Bye-Bye :'( — Technician 8/27/20

TECHNICIAN A U GU S T 27, 2020

VOL . 101 | NO. 4

bye-bye :’(

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Contents

2 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

IN THIS ISSUE: page

03

Wolfpack alumni, student create company to produce accessible prosthetics

WHAT YOU MISSED:

page

06

A quick look at the headlines in and outside of NC State

Students must move out of on-campus housing by Sept. 6 In an email sent out Wednesday, Aug. 26, Chancellor Randy Woodson announced all students must vacate their on-campus housing by Sept. 6, unless they are granted an exception. During a press conference following the announcement, Woodson said the University could no longer offer on-campus housing as a result of the rapid increase in COVID-19 cases in both on- and off-campus residences over the past week. To move out, students must schedule a 30-minute appointment for checking out between Aug. 27 and Sept. 6.

NEWS

Voting for Trump upholds a racist status quo

SOURCE: TECHNICIAN

Cooper implements $175 million programs to aid housing insecurity, rent Tuesday, Aug. 25, Gov. Roy Cooper announced three federal grant programs will distribute over $175 million over the next few weeks to aid in housing problems caused by COVID-19. The money, which will be given to community agencies through N.C. Office of Recovery and Resiliency and the NC Department of Health and Human Services, is meant primarily to help residents avoid eviction and cover other housing-related expenses.

OPINION

SOURCE: THE NEWS & OBSERVER

page

12

Pick up a copy of ‘Windhover LIV’ before leaving campus

ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT

13

NC State football defensive confidence index

SPORTS

Student Health Services:

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Counseling Center:

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University Police:

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Women’s Center:

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Sexual Assault Helpline:

Protests in Wisconsin after Black man was shot by police Protests have erupted in Kenosha, Wisconsin after Jacob Blake, a Black man, was shot in the back several times at close range by police on the evening of Sunday, Aug. 23. The shooting was recorded and subsequently went viral on social media. Two Wisconsin police officers were on leave as of Monday, while state authorities investigate. Demonstrators gathered at the Kenosha County Public Safety Building in protest Sunday night, and demonstrations continued Monday night. The National Guard has since been deployed.

SOURCE: NPR AND CNN page

KNOW YOUR RESOURCES:

Lionel Messi leaving Barcelona In what could be the biggest transfer in soccer history, Argentinian international and longtime Barcelona man Lionel Messi could be leaving the club where he has played for the entirety of his European career. Reports began to surface after Barcelona’s 8-2 loss to Bayern Munich in the UEFA Champions League. Some have speculated that Messi’s reported desire to leave the club could be to force club president Josep Maria Bartomeu out. Whether Messi does actually leave Barcelona this year is still up in the air, but if he does, clubs such as Manchester City, Paris Saint-Germain or Inter Milan appear to be likely destinations for the Argentine.

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COVER PHOTO BY RYAN FARISCHON AND MARISSA MCHUGH

SOURCE: BBC Editor-in-Chief Rachael Davis

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Technician (USPS 455-050) is the largest student newspaper of NC State University and is published every Thursday throughout the academic year from August through May except during holidays and examination periods.

Opinions expressed in the columns, cartoons, photo illustrations and letters that appear on the Technician’s pages are the views of the individual writers and cartoonists. As a public forum for student expression, the students determine the content of the publication without prior review. To receive permission for reproduction, please write the editor. Subscription cost is $100 per year. A single copy is free to all students, faculty, staff and visitors to campus. Additional copies are $0.25 each. Printed by Triangle Web Printing, Durham, NC, Copyright 2011 by North Carolina State Student Media. All rights reserved.

News

TECHNICIAN 3

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Wolfpack alumni, student create company to produce accessible prosthetics Emily Cooney Correspondent

OpenGait, a startup company founded by a current graduate student and two recent alumni are developing accessible prosthetics for above-the-knee amputees around the world.

Current Ph.D. student Aaron Fleming of the joint Department of Biomedical Engineering at UNC-Chapel Hill and NC State, alumna of the same program Lindsay Sullivan and Dustin Prescott, a recent MBA graduate from NC State, all co-founded OpenGait after meeting in 2017 through a course called Product Innovation Lab. In the multidisciplinary design class, they all worked on a project involving amputees, which led them to the idea and creation of OpenGait.

“After the semester ended, Lindsay, Dustin and I continued the project and continued to try to develop the prosthetic socket that came out of the class,” Fleming said. “We’ve been working on it still up until now and are applying for different fundings to be able to make better designs and to test out the designs as well.”

Fleming and Sullivan said their class together, along with the connections they formed with many professors in the graduate program at NC State, brought them a multitude of opportunities and resources, which helped them get to where they are today with OpenGait.

Sullivan lauded the production innovation course.

“The unique way that the course functions and that you have exposure to so many mentors who really are willing to help you after the course ends; I think they were instrumental in helping us keep moving forward,” Sullivan said.

Many professors connected the three students to funding resources to kickstart their company, while providing feedback on their business model as well.

“It’s been amazing how helpful and attentive professors were, even after class was over,” Fleming said. “They have really continued to give us great advice and guidance as we have continued.”

During the course, they were also introduced to the nonprofit organization LifeNabled, which has partnered with OpenGait to support them as they grow.

“When we were first introduced to these two prosthetists [from LifeNabled], they started talking about the work they do in Guatemala, where they travel twice a year to donate prosthetic devices, and

COURTESY OF OPENGAIT PROSTHETICS

just hearing about their work, the patients that they serve and the problem they were trying to solve, I think really just sparked an interest for all three of us,” Sullivan said.

Fleming also said the trip to Guatemala was fulfilling and a big point in the journey with OpenGait.

“While we were there with [LifeNabled], they actually put us to work, which was good because we got to learn the entire process for making the traditional socket in that context specifically, so we could get even more of an idea of how our socket could help that process,” Fleming said.

A primary problem Fleming and Sullivan both said they want to focus on is

training for people who want to become clinicians to help amputees.

In the future, Fleming, Sullivan and Prescott said they hope to reach different parts of the world to help amputees in need who may not have easy access to prosthetics.

They plan to accomplish their goals by working with organizations to deliver prosthetic kits to people and are currently working on a prosthetic kit which will include the necessary parts needed for above-the knee-amputees.

Amputees have to travel long distances to see clinicians, oftentimes without a car or public transportation. With OpenGait’s prosthetic kits, they will be able to deliver the kits directly to the amputees

instead.

“What we’re trying to do is develop a system where we can come in with all the components necessary to make a socket right then and there and, in a matter of a couple of hours, be able to fit the socket to an amputee,” Fleming said.

Fleming and Sullivan also said the Entrepreneurship Garage on campus and the Office of Commercialized Research are both useful resources for students in biomedical engineering to reach out to if they want to pursue possible future careers while still in college.

“If you are ever working on a course project and you feel like you should take it further, don’t be scared to try,” Sullivan said.

