MONTAGE
The
Serving the St. Louis Community College - Meramec community since 1964 • ACP Award Recipient VOLUME 57, ISSUE 3
NOV. 4, 2021
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STLCC publishes annual security report
Analyzing the crime data from the Meramec Campus with Professor Ruth Eilerman Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR
Saint Louis Community College (STLCC) recently published its 2021 Security and Fire Safety Report. This report, published in accordance with the Clery Act of 1990, details the statistics of all crimes and incidents reported that are associated with the college over the previous three years; the 2021 report details data for 20182020. The 155-page report has crime and incident statistics that cover every single STLCC campus; specific data relating to the Meramec Campus can be found on pages 108-119 of the report. Mostly due to the pandemic forcing the majority of classes off campus for nearly nine months of the year, crime data for the 2020 year is non-existent on the Meramec campus. The Clery Act was enacted four years after the brutal rape and murder of Jeanne Clery in her dorm on the campus of Lehigh University in 1986. The university had tried to hide the incident, and more than three dozen other violent crimes from the surrounding community. Since it’s passage into law, the Clery Act requires colleges and universities to report campus crime data by Oct. 1 of each year, support victims of violence, and publicly outline the policies and procedures they have put into place to improve campus safety. Professor Ruth Eilerman has worked at the college as a Criminal Justice instructor since 2007. She also had a previous background in law enforcement, working mostly in the corrections field in the St. Louis and Denver areas. “There’s a lot more requirements on colleges now to report crime,”
The annual security report showcases various tables, such as the one above, to indicate that STLCC-Meramec did not have any reported crime instances during 2020.
Eilerman said. “They used to be kind of be able to be autonomous on how they handled incidents on campus. It was in their best interest to downplay crime, because it made parents feel better about sending their kids there. Colleges now have to report crime on their campuses in a way they didn’t before.” She continued, “We can’t really just pretend that things aren’t happening here, we can’t sweep things under the rug. If there are crimes going on, as long as the students are reporting it, then it is showing up in official data. But if it’s small petty crimes, then there’s a good chance that students don’t report things.” Within her classes, Eilerman often talks about what f a c t o r s may play a part in the commission of a crime, and why some crimes may not necessarily be reported. Despite the data not s h o w i n g much of any kind of crime, Eilerman said that the lack of data isn’t an indicator that Photo by: JACOB POLITTE the campus is Pictured above: Professor Ruth Eilerman teaches “Crime Prevention” totally crime on the Meramec Campus.
free. “I’m sure that there’s some larceny that goes unreported,” she said. “If I had to guess, that would be it. I don’t think that violent crime goes
years. Last year when “The Montage” spoke with her about the 2020 Security Report, she attributed the relatively low crime numbers to a lack of student
“Colleges now have to report crime on their campuses in a way they didn’t before.” Ruth Eilerman Professor, Criminal Justice
unreported here.” To elaborate further, Eilerman pointed to a hypothetical example that she talked about last year. “I think that if I go out and my car’s unlocked in the parking lot and something’s missing, I may not report that.” She said that students may not necessarily feel like it was a big deal, or that the loss might not have been big enough. “Usually, it’s because the dollar amount isn’t very high,” she said. “And they don’t feel like it’s enough [...] of a problem.” She also reiterated that STLCC employs post-certified police officers at all of their campuses. “I’m sure some people here don’t know that we have actual police officers,” Eilerman said. “Some people just may not know where to go with it, and then they just don’t bother.” Still, campus crime rates at Meramec appear to be relatively low over the
housing for STLCC, among other factors. This is a belief she still holds. “This is also a low-crime area,” Eilerman said. “The biggest thing is that [students] don’t have drinking parties here, and that you guys leave when you’re done. Just [the Meramec campus] being a commuter campus makes a gigantically big difference.” When speaking about the lack of data, Eilerman said the absence of the majority of students on campus during the first year and a half of the COVID-19 pandemic is a large contributor. “There wasn’t anybody here last year,” she said. “So there weren’t really any potential victims, there weren’t big targets here.” The full report is available to view and to download on the STLCC website. You can also request a paper copy from STLCC’s Security Department located at the Corporate Campus in Bridgeton, or by calling (314) 539-5199.
