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THE DAILY ILLINI

THURSDAY February 14, 2019

The independent student newspaper at the University of Illinois since 1871

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LONGFORM: PART 2 OF 2

A long way to go

Racial ignorance, discrimination still at large on campus

Vol. 148 Issue 41

DNA evidence to be used in Christensen trial

BY TAYLOR HOWARD ASSISTANT DAYTIME NEWS EDITOR

Denying a motion to exclude new blood and DNA test results, U.S. District Judge James Shadid has allowed results to be used in April for the trial of Brent Christensen, alleged murderer and kidnapper of Chinese visiting scholar Yingying Zhang. After new evidence of handprint-shaped bloodstains and DNA was discovered at Christensen’s apartment, his attorneys filed a motion to exclude new test results from the trial in April. The court heard testimony from Jerrilyn Conway, legal program manager in the DNA Casework Unit of the FBI, to determine the result’s threshold for admissibility. Conway explained the blood and DNA samples were tested using STRmix,

Fifty years later

University students are still fighting for what was proposed to administration 50 years later. Bradley Harrison,2014 alumnus and then-student leader, said the United States is racially divided, especially when it comes to interacting with other students at the University. “I would walk into white spaces and I would think that those spaces were safe for me and welcoming towards me, but then there would be a negative encounter,” Harrison said. “Now, and this is bad, black people and minorities, when they go into white spaces, (black students) are already prepared for them.” Another negative encounter students may have is the need to combat the stereotypes of their race. Terrell Spurlock, senior in LAS, said that within his major, he must represent the black community well. “Being the only person representing my race in my classes, I always feel the extra burden that I need to represent my people properly,” Spurlock said. “I always feel like I need to be on my best behavior.” Nearly half of the country’s African-American population has reported experiences with discrimination with either law enforcement, at school or in the workplace. Junior in LAS Dimitri Love said racism is institutionalized. “I say this in reference of this society and institutions that limit and deny access of people of color, more specifically black folks,” Love said. “There were systems put in place to deny folks equal opportunities that was never fully addressed and places (and) institutions to this day still carry these practices consciously and unconsciously.” According to the Notre Dame University counseling center, racial stereotypes can be passed down from generations. Labels negatively impact the way someone is perceived. President of the Central Black Student Union and 2015 graduate Olabode (Buddie) Oladeinde said he was often judged based off his appearance. “Being black is energy. When I walk into a room, I am noticed and people will judge me before they even hear me speak. I walk in and I have long (dreadlocks) and I am darkskin and I am dressed a certain way,” Oladeinde said. “But when they realize I can articulate myself, I am not looked at in the bad light.” Love believes there are

MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI

Dimitri Love studies in Lincoln Avenue Residence Hall. Love and other students of color on campus hope to bring awareness to different issues facing the University.

STAFF WRITER

MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI

Kyra Lavalais stands at the Business Instructional Facility. Lavalais is the president of Creating Opportunities Recognizing Excellence and firmly believes in student leadership.

still concerns the black community faces such as wage gaps, the criminal justice system and educational inequalities that target black and brown people. As a member of the Black Students for Revolution, the organization’s mission is to “advocate for the communities worldwide and people who identify along different oppression spectrums across the country.” Part of its mission is to

DAILYILLINI, DAILYILLINISPORTS 2A

Houlding LLP is New Yorkbased and specializes in civil rights cases. Centrella said his firm litigates racial harassment cases throughout the country, but they have never seen a case like this at an institute of higher education. He said they typically only see this type of conduct in industrial settings. Robin Kaler, associate chancellor of public affairs, said the University’s attorneys were still reviewing the lawsuit as of Sunday, and the University will not discuss specifics of the litigation at this time. Kaler said when the University learns of concerns, it looks into them and takes action to address them. The lawsuit also alleges the Office for Access and Equity, formerly the Office of Diversity, Equity and Access, which is in charge of investigating discrimination claims, is “rife with internal racial harassment.” Plaintiffs allege in the lawsuit the office’s director

BY OLIVIA WELSHANS

recognize the needs of people of color and bring awareness to those issues. The organization has a list of set demands that they have brought to University officials, including scholarship, retention and recruitment. Spurlock said they want to fulfill what was started 50 years ago on this campus. “Our demands are very similar to the ones of Project 500 as we want to improve and recruit African-Amer-

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UI faculty file racial harassment lawsuit University employees filed a lawsuit on Jan. 28 in federal court, containing allegations of racial harassment of black employees and claims the office tasked with investigating discrimination is itself guilty of racial harassment. The plaintiffs allege in the class action complaint filed with the court that racial harassment is “standard operating procedure” at the University. The lawsuit alleges University staff used racial slurs, stereotypes and other offensive racial language toward black workers, calling them “n-----,” “boy,” “monkey,” “lazy,” “angry,” “rowdy” and “Aunt Jemima.” According to the lawsuit, black employees were “exposed to threats of racial violence, such as nooses, swastikas, KKK garb, racist graffiti and confederate flags.” Attorney Jesse Centrella is working on the lawsuit representing the plaintiffs. His firm Friedman and

ican students here on campus. We want to see the University go into the schools on the South Side of Chicago,” Spurlock said. Retention in the black community has been decreasing since 2003, placing African-Americans at 5.13 percent. Spurlock said it’s not that black students cannot get in, but they cannot stay. SEE DISCRIMINATION | 3A

Profits shouldn’t undermine fire safety

New DIY space promotes inclusivity

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a forensic software that produces a likelihood ratio to measure the possibility of a new sample to match a known sample. This software has been used by the FBI since 2015. Elisabeth Pollock, Christensen’s attorney and assistant federal defender, questioned the credibility of the examination. Polluck argued at least 50 studies stating the software is credible was conducted by one of the founders of STRmix. Polluck questioned why the FBI used the STRmix and not a newer DNA testing method that studies the actual DNA sequence. Along with an initial test indicating if even a very small sample of blood is present, a confirmatory test will be conducted to assure the

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POLICE Trespassing was reported at The Original Pancake House, 1909 W. Springfield Ave., around 10:30 a.m., Monday. According to the report, the suspect was previously banned from the location, yet the suspect returned to The Original Pancake House. The suspect was issued a notice to appear for trespassing. Theft was reported at Circle K, 2315 W. Springfield Ave., around 1 p.m., Monday. According to the report, the suspect was underringing items at the store. The suspect was arrested and transferred to Champaign County Jail. Burglary was reported on the 400 block of Edgebrook Drive, around 2 p.m., Monday. According

to the report, an unknown suspect Armed robbery was reportburglarized a residence on Jan. 10. ed on the 1200 block of Brookstone Court, around 11 a.m., MonUniversity day. According to the report, the Theft was reported at the Activi- offender displayed his handgun to ties and Recreation Center, 201 E. take cash from the victim. As the Peabody Drive, between 10:30 p.m. victim drove away in her vehicle, and 11 p.m., Wednesday. According the offender shot several bullets to the report, a coat with items in toward the vehicle. its pockets was left unattended. Theft was reported at Capstone The coat and items, estimated to Quarters, 1901 N. Lincoln Ave., value $290, were stolen. around 9:30 p.m., Monday. According to the report, the offender stole Urbana two packages that were supposed Theft was reported at Wiley Ele- to be delivered to the victim. The mentary School, 1602 S. Ander- offender is unknown. The theft son St., around 10:30 a.m., Mon- originally occurred Feb. 1. day. According to the report, a tablet device was stolen from the news@dailyillini.com location.

Germanic languages professor wins research award THE DAILY ILLINI STAFF REPORT

University Germanic languages professor, Mara Wade was recently awarded the Reimar Lüst Award for International Cultural Exchange for research in cultural relations between Germany and other countries. The Reimar Lüst Award is given to two people each year by the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation and the Fritz Thyssen Foundation, based entirely on the candidate’s achievements. Kristina Guroff, senior coordinator of the Alexander von Humboldt Foundation, said in an email that Wade was chosen from a pool of nine nominated researchers. Receiving the award, Wade is invited to spend up to a year cooperating on a long-term research project with specialist colleagues at a research institution in Germany. Wade said several teachers who taught her good thinking and r ese a r ch met ho d s inspired her and sparked curiosity to conduct her study. Researching texts and images of the European emblem, Wade said she studied deeply into the context of the designs.

KENYON EDMOND THE DAILY ILLINI

The main floor of the Foreign Languages building on Tuesday. Professor of Germanic languages Mara Wade has the opportunity to conduct research in Germany.

“The books are exciting and interesting, and even more so are the way Renaissance men and women used emblems in the context of interpersonal communication, devotions, festivals, interactions of young people of an age to marry, poetry, art and more,” Wade said. Manuscripts, early printed works, modern research literature and

work and is currently the principal investigator for Emblematica Online, an international digital database of literature studying emblems. This summer, Wade will be spending two months at the University of Erlangen-Nürnberg to continue her research on emblems in 16th and 17th century Nürnberg. “Right now I am completing projects already started and will plan new ones. I am hoping this will lead to academic exchange for students from UIUC as well,” Wade said. “We will work on that.” With this award, Wade plans to work on her monograph, “Emblems as Open Sources,” at the Herzog August Bibliothek in Germany. The research money provided by the award will allow Wade to spend more time in Germany to work with her colleagues and their students. “I am happy and productive and creative. This is simply wonderful. I am deeply grateful to the University of Illinois for fostering my work and allowing me such opportunities,” she said.

digital resources are all tools needed and used to support Wade’s hybrid research. Wade’s research spans across many areas including gender, the urban culture of Nürnberg and European aristocratic and festival culture. A lready gathering international recognition for her research, Wade has expanded her news@dailyillini.com

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THURSDAY February 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

FROM 1A

CHRISTENSEN

MADELINE PIERCE THE DAILY ILLINI

Christopher Capozziello instructs JOUR 460: Photojournalism and Society on Tuesday. New professors, like Capozziello, are brought into Illinois under the Distinguished Faculty Recruitment Program.

