Western Courier| April 26th, 2019

Opinions: Have we become too beholden to Snapchat streaks?

Sports: Baseball loses to SIU-E in 15-2 rout.

WesternCourier.com

Friday, April 26, 2019 - Vol. 119 Issue 83

@WesternCourier

El Rancherito shuts down after 24 years in Macomb

DEVON GREENE/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

The health department shut down El Rancherito (above) after the restaurant continued to violate health code guidelines.

By Steven Barnum news editor

The McDonough County Health Department shut down El Rancherito after the restaurant’s track record of committing health code violations.

Since 1994, the establishment has been operating at 1514 W Jackson St. After a brief temporary closure to correct issues, the restaurant is now closed effective immediately. While many of the recent business closures in the Macomb community

were related to the economic downturn, it appears that El Rancherito sealed its own fate after failing to improve upon their food safety.

The board of health gave El Rancherito one final chance to eliminate foodborne risk factors in a compliance meeting in September 2018. As the Western Courier reported from the meeting, health board members raised concerns about the potential for food poisoning if the restaurant continued to lack direction. The agreement included two inspections from third-party agencies and

quarterly inspections.

According to Christopher Adams, the Director of Environmental Health for the McDonough County Health Department, the restaurant failed a routine inspection earlier this week and ownership showed no signs of correcting mistakes.

“In the end, the responsible party is the owner of the operation,” Adams said. “They have to make sure things are being taken care of and done right to protect the patrons.

We generally see issue corrected and we don’t see them again, but that was not the

case here.”

During a routine inspection Monday, the health department found four containers of food that were not stored at a safe temperature and lacked a proper cool-down period.

Additionally, the restaurant incorrectly labeled the dates so that the food looked fresher than it really was. Adams said that restaurants must discard of any food once it reaches seven days from the time it was cooked in order to protect bacteria growth.

Adams said that they revoked the license for the owner of the facility, which

means that the current owner is no longer allowed to operate a restaurant in McDonough County. He compared the procedure to when a driver ’s license is revoked after a certain amount of tickets.

Barring a win through the appeals process, the city of Macomb will likely begin to discuss plans for a new business to occupy the building, which Mayor Mike Inman has said has already begun.

El Rancherito page 3

2

NEWS

WesternCourier.com

Friday, April 26, 2019

Sigma Sigma Sigma crowns the 19th annual Mr. Greek/ Mr. WIU jimmy pierson/production manager

By Marc Ramirez edge editor

The Sigma Sigma Sigma sorority held their 19th annual Mr.Greek/Mr. WIU male beauty pageant Wednesday night in the Heritage Room of the University Union. One representative from each organization competed in rounds such as talent, swimwear, letter/uniforms and formal categories.

During the week leading up to the event, the sorority challenged each team to participate in a coin war competition. Silver coins and dollars were considered positive points and pennies would negatively impact the overall amount raised for each team.

The men of Alpha Gamma Rho won the competition beating out the remaining seven competitors by raising $190. Coin wars all together raised over $1,000 for the Tri Sigma Foundation.

The Tri Sigma Foundation is the women of Sigma Sigma Sigma’s national philanthropic effort. The mission of the foundation is to create opportunities for donors to support leadership development, scholarship, philanthropy and service.

By raising money through this event, these ladies were able to directly impact those in need.

Men from Theta Chi, Alpha Gamma Rho, Pi Kappa Phi, men’s soccer, football, Sigma Pi, Tau Kappa Epsilon and Delta Upsilon took the stage and began with a letters/

WC Located on the third floor of the Heating Plant Annex on the south end of campus across from Sherman Hall.

Mail: 1 University Circle, WIU, Macomb, IL 61455 Phone: 309-298-1876 Fax: 309-298-2309 Hours: 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. weekdays E-mail: micour@wiu.edu Member: Illinois College Press Association, National Association College Press

uniform portion of the competition. A brief description of themselves was given as they walked across the stage, strutted their stuff and returned backstage for the next competitor to come by.

Following that was the swimwear portion of the event. The eight competitors came out in trunks, speedos or female one-pieces.

Regardless, the crowd was always roaring with laughter, excitement and anticipation of what the next person would dare to wear.

Next up was the talent portion of the event. Libby Weaver, emcee of the event, warned the audience that they were obligated to laugh and applaud whether they found the talent entertaining or not. People sang, drew, made jokes, danced and gave the crowd a show they wouldn’t forget. From dancing to Michael Jackson to lip syncing “Mulan,” the contestants made sure to have fun with it.

“I think it’s safe to say the talent portion was my favorite event,” Amanda Wandachowicz, Tri Sigma member said. “Watching what each of the guys did was quite an experience.”

Tre Hendon, representing football, explained that he enjoyed this round because it allowed him to show off his goofy side and have to fun with the crowd.

Formal wear and questions were the last round of the event. Each male was escorted by a sorority mem-

ber to give it a full experience. They were asked various questions relating to why the wanted to win the crown, why is their organization so important to them and even what was their greatest accomplishment.

After the crowd participation and judges deliberations, it was time to announce some winners.

The men of Alpha Gamma Rho and the women of Alpha Sigma Alpha won the Best Attendance Award. Hendon won Mr. Congeniality by the men participating in the event and Maurice Cowan won People’s Choice and overall Mr. Greek.

