The Blue Wave Hits Illinois 12 December 2018 | Issue Written by Julia Porco have marijuana legalized by the end Portfolio Standard to move beyond of 2019. 25% by 2025, making Illinois a hub The people voted, and they brought of battery technology development, the blue wave back to Illinois. In Another issue governor Pritzker is and holding utility companies the race for governor, Democrat JB focusing on is lowering property accountable for implementation of Pritzker won the election against taxes while not taking away fund- energy efficiency programs under the current Republican governor ing from schools. For all people the Future Energy Jobs Act.” With Bruce Rauner. Pritzker is a wealthy of Illinois, this is a very important Chicago being the third-largest city businessman from Chicago whose issue since Illinois has been dealing in the US, this could mean cutting platform is to make Illinois a with rising property taxes for the a significant amount of pollution progressive state. A few of Pritzker’s better part of a decade. Pritzker from not only Chicago, but the ideas for doing so are legalizing says, “We should implement a country. marijuana, lowering property taxes, progressive income tax, allowing us providing affordable healthcare, to lower the burden on Illinois is transitioning from its and proposing a renewable energy property taxes for school funding previous red status to blue, and act. and to protect the middle class. many are anxiously waiting to see That revenue can be used to move what is to come. Only time will tell In an email correspondent with the state closer to the constitutional if Pritzker speaks the truth of his governor Pritzker’s press secretary, goal of the majority of education promises and ideas for the future of Alex Hanns, his office provided funding coming from the state.” Illinois. information from Governor-elect Pritzker on these issues. In regard While there are many issues with to the legalization of marijuana, Illinois, one of the main concerns Inside Hanns states, “He is commit- for its citizens is healthcare. One ted to working with community of Pritzker’s main platforms was stakeholders and policymakers to healthcare, and, so far, he has been Tuskegee Airmen legalize and decriminalize marijua- focusing on this intently. According pg 2 na, reduce mass incarceration, and to him, he has proposed a public reinvest in Illinois communities.” health insurance option called Winter tips pg 3 Pritzker’s overall plan is to legalize IllinoisCares that will offer citizens Holiday Break marijuana and tax it to help boost the chance to buy low-cost health pg 4 state revenue. insurance. Athletics This plan involves “legalizing One of the final issues discussed in pg 5 and taxing the recreational use of the email was Pritzker’s plan Welcome home marijuana, which is estimated to for renewable energy throughout Vietnam pg 5 generate as much as $700 million Illinois. “[There are] plans to take a year for the state.” While there is many steps to set us on a path to The Grinch pg 6 push back from other state officials 100% clean energy, such as increas- The Gravedigger: A in Springfield, Pritzker hopes to ing the percentage of Renewable Frankenstein Story 1 pg 7 Salute to the Sky, Tuskegee Airmen

Written by Ida Alessandrini In PSC`s Parking Lot D, a WWII. mobile movie theater truck housed November 13 & 14 a 160-degree panoramic screen, and surround speakers made the Prairie State College viewers feel like they were right hosted special exhibits there during the events. Attendees featuring information and had a chance to watch a half hour artifacts about the Tuskegee documentary informing them Airmen. The Tuskegee about the Tuskegee Airmen and Airmen had a dream of flying learn about a damaged plane called the P-51C and how it was restored Prairie State also showed a film and fought to save our after a devastating crash where the released in 2012 called “Red Tails,” freedom during World War pilot, Don Hinz, lost his life. More which told the story of African II the Airmen have also risen than $500,000 in donations were American pilots who were part raised to help restore the plane after above many obstacles. of the Tuskegee Airmen training the crash. program. These pilots faced segre- gation but nonetheless kept their An original Tuskegee Airman, O. Before or after, visitors had a ground in World War II until they Lawton Wilkerson, was in chance to visit the mini-military were called to serve. attendance. Wilkerson is now a museum that was located in the 96-year-old man who served in Conference Center. The museum In honor of the Tuskegee Airmen, World War II. The opportunity to offered information about women we are encouraged to... meet him and thank him for his and men who served in different service was very special. divisions in World War II. “Aim High, Believe In Yourself, Use Your Brain, Be Ready To Go, Also available for viewing were Never Quit and Expect to Win” 2 photos, artifacts and uniforms from Icy Roads Ahead Written By: Julia Porco Second, these harsh winter roads ones. You can even take it a step can be a dangerous thing. With further and get snow tires, which Winter is coming! Actually, it’s all types of possibilities that can provide extra traction in snow and already here, and you know what happen while driving in winter on ice. This can help prevent sliding that means; people are going to conditions, it’s important to have a accidents, which, let’s be honest, 12 December 2018 | Issue completely forget how to drive in winter emergency kit. are most accidents in the winter the cold, icy Chicagoland area. months. Regardless of how you feel about This kit should be comprised of the winter, it’s important to prepare basics, like food, water, chargers yourself for the season when it and flashlights. However, a winter comes to driving. kit should also include kitty litter to help create traction in case you get Here are a few helpful tips to keep stuck in a snow bank. It should also you safe when driving this season. include a shovel, window scrapers First, when thinking about and blankets in the event you get vehicle safety, it’s always stranded somewhere. These little important to know if there is things can help make a big something wrong with your difference in the case of an vehicle, so if you have any prob- emergency and put your mind at lems indicated by the lights on your ease while you drive. dashboard, go get those checked out and fixed. Even if you don’t The third thing you’re going to have any of those lights on, it still want to do is to check your tires. never hurts to check. This is a pro- Having tires in good condition can The last thing you’re going to want active action you can take to that make or break your winter season. to keep track of, which is will not only keep you safe but save If your tires are old and balding, important, is antifreeze. Antifreeze you some big bucks in the future. now is a great time to get some new something you don’t want to skip out on when it comes to car maintenance for the winter. Its purpose is to transfer heat away from your engine and help prevent rust and corrosion in the cooling system.