Illinois hires new professors BY BENEDICTE YENYI MULUMBA STAFF WRITER

The University of Illinois System has created a recruitment program with a budget of $60 million to hire faculty to work on expanding the research at each of the three campuses. The candidates, 10 professors at the University, three in Chicago and one in Springfield, will work on expanding the exceptional scholarship that will attract students and research funding. Uwe Rudolph, head of the Department of Comparative Biosciences, was hired under the President’s Distinguished Faculty Recruitment Program after relocating from Harvard Medical School. “I was in the medical school and like most faculty members at Harvard Medical School, I was based in the hospital. I was the laboratory director and full professor over there,” Rudolph said. Rudolph said he was attracted to the University for its reputation as one of the leading research universities in the world. The PDFRP has named the recruitment program, the “inaugural class,” and has added seven faculties recently for a total of 14 in all the University of Illinois System after the first year of its launch.

FROM 1A

DISCRIMINATION “Once black students get here, the main thing that stops them from coming back is money,” Spurlock said. “Recruitment, retention and scholarship (is necessary for them to stay).” The Latinx community has increased over the years and currently makes up 10 percent of the campus population. Jorge Mena Robles, director of La Casa, said it is important Latinx students not only get admitted into the University, but they graduate from the University. “A big challenge we have to face is that a lot of students come to U of I and they are not fully prepared for what the University encompasses,” Robles said. “It is a cultural shock and it is important that we develop our students through our programming.” Students took Project 500 a step further and proposed “Project 1000,” an initiative to get 1000 African-American students the opportunity to enroll through recruitment and scholarship. Students also stress the lack of faculty and staff on campus with whom they can identify. Harrison said it would make a difference if black students were able to

Liviu Mirica, professor in LAS, is an expert in inorganic chemistry from Washington University in St. Louis. Mirica said he was not bribed, however when a faculty moves from one institution to another, they receive some funds that will allow them to expand new directions called start up funds or relocation funds. “To start research infrastructures like buying new instruments or hiring more students to work in different areas, for that aspect, yes we get a little bit of help in term of receiving some funds. I will never consider it as a bribe, but it is a big attractant to the institution,” Mirica said. In September 2017, the president’s office issued a call for recruitment proposals for 2018. The program had non-recurring matching funds of $30 million over a three-year period or $10 million per year to attract 10 to 15 highly prominent faculties across the system. Rudolph said his criteria before accepting the offer was the department had to be vibrant. “Overall, a good amount of externally funded research and that the campus should also provide opportunities, existing, ongoing activities to which my lab could connect,” yet those few people changed my life completely,” Lavalais said. “It is important to know that it is possible to reach for the stars and having a person that genuinely relates to you is huge.” Many black organizations have recognized the lack of leadership and have created mentorship programs. Lavalais, president of Creating Opportunities Recognizing Excellence, a mentor program, wants students that are not only represented within the black community to be included, but those that are uninvolved as well. “We really try to emphasize the family feeling. One thing a lot of members say are that we are very welcoming and friendly, and you can talk to us,” Lavalais said. The family aspect is what Bruce D. Nesbitt wanted students to carry out. Bruce D. Nesbitt’s daughter Valeri Ann Howard Nesbitt said she came back to Champaign after graduation to work at the cultural center to ensure her father’s vision continues. “I just really want to fulfill my father’s vision,” NesbittHoward said. “That is what’s important to me that I do my part.” Sophomore in LAS and Bruce D. Nesbitt AfricanAmerican Cultural Center employee Aeriel Burtley also

“I then got in touch with the black house and it became my safe haven. (BNAACC) became my community that I felt comfortable with.” BRADLEY HARRISON 2014 ALUMNUS

see University officials that look like they do. Kyra Lavalais, senior in Business, agrees leadership is essential to students succeeding. “I had very few black leaders, let alone women leaders,

said cultural centers are a space where students can be themselves. “Everybody here is very close knit with each other. We call Valeri Nesbitt-Howard ‘Auntie Val,’” Burtley said.

Rudolph said. “This department is vibrant with a lot of activities going on.” Mirica said it was an easy decision for him in term of carrier move, research and opportunities. “We had to have all the pieces fall in place in terms of family, the school system and finding a job for my spouse,” Mirica said. “But in the end, everything worked out and so far we are really happy here.” Qing Cao, professor in the department of material science and engineering, started in the middle of the fall semester from IBM Thomas J. Watson Research Center where he worked for 10 years. Cao graduated from the University and was reached three years ago by a faculty who works here. “It is a great honor for me to have an opportunity to come back and serve the University as a faculty member,” Cao said. Cao is planning on establishing a working-class research program with workers with a new type of electronic materials for nanoelectronic to continue what he has been doing at IBM research. “(The University) is a great platform for me to skill up my research program,” Cao said. bm15@dailyillini.com

presence of blood in a given sample, Conway said. The sample is tested twice because the initial test is highly sensitive and can react positively to not only blood, but also to other substances including some cleaning supplies and horseradish. Conway noted a negative result from the confirmatory test does not mean blood was not present in the sample. A negative response would just mean that the test could not confirm a trace of blood. Assistant U.S. Attorney Eugene Miller said denying Conway’s testimony at trial would be unfairly prejudicial to the prosecution.

FROM 1A

LAWSUIT “openly directs racial slurs and stereotypes at black subordinates.” “Any hope that the University has to stamp out discrimination on their campus is hamstrung by the fact that the unit they have tasked with enforcing that discrimination law is itself saturated with racism,” Centrella said. The lawsuit alleges that the University is in violation of both federal and state law, Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the Illinois Civil Rights Act of 2003. Photos of a noose that was allegedly tied and thrown by a white campus employee in front of a black employee in April 2016 and a swastika that a black dining employee found in the bathroom of the Food Stores building in December 2016 are included in the lawsuit. Atiba Flemons, one of the plaintiffs on the lawsuit, has worked as a brick mason in Facilities and Services from 2008 to 2009, and again from 2011 to the present. “When I got hired at the University, I thought it was going to be great place to work,” Flemons said, “but everything that glitters ain’t gold. It has been a hell hole since I have been here.”

Shadid ruled the new evidence test results be used at Christensen’s trial in April. Monday’s hearing also discussed the credibility of Sage, a police dog that reacted to indicate the existence of a body in Christensen’s apartment bathroom. Alex Rothacker, a professional dog trainer, said he trains dogs to detect real body parts using cadavers. Rothacker said he took Sage through two different cadaver searching courses. Shadid has yet to rule on the reliability of the cadaversniffing canine due to other testimonies scheduled later that day. In addition to a motion to exclude evidence test results, Christensen’s attorneys have asked the court to delay the trial to October.

If this motion is accepted, the trial would have been delayed 25 months behind the original trial scheduled Sept. 12, 2017. Christensen’s attorneys said the time will be used to continue to examine Christensen’s mental health in depth. The motion stated specialists have uncovered evidence of a long psychosocial history in Christensen’s family. In the motion to delay the trial, Christensen’s attorneys said they plan to show evidence of critical mental illness. In case of conviction, Christensen’s attorneys plan to use evidence of mental health problems as a mitigating factor to avoid the death penalty.

Flemons said his work supervisor has harassed him for years, treating him worse than white co-workers, cursing at him and belittling him. He said his supervisor said he did not want to hire him, but he was only hired for diversity purposes. Flemons said the stress brought on by the harassment has caused him to seek counseling, strained his marriage and caused him weight gain and hair loss. Flemons said no resolution came out of his complaints to ODEA, now OAE. According to the lawsuit, OAE led an investigation that concluded in January 2013, which found Flemons’ supervisor did not violate the non-discrimination policy. Flemons said the racial harassment continues to this day. The lawsuit claims the plaintiffs exhausted efforts they could take to address their issues without resorting to legal action, and claims the University’s nondiscrimination policy sets too high of standards for what constitutes a violation, allowing unchecked and pervasive racial discrimination and harassment. The University defines harassment as a form of discrimination and unwelcome conduct that may be verbal, written, electronic or phys-

ical in nature, according to the lawsuit. Policy violations occur when the unwelcome conduct is “sufficiently severe or pervasive,” “objectively offensive” and “unreasonably interferes with, denies, or limits a person’s ability to participate or benefit from educational or employment opportunities.” In the lawsuit, plaintiffs criticize the way OAE investigators conduct investigations, claiming they ignore context in cases involving racially motivated harassment. “ODEA frequently looks at each individual harassing acts in a vacuum, divorced from the totality of the circumstances,” the lawsuit alleges. The lawsuit claims the OAE, campus officials and the Human Resources department ignore or fail to investigate complaints of racial harassment and suggest “complainants engage in dispute resolution, without explaining that they have a right to an investigation, defeating ODEA’s purpose, to root out discrimination.” The lawsuit seeks compensation for the plaintiffs as well as a change to the University’s anti-discrimination policy and standard operating procedures.

Moving Forward

MARK CAPAPAS THE DAILY ILLINI

Terrell Spurlock sits on the staircase on the third floor of Gregory Hall. Spurlock says one of the main issues facing students of color is student retention.

“She literally treats us like we are her own.” Many students use BNAACC and La Casa as their “second home.” Harrison said BNAACC and the black community played a crucial role in his success. “BNAACC saved my life, literally. My second day of school I had a negative racial encounter,” Harrison said. He recalled when a Massmail was released freshman year about a crime on campus which described an African-American male. After the alert was sent out, a group of white students that lived on his floor asked him if he committed the crime, which made him feel unsafe and unwelcome, until he reached out to the black house.