It was safe to say that the contestants had a fun time.

Not only did they cheer each other on and strut their stuff on stage, but they made sure they were having fun during all of it.

“I enjoyed participating in the event because you can truly see Tri Sigma’s passion for their philanthropy and their want to get men across campus involved in their event,” Tate Dowell, Pi Kappa Phi contestant said. “Not to mention I got to meet a lot more women in Sigma Sigma Sigma and really enjoyed getting to laugh and have fun with them all.”

“I loved being backstage with the guys and seeing all the different outfits and personalities come to life,” Hendon said. “It was very fun getting to know those guys.”

STAFF MEMBERS editor-in-chief Devon Greene DJ-Greene@wiu.edu news editor Steven Barnum

proofreader Amanda Wandachowicz

SS-Barnum@wiu.edu

A-Wandachowicz@wiu.edu

opinions editor Allison Young

photo editor Becca Langys

AN-Young@wiu.edu

RE-Langys@wiu.edu

sports editor Bradley Piros

assistant photo editor Sara Remar

BJ-Piros@wiu.edu

SE-Remar@wiu.edu

assistant sports editor Chris Bean

production manager Jimmy Pierson

CR-Bean@wiu.edu

JM-Pierson@wiu.edu

edge editor Marc Ramirez

business manager Faith Rucker

MA-Ramirez3@wiu.edu

F-Rucker@wiu.edu

copy editor Brie Coder

advertising manager Jacob Day

B-Coder@wiu.edu

JD-Day@wiu.edu adviser Will Buss WJ-Buss@wiu.edu

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El Rancherito from page 1

Adams explained that the board only revokes the license for the owners and the not the facility. To operate at the property, the aspiring owner would need to apply for a license.

After the compliance meeting, Adams said that each inspection was clean and that the facility appeared to correct their behavior. In the other perspective, Adams also said that an inspection can go a completely different way today than it can go tomorrow.

The restaurant opted not to renew their third-party audits in January, which may have been when their health

Friday, April 26, 2019 code violations re-appeared.

Adams said that it was a choice that didn’t necessarily help the establishment stay on top of their issues.

After Monday’s inspection, it became clear that the restaurant was putting customers at a health risk.

“To protect the public, we can’t have this kind of behavior reoccurring,” Adams said. “Everyone is given the same playbook and everyone knows what needs to be done in the kitchen. Typically, we identify the behavioral problems and we correct them.

Adams and the health department implement guidelines designed to prevent repeat violations, but that was becoming a timely practice with El Rancherito.

In addition to scheduling meetings, they also make a

strong effort to re-train staffs.

While there are no confirmed illnesses from dining at the restaurant, it is possible that some people didn’t know the source of their sickness. Adams said that while that is fortunate, violations that they made drastically increase the chances of this occurring. He referenced Iwaspoisoned.com as a place where people can report foodborne illnesses from a restaurant.

During the public hearing last year, Adams said that the restaurant lacked managerial control. Tracy Mann, the restaurant’s food manager, assured the board that the staff wouldn’t take the opportunity for granted and that they will focus on preventing violations. After the closure, it now appears

NEWS 3 that the efforts didn’t go far enough.

While the health department has held compliance meetings with other businesses in the past, Adams said that they rarely revoke licenses. The department hasn’t revoked a license for these violations in the last two decades.

Kim Pierce, the Executive Director of the Macomb Area Economic Development Corporation Office (MAEDCO), said that she was surprised and disappointed by the closure. There are still some pieces to the puzzle that are missing, but she recognizes the impact it had on the community.

“Any time we lose a business, we are always concerned about the jobs being lost,” Pierce said.

Pierce also said that the condition of the building is critical in being able to attract new businesses. When she determines the ownership status of the building, she hopes to market the property to prevent another vacancy in Macomb.

“Nobody wants empty buildings,” Pierce said.

“That’s just unfortunate.”

El Rancherito posted a goodbye message on their official Facebook page Wednesday evening which stated the following: “Thank you to our wonderful community for 24 years of amazing business! We aren’t perfect but you guys made us want to keep improving!

We wish we could’ve stayed longer but it has been a pleasure serving you. We will miss you!”

DEVON GREENE/EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

Above is the sign on the door of El Rancherito indicating its closure.

MARY FLOWER Saturday April 27, 2019 7:00 pm

Tickets: online at TSPR.com By phone: 298-1873 or 800-895-2912 Tri States Public Radio Members—$10 General Public —$15 Canned good for local food pantry

Location:

Tri States Public Radio Vallillo/Holtz Performance Studio 320 W. University Drive Macomb, IL

4

OPINIONS

Friday, April 26, 2019

WesternCourier.com

JIMMY PIERSON/PRODUCTION MANAGER

It is a common thing nowadays to have “streaks” with your friends on Snapchat.

Snapchat is a great way for people to stay connected, see what’s going on in someone’s life and to send fun photos.

