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UC reaction to DAPL
Students react to Trump’s executive order on the Dakota Access Pipeline
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‘Dragon Play’ at Know Theatre
A mystical and interesting love story takes the stage at the Know Theatre
THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI MONDAY , JAN. 30, 2017
NEWSRECORD.ORG
‘Defense’ act comes back FADA could have serious impacts on students CLARITY AMREIN | STAFF REPORTER
ERIC SEALS/DETROIT FREE PRESS/TNS
Tom Molina-Duarte, left, 28 and husband Bryan Victor, 30, pose for a portrait on Oct. 3, 2015 in their Detroit, Mich., home. The couple married in August but had been dating four years prior.
U.S. Senators Ted Cruz and Mike Lee announced earlier this month that they plan to reintroduce a bill called the First Amendment Defense Act (FADA), according to NBC News. At one point, the bill was unable to get a hearing due to opposition from Democrats, but now its’ more likely to succeed due to a Republican-controlled congress, and Trump has pledged to sign FADA if passed by Congress. The bill would overturn one of former President Barack Obama’s executive orders, which ordered employment protection for LGBTQ+ and transgender federal or federallycontracted employees, according to LGBTQ Nation. The FADA prohibits the federal government from taking “discriminatory action” against any business or person that discriminates against LGBTQ+ people, according to Congress.gov. The act aims to protect the right of businesses to refuse service to LGBTQ+ people if they have an established religious or moral conviction that, as the bill states, “(1) marriage is or should be
recognized as the union of one man and one woman, or (2) sexual relations are properly reserved to such a marriage,” also according to Congress.gov “FADA allows individuals and businesses to sue the federal government for interfering in their right to discriminate against LGBTQ people, and it would mandate the Attorney General defend the businesses,” according to NBC News. Mississippi passed a similar law, HB 1523, which is nearly identical to FADA, as it allows people and businesses to refuse service to LGBTQ+ people. The 2016 state law was blocked by a judge, and the case has gone to a higher court after a federal court ruled it in violation of the federal Equal Protection and Establishment Clauses, according to NBC News. Some politicians suspect that if this law passes, it will be heavily challenged in court with legal precedent to support it. However, if the bill does pass, it could have devastating results on the LGBTQ+ community across the country and here at home, according to some. Several UC students and
members of the university’s LGBTQ Center commented on how the bill might affect students on campus. Julia Draznin, a secondyear entrepreneurship and marketing student, and Ariel Shaw, a firstyear women’s gender and sexuality student, said that they know some students will be outraged, hurt and upset, and even worried that “it might inspire companies to put up anti-LGBTQ signs,” said Draznin. Warren Davidson, also a women’s gender and sexuality studies student, mentioned that because of rising awareness and acceptance, refusing to serve LBGTQ+ people might cause people to boycott businesses, causing them to close. He recalled a similar incident that occurred in his hometown. Regardless, it seems that if the bill passes, it could be met with great opposition, and the students at UC’s LGBTQ Center predicted that protests, boycotts and equality activism would only increase. The LGBTQ+ community and its many allies remain optimistic as more information about FADA surfaces.
