January 19, 2012

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Minnesota State University, Mankato

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WEDNESDAY

H 11 • L 0

THURSDAY

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Wedding bells are ringing Mankato Bridal Show to feature fashion, vendors MEGAN KADLEC

news editor

Bride-to-bes are running to the nearest dress shop, bridal showers and bachelorette parties are being planned by stressed bridesmaids, wedding invitations are in the mail and happy couples are looking forward to their upcoming wedding days.

For all of those newly engaged couples who have no idea where to start or the bride who thinks that they have everything planned out, the KDOG Mankato Bridal Show is here to save the day.

To be held Saturday from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m. in the Kato Ballroom, the expo will feature a fashion show

inside: Voices.............................................4 Sports.............................................9 A&E...............................................12 Classifieds...................................15

at 2 p.m. The event is free, and the first 200 brides who arrive will receive a free wedding planning bag.

Couples can also register to win a travel voucher to use for their honeymoons.

The event will feature numerous vendors from f lower shops and dress boutiques to DJs and photographers willing to help brides and their wedding parties to make the vital decisions about their upcoming nuptials.

The event is sponsored

by Radio Mankato and Hot 96.7.

To compliment the Mankato Bridal Show, the MSU Reporter has put together an issue focusing on weddings and what Mankato has to offer.

• courtesy of daniel dinsmore photography

Capturing couples’ smiles one click at a time MEGAN KADLEC

news editor

Wedding photographs, while great at commemorating the ceremony and first dance, often don’t capture the goofy moments a couple might want to remember most.

Bratsch Photography offers a service unique from traditional wedding photography packages. Elizabeth and Larry Bratsch started their own business in 2010 and offer a variety of services to bridesto-be, specializing in photo booth services.

Like a photo booth at the mall, the couple brings their homemade photo booth to weddings in the Mankato area.

Why did you decide to start

your business?

“Larry, my husband, had been thinking about doing it since we were looking at them for our own wedding in 2006.

We were unable to get one for our wedding because at the time, the average cost was over $2,000. Then he decided to build one for his brother’s graduation party when his brother finished college in 2009.”

When did you start your business?

“After that graduation we started promoting ourselves through small events and charity fundraisers. In 2010 we started advertising and had the photo booth at our first wedding.”

What does your background in photography look like?

“We have always loved taking pictures since we were children. In high school, Larry was the unofficial photographer for the church youth group and head photographer for the yearbook his senior year. We take an average of about 6,000 personal photos each year.”

What other sort of events do you bring your photo booth to? How are these events different from weddings?

“Street fairs, corporate parties, charity events, anniversaries, graduations, and in the spring we will expand to proms. The major differ-

Photo booth / page 6

THE MSU WOMEN’S BASKETBALL TEAM IS STREAKING! -PAGE 9

Page 2 • Reporter

News

Thursday, January 19, 2012T

P r ide a nd G r o om

2012 Minnesota election gives gay marriage a new opportunity ALLISON MATTHEWS

staff writer

In the November 2012 elections, Minnesotans will have the opportunity to vote on a state constitutional amendment that will ban same-sex marriage.

The amendment would mean that marriage between one man and one woman would be legal recognized in Minnesota, whereas same-sex couples would not get the same legally recognition. If the amendment passes, civil unions or domestic partnerships would not be affected.

A bill banning same-sex marriage was passed in the Minnesota Senate in May 2011 and later that month an identical bill was passed by the House of Representatives.

According to a Nov. 8, 2011 Star Tribune article, “Minnesota Poll: Marriage amendment divide is deep,” 48 percent of the 807 Minnesotans surveyed said they favored the ban of samesex marriage. The poll stated 43 percent opposed the amendment.

The poll’s margin of error is plus

or minus 4.4 percent, according to the article.

Supporters of the amendment include Rep. Michele Bachmann, Minnesota Family Council (MFC), Minnesota Catholic Conference and Minnesota for Marriage (MUFAF).

MFC campaigns to educate voters on the importance of the amendment. MFC states on its website, “Without a marriage amendment in our constitution, activist judges can substitute their values for those of the people of Minnesota. This is exactly what happened in Iowa, Massachusetts and California. Similarly, legislators can redefine marriage without the permission of the people, as several legislators in Minnesota have pledged to do. The marriage amendment ensures that if activists want to redefine marriage in the future, they must receive the approval of voters to do so.”

Governor Mark Dayton, Planned Parenthood Minnesota/ North Dakota/South Dakota and Minnesota United for All Families are among those in opposition of the amendment.

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MUFAF has gained support through other organizations and communities, according to the Lesbian Gay Bisexual Transgender Center Program Advisor Kerry Diekmann. MUFAF reaches out to the Minnesota community by providing action trainings to educate about the amendment and create strategies for LGBT equality. MUFAF held trainings in Mankato last fall and will continue to hold trainings in the future.

“I think people hold a number of concerns when it comes to marriage equality,” Diekmann said. “I believe a misconception is that same-sex couples can get all the same rights and protections with domestic partnerships, which is also not the case.

Same-sex couples, whether they have a registered domestic partnership or not, are not offered the same rights and protections that married heterosexual couples have.”

On campus the LGBT Center held a Marriage Equality Day in November 2011. The LGBT Center held community action training by MUFAF and a mar-

riage equality panel.

“All students, whether they are able to vote or not, can help educate others about the amendment and share what it means to them,” Diekmann said. “I encourage everyone to educate themselves about the amend-

ment and learn how it will impact Minnesota and specifically LGBT community.”

LGBT Center Director Jessica Flatequal said, “However students feel, I encourage students to have a voice and get involved.”

• web photo

Thursday, January 19, 2012

News

Reporter • Page 3

Lo c a ti o n , l o c a ti o n .

Choosing t he r ight place t o dance and dine a f t er “I do” MEGAN KADLEC

news editor

can be reached at 507-389-3003.

Wedding season is right around the corner, and for those happily engaged couples, finding the perfect location to hold the wedding reception is an important, yet daunting task. While attempting to find a dress, make a guest list and choose colors, it’s hard to spend copious amounts of time worrying about where the reception should be located. Whether you want a small, intimate ceremony or a large, extravagant affair, Mankato has many locations perfect for your special day.

Centennial Student Union Ballroom –

Verizon Wireless Center – For larger weddings, couples might want to opt for a wedding at Mankato’s Verizon Wireless Center. With two rooms, a banquet hall and a reception hall, there are multiple possibilities for planning both a ceremony and reception in the same area.

Though the average wedding yields 250 guests, the reception hall holds up to 600 individuals and the space rents for $1,000.

