Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi
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Islander baseball fails to perform at Kleberg Classic by MELISSA RODRIGUEZ • Page 11
News
ICA presents Real Talks: Reverse Racism Page 4
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March 9, 2017 Volume 28, Issue 7
Opinions Page 2 Entertainment Page 7 Sports Page 10
2 Opinion
STI
03.09.2017
STUDENT PUBLICATION OF TEXAS A&M UNIVERSITYCORPUS CHRISTI
ISLAND WAVES | ISLANDWAVESNEWS.COM IslandWavesNews.com
WORD on the STREET
What are your thoughts on fake news? ELIZABETH NASSAR
senior, english
| VOLUME 26 ISSUE 20 | 08.27.15
To me, all news is fake because the media can take whatever they want and manipulate it however they want. It's all an illusion and it can be changed to favor one political party... it's all corrupt.
Editor-in-chief KACI ALVAREZ Web MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL, editor JEFFREY THOMAS, on-air talent MITCHELL JACKSON, vid. editor ERIN NASH, podcast host
JASMINE DELEON junior, philosophy
Copy Editor KATIE MEZA
Visuals IZZY SNEED, editor ZACH ALDRIDGE, photographer
Layout KARA HERRERA, editor VINCENT VERDUZCO, assistant
Reporters GERI LEMMONS, features JONATHAN FORNEY, sports MELISSA RODRIGUEZ, news SARAH REEVES, news AMERICA SEGURA, sports
Graduate Assistant BRADY BURNS, advertising
Faculty Adviser WENDY MOORE
ABOUT ISLAND WAVES Island Waves is a studentproduced publication at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The newspaper is printed weekly, except during summer sessions. Any student or University employee may submit material and opinions for publication consideration. To become a contributor, e-mail or call the Island Waves editor. CONTACT US 6300 Ocean Drive Unit 5783 Corpus Christi, TX 78412 (361) 825-5862 editor@tamucc.edu ads@tamucc.edu
Photo courtesy of GOOGLE.COM
It's difficult because our First Amendment gives us the right to free speech so people can say whatever they want... I think we need to start opening our eyes and realize not everything we read on the internet, the newspaper or the TV is going to be true.
Fake news? What about First Amendment? SARAH REEVES @SreevesR
Even before he became the President of the United States, Donald Trump has declared the media is the enemy of the people. Though I do agree with him in that there is indeed fake news, such as those tabloids people see in the check-out line of grocery stores, talking about the existence of aliens and unicorns based more so on mythology rather than facts. However, in terms of political news, fake news is typically biased toward one political party over the other. Before I state more of my opinion on this matter—I must emphasize the irony in this, in that I am a news reporter writing about fake news in the media. You have got to love the irony! At any rate, this subject had really come up a couple of
weeks ago, on Feb. 24, when President Trump’s press secretary Sean Spicer determined which media outlets were allowed access to the White House daily press briefing. Outlets such as New York Times and CNN were denied access, but outlets such as NBC, ABC, CBS and Fox News, as well as smaller, conservative media outlets, were allowed access. I will argue in light of this event that there are both pros and cons to modern media. First, in order to have a democracy, one has to have a free press, which as President Trump mentioned is guaranteed to all citizens in the United States Constitution. Furthermore, one of the media’s roles is to embody the citizens of the country and let their voices be heard to higher powers, such as the president. This reflects the country’s system of checks and balances between the people and the government. Thus, it is reasonable for the media to ask a president difficult questions because deal-
ing with the press comes along with the job description of being the president of the United States of America, just as being a waitress entails dealing with easily-irritated customers. Furthermore, media often has focused more on drama within the political realm rather than reporting factual information, which can be both good and bad. This goes back to the number of views a media outlet may need in order to compete with other media outlets due to the competitiveness in the communication business sector. This also shows another role that the media has, which is both to inform the public as well as provide some sort of interest, or outlet, hence the name media outlet. One notable downside is the media has reported false stories and false facts or sources, but this is nothing new. Media has done this ever since television broadcasts became mainstream. In terms of biased news sources, there will
be some political bias in the any story one comes across-such as CNN leaning more for liberals and Fox News leaning more for conservatives. They both cover the same information, but they may focus on some parts that appeal to their audience. Choosing which presses have access to important White House briefings does not illustrate democracy because that alone shows the president’s administration’s own political bias. My suggestion is those who read news sources should always be skeptical of what they are reading. They should never watch a news story and think that bit of information is all there is to the issue or concern being shown. A lot can happen behind a camera lens, and it only goes to show that you really cannot believe something you see or read simply because it is on CNN or Fox News, or even this article you are reading right now.