However, streaks have become a very strange phenomenon. In case you have not yet mastered the world of Snapchat, a streak is a feature of Snapchat that keeps track of how many days people have continuously sent photos to each other. People will keep

up a streak for 100 days, or even 1,000. In a sense, this seems like a powerful way to connect with others for long periods of time, but if you take a closer look, it’s honestly a bit strange. Sure, these people are connecting for that many days, but what are they sending? Oftentimes, people send all of their streaks the same picture, and that is the only communication they will have at all that day. The next day, this action is repeated.

This will go on for as long

as the two people continue to Snapchat each other every day. Even worse, some people simply send a blank screen every day. What is the point of this? Streaks are one of the oddest cultural norms I have ever encountered in my life. If someone knows that they are not going to have their phone for a weekend, they will go as far as to give their password to someone so that they don’t lose their streaks. I just do not think it’s ever that serious. I personally am awful at keeping them and people often ask me why I lose my streaks so often. Perhaps it is because I do not see the point in sending empty, meaningless blank screens to people I barely speak to. Why keep a 700

day streak with someone you have not spoken to in a year?

What is the point? Perhaps it is the comfort of knowing that as long as you keep that little number and flame emoji by their name, they will still be connected to you in some way. In my opinion, this is not what a connection should be.

We have reduced our friendships by sending a quick picture once or twice a day, it is so impersonal. We feel like we are keeping up with our friends because we watch their story, like their pictures or retweet their tweets.

Something invented to bring people together seems to be pulling them further apart, making their relationships surface level and empty. May-

be we can be the ones to break the streak of impersonal connection by actually talking to our friends. Instead of sending your best friend a blank screen today, try sending them a text asking how they are doing. Better yet, go talk to them in real life. It’s not hard to make your relationships personal again, it just takes an awareness of the issue at hand and a willingness to bring real human connections back into the world.

It only takes a small change in your daily routine to make a big difference, so consider putting down the phone for a day and remembering what is really important rather than what society says is important.

It's important to relax while also preparing for finals As strenuous as each day can be, it’s important to take some time to relax and create a calm and comforting space for yourself.

With finals quicly approaching, seniors and graduate students looking forward to graduation, and many students excited for summer vacation, I’m sure we all could use some “me” time. Now I don’t know about you, but music is one of the best therapeutic resources that you can

use. Sometimes the lyrics resonate all too well with your current mood that you might even have to take a step back and ask yourself, “did they write this about me?” Then, there are times where the beat and or rhythm allows your mind to roam to a safe place of happiness and contentment.

Just laying down, staring at the ceiling and letting go of all those overthinking thoughts, music can help you escape reality momentarily, at least I

know it does for me.

There is also the option of “pigging out” in front of the television while your favorite shows or movies are playing back-to-back. Yes, we are students working, attending classes and participating in organizational activities, however, we’re still people who sometimes just need a day or two to just unwind and escape our responsibilities. Now, I’m not encouraging you to neglect or abandon all of your responsibilities, but a couple of hours or even a day or two of rest is essential for regrouping to whatever you may have on your agenda. We’re in constant worry about what we have to do, what we have yet

Contact Allison Young

to do, when we’re going to do it and even sometimes what we have already accomplished.

Therefore, it’s pretty obvious that we need many moments to ourselves. So, if that means being lazy and taking time out for yourself to do nothing to help ease your mind, then by all means go for it!

Many of us are still figuring out what makes us happy or lifts our moods, but I can admit that I’ve yet to go wrong with a good meal and a few naps here or there. Every day holds its own anxieties and or problems, whether big or small, but you can decide how much they can affect you. Maybe going to see a movie, eating out, taking a late night walk

for some ice cream or hanging out with friends could be the stress relief that you may need. Classes are coming to an end, assignments are approaching their final deadlines and attendance requirements are becoming scarce, so if there is a time to start relaxing before finals, now is the time. Ensure that whatever it is that you need to do is positive and filled with relaxation.

It’s okay to put your needs before others if that entails a healthier physical and mental state. Constant worry can lead to health problems and risks and it’s not that serious if it can be prevented. Do what you've got do to relax, and get it done.

AN-Young@wiu.edu

@WesternCourier

OPINIONS 5

Friday, April 26, 2019

Prisoners should be allowed to vote On Monday, Vermont Senator and presidential candidate Bernie Sanders gave a very surprising answer that made people very shocked and somewhat in awe.

In a town hall meeting with CNN, Sanders was called out for his support on wanting to permit incarcerated prisoners, such as murderers and sex offenders the right to vote. Sanders would go on to support his answer by emphasizing the inherent right every citizen in this country has to the right to vote and even acknowledged that “terrible people” had that right

as well. Now I emphatically supported Sanders’ campaign in 2016 and wanted him to be the Democratic nominee over Hillary Clinton because I believed that he wanted to bring resounding change to the government and political system in Washington D.C., but this revelation by Sanders in my opinion is just flat out wrong.

An incarcerated person who has committed such heinous acts such as murder, sexual assault, child molestation etc. should not have the right to vote under any circumstances.

Everyone is born with an inher-

ent right to vote, but in my opinion, the person who committed such horrific acts forfeited their inherent rights and should not be treated as an average citizen by having any influence in the electoral process.