News

4 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Woodson press conference: Simply ‘unattainable for us to offer on-campus housing’ Rachael Davis Editor-in-Cheif

On Wednesday, Aug. 26, Chancellor Randy Woodson held an in-person press conference in front of Holladay Hall to discuss NC State’s latest decision to reduce on-campus housing. This announcement comes after multiple reports of on- and off-campus COVID-19 clusters affecting the NC State community.

“It has simply become unattainable for us to offer on-campus housing to such a large number of undergraduates,” Woodson said. “We currently have 6,500 on campus, and it is clear that we are not going to be able to meet the required social distancing guidelines and be able to keep our students safe and healthy on campus.”

According to Woodson, students can begin to move out of their residence halls starting tomorrow, Aug. 27, and will continue to do so until Sunday, Sept. 6.

Students have to schedule a 30-minute appointment in order to move and check out.

Students will receive prorated refunds for unused portions of housing and dining for the fall semester, Woodson said.

However, students who are facing housing insecurity, travel restrictions, live in rural areas with limited internet connectivity and more can apply to stay on campus via the special housing circumstance waiver.

Reviews for those applications will begin quickly, Woodson said.

Students who are currently in quarantine and/or isolation on campus cannot leave unless they are cleared by Student Health Services, Woodson said.

As of Aug. 26, there are 900 students in quarantine and/or isolation on and off campus.

Currently, there is no plan to stop classes during the move out period for students. However, Woodson said that doesn’t mean there won’t be one in the future.

Graduate students are allowed to stay on campus if they are taking in-person classes or conducting research in NC State research labs. According to Woodson, there have been no clusters or outbreaks of COVID-19 in on-campus research labs.

University Housing aims to limit its student density in residence halls to one person per room, one per bathroom, Woodson said. For example, if a suite has four

RACHAEL DAVIS/TECHNICIAN

Chancellor Randy Woodson held an in-person press conference in front of Holladay Hall on Aug. 26 after the announcement of reducing campus housing due to the COVID-19 pandemic.

bedrooms and two bathrooms, the suite should only have two people living in it.

According to Woodson, most of the University’s financial implications are embedded in “auxiliary enterprises,” like housing and dining. Housing’s budget mostly includes fixed costs, which have to be paid regardless. However, dining costs can be managed because the University can buy less food and resources.

“Certainly, we will have furloughs associated with those areas because we do not have the revenue to support them,” Woodson said.

When asked about the spread of the virus on campus, Woodson said he does

not want to pit one student group against another student group.

“The reality is we did see the virus first appear in off-campus events and off-campus housing, and I know that has had an impact across campus,” Woodson said.

“At the end of the day, the folks who have been involved in those activities will have to live with those decisions.”

Woodson also cautioned other universities in the state and across the country on how to handle the pandemic.

“You need adequate testing… you need a strong surveillance program so that you understand what is happening on your campus that is asymptomatic because so

much of this is asymptomatic, and you’ve got to work hard to try to communicate to [y]our students what [y]our community standards are,” Woodson said. “I would emphasize all those points, but the key point is to be prepared.”

According to Woodson, the University has seen many cases of COVID-19 because the virus is unforgiving among a young population and spreads very quickly, due to many students being asymptomatic.

“We are all learning about this as we go, and that is true for NC State and other universities across the country,” Woodson said.

News

TECHNICIAN 5

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Students must move out of on-campus housing by Sept. 6, campus remains open Staff Report According to an email sent to students, faculty and staff on Aug. 26, University Housing will be closing all residence facilities on Sept. 6, due to the increasing transmission rate of COVID-19. Facilities include on-campus apartments, such as Wolf Village and Wolf Ridge, in addition to traditional residence halls.

Move out for campus housing residents will take place over the course of 11 days through appointment, beginning Thursday, Aug. 27, and will occur in 30-minute blocks from 8 a.m. to 7 p.m. daily until Sept. 6.

Appointments will be made through the MyPack Portal. Checking out and returning keys will confirm residents’ housing cancellation.

Residents on NC State’s leased f loors (f loors 4-6) of University Towers (UT) should follow guidelines from UT management, but are encouraged to check out and return to their permanent residences, the email stated.

Residents of Greek Village will be given separate information from the office of Fraternity and Sorority Life, according to

the email.

Students currently quarantining or in isolation units on campus must be cleared

by Student Health Services before scheduling to move out.

University Housing states that anyone currently quarantined or in isolation cannot return to campus to retrieve belongings or check out. This includes having anyone move personal belongings while quarantining or in isolation. If those students are unable to check out by Sept. 6, they will be given an extension by University Housing.

Students will receive prorated refunds for unused portions of housing and dining fees.

Students can apply for special circumstance housing to remain in on-campus housing and must be completed by noon, Aug. 28 to stay on campus. Criteria to remain includes being an international student, those experiencing housing insecurity, those who have a high-risk family member at home and more.

On-campus facilities will remain available, including Talley Student Union, the Counseling Center, D.H. Hill Jr. Library, James B. Hunt Jr. Library, Student Health

KATIE BARNES/TECHNICIAN

Lee Hall was built in 1964 while Sullivan Hall was developed in 1966. Lee Hall is the home to the Women in Science and Engineering (WISE) Village, and Sullivan is the home to the Engineering Village.

Services, Wellness and Recreation and limited dining options.

As previously announced, Census Day

for the fall semester has been moved to Aug. 28, allowing students additional time to evaluate their individual situations.

NC State students: How to vote by mail Staff Report Many students have been displaced due to COVID-19 following closure of their campuses.

NC State students who cannot make it to Talley Student Union for early voting or Raleigh for regular voting have the option to fill out absentee ballots for the 2020 general election.

Absentee voting is available for all registered voters, including those who do not want to risk exposure to COVID-19 by voting in public. The ballots must be requested through the Wake County Board of Elections.

Ballot request forms can be sent by mail, fax or email to the Wake County Board of Elections.

Requests must be submitted by 5 p.m., Oct. 27 in order to guarantee timely voting, and the Wake County Board of Elections must receive absentee ballots by 5 p.m. on Election Day in order for the ballots to be counted, according to the North Carolina State Board of Elections.

Voters may check the status of their absentee ballot on the Wake County Board of Elections website.

RYAN FARISCHON/TECHNICIAN

A U.S. Postal Service collection box sits in front of Poe Hall on Tuesday, Aug. 25, 2020. The recent effects of on-campus housing shutting down include students needing to find a different way to vote in the upcoming 2020 presidential elections, mail-in voting being an option.

Opinion

6 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Voting for Trump upholds a racist status quo

Oh, I can hear people click-clacking away on their keyboards, leaving angry comments by the dozens based solely on what the headline is. And yes, I wholeheartedly stand Destry by my opinion. Trump has Adams Staff Columnist said and implemented policies that are racist. And if you vote for him, you are contributing to racial inequality that is present in various institutions across the United States.