“I then got in touch with the black house and it became my safe haven. (BNAACC) became my community that I felt comfortable with,” Harrison said. As students are making strides to better their community, it is not enough as students are experiencing racial encounters and setbacks, Love said. “My experience has been a little hazy as I have received death threats and was stopped by the police,” Love said. “The cops called me names like homeboy and homie, spitting in the direction of our feet and things in the lines of that. When they couldn’t find anything (in the car), they let us go.”

Despite harsh realities students face based on the color of their skin, activism has played a large role in getting more African-American classes and a new cultural center. Completing a U.S. minority course is now a graduation requirement, and new retention programs are in place for minority students. Harrison said he wishes students did not have to go through what he went through. “I wish that U of I students could just be students,” Harrison said. “I wish they could just focus on solely their academics and professional development instead of doing a job that University should be doing.” It was not until the shooting and killing of unarmed Trayvon Martin and the rise of Black Lives Matter, a movement campaigning against systemic racism, that began to affect the University in 2014. Oladeinde recalled the tension that was on campus during the tragedy and saw a student with a shirt that said “Zimmerman shoots every target.” That shirt motivated him to unite the black student leaders on campus and planned the march and sit-in at Florida Avenue Residence Hall. “We were all peers and friends, but we were also (in) different organizations and we figured since we all had positions of power and platforms and we can help make a bigger impact if we want it,” Oladeinde said. Some demands were met by the University, like bridging the gap between the campus community and improving relations with law enforcement, but despite the success of the sit-in and march, students still feared for their lives. “I made the call to let the police know about an hour before, just so they can be aware of what is going on,” Oladeinde said. “We had to

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remember that this was a time where a lot of racial tension (was) going on (across) campus. We wanted (the police to know) just in case someone tried to antagonize you and combat you.” As time goes on, there are still matters that need to be addressed, as it has been observed that other races do not associate themselves with one another. Lavalais said all races can make a better effort. “It’s a misunderstanding on both ends,” Lavalais said. “We both assume that the other party doesn’t want to be bothered. Nobody goes out their way to hang with each other, so it’s mutual.” Robles said it is important the cultural centers use their platforms to educate the community through programming and celebrating cultural events. Burtley also said a way to bring down the racial tension is to educate people. “I would definitely encourage people to combat with education,” Burtley said. “A lot of these problems stem from ignorance and people not knowing the nature of African-American culture, so just to remember that every time you do run into these types of problems, you can utilize this as an opportunity to change the perspective of someone else.” tmh2@dailyillini.com

Editor’s note: Taylor Howard is involved with several black organizations at the University. She is the President of Delta Sigma Theta Sorority, Inc., Alpha Nu Chapter and the President of 100 STRONG. Howard does know sources Aeriel Burtley and Bradley harrison, but not personally. Howard does know of sources Aeriel Burtley and Bradley Harrison, but they are not personally.

THURSDAY February 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

OPINIONS Voter ID laws cleverly discriminate ANDREW PROZOROVSKY COLUMNIST

CHANTAL VACA THE DAILY ILLINI

THE DAILY ILLINI

EDITORIAL

Express love for Valentine’s Day, whoever you are

alentine’s Day can be great. The start of something exciting and new might happen, whether it’s asking out that cute guy or gal in lecture or maybe just even getting their number. Or, it’s a day celebrating a romantic relationship that’s already happening between you and your significant other. Traditionally, it’s a day dedicated to loving and appreciating someone you fancy. Well, what about the rest of the students on campus? For some, Valentine’s Day is nothing more than a reality check that we’re alone. But before all the singles out there start resenting the happy couples around them, there might be some solace in stagging it out on this holiday. The Daily Illini Editorial Board stresses that Valentine’s Day should no longer be viewed as a day solely about couples and relationships. It’s 2019, and students here at the University can make it about whatever they want it to be. Everyone wants to feel loved and appreciated, but it doesn’t mean students necessarily need someone there to do it for them. Students can celebrate loving themselves and think about how much money they’re saving by staying single. Other students might celebrate by calling family and close friends, or even

throwing a get-together. Students who have significant others (or soon will!) can celebrate the holiday as it’s traditionally been celebrated, too. New pop culture traditions like Galentine’s Day (based off an episode of “Parks and Recreation”), an unofficial holiday where women celebrate their love for their best girlfriends, are coming into the spotlight. On social media platforms like Twitter and Instagram, users might feel more inclined to post memes about being alone — and how they actually enjoy it. If you’re valentine happens to be your pet cat or the University of Illinois at UrbanaChampaign (yes, the campus itself ), The Daily Illini Editorial Board has no quarrel with that. No matter which way you go about celebrating Valentine’s Day, keep in mind it’s a holiday for everyone. It’s not a reminder to despise every couple you see walking down Green Street, nor is it an opportunity to flaunt to others how madly in love you are with your significant other. Valentine’s Day can be something entirely different of what it traditionally is. Candle-lit dinner dates and a bouquet of flowers for your partner sure is nice, but who’s to say we can’t do these things by ourselves?

the past, America has rejected hindrances to voting such as poll taxes, grandfather clauses and literacy tests. But in the last 10 years, as the Supreme Court has weakened the Voting Rights Act of 1965, a new hindrance has cropped up: voter ID. Voter ID laws are a seemingly harmless legislative topic that is secretly laced with the poison of disenfranchisement. The laws hurt Americans more than they help, yet the GOP advocates for them primarily to favorably lower turnout of certain groups. The problem voter ID laws set out to correct is the issue of voter fraud—something that, as of 2017, multiple studies have found little evidence for. But even if voter fraud was a pestilence plaguing the American electoral system, voter ID would not prevent the main method for voting twice: once in person and once by mail-in ballot. While voter ID laws may ostensibly be in place in order to prevent voter impersonation, the ulterior motives these state legislatures have for passing these laws are far more sinister and grounded in partisanship. Disenfranchisement is a legitimate concern. A University of Michigan study found minority voters were between 2.5 and 6 times more likely to lack ID when voting. While this study concluded 0.6 percent of voters lacked photo ID, or 28,000 votes, 28,000 votes is still substantial, and in some instances can decide an election result. FiveThirtyEight found similar results broadly among all voters. Under voter ID laws,

State ID

MAX PIASECKI THE DAILY ILLINI

many voters would now lack sufficient criteria to fulfill their civic duty. The process for obtaining photo ID can be far more rigorous than one might intuitively think. In some cases, voters in search of an ID describe the bureaucratic nightmare and absurd amount of documentation required to receive one. If there must be a photo ID prerequisite to vote, the process for obtaining one must be made stupidly easy. Otherwise, many voters will be dissuaded and discouraged from voting given the obstacles. Secondly, these laws leave room for GOP scrutiny to make the process more tedious. They can scrutinize voter turnout by picking and choosing which forms of ID are acceptable, which offices can distribute acceptable forms of IDs and when they are allowed to do so. As of 2016, Texas voting law allows a citizen to vote using a handgun license but not a state-issued university ID. In a state like Texas, this

feels all too coincidental. There is a clear lack of evidence to support the urgency of these laws. There are the adverse effects that arise from them. But what about the intent of the legislators when enacting these laws? Intent certainly matters given its insight on the desired results of legislation. For example, photo ID is necessary for the purchase of Sudafed to prevent the production of methamphetamines. The intent of voter ID laws are to make the prospects of minorities voting unpropitious, according to multiple statements made in the past by GOP officials. These statements have only elevated fears that these voter ID laws were legislated with malicious intent. The courts continue to dissect, and in many cases, strike down these laws. Courts have ruled, sometimes multiple times on the same law, that laws or parts of laws were unconstitutional in states like Texas, North Carolina or Wiscon-

sin. The Supreme Court did uphold these laws in a 6-3 decision at a time where the court had a 6-3 conservative majority, meaning the contentious case was decided by a partisan divide. The validity of these laws — especially with consideration to the underlying intent of these laws — is certainly not sound. While voter ID laws may seem intuitive or “common sense,” the question of the effectiveness and necessity of voter ID laws are far more nuanced. The integrity of American elections deserves to be protected, but the protection of that cannot be done in such a manner that disenfranchises thousands of good-faith voters. It is a solution searching for a problem. As long as voter ID laws remain another string of legislation weaponized to alienate the electoral process, they have no place in society as a legitimate reform. Andrew is a freshman in LAS. atp4@dailyillini.com

California utility company fuels wildfire FRED SHOAFF COLUMNIST

fter playing a role in deadly wildfires several years in a row, a California utility company is showing just how dangerous and unfair the modern utilities system is. Utility giant Pacific Gas and Electric Company has been the topic of national scrutiny for months as its careless business model has been linked to over a hundred deaths caused by dangerous wildfires across northern California. But because of the nature of the industry, it continues to be bailed out despite enormous fines and lawsuits. Utility companies in the United States are natural monopolies. Of course, monopolies aren’t inherently illegal, but when the

lack of competition allows shoddy work and inept operations, it becomes more dangerous than it is efficient. The utilities industry has enormous barriers of entry, but that should not dissuade safe work because of the lure of higher profits. In the case of PG&E, a company with annual revenues of $17 billion, government bailouts and regulation of the industry have allowed the irresponsible energy provider to continue its profit-thirsty operations without improving safety year after fire-stricken year. In its latest run-in with lawsuits, PG&E is accused of turning a blind eye to faulty equipment and disregarding certain safety inspections. It has also been uncovered they submitted more false inspection reports than initially believed, unveiling more fraudulent activity by the power provider. Each time PG&E has

made a critical gaffe, it has wiggled around shutting down and have been able to pass on the massive fines in the form of higher prices to their consumers. The current liabilities PG&E face, which total around $30 billion, will result in price hikes for citizens of northern California who are still playing a hand in paying off PG&E’s 2001 bankruptcy. It doesn’t seem fair for people’s bank accounts to go up in smoke because PG&E caused their neighbors’ houses to do the same. However, if not even bankruptcy can save PG&E from the enormous financial exposure they face, there will be no justice as millions will have an energy crisis on their hands. Because of the lack of energy supply competition in northern California (and across America for that matter), for a new company to come in, secure PG&E’s assets and resume operations would cost even more for customers, and no