News 3
03.09.2017
Homecoming disregards popularity JONATHAN FORNEY @jb4nay
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omecoming week resulted in the crowning of senior communication major Alissa Ramirez and junior political science major Frank Gallegos as Queen and King, respectively. The Homecoming voting process was a little unorthodox this year as Gallegos ran unopposed for King. “It was strange. Part of me wishes that hadn’t been the case, but it wasn’t up to me,” Gallegos said. “It is what it is.” The reason Gallegos was the lone candidate came down to the application process. Applicants needed to be involved in a student organization and that organization must already have been signed up for the Homecoming spirit competition.
Additional requirements such as GPA and application questionnaires were taken into consideration. Fourteen students collectively applied for Homecoming Court. “Frank [Gallegos] was the only applicant that met all of the initial criteria,” said Stephanie Schmidt, director of Student Activities. Gallegos was crowned Homecoming King. As for Ramirez, the process wasn’t so straightforward. The victor is selected not just by popular vote, but an interview committee’s score, as well. “Students vote on OrgSync, 50 percent from those votes and the other 50 percent comes from the committee,” Ramirez said. “How you score with them and how you score with the votes ultimately decides it.”
This distribution helps diminish the effect of votes based on popularity and takes more factors into consideration. Theoretically, it is possible to win King or Queen without winning the popular student vote. However, being involved in more student organizations offers candidates a potential advantage when the votes come in. “Technically you only needed one organization to sponsor them, but the more you are in and the more connected you are as a student leader, the more likely you are to have students know and support you,” Schmidt said. This committee and popular vote decision-making process was introduced in 2015-2016. Prior to that the election was simply by student votes. Ramirez is no stranger to
student organizations. She has been previously involved with Aloha Days, served as an orientation leader and Island Ambassador. She is currently involved in Student Volunteer Connection, Student Government Association, University Council Organization and Rotary Club. “I wanted to be a representative of my organizations,” Ramirez said. “I love being an Islander and I wanted to represent that and show other people as well.” With the exception of Gallegos, who ran unopposed, Ramirez learned of her victory along with everyone else in attendance during the Homecoming basketball game. “We weren’t shown anything. We all found out that Saturday,” Ramirez said.
Drunk driving seminar spotlights student options SARAH REEVES @SreevesR
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n Feb. 23, an open discussion-based seminar took place for all students attending Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. The seminar focused on the dangers of drunk driving and was primarily geared for students in fraternities or sororities. The discussion took place in the Anchor Ballroom in the University Center where many were welcomed to participate. “I wanted to present a different image of the Greek community to the campus body and the City of Corpus,” said Reed Horton, junior philosophy major and the coordinator of the seminar. “All too often Greeks are negatively portrayed as reckless binge drinkers. The 60-some odd Greeks who showed up to this event shows otherwise.” The seminar featured different speakers who brought their own personal insight or experiences with drunk driving. Officer Tamez, a police officer with the University Police Department, said he is tasked with the responsibility to tell families
their loved ones have passed away due to drunk driving. “When you see a baby who died because somebody wanted to drink, it sticks with you,” Tamez said. “It never goes away.” Tamez said the chief reason he will take an intoxicated driver to jail is to keep them and the person they may hit in one piece, not because he wants to be labelled a bad guy. “Everything is a choice,” Tamez said. “You’ve got to love yourself and love other people, too.” Following Tamez, Jason Escamilla provided a resource students can use if they are in a situation where they do not have a designated driver and have no means of getting home. Popularly known as an alternative to Uber, TRIDE rideshare, is a cheaper taxi where Corpus Christi residents can use an app to contact a driver in the area that will either drive to them, or meet you at a location. “Corpus was without a ride share for a couple of months,” Escamilla said. “And a lot of people that couldn’t afford taxi cabs didn’t know what to do. This is where TRIDE came
O N L I N E
Island Waves News .com
Distinguished Speaker Series welcomes ‘living legend’ On March 2, the Island University welcomed distinguished speaker, Dr. Sylvia Earle for the Distinguished Speaker Series hosted by Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi that happens every semester hosted. The presentation took place at the Performing Arts Center, where hundreds of students, alumni and staff joined in order to hear Dr. Earle’s story through her presentation and speech. Continue reading at islandwavesnews.com.