When I saw the town hall meeting and Sanders’ response, it truly troubled me because to me and anyone else, this should be a black or white issue. Issues pertaining to healthcare, immigration, foreign policy are nuanced issues that are not presented with such a crystal answer, but a rapist not having the right to vote while in prison is. I like Sanders, but honestly an answer like that is almost disqualifying to me because it shows a complete lack in judgement as a lawmaker, yet alone a presidential candidate. The true discussion that should be

taking place is whether a person should have the right to vote once they’ve been released from prison and have truly paid their debt to society, and for me they should.

Once an ex-felon has left prison, I believe that the person should be allowed to vote if they’ve truly acknowledged their mistakes and have proven that they’re in the process of bettering themselves. This includes community service, rehabilitation and abiding the conditions of parole; when such acts are taken that show the person re-entering society is truly a changed person, then yes they should restore their right to vote because that’s only fair and just. However, granting that right while the person is still in prison is not only ludacris, but reckless.

When candidates were also asked about the subject, California Senator Kamala Harris didn’t really give a definite denial or agreement with Sanders, which was surprising to me with her past as a prosecutor, but South Bend, Ind. Mayor Pete Buttigieg disagreed with such a notion and agreed to such conditions if the prisoner was released.

The one quality a lot of people, and in particular young people, like about Sanders is his authenticity and honesty for what he believes in, it’s what’s made him stand out among other politicians. However, such a statement by Sanders on this issue only turns me off and has me thinking about supporting other candidates for presidency.

Editorial Policy

The editorial views of the Western Courier shall be confined to this editorial and are to be separate from news coverage otherwise noted. The editorial presented is based on the ideas and views of the WC editorial board.Columns are the opinions of the columnists alone and should not be construed as the opinions and beliefs of the WC staff as a whole.

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Letters should not be more than 350 words in length. The author’s name and phone number must be included for verification purposes. Failure to include such information will lead to the letter being discarded. The WC staff will edit letters in cases of timeliness, obscenity length and grammer, and we do not guarantee publication of all letters.

2019 Fall Semester Editorial Board

Edge Editor - Marc Ramirez Editor-in-Chief - Devon Greene Opinions Editor - Allison Young

6

Friday, April 26, 2019

SPORTS

Softball looks to extend winning streak

By David Koier courier staff

In their final home stand of the season, the Western Illinois softball team will not only face off against the 8-33 Mastodons of Purdue Fort Wayne, but they will honor their seniors who have helped this program over the past few years.

Payton Abbott, Madison Boone, Sidney Bottino, Aly Compton, Hailey Duwa, Emily Ira, Megan Lotarski and manager Magan Tintori will be honored in the Senior Day ceremony that will take place this weekend.

Many of these seniors have been having stellar seasons, but the one who stands out the most is pitcher Ira. Ira was honored as one of The Summit League preseason ‘Players to Watch’ in a preseason poll, and she has not disappointed.

Ira is heading into this weekend’s series coming off of her eighth Summit League ‘Pitcher of the Week’ for her performance last weekend in North Dakota. Ira pitched two complete games earning the win in both, while recording a save in game two,

striking out 20 batters in the process.

Ira has cemented herself in the record books, as well as her career, with Western as she ranks third amongst Leatherneck pitchers with 637 counting career strikeouts. Of those 637, 113 of those have occurred

Summit League preseason ‘Players to Watch’ list after she recorded 30 RBIs, six home runs and a .375 batting average last season.

She may not be putting up the numbers she did last season, but that doesn’t mean that she still isn’t a

GOLEATHERNECKS.COM

Emily Ira in motion to release a pitch. this season, ranking her second in The Summit League rankings. Ira ranks fourth in Western Illinois history in both innings pitched and complete games with 590.2 and 60 respectively.

To accompany Ira’s dominance in the circle, Duwa brings the power from the plate.

Duwa also earned herself a spot on The

force to be reckoned with. In 33 games played this season, Duwa has racked up a .281 batting average, a .458 slugging percentage, 21 RBIs and three home runs. She is also a solid player at first only making one error this season.

Another power hitting senior who is a reliable relief pitcher for the Leathernecks is

Abbott. Abbott holds the second best batting average on the team with a .304. She accompanies that with a team leading four home runs (one of which was a grand slam against Iowa), a .510 slugging percentage and 23 RBIs. Pair that with a .930 fielding percentage and you have one dominant senior shortstop.

Purdue Fort Wayne enters the weekend with an 8-33 overall record and 3-12 Summit League mark.

The Mastodons are 1-12 in road games and haven’t been finding much success recently as they are currently on a four game losing streak.

Lauren Watson has been consistent at the dish with a team-best of .318 batting average. Morganne Denny leads the Mastodons in home runs and RBIs with four and 20 respectively.

Due to inclement weather forecasted, the series this weekend has been rescheduled just a bit. The series will begin today with a doubleheader starting at 2:30 p.m. Game three is scheduled for Saturday with first pitch set for 1 p.m. at the Mary Ellen McKee stadium in Macomb.

Twitter: thefluffy66

CLASSIFIEDS

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For Rent

For Rent

Submit a classifieds ad to JD-Day@wiu.edu

Spacious 2-5 bedroom homes for rent. 10 month lease available. Great locations, close to bus stops, plenty off street parking, all new windows, AC, energy efficient furnace, hardwood and ceramic tile floors, free washer/dryer. Well maintained (24 hrs.) by local landlord.

