The Beacon
Student Newspaper of Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts North Adams, Mass.
For more content, visit online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Volume 78 ◆ Issue 1
Th u r s d ay, J a n ua r y 3 0 , 2 0 1 4
Students get airbrushed
Local teens observe college life firsthand By Alexander Moore Staff Writer
Photo by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
Sophomore Cori Podstupka has her caricature done by Bill Gage during the Student Activities Council event last week in the Amsler Campus Center.
SAC kick-started the semester with cartoon likenesses of the student body, courtesy of artists Bill Gage and Justin Swimms.
The College Cadets program visited campus for its first session on Tuesday. The program, created and coordinated by Rozlyn Cummings, gives teens from the Berkshire area an opportunity to see what college life is like outside of the classroom. “College isn’t just about studying the books, taking tests, and sitting in on lectures,” Cummings said. “I wanted to give students the extracurricular activities that we ourselves have.” Cummings developed the idea for the program through her service learning capstone course. Along with the Center for Service and Citizenship, Cummings was able to develop a plan of action for the next semester. “The program is in response to Adams Youth Center’s need for outreach to their teens,” Alyson Carey, a post-graduate intern for the Center for Service and Citizenship said.
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
Senior Rozlyn Cummings, creator of College Cadets. A trial session took place last semester. Six teens and three mentors were present. The participants went to the gym and played games such as “bean bag toss” and “ladder ball.” Cummings wants the mentors to hang out with the teens and get to know them. Unlike traditional mentoring programs, College
CADETS, continued on page 4
STAGE to hold Sextival Seminars dedicated
to sustainable foods
By Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Staff Writer
Students Taking Action for Gender Equality (STAGE) will hold its annual ‘Sextival’ event on Saturday from 3 p.m. to 5 p.m. in Venable Gym. The event will be open to everyone on campus. A number of campus clubs will run tables in the gym. The carnival-themed affair will focus on educating the campus about reproductive rights, gender politics, and sexuality. It will feature blackout poetry, trivia, music, a raffle, and gift cards from the sensuality store Oh-My in Northampton, Mass., as well as from The Parlor Café in North Adams. According to the STAGE E-Board, STAGE’s goal is to provide an open, safe place in which people to be able to discuss and gain social awareness about gender-related matters. When discussing the group’s upcoming events and aims, STAGE’s president Carrisa Sacherski could barely contain her excitement.
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By Nick Swanson Staff Writer
Photo by Richard LaRocque/The Beacon
The STAGE Executive board from left to right, Secretary B. Gaudet, President Carrisa Sacherski, Vice President Hanna Bearup, and Treasurer Alison Gilbert. “We want people to know “I’m a big fan of diversity and that this is a safe place to share interconnectivity; they’re things I opinions and stories,” she said. care a lot about.” “It’s amazing to listen to people STAGE has tabling in the works and see the passion they have; for Valentine’s Day to welcome that is my big inspiration toward conversation about topics which the group.” may be very relevant to college STAGE pairs up with another students, including sexuality, club, Bisexuals, Gays, Lesbians gender differences, and health & Allies Making a Difference issues. STAGE plans to set up (B-GLAD), for events such as a table in the Amsler Campus Sextival and the Body Positive Center, where it will give out Picnic, which is held on reading advice, lollipops, and other day during spring semesters. sweets. “We host a lot of functions For more information about together and hope to attend a STAGE or Sextival, contact five college conference soon,” Carrisa Sacherski on First Class. secretary B. Gaudet said.
This semester’s Green Living Seminar Series will begin tonight with the theme of ‘cultivating a sustainable food system’. Students enrolled in The Green Living Seminar course choose the theme for each upcoming semester. The lectures will be free and open to the public and will be held on Thursdays at 5:30 p.m. in Murdock 218. “I’ve had students who complete the course, then sign up for it all over again just because the theme that they chose was so interesting and important to them personally,” environmental studies professor Elena Traister said. The College’s environmental studies department and the Berkshire Environmental Resource Center have organized the seminar and the projects that go along with it. A number of guest speakers will appear at the seminars, the first of
Hip-hop is the new political tool
“Persistence of Spirit” debuts
Men’s Basketball takes the win.
Williams Professor talks music and Trayvon Martin.
Gallery 51 features three prominent Haitian artists.
The Trailblazers squeeze by with a 59 - 58 score.
Arts & Entertainment, page 6
Sports, page 9
News, page 4
whom will be Philip AckermanLeist, professor of environmental studies at Green Mountain College and author of ‘Rebuilding the Foodshed.’ “This first lecture will need to be held over a video conference platform, but it was essential to have [Ackerman-Leist] start the series because of his multiple perspectives on grounds from how to run a farm to his studies based on food,” Traister said. According to Traister, the public lecture series format has worked well in the past for this course. “We have scheduled a powerful combination of leaders with professions in relevant fields who work on large-scale food systems, and who can be empowering for students to be lectured by,” Traister said. There will be a new speaker each week to educate the audience on the quality of current food systems.
GREEN LIVING, continued on page 4
News Arts & Entertainment Sports Campus Opinion Local Events Photo Essay
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Campus News
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Weekend Weather Thursday, January 30
SGA opens with budgets, constitutions and Quidditch By Gabriel Kogel Senior News Editor
Career Services to Visit and Winter Week
Snow showers High: 25° Low: 12° Precip. Chance: 20%
Friday, January 31
Snow showers High: 30° Low: 18° Precip. Chance: 30%
Saturday, February 1
Beacon.MCLA.edu
SGA President Jake Powers announced Ashton Darrett and Manat Wooten from the CSSE/ Career Services will be speaking about the internship incentive program at the next SGA meeting. Coordinating Vice President Brendan Peltier announced Winter Week will be from Feb. 17 – 21, featuring a blood drive, ice skating until midnight, milk shakes and smoothies, along with other events. Volleyball Court a Go Peltier said that the city is going ahead with the planned volleyball court in the Windsor Lake Park with the money raised from the Sam Gomez Classic road race last year. “[City officials] kind of laughed at me when I asked if the ground was too frozen. So they thought I was calling to see if they would do it soon, I thought that was kind of funny,” he said during the meeting. Club Budgets and Leadership Conference SGA Treasurer Kelly Bryant said club budgets are due this week. After the budget finance committee (BFC) gets a chance to look at the submissions, all club e-board members will have an opportunity to meet with Bryant and the BFC to discuss their budgets in
detail. “We’ll ask them questions like: how many members come to your meetings? What are your most important events? And then they’ll discuss the items they’ve presented on their budget request for the following year,” she said during the meeting. SGA advisor Jennifer Craig mentioned the 19th annual student leadership Photo by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon conference on Treasurer Kelley Bryant discusses the budget revising process for clubs. Feb. 8, and asked for volunteers to college of liability. Powers an- the meantime. help out. swered that lawyers were review“We’ll have somebody in the mar- ing the case, since there was the MASSPIRG Seeks SGA Signaketplace everyday signing people issue of “endangerment.” Kadell tures up, or you can sign up online, it’s added that without a coach on under the leadership conference duty, as other contact sport clubs David Robert of MASSPIRG website on the MCLA homepage,” have, merely having club mem- addressed SGA during open foshe said during the meeting. bers sign a waiver is not enough. rum, asking for SGA members to Senator Ama Adwetewa-Badu sign a petition in support of a bill Club Constitution Deadline and responded that there is no cer- that may be introduced to ConQuidditch tification process for coaches in gress by Massachusetts Senator, quidditch, and at other colleges, Elizabeth Warren. Coordinating Vice President faculty without special training “It’s basically to tie student’s Alexandra Kadell said 24 clubs, serve as advisors. Senator Stephan Stafford Loan interest rate to the whose constitutions need to be Rochefort said that even if with- rate banks receive from the Fedupdated, have until Feb. 17 to get out a certification process for eral Reserve, which is like .07 perthem in before their budgets are coaches, SGA has a “conscience cent … this would save students frozen. issue allowing the club to go for- thousands of dollars on loans,” he During open forum, a member ward without a coach … since the said to SGA. of the gallery was recognized to sport is considered dangerous.” Robert added that he would speak. Colby Harvish, a student SGA advisor Jennifer Craig said have a table set up at the Amsler representing Quidditch at MCLA, she will work on finding a quali- Campus Center to talk about the asked whether the waiver for in- fied coach, and suggested Harvish bill and student debt, today, from jury in his club’s constitution was contact intramurals and see if 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. sufficient to absolve SGA and the they could facilitate team play in
Campus Police Logs The week of 1/12-1/18
Cloudy High: 36° Low: 30° Precip. Chance: 0%
Sunday, February 2
Tuesday, January 14 ◆ 8:36 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a supervisory alarm at the Flagg Townhouse Complex. The alarm was determined to be accidental. ◆ 5:39 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a larceny/forgery/fraud issue at the Amsler Campus Center. The report was investigated. ◆ 7:19 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call at the Campus Police Office. Services were rendered.