Nursing students celebrate White Coat Ceremony
ZACH ALDRIGDE/Island Waves
A representative from the ride sharing company TRIDE talks to students about their driving app.
along.” Horton said he was grateful not only to Escamilla’s message but for also putting safety above profit, as he went out of his way to give each student at the seminar credit for a $15 ride with TRIDE to spread awareness of this vital resource that a lot of students may not be aware of. One common reiteration from each speaker during the seminar was the power of choices that students make everyday. When one is sober, they make a choice to either find a designated driver, download the app
for TRIBE or to go to a party and get drunk with no plan of how to get home. According to the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, in 2013, 10,076 people were killed in drunk driving crashes, one every 53 minutes. “The biggest take away, for me, is that there is always another option than driving oneself when drunk,” Horton said. “From the financial costs of getting a DWI/DUI, to the emotional toll of injuring or killing an innocent bystander, the risks are never worth it.”
The College of Nursing and Health Sciences at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi welcomed incoming nursing students with open arms at the annual White Coat Ceremony. The event took place on Feb. 22 at the Performing Arts Center, where more than 120 students were cloaked by faculty members, given humanitarian pins from the Arnold P. Gold Foundation and took the professional nursing oath. Read more at islandwavesnews.com.
ON THE COVER: Photo from IZZY SNEED
4 News
03.09.2017
Science, history museum screens western film
KRISTEN VEIT Contributing Writer
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estern classic “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” screened at the Corpus Christi Science and History Museum in collaboration with the Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi History Department on Feb. 23. Guest speaker Dr. Sue Matheson spoke on behalf of director John Ford and led a Q&A discussion after the screening. Matheson is an associate professor at the University College of the North in Monitoba, Canada. Matheson’s research specializes in Western film and she is the author of a book entitled “The Westerns and War Films of John Ford.” “It’s a great experience to talk about John Ford and Westerns in Texas because Texas is such an amazing location for Western movies and Texas history, it just blows me away,” Matheson said. John Ford is best known for his military inspired Western films such as “The Searchers,” “Stagecoach” and “Rio Grande.” Ford used his films to
critique military culture and brought to his audiences a visual representation of the life-altering effects it had on soldiers and their families. “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” was no exception to Ford’s artistic style and highlighted some of America’s darkest subjects. “He talks about PTSD in this movie. It’s a major major issue in this movie and as a result, I think ‘She Wore a Yellow Ribbon’ is not only a feel-good movie, but it’s a important movie,” Matheson said. “Survivors’ guilt is also a huge issue, a big issue in the movie.” Controversy was not the only thing “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” was known for. Ford’s unique landscaped shots and historic lightning storm scene led the film to win an Academy Award for Best Cinematography in 1950. After the film, students had a chance to discuss the film and voiced their opinions on some of Ford’s film techniques. “I really like the expansive outdoor cinematography on location rather than a lot of films have very cramped interior obviously filmed on a sound stage look,” history senior Alexander
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Viewers watch the “She Wore a Yellow Ribbon” screening at the Science and History Museum.
Taliaferro said. Ford and his Western classics are still revered to this day as staples for the making of modern-day films. Ford’s works have influenced other directors throughout the film industry and even to this day. “Steven Spielberg watches Ford movies before he makes his movies, still,” Matheson said. “George Lucas, he ripped off Ford there as well, ‘The
Searchers’ is in ‘Star Wars.’” The film brought out many individuals of all ages to the museum for the screening and left each individual viewer with a romanticized look at Western culture, just as John Ford had intended. “I’m gonna try and see more Ford films actually,” Taliaferro said. “I thought it was really interesting and I really recommend the film to people.”