Call 309-255-1233.

Houses for Rent 2016/2017: A&D Real Estate has several 3, 4 and 5 bedroom houses for rent, all with at least 2 bathrooms, recently rennovated and located close to campus. Call for a tour or visit our website at www.wiucollegerentals.com. Local landlord with a focus on clean and updated housing with personal service for your college housing needs. 309-313-1122.

FALL INTO SAVINGS with Charleston Boulevard Apartments! Now offering SPECIAL RATES through Dec. 2017! Call for specific details 309-833-4545!.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2016-2017 Our houses have hard wood floors, ceramic tile, central air, washer and dryer and are close to campus with plenty of parking. We offer a ten month lease so you don’t pay for the months you aren’t here. Please call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Now showing for 2017 & 2018 year 2, 3, and 5 bedrooms homes all close to campus. Call 309-331-4565.

Westen Investments: Leasing season has officailly begun, and we’re showing properties now! 1-5 bedroom houses close to campus are ready to be leased for this upcoming school year! Call our office at 309-833-5995 to schedule an appointment! Stay updated with us on Twitter @Western_Invest STC Investments now leasing for the 18/19 school year. We have 1-6 bedroom apartments/houses ready for you to call home! Check out our selection at www.stcinvestments.com.

You can also find us on Facebook to see daily posts!

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Weekend Sports Schedule Friday April 26 - All Day Track & Field @ Drake Relays Friday April 26 - 2:30 P.M. Softball VS. Fort Wayne Friday April 26 - 6:30 P.M. Baseball @ NDSU Saturday April 27 - 12 P.M. Women’s Soccer @ Northern Iowa Sunday April 28 - All Day Men’s Golf @ Summit League Championship

LARGE STUDENT RENTALS 5 and 6 Bedroom Homes are still available!! Ask for our $1000.00 Discount program! First come first serve for the last large homes that are open for the fall.

NICE, CLEAN, WELL MAINTAINED 1 TO 6 BEDROOM HOUSES FOR 2017-2018 Our houses have wood floors, ceramic tile, W/D, central air, and are close to campus with plentry of parking. We offer low rent and a 10 month lease to save you money! Call 309-255-1959 for a showing.

Small 1BR apt near campus and downtown. All utilities included. (Electric, Water, DISH, Garbage) $500/month, $300 deposit. Available immediately. Also have 2BR, you pay electric. $600/month, $350 deposit available September 1st. Please contact 309-255-4367 for a showing.

Timbercrest Apartments 1587 Riverview Drive Now showing 1 & 2 Bedroom Units. Very clean, close to WIU campus with bus stop in front of building. Washer/dryer available in most units, all other appliances included, FREE INTERNET, ceiling fans in every room, pet friendly. All units have off street parking and private decks overlooking campus. Both 10- and 12-month leases are available. Openings for Summer 2017 and school year 2017/2018. Deposit required. Phone (309)833-3192 and leave message.

Westen Investments: Are you looking for an apartment? We are now showing our beautiful 1-3 bedroom apartments for this upcoming school year! Don’t like paying for utilities? Ask about our ALL UTILITIES options, and be sure to check out our website (westerninvest.com) to see our listings! Schedule an appointment with us today at 309-833-5995.

The nicer apartments are going fast, excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. Reasonable prices. Studio, 1-3 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

Sunday April 28 - 1 P.M. Men’s Soccer @ Bradley JIMMY PIERSON / PRODUCTION MANAGER

RATES $5.50 per issue (open rate) $4.00 per issue (campus rate)

For Rent Available now: Close to campus, clean studio apartments, excellent condition, reasonable rent, and partly furnished.

Ceiling fans and a/c. Professionally maintained. No pets.

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No noise policy. Bus stop across the street. Close to campus. Well maintained. Studios are $460/mo, One bedrooms are $620/mo. Call Doug at 309-255-8179 for an appointment.

For Rent: Little Swan Lake, 30 min from campus. 2br, 2bth, heated double car garage with work area. $600 per mo.

(309) 335-2206 after 6:00 pm, may leave message anytime.

Spacious 3 Bedroom Upper in Duplex close to campus and Jackson St. All utilities furnished and appliances Includes cable and internet 18/19 school year $375.00 per Br Ph 309 255 8086 Please leave message Still have some nice large locations available at reasonable prices. Excellent service- 24 hour emergency maintenance. 1-8 bedrooms, locations on/off campus available ‘18-’19 school year. Pets at some locations. Check us out at rentcollegepads.com. If interested, please call F & H Rentals 309/837-1705.

Looking for 2 roommates to share a 3-bedroom furnished house beginning in August for 2018-19. 10- to 12-month contract. New carpet, air, garage w/ storage, laundry. $300 each per month, plus utilities. Call Sharon at 309-338-3888.

Sports 7

Friday, April 26, 2019

@WesternCourier

Predicting the 2019 NBA Awards

As the first round of the playoffs begin to wrap up, we are getting closer to giving out the end of the year trophies in the NBA. So here are my takes on who should win these exclusive awards.