Without it, your car can freeze, and your heat won’t work. This can cause huge issues for your bank account and the longevity of your car.

Hopefully, you don’t get frustrated due to the weather and forget how winter works, but if you do, don’t sweat it. Follows these helpful tips, and your winter will fly by. 3 Letter from the Editor in Chief It’s a special time of year; the holiday season is here. I’m so happy, but I can’t believe how fast the time has gone. Is it just me? This year, many have been faced with challenges. Nevertheless, I’m glad you have held your head steady and fought through the semester. As we begin to prepare for finals, I’d like to stress the importance of registering for next year’s classes.

Each year, there are high amounts of students who wait until the first week of classes to register. I recog- nize that finals will be over with soon, and we are ready for winter break. However, before winter break, you should see your advisors, so the first week of next semester can be a breeze. Not being in attendance during the first few weeks of the semester can really put you behind. Also, regular attendance throughout the year is just as important for students success.

I know that many of us are thinking of relaxing, making extra money, or planning a family trip for the hol- idays. Holidays are an important time for the year for families. As you plan these activities, please keep in mind that the semester does pick back up on Jan. 14, 2019.

This holiday season, continue to make education a priority. I want to wish all of you and your families a safe, happy, healthy and relaxing holiday season.

4 Prairie State College Athletics

Written by Dan Forgarty to spend thirty-six hours out of responsibilities, and possibly a class on studying and doing course- paying job. Every college student must fight a work. Time management struggles battle with time management,

can be difficult for any student, but This can easily amount to a 12 December 2018 | Issue especially at the community they become especially difficult for hundred hours a week of time college level where students are our student-athletes. commitments. Does this burden often supporting a household. solely rest on the shoulders of our According to a study done at According to Business Insider, student-athletes, or can the school’s University of California Santa student-athletes are practicing up faculty be doing more to alleviate Cruz, a college student is expected to forty hours a week, in conjunc- this struggle? In future editions of to spend three hours dedicated to tion with their academic The Pioneer Newspaper, we will be school work out of class for every responsibilities. This suggests taking an in-depth look at some of one hour spent in class. that the average Prairie State Prairie State’s athletic programs. student-athlete may be juggling a This means that a full-time student, thirty-six-hour course load, up to at twelve credit hours, is expected forty hours a week of athletic

Vietnam War Commemorative Ceremony

Written by Ida Alessandrini service members. Born in Mr. Litko then introduced the may- Chicago and raised in Hyde Park, ors of Richton Park and Thursday, Nov. 8, 2018, Prairie Mr. Eddie Rogers, the keynote Matteson. The veterans who were State College partnered with the speaker, was introduced. He served in attendance walked across the villages of Matteson and Richton in the United States Army from stage in Barns and Noble Auditori- Park to host a Welcome Home May 1963 to June 1989. Following um to receive commemorative Commemoration in honor of the his speech, Prof. Brian Donovan, certificates and pins. Mr. Litko 50th anniversary of the Vietnam the Student Veteran Club faculty then read the names of fallen War. adviser, read a letter from the US Vietnam Veterans. Senator Tammy Duckworth, a At approximately 2:30 p.m. the wounded veteran herself, and a Following the reading of the Coffey Composite Squadron, State Assembly Resolution. names, “Taps” was played by Neil Civil Air Patrol posted the colors. Venhuien, Navy (Ensign), and the The congregation then sang “The Prairie State College Veterans Star-Spangled Banner” and recited Music Associates performed the Pledge of Allegiance. After, an “America the Beautiful.” Finally, the invocation was read by Rev. Joe Coffey Composite Squadron, Civil Jamison who has served in the US Air Patrol retired the colors. Army. Georges Sanon, the coordinator of the Student Veterans It was a beautiful ceremony to Remarks were then made by Mr. Center at PSC, presented the Miss- thank our Veterans for their Russell Litko, the Assistant ing Man Table, a display created to sacrifice and service for our Director of Illinois Department of honor fallen and missing military country. Veterans Affairs. 5 Review of “The Grinch” Written by Esmeralda Manzo

When people speak of the film “The Grinch,” what usually comes to mind is the live-action rendition starring Jim Carrey, released in 2000. The dark, weird one with the crude humor, which was more so aimed at an adult audience.