Campus reacts to historic Crosstown Shootout DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
It was a sea of black, something Cincinnati has never seen. Almost 13,500 people piled into Fifth Third Arena Thursday, an arena record, all to witness the Crosstown Shootout. The home team, No. 19 Cincinnati Bearcats, took on their cross-city rival, No. 24 Xavier University, and the UC fans made sure their voices were heard. Like their black shirts, everyone’s voices blended in unison as many hoped to reclaim their city. Cincinnati fell threestraight games to their rivaled Musketeers, but that losing streak was halted that night in front of the sellout crowd. “The atmosphere was incredible. Definitely one of the best games I’ve experienced at Fifth Third in my five years here,” said fifth-year informational technology student Kyle Klingler. The atmosphere was not just felt by the people in attendance as those watching the game from home could tell the impact the fans had on the game. “Even just watching the game on TV, it was evident that the atmosphere was incredible. I think the crowd was definitely a catalyst in the victory,” said fourth-year sports administration student Chandler Patterson. The Bearcats defeated Xavier 86-78, but the crowd was not always loud and was not the only piece of history made during the night. Xavier guard Trevon Bluiett was the story of the first half, scoring 26 points in the period, leading to a 44-36 halftime lead over UC. He sunk his first eight three-point attempts and went on to make nine of them, tying a school record. Bluiett scored 40 points in the game, the second-most by an opponent in a game at UC. The only player with more points was Dell Curry, father of Golden State Warriors guard Stephen Curry, with 41 during the 1985-86 season. “I kept saying to myself ‘He’ll start missing,’” Patterson said. “Well, that wasn’t the case. He had an incredible game, but the guys guarding him kept their heads up and played their game.” One of the biggest shots
Bluiett made was when he made an acrobatic threepointer at the buzzer, right before heading into the locker room at halftime. “At the end of the second half when he made the shot, I fell to my seat and thought, ‘Here we go again,’” said third-year sports administration student Joey Urenovitch. “UC has had trouble guarding the three and it showed at the game. They were able to slow him down in the second half, but it looked like nothing
could stop him.” Slowing him down is what the Bearcats did to win the game, holding him to 14 points in the second half, ultimately contributing to their win. Cincinnati is on an 11game winning streak, and Xavier was the second top25 team UC has defeated this season. The recent excelled play of the Bearcats is leaving their screaming fans hopeful that this season is special. “Other years, UC would
have probably lost, but not this year,” said Urenovitch. “This team is different, and I think with the rest of the schedule UC could be one of the top seeds in the [NCAA] tournament. A deep run is expected.” Urenovitch is not the only fan expecting a deep tournament run. “I think this win will spur them into a great end of the season. The Bearcats are a force to reckon with,” Patterson said.
PHOTO PROVIDED BY HYPERLOOP UC’S FACEBOOK PAGE.
UC Hyperloop team competes in SpaceX competition in Cali PARKER MALATESTA | NEWS EDITOR
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Troy Caupain (10) celebrates as the Bearcats take down crosstown rivals Xavier 86-78, Thursday, January 26, 2017 at Fifth Third Arena.
The University of Cincinnati Hyperloop team is one of 27 teams that competed in the SpaceX Hyperloop pod competition Friday through Sunday. The event took place at SpaceX’s headquarters in Hawthorne, California. With the initial idea deriving from entrepreneur Elon Musk, the purpose of the competition is to improve the development and implementation of a functional Hyperloop prototype and to encourage student innovation in the project. The ultimate goal is to create a mode of transportation that is safer, faster, cheaper, more convenient, weather immune, sustainably self-powering, earthquake resistant and undisruptive compared to today’s planes, trains and automobiles. This competition is the first of its kind anywhere in the globe. Due to a high volume of initial submissions, Musk has declared that there will be numerous competitions in the future. Dhaval Shivani, president of Hyperloop UC, looks at the competition with a broad scope. He said the UC team plans to continually refine their prototype for future competitions, focusing on always improving and strengthening core fundamentals. In the days leading up to the competition, the team did not run into any unexpected problems. “Things are going exactly as they should be,” said Shivani. The proposed transportation system claims that with the final product, you can travel from Cincinnati to Chicago in half an hour. The Hyperloop prototype
is made up of four main proponents: The capsule, the tube, the linear accelerator needed to propel the pod and a route with stations. With the creation of a Hyperloop pod, the initial problem you run into is the Kantrowitz limit. This is known as nature’s top speed law for a given tube to pod ratio. There are two solutions to Kantrowitz limit, one that leaves the prototype going slowly and another that pushes the pod to high acceleration. The current conventional approach to solving this issue is mounting an electric compressor fan on the nose of the pod, which will actively transfer high pressure air from the front to the back of the pod. Now that ideas are developing, innovators are looking at the needed economics of a Hyperloop prototype. The benefit of building a tube track instead of a railroad is that it can be constructed in prefabricated sections that are entirely put together by an orbital seam welder. Because of the necessity to build the track on pylons, you can nearly avoid the option to buy land and instead place the route along a very straight highway, such as California Interstate 5. By placing solar panels on top of the pod, the Hyperloop can produce surplus energy needed for transportation. In terms of energy cost, the Hyperloop is incomparable. Conventional modes of transportation use roughly 15 times more energy. The final goal of this Hyperloop project is to create a mode of transportation that is inexpensive, quick and environmentally sound.