ICA hosts reverse racism talk MELISSA RODRIGUEZ @__melisssaaaa
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slander Cultural Alliance (ICA) held an open discussion on Feb. 21 for Islanders to engage in healthy debate regarding affirmative action and its correlation with racism, more specifically whether or not reverse racism exists. In the past year, ICA has created a monthly series of open discourse sessions entitled Real Talks open to all students, faculty and staff members. It encourages people to voice both their popular and unpopular opinions about current heated topics in a safe environment. “We ultimately want to give a medium where students can express their disdain towards a topic, or their support towards it,” said Frank Gallegos, junior political science major. “We feel that there aren’t necessarily outlets for students to do so here on campus.” The Real Talk for February pertained to affirmative action in higher education. The topic was inspired by the 2012-2013 Supreme Court case, Fisher vs University of Texas, where Fisher contested the university’s affirmative action policies, claiming to have been racially discriminated against for being Caucasian American.
The discussion was centered on the idea of reverse racism, particularly in Fisher’s case, and whether or not affirmative action has an influential role in today’s society and political climate. “Some people argued that it was possible to be racist towards a white person, while others argued against that,” Gallegos said. Affirmative action in regards to higher education is in place for universities to provide equal access to education for minorities and underrepresented groups. The policy is enforced specifically upon those students graduating in the 10 percent of their class, leaving everyone else subject to have race play a considering role in their admission. “My input on the 10 percent rule was that it was not fair,” said Chi Quach, junior marketing and finance major. “Because each high school is different when you think about the location, funding and the overall atmosphere of the high school.” In the case of Fisher vs UT, Fisher was not in the top 8 percent of automatic admission students where affirmative action is implemented. Instead, Fisher applied through normal admissions process for UT, with a highly competitive pool of other applicants.
News 5
03.09.2017
Dr. Killabrew awarded emeritus status SARAH REEVES @GeriLemmons
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n Feb. 9, previous university president and CEO Dr. Flavius Killabrew was granted Emeritus Status for Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. According to the Island University website, this honor was given to him at the TAMUCC Board of Regents meeting. Killabrew was presented this award for his “lifetime of achievements in education and advancement of scholars.” “I think it is an extraordinary, respectful thing to be able to give out,” said Jennifer Randolph, assistant director of Student Activities. “It is such an honor to get Emeritus Status and it shows just how much was done in that position.” The Island University has awarded this status to faculty and administrators to recognize work they have done
for the university as well as their contributions to the Islander community. “It is a pretty big honor to be given,” Randolph said. “It think it is a great way to honor that person.” Karla Calderon, junior nursing major, said she thinks it is great that the school is honoring Killabrew’s legacy. “It is a really nice thing to do and I think this status is a great way to honor him,” Calderon said. “He did a lot for the university and this is our way of saying thanks for the work that he has done.” According to the university’s website, there is certain criteria that has to be met in order to be considered for the award. The person in question must go above and beyond their job description and give the university their time and effort. They look at the potential recipient’s career, accomplishments and involvement with his department and the
university itself. After the award is presented, recipients are encouraged to continue to participate in university activities and big campus events. They are also encouraged to participate in faculty activities and are invited to accept appointment on university committees. Some students felt proud of Killabrew and the work he has done for the Island University, saying the honor was well deserved. Some expressed they felt like it was a great way for the university to recognize him and his achievements. “I feel very proud of Dr. Killabrew because he has spent so much effort and time and commitment to our university,” said Joyce Paez, treasurer of Student Government Association. “He had dedicated so much and I feel like giving back to the community again is just a way of showing how much he has done for the university.”