Chance of snow High: 39° Low: 19° Precip. Chance: 40%
Wednesday, January 15 ◆ 10:59 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a call for a
medical transport at MassMoCa. The subjected was transported to the hospital. ◆ 11:50 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a “No Trespass” notification on Blackinton Street. Services were rendered. ◆ 3:46 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a 911 hang-up call at the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation. The call was accidental. ◆ 4:00 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about unwanted guests at Venable Hall. The call was unfounded. Thursday, January 16 ◆ 1:31 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call to jumpstart a vehicle on Church Street.
Services were rendered. ◆ 6:30 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a parking issue at the Bond Street Parking Lot. No action was required. ◆ 8:47 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a facilities or maintenance issue at the Berkshire Towers Complex. No action was required. Friday, January 17 ◆ 12:29 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a building check at the Amsler Campus Center. The building was checked and secured. ◆ 12:35 a.m. - Public Safety responded to a call about a vehicle registration check at the Murdock Hall Lot. A citation was issued.
◆ 6:41 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a complaint at Hoosac Hall. The complaint was unfounded. ◆ 8:58 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a building check at the Freel Library. The building was checked and secured. Saturday, January 18 ◆ 4:21 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a call to assist an outside agency on Ashland Street. The call was completed. ◆ 7:28 p.m. - Public Safety responded to a medical call from the Berkshire Towers Complex. No action was required.
Campus News
Thursday, January 30, 2014
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Artist encourages strong writing skills across majors By Jess Gamari Managing Editor
Photo by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
The Freight Yard Pub at 3 Furnace St. in North Adams is participating in North County EATS, a county-wide week event.
Local eateries offer discounts By Gabriel Kogel
Senior News Editor North County EATS, also known as North Berkshire Restaurant Week, is continuing through Saturday at 18 participating restaurants. In an effort to tempt diners to go out during the slowest time of the year for restaurants, 18 participating eateries in the Adams, North Adams and Williamstown area are offering meal bundles at special price points. According to Veronica Bosley, director of Tourism and Community Events for North Adams and also a waitress at the Freight Yard Pub, the inspiration came from seeing restaurant week done by the Albany Bureau of Travel and Tourism. “I was discussing the idea with Colleen Taylor, owner of the Freight Yard Pub, and we figured that with some effort, this could work as well for the Northern Berkshires as it had in New York,” she said. To help diners navigate the many restaurants and menu choices of North County EATS, the website, “northcountyeats. com” groups meal bundles in the “Prix Fixe” menu by price, with a range of options from $5 to $30. “For instance, Desperados is offering any ensalada (salad) or burrito and a house margarita or Goose Island Beer for $15,” Bosley said. Other local participating vendors include: Public, The Hub,
Check it out! What: Local eateries offer meals at discount prices. When: Through Saturday. Where: Restautants in Adams, North Adams and Williamstown.
Mingo’s Sports Bar and Grill, Angelina’s, Gramercy Bistro, Freight Yard Pub, and Boston Seafood, as well as many others. Diners can also search by location, with options of Williamstown, Adams, or North Adams. Diners choose between lunch or dinner and also by cuisine type. According to Colleen Taylor, member of the board of North Adam’s Visitor’s Bureau and owner of the Freight Yard Pub, from the initial idea to realization, North County EATS “was pulled together in about six weeks.” “I thought it would be a lot of fun, and it couldn’t have happened without the wonderful cooperation of the Williamstown, Adams, and North Adams Chambers of Commerce,” she said. According to Bosley, diners will be asked to participate in a three-question survey after they’ve finished their meals that will enter them in a drawing to win a $100 gift card for the restaurant of their choice. “We’re promoting the event with billboards and radio spots, so we’d like to know where they heard about it. As for next year, there’s only room to grow,” Bosley said. Taylor was optimistic about North County EATS. She imagines it will lead to similar events down the road. “I’m hoping people will grasp the event. I’m hoping more events come out of it. Beer week for instance,” she said.
While most visual artists don’t typically consider themselves writers, it is important they have the proper writing skills to compete in the market, according to Dr. Alke Gröppel-Wegener. Gröppel-Wegener visited the College this semester as part of the artist-in-residence program, funded by the Hardman Family Endowment. Originally from Germany, she is a scholar, writer, artist, and senior lecturer in contextual studies at Staffordshire University in the United Kingdom. During her visit, Gröppel-Wegener spent time with students and faculty in fine and performing arts, arts management, and core creative arts courses. She helped students explore writing skills directly related to the unique needs and requirements of their fields, such as cover letters, website updates, sketchbooks, and reflection journals. “It’s been great fun,” GröppelWegener said in a faculty lecture last week. “Students are very open to doing things differently and what I suggest.” She said that although her suggestions for improvement may or may not be appropriate for every course, they might help spark something that will. At Staffordshire University, Gröppel-Wegener works with first-year undergraduate students in academic research and contextual studies through awardspecific study skills, rather than a typical introduction to writing course required for all majors. “If you teach specific rules to the genre, you give them the best start you can,” she said. One major lesson Gröppel-Wegener left the faculty with was how to write academic essays as visually as possible. About 65 percent of students are visual learners, according to the Visual Teaching Alliance website. GröppelWegener believes it is important these students are being taught in a way they can comprehend. For example, when she teaches her students how to use a quotation in an essay, she relates a quotation to a button on a garment. “You need to introduce [the
Photo by Andrew Ricketts/The Beacon
Dr. Alke Gröppel-Wegener, this semester’s artist-in-residence, speaks with faculty members during a workshop. quote] by saying where it’s from, explain in context that it has a purpose,” she said. “They shouldn’t always be used as decoration. Buttons work best if they hold things together.” During one of the faculty workshops, Gröppel-Wegener and Melaine Mowinski, associate professor of visual art and founder of PRESS, collaborated to create mantra cards, or visual post cards, with sayings or teaching tips and images on them.
“You can’t create and analyze at the same time,” -Michael Dilthey “When I make [mantra cards] I hope the image can enhance, attract, and add to the story,” Mowinski said. “The image can change meaning.” Faculty members placed packaging tape over printed images and then soaked them in water. After rubbing the bits of paper from the taped image, the ink remained on the tape, creating a sticker. These stickers were placed onto postcard-sized paper and then decorated with other pieces of paper and sayings. Ben Jacques, professor of English and communications attended the mantra card workshop. In his publication design and typog-
Scan the QR code to learn more about participating resturaunts and their prices.
Photo by Jess Gamari/The Beacon
From left, Lisa Donovan, Michael Dilthy, Ben Jacques, Melanie Mowinski and Alke Gröppel-Wegener.
raphy class, his students primarily work on a computer screen. For him, creating mantra cards by hand was a different way to be creative. By pairing images with words, the process allowed him to take a closer look at how one can convey a message verbally and visually. Gröppel-Wegener and Mowinski met a year and a half ago at a letter press workshop, and they’ve kept in contact ever since. At PRESS, Mowinski places type by hand into the printing press. “You have a different sense of what the text is about,” she said. “Poets would often set their own poems, and when they do they become very intimate with the layout. They have to pay attention to every single letter and every space and commit to words.” She said it was not unusual for a poet to edit while typesetting. Often, only a limited number of vowels would be available, leading the poet to reconsider and edit the work. Michael Dilthey, professor of fine and performing arts, compared Mowinski’s intricate process of laying out typefaces to composing a manuscript on blank staff paper. “You can’t create and analyze at the same time,” he said. “Some things you don’t see when you’re creating. We need to give them more time to work through the analytical stage.” After working with GröppelWegener, Dilthey used a visual teaching lesson in three of his music courses. He played a musical piece by the Bulgarian Women’s Choir and had his students draw a picture of what they saw in their minds as they listened. The choir sang about happiness, health, and fertility, although Dilthey did not tell any of his students this; he wanted them to guess. After he explained the lesson three different ways to his three classes, a student in the third class drew an image of happiness. “Within 24 hours, you’ve taken something we explored and tried it three times,” Gröppel-Wegener said. “The results speak for itself.”