PHOTO COURTESY OF MARCUS YAM, LOS ANGELES TIMES

Firefighters monitor a burn operation on top of a ridge near the town of Ladoga, California, on Aug. 7.

company would be stupid enough to do so. Dethroning the tyrant powerhouse is simply not sensible enough to happen. So, as it stands, PG&E will continue to provide energy to its 16 million customers and will somehow provide safer operations while also somehow maintaining liquidity. Now, more than ever, the company will be forced to counter the problem that made it declare bankruptcy in the first place: wildfires. Now is not the time for PG&E — or any energy provider across the country — to allow poorly managed operations. Utility companies have always been one of the safest investments on Wall Street, but now that PG&E stock has plummeted as much as 87 percent due to liabilities, it is time for the industry to see significant developments. Utilities must abandon its bureaucratic ways of slow progress. Open markets have always proven to be the best, but PG&E is just the first example of the corruptness that can appear when companies mismanage. Despite all the mismanagements that have — at the very least — indirectly led to the deaths of over 100 people, the company is still paying out $130 million in incentive bonuses for 2018. Nothing screams bureaucracy like the CEO of a fraudulent firm receiving a massive bonus check as her operation watches the world burn. Fred is a freshman in Media. fshoaff2@dailyillini.com

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

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Thursday, February 14, 2019

CPR app doesn’t skip a beat BY TRISHALA BHAGAT STAFF WRITER

This time of year, many people tend to focus on hearts. Candy, chocolate, and paper hearts are on display on store shelves and websites everywhere. But, there is an app trying to make people focus on another type of heart: the real, beating human kind. During a cardiac arrest, survival time decreases by 10 percent with each passing minute. Luckily, there are different technological initiatives being instituted to prepare for these situations. PulsePoint is a free app which notifies community members of sudden cardiac arrests with the hopes that survival chances will increase through certified bystander cardiopulmonary resuscitation and Automated External Defibrillators. PulsePoint is available in just over 3,500 communities in the U.S. and Canada. Cardiac arrest can happen to anyone at any time, not just older citizens. A heart attack doesn’t need to occur for a person to go into cardiac arrest, which is when the rhythm of one’s heart is not performing normally. Jennipher Wilson, EMT of 25 years and president of Vital Education and Supply — where people can be CPR, AED certified or First Aid certified in the workplace — addressed how cardiac arrest affects college students. “People have underlying genetic conditions they are unaware of,” she said. “Students are also away from home and stressing their hearts, which can put them into sudden cardiac arrest, which breaks the idea that it only happens to people that are old.” PulsePoint Respond focuses on those in need of CPR. If a cardiac emergency is in a public place, someone within a half-mile to 1 mile radius can use the app to see who is registered as CPR certified, or someone certified can receive a notification to help those in trouble. It also directs people to the location of the closest AED to increase the likelihood of survival for the sudden cardiac arrest victim. The dispatch system through PulsePoint alerts

CPR-trained bystanders as well as off-duty professionals such as firefighters, police officers and nurses about nearby sudden cardiac arrests. Nathan Cornwell, president of Illini Emergency Medical Services, explains how on-site administered CPR can save someone’s life. “There a re nea rly 350,000 cardiac arrests in America per year, and according to the American Heart Association, the survival rate for cardiac arrests is 12 percent,” he said. “But if bystander CPR was conducted, it would increase to 46 percent. It makes a huge difference if CPR is initiated before paramedics arrive. The six to ten minutes for the response time of an ambulance can be ok, but seconds count for things like CPR deaths, which makes the PulsePoint app critical.” PulsePoint AED allows people to report and update AED locations so they can be located when a cardiac emergency happens and strengthen the chain of survival. “When someone suffers from cardiac arrest, the chain of survival is increased through quick bystander intervention,” Cornwall said. “It’s still a relatively new system, but EMTs are pushing for this to increase the likelihood of survival, especially in things like cardiac arrests where early intervention is so important and activating bystanders is critical.” Public AEDs aren’t used often because people are unaware of their locations. By having accurate AED information on PulsePoint, bystanders helping those in need are able to locate AEDs and increase the chance of survival. Kabir Thombre,junior in LAS, IEMS safety officer and EMT-B, has worked with the app directly. “We are one of the student-run student-led emergency medical services agencies,” he said. “We work with PulsePoint by locating all the AEDs on campus, map them into the app and restore (or) refurbish any old AEDs on campus.” About 5 percent of students on campus are trained, which is about 2,500 students. The University is nationally recog-

4:45

Monday, February 11 PulsePoint CPR needed

now

AMANDA KATZ THE DAILY ILLINI

nized as a heart safe campus due to the number of students who have certifications. According to Cornwell, the app is an advantage to students and the larger C-U community. Shannon Smith, vice president of communications at PulsePoint, addresses misconceptions about CPR and says the app can foster community engagement. “PulsePoint allows people to see how easy it is to learn CPR, and the American Heart Association actually recommends hands-only CPR, so I think many people got tripped up on mouth-tomouth,” she said. “You can keep someone’s heart beating, keep them alive, with simple two-handed compressions into the chest.” Those who have the PulsePoint respond app and local emergency responders get updated about AEDs nearby. Citizens, respond-

ers and dispatchers can work together in their communities to help victims in a cardiac emergency. Smith says PulsePoint makes communities more aware of AEDs. Many people have the misconception that are for professional use only, but PulsePoint invites everyday people to utilize the app, which is why they have strived to make it user-friendly. PulsePoint also notifies citizens of other emergencies and natural disasters as they’re happening, including traffic accidents, wildfires and floods. Wilson is glad to see the app spreading CPR awareness in the student population, hopefully encouraging more to seek certification. “The app gets people to think about CPR again because a large portion of the population isn’t CPR trained,” she said. “A lot of

students are coming from other countries where CPR is foreign to them. They typically enjoy the class the most because they are given the power to save a life and are included in the community. To pass that knowledge on to people is great for me.” Places on campus like Illini EMS or Carle Foundation Hospital have CPR training programs in addition to online classes and programs through the American Red Cross and American Heart Association. Someone could receive their certification in as little as two hours. Nearly 70 percent of cardiac arrests that don’t occur in hospitals happen in private residences. Verified responders can use the app to be notified of private households that students may not have access to. Two years ago, PulsePoint started piloting a

new program called verified responder, which takes firefighters or vetted professionals and gives them a professional version of PulsePoint Respond that allows them to be activated off-duty for in-home private cardiac arrests. Smith believes socially active students can see CPR certification as a service to the greater community. “Students are the next generation,” she said. “They are familiar with smartphones, comfortable with apps. It’s almost second nature to have a phone, use GPS locator software, use apps and feel comfortable doing so. I feel this upcoming generation is very civically minded; they want to make the world a better place and help each other, and PulsePoint makes it such a simple thing to do.” tbhagat2@dailyillini.com

NEW YORK TIMES CROSSWORD ACROSS TH FEB 14 5PM 7:30PM

Krannert Uncorked with Knights of Cabiria // Marquee Sonic Illinois: Electroacoustic Concert // School of Music

FR FEB 15 10AM 7:30PM

Dance for People with Parkinson’s // Marquee Music of the British Isles // Sinfonia da Camera

SA FEB 16 10AM 7:30PM

Free Family Fun Concert: Jazzy Ash and the Leaping Lizards // Marquee Sonic Illinois: Eighth Blackbird and Third Coast Percussion: Steve Reich’s Music for 18 Musicians // Marquee

SU FEB 17 3PM 7:30PM

Sonic Illinois: UI Symphony Orchestra with Rachel Barton Pine, violin // School of Music Sonic Illinois: Illinois Wind Symphony // School of Music

WE FEB 20 7:30PM

William Heiles, piano // School of Music

TH FEB 21 5PM 7:30PM

Krannert Uncorked with the Joan Hickey Trio // Marquee Sonic Illinois: The Rape of Lucretia // Lyric Theatre @ Illinois

FR FEB 22 7:30PM

Sonic Illinois: The Rape of Lucretia // Lyric Theatre @ Illinois

ACCESS FOR ALL TWO-SEASON CHALLENGE Everyone deserves a chance to experience the life-affirming power of the performing arts. In celebration of Krannert Center’s 50th anniversary, make a gift today at KrannertCenter.com/Give to ensure access to the arts for all. Every dollar given will be matched by generous sponsors.

1 Italian scooter 6 Endurance 10 Glimpses 15 Like a necktie near the end of a long workday, maybe 16 Big name in cosmetics 17 Another nickname for the Governator 18 Bass group? 19 Give stars to 20 Prize that comes with 9 million kronor 21 Kidnapper who gets arrested? 24 Page listing 25 Once-over 26 Soccer player Hamm 27 Measure of purity 29 Win a one-onone game against a Toronto hoops player? 34 Army allowance 37 Gun-shy 38 Spiffy top 39 Even up 40 Partner of pieces 41 Elates 42 Long time out? 43 Not altogether 44 Playwright Sean who wrote “The Plough and the Stars” 45 “I don’t want this house after all”? 48 Japanese box meal 49 Group of traffic cops, for short? 50 ___ economy 53 E’en if 55 Synagogue singer with hokey humor? 59 Pizazz 61 “No problem at all!” 62 Eastern European capital

55 60

47 49

48 53

29 34

PUZZLE BY JEFF SLUTZKY AND DEREK BOWMAN

63 Hoffman who wrote “Steal This Book” 64 What photocopiers do 65 Church chorus 66 Gave a pill, say 67 River whose name comes entirely from the last eight letters of the alphabet 68 Sacred text … or your reaction upon figuring out this puzzle’s theme?