The Most Valuable Player award should go to James Harden. This conversation is between two players in the first place. I expect the MVP voting to be quite close between these two with the rest of the votes dwindling down amongst Stephen Curry, Paul George and Nikola Jokic.

Meanwhile, the offensive numbers are staggering for Harden. He scored 25 or less points in only eight games he played this year. He also had nine 50 or more-point performances and 32 consecutive games of scoring 30 or more points. Phew, let me catch my breath. Don’t get me wrong, Giannis Antetokounmpo puts up a good fight. His league best record at 60-22, aver-

aging 27.7 points per game, 12.5 rebounds, 5.9 assists, 1.5 blocks and 1.3 steals, proves Antetokounmpo to be a mighty foe. His prowess on both sides of the court with his unique figure allows him to destroy opposing teams at will. The biggest difference to me is Harden did it all himself. Chris Paul missed 24 games this year, Clint Capela missed 13 and played injured throughout the year. Harden was a one-man wrecking ball in a tougher conference and a more difficult travel schedule. It’s a close call, and no one will be mad if you choose either player for the award.

Next award, the Rookie of the Year, has had several strong candidates for this category throughout the season. When the season began, the Rookie of the Year candidates ranged from DeAndre Ayton, Marvin Bagley, Luka Doncic and Trae Young. After the All-Star break only two

names remained, Doncic and Young. The two players were involved in a draft night trade, as the Mavericks seized the third overall pick from the Hawks to trade Doncic over Young. Although both point guards have promising talent and are fun to watch, Doncic rose above to claim the best rookie of 2019. Outperforming all rookies in points per game with 21.2 and helping transform his team back into contention. Not to mention 7.8 rebounds per game and a few game winning shots to go along with that. Of course, all rookies have potential to improve. Will Doncic’s rookie year be the highlight of his career, or will someone else try to claim the throne as the best player from the 2018 NBA draft class?

The last one, is the Coach of the Year award. This debate is more time consuming and detailed. There’s a long list of qualified coaches relatively known and unknown throughout the nation. First is the obvious candidate, the NBA best record, Mike Budenholzer. Coaching MVP talent to the best record in the NBA. Enough said.

Second, would be Mike Malone. The Denver Nuggets have missed the postseason by one game for two-straight seasons. At the start of the season, the Nuggets had the youngest roster in the NBA and with the young budding duo of Jamal Murray and Jokic, Denver is slowly becoming a unique team capable of winning night in and night out. One point that proves this point is their 54 game winning season, which they clinched the second best record in the Western Conference behind the Golden State Warriors.

Next would be the second best record in the Eastern Conference, the Toronto Raptors with Nick Nurse. To list the challenges Nurse overcame is daunting. He's a first year head coach, with multiple star players leaving. A new star player with a different playing style arrived, and having to deal with competing egos amongst a team desperate for playoff success due to many early exits. Basically, he took Kawai Leonard and changed the Raptors, by putting in a new coaching scheme that the players bought into.

Not to mention helped coach

a much improved player of the year candidate with Piscal Siakim. He elevated talent and frankly got the job done.

The fourth is Greg Poppovich.

The West is quite a competitive conference, and for a lot of the reasons Nurse is a candidate, Poppovich should be too. Not to mention he has dealt with numerous roster turnovers from retirees to season ending injuries to trades.

But of course like “The Old Man and the Sea,” he weathered the storm finished with 48 wins and an entrance into the NBA playoffs.

Last but certainly not least, Doc Rivers. Last year he received one vote. This year he has a chance to win the award. Speaking of roster turnover, let’s list the amount of players that went through the Clippers locker room in the past three years. Giving up Blake Griffin, Deandre Jordan and Tobias Harris, the team has not gained a star talent in return. Rivers doesn’t care and neither does the rest of the Clippers, as they slipped into the last spot into the Western Conference finals and are taking on Golden State to game six.

Leathernecks come in ninth at Summit League Chapionships

By Jake VanZuiden courier staff On Sunday, the Western Illinois women’s golf team battled for the grand prize at The Summit League Championships in the opening round of their last event of the 2019 spring season. The Leathernecks wanted to make one last statement to the rest of the conference when teeing-off at the three-day held at Sand Creek Station Golf Course in Newton, Kan. For Western, they got to see all of their familiar conference rivals in action as they competed against: Denver, North Dakota, North Dakota State, Omaha, Oral Roberts, Purdue Fort Wayne, South Dakota and South Dakota State. The Leathernecks rolled out an all-too-familiar starting-five, as the group was comprised of juniors Cassidy Jurkaites and Nicole Hamilton-Cross, seniors Mariah Peters and

Kate McTaggart and freshman Emily Marrs.

Weather, not other teams, proved to be The Purple and Gold’s biggest obstacle to overcome throughout day one of the event. With powerful, gusting winds pressing these golfers with each backswing, they struggled to find their groove.

The best score of the day came from McTaggart, who fought through these conditions to post a score of 81 (+9). Next in line was Hamilton-Cross, who wasn’t far behind, firing an 83 (+11). Jurkaites, a player who has been a consistent “x-factor” for this team all season, didn’t have her best round.