As a student on campus, I have seen people proudly supporting our president, with stickers on their laptop, wearing MAGA hats or going to that Turning Point USA rally last year. Speaking of that rally, a lot of the protestors were saying that Trump is racist, but some people did not understand why. From my own perspective, I think the president is considered racist based on the policies he has implemented. Now to be clear, I don’t think people who support the president are inherently racist.

But before I list down the policies Trump has implemented that have hurt various communities, we must first define what racism is.

The Merriam-Webster dictionary defines the term racism as this: “A belief that race is the primary determinant of human traits and capacities and that racial differences produce an inherent superiority of a particular race.”

While this is a decent definition of the word, it barely scratches the surface of the topic.

Dr. Ibram X. Kendi, the author of “How to Be an Antiracist” and the founding director of the Boston University Center for Antiracist Research, said, in his TED Talk, that being racist also supports policies that lead to racial injustice and inequality, such as police brutality, the justice system and job hiring.

Now that we have defined racism, has Trump implemented racist policies? Yes, and here is a fraction of all the stuff that Trump has implemented that has impacted or targeted various racial groups.

Trump has put a ban on refugees from countries with large Muslim populations, despite most trying to flee from violence.

We can’t forget about his wall because Trump believes all crime comes from Mexico, despite a lot of illegal activity happening over the Canadian border. Jeez, I wonder why?

A lot of minority and women-owned businesses did not have access to the stimulus checks — around 90% to be exact!

White households also received their checks sooner than Black or Hispanic ones.

The Trump administration has rolled back Obama-era policies that try to reduce racial bias in the police.

Trump has reduced the Bear Ears National Monument size by 85%, despite it being an important landmark to various Native American tribes.

Affirmative action guidelines have been dismantled by the Trump administration, making it more difficult for people in disenfranchised communities to be admitted into college.

Just to remind everyone, there are still people caged and separated at the U.S. border.

The Trump administration sent a secret police force to Portland to kidnap people protesting police brutality against people of color.

Also, Puerto Rico is still suffering after Hurricane Maria, and Trump has the nerve to trade the people there for the giant sheet of ice that is Greenland, allegedly.

Trump’s insistence on voter ID laws will make it difficult for some people to vote.

Trump was a major proponent of the racist conspiracy that Obama wasn’t born in America.

I could sit here and list more policies, but I only have so much time in the day. Now, I can hear some people saying “AFricAn eMplOYMeNt NUmbERs,” or something like that. The trend was actually started under the Obama administration, and because Trump bungled the response to COVID-19, unemployment numbers are high again. Just like the racist, failure of a businessman that he is, Trump takes the credit of a Black man and somehow makes it worse.

Some people will also say “bUT joE BIdeN.” Listen, I am also not a big fan of Joe Biden. In

This is what y’all look like

Kiara Bush, a second-year studying Design Studies and Statistics

fact, he has said and done some racist stuff in the past. For me, not every politician is going to pass a law that will solve the social and economic issues that people face. But, they can implement policies that can make it more bearable. Considering all the policies Trump implemented, I will take Biden in a very reluctant, three-shots-of-tequila heartbeat.

Racism is not just yelling slurs or committing hate crimes, but also upholding a status quo that intentionally creates disproportionate and unequal outcomes. More than enough evidence has been provided that Trump has upheld and strengthened the racist status quo.

If you were going to vote for Trump and realized how he has hurt people and are reconsidering, I applaud you. The first step of fighting against racism is to acknowledge your racial biases and try to correct an unjust system.

If you are going to still vote for Trump, all I can say is why? This isn’t an us vs. you issue.

Issues that plague minorities still affect white people, just not as much. White people are still mistreated by the police, have inadequate access to health care and are impacted by other problems as well. By addressing minority issues, it will be beneficial to you as well.

If, after my rationale, you’re still voting for Trump, I leave you with this: You are okay with supporting racial injustice and inequality.

TECHNICIAN 7

Opinion TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Greek life shouldn’t be the administration’s scapegoat “I’m very disappointed,” Chancellor Woodson said during his ironic in-person press conference Thursday, Aug. 20. In his email notification addressed to the school community, he Zach noted that Greek life was Jenio Staff Columnist the source of significant infections and added that “the actions of a few are jeopardizing the health and safety of the larger community.”

And honestly I am disappointed too, but for a different reason. I’m disappointed that Chancellor Woodson and the NC State administration is using Greek life as a scapegoat for the inevitable failure of a campus reopening.

First, a big asterisk: I am not saying Greek life hasn’t been an issue. Across the board, Greek life has a lot of problems at both the surface level here at NC State, as well as inherently in the foundation of institutions that are built on systemic racism, classism, sexism and heterosexism. Moreover, the actions by some fraternities and sororities as a whole have been reckless and dangerous with repercussions for the entire community, specifically hosting mass gatherings.

Even if a fraternity or sorority didn’t host an event, large numbers of individuals across

the Greek life community have attended.

So, when you look at the clusters and notice that the majority have been within Greek life houses, it is easy to draw a simple connection that it’s because of their “partying.” However, it is an unfair and incorrect comparison between Greek life and oncampus residence halls, given that Greek housing is much more communal in nature compared to the more easily isolated dorms and apartments, as Shelly Brown Dobek, director of Fraternity and Sorority Life, explained during the Student Senate meeting held on Aug. 20. For example, meals in a Greek house are eaten communally compared to dorms, which are at dining halls separate from the living situation.

In this light, looking at the context and physical aspects of Greek housing, Brown Dobek’s comments still stand. Could the fast spread intra-fraternity or intra-sorority have been prevented? In my opinion, no.

When one brother sneezes, the whole fraternity catches a cold.

The narrative has become that non-Greek life students are “less irresponsible” than their Greek counterparts, but the “not as bad as” mentality just redirects blame and does not recognize risky actions done by the general student body and more importantly, university administration. Residence halls

have been held up as proof that partying is what spread COVID-19, rather than simply being in close proximity to hundreds of other students with inadequate safety measures. It has come to light that multiple clusters have emerged in both student housing and other NC State communities, specifically athletics. Greek life was faster because of the communal nature, but the same result in six residence halls — Owen, Bragaw, Lee, Bowen, Metcalf and Carroll — and the mandatory move out shows the real problem: reopening student housing as a whole.

The narrative should be one of support, of unity. The shutdown of our school was inevitable; however, various groups of students on and off campus, not exclusively Greek life, expedited the process. We are seeing clusters arise no matter the campus composition, as other schools like Notre Dame, a school with no Greek life, are experiencing a similar growth in clusters and positive cases like us. No one group is the reason why our school shut down.

The administration wants to blame Greek life for the clusters of COVID-19 at NC State, when it was their decision to allow Greek Village housing and operations to begin in the first place. Other institutions have employed COVID-19 precautions,

Randy Dunks on Greek Life

Patrick Delaney, a fourth-year studying English

such as testing students before they even arrived on campus, as well as having more available testing for students, but NC State took no such precautions.