2 NEWS
Nov. 4, 2021
Missouri’s Second Congressional District faces upcoming race
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MAX WILSON STAFF
n Nov. 8, 2022, voters in Missouri’s second congressional district will be tasked with voting for their next U.S. representative. Currently, there are three democratic candidates and two republican candidates. Rep. Ann Wagner (R) has held the seat since 2013. The Montage interviewed one of the democratic candidates, Missouri state representative Trish Gunby (D) about the race and why she is running for office. Representative Wagner’s office did not respond to more than five separate requests for comment. Rep. Gunby said that she is running for office because she doesn’t “feel like I’m being represented in this congressional district. We’ve (the constituents) have asked for more from (Rep. Wagner) over the years in terms of town halls and trying to understand her votes and positions on certain issues,” she said. Gunby said that she feels her experiences as a state representative allows her to “bring a voice that is more in keeping with what I think the beliefs are in the second congressional district,” she said. On legislative policy issues, Wagner and Gunby are often on opposing sides. According to Representative Wagner’s official website, Wagner opposes abortion. “Protecting the unborn is one of my most precious duties as a member of Congress,” the page reads. It continues, “I believe that life from conception to natural death is our greatest gift.” Gunby is on the opposite side of the issue. “On the abortion issue, we are not on the same page,” said Gunby. “If you had told me 40 some
odd years ago...that we would actually be moving backward, as Texas has, as Missouri has, and other states are doing...I would not have believed that,” she said. “...reproductive health is between that person, their healthcare provider and their partner, and the government should not be involved.” Gunby said that she is seeing a shift in political views and policies. “We are seeing a shift. That is not a shift in terms of Republicans. That is, I believe, where we are as a society. And by that I mean, young people, who Rep. Trish Gunby (D) Rep. ANN WAGNER (R) are much more welcoming to lots of different individuals..in terms of in the middle, and who are looking at both parties ethnicity, orientation..welcoming to immigration,” and candidates, I believe that I’m forward thinking said Gunby. in my positions.” Wagner’s official website listed immigration as one Gunby said she represents everyone in her district. of her key concerns. “I advocate for fixing our broken “We may not always agree, but I still am open to immigration system to make our country safe, secure hearing your position,” she said. and prosperous. I believe in strong border security,” The primary election will be held on Aug. 2, 2022, the website reads. and the general election will be held on Nov. 8, 2022. Gunby said her position is more forward thinking. Missouri residents can go to the Secretary of State’s “Republicans are not advancing those belief website to confirm their voter registration, register to systems,” Gunby said, referring to issues such as vote, and find more information about voting laws climate change and immigration. “For folks who are and upcoming elections.
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NEWS 3
Nov. 4, 2021
STAFF JACOB POLITTE MANAGING EDITOR
COVID-19 at STLCC
Recorded campus positivite cases on the decline
MARIAH DOVER STAFF GENEVA LEE STAFF DEVYN LEJEUNE STAFF JERRID ROLFE STAFF ADELAINE TUDOR STAFF MAX WILSON STAFF
Shannon Philpott-Sanders Faculty Adviser
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GENEVA LEE STAFF
aint Louis Community College has 11 known active COVID-19 cases across its campuses as of Oct. 23, 2021. This is down from this year’s high early this semester of 21 cases, but up from a low of zero this spring, reflective of the
delta variant surge. Slightly more than half of Saint Louis County residents are vaccinated, even though all evidence shows that the vaccines are safe and extremely effective at preventing infection and death. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends vaccinations for all persons above the age of 12. Saint Louis County and City both have mandated masks in public
indoor spaces—due to the scientific consensus that mask wearing reduces transmission of COVID-19 and saves lives—which includes Saint Louis Community College campuses. A Washington University study released in September showed that public health orders issued by the city and county saved thousands of lives, according to the St. Louis PostDispatch.