She compiled a score of 84 (+12). Marrs, who competed in the big dance for the first time in her collegiate career, finished the day at 86 (+14) while Peters turned in a 90 (+18). At the end of the first day, the Leathernecks sat in ninth-place out of as many qualifying schools.

Head coach Lia Biehl

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Kate McTaggart keeps her head down after her chip.

Lukkarinen knew the reason for her team’s struggle was weather-related. She was just happy to put an underperforming day to bed in hopes of turning things around in round two. ”Tough conditions today with 30 mph winds,“ Lukkarinen said. ”Hopefully tomorrow we can have a little more normal of a day.“ On Monday in round two, Peters bounced back from her first-round blunder to give the team it’s best score of the day, proving that she would not let her day-one performance define her. She carded a 79, an 11-stroke difference from the previous round, finishing with a 169 (+25) total. It was McTaggart, however, that carried the team’s best individual score through two rounds, shooting an 84 on day-two to give her a lineup-leading 165 (+21). Marrs and HamiltonCross both capped a score of 83 on the day, while Jurkaites’ 88 rounded out the lineup for

round-two. Sitting on a team score of 663, Western remained in last place.

While the team trailed their rivals by a notable margin beginning the last day of the tournament, the Purple and Gold managed to finish strong. Leading the pack this time was Marrs, who concluded her freshman year with a 77, putting her at 246 (+30) for the event. Hamilton-Cross proved capable of matching Marrs’ performance, as an 80 on day that also put her at 246. Hot on their tracks were the senior duo of Peters and McTaggart, each of whom accumulated a total score of 250 (+34). Jurkaites’ improving play in the third round was good enough to keep pace with her teammates, firing an 80 as she concluded the meet with a composite score of 252 (+36).

Overall, the Leathernecks finished in ninth-place with a team score of 981.

As The Summit League Championships wrapped up,

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Nicole Hamilton-Cross chips it onto the green.

Lukkarinen was happy to see her team finish the year on a high-note, even if their place in the standings may not have done their performances enough justice. ”We battled weather and health conditions all week but were able to pull together in the last round for an 11-stroke improvement,“ Lukkarinen said. ”Emily Marrs finished with a two-under back nine to lead us for the day. It was a good last tournament with the seniors, and they will be missed.“ As The Summit League Championships put a cap on the 2019 season, the Leathernecks’ ever-improving play has them optimistic about how things will play out next fall, as the Purple and Gold will return three of its five starters. For seniors McTaggart and Peters, this was their last hoorah as collegiate golfers, and their dedication and service to the program will not be forgotten.

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Mariah Peters watches her ball role next to the hole.

Baseball looks to bounce back after 15-2 loss to SIU-E

By Taylor Jordan courier staff

Date/Time Feb. 15 (FRI) 1 P.M. Feb. 16 (SAT) 1 P.M. Feb. 16 (SAT) 4:30 P.M.

Opponents At Tennessee Tech At Tennessee Tech At Tennessee Tech

Score L,2-3

Feb. 23 (SAT) 2 P.M.

At Southeast Missouri At Southeast Missouri

L,3-8 L,4-7 W, 9 - 2 L, 14 - 2

Feb. 24 (SUN) 1 P.M.

At Southeast Missouri

W, 5 - 2 ( 11 Inn. )

Mar. 1 (FRI) 2 P.M.

At Southern Illinois

L, 8 - 1

Mar. 2 (SAT) 2 P.M. Mar. 3 (SUN) 1 P.M.

At Southern Illinois At Southern Illinois

L, 6- 1 L, 16 -1

Mar. 8 (FRI) 3 P.M.

At Saint Louis

W, 3 - 0

Mar. 9 (SAT) 2 P.M. Mar. 10 (SUN) 12 P.M.

At Saint Louis

W, 5 - 4

At Saint Louis

L, 8 - 2

Mar. 12 (TUE) 6:30 P.M. Mar. 13 (WED) 3 P.M. Mar. 15 (FRI) 3 P.M. Mar. 16 (SAT) 1 P.M.

At Arkansas At Arkansas Vs South Dakota State Vs South Dakota State

L, 8 - 0 L, 11 - 2 L, 7 - 6 W, 10 - 6

Mar. 17 (SUN) 1 P.M. Mar. 19 (TUES) 3 P.M. Mar. 22 (FRI) 3 P.M. Mar. 23 (SAT) 1 P.M.

Vs South Dakota State Vs Iowa Wesleyan

L, 7 - 4 W, 16 - 3

Mar. 24 (SUN) 1 P.M. Mar. 26 (TUE) 3 P.M.

Vs North Dakota State Vs St. Ambrose

L, 11 - 1 W, 13 - 3

Mar. 29 (FRI) 1 P.M. Mar. 30 (SAT) 1 P.M. Mar. 31 (SUN) 1 P.M. Apr. 2 (TUE) 6 P.M. Apr. 5 (FRI) 3 P.M.

At Omaha At Omaha At Omaha At Bradley Vs Oral Roberts

L, 8 - 2 L, 4 - 3 L, 15 - 5 L, 10 - 0 W, 8 - 5

Apr. 6 (SAT) 1 P.M.

Vs Oral Roberts Vs Oral Roberts

W, 7 - 3 W, 11 - 7

Vs Bradley Vs Purdue Fort Wayne

L, 4 - 1 W, 14 - 4

Apr. 13 (SAT) 1 P.M.