A colleague of mine recently wrote a column asking for Greek life to apologize for spreading COVID-19. In her column, she wrote that she doesn’t believe the spread was solely students’ fault, but that students’ actions played a role. I agree with her; however, I specifically believe that this was an inevitable consequence of bringing 30,000 people from around the country and world back to a single campus and students’ reckless behaviors simply catalyzed the spread of COVID-19. Further, looking for an apology is as self-righteous as it is unhelpful; especially when the real problem was the administration’s decision to open campus and the close residential living situations on and nearby campus.

Should Greek life be NC State’s scapegoat?

No. Is there some more accountability we can ask from the Greek life community?

Absolutely, across the board and in so many ways. If there is an apology we should be expecting, it needs to be from administration, who brought us all to campus knowing full well that COVID-19 would spread rapidly, classes would go online almost immediately and on-campus housing would crumble.

Opinion

8 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

Delaying the U.S. Postal Service budget cuts does not solve the problem During the first week of August, the U.S. Posta l Ser v ice a nnou nced a series of cost-cutting cha nges. Im med iately after the announcement, social media platforms Caitlyn and news outlets were Mahoney Correspondent f illed with pleas from people for the postal service to reverse the changes. On Aug. 17, the U.S. Postal Service did just that. It announced that all cost-saving measures would be suspended until after the 2020 federal election. The masses are satisfied, but the fight isn’t over. The suspension of the changes only results in the negative effects being delayed.

W hat exact ly were t he proposed changes to the postal system? These changes came in response to the crippling financial status of the U.S. Postal Service. According to NPR, the postal system reported losing $9 billion dollars last year and has increasingly lost more money as the pandemic continues. Postmaster General Louis DeJoy proposed a series of changes in order to cut costs and save the business from a financial crisis. These changes included the elimination of overtime for mail carriers, reduction in post office hours and the removal of postal boxes throughout the United States.

While these changes may seem economically reasonable, critics claim they

had political motives as well. Together, the changes substantially slowed down the U.S. Postal Service system and resulted in mail taking almost twice as long to reach its destination. Many of us probably recognize how this problem would affect the election in November.

Our very own Technician staff writer, Destry Adams, wrote a compelling piece explaining the possible political effects, but politics isn’t the only thing being affected by these changes.

According to CNN, about 90% of all mail-order prescriptions from the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs have been delayed because of the new changes to the postal ser vice. Some examples of these medications include necessary blood pressure and hypertension medications, insulin supplies and pain management medication. A delay in the delivery of these medications pose a major health risk for American veterans, and they are not the only group being affected.

Any American who receives medication through mail orders will be affected by these changes once they go into effect.

Think about what would happen if you needed life-saving medicines to come in by mail. What would happen to you if those medications didn’t come in time?

This has already affected me personally, and the changes haven’t even gone into full effect yet. I have a mental illness, and up until last week, I had three

of my major medications on mail order.

However, after almost having to go cold turkey off of my antidepressants because the medication was delayed by the U.S. Postal Service, I made the decision to switch all my medicine off of mail order.

The risk of not getting my antidepressant, antianxiety or antipsychotic medication in time was too serious for me to trust the U.S. Postal Service system anymore. Not everyone has this option though.

These changes are also affecting mailorder paychecks, social security checks and bills. As college students, the timeliness of these three things may not seem significant, but they are to our families and our neighbors. What would happen to one of your loved ones if their only source of income got delayed by a week when they are already living paycheck to paycheck?

It is true that the suspension of postal service changes until after the 2020 federal election solves the problem of delayed mail-in and absentee voting, but it only suffices in postponing all the other negative effects. If you have any empathy for how these changes are affecting your community, then you need to take a stand and use your 2020 federal election vote to kick Postmaster Louis DeJoy and all of his supporters, including Donald Trump, out of office. If you don’t, then you will be enabling the ticking time bomb that is our current U.S. Postal

Service system.

Many people have argued that the privatization of the U.S. Postal Service system could be another solution to our current predicament. These people argue that the current structure of the postal system results in a monopoly of mail that is led by corrupt politicians like DeJoy. Supporters of this solution point out that the U.S. Postal Service system is already a business-like system and could therefore be improved upon if it was privately owned by entrepreneurs. They argue that it would reduce costs and increase benefits for citizens by allowing competition within the postal industry.

However, the privatization would not fix the current problems of the U.S. Postal Service and would instead result in the creation of worse human rights problems. Privatized businesses are not held to the same federal standards that government-controlled businesses are.

This means that while costs for consumers may be cut, wages and working conditions would also be reduced. The privately-owned mail service, Amazon, is a prime example of this.

The only way to fix the problems of the U.S. Postal Service system is to vote the corrupt government officials out of office in November. If you still believe the U.S. Postal Service system is fixed or that it doesn’t affect you after all of this, then congratulations. You are now the problem too.

TECHNICIAN 9

Opinion TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Students and representatives, we cannot support U.S. Postal Service defunding { EDITORIAL }

I

n June 2020, Louis DeJoy was appointed as postmaster general of the United States, a title that rarely gets much attention in everyday discussions about politics. However, following cuts to the U.S. Postal Service’s operating budget as we head into a contentious presidential election during a pandemic, a Congressional hearing and at least 21 states planning to sue the U.S. Postal Service, Postmaster General Louis DeJoy has become a household name.

Due to COVID-19 concerns, The New York Times reports that over 80 million voters could cast a ballot by mail this year, which is double the amount of ballots cast by mail in the 2016 presidential election. How-

The unsigned editorial is the opinion of the members of Technician’s editorial board, and is the responsibility of the editor-in-chief. ever, President Trump has refused to provide $25 billion to the U.S. Postal Service, with an additional $3.6 billion for mail-in voting, citing worries of increased voter fraud from mail-in voting. This claim is unfounded and baseless.

In the past week, three UNC System schools—NC State University, the University of North CarolinaChapel Hill and East Carolina University—have moved to all-online classes, hoping to give students the chance to move back home if they

choose to. More recently, NC State is closing its residence halls to mitigate COVID-19 spread on campus, meaning that many students are moving further away from accessible polling locations, such as Talley Student Union.

With students moving away from their polling locations a little over two months prior to the election, voting by mail will become even more important for college students. College students have historically faced barriers to voting and the defunding

of the U.S. Postal Service is another addition to these barriers.

Defunding the U.S. Postal Service in the middle of a pandemic is blatant voter suppression, even worse as college students move around the country.

We want to remind our representatives and senators that their silence on this topic has not gone unnoticed, and we urge them to speak out against voter suppression and the defunding of the U.S. Postal Service.

The North Carolina deadline to register to vote by mail is Oct. 9. We urge our readers to request mail-in ballots and vote by mail if they need to. Now more than ever, your vote matters; don’t let it go to waste.

