DePaul women’s basketball sets record, Airpod scheme on campus, and Open House Chicago Returns
Plus, a look into the podcast scene
Welcome back to ‘In the Loop’! We’ve got a good one for you today. It’s your newsletter team — Alexandra, Chinyere, Cary, Jana, Sam, Rebeca, Elizabeth and Emily — back with another Monday night edition to start off your week!
First up, a preview of a story by 14 East’s Social Media Editor Chinyere Ibeh, who details Illinois Gas & Energy tabling outside of DePaul's Student Center, calling for ComEd customers to sign up for an account in exchange for some free AirPods. Also, DePaul women’s basketball team set a team record on Sunday with 55,646 people in attendance in a charity exposition game they played against the University of Iowa Hawkeyes. Open House Chicago also returned on Saturday and Sunday with 33 new sites to explore.
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With that, let’s get into tonight's news!
#AirpodGate: Illinois’ Chapter of USG&E Gives Free AirPods in Exchange for Lower Energy Bill
By Chinyere Ibeh
Earlier this month, Illinois Gas & Energy hosted a tabling outside of the Lincoln Park Campus Student Center in relation to their latest promotion.
The promotion in question calls for ComEd customers to sign up for an account with ILG&E so that they will have a lower energy bill. In exchange for signing up for said account, people would receive a pair of free AirPods. Students saw this promotion as they walked past the Student Center, many of which stopped out of curiosity.
One student’s phone rang off the hook as her friends told her about the free AirPods. Liv Bonacore, a junior at DePaul, ran to the tabling during her break from work to see what the hype was about. When she arrived, she saw a line of students at the table with four or five representatives wearing backpacks full of AirPods.
She notes that the representative heavily emphasized the free AirPods, adding to the sketchiness of the situation. Bonacore also said she realized that the situation may have been a scam almost as soon as she first walked up to the table.
“I felt like I knew the moment going in,” Bonacore said. “I knew that I was gonna have to sign up for some, like, B.S. electric company plan. But, I knew that I could cancel.”
Another junior at DePaul, Tori Davis, also knew the situation was no good. When she walked past the tabling to get to her car, representatives followed and stopped her. She recognized them from the time she worked as a security guard for an apartment building.
“When I used to work security in an apartment building, they were in there and I was supposed to be running them out of the building,” Davis said.
Davis explained that she’s done her research on the company, and she notes that they’re scammers. This sentiment is what prompted her to get them off of campus by filing a police report. She spoke with a DePaul safety officer who was across the street, asking if they tried to do anything. The safety officer said that he couldn’t do anything as the company was on city property rather than DePaul’s property.
The safety officer ultimately radioed his desk sergeant in order to get the Chicago Police Department involved. Davis later received a phone number to call in case ILG&E decided to show up again. She also picked up the police report from the Public Safety Building.
Regarding the free AirPods, students realized that they were fake. Bonacore realized they might be fake when she received a text from her friend. Her friend said the left AirPod was ringing. He also compared his AirPods with another friend’s AirPods, and the two pairs had the same serial number.
Bonacore did her own mini-investigation by comparing them to the AirPods she already had. She notes that the two look “insanely similar.”
She later called ILG&E to cancel the account, and they opened a case, though nothing was processed at the moment and they may have to call her later. She called ComEd the next day, and they told her if the registration with ILG&E went through, she’d receive a letter from ComEd about it. If she receives that letter, ComEd will then cancel it.
“ComEd seemed more reliable about everything. When I was calling them to ask for help they seemed to know what they’re doing…,” Bonacore said. “Even when I called the original company to cancel, they were like, ‘If you stay with us, we can give you a $20 voucher.”
Attempts to reach ILG&E are still being made. This is a preview of a story to be released for 14 East in coming weeks, to keep a lookout you can go to 14 East’s website here.
DePaul News
By Cary Robbins
DePaul women’s basketball team sets record
DePaul women’s basketball team set a record with 55,646 people in attendance, the largest number at a women’s basketball game as they played Iowa at Kinnick Stadium. The net proceeds for the event went to The University of Iowa Stead Family Children’s Hospital. DePaul lost 72-94 against Iowa. To read more about the record-breaking event, you can check out DePaulia’s article “Historic attendance record set at DePaul, Iowa charity exhibition” by Vanessa Lopez and Ryan Hinske.
DePaul Innovation for Social Good registration open
DePaul is hosting their fifth annual DePaul Innovation Day: Innovation for Social Good on Friday, January 26, from 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. at the Lincoln Park Student Center. DePaul Newsline recently posted about the event, and full and part-time faculty, staff and graduate students are able to RSVP now. The event will explore the trend of innovation and social good and how these trends intersect. People who attend will talk about strategies addressing poverty, artificial intelligence and environmental sustainability. The Innovation Showcase Planning Committee is also looking for people who would like to present their own innovations, and their meeting will be held in an open forum. For those who wish to show their work, there is a brief application that is open until November 15.