News 4 Hip-hop: an overlooked medium for decoding Thursday, January 30, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Williams College professor looks at the Trayvon Martin event and George Zimmerman’s trial. By Idalis Foster
Special to the Beacon The Trayvon Martin case could serve as a catalyst for discussions on gun laws and the justice system in addition to issues of race, according to Williams College professor Neil Roberts. On Wednesday, Jan. 22, the assistant professor and African Studies Affiliate in the Department of Political Science at Williams College presented a talk called “It’s Bigger than Hip-Hop: Decoding the Trayvon Martin Event” in Murdock Hall. In analyzing the presence of race in history, Roberts tied together the historical prevalence of individual control and injustice as he spoke about the death of Trayvon Martin as well as the George Zimmerman trial. He made a connection to the title of his lecture, saying hip-hop could be “decoded” for political messages. Roberts’ main points of discussion included race as a subject of ongoing significance in America, the impact of justice on understanding democracy, hip-hop as an overlooked medium for deciphering po-
Photo by Richard LaRocque/The Beacon
Neil Roberts, professor of African Studies at Williams College, speaks to a large crowd for “It’s Bigger than HipHop” on Jan. 22 in Murdock 218. litical concepts, and the idea of the Trayvon Martin event leading either to an improved union or to “collapsing into the anti-democratic nation I call the Calhounian Repub-
Course hopes to improve foodshed GREEN LIVING, from page 1
“One of our overall goals is to create a strategy to improve our current food system, which has become extremely industrially dominated today,” Traister said. During the Green Living Seminar course, students are also responsible for selecting a service learning project related to the theme of the course. Traister explained that one of the service learning projects requires work on the cultivation of perennial edible plants, such as apple trees and blueberry bushes. Through
the website Fallingfruit. org, groups can search local areas to locate sites for planting edible gardens and organize their efforts. “We are looking into redesigning the courtyard by the Freight Yard Pub and would really like to add some edible landscaping there,” Traister said. All of the lectures will be recorded and uploaded to the College’s website as podcasts, but most lectures will take at least a week to be posted. The seminars will also be broadcast on public access television through the Northern Berkshire Community Television Co.
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lic,” as he stated. Throughout the lecture, Roberts made reference to several controversial cases surrounding the African American community, including Marissa Alexander’s sentence for firing a gun during a domestic dispute and the recent shooting of Ramarley Graham by a New York City police officer. He compared Alexander’s case to Zimmerman’s because both used the “Stand Your Ground” case as defense, but to different effects. Recently, Roberts was a guest editor of a “Theory and Event” symposium on the Trayvon Martin case. He spoke about how he related to other parents at the time of the Zimmerman trial verdict as he explained to his son that his race could lead him to the same fate as Martin. Roberts recalled looking at his son and “dreading at the guttural level” the conversation he would have to have with him one day about “what the potential effects of wearing a hoodie in the public sphere might be for him compared to, let’s say, Patriots coach Bill Belichick.” In emphasizing his last point, Roberts
gave a background of John C. Calhoun, who was vice president from 1825 to 1832 and an avid supporter of slavery as an “intrinsic positive.” He spoke about Calhoun’s reputation as a states’ rights activist, stating that “Calhoun’s significance lies in his detailed argument of supremacy of state sovereignty over the power of the federal government.” Roberts connected Calhoun’s argument of state sovereignty back to statutory laws today, like the “Stand Your Ground” law which played a large role in the Zimmerman trial. Zimmerman, acquitted of murder in the case, told police he shot Martin because he feared for his life. Roberts rounded out his lecture by saying that the issue of race is bigger than hip-hop and bigger than Trayvon Martin himself. He concluded that this case could be the catalyst for debates on due process, gun laws, petitioning states, and the federal government’s role on restructuring justice. The lecture was sponsored by the Honors program and the departments of philosophy, modern languages, and interdisciplinary studies.
Middle schoolers tour campus CADETS from page 1
Cadets is not a one-on-one, mentor to mentee setup. “The pilot session was fun, relaxing and stress free,” Christopher Hantman, a mentor in the program said. “It was perfect because I got to show up, hang out with friends, meet some great younger students, and play sports.” Marissa Bibbo, a teen who attended the pilot session, also enjoyed herself very much. “I liked that I was able to meet college students and learn things from them,” Bibbo said. “I felt excited for the next one.” Bibbo has recommended the program to other individuals in her teen group at the Adams Youth Center. Cummings has many activities planned for the upcoming weeks
that she hopes will be fun, as well as educational for the participants. A tour of the Feigenbaum Center for Science and Innovation that will include educational experiments in the labs is scheduled. In addition, the radio station office will be explored and basic broadcasting concepts will be covered. The teens will see what it is like to be a broadcaster and hear various public service announcements (PSA). They will then be assigned to write a PSA for the college Cadets program. Both Cummings and Hantman would like to see more students becoming mentors in the program. “The program is great practice for working with younger students,” Hantman said. “It would be a growing and learning experience for any college student.” Hantman also believes that the
Photo by Amy Modesti/The Beacon
Children from the Adams Youth Center had a chance to tour Hoosac Hall on Tuesday. program provides an opportunity for younger teens to get a taste of college life at an early age. For more information on College Cadets, email Rozlyn Cummings via FirstClass.
Saturday‚ February 1‚ 8pm
WESTERN SWING DANCE PARTY with THE BRAIN CLOUD It’s boot-stomping big band dipped in gypsy jazz for a swingin’ night on the dance floor.
Don’t forget to “like” us on Facebook The MCLA Beacon Online
Tickets: massmoca.org / 413.662.2111 87 Marshall Street, North Adams, Mass
National News
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Nation and World Briefs Nation
Snowden must return for trial LOS ANGELES House Democratic leader Nancy Pelosi brushed back the assertions of leading Republicans that the former NSA contractor who leaked details of American spying was a “traitor,” but said Friday that Edward Snowden needs to return and face trial, or reach a plea deal, for his deeds. At a meeting with Los Angeles Times editors and reporters, Pelosi navigated between those who consider Snowden’s actions unpatriotic and others grateful that he laid bare America’s spying secrets. -Los Angeles Times Backlash shutdown
on
government
WASHINGTON House Speaker John Boehner called last fall’s government shutdown a “very predictable disaster” that he warned his fellow Republicans to avoid, but ultimately went along with it at the behest of colleagues intent on a standoff with President Barack Obama over his health-care law. -Tribune Washington Bureau
World Israeli soldiers open fire JERUSALEM Palestinian man was killed and another injured Friday in the Gaza Strip when Israeli soldiers opened fire during a protest near the border with Israel, officials said. The shooting occurred after a group of Palestinians damaged a stretch of border fence -Los Angeles Times Investigation on gang rape MUMBAI, India’s Supreme Court on Friday ordered an investigation into charges that village elders in West Bengal state ordered the gang rape of a 20-yearold woman because she had had a relationship with a man from another community. -Los Angeles Times
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Obama asks Congress to help reverse inequality gap MCT Campus
WASHINGTON Hoping to leave a bruising year in the rearview mirror, President Barack Obama vowed Tuesday to work with Congress when possible, but around it when necessary to push ahead with a series of mostly modest steps aimed at helping low and middle-income families share in the economic recovery. In his State of the Union address, Obama shook off his earlier recession-era rhetoric to envision an increasingly robust economy. He warned Congress not to impede that progress, and swore he would work to shrink the gap between rich and poor left by the years of job losses and depressed wages. “I believe this can be a breakthrough year for America. After five years of grit and determined effort, the United States is betterpositioned for the 21st century than any other nation on Earth,” Obama told a joint session of Congress in the annual address. “For several years now, this town has been consumed by a rancorous argument over the proper size of the federal government. ...When that debate prevents us
from carrying out even the most basic functions of our democracy when our differences shut down government or threaten the full faith and credit of the United States then we are not doing right by the American people.” The speech represented an attempt at a political comeback for the president, whose approval rating was damaged by the disastrous rollout of his signature health care law and whose Democratic Party faces the prospect of losing control of the Senate. Obama mounted his most pointed recent defense of his new health care law, and issued a challenge to Republican critics to put forward their own plans. “The American people are not interested in refighting old battles,” Obama said to the Republican lawmakers seated before him. “Tell America what you’d do differently.” “America does not stand still, and neither will I,” Obama said. “So wherever and whenever I can take steps without legislation to expand opportunity for more American families, that’s what I’m going to do.” Republicans bristled Tuesday at
MCT Campus Photo
President Barack Obama delivered his State of the Union addresss in Washington on Tuesday. the president’s vows to use his pen to order executive actions and his phone to rally the public to his causes, questioning whether Obama could really find middle ground. Obama’s minimum wage announcement was a clear example of his effort to bypass congressional roadblocks and the limits of how far he can travel on that
route. Obama plans to sign an executive order raising wages for workers employed by federal contractors to $10.10 per hour, up from the current minimum wage of $7.25. “Our freedom, our democracy, has never been easy,” Obama said. “Sometimes we stumble; we make mistakes.”