Arts & Entertainment

10 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

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Pick up a copy of ‘Windhover LIV’ before leaving campus Austin Dunlow

Arts & Entertainment Editor

The COVID-19 pandemic has required many people, groups and entire industries to adapt to a time with less human interaction. Windhover, NC State’s annual student-run literary and arts magazine, has had to do the same while also dealing with fluctuating changes made by the UNC System Board of Governors and university administration.

Windhover Editor-in-Chief Xenna Smith, a fourth-year studying communications, said last year, the staff ran out of copies of “Windhover LIII.” However, this year she is concerned about how many copies of “Windhover LIV” they will be able to hand out. With Chancellor Woodson’s announcement on Wednesday, Aug. 26, that a majority of students living on campus will have to leave the residence halls, distribution could be even harder than anticipated.

“The books came in about mid-April, peak quarantine time,” Smith said.

“They sat in Student Media’s office for a few months until we could get around to distributing them. I knew that I had an obligation to the artists to get the book out in some way in April, like they were expecting to before coronavirus.”

The issue arose when Smith and her team had to figure out how to easily distribute a book to students who weren’t on campus and easily accessible. Smith felt the best answer for the time being would be to publish the book online on Issuu on April 16.

Other Student Media publications post on Issuu including Roundabout, the Student Media Business Office and, formerly, Technician, so this was not unheard of.

“We decided to really push an online version of the book through Issuu,” Smith said. “A lot of publications who aren’t lucky enough to have a print budget use this platform to publish their work, so I knew that it would be a great way to get the book in everyone’s eyes as soon as possible.”

Smith and her team, like many other students, saw the looming cloud of a campus shutdown, and knew they had to

THE RADAR Events to keep an eye on for the week of August 28th

RYAN FARISCHON/TECHNICIAN

A physical copy of volume 54 of Windhover sits propped up on Aug. 20, 2020. Windhover is a magazine that curates art and literary works submitted by students, faculty and staff. The online edition of volume 54 released in the spring of 2020.

work fast in distributing the print copies when school started back this year. According to Smith, “Windhover LIV” was placed on every newsstand on campus, and the Windhover Instagram account, @windhover_, is used to let people know where they are replenishing copies if they run out.

Smith encourages students to pick up a copy from a newsstand before they leave campus. If you are immunocompromised or not on campus, Smith said Windhover is looking into mailing copies to those who can’t get them in person.

The campus shutdown may not be the only thing Smith and her team predicted.

According to Smith, the book’s design, which was picked long before COVID-19 was a household name, fits well with this moment in our lives.

The cover features lines of a topographic map, while the inside very much resembles a scrapbook, and that was for good reason, Smith said.

The design was influenced heavily by the Roman numerals of this volume, Smith said. The team wanted their book to focus on life and living as the Roman numerals LIV look similar to the word “live.”

“We liked the idea of focusing on where we are in our life, whether that is geographically or chronologically,” Smith said. “The cover has topography because we wanted to convey the idea that we are all somewhere doing something and that, in itself, is significant. The whole book is basically a scrapbook of artistic expression and organizing that through stages of life.”

Smith said work will soon begin on “Windhover LV.” According to the pub-

TO VOTE OR NOT TO VOTE

NEEDTOBREATHE LIVESTREAM CONCERT

Friday, Aug. 28, 6 p.m.

VIRTUAL EVENT Free To Vote or Not to Vote is being put on as part of the Campus Conversations Project to encourage respect, unity and understanding between voters and nonvoters. The event is open to NC State students, faculty and staff.

lication’s Instagram, submissions for the 2020-21 Windhover are open. Windhover accepts all mediums of art and all stages in an artist’s career.

“The people who look at these submissions are very passionate about that medium and they know it very well,” Smith said. “They can tell when someone really put their heart into something, and that’s really what we want to see.”

Smith encourages students who are interested and are immunocompromised or unable to come to campus to email her at windhover-editor@ncsu.edu to request that a copy be mailed to them. Furthermore, follow the publication on Instagram for updates in this uncertain time. *Editor’s Note: Xenna Smith is a member of Student Media.

RECORD STORE DAY DROP

NCMA PRESENTS: CHATHAM COUNTY LINE

Friday, Aug. 28, 9 p.m.

Saturday, Aug. 29, 8 a.m.

Tuesday, Sept. 1, 8 p.m.

THE RITZ RALEIGH $10

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VIRTUAL EVENT Free

The Ritz Raleigh will be hosting a livestreamed NEEDTOBREATHE concert. They will be performing songs from their newest studio album, “Out of Body.”

Attendees are required to wear face masks.

The Pour House Music Hall & Record Shop will be hosting an event where they are selling new indie releases in the record store. This event is the first of three. All attendees will be required to follow Centers for Disease Control and Prevention guidelines.

Chatham County Line is one of the biggest names in the North Carolina music scene. The North Carolina Museum of Art is hosting a free virtual performance by Chatham County Line as part of its Offstage Live series.

TECHNICIAN 11

Arts & Entertainment TECHNICIANONLINE.COM

THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

Netflix Party: a move back to old-school television?

The technology of the future connecting us to the past Sam Overton Correspondent

Since the days of communal viewing parties at a friend’s house are on hiatus, Netf lix Party has been one of the best substitutes for a television-obsessed world threatened by a pandemic that distances us. According to their website, Netf lix Party is a Google Chrome extension that “synchronizes video playback and adds group chat to your favorite Netflix shows,” allowing as many as 50 people to watch the same show or movie at the same time.

Students across campus have been taking advantage of Netf lix Party as a way to connect with friends and family from a distance. Erin Tennis, a second-year studying English with a concentration in creative writing, explained how she took advantage of the Chrome extension.

“I used it a lot over the summer because my friend and sister and I wanted to watch ‘Avatar: The Last Airbender’ together,’” Tennis said. “We watched the whole thing over Netflix Party.”

With Netf lix’s addition of Academy Award nominees, such as “Lady Bird,” “Schindler’s List” and “Karate Kid” over the summer, as well as universally-loved shows such as “Avatar: The Last Airbender,” the streaming service has never been so appealing to housebound film and television junkies. With six of Netflix’s Top 10 most popular shows and movies this week

being Netf lix Originals, Netf lix may be capitalizing off of the popularity of Netflix Party just as much as consumers are.

However, it seems obvious that Netf lix Party may not be able to maintain its relevance post-pandemic. Once faceto-face social interaction is safe and acceptable, the reversion to viewing parties and similar events could cause users of Netflix Party to quietly discontinue their use of the extension. According to Grant Bollmer, associate professor of communication, however, it provides an experience that has been lost to many viewers who exclusively use streaming services.

“What [Netflix Party] is attempting to do is recreate the experience of ‘watching TV together’ and also doing that with people that you might know,” Bollmer said. “When, in fact, that sort of experience is something that you could argue Netflix has been foundational in eroding.”