Unlike many venues where the dance floor and bar are located in separate rooms, the Verizon Wireless Center offers everything in the same room, so you can keep your guests united throughout the night. Famous for its chicken tawook, the Verizon Wireless Center uses Najwa catering company.

Located in downtown Mankato, the Verizon Wireless Center is centrally located next to two parking ramps perfect for guest parking. For those couples looking to have a large wedding, the Verizon Wireless Center wedding coordinators

Students, staff, faculty members and alumni receive up to a 30 percent discount off the usual one thousand dollar room fee to rent Minnesota State University, Mankato’s Centennial Student Union ballroom to hold their wedding reception.

MSU Catering Services provides food for many events on campus, including weddings.

The ballroom holds up to 400 guests and is perfect for the couple who met on campus and is looking to celebrate their wedding where they first met.

For further information contact the Catering office at 507-3891529.

banquet hall can be contacted at 507-625-4105.

Country Inn and Suites – While most reservations are already booked for Summer 2012, Country Inn and Suites is taking reservations for Summer 2013 with rates varying depending on the day of the week.

For a Friday wedding, couples will need to fork over $600 for the reception hall with a $1,500 food and beverage minimum.

On Saturdays, the rate is raised to $1,000 for the room with couples forced to spend at least $3,900 on food and

beverages for their guests.

Catering is provided in the food and beverage costs, including the hotel’s famous wild rice stuffed chicken. Country Inn and Suites boasts a large, 2,000 square foot lounge for a bar and cake table.

When a couple reserves a wedding spot, they are assigned a wedding organizer to make sure their wedding day goes as smooth as possible.

The organizers are present for one-on-one meetings with the couple to help with decorations and catering. Country Inn and Suites can be reached at 507388-3646.

Mankato Golf Club – While most receptions are held inside, many ceremonies are held outside in attempts to enjoy the fantastic scenery.

Weddings held at the Golf Club are catered by a professional chef. Couples pay a surprisingly low rate of $750 and can choose from any number of themes. The Golf Club is accepting reservations for next summer, and if the food and scenery is any indication, spots are sure to fill up quickly. Contact the club at 507-387-5676.

Applewood Restaurant and Banquet Center – This Mankato wedding hotspot has been hosting couples’ special days for the past 30 years. With a rate of $11.95 per guest, Applewood Restau-

KDOG

Saturday, January 21, 2012

• • • • •

rant and Banquet Center sets up meals in a buffet style, serving five salads, four meats, mashed potatoes and gravy, vegetarian pasta and various hot appetizers. With more than 10 acres for guests to walk and enjoy the scenery, the center boasts numerous outdoor weddings as well as indoor weddings.

Applewood Restaurant and Banquet Center devotes itself to each and every wedding, closing the restaurant to the public to focus on the guests.

Reservations should be made about a year in advance and the facilities can accommodate a maximum of 250 guests. The

10 am to 3 pm Kato Ballroom • 200 Chestnut St. Mankato

Free admission Style show at 2pm Free planning bag to the first 200 brides Brides: Register to win a honeymoon travel voucher Over 75 exhibitors

For more information go to mankatobridalshow.com

ann eiden • msu reporter The Centennial Student Union Ballroom is a great place for students, staff, faculty and alumni to hold their wedding ceremonies and receptions.

Voices

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

TWEETIN’ AIN’T EASY, BUT IT SURE IS FUN!

www.msureporter.com THE KID’S TAKE ON WEDDINGS: “I’D RATHER BE AN USHER.”

KYLE RATKE

editor-in-chief You’re probably thinking to yourself, “man, this whole issue seems like it’s about weddings.

I’ve been single for 21 years.

This is effin’ depressing.”

Wait, what? You’re not thinking that? So you’re saying I’m the only one? Well, this is awkward.

For most of us, marriage is something that hasn’t crossed our minds. I’m one of those people. But for a few people who have been dating their high school sweetheart or think they know they’ve met their significant other, maybe marriage isn’t all that far off.

For these people, I think you are insane, but you probably think I’m a loser, so we’ll agree to disagree. Or disagree to agree.

Either or.

The more I think about it, can’t we agree that we don’t know when marriage will ever (if ever) be presented to us?

For example, your best friend in high school dated his girlfriend since fourth grade.

Everyone assumes they will get married. He cheats on her and boom, everyone is shocked.

Same thing goes for the girl who thought she’d never get married. All of the sudden she met someone special and boom.

Can’t we just go with the flow?

Okay, there’s my rant. I promise this article will get better (okay, maybe it won’t).

1. I can’t wait until all of my friends get married.

Don’t act like you feel any differently. We know weddings are awesome. Most of the time there’s free food, an unlimited supply of free alcohol and everyone thinks that if you get to the dance floor, you’re a really good dancer.

The only way weddings can take a negative turn is if you realize you’ve been dancing with a distant cousin all night, or realize that the female you swore was 22, is actually 16. Now you feel like a creep. To the bar you go. (What? Has this happened to me? Ha...Umm...)

Just imagine the five years of the “wedding boom” with your friends (ages 25-30). Five weddings per year for five straight years? Are you effin’ kidding me? This sounds fantastic.

2. Hollywood kills the thought of marriage.

Weddings force Ratke to dance like an idiot.

Blame it on Kimmy K, blame it on Charlie Sheen, blame it on the a-a-a-a-alcohol. I don’t care who you blame it on, but Hollywood has killed the idea of marriage since the beginning of time.

We could ignore it, right?

I mean, who cares if Ashton Kutcher cheated on Demi Moore? The thing is, we buy into this stuff. We take every relationship serious in Hollywood.

“OMG, Kim and Kris are 2 cute!”

Do we know Kim or Kris on a first name basis? Do they know who we are? Marriage isn’t about Cupid firing an arrow into your tush. My sources tell me it’s difficult. Just because people have money and their faces are over every magazine, it doesn’t mean their marriage failures

need to reflect on our society.

Sadly, that’s exactly what’s happened.

3. Congrats Chris and Brooke!

On New Years Eve, my cousin Chris proposed to his lady Brooke. I’ve heard rumors that I’m in the wedding, but Adam Schefter hasn’t confirmed anything yet.

All kidding aside, congratulations to the both of you.

This truly proves that there is hope for anyone if Chris can find himself a lady.

Thanks for the hope.

As always, thanks for reading and have a great week.

You can follow Kyle on Twitter @Kyle_Ratke.

TAYLOR POSSAIL @Cash_Possail Podcast Co-Host

“Well on a positive note, if fantasy football was still going on Brady and Gronkowski just combined to score me 73 points.”

Maddie Greene @Madelinesgreene Staff Writer “The Price is Right & Cheerios?

Yup, perfect Wednesday morning. #collegekid.”

Q: Why did you start working at the paper?