Vs Purdue Fort Wayne

W, 4- 2

Apr. 14 (SUN) 1 P.M.

Vs Purdue Fort Wayne

W, 10 - 0

Apr. 16 (TUE) 6 P.M. Apr. 19 (FRI) 3 P.M. Apr. 20 (SAT) 1 P.M. Apr. 21 (SUN) 1 P.M.

At SIU-E At South Dakota State At South Dakota State At South Dakota State

L, 13 - 3 L, 11 - 3 L, 11 - 9 W, 7 - 6

Feb. 22 (FRI) 3 P.M.

Apr. 7 (SUN) 1 P.M. Apr. 9 (TUE) 4 P.M. Apr. 12 (FRI) 3 P.M.

Vs North Dakota State L, 5 - 4 Vs North Dakota State W, 9 - 6

Apr. 23 (TUE) 4 P.M. Apr. 26 (FRI) 6:30 P.M. Apr. 27 (SAT) 1 P.M. Apr. 28 (SUN) 1 P.M. Apr. 30 (TUE) 6 P.M.

Vs SIU-E At North Dakota State At North Dakota State At North Dakota State At Iowa

L, 15 - 2 Fargo, N.D. Fargo, N.D. Fargo, N.D. Iowa City, Iowa

May 3 (FRI) 6 P.M. May 4 (SAT) 2 P.M. May 5 (SUN) 1 P.M. May 10 (FRI) 3 P.M.

At Oral Roberts At Oral Roberts At Oral Roberts Vs Ohama

Tulsa, OK. Tulsa, OK. Tulsa, OK. Macomb, IL.

May 11 (SAT) 1 P.M. May 12 (SUN) 1 P.M. May 14 (TUE) 12 P.M. May 16 (THU) 3 P.M.

Vs Ohama Vs Ohama Vs Iowa At Purdue Fort Wayne

Macomb, IL. Macomb, IL. Macomb, IL. Fort Wayne, IN.

May 17 (FRI) 2 P.M. May 18 (SAT) 1 P.M.

At Purdue Fort Wayne At Purdue Fort Wayne

Fort Wayne, IN. Fort Wayne, IN.

MACOMB, III. — Western Illinois and SIU-E entered Tuesday’s baseball game with matching records, each looking for their 16th victory. The Cougars ended up clenching the game 15-2 against the Leathernecks.

SIU-E have won four straight games and improved to 13-21 overall, while Western dropped to 14-20.

With the game tied 1-1, the Cougars regained the lead in the third inning.

Jordan Cheek was in the circle for four complete innings, as the Leathernecks trailed 2-1 at the end of his second career start. Eric Giltz drove an RBI-triple to the gap in left center to get a run in, to which he scored off of a wild pitch.

Drue Galassi brought in the early run making it his 90th career RBI, which has him leading The Summit League with 34 RBI's. The junior sits eight away from breaking the program’s all-time list. Galassi is also one shy for ninth alltime in triples and two away from home runs. He currently possesses eight, 17 and 90 respectively.

The Cougars momentum was in full effect after scoring eight times in the fourth inning and a two-out grand slam in the fifth inning, but prior to the strike, the team was limited to just two runs and two hits. Reliever Alex Dorethy, surrendered nine runs in 1 2/3 innings.

The Purple and Gold had an opportunity to pack a few runs in with the bases loaded and no outs in the fifth inning, but the next three hitters were unable to do so due to strikeouts. Free bases ultimately became Western’s biggest downfall against the Cougars. SIU-E finished the game with a slight 7-5 edge in hits.

Western have wrapped their regular season matchups with South Dakota State and will now be looking to bounce back in their series against North Dakota State this weekend.

North Dakota State defeated the Leathernecks 5-4 in the set opener and 11-1 in the finale, while pitcher Jack Carberry improved to 3-0 on the season in a 9-6 victory.

The Leathernecks are 6-3 on the year when they score in the first inning and have nine wins when they score first.

The Summit League's ‘Player of the Week’ a few weeks back (April 8), Javin Drake, has struck out at least five batters in his 11 appearances this year.

Those games included a career-high 10 against St. Louis (March 8), Omaha (March 31) and Purdue Fort Wayne (April 13). He currently guides all Summit League pitchers with 75 Ks, sitting 26th in the nation. He also has the 10th most strikeouts in Western Illinois single-season history.

Leatherneck pitchers are currently ‘Top 10’ in several Summit League categories.

With Western's pitchers, comes their catchers. C.J. Schaeffer Jr. led the league with 19 runners caught stealing a year ago and already has a league-leading 17 in 2019. Schaeffer is Western’s second watch list section in three seasons and currently The Summit League’s only representation.

The Leathernecks will be in Fargo, N.D. this weekend where they will start a series against North Dakota State. First game is set to start tonight at 6:30 p.m.

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Alex Dorethy checks his swing while in the batter's box.

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Drue Galassi keeps his eye on the ball while batting.

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Javin Drake high fives a teammate while leaving the field.

JOSH PURNELL / PHOTO STAFF

C.J. Schaeffer makes a catch to keep the ball in front of the plate.