The School of Music concert dates for Fall quarter
DePaul’s Dean of the School of Music John Milbauer announced through the DePaul Newsline that the School of Music is “embarking on a new era.” Throughout the fall quarter, the School of Music will be hosting a range of concerts from student and faculty performers at the Holtschneider Performance Center. The concerts are free to DePaul staff, faculty and students, and each individual gets two tickets. To learn more about the concert dates, you can look here.
10 year anniversary of DePaul’s BUILD Diversity Certificate Program
DePaul’s BUILD Diversity Certificate Program is celebrating their 10 year anniversary. The program was created to provide students with resources to create an inclusive campus by offering a “unique experience for DePaul faculty and staff to learn new skills and engage in meaningful conversations centered around diversity, equity, inclusion, and justice topics,” according to the DePaul Newsline. To learn more about how to get involved with the program and its history, read here.
Lastly, here is your weekend sports update (October 13-15)
DePaul women’s cross country team placed 19th of 32 teams at the Bradley Pink Classic on Friday.
DePaul men’s cross country team placed 16th of 29 teams at the Bradley Pink Classic on Friday.
DePaul’s volleyball team lost 0-3 against St. John’s on Friday.
DePaul men’s soccer team tied 1-1 with Butler on Saturday.
DePaul’s volleyball team lost 2-3 against Seton Hall on Saturday.
DePaul women’s soccer team tied 0-0 with Seton Hall on Sunday.
Chicago Headlines
By Jana Simovic
Thousands of Chicagoans Attend Downtown Rally in Support of Palestinians - In Chicago's downtown on Saturday, thousands of people took to the streets at a rally in downtown Chicago to show their support for Palestinians, amidst the current Gaza conflict. The demonstration began and ended at Congress Plaza, looping at the River and primarily taking place along Michigan Avenue. According to WBEZ, many of the protesters present were primarily there to put pressure on Illinois politicians. WBEZ’s Violet Miller has an in-depth story here.
Open House Chicago Returns - Chicago's annual self-guided architectural tour returned on Saturday and Sunday with 33 new sites open for exploration. Chicagoans and visitors alike could explore culturally significant sites for free; with the festival having over 170 locations, spanning over 20 neighborhoods all over the city. Block Club’s Francesca Mathewes has some highlights here, (and keep an eye out for 14 East’s coverage of the festival, coming out later this week!)
University of Chicago Radio Station Works Around New Budget Cut - University of Chicago’s iconic radio station, WHPK 88.5, received a whopping budget cut from funding earlier this year; out of their proposed budget of $57,000 only $20,600 was approved. As the station states that they are not financially motivated; it is currently using donations and community fundraisers to preserve its historic community presence with South Side neighbors, while also making sure that essential equipment costs and repairs will be made possible. Noah Glasgow has the full story here.
National Headlines
By Sam Freeman
6-year-old boy killed in anti-Muslim attack, according to authorities – On Saturday, a 6-year-old boy was fatally stabbed and his mom seriously wounded in an anti-Muslim attack in suburban Chicago. The 71-year-old landlord attacked the boy and his mother at their home in Plainfield Township. He stabbed them repeatedly in an attack that authorities tied to the violence in Israel and Gaza. The Will County Sheriff’s Office said in a statement on Sunday that “detectives were able to determine that both victims in this brutal attack were targeted by the suspect due to them being Muslim and the ongoing Middle Eastern conflict involving Hamas and the Israelis.” The landlord, Joseph M. Czuba, is being held on charges for first degree murder, attempted first-degree murder, two accounts of a hate crime and aggravated battery. The killing alarmed Muslim leaders, who are calling for politicians and journalists to more accurately cover the humanity of Palestinian peoples. Johnny Diaz, Mitch Smith and Robert Chiarito of the New York Times have the story.
DeSantis and Haley disagree in their attitudes towards civilians in the Gaza strip – Ron DeSantis and Nikki Haley, two of the top Republican presidential candidates, disagreed about whether the United States should help Palestinian refugees in the Gaza strip, which is bracing for an attack from Israel. DeSantis argued against United States protection of refugees because it would fuel antisemitism. Haley stated that large percentages of Palestinians and Iranians did not support the violence against each other. “There are so many people who want to be free from this terrorist rule,” she said. There are nearly one million people grappling with food shortages and a lack of clean water and shelter in Gaza, which is preparing for an invasion from Israel after the attacks from Hamas on October 7. Neil Vigdor from the New York Times has more information.