MW: Great staff, great food, and free trips.... I suppose I was looking for valuable work experience as well.

Q: What’s your favorite Reporter memory?

MW: My first end of the semester party. I ate myself into a food coma.

Q: If you could marry one professional athlete, who would it be?

MW: Professional surfer Joel Parkinson. He’s my type for three reasons: He’s scruffy, Australian, and 30.

MEGAN WAHL

Q: Would you rather be the Girl with the Dragon Tattoo or the Girl Who Played with Fire?

MW: The girl who played with fire because my dad threatened me that if I were to ever get a tattoo he wouldn’t pay a dime for my wedding and I would be dropped off his insurance. Harsh huh?

Student Ad Sales Manager Editor in Chief: Kyle Ratke....................................... (507) 389-5454 NEWS EDITOR: Megan Kadlec.................................. (507) 389-5450 sports editor: Lee Handel...................................... (507) 389-5227 Variety Editor: Brian Rosemeyer.............................(507) 389-5157 STUDENT AD SALES MANAGER: Megan Wahl......................................(507) 389-1063 AD sales REPS (Regular): Emily Haag......................................(507) 389-5451

Erik Langsjoen............................... (507) 389-5097 Paul Vanden Heuvel....................... (507) 389-5453 AD sales REPS (SUPPLEMENTAL): Natasha Jones..................................(507) 389-6765 Parker Riesgraf............................... (507) 389-5609 Business Manager: Jane Tastad.......................................(507) 389-1926 ADVERTISING DESIGN SUPERVISOR: Dana Clark......................................(507) 389-2793 ADVERTISING SALES MANAGER: Judy Beetch......................................(507) 389-1079

Centennial Student Union 293, Mankato, MN 56001 • (507) 389-1776

POLICIES & INFORMATION • If you have a complaint, suggestion or would like to point out an error made in the Reporter, call Editor in Chief Kyle Ratke at (507) 389-5454. The Reporter will correct any errors of fact or misspelled names in this space. Formal grievances against the Reporter are handled by the Newspaper Board, which can be contacted at (507) 389-2611.

• The Minnesota State University Mankato Reporter is a student-run newspaper published twice a week, coming out on Tuesdays and Thursdays. The Reporter generates 78 percent of its own income through advertising and receives approximately 22 percent from Student Activities fees. The Reporter is free to all students and faculty, but to start a subscription, please call us at (507) 389-1776. Subscriptions for the academic school year are $35.00 and subscribers will receive the paper within three to five days after publishing.

• Letters exceeding 400 words may not be accepted. The Reporter reserves the right to edit letters to fit space or correct punctuation. The Reporter reserves the right to publish, or not publish, at its discretion.

Letters must contain year, major or affiliation with the university, or lack thereof. All letters must contain phone numbers for verification purposes.

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

News

Preparing for the MADELINE GREENE | staff writer

d l r o W Real

G et t i ng Involved

Here it is… week two. I bet you are already trying to establish some sort of routine.

Classes are starting to pick up and you have already started the countdown to spring break (it is roughly 42 days, in case you were wondering). But as you prepare for what comes after graduation, there are a few things to keep in mind while the semester is still in the beginning stages.

This is the time of the year where many of Minnesota State University, Mankato’s student organizations and groups start holding events and looking for new members. Meetings will start during the next few weeks and opportunities to get involved will be vast. I bet you’re wondering why I’m mentioning this when I’m supposed to be preparing you for what comes next. Well, trust me, this is a big part of what comes next.

Your resume is the first thing your future employers will see. That 8.5” x 11” piece of paper will be the first factor in whether or not you land your dream job or spend your time living in your parents’ basement. So while being successful in school and receiving good grades is really important, it is also important to get involved on campus and gain some

experience when it comes to volunteering, time management and balancing school and life.

From my experience, getting involved is one of the best things you can do in your college career. MSU has many different Recognized Student Organizations (RSOs) and other groups that you are bound to find something that interests you, a group that will help enhance your major or maybe even both. But in the end, getting involved can really boost your resume and help you stand out when it comes to the other applicants vying for the position that you want.

It’s not too late to get involved. The full listing of RSOs on campus can be found at http://www.mnsu.edu/atoz/rso/.

Find a group or organization that looks interesting to you and contact the person listed. You could meet some new people on campus or reconnect with old friends. Either way, getting involved will teach you more than you can learn in the classroom.

What else can you learn, you ask? Coming from someone who has been overly involved for the past four years, being a part of an organization can be beneficial if you plan your time accordingly.

Getting too involved can lead to unnecessary stress and worry. Planning your schedule around meetings and being able to balance the group, school and work will show that you are able to manage your time, be involved and still accomplish

your tasks.

Someone very wise once said to me, “it doesn’t matter how many groups you’re in if you are only giving each group 10 percent.” I’m not suggesting you join every organization on campus, but finding one that fits your goals and dreams will do you well.

These organizations can help you decide if you are on the right track. Many majors have organizations or groups that are tied into them. For example, if you join the Marketing Club, you’ll be able to see what that career path could offer you, meet other students in your major and solidify your future plans. Organizations of this kind can help you network and find job opportunities you didn’t even know existed.

So as the semester gets underway, I’m urging you to find a group, get involved and build your resume. It will be easier to write a resume if you have something worthwhile to put on it.

Whether you decided to join a Greek organization, run for an open senator position in MSSA or join a professional organization like Public Relations Student Society of America, get involved.

See you next week, Mavericks. Until then, get involved on campus. Whether to build your resume, find a place to belong on campus or just because you want to, I promise, it’ll be worth it in the end.

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Reporter • Page 5

Page 6 • Reporter

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Thursday, January 19, 2012T

PHOTO BOOTH “We enjoy helping people get great memories from their special day with their photo guest book and especially when we get to do the candid shots at the reception.” continued from 1 order additional prints and other personalized mementos from the event.

-We provide a copy of all the photos from the event on a CD or DVD for the client.”

How does the photo booth work exactly? Is it manual or digital?

The guest opens the curtain and walks into the booth.

The guest pushes the green button, then instructions and a countdown appear on the screen. The people pose for four digital photos which then come out on a single print that is designed to last for more than 100 years. The printing process takes about a minute and includes a banner commemorating the event. ence at these other events has been the props. Most weddings do not ask for props.”

Do you provide any other services besides the photo booth? If so, explain the services.

“-Photo guestbook - one print of the photos goes in a guest book. Next to their picture, the guests write a

personal message to the bride and groom. The other print goes the guest themselves.

-Candid photography where we take candid shots during the event.

-We can help people create their invitations and thank you cards and get them printed at a reasonable cost.

-We also host the photos online so that their guests can

plain the process to each guest and resolve any issues that may come up with the equipment.”