DOWN

1 Oklahoma’s ___ Air Force Base 2 Attempt 3 FaceTime alternative 4 Confined, with “up” 5 “You’ve got to be kidding me!” 6 Mustang catcher

7 “Dear ___ Hansen” (2017 Tony winner) 8 Dark kind of look 9 Some court wear 10 Oh, what an actress! 11 Tennis ___ 12 Things in the backs of Macs 13 Theater seating info 14 What bears do in the market 22 “The Last Jedi” director Johnson 23 Not a single 28 Show up 29 Galoot 30 How this clue appears 30 How this clue appears 31 ___ yoga 32 Like some shoppes 33 Optimistic

34 Billiards need 35 It’s a relief 36 Ticking dangers 40 Margaret Thatcher, e.g., in her later years 41 Derides 43 James who sang at the opening of the 1984 Summer Olympics 44 “Beetle Bailey” dog 46 Crept (along) 47 Need to speak 50 Many an intern 51 Skater Slutskaya 52 Grind, in a way 53 Mr. with a “Wild Ride” at Disneyland 54 Drifter 56 Savoir-faire 57 Anthem starter 58 Italy’s Lake ___ 60 Pizza delivery

The crossword solution is in the Classified section.

THURSDAY February 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

LIFE

CULTURE

Alumna leads individualized dating service Technology leads to dating apps, services BY SIDNEY MADDEN ASSISTANT FEATURES EDITOR

Bela Gandhi was always the go-to girl for relationship advice, helping friends get out of unhealthy relationships and setting up compatible couples. When Gandhi was a student at the University in the early ‘90s, she matched her first couple. Today, Gandhi has a successful date coaching business, the Smart Dating Academy in Chicago, where she teaches professionals how to date in the new online sphere. The Smart Dating Academy originally began as a matchmaking business in 2009. Gandhi routinely flew to New York to try to pair two individuals based on superficial checklists (height, profession, etc.). She realized that unless she had access to a database with thousands of people at her disposal, this business model was not sustainable. With the help of her husband, Andrew Annacone, who studies business models and mentors start-ups, her business took on a new face. Annacone, also an alumnus, helped Gandhi think of how to efficiently create the best services for her target demographic, people 28 to 65 years old. “From a business model standpoint,” he said. “The way I viewed it was, look, you control more the deliverable if you look at it like a story. You can create much more impact, much more efficiently if you turn this into a school.” Gandhi attributed her dating expertise to an instinctive understanding of human interaction. Annacone said date coaching helps Gandhi’s clients with interpersonal skills that they can carry over into other parts of their personal and professional lives. “The process of self-exploration she takes these people through in order to find their ideal mate, and also the process of communicating with people also translates to other realms of their lives,” he said.

no better time to meet someone in the history of the world than now because of connectivity and technology, and yet, people say it’s harder than ever.” Gandhi was struck by how her clients’ dating profiles didn’t reflect who they were in real life. She brought on a photographer to help retake profile pictures and a writer to help with descriptions. She also brought on other date coaches to assist throughout process. “Most coaching is fragmented and unregulated,” Gandhi said. “And so a milestone for us is really having a team of people and people following a procedure that I know. That has really been something I’ve been proud of because people told me, ‘Oh, there’s no way you can replicate yourself. People are going to want to work with you.’ And people are plenty happy working with my team, and that gives me great satisfaction.” One of the date coaches is Lindsay Anderson, whose friend saw Gandhi on TV and encouraged Anderson to reach out. Anderson, a former certified matchmaker, describes herself in an email as a “personal trainer for our client’s love lives.” If a potential client wants to work with Gandhi and her team, the first step is filling out an inquiry form. Gandhi will then set up a call with them to make sure they are coachable. From there, new clients will come for a threehour jump start consultation at the Four Seasons in Chicago. Clients can then choose to work with the team anywhere from three to 12 months. Some of the services offered include weekly checkins, online profile consultation and the comprehensive 360 feedback, where clients reach out to family and friends to provide a holistic overview on the individual. Prices begin at $35 for an initial consultation and range from $450 to $15,000 depending on the services

BELA GHANDI THE DAILY ILLINI

University alumna Bela Gandhi has created a coaching business for singles looking for love. Gandhi’s Smart Dating Academy is located in Chicago, but serves clients from across the country. She has appeared on shows like Steve Harvey and The Today Show.

California. Gandhi credits the local and national media exposure for their diverse clientele. In 2012, Gandhi made her first appearance on the “Steve Harvey” show, after being approached by one of the show’s producers. She has since become a regular dating correspondent, offering tips

“There’s no better time to meet someone in the history of the world than now because of connectivity.” BELA GANDHI FOUNDER OF SMART DATING ACADEMY

By the time Gandhi started date coaching, she realized dating had changed due to technology and its “fallacy of abundance.” “Along with optionality, often sometimes comes anxiety and sometimes, even paralysis,” she said. “If you look at it on-paper, there’s

provided. Though the Smart Dating Academy is based in Chicago, most coaching is done remotely via phone, video calls and emails. This is because 50 to 60 percent of clients come from out-ofstate, from places like Washington D.C., New York and

and tricks to viewers. She has since gone on to other shows broadcasted nationwide like “Good Morning America” and “The Today Show.” Gandhi can see the future of the Smart Dating Academy moving toward interpersonal skills and life coaching. However, she sees online dating

becoming even more embedded into modern culture. Albi Guce, who graduated in December 2018, said he agreed. Guce co-founded the new dating app, Aloha, with Ethan Wisniewski, senior in Engineering. They sought to pinpoint what Tinder and Bumble do successfully and optimize the user’s experience to facilitate more meaningful connections. During market and consumer research, he and his team concluded Tinder’s major flaw is they frontload the incentive: the natural human instinct to know who finds you attractive. By learning who finds you attractive immediately, there is less reason to connect with the person on the other end and results in a lot of missed opportunity, Guce said. They created an anonymity system where after swiping on someone’s photos, their photos disappear and becomes a tropical animal icon instead. “As you’re chatting with the person,” Guce said, “the pic-

ture becomes progressively less blurry. So it goes from an animal to a picture that reveals itself. Sort of a progression system that gives you feedback on how the conversation is going.” The team began with the name “Aloha” and started designing the app meticulously and strategically around it. “Aloha means not only hello, so it’s hello, but a meaningful love, like a spiritual love between two people rather than a superficial love or physical love,” Guce said. “So we thought it’d be a hello to a new relationship.” Color theory in user interface design was also important, Guce explained. That is why they selected teal over red (which could symbolize lust). The app itself follows the nightclub model, meaning it was centered around what women want in hopes that men will follow. The app has to be completely ready before its launch because users aren’t likely to return if they have a bad first

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experience. However, Guce said a college campus is the perfect place to jumpstart Aloha, even if it’s not their target audience. “This is really the only environment where you can get that bulk growth very quickly and very easily and inexpensively,” he said. “People are much more willing to try things on a college campus than when they don’t have time.” Guce and Gandhi agree online dating is a viable and more practical way to meet significant others instead of waiting for fate or other Hollywood-esque meet cutes. As online dating becomes more mainstream, it will be used to connect people on a deeper level, Gandhi said. “Technology will become more and more important in connecting people because you know as we become more factionalized, there is not a huge sense of community,” she said “(It’s) just the way the world is going.”

Apple and the Apple logo and iPhone are trademarks of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries and regions. App Store is a service mark of Apple Inc., registered in the U.S. and other countries. Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.

THURSDAY February 14, 2019 The Daily Illini DailyIllini.com

SPORTS

WOMEN’S GYMNASTICS

BASEBALL

Scott makes strides on team BY SUMEYA KALIB STAFF WRITER

The Illinois women gymnastics team has welcomed a fresh face to beam and floor line up this season in freshman Shaylah Scott. Being the only freshman to have performed so far this season, the Texas native and junior Olympic National Champion has been making strides and showcasing her talent over the recent dual meets. Her debut was at the Central Michigan Quad Meet with a 9.775 on floor. She then beat her personal best on floor against Maryland on Jan. 19 with a 9.825, earning her third place in the event. On bea m , S cot t achieved a career-high with a 9.850 this past weekend against Michigan State, surpassing her 9.825 previous best against Penn State which won her the event title. According to Scott, going on beam against Penn State was her proudest moment yet. She had to overcome her own doubts of her capabilities to perform well, but it seemingly vanished as soon as she started her routine. W hen it comes to improving, Scott sees it as more of a mental challenge. She looks back on her old videos and sees the f laws she can fix in her future routines, because to her, there is no going backward. Scott has made efforts to stick to the coaches’ advice, according to head coach Nadalie Walsh. She is becoming more comfortable and confident at the meets which has helped improve her scores. “Shaylah has ... steadily been climbing and excelling, and I think she’s really coming into her own level of confidence in herself,” Walsh said. “She’s starting to realize that she can really enjoy performing instead of just going out and performing as a job. She’s doing it as a job and a passion, and I’m really thankful for her.” Scott started out gymnastics at two years old when her mom put her in with her cousin, who later went on to continue gymnastics at the University of Alabama and recently graduated. “My mom was kind of following my aunt because they’re sisters and she was like, ‘Oh she does gymnastics, you’re SEE SCOTT | 3B

THE DAILY ILLINI FILE PHOTO

Michael Massey throws the ball to first base during Illinois’ game against Milwaukee on March 14. Massey is heading into this season as the No. 2 Big Ten MLB draft prospect.