photo courtesy of TAMUCC.EDU
TAMUCC gives back to community by hosting Big Event GERI LEMMONS @GeriLemmons
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n March 25, Student Volunteer Connection (SVC) will host The Big Event from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. The Big Event is an opportunity for students and faculty to help service the Corpus Christi Community. Participants have the opportunity to help residential homes in the area or work with non-profit organizations with volunteer work. “Students can look forward to awesome opportunities,” said Ashley Cooper, senior biomedical science major. “They can go out into the community and meet new people, develop new networks, get free food, free shirts. It is a really good opportunity.” Teams, organizations and clubs were encouraged to sign up online. Individuals could sign up if they wanted to and they would be added to a team the day of the event. Planning The Big Event involves finding job sights that volunteers can go to and help non-profits with various tasks. The goal of The Big Event is to give back to the community. It gives participants a chance to get to know what is done in order to keep the city up and running. SVC also had to find residential homes that needed help. A volunteer team can do a variety of tasks for the
resident from helping plant a garden to helping them rake their yards. “I think we have like 17 resident’s homes and we have never had that many. We usually get like four or five,” Cooper said. “This year people are actually getting that experience of going to a residents home.” Cooper said it was really important for them to find residential homes to help out with this year. “The fact that we are getting so many residents homes, that was my goal from the begi’nning was to have more residents in the Corpus Christi community,” Cooper said. “It puts us out their more and it shows that students are willing to help out the community and they are not just into themselves.” Megan Greige, freshman pre-nursing major, said she was looking forward to seeing all of the organizations come together to help serve the community. She also is looking forward to seeing students step out of their comfort zone and join together in a day of service. “This will be my first Big Event. I have never been before and I am really excited,” Greige said. “I personally know students in my seminar class that are all participating that have a team, and I think it is going to be an awesome opportunity and a lot of fun.” For more information of SVC’s The Big Event, visit svc.tamucc.edu or visit OrgSync and search The Big Event.
Big Event volunteers help plant herbs for the TAMU-CC earth club.
courtesy of FLICKR
6 News
03.09.2017
Students react to Amazon delivery via drones Jonathan Forney @jb4nay
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etail and shipping giant Amazon has been developing drones to deliver packages for years now, but after their first successful test delivery in December 2016, the concept is nearing fruition. According to Digital Trends, Amazon completed their first successful autonomous delivery during a very limited rollout in the United Kingdom. The drones are designed to operate completely autonomously from launch to return and are guided to their destinations via GPS. At the moment, the drones are for deliveries that would take no longer than 30 minutes. Amazon is calling the service Prime Air and they can support packages no heavier than five pounds. “I’d want to order packages all the time,” said Sierra Vargas, junior communication major. “That’s super cool.” Some students are intrigued by the idea of having drone deliveries. Others are interested but concerned about unforeseen variables that could alter the delivery success. “It would be interesting, for sure, to see and I would be interested in seeing
how [Amazon] handles it in urban settings,” said Jared Escobedo, senior marketing major. “The idea doesn’t scare me, but it just raises more questions.” Factors such as weather conditions and package tracking were prominent in student feedback. “It sounds efficient, as long as they take into account weather and have a way to be certain your package arrived and doesn’t get swooped away by the wind,” said Tanner Maxwell, senior preallied health major. Amazon has quietly been securing patents to sure up these concerns among other more ambitious ideas. According to CNN, the company has been granted patents for parachutes to descend packages to their destinations. In its current state, drones land and then place their contents on the ground for customers. Additionally, Amazon also has patents for landing guidance systems: compressed air tanks, landing flags etc. which, in theory, would allow the drone, itself, to correct for any variables and ensure the safe delivery of its package. The most ambitious of Amazon’s patents comes in the form of an “Airborne fulfillment center,” according to Digi-
Coastal bend blood center needs donors Joslyn Doiron Contributing Writer
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he Coastal Bend Blood Center will need volunteers for the upcoming blood drives at the end of March. On March 20, Coastal Bend Blood Center will begin their periodic blood drive at 209 N Padre Islander Dr. from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. Volunteers may be eligible to donate blood if they are 17 years of age or older and weigh at least 110 pounds. “Spring break is a difficult time for the Blood Center, so we look to different people and organizations to try to replenish our blood supply,” said Celeste Baggett, donor recruiter and public relations occupant. “Our job is to save lives with every donation, by getting the word out there and to experience this at least one time since it is a life changing experience.” Baggett said the center targets colleges on Mondays and Tuesdays, but it varies. “We go to Texas A&M University once a month and have currently been parking by the loading zone for now, but we are hoping for more student organization to get involved and to relocate by the University Center,” Baggett said. In order for donors to exploit their donation and effectively match it with the
needs of patients, there are several options for donating. The eligibility requirements must require a pulse rate range between 50-100, and have normal blood pressure, pulse and temperature. Individuals who are pregnant, or are under doctor’s care for any illness or injury, will be unable to contribute to donating blood. The Coastal Bend Blood Center (CBBC) is a non-profit community service organization, as they are recognized for committing to unify and consolidate blood donor services all around the Coastal Bend. During the foundation of the CBBC, the blood center drew 6,000 donors yearly. Presently, more than 35,000 individuals volunteer as donors each year. “I am planning on donating to the CBBC because a friend of mine was recently diagnosed with leukemia, and they are actually hosting a blood drive for him in Houston that I am unable to attend,” said Danielle Sanchez, new blood donor and education major at the Island University. “Since I am unable to attend his blood drive in Houston, I will be doing this for him in his honor,” Sanchez said. “If my blood can save a life, and can help someone who needs it, then why not?” The CBBC will also have additional blood drives on March 23 and 31.