11
Known Active Cases at STLCC
(STLCC Website)
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55.5%
St. Louis County
Percent of St. Louis County Residents who are Fully Vaccinated
63.1%
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Percent of St. Louis County Residents who have at least one dose (CovidActNow)
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THE MONTAGE To place an advertisement, contact the advertising manager for rates, sample issues, etc., at 314-984-7857. Editorial views expressed or content contained in this publication are not necessarily the views of St. Louis Community College, the Board of Trustees or the administration. The Montage is a student publication produced seven times per semester at St. Louis Community College - Meramec, 11333 Big Bend Blvd., Kirkwood, Mo., 63122. One copy of The Montage is free of charge. Up to 10 additional copies available, $1 each, at the office of The Montage, SC 220. Bulk purchases may be arranged with circulation manager. Editorial policy: All letters should be no longer than 500 words and must include identification as a student or faculty member, phone number and address for verification purposes. Phone numbers and addresses will not be published. All letters are subject to editing for content and length. All letters submitted will be published in print and online.
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755,782
Reported deaths from Covid-19 mRNA Vaccinations (JAMA)
Reported deaths from Covid-19 in the U.S. as of October 23, 2021 (Worldometer)
NEWS BRIEFS Fall Play Nov. 19-21 The Meramec Theatre presents its next performance both in-person and online Nov. 19-21. “All in the Timing” features three short plays by David Ives, and is directed by Meramec’s own J. Michelle Rebollo. When: Nov. 19 and 20, 7:30 p.m. & Nov. 21, 2 p.m. Where: Humanities West 102 or online International Education Week The Global Studies and International Education Committee has put together three virtual and two on-campus
events for International Education Week, Nov. 15-19. Mark your calendar and plan to attend the events below at the Meramec campus. Monday, Nov. 15 10-10:50 a.m. Globalizing Curriculum (virtual) Noon-12:50 p.m. Japanese Calligraphy Tuesday, Nov. 16 11 a.m.-12:15 p.m. Japanese Aesthetics of Language and Art (virtual) Wednesday, Nov. 17 10-10:50 a.m. One Dude’s Journey to Japan (virtual)
Wednesday, Nov. 17 11-11:50 a.m. Our Culture, Our World Explore more at events.stlcc.edu/IEW PTK is Collect Donations Meramec’s Phi Theta Kappa Honor Society is having a donation drive for a local psychiatric hospital. Acceptable items include books, puzzles, games, stickers, craft items, stress balls, notebooks and playing cards. Donations can be dropped off at the Meramec Campus Life office in the Student Center until Dec. 10.
4 ART & LIFE
Nov. 4, 2021
Club Spotlight: Theatre Club
After being put on hold during the pandemic, the Theatre Club is ‘reborn’ JERRID ROLFE STAFF WRITER
I
n the year and a half of virtual semesters, nearly all of the clubs and extracurriculars at Meramec were forced to shut down. However, this semester has seen the rebirth of many of those programs, such as the Theatre Club. The plan to restart the Theatre Club began last summer when the current President, Alexis Hoffman, reached out to the Theatre Department chair and Club Advisor Professor Michelle Rebollo. However, it wasn’t an easy process. The first few weeks of the Fall 2021 semester came and went before the Theatre Club finally began to take shape and regain membership. As Rebollo explained, “We had lost a lot of our leadership, and students had graduated and moved on … we were starting from zero, from scratch.” However, now that the club officers have been elected, Rebollo and the club’s leadership is ready to dive into the primary focus of the club, assisting Meramec’s theatre program. “We will be producing work in person,” said Rebollo. “We’re in the process of being in rehearsal for three short comic plays and we’ll be performing them and presenting them in HW 102 in the choir room.” The two other pillars of Theatre Club, Rebollo explained, are service and community. In the past,
Office of Admission 470 East Lockwood Avenue St. Louis, Missouri 63119
the club would often visit the Forest Park and Flo Valley Theatre Programs, but, due to the restrictions on travel this semester, the club hasn’t been able to. “We’ve had to think outside the box in terms of
what we’re doing on campus,” said Rebollo. Hoffman explained that the club’s members come from a wide background of experience.