Baseball is a family affair BY MEGHAN REST ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

It’s well past normal practice hours on Jan. 10, 2015, and the Bo Jackson Dome in Lockport, Illinois, is almost empty. Almost. Within the dome, a 17-yearold kid sits propped up between a blue plastic curtain and a thin support beam. His Chicago Blackhawks ball cap is tilted down to cover his eyes so the indoor field lights don’t interrupt his sleep. All the other players have gone home. But for Illinois junior infielder Michael Massey, the dome has always been home. Although Massey is a Rawlings Gold Glove Winner for second base and has handfuls of Big Ten All-Team accolades, his relationship with baseball has always been simple. His .987 fielding percentage and ability to play 60 games without a single error has grown from work ethic

and love of the game. His father Keith Massey played baseball at Illinois from 1983 to 1986 as an infielder under the guidance of former head coach Tom Dedin. Keith committed to Illinois during his senior year at Oak Forest High School and made his collegiate debut as a backup infielder for a team fresh off a Big Ten title. It wasn’t until his sophomore season that Keith worked his way into a starting position at second base — the position Michael was recruited for. Keith’s baseball background stemmed from his father and four brothers, which he passed on to Michael and his older siblings Katie and Andrew. According to Keith, baseball was a “constant” in the Massey household. If the Chicago Cubs or White Sox weren’t on WGN, SEE MASSEY | 3B

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois infielder Michael Massey hits the ball during the game against Rutgers at Illinois Field on April 13. His entire family has a close relationship with the sport.

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Wittinger balances playing on team, school Senior forward pursues basketball, STEM careers BY JJ KIM STAFF WRITER

Following another hardfought game, senior forward Alex Wittinger headed to the locker room to call her father. He was her first coach and is still a key figure in her life, always going over the game and discussing what adjustments to make going forward. After a frus-

trating loss, Wittinger has to decompress for a short time before calling, but she always finds time to talk. After finally snapping a nine-game losing streak by defeating Wisconsin, Wittinger’s post-game call was probably much happier. Wittinger led all scorers with 24 points and 12 boards, giving her another double-double. She shot

an efficient 11-16, including 7-7 in the third quarter where she torched the Badgers defense with her smooth jump shot. Her shots weren’t falling early and after going for a rebound, she got drilled in the nose. After a timeout, she came back on the floor with two cotton balls in her nostrils. As she walked into the press conference with both her ankles wrapped in ice, she explained the situation. “I got a little elbow caught: the (usual),” Wittinger said, laughing.

After the cotton balls went in, Wittinger played with more of an edge, and her shots began to fall. Much like she has her entire career, Wittinger came up huge when the team needed her most. In the third quarter, Wisconsin simply would not go away, making tough shot after tough shot, but the Badgers couldn’t find an answer for the star forward. Time and time again, Wittinger finds answers on the court, something which reflects across her whole collegiate experi-

ence. As a systems engineering major, she faces a challenging course load on top of meeting the demands of a Big Ten college athlete. According to Wittinger, she had always been good at STEM subjects in grade school, giving her an idea of what she wanted to study in college. However, the inspiration to take the leap into engineering came from her brother. “Both my brother and my dad are mechanical engineers,” Wittinger said. “I’m a pretty practical thinker,

so logically this would be a good move because I can get a good job right out of college.” Head coach Nancy Fahey has only kind words to share about Wittinger's focus across the two aspects of her life that are equally demanding. “Being an engineer here at one of the top engineering schools in the country and playing basketball, the rigor of all that takes some dedication and some really high intellect to do SEE WITTINGER | 3B

2B Thursday, February 14, 2019

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

WOMEN’S BASKETBALL

Illinois hopes to continue winning streak against Iowa BY GABBY HAJDUK STAFF WRITER

In a battle at the bottom of the Big Ten, Illinois women’s basketball defeated Wisconsin 78-68 at home on Sunday to earn its second Big Ten win of the season. The Illini will now head to Iowa City on a high note instead of a 10-game losing streak to take on the No. 14 Hawkeyes this Thursday. After a tough game for senior Alex Wittinger and junior Brandi Beasley at Purdue on Feb. 7, the duo shined against Wisconsin, regaining their confidence.

Wittinger injured her ankle at Purdue, only playing 11 minutes and scoring two points before sitting the second half out. While Beasley was not injured, the guard failed to score against the Boilermakers after scoring in the double digits for the previous five games. In the contest against Wisconsin, Wittinger recorded her seventh double-double of this season with 24 points and 12 rebounds. Beasley reentered double-digit scoring with 16 points and neared a double-double of her own with nine assists.

Being the Illini’s most consistent players on both ends of the court, Beasley and Wittinger will need to bring their A-games once again Thursday night to complete the upset over the Hawkeyes. In the Illini’s previous meeting with Iowa at home on Jan. 20, Beasley and Wittinger did just that, recording 21 and 20 points respectively. Freshman Arieal Scott and redshirt junior Cierra Rice also stepped up against Iowa, scoring 15 and 11 points respectively. Despite Illinois’ strong offensive performance, the

defense struggled to control the opposition’s high powered offense and ultimately fell to Iowa 94-75. Following the loss, head coach Nancy Fahey discussed the defense’s difficulties. “Because you have to give so much attention to Gustafson, you’re constantly in rotations when the shot goes up, and you do have to respect your shooters so the boards really hurt us,” Fahey said. “They scored so many different ways, and that’s tough. If you can get it down to one way, you can play some (defense), but they have so many differ-

ent weapons.” This time around, Illinois must focus on locking down Iowa’s senior Megan Gustafson, who put up 27 points against the Illini in the first meeting. The All-American averages a double-double with 27.3 points and 12.8 rebounds. Gustafson also recorded her only three-pointer this season against Illinois. While Illinois would love to double-team Gustafson ,Iowa has plenty of other offensive threats the Illini will have to pay attention to. Tania Davis, Kathleen Doyle and Hannah

Stewart all recorded doubledigit scoring against Illinois. Davis and Doyle will be perimeter threats as they both recorded three threepointers at Illinois. Along with Gustafson, Stewart will pose as an inside threat, averaging 58 percent shooting from the field. Iowa is coming into the contest on a three-game winning streak, most recently defeating Ohio State on the road 78-52. The Hawkeyes are also undefeated at home this season. ghajduk2@dailyillini.com

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois forward Alex Wittinger fights for position to rebound a free throw during the game against Nebraska at the State Farm Center on Jan. 17. The Illini lost 77-67. Wittinger and junior Brandi Beasley shined in the same against Wisconsin on Feb. 7.

FROM 1B

SCOTT

individual sport,” Scott said in December.” So here in college, it’s like you’re not just doing your routine for yourself, you’re doing it for your team also”. As for the rest of the season and the future, Scott has a lot to gain, according to Walsh. She has the potential to step up and be a leader for future Illini gymnasts who come after her. “Shaylah has come a very long way in terms of her self-confidence and her sure-footedness, and I think that her gymnastics has gotten cleaner,” Walsh said. “We’re really fortunate to have her in our program because she’s bringing in some great scores and she’s training in vault again, so we’re excited to have her get out there on that event as well.”

going to do gymnastics, too,’” Scott said. There was no doubt in Scott’s mind that she wanted to go to the collegiate level. Other gymnasts Haylee Roe and Chayse Capps, an allaround gymnasts from the University of Oklahoma, influenced her to believe finishing her career in college was “worth it.” Seeing how much Roe loved Illinois whenever she came home made Scott want to experience it for herself. Competing on the clublevel before coming to the University, Scott saw the immediate changes when stepping on to campus and being in the wake of her inaugural season. “In club, it’s more of an skalib2@dailyillini.com

FROM 1B

WITTINGER

thing other players can lean on. For guard Brandi Beasley, it makes life a whole lot easier. “The thing about Alex is that it’s tough to defend her, she draws a lot of attention and it opens up other stuff for other people to stay aggressive,” Beasley said. “It’s exciting to see any teammate play like that.” As her career comes down the home stretch, Wittinger is close to multiple school records. On the defensive end, she’s second all-time in school history for offensive rebounds, just 22 shy from tying Cindy Dallas’ mark of 410. She’s had the second and third best single-season block totals in school history and is only 13 blocks away from taking sole possession of the most career blocks currently held by Karisma Penn. If she can eventually vault to the top of those categories in the record books, the program will surely see it as a well deserved reward for the hard work and attitude she has had throughout her career.

both.” Fahey said. “I credit her with that, and I think she’s a student of the game works really hard at it, I imagine it’s the same as a student in the classroom.” While Wittinger has set herself up for a life after basketball, she has her sights set on the next step in her athletic career. “I would love to continue playing basketball, “Wittinger said.” If I’m good enough I would love to play (in the WNBA). If not, either way I think I’ll play overseas.” Wittinger almost certainly has a future in professional basketball considering her consistent numbers in all facets of the game. Last season, Wittinger finished 13th in Big Ten in scoring, fourth in rebounding, eighth in field goal percentage and fourth in blocks. This season, she isn’t far behind. The senior ranks top 15 in scoring, 11th in rebounding, fifth in field goal percentage and third in blocked shots in the conference. Her steady stream of production has been some- jjk7@dailyillini.com