Photo of Amazon drone in test flight.
tal Trends reports. This facility would act as a hub to send out drones and be a floating warehouse that Prime Air drones would return to following their deliveries. “It’s crazy how fast technology has advanced,” said Harris Hipp, junior mechanical engineering major. Not all are thrilled about the idea of drone delivery. Citing concerns of new potential crimes and vulnerabilities, the concept still has a way to go before it’s ready for mainstream adoption. “I think it’s cool and scary,” said Trevor Wulff, junior criminal justice major. “It’s a cool idea to dabble with, but the
photo courtesy of AMAZON.COM
cons of what could go wrong outweigh the pros of new technology and cutting down on routine delivery routes, in my eyes.” As it stands, the developmental technology is still very expensive to utilize and far from complete. According to Biz Journals, Amazon has filed for patents for collapsible propeller tips that could save energy and help reduce costs. There are still many legal, ethical, and potentially unforeseen hurdles that still need to be cleared before drone delivery is an everyday commodity, but as far as Amazon is concerned, the sky’s the limit.
Entertainment 7
03.09.2017
Poetry festival addresses important topics SARAH REEVES @Steeves
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he People’s Poetry Festival, an annual three-day event which aims to bring the community closer through the art of poetry, took place at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi. On Feb. 24, Robin Carstensen, assistant professor of English, hosted the women, gender and health panel in the University Center. With free food and refreshments, students and faculty were welcome to listen to the poets featuring and reading their works. “One of the great things about having panels is that you get to talk a little bit about your poems,” said Gloria Vasquez, senior English major and participating poet. “It’s also not just one person being put on the spotlight but rather a full rounded representation, so you get many people from different perspectives about all kinds of issues.” Vasquez said the panels are like comic cons because they are always open to discussion between the poets, who read their works and their audience. Her readings were focused on bringing awareness to mental health issues. Vasquez said mental disorders, such as Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder (OCD), are more than medical issues, they are social issues as well. “Mental issues like OCD haven’t even come onto the map of social issues like activism and representation,” Vasquez said. “The only representation you see is often dominated by other voices, not the person living with the disorder it can be so framed and oppressive.” Katherine Hoerth, another poet who spoke at the women, gender and health panel, chose personal works dealing with health issues as a woman
and how the body, in sickness and in health, shapes one’s identity. “It was such a positive experience. I loved reading alongside students, faculty and community writers on this panel,” Hoerth said. “Everyone had such strong work and such varied perspectives, which I think enriched the conversation in such an interesting way.” Hoerth said she was hesitant at first about delving so much into her private life as a writer, but she thought it was important to share her stories of struggle and strength to empower others. Hoerth also said poetry festivals such as this that have open discussion and multiple speakers were what inspired her to strive to empower others through poetry. Currently, she is an active writer and reader who has published several renowned poetry books such as An Illiad of Bones. “In my book, Helen is the heroine who finds empowerment in her own body,” Hoerth said. “This book is about the internal battles we’re all struggling with, and trying to find solace and peace in our own skin, as women and people of all genders.” Hoerth said An Illiad of Bones the book explores her own experiences with sickness and healing through the lens of Troy from Homer’s The Illiad. “For me, literary success is empowering others,” Hoerth said. “I hope to do this in my writing as exploring relevant feminist issues, my editing in discovering, promoting, and championing marginalized voices, and my teaching in encouraging and mentoring students to find their voices as writers.” For more information regarding Hoerth’s works, visit her blog at katiehoerth.blogspot.com.