“We have some people who have a whole lot of knowledge of how theatre works, how the Meramec Program works … [We also have] a few people who are brand new,” Hoffman said. “They haven’t done anything yet and they wanted to see how it works.” The theatre program at Meramec has also been hindered due to the collapse of the stage last April, and have instead used the choir room for rehearsals. Professor Rebollo stated that, “If we’re lucky we’ll be able to use the stage in the coming fall of 2022, but there are no guarantees.” In spite of the setbacks, the Theatre Club has plenty of plans for its remaining meetings this semester, such as working with an improv instructor, reading and analyzing a script, practicing audition and cold reading techniques, as well as work with props and costumes. The Theatre Club meets twice a month on Fridays from 1:00-2:00 in the Humanities West Green Room. Hoffman offered an open invitation to anyone interested in theatre, “from an acting standpoint, from a technical standpoint, or to watch theatre.” Their remaining meetings are on November 5th and 19th, as well as December 3rd. Anyone who is interested in joining the Theatre Club or learning more about the Theatre program can contact Michelle Rebollo at mrebollo@stlcc.edu or Alexis Hoffman at ahoffman61@my.stlcc.edu.
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Nov. 4, 2021
ART & LIFE 5
Diving In and Streamlining
A behind-the-scenes look at the new vice president of student engagement GENEVA LEE STAFF
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any students do not realize that there is an immense amount of work behind the scenes at Meramec. There is a huge team of faculty, people who work to make things straightforward and supportive, so that when life happens, the hardest part of school is the material on the tests. And who makes sure there are clubs, groups, and activities that allow students to get career experience or pursue a fun hobby or side passion? Dr. April Johnson is the new Vice President of Student Engagement and is doing the most to make school easy and fun. Dr. Johnson just joined STLCC Meramec this semester, moving here from her previous job at Bowie State University in Maryland. She has her doctorate in education and nearly 20 years of experience in higher education at four year, community, and HBCU schools, according to STLCC. Even with these achievements, Dr. Johnson never intended to be a vice president. “But all of my mentors and supervisors were...saying I’d make a great one, (and) when my last mentor retired, I ended up being the interim VP for Student Affairs,” said Dr. Johnson. When she saw a posting here at Meramec, Dr. Johnson recalled modestly, “I said, you know, maybe I could do this.” Dr. Johnson started this job in the thick of the age of the delta variant and medical misinformation. As social distancing is still necessary to protect people’s health, engagement remains difficult and unfamiliar. Dr. Johnson said that the “number one [challenge is] getting all the students back on campus and getting
them engaged right now. We’re finding a lot of students are navigating the whole coming off of virtual for a whole
experience program—which could also include a first year experience course—[and] revamp our new student orientation to make sure it aligns with national standards,” to name a few. Essentially, Dr. Johnson said she is “making sure that our students are engaged and that we are providing quality curricular programs and activities for our students to help them feel engaged and connected to the college.” To achieve these goals, Dr. Johnson e m p h a t i c a l l y highlighted the need for streamlining and creating standard protocols within the entire STLCC community. “My charge when I got here was to create a comprehensive student life district wide,” Johnson said. “Right now, I’m focused on how people are doing things, creating procedures to make it Submitted photo all the same… [and] my job as a supervisor is to clear the way so my year, [and are] getting their feet wet on staff can do their job, which in turn, a college campus.” greatly supports our students.” Dr. Johnson explained that she She has helped support her staff in must carefully do “the work of a number of ways, perhaps the most getting everyone back into clubs and important of which is listening. [organizations]…[and] navigating the “Just simply...taking the time to guidelines and procedures around have conversations with the campus what to do if you are exposed to life staff and the student affairs staff someone who tests positive… any day, here on the Meramec campus, to listen someone could get exposed, and we to their needs, to get to know them, to gotta shut down.” get to talk about ideas that they’ve had But the core of her mission is the for years and wanted to implement same, virus or no virus. and being to actually build cohesive Her priorities are “to create this team and empower them,” is key, Dr. comprehensive, cohesive culture Johnson says. campus-wide, build a robust peer She explained how she had the mentoring program and a first year people in charge of the school budget