Fireworks banned for Lunar New Year MCT Campus
BEIJING Imagine New York’s Times Square without the ball drop, or London without the ringing of Big Ben. Beijing is preparing for its own big celebration, the Lunar New Year, but may mark the holiday this week with a ban on fireworks, a Chinese tradition and invention. City authorities have warned that if weather patterns are conducive to choking air pollution in the next few days, they may ban residents from their usual mass-ignition of pyrotechnics. In other words, Year of the Horse fireworks could be derailed by the Year of the Hoarse. “Extreme stupidity,” wrote one. “The government doesn’t do a good job of environmental protection with industries. Instead it blames the very small amount of
MCT Campus Photo
Firework owner shows off an app that allows customers to see how fireworks will look. fireworks.” “There are so much exhaust emissions,” wrote another neti-
zen. “You don’t manage them and now you won’t let the people have one day of delight?”
City officials say they won’t know until just before the start of the Lunar New Year on Friday if fireworks are banned. Over the years, Beijing authorities have struggled to keep the fiery celebrations under control. After widespread reports of deadly fires and maimed children, Beijing effectively banned fireworks in the central city for a decade after 1995. Fireworks resumed. This year, the ongoing concerns about death and injury are overlapping with public disgust over air pollution. Although smog often drops in Beijing during the Spring Festival, many motorists are out of town, and industries are shut or running with skeleton crews, fireworks can spike the reduced soot. That’s especially true when there is little wind across the city, allowing pollutants to hug the ground.
Killer whale named endangered species MCT Campus
The federal government wants Lolita the orca snared 44 years ago in Penn Cove by whale hunters who sold her to a Florida aquarium, protected under the Endangered Species Act. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration on Friday reversed itself and recommended the killer whale held by the Miami Seaquarium be governed by the same law that protects Puget Sound’s wild southern resident killer whales. The move could have implications for other endangered species held by zoos and aquariums and almost certainly will
lead to a re-evaluation of the conditions of Lolita’s captivity, which activists have complained about for years. “I think this is a very huge first step in the fantastic adventure of returning her to her home waters,” Garrett said. “You can’t put an endangered species into a circus act.” “We won’t really have an answer to those kinds of questions until we do a full analysis,” Barre said. Lolita, presumed to be about 6 years old at the time, wound up in Miami and became a rallying symbol for orca activists who spent decades decrying whale captivity. Through the years, Washington governors and senators and newspaper
5 O’Clock $5 Nachos!!! Weekend entertainment MCT Campus Photo
Lolita became a symbol for orca activists. columnists have urged the Florida aquarium to bring her back. “We keep hoping that she will live long enough to come and rejoin her pod or at least get
back to Northwest waters,” said Olympia’s Karen Ellick, who witnessed a whale roundup in south Puget Sound in 1976. Killer whales in the wild can live about as long as humans.
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Thursday, January 30, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Gallery 51 exhibit brings Haitian art to the Berkshires By Rachel Fitterman
Arts & Entertainment Writer Gallery 51 opens its newest exhibition “Persistence of Spirit” tonight at 5 p.m., featuring the work of three prominent Haitian artists. The show stems from a longer interest of the College in connecting with the Haitian community, according to Jonathan Secor, director of Special Programs at Gallery 51. “Since the earthquake, there’s been interest and desire to figure out ways to connect, and to connect, not just through social service, but through a different level, through arts and culture… And so we’ve been looking at how do we continue that relationship with the limited resources that we have?” Secor said. The 2012 Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) cultural immersion trip that took eight students to Haiti played a major role in bringing “Persistence of Spirit” to North Adams. Melanie Mowinski, Visual Arts professor and PRESS founder, accompanied the students and defined the purpose of the trip as “immersing ourselves in all things Haitian.” “It was a lot of observation of a very different place, a place that has been ravished by hurricanes and earthquakes and poverty and awfulness, and how that in itself is also an experience. We saw performing art, visual art, moving art. We were in and out of people’s studios,” she added. The students also had the chance to meet with Philippe Dodard,
one of the artists whose work appears in “Persistence of Spirit.” Secor was first introduced to “Persistence of Spirit” through a “friend of a friend” who was in touch with a Haitian-American who teaches art at the Boston Arts Academy and runs their gallery. “He had questions for us about the trip we took students to, and then he said he was trying to put together this exhibition as part of a larger celebration of Haitian culture for the fall of 2013, and we said if that happens, we’d love to jump on and take it afterwards,” Secor said. Sophomores Allison Pepi, curatorial intern to the gallery, and Cecilia Wright, assistant gallery manager, traveled to the Boston Arts Academy, where the exhibition was previously held, to curate pieces for Gallery 51’s exhibition. “We [went] to Boston with Andy Davis, who is a professional art installer. He’s worked at the Clark before, and also had an exhibit in Gallery 51, so he [came] with us to pick out the pieces,” Wright said. Pepi added, “We choose [paintings] based on which ones we like, and which ones will actually fit in the gallery on the walls properly. We have to see if they look good next to each other. There are different measurements for different walls and pedestals, so it’s mostly figuring out which [paintings] go nice together, and if there’s ever a theme between them.” Wright also noted that size is the biggest factor in curating the show. “The toughest thing is looking at the size of our gallery and see-
ing what pieces will actually fit in our gallery. I know we’re going to see some amazing stuff, and we’re just going to want to take it all,” she said. One of the appeals of bringing “Persistence of Spirit” to Gallery 51 was to display the comparisons between the Haitian community and North Adams. “Our world expands way beyond North Adams,” Mowinski said. “By being able to bring this [work] back home so we can share it with our friends and colleagues is a powerful thing, to help all of us understand Photo courtesy of Leon Peters and see that there are “Persistence of Spirit” features a wide variety of paintings and other art. lots of parallels. You can “It’s the poorest democracy in tastic, and have an incredible atbe from one culture and find similar things in other cul- the world, but it’s also rich in cul- titude and a wonderful outlook tures. We’re hoping it’s going to ture, and so it’s important not just on life, in spite of the amazing spark conversation, and celebrate to look at it as some place to send amount of obstacles that they the difference between cultures our extra t-shirts, but an equal have encountered,” she said. partner in the cultural exchange. but also see similarities.” “Haitians have been working in Save the date! Secor also stated, “North Adams hasn’t had quite as long a his- contemporary art since Picasso, tory of broken hearts and broken with a long line of contemporary What: “Persistence of things, but certainly over the last artists, in the true sense, and so Spirit” four or five decades has hit hard these three artists, they’re rooted Where: MCLA’s Gallery times. I think there is a similarity in Haiti, and that shows in their 51 in that like what we’re looking at work, but they’re contemporary with “Persistence of Spirit.” North artists,” Secor said. When: Opening There is a Haitian proverb that Adams, too, is trying to find a way reception tonight at 5 out using arts as a ladder, and states “Beyond mountains there p.m., continues through culture as a ladder. It does take a are mountains,” and Mowinski Feb. 23 certain persistence to try to move urged the “amazing grace” with What to expect: things forward in North Adams, it which Haitians persevere. “It’s next to impossible to have takes a certain sense of hope.” Expansive However, Secor urges not to that kind of trip and not come exhibition featuring work think of Haiti as merely some- back with an unbelievable respect from three Haitian artists for people who always look fanthing to pity.
laugh-out-loud musical that tells the timeless story of a recent college grad named Princeton who moves into a shabby New York apartment all the way out on Avenue Q.” “The simplest way to put it is that it’s Sesame Street for adults,” Harlequin senior president, Joshua Lapierre, said. “For those who haven’t seen “Avenue Q”, it can be a bit aggressive,” Balon wrote. “But I find that within the show’s crude humor, people can really connect to the characters and the issues they face throughout the show. I expect a variety of reactions from the audience.” Despite having some issues with finding a reliable source to obtain the puppets, Balon and Gibson’s efforts have proven to be successful. “After some research, we found a nice set from Curtains Up Players, a theater company based out of West Virginia,” Balon said. “The puppets arrive Feb. 1, and they’ll be making a few appearances around campus.”