What does the average month look like for you as far as bookings are concerned?

“We both are employed at other full-times jobs and involved with other activities, so we are only able to accept a couple of events a month.”

What do you charge for your services?

“Pricing starts at $600 for a session up to four hours

and varies according to exact services provided.”

What makes your business different from other ones like it?

“We use a booth with a soft surround which allows larger groups to be photographed all at once. We offer additional services such as candid shots, invitations, and thank you cards.”

You can visit Bratsch Photography’s website at mnphotobooth.com.

What is your favorite part about working weddings?

Why? “We enjoy helping people get great memories from their special day with their photo guest book and especially when we get to do the candid shots at the reception.”

Are you present at all of the events you work at?

“Yes. We are there to ex-

• courtesy of elizabeth bratsch The Bratsch’s photo booth, pictured left, is meant to capture memories like the ones above.

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

News

Wedding essentials MEGAN KADLEC

news editor

When a newly engaged couple attempts to think of all the things they need to plan for their wedding, it can be pretty over whelming. With all the details to plan out, it’s diff icult to k now where to begin, especially if you’re still in college.

That’s where I come in.

After my dad got mar ried this summer, I lear ned just how much work goes into planning a wedding and what little details tend to get overlooked by frantic brides-to-be, or what wedding essentials are the most impor tant to accomplish right away.

The Dress – This one is obvious, I k now. However, many brides procrastinate on buying the perfect dress. Whether they want to wait for a sale or tr y to lose weight, it’s a bad idea.

Buying a dress early and having multiple f ittings will pay off in the end.

The Guest List – Although it seems obvious, it is the f irst think you should decide when plan-

ning a wedding. How many people do you want at your wedding? How many people do you have to invite out of obligation? (My grandma insists she will have to look over my guest list before she allows me to bet mar ried so I don’t miss any family members.)

The Bridal Party - The bride and groom must collaborate in order to determine how many bridesmaids or groomsmen each person wants in the bridal par ty.

Colors – Picking the colors you want featured in your wedding early is key.

If you wait, it will be diff icult to make many other decisions along the way.

Flowers – It is a bit naïve to think you can get orchids or lilacs any time of the year for your wedding. It is best to f ind a f lorist and talk to them about what f lowers will be blooming when you say, “I do.” If a f lower isn’t in season, it will be diff icult to have them shipped and you might end up walking down the aisle without a bouquet.

Music – Whether you want to hire a DJ or a live band, music is paramount in creating the perfect atmosphere for your reception, especially if you want your guests to dance.

The Bar – The f irst decision is whether or not you want a bar at all. If you do drink, you then need to decide if you want a cash bar, meaning your guests will pay for their drinks, or an open bar.

The Rehearsal Dinner – In all the panic of planning the actual wedding, it’s easy to forget that you need to feed the wedding par ty after the wedding rehearsal. While it may be quick and easy, it’s still necessar y.

The Marriage License – While it’s not something you would generally forget, you do need to make sure you apply for the license at the right time. In Minnesota, there is a waiting period from the time when you apply for your mar riage license and when you can have an actual ceremony.

Reporter • Page 7

MSSA discusses the recent tobacco ban on campus CHELSEA MILLER

staff writer Minnesota State Student Association star ted off the open for um with a quick word on this Monday’s diversity event called, “Unveiled.” The event will take place in the Centennial Student Union ballroom and is scheduled for Monday, Januar y 23rd at 7 p.m.

Diversity specialist Tim Ak halu said, “The presentation will touch on three different aspects: Why diversity is impor tant, how it relates to leaders, and how it will continue to be impor tant after we all graduate.”

Associate Vice President of Student Affairs David Jones, came before MSSA to follow-up on Minnesota State University’s campuswide smoking ban.

“We have had individuals e-mail us saying they were not going to follow the policy,” Jones said.

Jones said he wanted some feedback on what to tell these students.

MSSA Vice President Moriah Miles said, “You

can disagree with something but you still need to respect your workplace or institution.”

Student Affairs Coordinator Hilar y Geesman talked of plans for an event on campus where students can meet and talk with the MSSA senators and enjoy a candy cigarette or cigar as a celebration of the ban.

“It would be a way of adver tising the ban,” said Geesman.

The hiring of the new Executive Director Elisabeth Howe was approved as well as consent for star ting negotiations for the purchase of a building to house MSUSA and MSSA. Adver tising for a public gathering that would include the senate, student affairs and MSU students will begin to appear on campus soon, Geesman explained.

“I think this is a good oppor tunity to show how we are accountable as student leaders, and that we have followed through with our platfor ms,” said Geesman.

Page 8 • Reporter

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Thursday, January 19, 2012

Sports Thursday, January 19, 2012

This Week in Maverick Sports: MEN’S HOCKEY VS. NEBRASKA-OMAHA 7:37 P.M. FRI. AND 7:07 P.M. SAT. VERIZON WIRELESS CENTER MSU TRACK AND FIELD: Redshirt freshman David Pearcill has been named the NSIC Field Player of the Week after qualifying for the national championships in the triple jump at the Northwest Open.

Eight straight and counting www.msureporter.com/sports

TIGE HUTCHESON

staff writer

After beating Northern State and Mary at home last weekend, the Minnesota State, Mankato women’s basketball team is finally starting to turn some heads in the Northern Sun Intercollegiate Conference.

The Mavericks’ win streak is now at eight games, and a pair of road games in Bemidji and Duluth should present a golden opportunity to push it to double-digits.

Last weekend, the Mavericks defeated post-reliant Northern State 62-59 on Friday before conquering the guardfocused Mary Marauders 52-

49 on Saturday.

Both games saw doubledigit scoring performances from seniors Laura Weber and Jennie Noreen, while Aubrey Davis and Jamelia Hudnell filled in the gaps on offense.

This weekend the Mavericks will look for similar production on the road. Friday will feature the Mavericks in Bemidji against the struggling Bemidji State Beavers, a team centered around the play of its guards, while Saturday will feature the Mavericks in Duluth against the hard-nosed post play of the MinnesotaDuluth Bulldogs.

“Bemidji is a quick team.

They’ve always had strong guard play and this year they actually have a couple of solid posts,” said MSU head coach Pam Gohl. “If their shots are going in, they’re really a tough team. They’re just scrappy.”

The Beavers are led in scoring by 6’2” sophomore center Kate Warmack (12.4 points per game), but the fate of the game will really depend on the job MSU does defending Bemidji’s backcourt trio of Morgan Lee (12.1 points per game), Shannon Thompson (10.5) and senior guard Samantha Baldwin (9.9).

The Beavers are second in the NSIC in 3-point field goals made (6.75), placing an emphasis on the defense of starting MSU perimeter players Alli Hoefer, Davis and Noreen.

