges you four times a year for each box. I personally chose the Seasonal Membership, which allows me to customize three of the items in order to have items for a fact I know I truly want. Even if they have a box I don’t seem to be super into, all I have to do is ask to skip that box and they won’t charge me! I love this subscription, and highly recommend it to anybody who wants a fabulous experience with some great options!

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In my Seasonal Fall 2020 box specifically, I received the FOXYBAE 25mm Black Curling Wand with Rose Gold Colored Barrel retailed at $99, the SOIA & KYO Woven Scarf with Fringe retailed at $85, the Nectar Sunglasses Blue Light Blocking Glasses in Brown Tortoise retailed at $45, the SKIN&Co Roma Truffle Therapy Whipped Cleansing Cream retailed at $28, the Harper + Ari Exfoliating Sugar Cubes in Juice Cleanse retailed at $16, the Laundress Crease Release Spray retailed at $23, the Hythe Lavender Sleeping Mist retailed at $23, and the Beauty Crop Glow Milk in the shade First Date retailed at $23. However, instead of paying almost $350 for all of these luxurious items, I only paid $50!

The Beauty Crop Glow Milk (packaging left, swatch right) in the shade First Date as included in the Fall 2020 FabFitFun Box FabFitFun was more than worth every penny, and I look forward to receiving their boxes in the future as well! I’ve also provided a promo code for any readers interested in trying FabFitFun for themselves and getting $15 dollars off, so you only have to pay $35 for an amazing FabFitFun experience! Happy shopping!

Use special Promo Code, ks-mev62 , to get $15 dollars off your first FabFitFun box!

Product Reviews

s

The Vermillion Sky A Serial Adventure Story - Part 1

By Andrew Agney aagney@lc.edu

Ciel runs out of her apartment, slipping on her witch’s cloak over her pink dress as she bursts through the front door of the complex. Squinting her yellow eyes as the sun hurts them and burns her bright red scales, the small dragonchild pulling up the hood of her cloak to protect herself.

you wearing that silly cloak over your dress?

It clashes horribly,” the librarian complains, overexaggerated distress in her voice.

“It’s my witch cloak…also it helps with the sun,” Ciel groans and makes her way over to the romance section, her tail dragging along the ground behind her and the elven librarian “I’ll be right back guys! There’s a magic following. Once they reach their destination emergency!” Ciel calls into the apartment in the darkened romance section, Ciel reachcomplex, getting a chorus of farewells from a es into the pocket of her cloak and pulls out a large group of other dragonchildren, before folded slip of paper, kneeling down to place she closes the door and sprints off down the it on the ground and unfold it. sidewalk. Running full speed down the road, the small red dragon dodging the denizens “What are you doing you silly little dragon? of the city, dodging under a sheet of glass Just cast a light spell,” Firblossom demands, carried by two elves, leaping over a sleep- giving a soft, annoyed huff. ing dwarf and making a quick stop to buy an emerald necklace from a gnome jeweler, be- Ciel rolls her eyes and taps her clawed finfore she finally reaches her destination: The ger against the paper, a bright source of light Library. coming from the paper and illuminating the room. “I can’t produce magic naturally...I do Walking in, Ciel approaches the elven li- it by writing the magic sigils on paper as a brarian. “I got your emergency message Ms. proxy,” the red dragon-like creature explains.

Firblossom! What’s the problem?” she asks, struggling to look over the front desk.

The librarian bursts out laughing at this explanation “Honey, you want to be a witch...yet “Oh! Ciel, thank you for coming. The lights you can’t even make your own magic? You’ll are out in the romance section,” the librarian never make it in witch school!.” explains simply, filing her nails.

Ciel puffs her cheeks out and pouts in anCiel frowns, her demeanor deflating. “That’s ger. “I”ll have you know-” but stops herself it? That’s your magic emergency?” she asks, from finishing that thought as a look of realdisappointment and a slight whine in her ization comes across her face “Wait...witch voice. school...I’m late for class!” she yells out before rushing out of the library.

“Of course it’s an emergency! How are people going to buy all the juicy new stories and books if they can’t see? Also, why are

TO BE CONTINUED

Serial Stories

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Check TheLCBridge.com for the answer keys.

Cartoons and Games

Cartoons and Games

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Cartoons and Games

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Thank you for reading The Bridge.