FROM 1B

MASSEY there was a good chance the Masseys were watching Baseball Tonight or any game they could catch. Michael grew up to the sound of “Field of Dreams” and “The Perfect Game.” Anything involving a little white ball with red stitches was welcomed. Keith remembers Michael’s interest in baseball blooming at a young age. It started with Michael’s grandmother tossing a whiffle ball to him in the backyard and led him all the way to a starting spot on a Division I baseball team. But Michael’s success didn’t happen overnight. He began playing competitive baseball at six years old for the Illinois Sparks, a club team his dad was the president of. From a young age Michael found himself playing with boys one, two and sometimes three years older than him. “When he was 6, he played in a league with 7-year-olds and 8-year-olds; when he was 8, he was playing up with 9-year-olds and 10-yearolds,” Keith said, “so he was always capable of playing with the older guys and that’s always been something that’s helped him develop.” According to Dave Payton, Keith’s former Illinois teammate and former president of Illinois Sparks, Michael has always been mature for his age. His intense, yet levelheaded demeanor has been ever-present since Michael joined the Sparks in elementary school. “From any standpoint, you never looked at him as the youngest in the family. He’s always very mature to talk to and wise beyond his years,” Payton said. “Probably by the time Mike was seven years old he was acting like he was about 20 years old, and sometimes he talked like he was 20 years old too, and that wasn’t always in the proper language. He was just very matter-of-fact and very competitive.” Michael’s maturity and the unrivaled pursuit of excellence on the baseball diamond are still his two most dominant characteristics. “We knew from day one

when Michael got here that he was more mature than most freshmen I’ve seen,” said assistant Illinois baseball coach Adam Christ. Around age 9, Keith began to coach Michael and his older brother Andrew’s little league teams. Although he played a role in coaching Michael most of his childhood, Keith didn’t want to make Michael feel like he had to play baseball. But Michael not only fell in love with baseball on his own terms but succeeded on them, too. “It’s a very difficult spot to be the son or daughter of the coach because in the back of their mind, one it’s like ‘I’m the coach’s son, I can’t make a mistake’ or maybe it’s more and there’s people saying ‘if she or he wasn’t the coach’s kid, he wouldn’t be in

“How to deal with being the G.O.A.T. for a day or having an error with the bases loaded and striking out … Sports allow you to kinda have those highs and lows, and all of that is battle testing you for life.” That mantra still rings true for Michael today. Even though the 6-foot, 190-pound junior has devoted countless hours to perfecting his technique on the field, the relationships he built through baseball are more important than any national title His journey as a baseball player has been about as picture perfect as it gets. Even head Illinois baseball coach Dan Hartleb said, “He’s one of those athletes that only comes around a few times in your career.” But Michael doesn’t like to talk about any of that.

“Sports allow you to kinda have

those highs and lows, and all of that is battle testing you for life.” KEITH MASSEY FATHER OF MICHAEL MASSEY

that position or he wouldn’t be playing shortstop if he weren’t Coach Massey’s son,’” Keith said. Keith said he learned early on he didn’t need to compensate for his son-father relationship with extra discipline at practice or during games. Before Michael was even 10 years old, he was putting heavy pressure on himself to succeed. “Over time I realized that’s not fair to do to my own kids,” Keith said. “It helped me to be a lot more positive with Michael and let the results be what they are, and I think the result was that he played with less pressure, and I think that really helped him flourish as a player and nobody doubted the reason he was on the team.” From a young age, Michael’s parents wanted baseball to be about more than just swinging a bat or catching a ball. “In sports you learn life lessons about the value of dedication and hard work and what it takes to be a good teammate,” Keith said

baseball. “It helps having those guys saying, ‘Hey, we’re going to go do this, do you want to tag along?’” Michael said. “I have a good opportunity with (my team), but they’ve been instrumental in just helping getting involved in the community more.” Just like volunteer work, Michael’s faith has been an essential piece of his life outside of baseball. According to Keith, Michael grew up going to church regularly with his mom and two siblings until he began traveling for baseball on the weekends. While Michael and Co. may have missed out on weekly church services to play at out-oftown tournaments, faith has always been a cornerstone in Michael’s life. At practice, Michael wears a silver chain with a silver and blue cross hanging just below his collarbones – a gift from his Nana he got years ago. According to Keith, Michael never tucks the cross into his uniform. It’s not because Michael wants to be boastful or flashy, he said, but rather to represent his unwavering faith and love for his family. On Friday, Michael will officially begin his third season playing baseball for the Illini. And while it’s unclear whether it will be his last (Michael is the second-ranked draft prospect in the Big Ten according to D1baseball’s preseason rankings ) Michael is focusing on his team and the journey to lift them toward a Big Ten championship. It’s hard to think about Michael Massey without baseball – if you ask his friends and family, it can’t be done – but for him, baseball has always been more than a sport: it’s a lifestyle, and it’s home. “Baseball has led me to a lot of different paths in my life,” Michael said. “So it’s hard to look at it and say if I wasn’t a baseball player where I’d be because I think if my career ended today, I’d be happy with where it’s led me and who I’ve become along the way, so I’m grateful for the game in that sense. I don’t want to think about it if I don’t have to.”

To his friends, family and teammates, Michael is a product of his own hard work, but to himself, he’s gotten to where he is today because of his faith, family and teammates. “He was always a kid that was very humble,” McBride said. “He was obviously a very good high school player, but usually those guys are at times a little full of themselves because of their immaturity and their age, but he was always very mature, very humble and very involved in the helping of people.” Giving back is another pillar of Michael’s life and something he’s become more involved in since high school. The Brothers Rice baseball team hosted an annual “Buddy Night,” benefiting people with special needs. On the Illinois baseball team, Michael’s a leader in giving back. Whether helping people during the program’s trip to Curaçao and Aruba or reading to grammar school students in the ChampaignUrbana area, helping others is as important to Michael as merest2@dailyillini.com

THE DAILY ILLINI | WWW.DAILYILLINI.COM

Thursday, February 14, 2019

SOFTBALL

Illini hope to climb conference rankings BY JJ KIM STAFF WRITER

Following a 3-2 start to the season, the Illinois softball team heads to Atlanta this weekend where it will face Georgia Tech and Boston College. Fourth-year coach Tyra Perry will look to build off a solid opening weekend and climb the conference rankings. The team finished 37-18 last season, including a 15-2 home record. Despite the solid record, it was only good enough for sixth place in the Big Ten conference. “We started out really slow, our first tournament was pretty rough. But our players got back on the grind … they had a new focus,” Perry said. With a 11-9 road record last season, Perry emphasized the importance of having the right mindset in order to pull out those tough away games. “We turn each field into our home field. We act as if it’s an auxiliary version of Eichelberger Field and also have the mentality that grass is grass and dirt is dirt,” Perry said. After leading the Big Ten in a myriad of statistics like batting average, hits and scoring last year, the Illini brings back nine seniors, including center fielder Kiana Sherlund, who led the team in these same categories. Even with her recent success, the start of a new season is still unnerving for the senior. “One of our freshman said to me, ‘Man, I’m so nervous for this weekend.’ She said that to me as if I was supposed to tell her not to be nervous, but I looked at her and said, ‘I’m nervous too!’” Sherlund said. Nonetheless, the senior picked up right where she left off during the team’s first tournament with seven hits and four runs, tied for first and second on the team respectively.

AUSTIN YATTONI THE DAILY ILLINI

Illinois outfielder Kiana Sherlund (left) celebrates with catcher Bella Loya (right) after scoring a run in the bottom of the seventh to make the score 5-5 against Iowa at Eichelberger Field on April 21. The Illini won 6-5. Sherlund and Loya are excited to start the new season and build on their skills.

Although the Illini possess a lot of veteran talent, the team is introducing 10 newcomers this year, eight freshmen and two transfer students. Even though there are more newcomers than seniors, the older members on the team, like Sherlund, have become a model on how to mold their skills, both as a player and a leader. “It’s unreal the amount of growth we’ve seen out of Kiana,” Perry said. “When she first got here, she was a little nervous and shaky, but now she’s a strong, confident leader. It takes strong leadership skills to play center field and equally as tough

to be the lead-off batter on offense, and Kiana is both of those for us. She’s able to help our young players out.” The culture Perry has created allows the older players to keep the team in check when things start to get sloppy. For coach Perry, she couldn’t be happier that her players take charge. “We have so many vets on our team that I know I can talk to them directly and tell them, ‘Hey, we need to pick this up,’ Perry said. Having that leadership and minds that want to hear the truth and can handle the truth and turn it into something great is going to be the difference

for us this year.” “The seniors running the team is the best case scenario, and we have that. There are times that I have to step in, but most often I don’t.” Beyond helping the young players get acclimated on the field, the seniors help out with a lot of the little things off the field. The team will give tips on where classes are, where the best food is and all the local hotspots to help the newbies feel more at home. Over the weekend, it didn’t take long for the young players to make their presence known. Sophomores Rhein Trochim and Bella Loya

both had five hits in their first tournament and tied for the fourth most hits over the weekend. Loya is off to an especially great start as she leads the team in home runs and runs batted in no other player on the team has more than one home run. Although the long season has only recently begun, Loya and the other newcomers’ early return on investment is a promising sign for the future of the team. “We love each other; we’re family,” Sherlund said. “That’s going to be huge for us and our team chemistry. We’re a smart team and have

always been talented, but what sets this team apart is the resiliency we have. This team is so mentally strong, and the way we’re going to bounce back from (adversity) is something I’m excited to show off.” With such a tight bond and an arsenal of offensive weapons already established, it’ll be important to watch how the new players continue to develop as the season progresses. With the first tournament in the books, the next challenge begins Friday against Georgia Tech at 3 p.m. jjk7@dailyillini.com

THE DAILY ILLINI PRESENTS

Spring 2019

SPRING

HOUSING FAIR Thursday, February 21st • 11am-2pm Illini Union South Lounge & Rooms B, C DON’T ROLL THE DICE WHEN IT COMES TO HOUSING

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American Campus Communities • Bankier Apartments • Burnham 310 Campus Circle • Campus Property Management • City of Champaign, Recycling • City of Urbana, U-Cycle Cort Furniture • First Column Student Living • Green Street Realty • HERE • JSM Managment, Inc. Latitude • Maywood and Lancaster Apartments • MHM Properties • Midtown Properties Next Chapter Properties • Octave • One Illinois • The Place at 117 • The Pointe • Retreat Illinois Rob’s Apartment • Roland Realty • Seven07 • The Village at Colbert Park • The Weiner Companies, Ltd. Town and Country Apartments • West Quad • Xfinity/Comcast • 212 East

4B Thursday, February 14, 2019

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Thursday, February 14, 2019

Catch up with results of Worst Date contest EDITOR’S NOTE: THE DAILY ILLINI ASKED THEIR READERS TO SUBMIT ANONYMOUSLY FOR A CONTEST.

buzz calendar BY EMILY PEASE AND LIAM DWYER BUZZ CALENDAR EDITORS

The buzz calendar is a compilation of events happening in the Champaign-Urbana area. Follow our top picks in Monday’s and Thursday’s papers for ideas on what to do on any night of the week, from where to eat to what to watch.