But on the other side of the court, the Beavers’ defense is incredibly vulnerable. Bemidji gives up an average of 72.9 points per game, the highest in the NSIC, meaning as long as the Beavers don’t get hot too quickly, MSU should have little trouble keeping up with them on offense.

The Mavericks will be forced to quickly switch gears on Saturday before hitting the floor of Romano Gymnasium against UMD.

Photo Courtesy of Sport Pix The Mavericks are going for 10 straight wins this weekend despite WOMEN’S HOOPS / page 11 playing without star junior forward Ali Wilkinson.

Wrestling

MSU salvages weekend after forgettable Friday REECE HEMMESCH

staff writer

lead on the Mavericks and put them away.

After a rough first half of “We have to stop putting the season, the Minnesota ourselves behind the eight-ball State, Mankato men’s basby letting teams go on big runs ketball team was looking to against us,” said Kirschbaum. come back from winter break “That’s been a recurring proband start the second half of the lem we’ve had all year.” season off right.

Sophomore forThat goal diminward Connor O’Brien ished quickly last chipped in 14 points in weekend, as the the losing effort to lead Mavericks suffered a MSU offensively. big loss at the hands Kirschbaum also of Northern State at added 11 points for home on Friday night. the Mavericks, but his MSU fed themwork for the weekend selves to the Wolves, Kirschbaum wouldn’t be done yet, losing 62-49. The 49 as Saturday night’s points marked one of game saw the senior the lowest scoring outscore a career-high 22 points to puts the Mavericks have ever lead MSU to a decisive 78-73 had under head coach Matt victory over the University of Margenthaler.

Mary.

“Friday was about as bad The game came down to offensively as we could possibly play,” senior guard Stephen the wire and featured freshman forward Zach Romashko Kirschbaum said after MSU coming up with six big points finished the game shooting a mere 33 percent from the field. down the stretch to keep the Mavericks in the game and “We got plenty of good looks, the shots were just not falling.” ultimately give them the win.

“That win is a big win for Another reason for MSU’s this young basketball team,” lopsided loss was its inability Kirschbaum said of Saturday to stop Northern State from night’s victory. “It was nice to making big runs in the game.

Northern used a 15-0 run to see guys come out, play confident and finally execute a close take the lead midway through game down the stretch.” the first half and never looked MSU’s scoring would back from that. It also used another double-digit run late in MEN’S HOOPS / page 10 the game to open up a 20-point

Mavericks hoping to dominate on the mat from here on out

RYAN LUND

staff writer

With the first half of the season in the books, the Minnesota State, Mankato wrestling team had an unfamiliar opponent last weekend: a break.

The team had a chance to catch its breath before yet another road trip; with stops in Wisconsin and Iowa looming in the next week.

However, head coach Jim Makovsky saw the time at home as a valuable asset for a team that had found itself in an unfamiliar position this season. The Mavericks were ranked 17th in the national polls last week, their lowest ranking in a decade.

Still, Makovsky says that his squad is more focused on the present than its storied history.

“Winning is expected here, but we need to be about today,”

he said following a pair of close losses at the NWCA National Duals two weeks ago.

The Mavericks dropped a close contest against No. 8 King College, before bouncing back with a convincing win over unranked Central Missouri.

The team closed out the tournament with another close loss to the University of WisconsinParkside.

The Mavericks’ week of rest was anything but, however, and with just seven weeks remaining in the regular season, the team is working harder than ever.

“It’s a sprint now, and we’re training like mad men,” said Makovsky. “I still don’t believe that we’ve had our best effort yet, but I believe that [the team] will respond.”

There is ample evidence to suggest that this squad is beginning to do just that.

Senior Tel Todd went undefeated two weeks ago in Illinois, while freshman Cody Quinn and junior Jesse Westphal managed strong performances as well.

Freshman Brandon Pederson, along with seniors David Demo and Pat Mahan, also won some key matches in Illinois as well.

The MSU grapplers will have another chance to shine this weekend at the Ranger Duals in Kenosha, Wisconsin, hosted by a familiar opponent in UWParkside.

This time the team won’t be on the road for long, with visits from Augustana and MSUMoorhead closing out the month of January.

Photo Courtesy of Sport Pix A strong second half from junior Jesse Westphal should help MSU climb in the rankings heading down the stretch.

Page 10 • Reporter

Sports

MSU Women’s Hockey Gameday Lee Handel • sports editor

Minnesota State (7-17-0, 3-15-0-0 WCHA) at Ohio State (11-9-4, 8-9-1-1 WCHA)

6:07 p.m., Friday • OSU Ice Rink 3:07 p.m., Saturday • OSU Ice Rink RECAP: Fresh off a rough weekend at home, the Minnesota State, Mankato women’s hockey team travels to Columbus, Ohio this weekend in desperate need of a pick-me-up series against the Ohio State Buckeyes. The Mavericks were swept in Mankato last weekend by lowly St. Cloud State, who leapfrogged MSU in the WCHA standings in the process. This dropped the Mavericks to last place in the conference, and they will begin their quest to get out of the cellar this weekend against the Buckeyes. Things did not go well for MSU from the start against the Huskies, as the Mavericks fell behind 2-0 on Friday and never recovered. Saturday’s contest was even more disappointing, as St. Cloud rode its momentum from the night before en route to an easy 3-1 victory to complete the series sweep. Ohio State sits in fifth place in the WCHA, and is just four points out of third place in the conference.

The Buckeyes were in Bemidji last weekend and split with the Beavers, taking the first game 5-3 before dropping the second 2-4.

They also split a series with SCSU two weeks ago in St. Cloud.

HISTORY: Usually one can expect a scoring frenzy whenever the Mavericks and Buckeyes match up, but that was not the case earlier this season in Mankato. Ohio State eeked out two one-goal games in sweeping the series from MSU, taking the opening game 2-1 and the finale 1-0. The two squads split their four matchups last season, with each team sweeping the other on the road.

The Mavericks will try to make it four straight Ws in Columbus this weekend. The Buckeyes own the all-time series 41-9-4.

MSU NOTES: The Mavericks are struggling to score early in the second half of WCHA play, but will be up against a rather-porous OSU defense this weekend. MSU mustered only three goals in two games against SCSU. Down 2-0 in the series opener, sophomore forward Lauren Barnes cut the deficit in half with her fourth goal of the season. She was assisted by senior forward Emmi Leinonen and junior blue-liner Emilia Andersson. The Huskies broke the game open with two more goals to make it 4-1, before senior captain Ariel Mackley capped the scoring with her third goal of the season on a pass from fellow senior Jackie Otto with just seconds remaining in the game. MSU outshot the Huskies 41-23, but once again struggled to cash in on its prime shots on goal.