Republican Jeff Landry wins the Louisiana governor’s race – Attorney General Jeff Landry, a Republican backed by former president Donald Trump was elected governor of Louisiana. Landry replaces the current governor, John Bel Edwards, who was the only Democratic governor in the Deep South. Laundry has supported Louisiana laws including the ban of gender-affirming healthcare for transgender youths, the near-total abortion ban and a law that restricts youths’ access to “sexually explicit material” in libraries. There are 39 Senate seats and 105 House seats up for reelection, but many of the incumbents are running unopposed. The Associated Press has the story.
US pharmacy chain Rite Aid files for bankruptcy – Rite Aid, a major US pharmacy, announced on Sunday that it has filed for bankruptcy and obtained $3.4 billion in financing to carry out a new restructuring plan after a decline in sales and several opioid-related lawsuits. Rite Aid settled for up to $30 million in 2022 to resolve lawsuits alleging that the pharmacy had contributed to an oversupply of prescription opioids. The Justice Department filed a complaint against Rite Aid in March, alleging that the pharmacy had knowingly refilled unlawful prescriptions. The allegation came after three whistleblowers from Rite Aid filed a complaint. Rite Aid’s new financial restructuring plan is expected to help cut its debt and pave the way for growth. The Associated Press has more information.
14 East Pueblo: How to Continue to Celebrate Hispanic Heritage
By Rebeca Acosta
National Hispanic Heritage Month concluded yesterday, October 15. The month celebrates the histories, cultures and contributions of Americans with heritage from Mexico, the Caribbean, Central and South America, and Spain.
As National Hispanic Heritage Month comes to a close, there are still many ways to engage and celebrate Hispanic heritage throughout the city. Visiting Hispanic cultural centers is one way to do so. The International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago raises awareness of the Latine experience by exhibiting diverse cultures through various art forms and they host the Chicago Latino Film Festival. Visit the International Latino Cultural Center of Chicago website to find more events.
The 18th Street Casa de Cultura, also has events to honor cultural and artistic Latine heritage through ancestral knowledge. Their artists, musicians, educatorsand advocates host weekly events that can be found here.
Another way to continue the celebration of Hispanic Heritage Month is by visiting art museums with Hispanic-focused exhibitions. The National Museum of Mexican Art is presenting their Día de Muertos: Living Presence exhibition until December 10. The exhibition honors the thousands of people who were killed during the earthquakes in Turkey and Syria this past February and for all of the women who have been violated, have disappeared or been murdered all over the world.
The Museum of Contemporary Art Chicago is exhibiting entre horizontes: Art and Activism Between Chicago and Puerto Rico explores the artistic and social connection between Puerto Rico and Chicago. The painters and printmakers highlighted in the exhibition address social and political issues. The exhibition will run through May 5, 2024.
Whether it’s visiting small Hispanic businesses, trying food of the region, or listening to Spanish music, small acts of appreciation keeps the spirit of Hispanic heritage alive.
Hey, Check This Out!
With Featured Columnist Elizabeth Gregerson
Podcasts can be the perfect solution on those days when you don’t have enough brainspace to commit to an audiobook, your music selection feels uninspiring, but you still need some type of noise inside your ears.
For anyone new to the genre, podcasts do not always have to be two dudes sitting in front of microphones expressing their opinions. There are diverse, entertaining and thought provoking voices out there waiting to be heard!
“Critics at Large” is new to the podcast scene. Hosts Alexandra Schwartz, Naomi Fry and Vinson Cunningham are all staff writers at The New Yorker and make capable culture critics. The group analyzes, as the podcast description says, “everything from Salman Rushdie to ‘The Real Housewives.’” Their latest episode covers the life and writings of a British spy who wrote under the name John le Carré.
“Pop Culture Happy Hour,” a NPR podcast hosted by Aisha Harris, Glen Weldon and Linda Holmes, is another selection to add to your listening library. The podcast releases an episode five days a week inviting a variety of guests to join them in commenting on the latest pop culture moments and newest entertainment releases. Recent episodes have covered everything from the Taylor Swift phenomenon, the television show “Our Flag Means Death” and thriller movies from the 1990s.
For any journalism buffs out there, “On with Kara Swisher” cannot be missed. The New York Magazine podcast highlights Swisher’s adept interviewing skills alongside executive producer Nayeema Raza’s curiosity and insight. Guests to the show have included Crooked Media ’s Jon Lovett, BET cofounder Sheila Johnson, journalist Ronan Farrow and SAG-AFTRA president Fran Drescher. The September 28 episode “The Yoel Roth-Linda Yaccarino Showdown” is required listening for anyone interested in interview techniques and analysis.
Most podcasts can be found on the Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music apps, with some podcasts available on YouTube as well.
Happy listening!
Resources
Need resources regarding warming centers, rental assistance, abortion access, COVID-19 testing and vaccines or mental health? Check out our complete list here.
That’s it for today! See you next Monday.
The 14 East Newsletter Team