In honor of Valentine’s Day, we asked our readers to tell us about the worst dates they’ve ever had. We picked out the worst of the worst.

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

THURSDAY, FEB. 14

No.1: I was dating a girl

Casablanca

for almost two years. Just switched colleges to be closer to her. So, we went to get a bite to eat after seeing a movie. She spent the entire meal flirting with our waiter. Called her out on it that night and she told me that I was crazy. To this day I still don't know if she already knew him or not, but she definitely dumped me for this guy a couple weeks later. So I can definitely say the worst date I ever had was losing a girlfriend of two years to a waiter at Steak ‘n Shake.

 7:30-9:15 p.m.  The Art Theater, 126 W. Church St., Champaign  Varies, Rated PG Easily one of the greatest films of all time and a Valentine’s Day staple at the Art, Michael Curtiz’s Casablanca is back this Thursday. “Casablanca”: easy to enter, but much harder to leave, especially if you’re wanted by the Nazis. Such a man is Resistance leader Victor Laszlo (Paul Henreid), whose only hope is to defeat Rick Blaine (Humphrey Bogart in one of his most memorable roles), a cynical American who sticks his neck out for no one — especially Victor’s wife, Ilsa (Ingrid Bergman), the ex-lover who broke his heart. Winner of three Academy Awards including Best Picture, Casablanca remains one of Hollywood’s greatest treasures.

No.2: This is the story of

ketchup boy. This guy in high school asked me to see a movie on my birthday and of course, I was down because #freemovie and he was a pretty cute, seemingly normal, boy on the football team. However, he picked me up late and he insisted we had to “rush” to get there on time. He drove like a maniac so that we got there on time and then proceeded to sprint into the theater, embarrassing me, while showing me a “cool trick” where he could engulf an entire bottle of water down his throat in under two seconds. In the movie theater, there are condiments next to us and I jokingly ask if he wants some ketchup even though we didn’t order food. He squirts a pokerchip-sized amount of ketchup on the palm of his hand and, maintaining eye con-

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tact and a straight face the entire time, licks it and eats it off his hand. Might I add he “doesn’t believe in gum,” so the rest of the movie is me trying not to smell his ketchup breath. On the drive home, he asks if I want to hang but it’s late so I ask to get dropped off at home. He drops me in my driveway but insists that I wait outside my garage door because he has a birthday present for me. He also said to close my eyes. Ladies, we aren’t dumb, we know where this is going. So I cover my face and mouth with

my hands dreading what’s about to happen. He literally walks back to his car and just opens and shuts the door as if he’s getting me a present, but then he rips my hands off my face, slams me against my garage door and kisses me, missing my mouth! Might I add he has a beard so there is beard hair in my mouth accompanied by ketchup breath and he holds it for like 10 seconds before immediately walking back to his car smiling, saying “have a great night.” I couldn’t eat ketchup for a year.

 7-10 p.m.  The Iron Post, 120 S. Race St., Urbana  $5-15, 19+ Meadowhawk — C-U locals: Featuring twofiddles, they perform traditional and original music for dancing and enjoyment.

Hobnob String Band — C-U locals: Featuring top notch flatpicking, vocal harmonies and a tight rhythmic groove. They play bluegrass, newgrass, blues, calypso and more!

The Art MA Show (X-rated Art)

 6-10 p.m.  123 W. Main St., Urbana  Free, 19+ Depiction of the human form has been a part of art for as long as there have been artists. The power, beauty, vulnerability and sometimes humor of nudity has a universal appeal because deep down we have that much in common. But today, there are few

venues for local artists to share works that are of a more intimate or graphic nature. “The X-rated Art” show seeks to provide such an opportunity to a diverse group of local artists, so they can share their celebration of the human body with the general public. This exhibit will feature X-Rated, sexual and lowbrow art for mature audiences only. Hosting artists include Phil Strang, Cindy Blair Sampson, Marc-Anthony Macon, Ralph Roether and Laura Anne Welle.

SATURDAY, FEB. 16

Winter Tales Cultural Performance

 2-3:30 p.m.  Spurlock Museum, 600 S. Gregory St., Urbana  Free, all ages The Spurlock Museum is pleased to welcome storyteller and musician Dylan Jennings (Bad River Band of the Lake Superior Tribe of Ojibwe) as he shares about the traditional way of life of his people. Come and listen to the vibrant stories, history and songs that continue to flourish in Ojibwe Country. Spend an afternoon of fun, laughter and adventure with traditional teachings embedded along the way. The concert is free and open to audience members of all ages.

SUNDAY, FEB. 17

Opening Reception for “The Art Connection”

 3-4 p.m.  Champaign Public Library, 200 W. Green St., Champaign  Free, all ages Celebrate the opening of a new exhibit in the series “The Art Connection: Schools to Library,” featuring artwork by 40+ students curated by their art teachers. Enjoy cookies and lemonade in the FriendShop Bookstore (elevator to lower level). Be sure to visit the Children’s area on the first floor as well as the FriendShop Bookstore for both exhibit locations.

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buzz Math major makes music venue Fractal Farm prioritizes inclusivity, explores unique sounds BY MADDIE KUHL STAFF WRITER

Fractal Farm, a new hous venue that plans to prioritize inclusivity, opened its doors in Champaign last weekend. Alan Mitchell, a senior in LAS, and his roommates operate the property. Nick Pitingolo, the operator of The Goldstein Sound, a local DIY booking service, is the primary booker for the new venue. While Pitingolo does not attend Illinois like the venue runners, he has had extensive experience with the DIY music scene in Champaign—Urbana. “I’m not a student but I live in town,” Pitingolo said. “I’ve been doing this for 10 years now.” Pitingolo does not only book shows for house venues - he also works for the Urbana-Champaign Independent Music Center in Urbana. “I have (booked) three house venue’s of my own in the past, and I book all the time at the IMC,” Pitingolo said. “I booked 30 or 40 shows there last year, so I

thought it was time to get back into house stuff.” Mitchell also has previous experience with house venues. “I’ve been going to shows in town for the past two and a half years,” Mitchell said. “(Last Saturday’s show) is the first one that we’re actually organizing, but I’ve played at some and I’ve gone to some.” Mitchell has been wanting to have a house venue of his own for quite some time but hasn’t because he was living in an apartment, and “just didn’t have the time last semester to organize or promote it,” he said. Upon entering Fractal Farm, one can expect a laid back vibe, and an accepting, inclusive environment. “I’d like to do some more chill shows,” Mitchell said. “I look to Ghost Planet and Nick Keeling’s (formerly local musician) Bed and Breakfast as inspiration and the sort of shows I’d like to run.” “You don’t have to feel intimidated,” Pitingolo said. “If people won’t feel comfortable, then no one is going to have a fun time.” Mitchell hopes to continue to promote inclusive spaces in the C-U DIY scene. “I think it’s super important,” Mitchell said. “It’s one of the things that I’m most satisfied with the music scene here is that it’s very inclusive, and people are willing to bring new people. I’d like to promote that.” In addition to their inclusive space, Mitchell and Pitingolo hope the most simple thing draws people to their venue: good music. Featured in Fractal Farm’s debut show were b a n d s such as

Today’s Children and Birthday Cookie. Personal relationships brought them together. “I’ve known most of them for a while, and they’re both local (bands),” Mitchell said. “I wanted to do something with local bands initially.” With mainstay house venues Blips and Chitz and Casa de Sasha may possibly close after this semester, one may worry about the future of DIY music on the Champaign side of town. “I feel like Urbana doesn’t have that sort of Ghost Planet venue,” Pitingolo said. “There are party houses, but Champaign has Blips and Chitz and Casa de Sasha. I feel like this will kind of take the place of those and the vibe they were giving off, but with better equipment.” Mitchell hopes to keep putting on house shows, but Fractal Farm will only be in its current location until the end of the semester. “I found out last week that it’s being bulldozed,” Mitchell said. “This summer they’re redeveloping a whole stretch of land in that part of Urbana so I’m pretty disappointed. My roommates and I are looking for a new place.” However, this news hasn’t stopped Mitchell from planning for the future and making the best of the present. “I’ve got a bunch of stuff in the pipeline,” Mitchell said. “Tentatively we’re going to have some really cool lighting. I have these color-changing LED bulbs and I’m working on this music visualizer project which is going to have them react to whatever is being played at the time.” Although they have no current plans for future shows, Mitchell hopes to switch it up and explore unique sounds and vibes. “I want to do some jazz shows,” Mitchell said. “Nick Keeling did a potluck once that was really cool with a punch of local jazz and some poetry. I would really like to do some events like that.” When it comes to booking the right acts for Fractal Farm, Mitchell and Pitingolo have some criteria in mind. “The weirder the better,” Pitingolo said. “Experimental stuff.” mkuhl2@readbuzz.com

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