Harlequin will perform “Avenue Q” on March 19, 20, and 21 in Venable Theater. The performances times have yet to be determined. Yorick director, junior Kelli Furney, is preparing for her production of “Pericles, Prince of Tyre.” “My main concept is that of ‘full circle,’” Furney wrote in an email interview. “As an episodic adventure, we see Pericles go through incredible hardship and misfortune and still endure until he comes all the way back again, from abandoning his country, to being shipwrecked and believing his wife and daughter are dead, all the way back to being reunited with his family back in his home country of Tyre.” Pericles deals with morality, power and responsibility. Furney and her cast and creative team are striving to bring each character to life and making them as threedimensional as possible. “The audience can expect live action that is up-close and personal,” Furney wrote. “Since we
Performance clubs prepare for spring shows By Jenna O’Connor
Arts & Entertainment Writer Musical theater club, Harlequin and Shakespeare club, Yorick are preparing for their full-scale productions which will be debuting after spring break. Harlequin presents the Tony Award winning musical, Robert Marx and Jeff Lopez’s, “Avenue Q,” and Yorick presents the lesser known work of “Pericles, Prince of Tyre” Harlequin directors, junior Benjamin Balon and senior Veronica Gibson, were very clear about their visions for “Avenue Q” in an e-mail interview. “Veronica and I have always used the word ‘dank’ when describing the show’s aesthetic,” Balon said. “While the puppets, costumes, and props of the show are bright and colorful, it contrasts with the rusty, beaten-down set.” Gibson said, “[We want] to move the audience with an entertaining yet evocative show that reflects real-life situations with a child-like vision.” According to the musical’s official website, “‘“Avenue Q” is a
Photo by Richard LaRocque/The Beacon
Sophomore Elizabeth Ladonisi gives it her all as she auditions for Balon and Gibson’s “Avenue Q.” are using the Mill City Produc- show off-campus at Mill City Protions space, the actors will be very ductions, near the Freight Yard close to the audience and bring- Pub, on April 3, 4, and 5 at 7 p.m., with a matinee showing at 2 p.m. ing them into the action.” “Pericles, Prince of Tyre” will on April 5.
Harlequin presents
Yorick presents
Avenue Q
Pericles, Prince of Tyre
Venable Theater March 19, 20, and 21 Times to be announced
Mill City Productions April 3, 4, 5 7 p.m., matinee April 5 at 2 p.m.
Directed by Ben Balon and Veronica Gibson
Directed by Kelli Furney
7 Theater department to present classic plays
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Arts & Entertainment
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Douglas Jenkins and Laura Standley prepare to show their takes on two renowned pieces this semester. By Shannen Adamites
Arts & Entertainment Editor The Fine and Performing Arts (FPA) department is in the process of planning two theater productions this semester. Professor and director Douglas Jenkins presents the spring Main Stage production of “Oscar and Felix.” The performance, scheduled to debut at the end of February, is an updated version of Neil Simon’s American classic comedy, “The Odd Couple.” According to the FPA department’s website, the show will essentially follow the same characters and plot as the original, but will be set in the present day. “The Odd Couple” will premier at the Veneble Theater on Feb. 26 at 8 p.m., and will continue through March 1. The Theater Lab class is also hard at work on preparing one of the best shows in the last 20 years,” according to director and Professor Laura Standley. The class is taking on the challenge of collaborating, researching, and producing Tony Kushner’s Pulitzer Prize winning play, “Angels in America.” The play is scheduled for April 15, 16, and 17, and April 23, 24, 25, and 26 at 8 p.m. There will also be a matinee at 2 p.m. on April 26. “Angels in America” is part of the College’s Creating Equality series and serves as a response to several plays and events regarding AIDS crisis, gay rights, and gender equality. Kushner also highlights aspects about the general quality of life in the 1980s and “futile identity politics,” or questions surrounding homosexuality and gender that were never properly discussed until then.
The play connects eight characters through their struggles and epiphanies during a time of danger, controversy, and uncertainty. According to the FPA’s website, “the play is an epic exploration of love, justice, identity and theology, of the difficulty, terror and necessity of change.” Standley said the students are very enthused and energetic about working on this production. “They have heard a lot about the AIDS crisis, and they have very strong feelings about gay rights in America. They want to know more about how we have gotten to where we are today, and the play really enlightens that,” Standley said. Theater Lab is set apart from the other events in the season by taking a much more collaborative approach to production, direction, and design. “While other shows are directed in a more traditional way, with directors and designers getting together and deciding everything about style and concept, and having a clear plan, Theater Lab starts from the very beginning. Students get greater ownership over the decisions,” Standley said. Students are expected to study the play in depth prior to the first rehearsal. While some decisions have already been determined by Standley and production manager Dawn Shamburger, the two serve more as “artistic directors,” and the students have more say in decisions that affect the overall atmosphere of the play. At this moment, Standley and the class have no plans regarding the overall production design of the show. The collaboration process regarding design has not
started yet, and Standley said she will know what will be happening prior to spring break. In addition to the performance, members of the class will be presenting their work at the Undergraduate Research Conference (URC) in April. Students will be presenting their findings on various aspects that relate to the play, its themes, and its historical contexts as a way to engage the campus community in the intensive research process that goes into producing each show.
Main Stage presents
Oscar and Felix Directed by
Douglas Jenkins Venable Theater Feb. 26, 27, 28 and March 1 8 p.m. $10 general/$5 staff/ free for students Theater Lab presents
Angels in America Directed by
Laura Standley Venable Theater April 15, 16, 17 & 23, 24, 25, 26 8 p.m. / 2 p.m. on April 26 **Prices to be announced
Beacon file photo
Alumni Tom Leidenfrost performs in Standley’s “Agamemnon” last spring.
“20 Feet from Stardom” sheds light on murky music industry Review by Raanan Sarid-Segal Arts & Entertainment Writer
“20 Feet from Stardom” captured my heart in the summer of 2013. It was nowhere near the best documentary released, not in a year when giants like “The Act of Killing” and “Leviathan” and intimate masterpieces like “Stories We Tell” were unleashed upon the world, but it was so charming that whenever it was brought up, I found myself smiling at the memory of the film. The documentary, directed by Morgan Neville, was as enjoyable as they come, presenting a number of immediately likable women as its central characters and using their lives to illuminate the troubles of working as a backup singer. The movie presents the lives of these singers, many of whom worked on some of the greatest rock albums of all time, as uncovering the work of forgotten masters. And to be perfectly honest, many of these women are great in a way that we rarely get to see. Merry Clayton, Darlene Love, and
Lisa Fischer were the true draw of the film, though it covered the careers of other great women, and the occasional man, as well. The film’s structure is fairly standard. One by one, the featured women tell their stories, usually in segments based on the tone the film is trying to present at the moment, backed up by archival footage and some historical information for context. The film covers their beginnings, the obstacles they faced, and the hope that they will get recognized someday for their great and memorable work. The obvious standout, even among all the talent we see in the film, is singer Lisa Fischer. Her work stands head and shoulders above the rest, with a voice that manages to awe and entrance. Her range is incredible and her presence undeniable. In the film itself, she is called “the empress of backup singers.” The careers of the others are equally interesting. Merry Clayton and Darlene Love probably have the greatest legacies in the film. Clayton is the voice on the
Rolling Stones’ track “Gimme Shelter,” one of the most recognizable and legendary performances on any rock album, yet she remains largely unknown to the public. The film follows her career and reveals how, much like many of the others the film covered, her solo career was stymied by larger forces. The film tackles, though often not to the extent it probably should have, the institutionalized racism and sexism that kept these women from having careers in the spotlight, rather than working extremely hard for little to no recognition. Obvious bogeymen include legendary producer Phil Spector and his willingness to injure singers like Darlene Love for financial gain. None of the revelations that the film presents are supremely outside the reach of anyone interested in the subject and willing to spend time researching the backup singers on their favorite tracks, but the film becomes vital because it gives women who have been overlooked for so long a platform
Looking for a night out?
MASS MoCA will present a screening of the documentary tonight at 7:30 p.m. in Club B-10. Tickets are $9 for general admission and $5 for students.
Image from movpins.com
on which to become known. It is their charisma and charm which carry the movie into the public consciousness and make the movie worthy of our time.
The film will be followed by a question-andanswer session with Warren Zanes of the Del Fuegos.
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Thursday, January 30, 2014
Fair territory
America’s game, America’s day By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
In the United States, there are a lot of holidays that celebrate America. There is the Fourth of July, Thanksgiving, Flag Day, Memorial Day, Veterans Day, Presidents Day and many other lesser known holidays. Each of these holidays celebrate different topics, but they all aim toward the same goal: revel America as a whole. The greatest American holiday, however, is technically not considered a holiday at all. Super Bowl Sunday, while not considered a “national holiday”, is the day that epitomizes what America is all about. Although we don’t get the Monday after the Super Bowl off from work, it reflects what America is in 2014 better than any other cock-andbull holiday such as Columbus Day or Labor Day.