IZZY SNEED/Island Waves
On Febuary 24th, Sister Lou Ella Hickman read portions of her poetry book during the People’s Poetry Festival for the Women, Gender, and Health panel.
IZZY SNEED/Island Waves
Some of the featured poets (Left to right: Joshua Espitia, Sister Lou Ella Hickman, Philly Vasquez, Sarah McClung) for the People’s Poetry Festival for the Women, Gender, and Health panel on Febuary 24th answer questions from the audience.
Valid through 12/31/17.
8 Entertainment
03.09.2017
Fat Tuesday receives new meaning from Texas Tableaux
MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL @mikaylaMOG
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n Feb. 28, the Harbor Playhouse hosted Texas Tableaux, a Fat Tuesday event for the Corpus Christi community. This event has been in the works since November of 2016 when several Harbor Playhouse employees went to see a show titled “Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance” put on by two actors and six musicians. “I was excited about the idea but it didn’t seem likely,” said Graham Reynolds, composer of “Pancho Villa”. “I didn’t know anything about the Harbor Playhouse or their resources or the audience here or anything like that but we booked it and we are excited to be here.” This production, composed by Reynolds, highlights some facts about Villa’s life and delves into the mythology surrounding the bandit. The staff at the Harbor Playhouse asked Reynolds to do a show at the Playhouse right after his first show finished. What makes this production different from others is there are only two opera singers, a six-person band on-
stage, as part of the show and a video aspect. The two opera singers have video cameras linked to a screen and the video feed switches between the live coverage, to a story of a Mexican boy talking about Pancho Villa and old photographs of Pancho Villa. “The piece is meant to have a lot of doorways in,” Reynolds said. “If you want a catchy song that is fun to listen to, there’s that in there, if you want weird, abstract stuff, there’s that in there. It goes all over the place.” For audience member, Rose Gutierrez, a senior theatre major at Texas A&M University-Corpus Christi, the show was nothing like she was expecting and for that she was grateful. “It showed an experimental chamber opera for two singers and six instrumentalists using techniques that many of us may not have seen before, all the while telling us a story about a man who is very important to the Mexican culture,” Gutierrez said. The entire event lasted from 5 p.m. when the VIP Sponsors had their own hour of relation to until after 10 p.m. when the after party started, providing the community a jam-packed night.
I thoroughly enjoyed the experience as a whole. It was such a great way to bring the community together, and more so the theatre community,” Gutierrez said. “It brought all the people who have a great appreciation for the arts together all in one place, to celebrate something so very near and dear to us, all the while, learning something about ’Pancho Villa’ along the way.” The event brought together different elements to provide entertainment for everyone. The Corpus Christi
Mustangs served up BBQ, Julian Gold offered a fashion show, there was live music, a silent auction and several bars set up to give everyone a chance to have some fun. “The event offered such a lovely evening out that we don’t often see in Corpus Christi,” Gutierrez said. The Harbor Playhouse has not made it clear if this event will continue, but the production of “Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance” will be traveling to Austin in April. Find more information at www.panchovillaopera.com.
MIKAYLA OELSCHLEGEL/Island Waves
“Pancho Villa From a Safe Distance” offers audiences a chance to learn about the Mexican Bandit through an opera style production. Alongside the two singers, a six person band played on stage in front of the audience.
10 Entertainment
03.09.2017
Islander women win against McNeese
AMERICA SEGURA @americasegura7
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n Feb. 25, fans cheered on the Islanders Women’s Basketball team as they went head to head with the McNeese Cowgirls from Louisiana.
The game took place at the American Bank Center and ended in a victory for the Islanders. “We kept thinking how many points are we going to need to win,” said head coach Royce Chadwick. Team leaders for the game were
ZACH ALDRIDGE/Island Waves
Islander women’s basketball player makes a shot against two players from McNeese.