Quantity of shots has not been a problem for the Mavericks this season, but the quality of them has. MSU has recorded 49 goals on 703 shots this season, while its opponents have tallied 73 goals on 733 shots... Saturday’s game was far too similar to the night before for the Mavericks, as they once again fell behind 2-0 and were down 3-0 before Otto notched her third goal of the season early in the third period on assists from Barnes and junior forward Lauren Smith. That was as close as MSU would get, eventually dropping the contest 3-1. Otto has been playing really well for the Mavericks as of late, with four points in the last two series.

Barnes has also stepped up for MSU, leading the team in both points (16) and assists (12).

OSU NOTES: The Buckeyes’ offensive output has been down this season, as they’ve scored only 45 goals through 24 games.

OSU has also allowed 58 goals, the second-most in the WCHA save for St. Cloud. That being said, the Buckeyes do have some top-notch players, led by senior forwards Natalie Spooner and Laura McIntosh. Spooner leads the team in goals with 21 and points with 32. McIntosh leads OSU in assists with 16 and has 23 points of her own. Sophomore forward Ally Tarr also has 20 points this season for OSU. PREDICTION: The Mavericks enjoyed their trip to Columbus last season and are in desperate need of a bounce-back series this weekend after two lackluster showings at home against WCHA doormat SCSU last week. MSU was one of the few teams to struggle offensively against the Buckeyes earlier this season and should do much better this weekend. A sweep seems unlikely, but the Mavericks should come home with a split.

Staff: Campus Pastor Wong, Reverend Roger Knepprath, Mark Probst, Vicar Jesse DeDyne, RA Andy Ibisch

Thursday, January 19, 2012T

MEN’S HOOPS improve from Friday night as well, as it shot 51 percent from the field and an astonishing 64 percent from 3-point land.

Saturday’s victory also saw four players reach double-digits for MSU, as Romashko and sophomore guards Travis Meinders and Jimmy Whitehead each joined Kirschbuam in doublefigures.

Romashko also added a game-high six rebounds.

The weekend split puts MSU at 5-10 overall and 4-7 in the NSIC, good for ninth in the conference.

This weekend will once again be a big one, as MSU travels up north to take on Bemidji State and MinnesotaDuluth Friday and Saturday night, respectively.

Both teams are off to impressive starts after rough seasons in the recent past, as they both have achieved 7-4 NSIC marks halfway through the season.

If MSU wants to build off the momentum from Saturday night’s victory, this would be the weekend to do it.

continued from 9

“They’re experienced, play great motion offenses and can shoot the ball well. They are both very good basketball teams,” said Kirschbaum.

“It’s time for us to get some big wins on the road and start playing with more consistency, and our expectations are to come out of this weekend with two big wins.”

MEN’S NSIC STANDINGS School

Conf. OVR

Winona State 10-1 MSU-Moorhead 9-2 St. Cloud State 9-2 SW Minnesota State 8-3 Bemidji State 7-4 Augustana 7-4 Minnesota-Duluth 7-4 Northern State 6-6 MAVERICKS 4-7 Concordia-St. Paul 3-8 Wayne State 3-8 Upper Iowa 2-9 U-Mary 2-10 Minn. Crookston 1-10

15-2 13-2 13-2 9-6 12-5 10-5 10-5 10-6 5-10 6-9 4-11 5-10 3-13 5-10

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The MSSA will be holding an election for the following positions:

Arts & Humanities (1) Residence Hall (Crawford) (1) Off-Campus (1) Undeclared (1) Residential Life (1) Application Available Online: www.mnsu.edu/mssa

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Thursday, January 19, 2012 Men’s Hockey

Sports

Cook helps MSU split with ’Sconny JOEY DENTON

staff writer

The Minnesota State, Mankato men’s hockey team delivered some retaliation in the Verizon Wireless Center this past weekend against the Wisconsin Badgers. On Friday it seemed like the Mavericks were trying to shoot the puck past a brick wall, as they outshot the Badgers 3629 in the 4-0 loss.

The next night, the Mavericks came to the arena with a chip on their shoulders, busting out of the gate and scoring two goals in the first period.

Junior forwards Eli Zuck and Eriah Hayes scored a pair of goals within two minutes of each other, which served as a huge momentum booster. The game would remain a 2-0 MSU advantage until the 19:31 mark of the third period when senior MSU forward Joe Schiller scored an empty-net goal to end the game.

Looking ahead to this weekend’s home series against Nebraska-Omaha, the MSU Mavericks have had success

against the UNO Mavericks in the two teams’ series history, going 14-9-5 against UNO. That being said, MSU hasn’t beaten UNO in the last five meetings between the teams, and they are hoping to break that streak this weekend.

The UNO Mavericks are coming into this weekend tied with Denver for fourth place in the Western Collegiate Hockey Association, boasting an 8-5-3 record in the conference.

Last weekend UNO finished a split at home against the University of Minnesota-Duluth Bulldogs, losing 2-6 on Friday before winning 3-1 on Saturday.

Just like MSU, UNO is having a hard time getting a streak going in WCHA play.

UNO’s sixth-ranked offense is led by sophomore forward Matt White, with 11 goals and 18 assists on the season. Defensively UNO is in the middle of the pack, allowing 3.12 goals per game.

UNO hasn’t fully decided on a first-string goalie yet, as goalies

John Falkner and Ryan Massa have been splitting time guarding the net. Massa, the freshman, has the better save percentage between the two at .919.

MSU is coming off a momentum-boosting 3-0 shutout of the Badgers on Saturday, but still find themselves bottom-feeding the conference along with Alaska Anchorage thanks to a 3-12-1 conference record.

One of the players who is starting to get some confidence is junior goalie Phil Cook.

In his first four starts of the season, Cook lost all four games, and only played one period against Alaska Anchorage after allowing five goals.

But he got another shot against St. Lawrence earlier this month and looked like his old self, allowing one goal on 29 shots while getting his first win of the season. Then just this last weekend, he earned his first shutout of the season after saving 32 shots.

The puck drops on the UNO series tomorrow at 7:37 p.m.

Reporter • Page 11

WOMEN’S HOOPS “Duluth is very disciplined, very defense-oriented and extremely physical,” Gohl said. “They’re probably one of the most physical teams in the league, so we have to be ready for how physical the play will be on Saturday night.”

While not necessarily a tough matchup size-wise, Duluth is led by 6’0” senior guard Shelly Stemper (11.7 points per game) and 5’11” Katrina Newman, who averages a team-best 15.5 points per game and is widely regarded as one of the toughest players to guard in the NSIC. “[Katrina Newman] is one of the best scorers in the conference,” Gohl said. “She’s a phenomenal player and she’s going to give us all we can

continued from 9

handle.”