America may have been built on wheat, corn, and fish, but today we are powered by Doritos and Pizza Hut. The Super Bowl is the greatest day for television in the United States. Television, as opposed to any other form of media, probably has the greatest influence over people in this country, and no one does it bigger and better than the Super Bowl. Last year, an estimated 164 million Americans, or just about half of the American population, watched the Super Bowl. Going hand-in-hand with television is another American tradition: advertising. A
30-second ad during the Super Bowl will set a company back $4 million. That steep asking price will hardly scare any advertisers away, as they use the increase in budget as a simple excuse to go all out in advertising. A certain chunk of the viewership for the game comes from people who watch just to see the commercials. The Super Bowl has been the stage for blockbuster movie trailers, introductions to new technology, and all sorts of other important advertisements. This year, Budweiser has spent many millions putting out advertisements for their Super Bowl ad. That’s right folks; they are spending huge sums of money for an advertisement. Food in America has a long and rich history. From the first Thanksgiving to National Pancake day; if there is anything Americans love, it is food. And not just any kind of food either. We love junk food, and the Super Bowl does junk food better than anyone. America may have been built on wheat, corn, and fish, but today we are powered by Doritos and Pizza Hut. According to Statisticbrain. com, Americans will purchase 49 million cases of beer for the Super Bowl. They will buy 125 million chicken wings and 71 million pounds of avocados, which will be used to make guacamole dip. All that food comes at a price though, as 7-Eleven has reported a 20 percent increase in antacid sales on the Monday after the game. But the Super Bowl is not just a celebration of America’s faults, as there is a great deal of the day that focuses on the good side of America. The Super Bowl is a time when families get together and spend time with each other. The game of football itself is a nice example of men who are living the American dream. For the most part, no one in football really cares what race you are, or what your last name is, or whether you come from rural Texas or Compton. The only thing that matters in football is how well you can do your job, and that is really what America is all about. America is about allowing talent and work ethic to take anybody as far as they can go. The Super Bowl will never become a national holiday, but a true holiday is about more than getting the day off from work. A holiday in America is about celebrating something, and the Super Bowl celebrates the United States of America. So go out there on Sunday and celebrate America, and be the best darn football watching, Frito eating patriot you can be.
Sports
Beacon.MCLA.edu
Hotaling named Rookie of the Week By Jesse Collings Sports Editor
Freshman Kayla Hotaling was named MASCAC Rookie of the Week on Monday, becoming the fifth Trailblazer to earn that honor this season, joining teamates Brayleigh Hanlon, Ashley Clawson, Courtney McLaughlin and Courtney Durivage. Hotaling battled injuries at the start of the season, which prevented her from playing until January 18th against Framingham State. Hoatling made her MCLA debut in grand style, scoring 18 points and grabbing 13 rebounds. She followed that up the following game at Westfield State by socring 12 points, grabbing 10 rebounds and blocking 4 shots. Hotaling then had another solid outing against Salem State, finishing with a respectable 9 points and 7 rebounds.
Photo From MCLA Athletics
Freshman Kayla Hotaling is the fifth Trailblazer named MASCAC Rookie of the Week.
Women’s basketball endures losing skid By James Hunter Sports Writer
So far it has been a tough season for the Women’s Basketball team in the winning/losing column. After classes started a few weeks ago the women have struggled to find a win, coming up short in their last four games. “Although our record in MASCAC play isn’t what we want it to be, we are getting better every single day,” Senior Danielle Scolpino said. “We have a chance to play every team again, and the season is far from over.” Tuesday the women traveled to Salem State, were they lost 71-61, falling to 4-14 on the season and 0-6 in conference play. MCLA was led by Brayleigh Hanlon who had 13 points, and Kaitlyn Chenevert added 11. Salem State junior Rachael Carter had a phenomenal game, scoring 27 points and grabbing 12 rebounds. Carter also scored her 1,000th career point during the game. MCLA led Salem State 33-31 at halftime, but Salem used a 24-1 scoring run early in the second half to take control of the game. In addition to Carter, senior forward Lara Bruni added nine points and eight rebounds and sophomore guard Rachel Ledbetter added twelve points to help Salem hold on to the victory. Saturday the women played rival Westfield State and lost 79-64. The Westfield Owls had three players in double figures including junior Jen Ashton, who filled up the stat sheet with 15 points, 7 assists, 5 steals, and 5 rebound, and Forbashaw Nkamebo who finished with a team high 16 points and 11 rebounds. Westfield led throughout most of the game. MCLA kept it close within the closing minutes of the first half, 35-28 until a pair of turnovers from the Trailblazers
gave the Owls a 40-28 lead at the half. Early in the second half the Trailblazers cut the lead to single digits until Westfield went on a 18-4 run opening the game up to their largest lead of the evening. Kaitlyn Chenevert had 16 points along with 8 rebounds. Mariah Brown scored all her 23 points in the first half and Kayla Hotaling added her second straight doubledouble collecting 12 points and 10 rebounds. “I think it has got to the point where we all know what we need to do in order to win, it’s just a matter of going out there and actually doing it,” Scolpino said. “The time is now, and we’re ready to turn this season around completely.” MCLA shot 34 percent from the field while the owls ended the game shooting 42 percent. Committing 18 turnovers compared to Westfield’s 10. Prior to their lost against Westfield the Trailblazers came up short in overtime against the Framingham State Rams. MCLA had the lead at the end of the first half, 47-36. During the second half MCLA maintained the lead for the majority of the half and led 7066 with 1:26 to play. The Rams, Sarah Palace, drained a triple to pull them within a point. After MCLA scored on their next possession, Carlee Putnam tied the game knocking down another three and the game was tied at 72. The Rams had a chance to end it in regulation as they turned over MCLA but Hoffman’s three point attempt was off the mark and the game went into overtime. After a pair of two free throws from Kayla Hotaling to tie the game up in overtime Framingham responded with six straight points. The Rams outscored MCLA in overtime 16-9. The Trailblazers would get within three in the last
1:51 remaining. However, it was too late. In the final seconds the Rams scored six points finishing the game 88-81. In a non-conference game the Trailblazers suffered a 65-46 loss against Western Connecticut (WConn) a few weeks ago. MCLA did not lead throughout the entire game but did manage to get within a point on two separate occasions during the game. It was another tough shooting night for the women, shooting 25 percent from the field while WConn shot 42 percent. After the break, the Trailblazers got within three, 2932 before WConn went on an 8-0. “It’s important that we learn each other’s strengths and play off one another,” Scolpino added. “I think we also need to remember the importance of never settling when we get a lead, and never giving up when we are losing.” Michaela Siver finished the game with a team high 16 points and Kaitlyn Chenevert added 11 rebounds, but WConn came up big with a 65-46 win over the Trailblazers. Another close game for the Trailblazers occurred against the Fitchburg Falcons, 80-70, coming up short 10 points. MCLA had three players in double figures, paced by Kaitlyn Chenevert with 13 points, Michaela Siver had 12 points and Mariah Brown with 10. “Coach Holly is preparing us by never giving up on us,” Scolpino said. “We work hard day in and day out at practice and we know what needs to be accomplished in order to succeed. She is doing a great job teaching us and talking us through situations. We are all learning every day, and we will get to where we need to be, little by little, day by day.” MCLA will play another conference game against Bridgewater State this Saturday at 1 pm.
Sports
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
9
MCLA to celebrate Women in Sports Scores Women’s Basketball January 25th, 2014 Westfield St. 79, MCLA 64
By Kelsey Marini Sports Writer
The athletics department will be hosting their 26 annual National Girls and Women in Sports Day (NGWSD) on Feb. 1. This year, the theme of the event is ‘Passing of the Torch and Blazing New Trails ’. Girls and women can have fun while participating in different sport clinics and getting to know the women athletes. The all-day event will take place in the Campus Center, showing girls from grades three to eight and young women various sports and physical activities. The event will end with the women’s basketball game against Bridgewater State University. During the introduction, the girls will be ‘passing the torch’ to both teams. Following the game will be an autograph session from the women’s basketball team. “We hope the girls and women learn something new about staying healthy,” said Assistant Athletics Director Dot Houston. The College is introducing new clinics to the girls and women participating this year. Along with Women’s Basketball and Volleyball, activities like Zumba, lacrosse, and pickle ball are being introduced. By introducing the community to new sports, along with more traditional ones, MCLA hopes to give the girls and women a chance to find a new passion. Women’s Volleyball Coach Amanda Beckwith has plenty of activities planned for her team’s portion of the event. Her team will show the girls basic funda-
January 28th, 2014 Salem State 71, MCLA 61 Men’s Basketball January 25th, 2014 Westfield St. 83, MCLA 60 January 28th, 2014 MCLA 59, Salem St. 58
Standings
Photo from MCLA Athletics
MCLA students and girls from grades three to eight gathered for last years NGWSD . mentals of volleyball and play games to keep them entertained. She hopes that NGWSD will make a positive impact on her players as much as the little girls participating. Beckwith herself has been involved with the College’s GWSD for thirteen years as a past player and coach and has seen the community respond positively to the mini clinics. “We have grown every year,” said Beckwith, “I believe in the power of giving back and paying it forward.” NGWSD started in 1987 in honor of Olympic volleyball player
Flo Hyman who died of Marfan’s Syndrome in 1986 during a volleyball tournament in Japan. Since then has been a tribute to accomplishments, past and present, in women’s athletics. The day is not only to teach young girls the value of staying busy but to also make a positive influence on the equality in sports. In the past years, the community has reacted well to the sports clinics. Last year, an upwards of 60 girls and women participated. Coaches, athletes, and department members assisted in the clinic to teach the participants the
importance of staying busy. Junior Tia Polana volunteered last year as part of the soccer clinic. She helped teach the girls basics of the game and how to work together as a team. Although soccer is not in the agenda this year, she is still thrilled to volunteer as to make a positive influence on the girls and women participating. “It was exciting to work with the girls and teach them the sport I love,” said Polana, “I’m looking forward to see what great things happen this year.”