come in to talk to her office, to help facilitate transparency, and she was flooded with thank yous. “No one had ever shown them how the budget worked, how we got our money,” she said. “And some of them had been working here for over 15 years.” With this knowledge and transparency, staff are better equipped to use their budgets efficiently and effectively. Dr. Johnson also aims to “clean up” the operations of student groups and clubs: the current dearth of standardization creates complexity and confusion. “This past semester, all of the student clubs and [organizations] went through a district-wide training,” she said. “And everyone is on the same page about how they can submit budget requests to get money, [and we’re] cleaning up travel policies and fundraising policies.” Dr. Johnson is working to have all of the forms regarding policies and procedures on one easy-to-access website. “My goal is to have all of this stuff in place,” she said, “[to] build the foundation, by the end of the semester.” Upon this foundation, Dr. Johnson hopes to build an even richer campus life. For example, she excitedly shared that “starting in January, every campus life office is going to set up programs to celebrate the diversity on campus, celebrating all students, all faculty, on campus.” This vision, this excitement and passion, all stems from one place, as Dr. Johnson explained. “My spirituality is very important,” she said. “It is who I am, it guides everything that I do, my thinking, my actions.” As she helps the school build a foundation, Dr. Johnson is setting up her new life here. When asked about what she has liked about Saint Louis, Dr. Johnson remarked, “I’ve enjoyed the BBQ,” but in terms of sightseeing, as she’s only been here 90 days, “I haven’t gone anywhere!” If any students have suggestions for faculty engagement with the city, make sure to contact the VP of student engagement.
MERAMEC FALL BLOOD DRIVE FRIDAY, NOV. 12; 9am-2pm STUDENT CENTER ROOM 201
6 ART & LIFE
Nov. 4, 2021
‘No Time To Die’ but plenty of time to reminisce
Daniel Craig’s final outing as James Bond takes a long trip down memory lane
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Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR
No Time To Die” is a definitive end to Daniel Craig’s time playing the iconic 007 agent, and at the risk of spoiling things, it’s also kind of a lie. At 163 minutes, there is plenty of time for Craig’s version of James Bond to find enough closure to end his story for good. And end for good it does; the final few minutes of the film make sure of that. Craig has been one of the better Bonds, but you could tell that he’s been tired of the role for awhile. Not to mention, he gets injured filming every single Bond movie. Daniel Craig is 53 years old now, and while that’s not old, he’s probably not stoked about a role that can be so physically demanding at times. 2012’s “Skyfall” would have been the best note to end things on looking back on based on its emotional climax, but “No Time To Die” does a better job closing the book on this era of Bond, and finally frees Craig up to move on to different projects that he can be more invested in. The last three films showed Craig’s Bond dealing with a world that seems
to be moving on quite fast without him, and the films should be commended for not being afraid to show Bond’s age. He has been a shell of himself for quite
have hardened his emotions even more. He’s been through and seen so much, and even James Bond can’t shake the test of time.
awhile; arguably, since the opening events of “Skyfall.” His womanizing days seem to be rather far behind him, and the years since the death of “M” (Judi Dench) at his childhood home
The end of “Spectre” saw him finally walk away from the MI6 agency, and while “No Time To Die” shows that his exit wasn’t exactly a clean one, his retirement has actually stuck this time.
Five years have passed since the end of “Spectre” and Bond finds himself living out the remainder of his days (at that point) lounging in Jamaica. He’s no longer Agent 007; a female agent (Lashana Lynch) has taken his place. He’s pulled back into the MI6 orbit by an old friend. CIA Agent Felix Leiter (Jeffery Wright) alerts Bond to the abduction of an MI6 scientist who was developing a bioweapon that specifically targets the DNA of any particular individual. Bond is hesitant at first, but eventually agrees, leading to the crux of his final mission. Along the way, there are plenty of cameos and callbacks to characters and plot-lines from years past. At times, the movie can feel slightly bloated, as there is a lot of ground to cover. However, everyone does a great job with the role they’re given to play, especially Rami Malek, who plays the movie’s main antagonist. There is also another plotline that is rather surprising, but does add a lot to the emotional aspect of the film as well its sense of finality. Is it the ending for Daniel Craig’s James Bond that anyone expected, or even hoped for? Probably not. But it is definitive, and it is emotionally satisfying.