The key to shutting down UMD will be keeping the Bulldogs out of the lane and, when they do shoot, not giving up second shot opportunities against the NSIC’s best offensive rebounding team (15.8 per game).

While neither Bemidji nor UMD stand between the Mavericks and the top of the NSIC rankings, the Mavericks will find road wins increasingly important in determining their postseason fate.

It seems the Mavericks have the tools to pick up a pair of wins without too much of a struggle, but in the alwayscompetitive NSIC road weekends, especially ones like this, must be taken very seriously.

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Def GONE R A P H I C EMRE ERKU | staff writer

They can fill you with smiles and

a happy heart, they can make you feel like you’re coming down off of a three day binge, or they can flat out make you feel lonely and depressed. Their music includes a wide variety of emotions such as love, hate, depression and happiness and their music conveys the real down-and-dirty life of Mankato through the means of quality hip-hop and scratching.

When you listen to Def Gone Graphic you can imagine yourself in one of those cinder-block-walled basements of Mankato, sitting on a pukecovered love seat, holding a plastic cup full of cheap domestic in your left hand, and a newly rolled joint of some sticky icky in your right. All the while your head can’t help but bob back and forth to the tight beat. The tight beat; usually a chilled tone that you can listen to with or without much thought. Either way, the tone does a great job of setting a mood.

The group, which, to name a few, consists of artists such as DJ Shoba, Matt Smith, producer 2% Muck, Rellium Prime, and many others that have shared the stage. Their new record, Radio Coma, is an album full of subtle scratches and old school baselines topped with precise rhymes about Mankato, relationships, 40-ounce malt liquor, high-quality marijuana, the good times and the bad. But that’s not all; the album is truly about making fine hip-hop, and the shared love for finding the right sound.

DJ Shoba is definitely one that thinks as so.

“Through our rotating platform of musicians we’ve come up with an electronic synthesis of music,” explained Shoba, when asked to give his thoughts on the album. “We’re giving out a few free copies of the album, which is pretty sweet on getting this music out

there.”

Def Gone Graphic was formed back in 2009 by artist Matt Smith. Smith’s goal in forming the group was to work with a mass array of the many parts needed to utilize all different sounds of music.

“My vision was to start a group where I could work with multiple producers, musicians, and DJs in order to explore multiple genres of music, focusing on hip hop and electro/pop or as I like to call it ‘Dance/Grunge,’” said Smith. “I like writing and releasing music and working with as many individuals as possible. The beauty about this project is that I consider everyone who has done anything for it, whether it is a producer, photographer, promoter, a club owner, or just a fan, to be a part of Def Gone Graphic.”

And this is what Smith and the rest of Def Gone Graphic is all about; the collaboration of ideas and sounds from what seems like an army of producers and musicians. And with the bouncing around of these ideas and sounds comes a finished product of music that can be literally defined as more than exceptional.

A mixture of head bobbing beats, turn-table scratches, loops of violins and synthesizers, and clean choruses.

It can be listened to while waking up early to the morning sun or it can be listened to in under the dim lights of a lounge party nestled nicely in the pits of a windowless basement. The writing and the rhymes flow well for open interpretation and the beats pour out in harmony.

Def Gone Graphic performs this upcoming Saturday at 9 p.m. at The Red Sky Lounge. Cover is $5. Most of the performance will include songs from their new album, which can be heard at, http://djshoba.bandcamp.com/album/ radio-coma-def-gone-graphic

Box Office

2011

of

www.msureporter.com/arts-entertainment

The

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Heads Up!

A&E

Voting is roaring along. Readers are pitting local businesses against each other in the spar for Mankato’s Best.

So far hundreds have polled to lift a champion of Best Pizza Parlor and Best Asian Food.

This week voting boxes are open for Best Coffee Shop and Best Happy Hour.

Let your voice be heard in the local consumer democracy at the MSU Reporter Facebook page.

Vote wisely, with truth and justice.

or: A non-sensationalist explanation to 2011’s box office JAMES SCHUYLER HOUTSMA | staff writer

The season has come where we look back at all we’ve struggled at and accomplished in the past year and screech “OMFG, Worst Year Ever!!!!?!” at the top of our lungs (regardless of whether it’s needed or not). It happens practically every year in recent memory, and it’s one of about five times in the whole year that the movie biz will get a lengthy sound bite on the evening news.

This year’s big headline was that 2011 now boasts the lowest record box office attendance since 1997. News anchors and commentators pose the question “Could this be the beginning of the end for Tinsel-town as we know it?” and continue to make broad assumptions as why this happened, not really taking into account several facets of what made 2011 a unique (and somewhat disadvantaged) movie year. So allow this writer to explain the best he can.

Point uality Control: It may not be obvious, but the rumor that sometimes if a movie is absolute crap, people don’t want to see it, is true. Sequels generally tend to be the greatest exception, but that doesn’t mean they always put more butts in seats.

Sequels like Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides, The Hangover Part II, Cars 2 and Transformers: Dark of the Moon all ended up in the Top 10 list of earners at the end of this year. Yet all of the above received less than stellar reviews and each did not make as much, domestically, as their previous installments.

Some of this can be attributed to franchise fatigue. Pirates is on its fourth installment and received mostly negative reaction.

Conversely, X-Men: First Class is the fifth installment and boasted strong reviews and word of mouth, but came off two previous movies with middling response. But in general, one could finally start to make the case that audiences may finally be growing weary of lazy cash grabs.

And while the law of diminishing returns is starting to show here in the U.S., global audiences are clearly much less discerning about what they consume. The reason these lesser sequels ended up in the Worldwide Top 10 is because most of them added more than three times their domestic money from overseas markets. Any notion that foreign audiences are more critical of our products seems to be thrown out the window here, with familiarity now being the deciding factor over quality. Or maybe it’s just really good marketing.

Q

Point

raffic Jam: 2011 released a spectacular number of high-profile event films.

But instead of giving most of them room to breathe, a majority were released in close proximity to each other. In the most recent example, Sherlock Holmes, Alvin and the Chipmunks, Mission: Impossible, The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo and The Adventures of Tintin were all released within five days of each other, back in December. The worst losses happened when films opened on top of each other. Kung Fu Panda 2 got

T

“With competition so close, more importance was placed on the opening weekend take and repeat business was lessened on movies where direct competitors were released shortly after.” buried this summer and made less money than the first when it opened the same day as The Hangover Part II. A similar story happened when Winnie the Pooh opened the same day as Harry Potter. Poor, poor Harry Potter (not exactly).

With competition so close, more importance was placed on the opening weekend take and repeat business was lessened on movies where direct competitors were released shortly after. But movies can be greatly helped out by positive word of mouth, which helped many flicks keep from being lost in the shuffle this year.