With the rise of binge-watching across streaming platforms, Bollmer described the rise of “spoiler alert” culture that started to manifest when platforms such as Netflix and Hulu put seasons of shows out in their entirety, instead of releasing an episode weekly as cable television does.

“Now that we can’t actually be anywhere with other people, that role of TV might be coming back,” Bollmer said.

That being said, the actual content that people are watching via Netflix Party is generally lighthearted. Think “Floor is

Lava,” not “The Punisher.”

“You don’t want something that’s too emotionally taxing,” Bollmer said. “I imagine lots of people right now are extremely stressed out, not in the mood for something that’s incredibly deep.”

However, Netf lix Party doesn’t come without its problems. Bollmer said there are huge technological difficulties to overcome on such a platform, such as lag, synchronous streaming and video delivery.

“Surprisingly, that sort of synchronous viewing over the internet is difficult to do,” Bollmer said.

The creators of Netflix Party even admitted that there is a glitch in their website’s chat feature currently, which they hope to patch soon in an update.

Tennis also recalled a glitch during one session of Netflix Party.

“My friend and my sister and I were

watching ‘Avatar,’ but my sister’s episode was 10 episodes later,” Tennis said. “We didn’t realize until the end.”

Glitches like these can be common, but it’s a small price to pay considering the cost of the extension itself: $0. According to their website, Netflix Party relies on Patreon donations from users to keep it running.

Small bugs won’t stop viewers from watching, and Netflix itself seems to approve. According to the extension’s website, every person involved in a Netf lix Party needs to have their own unique Netflix account. Because of this, Netflix is not losing any money and may actually be gaining subscribers.

“As long as [Netflix] still [has] their subscribers growing over time, they’re probably pretty happy with whatever’s going on,” Bollmer said.

Exploring a change of major outside your current college?

Academic Advising Programs and Services can help you!

AAPS Walk-in Advising Virtual Advising Information about all majors and minors advising.dasa.ncsu.edu I 919-515-8130

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#NCStateAdvising

Sports

12 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

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COMMENTARY: Bubble environment is the only way to have college sports Kevin Sebastian Correspondent

Here at Technician Sports, we not only cover every aspect of NC State Athletics, but we also pride ourselves in providing the best sports content we can. Sure, we are writers by trade, but we are also fans of the school we attend. In order to continue to do our jobs, we have a vested interest in seeing college sports come in some shape or form this year.

With so many unknowns surrounding the nature of the COVID-19 pandemic and its potential effects on college campuses, I’ve personally taken the stance of giving up on sports this season and looking ahead to next year. But if the safety of the players were guaranteed, then of course I’d want college sports to return. The only question is, how do schools go about returning to play?

Senior Sports Writer Rachel Bilenki wrote an article last week, similarly detailing her enthusiasm for college sports, but not at the expense of the health of students and players. At the end, she details how following standard guidelines, such as wearing masks and social distancing, will eventually make NC State safe enough to “be back in CarterFinley”—you can insert PNC Arena, Reynolds Coliseum, Dail Field and other venues, depending on your sport of preference. But while there is no doubt that this will eventually happen after the COVID-19 crisis is all said and done, I’m afraid the quickest path to having college sports doesn’t include college campuses in its plans. After each passing day, it seems less likely that the Wolfpack will sell out Carter-Finley, PNC or any other place.

The past few months have seen several professional sports leagues try to return to play by having players play in bubbles, areas sectioned off from their immediate environments that allow players to remain free from other COVID-19-susceptible ar-

JAYLAN HARRINGTONTECHNICIAN

Students cheer during NC State’s second-round NIT matchup against Harvard on March 24, 2019 in Reynolds Coliseum. The Wolfpack won by a score of 78-77.

eas. Once players enter, they are tested for COVID-19 and, once they are cleared, are advised to not leave their bubble. If players do leave the bubble, they are placed in quarantine upon return, tested again and then allowed to play after being cleared. Players with positive tests remain separated from their teams and other personnel until they get treatment.

The NHL, NBA, WNBA, MLS and NWSL have instituted differing versions of the bubble, to a high degree of success. Most leagues focused on creating a single bubble where all teams can play, while the NHL opted for two bubbles, one for each conference, and they too have had success in containing the virus. The only other sports league to not use a bubble system is the MLB, opting to play in their stadiums per usual, and thus far, the MLB hasn’t been able to keep positive cases at zero like their counterparts.

There are obvious lessons that the NCAA

can learn from the professional leagues. The circumstances surrounding COVID-19 created a science experiment that allowed the NCAA to compare the bubble environments with the non-bubble MLB, and in the sample size given so far, it seems like having a bubble environment actually works, while having teams travel from stadium to stadium still leaves players vulnerable to contracting coronavirus. On the off chance sports return this year, colleges have to do so in a bubble environment, if protecting their student-athletes is a priority. Under normal circumstances, this would be impossible. After all, student-athletes need to go to class. But after recent events transpired, the impossibility of making the logistics of a college bubble work all of a sudden became less impossible.

NC State joined UNC and others in scrapping their attempts at classroom learning and finally decided to move all-online in-

struction. The list of schools that tried to have in-person classes but finally opted for online instruction is growing. This provides the opportunity, should college conferences decide it to be in their best interest, to transplant student-athletes into a bubble environment while still being able to stay in class.

There is no perfect solution to having college sports again, and perhaps schools should prioritize creating a safe environment for their students before having to worry about how to play sports again. But for the student-athletes that attend NC State and other colleges around the country, this is a problem that has a very easy solution: return to play at all costs.

In a previous commentary, I mentioned that many student-athletes desperately want to return to the field, showing their love for sports through the Twitter hashtag #WeWantToPlay. That article takes a less positive view of having student-athletes try to play, but it highlights something that has been lost in the argument to continue play in the last several months: Sure, fans of sports haven’t watched their favorite teams play and can put aside their feelings so that players can stay safe, but for student-athletes that haven’t played in months, efforts to keep them safe are depriving them of what they love to do. While we shouldn’t force anyone to play if they don’t want to, we also shouldn’t force people itching to play to stay idle. As the NCAA finds solutions to keep student-athletes safe, it’s worth remembering that keeping student-athletes safe and allowing players to play aren’t mutually exclusive. For the sake of the players who want to play, we need to pursue those kinds of solutions. In other words, let them have their cake, and eat it too.

Football season opener against Virginia Tech rescheduled Staff Report Originally reported by WRAL’s Joe Giglio on Tuesday, Aug. 25, NC State football’s season opener at Virginia Tech will be moved to Sept. 26, following 27 positive COVID-19 cases in a cluster associated with NC State Athletics.

Following Giglio’s original report, other reputable sources, including Yahoo’s Pete Thamel, have also reported the game will be rescheduled.

With the Virginia Tech game being moved, the season opener for NC State will now be Sept. 19 at home against Wake Forest.