Moving forward to November 9, 2018, Illumination and Universal Pictures presents a fully animated feature version of Dr. Seuss’s clas- sic “The Grinch,” which follows the same plot of “a cynical grump” whose main short-term life goal is to steal Christmas from all the Also, all of the Grinch’s life events Christmas, which is that it’s not just people he lives near, only to have leading up to him living in a cave about receiving the gifts, or who has his feelings and attitude towards with just his dog, which explains a better display of Christmas Christmas completely change, all why he is the way he is, seem more decorations. because of a little girl named Cindy summarized. Lou Who. It’s not about outdoing each other In the Jim Carrey adaptation, they or showing off; it’s about enjoying This beautifully animated version got into more detail of why the the company of your loved ones, with engaging graphics is aimed Grinch became miserable and hated participating in giving and not towards a younger audience. Now, Christmas so much, who Cindy only receiving, appreciating every although this version generally fol- Lou was, what her role was in the moment because there will be no lows the same plot, there are some Grinch’s life, and how big of an other exactly like it, and allowing major differences I noticed. impact she had on his life and vice the things you go through in life to First, in contrast to Jim Carrey’s versa. In this 2018 version, we only make you stronger and more crude version, where The Grinch get a glimpse of each of these points. understanding towards others, rath- is almost always mean to every- er than making you miserable and body including his dog, Max, in the All in all, both of these adaptations isolated. 2018 version (voiced by Benedict have two major similarities. First, Cumberbatch), The Grinch is much in some way or another; they show With that being said, this new 2018 kinder to his dog. When he bums the backstory of the Grinch: what brightly animated version is one Max out by his being miserable, he caused him to become miserable, worth watching. even ends up apologizing to him to isolated, jealous and annoyed at the mend things between them. Their happiness of others. And finally, relationship as a whole comes off as they both had teach us an important more empathetic and lesson--the true meaning of understanding. 6 Review of “The Gravedigger” how to endure the pain that will lift the pressure.

When entering the theater, the set 12 December 2018 | Issue instantly created a dark, dramat- ic atmosphere, yet there was no obstructed viewing for the audi- ence. No matter where they sat, they could see everything that was happening on the stage. The sounds that played during the show were sensational and added an eeriness that set the perfect tone for the story.

Written by Taylor Ashmore ard with a bad leg who has made money on the side by selling body Intense, exciting, and passionate. parts to a man named Victor, “The Gravedigger: A Frankenstein played by Bejor Weathersby Grove. Play” was performed on Nov. 19, 2018, by our very own Prairie State Victor once used the parts Kurt Players in the Barnes and Noble brought him to create the Monster, auditorium. The play’s storyline is played by Kyle Taylor. A year later, a follow-up to the classic story of Kurt finds an oversized man with “Frankenstein.” This is the story of a bandaged face hiding in an open Doctor Victor who assembled the grave. He takes pity on the This play tugged on the Monster and is now in search of “lummox,” who in turn takes the heartstrings. At the end of the tale, him. name “Anton” in honor of St. the Monster finally experiences Anthony, whose image hangs in people who truly care about him, Differing from the original clas- Kurt’s hut. regardless of how he was created. sic, playwright Joseph Zettelmaier Aided by the thrilling performanc- takes us further into other areas Soon, Kurt and Anton form a es from the cast, audience members perhaps the original “Frankenstein” strong friendship. Kurt aides in left the play filled with emotion novel had not taken us. This story helping the Monster understand after watching Anton’s life-chang- provided the audience with lessons that his emotions of betrayal and ing journey. about pain, loneliness, and love. despair are common amongst However, there is also plenty of humans; the world is not solely Special thanks to SGA for sponsor- humor throughout as well. out to hurt him specifically. Kurt ing the show. The Prairie State teaches Anton that, in life, it is not Players and all members involved The title “Gravedigger” derives the focus on the absence of pain in the cast and crew have once from a gravedigger named Kurt, that will help him and his yearning again put on a riveting played by Victoria Dean, a drunk- for death, but it is about learning performance. 7 MERRY HOLIDAY to Everyone and a HAPPY NEW YEAR!