BOXOFFICE / page 13

T

Thursday, January 19, 2012

A&E

Reporter • Page 13

BOXOFFICE “More importantly, people have become disenchanted with the idea of paying to go see a movie in a theater with other people.” continued from 12

The People Problem:

Welcome to the most obvious reason on the planet.

There are just not many people who will shell out money to go see movies in theaters these days.

With rising ticket and concession prices, it’s become impractical for most to venture to the theater.

It’s almost impossible for a

It’s a shame that Hollywood is going to do what it always does in this situation: overreact by cutting back on types of movies that waned in popularity (CG animated movies) and amping up others that made a hefty sum.

middle class family of four or more to go to more than two to three movies a year, and that’s being generous.

And with the sheer number of people in debt (especially people in their mid-to-

Point

late 20s), who can blame them for trying to skim off some expenses.

More importantly, people have become disenchanted with the idea of paying to go see a movie in a theater with other people. Whether it’s the texting youths, narrating parents, commentating elderly or other equally ignorant annoyances, audience members have the astonishingly strong power to ruin the movie-going experience for each other.

It’s no real surprise that home viewing is preferred.

Three years ago I would have told you most people our age favored just waiting for a movie to be released on DVD or Blu-Ray to rent. Today I would say most people prefer to illegally download or torrent it for free (a topic for which there is almost too much to say, most of which you’ll be hearing very soon). It’s a sad state of affairs, and since a majority of areas don’t have an “Alamo Drafthouse Theater” to kick out disrupters, respect-

ful audience membership is just a shared hope and dream that can be squashed at any time.

It’s a shame that Hollywood is going to do what it always does in this situation: overreact by cutting back on types of movies that waned in popularity (CG animated movies) and amping up others that made a hefty sum. It won’t even matter if the disappointments were actually quality movies or if the hits were despised. The reason we recently got The Devil Inside was that the Paranormal Activity movies made profit and Paramount decided that shaky hand-held horror movies were an easy money vacuum.

Then again, The Devil Inside made about 35 times its (miniscule) budget back despite reactions claiming it to be an early contender for worst of the year. If this is any indication, I can only be optimistic for the movies of 2012 that will actually be good.

Point word of mouth about how exciting the movie was (and how well it used its IMAX scenes) it had an impressive opening on a limited amount of screens and continues to pull in a good amount of its money from IMAX showings.

But why don’t we see IMAX releases of every other movie? For one thing, it’s a real pain in the ass to shoot with and expensive at that, which limits it mostly to movies that put careful planning behind it and give the effort into making it great. 3D is practically dirt cheap and usually acts as a way to make money back easily and be a distraction for movies that are already lacking in most areas.

Gimmick Garbage:

3D needs to die. Fast. Or at the very least be used as sparingly as one to three movies per year, with the conditions that the movie has to have been shot in 3D and is being used on a film with material that makes it feel appropriate. Fair enough?

As for audience’s reactions to 3D, the numbers say it all. Across the boards, every movie this year that had the option of seeing in 3D sold fewer tickets than their regular 2D counterparts.

And it’s not that people don’t want additional formats to see movies in.

In fact, people flocked to see Mission: Impossible – Ghost Protocol when it opened early in IMAX. Thanks to positive

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Page 14 • Reporter

A&E

Thursday, January 19, 2012

Former Miss usa Blows 0.20, While Driving HIGHLAND PARK, Mich.

(AP) — A Michigan beauty queen who made headlines two years ago by becoming the first Arab-American crowned Miss USA will stand trial in March on a drunken-driving charge unless a plea deal is reached, a judge said Wednesday.

Judge Brigette Officer set a March 14 trial date for Rima Fakih, who made her first court

“Of course she’s remorseful,” Culpepper said.

“She’s a model for young women. ... She’s a woman of substantial character.”

appearance since the Dec. 3 traffic stop in the Detroit enclave of Highland Park. Fakih, 26, has said she wasn’t drinking that night, but two police breath tests put her blood alcohol content

at over twice the legal limit.

“I apologize.

My lawyer doesn’t want me to talk,” Fakih told reporters outside court.

Fakih, whose family moved to New York from Lebanon in 1993 and then to Detroit suburb of Dearborn 10 years later, won the Miss USA Pageant in 2010, becoming the first ArabAmeri-

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can to do so. Supporters described her win as a victory for diversity, saying it countered negative stereotypes about people of Middle Eastern descent that have flourished in post9/11 America.

Fakih’s lawyer, W. Otis Culpepper, said he’ll prepare for a trial but knows a plea bargain is also possible. He said he anticipates that a “proper conclusion” will be reached.

“Of course she’s remorseful,” Culpepper said. “She’s a model for young women. ... She’s a woman of substantial character.”

Police said Fakih

was driving 60 mph in a 30 mph zone and weaving in and out of traffic before they pulled her over, and that officers found an open bottle of champagne behind the driver ’s seat of the 2011 Jaguar.

Fakih denied that she had been drinking, but one breath test put her blood alcohol content at 0.20 percent and another put it at 0.19 percent — both above the legal limit of 0.08.

She’s charged with drunken driving, careless driving and having an open container of alcohol, all misdemeanors.

Before the hearing, assistant city attorney Mohammed A. Nasser told The Associated Press that he was new to the case and hadn’t spoken yet to Culpepper about a settlement.

Thursday, January 19, 2012

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Reporter • Page 15

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FREE SHOTOKAN KARATE classes offered Mon/Thurs 6-8 pm, Tues 7-9 pm, Room PH 102.

Beginners are welcome. Need not be a MSU student to join. For info call Brad @ 507-388-5301 or lostgonzo@ gmail.com or search MSU Shotokan on facebook or yahoo groups. 4/26

Roommates Wanted 2012-2013, QUIET F, 3 BDR apt.

Rent/utilities $300/Mon, near campus, call 763-772-5443. 1/31

Sublease MANKATO STUDENT TO SUBLET room in new Warren Street Townhomes with 4 other students.

Across the street from campus. Rent $400/month plus utilities. 507-8300307.

1/31

HUNTINGTON HILLS • F re e I n t e r ne t / C a b le T V • Pe t F r ie nd l y • Wa l k i n g d i s t a nc e from M SU • Pool / B BQ / Vol leyb a l l • $385 p e r p e r s on / room

AA CAMPUS MEETING Weggy's (University Square) Wednesday Nights at 7:30 p.m.

Closed meeting focusing on college students interested in recovery

744 James Avenue - Mankato, MN 56001

(507) 387-3771

Email: huntington.hills@live.com

Page 16 • Reporter

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Thursday, January 19, 2012