NC State Athletics and the ACC officially announced the Virginia Tech game’s rescheduling in a statement released on Aug. 26, one day after Giglio’s initial report and hours after other sources also reported the game’s rescheduling.

“We appreciate the ACC and Virginia

Tech working together in partnership to move this game to a mutual open weekend,” said NC State Director of Athletics Boo Corrigan in the statement. “There’s no blueprint for what we’re all trying to navigate and we are grateful for everyone’s collaboration to make this work.”

“The ACC created a league schedule with f lexibility to adjust games if needed,” said head coach Dave Doeren.

“There are going to be times teams must adjust based on what is best for the health

and safety of the players and staffs involved. This move provides our team and staff the time needed to prepare and reacclimate after pausing our practices.”

NC State also added that there has not been a final decision made about fan capacity in Carter-Finley Stadium. According to the release, additional details about fan capacity for home games will be available at a later time.

Sports

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THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

NC State football defensive confidence index Jaylan Harrington

Multimedia Managing Editor

Things keep changing in the world due to COVID-19, and football is no exception. NC State’s season opener is now 23 days away: hosting Wake Forest Sept. 19. Let’s ignore the fact that NC State is sending students home due to over 20 COVID-19 clusters in and around campus—including one associated with NC State Athletics—and take a look at the defense: Defensive Line - Low NC State has a great defensive lineman pedigree, but that doesn’t mean the position group gets top marks without a reason to back it up. Last year’s defensive line was solid given the team ranked in the top 25 in tackles for loss and in the top 20 in the country for sacks. But with impact players Larrell Murchison and James Smith-Williams gone to the NFL, it remains to be seen who will step up alongside junior defensive tackle Alim McNeill.

The Wolfpack has a trio of young former four-stars with at least a year of development: redshirt freshman defensive tackles C.J. Clark and Joshua Harris, and sophomore defensive end Savion Jackson. All three got various amounts of playing time last year but were low on the depth chart.

Older contributors, like redshirt junior defensive end Ibrahim Kante and redshirt senior defensive tackle Val Martin, aren’t stars, but they added valued experience, and they return for this season. Penn State

graduate transfer Daniel Joseph is the wild card of the position group; it remains to be seen if he can carve out a starting role as one of the ends.

Linebackers - High If there was one position group that wowed last year, offensively or defensively, it was the linebacking corps. Redshirt sophomore Payton Wilson led the team in tackles in his first year of real action, senior Louis Acceus had the third-most sacks on the team and the group proved it went six deep. The Wolfpack returns all key contributors, and even adds USC transfer Vi Jones, who stood out last year, earning defensive and special teams scout team player of the year honors. The question isn’t whether this group will deliver again this year, it’s who will crack the starting lineup with so many high-caliber players.

Secondary - Medium NC State’s secondary was decimated by injury last season with its top four corners — Chris Ingram, Nick McCloud, Taiyon Palmer and Teshaun Smith — all being lost to season-ending lower-body injuries.

McCloud transferred to Notre Dame, and while the other three return and should be penciled in as contributors, there’s no way of knowing if they’ll be the same after these injuries.

At safety, losing De’Von Graves after Jarius Morehead exhausted his eligibility was a huge blow to NC State’s depth at strong safety, but the other two positions are pretty strong. Tanner Ingle was nothing but solid

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY RYAN FARISCHON

at free safety last year, with four pass breakups and the second-most tackles on the team, and Tyler Baker-Williams emerged at nickel. All in all, the secondary’s productivity will likely depend on the health of its cornerbacks.

Punter - High In his first year as a starter, redshirt junior Trenton Gill set a single-season school record, with an average of 47.6 yards per punt.

That mark was also good for third-best in the nation, and good enough for Gill to receive second-team preseason All-American honors from the Walter Camp Foundation.

Gill is good. Very good.

Coaching Staff - Low 2020’s defensive staff looks nothing like the 2019 edition. Tony Gibson, the lone holdover, is now defensive coordinator and linebackers coach. Charley Wiles and Brian Mitchell join the staff from Virginia Tech as defensive line and cornerbacks coach, respectively. Former player Freddie Aughtry-Lindsay joins the staff as nickels coach, and Joe DeForest joins as safeties coach. On paper, all four new hires look solid but it remains to be seen how the staff will gel as a whole.

Goal drought, losing streak continue for North Carolina FC Nicholas Schnittker Assistant Sports Editor

For the third game in a row, North Carolina FC was held scoreless, losing 1-0 to in-state rivals Charlotte Independence on Wednesday night.

NCFC’s last goal came in the 38th minute of the team’s 1-0 win over Memphis 901 FC on Aug. 8, and since then, it has lost to Birmingham Legion FC, Charleston Battery and, now, Charlotte Independence by a combined score of 6-0.

Charlotte’s lone goal came in the 59th minute, with a wonderful goal from Rey Ortiz. The midfielder brought a hard-hit cross under control with one touch, tapping it up into the perfect position to hit a stunning volley past NCFC goalkeeper Alex Tambakis and into the bottom corner from the edge of the box.

NCFC had a number of decent chances to put the ball in the back of the net, especially in the first half, with forwards Hadji Barry and Marios Lomis both being denied by a pair of solid saves from Independence goalkeeper Brandon Kristopher Miller.

With the loss, NCFC falls five points behind Charlotte in the Group G standings.

Currently, Birmingham leads the group with 18 points from nine games, Charlotte occupies the second playoff spot with 12 points from eight games, while NCFC and Memphis are on the outside looking in with seven points from seven games and six points from eight games, respectively.

NCFC will not have to wait long for another opportunity to pick up some points, as Memphis will be in town for a 7 p.m. kickoff on Saturday. If NCFC loses to Memphis, it will drop into last place in Group G with just eight games left to play.

DAVID TRACEY/TECHNICIAN

North Carolina FC goalkeeper Alex Tambakis warms up while wearing a Black Lives Matter t-shirt before playing Charleston Battery on Wednesday, Aug. 19, 2020 at WakeMed Soccer Park. Tambakis recorded five saves and conceded three goals as NCFC lost 3-0.

Sports

14 TECHNICIAN THURSDAY, AUGUST 27, 2020

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Former NC State guard Nate McMillan relieved of Pacers head coach duties Tristan Tucker

Assistant Sports Editor

After being swept in the NBA playoffs for the third time in four years, and a fourth-straight first round exit, the Indiana Pacers have relieved former NC State guard Nate McMillan of his head coaching duties.

As head coach of the Pacers, McMillan posted a 183-136 record, good for a 57% winning percentage. While good on paper, his 3-16 record in the playoffs factored greatly into the decision.

For some, this was a curious decision by the Pacers. While his playoff record was not great, he managed to overperform each season he was head coach. In his first season as head coach, he inherited a Pacers roster that was struggling to transition in the wake of star Paul George’s public trade request.

Eight of his 13 most used players in that same season aren’t even in the league anymore. That same team was swept by the Cleveland Cavaliers, but the biggest margin of loss by the Pacers in that series was just six points.