In ‘True Colors,’ choices matter
The fourth ‘Life Is Strange’ game finally delivers on a promise made years ago
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Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR
he “Life Is Strange” video game series has always been one that has so much promise but often stumbles when trying to fulfill its overall potential. It’s essentially a choose-your-ownadventure novel in video game form, where the main promotion of the game centers around a basic premise: The choices you make with your actions or words often have an impact on the direction that the story takes. Visually appealing graphics and great story foundation have often been overshadowed by lame dialogue and the fact that at the end of the day, your choices often don’t feel like they matter all that much. The first game in the series, the original “Life Is Strange” that was released back in 2015, suffered greatly from this type of critique. The subsequent games “Life Is Strange: Before The Storm” and “Life Is Strange 2” improved upon the criticisms slightly, but never felt like they went far enough. “Life Is Strange: True Colors” finally delivers on that front, while incorporating new elements to help take the series in a much more engaging direction. One of those new elements is an open-world environment, where you can freely explore most of the town and choose who to befriend. Other games
in the series had large environments, but they often felt dull and constricting in a way that “True Colors” avoids. While these friendships and
games often have a supernatural ability to help control the events of the game around them. The new main character is Alex Chen, a young woman who can
relationships are largely optional, they have the potential to either help or hurt you in the game’s final act. Main characters in “Life Is Strange”
experience and potentially manipulate the emotions of the people around her. It’s not quite the ability to control time like Max Caufield had, or the telekinetic
abilities that Daniel Diaz had, but it helps keep this game more grounded in reality than the others, which helps it greatly. The game takes on the mystery element of the first game, but that particular aspect is more grounded in reality than the first game. As it turns out, unraveling a conspiracy is just as compelling as manipulating and ripping a hole in the space-time continuum. While there are small tie-in’s to the previous games, this installment is largely allowed to stand on its own, and that helps it stand out. It also helps that unlike all of the other “Life Is Strange” games, this game was released in its entirety all at once; typically, “Life Is Strange” games are released over a period of a year or more. “True Colors” maintains the episodic format to keep that charm from the other games, but having all the episodes available at once really helps to keep the player invested. With better writing, a really good story and choices that feel like they actually have lasting consequences, “Life Is Strange: True Colors” absolutely excels with its presentation in a way that other entries in the series have failed to measure up to. When the dust settles and enough time goes by this may prove to be the best entry in the series.
OPINIONS 7
Nov. 4, 2021
Might as Well Never Leave My House
Public Transit Woes in Saint Louis GENEVA LEE NEWS editor
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Hole!” “Hole!” “Holes!” I was cycling tonight with my Monday bike group, and throughout the entire ride, people cried warnings and pointed to potholes. Last week, I spent an hour and a half on the MetroLink, bus and walking instead of driving 15 minutes home from the airport. The only way that anyone can reasonably get around Saint Louis is by car, unless they live next to a MetroLink stop and only go to Lambert and baseball games. This isn’t just a pet peeve: Saint Louis has some of the worst public transit among major cities in the U.S. according to KMOV, and it has a profoundly negative effect on Saint Louisans’ lives. Driving in personal vehicles is expensive — the average American spends over $5,000 annually on car insurance, repairs, and gas; let alone the cost of purchasing a car. This renders cars cost-prohibitive for many people, especially in a city where one in five people live in poverty, according to the U.S. Census Bureau’s 2019 estimates. And in cities without robust public transit systems, long commutes can make it impossible for people to work outside of their immediate vicinity. Getting off at 5:00 p.m. then taking the bus for two hours isn’t an option when the kids need to be picked up from the babysitter. Public transit is also a matter of racial equity: The Pew Research Center found that Black and Hispanic people are thrice and twice, respectively, as likely as white people to use public transit daily. In St. Louis, Saint Louis Public