Men’s basketball behind in MASCAC By Kaleigh Anderson Sports Writer
The Men’s Basketball team got a rough start in conference play, as they currently hold a record of 2-4 in the MASCAC. “It’s a tough season so far,” senior Tyriq Rochester said, “but I still have faith in us to turn it around.” On Tuesday, MCLA finally got something to cheer about, as they edged out conference rival Salem State , 59-58. The win snapped a three game conference losing streak and handed Salem it’s first loss in conference play. MCLA trailed 58-55 with 49 seconds remaining in the game when juinior Todd Hunt put back a Paul Maurice miss to cut the lead down to one. MCLA then got a big defensive stop to get the ball back with 16 seconds to play. Maurice drove to the hoop but was swarmed by defenders. Forced to give up the ball, he found a cutting Hunt who converted a reverse lay-up to give MCLA the lead with four seconds to play. Salem decided against calling a timeout, and instead settled for a last second heave that missed
the mark and gave the game to MCLA. The loss broke Salem’s five game winning streak. MCLA was lead by senior John Jones who led the team with 18 points and 9 rebounds. Hunt also came up big, adding 17 points and 7 rebounds. Salem was led by senior Andrew White, who scored 18 points. The Trailblazers started off conference play at Bridgewater State in a game that resulted in an 8360 loss. MCLA was paced by Jeremic Bennett’s 16 points and John Jones’ 12 points and 7 rebounds. However, this was not enough, as the Bridgewater State Bears quickly gained a 10-1 advantage early in the first half and continued their powerful play from there. The Trailblazers continued on to defeat Worcester State in a concrete second half effort with a final score of 83-77. This win, led by Bennett’s 19 points, ended in a dramatic 3 point shot from Ramon Viches that put the game out of the Lancers grasp. This gave the Trailblazers their first and currently only MASCAC victory. In a week of stirring play, MCLA faced off first against Fitchburg State in an exhilarating match
Photo by Kayla Degnan/The Beacon
Rashard Taylor reaches for a shot. that resulted in a last second loss for the Trailblazers. The Fitchburg Falcons ducked a three point attempt at the buzzer to walk away with the win, giving them their first MASCAC victory of the season with an end of the game score of 77-75. The Trailblazers continued to fall in the MASCAC after a heartbreaking loss to Framingham State with a final score 80-65. “It’s disappointing and frustrating,” said junior Anthony Barbosa, “but I do think that we have
the skills to turn the rest of the season around.” Although junior transfer Todd Hunt achieved a team best with 14 points and 6 rebounds, it was not enough, as MCLA only shot 31 percent from the floor. However, in non-conference action, MCLA rallied back to gain the win over Sage College. The Trailblazers came back from a second half deficit to ultimately pull away with a final score of 89-80. Tyriq Rochester got a season best with 20 points and performed two highlight reel dunks. The first initial dunk started the Trailblazers on a 15-0 run, and although Sage had an 11 point run on two occasions throughout the game, MCLA continuously fought back for the final win. Most recently, MCLA fell to rival Worcester State 83-60. MCLA was paced by John Jones with 24 points as he was the only Trailblazer in double digits. However, Westfield led by as many as 19 points on two occasions and widened the gap to close out the game. The Trailblazers are set to play Bridgewater State at home this Saturday, where they hope to improve their MASCAC record.
Men’s Basketball Salem St. Bridgewater St. Westfield St. Worcester St. Framingham St. MCLA Fitchburg St. Women’s Basketball Fitchburg St. Westfield St. Bridgewater St. Framingham St. Salem St. Worcester St. MCLA
5-1 4-1 3-1 3-1 2-4 2-4 1-4 4-1 4-2 3-2 3-3 3-3 3-3 0-6
Schedules February 1st Women’s Basketball MCLA vs Bridgewater St. 1 PM Men’s Basketball MCLA vs Bridgewater St. 3 PM February 4th Women’s Basketball MCLA vs Worcester St. 5:30 PM Men’s Basketball MCLA vs Worcester St. 7:30 PM February 8th Women’s Basketball MCLA @ Fitchburg St. 1 PM Men’s Basketball MCLA @ Fitchburg St. 3 PM February 11th Women’s Basketball MCLA @ Framingham St. 6 PM Men’s Basketball MCLA @ Framingham St. 8 PM
10
Opinion
Thursday, January 30, 2014
Beacon.MCLA.edu
What did you do over winter break? “I went to Boston and visited a friend.”
“A group of friends and I went up to Montreal”
–Alexandra Fowler, 2014
–Brian Fitzpatrick, 2015
The Beacon The Beacon is published Thursdays during the academic year and is distributed free to the College community. The Beacon is funded by the Student Government Association, the English/Communications department and from ad revenues. Contact information: News desk number: 413-662-5535 Business number: 413-662-5404 E-mail: Beacon@mcla.edu Web site: beacon.mcla.edu Office: Mark Hopkins Hall, room 111 Mission Statement The Beacon strives to provide timely and accurate news of campus and local events.
“I went to the inauguration of Boston’s new mayor.”
“I worked a lot and I went to Atlantic City, which was a lot of fun.”
–Kamari Williams, 2014
– Emily Dessingue, 2014
Editorials Policy Unsigned editorials that appear on these pages reflect the views of The Beacon’s editorial board. Signed columns and commentaries that appear on these pages reflect the views of the writers. Letters Policy The Beacon welcomes Letters to the Editor. Deadline is noon on Mondays for that week’s newspaper. Letters should be kept to 500 words or less and are subject to editing for grammar and content. The Beacon will not publish anonymous or libelous letters.
“I went to a casino and kicked back and relaxed.”
“There were only two things I did: Insanity and lift. I also chilled with family.”
–Thomas Chiang, 2014
-Nino Rivera 2015
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Editorial Board
Photos compiled by Andrew Ricketts
In my humble opinion...
Man up! By Nick Arena Editor-in-Chief
An Associated Press article on
Jan. 22 detailed President Barack Obama’s new initiative to combat sexual assault on college campuses, which will involve the White House Council on Women and Girls. The initiative will involve a 90day deliberation process, producing recommendations for colleges on how to best combat sexual assault. There is a lot that needs to be tackled, from the lack of crimes being reported, to the number of assaults, and the lack of criminals convicted. But this is a good start. It’s high-time that more serious attention be paid to the issue of sexual assault both on college campuses, but more importantly as a whole. The prevalence of sex-
ual assault is a detrimental issue to its victims, and a shameful part of our society. Probably the most memorable statement made during this release came from one of Obama’s advisers, Valerie Jarrett. “Obama senior adviser Valerie Jarrett, chair of the Council on Women and Girls, said men must be involved to combat the problem and the president wants to lead a cultural shift of men speaking out,” The Associated Press reported. This is a big, and to me, surprising step away from the ridiculous habit of blaming the victim for what was done to them. We constantly hear that she was dressed provocatively, or she led
Editor-in-Chief Nick Arena
him on, or she was somehow intoxicated, but when’s the last time you heard that “she said ‘No’ and he didn’t listen?” When was the last time you heard “he’s a violent criminal who attacked an innocent person?” I’d guarantee those two come up quite a bit less in conversation. While I may not agree with The President on everything, I will wholeheartedly stand by him here and say that men do need to do their part in preventing sexual assault, and deconstructing the culture that promotes it. The world doesn’t need any more oblivious bystanders. If you see something, do something about it already.