Kassie Jones, senior criminal justice major, Brittany Mbamalu, redshirt junior public administration major, Ashati Plummer, redshirt senior kinesiology major, and Camesha Davis, senior business management major. The Islanders closed the first half of the game, leading with a score of 42-34. Halftime featured the Islanders Dance team performance of their National Competition Routines and the Cinderella Dance Academy’s little ballerinas. After half time, the Islanders continued to lead until roughly around three minutes before the third quarter was up. The McNeese Cowgirls caught up with a score of 50-50. However, after a significant three-point basket was made by Jones, the Islanders ended the third quarter once again in the lead with a 55-54 score. To begin the final quarter of the game, Camesha Davis, senior business management major, scored a two-point basket followed by a threepointer from Jones. Evidently, Jones scored a career high of 28 points and moreover, that included 11 out of 12 shooting. Coming in as a tie for second in the point
range were Mbamalu- guard and freshman, Dalesia Booth. “The girls team has come a long way this year. Every game you can the improvement in their teamwork and dedication,” said Kara Shelton, sophomore nursing major. Prior to this game, the McNeese Cowgirls were ranked 11 in the country in offensive rebounds. However, in this game against the Islanders, they were only able to obtain eight “second opportunities.” “We hope that they keep striving for greatness and continue on to conference,” Shelton said. In the upcoming week, the Islanders women’s basketball will head for the Southland Conference Tournament in Katy, Texas at the Merrell Center, where they will once again battle it out with the McNeese Cowgirls along side multiple other teams.“We have a couple of home games left so the table is set for us to accomplish what we need to accomplish here in the next two weeks,” Chadwick said. Catch all the action from the upcoming games through recaps on Island Waves or follow on twitter @IslandWavesToGo.
Sports 11
03.09.2017
Islander baseball comes up short in classic MELISSA RODRIGUEZ @__melisssaaaa
T
he 2017 Kleberg Bank College Classic, hosted by Corpus Christi Hooks and Islanders Baseball, was held at Whataburger Field on Feb. 24-26, showcasing four baseball intersectional teams. This year’s classic included the University of Houston, University of Missouri, University of Illinois and the Islanders, to participate in a weekend of collegiate level baseball. “You get to see all the different colleges come out and play at a minor league baseball field,” said Jorden Klaevemann, Islander alumni and now Hooks sales associate. “So that’s always exciting for everyone, especially for the locals and of course your college teams.” The first team the Islanders faced was the Illinois Illini on Feb. 24. The Islanders battled it out in a very close game, but ultimately fell one run short to the Illini. Islanders started off with the lead in the first two innings, but Illinois came back to end the game with a win of 15-14 over the Islanders putting them at an overall 2-5 record. Islanders played the Mizzou tigers on Feb. 25, but again failed to overcome their opponent. Islanders did not manage to score any runs, while Mizzou, at the time 6-1, racked up nine runs by the end of the game. “I have always been a big baseball fan,” said Ivy Howard, sophomore biomedical science major. “So I love coming out to support the [Islander] team any chance I get.” Islanders played their final game of the tournament, facing UH Cougars, then 5-2, on Feb. 26. This game showed the strongest defense for Islanders for the weekend as they managed to hold off the Cougars to only four runs. However, TAMU-CC did not manage to match their defensive strength to their offense, leading them to fall behind again resulting in a final score of 4-2. “This was my first time coming to an actual baseball stadium that isn’t a high school one, so it has been a great experience,” Howard said. “And no matter what the scoreboard says, I’m always rooting for our boys.” The final tournament results put University of Missouri on top winning all 3 of their games, University of Houston in second with 2-1 record, University of Illinois coming in third with 1-2, and
A Mizzou player gets ready to bat against the Islanders at Whataburger Field on Feb. 25.
Islanders at 0-3. For more detailed reports and game updates, follow @IslandersBSB. At the end of this tournament, Islanders stand with a 1-6 overall record, with
none of the games previously played counting towards conference record. “Good luck on your season [Islanders] and keep on dreaming big, it’ll happen if you keep on going,” Klaeve-
IZZY SNEED/Island Waves
mann said. Don’t forget to check out @IslandWavesToGo for more about Islanders sports and other university events.
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