Radio (STLPR) reported that Black Indigenous People of Color (BIPOC) are exposed to much higher levels of carcinogenic air pollution, with the highest exposure in neighborhoods along I-64 and I-70, as most of the air pollution is emitted by vehicles. And lower socioeconomic individuals, who are disproportionately BIPOC, tend to drive older, less fuel-efficient cars leading to higher gas bills and
more costly repairs. Long vehicular commutes are also detrimental to well-being and happiness, as the late economist Alan
Krueger found, and they impede productivity — the average daily commute in the U.S. is close to an hour and increasing, according to the U.S. Census Bureau. While travelling by bus or train it is possible to work while seated, but driving a car requires all focus. To boot, cars are terrible for the environment and dangerous. The transportation sector contributes 29% of carbon dioxide emissions in the U.S., according to the EPA, and the Federal Transit Administration reports that cars have about 10 times as many deaths per passenger mile as buses. Cars are deadlier, more polluting, expensive and mind-numbingly boring than buses, trains and bikes. Yet Saint Louis has failed to provide a sound transit system. The Metrolink almost exclusively serves the Central Corridor, and more than one-third of the city and county is more than a mile from the nearest bus stop, according to the Show-Me Institute. Additionally, the Riverfront Times reported that Saint Louis is ranked among the worst cities in America for potholes, which are deadly for cyclists. I am sick of sitting in my car, burning gallon after gallon, staring at the car in front of me on hot pavement. I want to ride on the MetroLink while reading, look out the window while listening to music, talk to another passenger or bike to the store safely. Because right now, the closest Metrolink stop to STLCC-Meramec is six miles away, and the “bike lane” on Clayton Road is just the street with a bike painted in the right lane every few miles, a pretty weak reminder for drivers to not hit and kill me when we’re forced to share a lane. And the godforsaken Loop Trolley System, which is hoping to make a revival, isn’t going to help.
Opinion: Please just get the vaccine
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MAX WILSON STAFF
et the vaccine. I don’t care if you’re young and have no pre-existing conditions. That’s great. Good for you. Get the COVID vaccine anyway. Get it out of spite if you have to. Bribe yourself with a Starbucks drink for after the appointment. Set up appointments for you and your best friend to get vaccinated together. Even though you may be unlikely to get seriously ill, get the damn vaccine. A few weeks ago someone asked me if the only reason I was so passionate about vaccines and mask wearing was because I am high-risk for severe illness and death. VACCINATION SITES AROUND KIRKWOOD: CVS Pharmacy, 1042 S Kirkwood Rd. Walmart Pharmacy, 1202 S Kirkwood Rd. Sam’s Club Pharmacy, 10248 Big Bend Rd. Walgreen’s Pharmacy, 441 N Kirkwood Rd.
Is that a reason? Sure. Yes. Absolutely. How could it not be? I’ve done everything right. I got my first dose of the COVID vaccine literally the same day I became eligible. I got my second dose three weeks later, and, a few weeks ago, I got my booster dose. I switched to online classes because my doctors said it would be too risky for me to be in a face-toface class. I wear a mask. I usually double mask. I wash my hands for 20 seconds after I return, and I try my best to not touch my face. Even something as simple as going out to eat in a restaurant becomes a math problem. If I eat outside, during off-peak hours on a weekday, and the positivity rate is x, and I put my mask on unless I am actively eating or drinking, what is the chance I’ll get infected with COVID and end up on a ventilator? Early on in the pandemic, a common refrain was, “Well, only high-risk people and old people get sick. So it’s fine.” Even though this is untrue—many healthy, young people have gotten sick and died, as well as old, sick people—the implication is there. Does my life matter less because I have a chronic illness? Would my death be an excusable one because I am immunosuppressed? Now, even after I’ve been triple vaccinated, my doctors still warn me to take all precautions. I was on
steroids when I got my vaccines—it’s likely that my immune system didn’t generate enough antibodies to the vaccines — leaving me essentially unprotected. So please: get the vaccine. It’s not just about you, it’s about everyone else around you, too.
8 SPORTS
Nov. 4, 2021
ARCHERS AT BUSCH
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Jacob Politte MANAGING EDITOR
n Sunday, Oct. 17, the STLCC Archers baseball team played a game on the legendary Busch Stadium field. The game against Missouri Baptist University is usually an annual tradition; however it did not take place last year due to COVID-19 restrictions. The game was originally scheduled to take place on Oct. 3, but was postponed twice due to inclement weather conditions.
ASHLEY BIUNDO GUEST photographer