Sports Editor Jesse Collings
Managing Editor Jess Gamari Photography Editor
A&E Editor Shannen Adamites
Kayla Degnan Web Editor Michael Dahlroth
Copy Chief Avery Finnivan Advertising Manager Darcie Sosa
Senior News Editor Gabriel Kogel
Staff Staff Writers Kaleigh Anderson Rachel Fitterman
James Hunter Chunyu “Judy” Leng Kelsey Marini Makayla-Courtney McGeeney Alexander Moore Jenna O’Connor
Photographers Nathan Buchanan Richard LaRocque Amy Modesti Andrew Ricketts
Design Team
Shannen Adamites* Nick Arena* Raanan Sarid-Segal Jess Gamari* Nick Swanson Nicole Ngoon Copy Editors Yvonne Camacho Rominda DeBarros
Marc Latour
Nicole L’Etoile
Advisers
Jenifer Augur Gillian Jones Jim Niedbalski
*Holds more than one position
Online at: Beacon.MCLA.edu Facebook.com/MCLABeacon Twitter.com/MCLA_Beacon
By Dan Thibodeau and Sean Kelleher
Local Events
Thursday, January 30, 2014
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Blues and Funk Fest. coming soon Check it MCLA Presents! will bring to the community a weekend of soulful sounds via New Orleans, Boston and the Berkshires as Massachusetts College of Liberal Arts’ (MCLA) Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC) hosts the Ninth Annual Blues and Funk Festival on Friday, Feb. 7, and Saturday, Feb. 8, at 7:30 p.m. in the Venable gymnasium. Starting things off on Friday night is Boston’s own Jesse Dee, bringing his unique brand of retro R and B, creating instantly memorable melodies, according to Jonathan Secor, BCRC director. Opening for Dee will be the Berkshire’s own Rebel Alliance, and MCLA’s Jazz Band under the direction of Jeff Link. Saturday night brings New Orleans’ favorite Walter “Wolfman” Washington back to North Adams with his searing guitar work and soulful vocals that have defined the Crescent City’s unique musical blend since he formed his first band in the 1970s, according to Secor. “Something old, something new – two great performers with nothing but the Blues! That’s what we have for one and all in this year’s annual Blues and Funk Festival at MCLA,” Secor said. “Jesse Dee is someone we will start hearing about more and more, a great young performer in the ilk of James Hunter who is most definitely on the way up, having just signed on with Alligator Records,” Secor continued. “On the other end of the spectrum is the embodiment of old school Funk and Blues in Walter ‘Wolfman’ Washington, a singer who has been playing
since the 1950s with the likes of Lee Dorsey, and who still is rocking today, packing houses in New Orleans every week.” Friday night’s headliner, Jesse Dee, is part of a school of young musicians who are embracing the style and stylizations of the R and B season in its prime. Steve Morse, Boston Globe music critic, said, “There is not a fake bone in Jesse Dee’s body, as you’ll hear in the joyously uplifting transformative grooves of his original songs. His music has hints of everything from Memphis Soul to Sam Cooke like smoothness, and Otis Redding like testifying, all stirred with Jesses’s contemporary spice.” Dee’s label debut, “On My Mind/In My Heart” was released in February 2013. According to Bruce Iglauer, president of Alligator Records, “His music makes me smile. His music feels like spring. It’s Soul music, but it’s really happy Soul music. It’s in the tradition of Sam Cooke and Chuck Jackson. And there’s a little spirit of Joe Tex in there. All of those things make me feel good.” In addition to opening Saturday’s performances, the MCLA Jazz Band will get Friday night started when it opens for Dee. Saturday night belongs to Walter Washington, a wellknown New Orlean’s based musician. According to Infirmarymag.com, “The ‘Wolfman’ held down his post as DBA’s chief tenant of Blues and Funk last week, howling and screaming into the night. Walter and his boys were on a mission to make it more than just another Wednesday night, with music that truly elevated the crowd,
Student publishes her fifth book Marianne Goodfellow Special to the Beacon
Freshman Emily Meidenbauer’s fifth fiction novel “Love Brooke,” the sequel to “Dear Elliot,” goes on sale Saturday. Along with her previous works, “Love Brooke” can be purchased through Amazon, Kindle, Barnes and Noble websites and the CreateSpace Estore. In “Love Brooke,” Meidenbauer reunites her characters Elliot and Brooke, 25 years after first meeting in college. Each must face the hardships of reconciling their own lives as they attempt to build a new life together with their grown children. When a tragedy forces them to examine their reunion, Brooke and Elliot must decide if they were ever truly meant to share a life together. Meidenbauer is from Manlius, NY, where she graduated in 2013 from Fayetteville-Manlius High School. She studies elementary education and English, with a concentration in creative writ-
out!
Upcoming events on campus!
Today, Jan. 30 Green Living Seminar Murdock Conference Reception Room 218 4:30- 6:30 p.m. Wet Feet Week Event! Leadership Conference Tabling Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.
Photo from BCRC Flickr
Jesse Dee will perform at the ninth annual blues and funk festival in February. and just good old-fashioned talent.” Opening for Washington’s Saturday night performance will be the MCLA Jazz Band and local trio T-Bone Daddy, which has ties to MCLA. In addition to Lou Parreault (drums, vocals), the band consists of front man Tyler Fairbank (guitar, vocals), the chair of MCLA’s Board of Trustees, and Jeff Link (bass, vocals) who teaches music at MCLA, and is director for the College’s jazz band. According to Mad Jack’s BBQ, “T-Bone Daddy is a rockin’ Blues trio, plain and simple; soulful, but with a big, bad sound. Influenced by Blues legends like Jimi Hendrix, Stevie Ray Vaughn and Eric Clapton, coupled with new flavors of artists like John Mayer and Joe Bonamassa, TBD puts its fingerprints on everything it does.”
ing at MCLA, where she is also a member of the Writer’s Guild. Meidenbauer’s “Love Brooke” is published by CreateSpace Independent Publishing Platform. Links to any of her previous books include http://www. rightwheremyheartshouldbe. webs.com and http://www. facebook.com/RightWhereMyHeartShouldBe
Book art from http://www.facebook. com/RightWhereMyHeartShouldBe
T-Bone Daddy’s albums include “Deluxe” and “River of Blues.” Tickets to the Blues and Funk Festival are $15 for a two-night combo pass or $10 for general admission each night. NonMCLA student tickets are $5 each night. Tickets each night for MCLA alumni are $8, $5 for staff and faculty, and members and students enjoy free admission. Food and drink will be available for purchase both nights. Tickets may be reserved by calling MCLA Presents! at (413) 662-5204. For more information, (413) 664-8718, or go to www.mcla.edu/presents . MCLA Presents! is a program of MCLA’s Berkshire Cultural Resource Center (BCRC), a collaborative project with Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art (MASS MoCA) and the City of North Adams.
FINANCIAL AID ANNOUNCEMENT IT’S TIME TO REAPPLY FOR FINANCIAL AID FOR 2014-2015! *MARCH 1st PRIORITY DEAD1LINE* Log onto www.fafsa.ed.gov to complete the federal form. Note that we no longer require an institutional application for financial aid. File early and don’t miss out on money! Any questions? Call the Financial Aid Office at (413) 662-5219 or visit us on the main level of Eldridge Hall.
Center for Service Workshop: Work, Life, Balance Amsler Campus Center 7 - 8 p.m. Persistence of Spirit Gallery 51 5 p.m. MCLA Gallery 51 presents a traveling exhibition of 27 paintings from three prominent Haitian artists: Philippe Dodard, Gontran Durocher, and Ronald Nevs.
Friday, January 31 Wet Feet Week Event! Society of Music Meetings Amsler Campus Center 1/31/2014 at 3:00 PM 5:00 PM Art Sale Amsler Campus Center Marketplace 9 a.m. -6 p.m.
Saturday, February 1 National Girls/Women in Sports Day Amsler Campus Center 2/1/2014 at 8:30 AM to 5:30 PM Sextival Venable Gym 2- 6 p.m.
Tuesday, February 4 Tricks of the Trade: New Paradigms in the Performing Arts Gallery 51 6 p.m. Explore new paradigms in Performing Arts from this exciting panel of professionals.
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Photo Essay
Thursday, January 30, 2014
People from across Northern Berkshire County met at the social hall in Church Street Center for breakfast before heading out into the community to volunteer in different locations for the annual Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service on Jan. 20.
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Senior Colter Suters donates his time by scrubbing black marks left by hockey pucks on the walls of the Peter W. Foote Hockey Rink in North Adams.
Martin Luther King Jr. Day of Service Photos by Richard LaRocque Alex Daugherty, left, Chair of MLK Day of Service, addresses the crowd of volunteers, and introduces Mayor Richard (Dick) Alcombright.
At left, freshman Bryanna Bradley plays ring toss with children at the Adams Youth Center.
Senior Kevin Dinon cleans the recreation hall at the Berkshire Food Project.
Senior Christopher Hantman shares some of his angling skills with the children at the Adams Youth Center.
Elementary school students and other volunteers prepare the the Berkshire Food Project’s free lunch at the First Congregational Church in North Adams.
Young students at the First Congregational Church help by cleaning toys for others.