The next year, George was traded in exchange for Victor Oladipo and Domantas Sabonis, two players that became All-Stars with the Pacers.

This team also overperformed, won 48 games and even took the Cavaliers to seven games, despite eventually losing.

In the following two seasons, McMillan led the Pacers to 93 total wins. However, in the 2018-19 season, Oladipo was injured, and the team stood no chance in the playoffs with its star missing. This season, Sabonis was missing, and Oladipo was not at full health. The team was also missing a key rotation piece in Jeremy Lamb and the team was often injured all season.

Despite valid context in each series loss, McMillan is on the way out.

“This was a very hard decision for us to make,” said Pacers President of Basketball Operations Kevin Pritchard, in a press release. “But we feel it’s in the best interest of the organization to move in a different direction.”

Now, the Pacers will immediately begin searching for a head coach to lead them into a new era, with Houston Rockets coach Mike D’Antoni as a leading candidate.

The organization has many questions to answer, including what to do with Oladipo and whether or not Sabonis and center Myles Turner can coexist in a frontcourt together.

Career Highlights • • • • • • • •

Began career at Enloe High School in Raleigh Transferred to NC State under Jim Valvano, led team to Elite Eight twice Ranks 10th all-time in assists, 14th all-time in steals for NC State Holds NBA record for most assists in a game by a rookie, 25 Named to NBA All-Defensive Second Team twice, steals leader in 1994 Had his No. 10 jersey retired by Seattle SuperSonics in 1999 Helped Team USA win gold in the 2008 and 2012 Summer Olympics as assistant coach Finished Pacers tenure with the third-most wins in franchise history.

COURTESY OF TECHNICIAN ARCHIVES

Trio of NC State baseball players competed in various summer leagues this year Will Thornhill Staff Writer

In a normal summer, several members of the NC State baseball team travel all across the country to different summer leagues to keep playing and have the opportunity to be looked at by pro scouts. However, this summer was different with the COVID-19 pandemic canceling many summer leagues, including the prestigious Cape Cod Baseball League.

A lucky few, including shortstop Jose Torres, first baseman Austin Murr and third baseman DeAngelo Giles, were able to play this summer in Texas, Wisconsin and Thomasville, North Carolina, respectively.

Torres wreaked havoc in the Texas Collegiate League for the Amarillo Sod Squad.

The shortstop, who started for NC State as a freshman, led the Sod Squad with 26 RBI’s and was second on the team in hits with 31.

This led to him being named an All-Star.

Next is Murr, who played for the La Crosse Loggers in the Northwoods League. During his time in the Midwest, Murr batted .293 with 22 hits and a team-high eight doubles, tied for third-most in the league.

Lastly there is Giles, who chose to play

MARISSA MCHUGH/TECHNICIAN

Freshman infielder Jose Torres rounds second base at the baseball game against James Madison at Doak Field on Saturday, Feb. 15. The Wolfpack played James Madison three times over the weekend.

RYAN FARISCHON/TECHNICIAN

close to home with the High Point-Thomasville HiToms in the Coastal Plain League.

In 25 at bats on the season, Giles hit two home runs and batted .240 with nine RBI’s.

Being some of the lucky few who go to

play, these three players will look to take their experiences from this summer to Doak Field this spring, to help the Pack be one of the best teams in the country.

Junior infielder Austin Murr runs to first base during the game against James Madison University at Doak Field on Saturday, Feb. 15, 2020. Murr got three hits during the game.

Classified

TECHNICIAN 15

To place a classified ad, call 919.515.2411 or visit technicianonline.com/classifieds

HELP WANTED Sales and marketing team members NC State Student Media has paid and volunteer positions available for full-time NC State Students. The positions available are advertising sales, graphic design, social media developers and influencers, on-campus ambassadors, writers, djs, and other similar positions.

- NC State Student Media includes the following media outlets: - Agromeck - yearbook - Nubian Message - biweekly newspaper and website serving NC States Black students - Technician - weekly newspaper and daily online reporting on news, sports, arts and entertainment and commentary of interest to the NC State community - WKNC 88.1 FM HD-1/HD-2 - student-run, non-commercial radio broadcasting indie rock, hip-hop, metal and electronic music - Windhover - annual literary, visual and musical arts publication representing students, faculty, staff and alumni To get involved or learn more, fill out the form at https://studentmedia.dasa.ncsu.edu/jointheteam/ You can also leave a message at 919-515-2411.

We look forward to meeting you and having you join our team, which normally includes about 300 students. There is a place for everyone.

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GRAPHIC BY MYRA BARI

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Wear a mask, do your homework

FOR RELEASE AUGUST 27, 2020

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle Edited by Rich Norris and Joyce Lewis

ACROSS 1 “Amanpour & Co.” network 4 Enough and then some 9 Strand during a hail storm, say 14 GPS finding 15 Take it easy 16 “__ Rae” 17 Put to work 18 Small earthen pot 19 Huge success 20 Sandwich in Denver?

23 Astronomical octet 24 River Foyle’s province 28 Form 1099 agcy.

29 Japanese sandal 31 Hullabaloo 32 Puts up, as drapes 35 Sandwich on the briny?

37 Scott of “Big Little Lies” 38 Examined in court 39 Metric prefix 40 Sandwich in the neighborhood?

42 Like a soufflé, if everything goes well 43 Busy mo. for the 28-Across 44 Senate staffer 45 Some MIT grads 46 Wright who quipped, “Everywhere is walking distance if you have the time” 48 Elaborate wardrobe 52 Sandwich at a church concert?

55 Left 58 Bugs with weapons 59 Oral health org.

60 Musical work 61 Revise 62 Casual greetings 63 Gets the kitty going 64 They may be pressing 65 Neruda verse

8/27/20

By Andy Morrison

DOWN 1 Zaftig 2 Pho garnish 3 Inscribed pillar 4 Quiver carriers 5 Rates 6 Promotes 7 Mascara target 8 Corp. bigwig 9 Pancreatic hormone 10 “The Gift of the Magi” gift 11 Stat for Clayton Kershaw 12 Online chats, briefly 13 “Hard pass” 21 “The Imitation Game” encryption machine 22 Shockingly vivid 25 Zaps 26 Elicit 27 Sign of spring 29 Former name of the Congo 30 Cookie with a Tiramisu Flavor Creme variety 32 “Papa Bear” of football 33 Take on

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

©2020 Tribune Content Agency, LLC

34 Mother-of-pearl 35 TV’s talking horse 36 Acquirer of more than 1,000 patents 38 Doohickey 41 Ophelia’s brother 42 Does some jogging?

45 Task for a gofer 47 Word with mail or box

8/27/20

48 Say yes 49 You can cross it in about an hour on I-90 50 Fixed up 51 Remove all traces of 53 Grace period?

54 Alaskan seaport 55 Place for a peel 56 Map insert 57 Service to redo