FREE
2 / NEWS UC students react to Trump’s DAPL memorandum MONDAY, JAN. 30, 2017
TIM GOLDENBERG | STAFF REPORTER
With the inauguration of Donald Trump as the 45th President of the United States, many of the decisions made at the end of former President Barack Obama’s term were reversed to favor conditions more in line with the new administration’s views. On Jan. 24, President Trump signed a presidential memorandum advancing the construction of the Dakota Access (DAPL) and Keystone Pipelines under unspecified terms and conditions, while also expediting the Army Corps of Engineers’ environmental review of the effects of DAPL, a process President Trump called “incredible cumbersome, long, [and] horrible.” The Dakota Access Pipeline is a proposed 1,172-mile underground pipeline drawn up for the purpose of transporting oil from the Bakken shale oil fields of North Dakota to mid-Southern Illinois.
The pipeline’s controversial reception has been primarily due to the potential environmental impact the pipeline could have, including potential leaks into the drinking water of the Missouri River, as well as potential disturbances of farming land and implications of eminent domain regarding the construction of the pipeline. While a presidential memorandum carries less public recognition than its better-known relative, the executive order, it still has similar effects on the individual project. The memo might represent a conflict of interest, owning between $50,000 and $100,000 in Energy Transfer Partners, the company responsible for creating the pipeline, according to The Guardian. This move reverses the decision made by the Obama administration to deny finalizing permits for the Dakota Access Pipeline, instead waiting for the Army Corp of Engineers to
conduct an environmental impact review for the route of the pipeline to find a way in which it did not end up crossing the Missouri River. The Standing Rock Sioux Tribe issued a statement in opposition to the presidential memorandum, stating that “the existing pipeline route risks infringing on [their] treaty rights, contaminating our water and the water of seventeen million Americans downstream,” though not addressing any potential alternate routes. First-year international business and marketing student Emily Heckman wasn’t hopeful about the renewed efforts for the Dakota Access Pipeline. “With the environmental dangers that have been outlined about the pipeline, coupled with the usage of even more Native American land, I fail to be hopeful about long-term success of this pipeline build,” adding the belief that “most of the jobs added with this project would
be nothing but temporary employment opportunities” About 500 protesters remain at Camp Oceti Sakowin, Standing Rock’s primary camp, waiting out the conclusion of the Dakota Access Pipeline’s potential route by the Standing Rock Indian Reservation, with the hope that the final report from the Army Corps of
Engineers will conclude on a re-routing of the pipeline through a more environmentally-friendly and less societallyimpactful route. Meanwhile, in Cincinnati, the American Indian Movement of Indiana and Northern Kentucky, Black Lives Matter: Cincinnati and Cincinnati Socialist Alternative will continue
to hold actions against the pipeline. Neither major political party can be trusted, said BLMC Steering Committee member Brian Taylor at a protest Saturday. “We cannot appeal to the conscience of those who have none … the people you can trust are the ones beside you today.”
DAVID GIFREDA | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
People gather at Washington Park to show support for Standing Rock Reservation at a demonstration organized by the American Indian Movement Chapter of Indiana and Kentucky on Saturday January 28, 2017.
Most dangerous crosswalks LAUREN MORETTO | MANAGING EDITOR
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
Calhoun crosswalk, Sunday, January 29, 2017.
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UC and its sexual education may change JUSTIN REUTTER | NEWS EDITOR
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Of Cincinnati’s top nine most dangerous crosswalks, two are among those frequented by University of Cincinnati students. Over a 30-month period between 2014 and May 2016, the crosswalk at the intersection of Calhoun Street and Clifton Avenue saw seven crashes involving pedestrians or bicycles; the intersection at Calhoun Street and Jefferson Avenue saw six. City Manager Harry Black reviewed the crash data in a report to the mayor and members of City Council sent on Aug. 3, 2016. One crosswalk on UC’s campus did not make the list but has since seen three accidents involving pedestrians over a four-month period. On Jan. 13, two pedestrians were struck at the Calhoun Street crosswalk near South Market Street. The incident occurred at 11:45 p.m. The driver of the vehicle stopped and complied with officers on the scene, and the two individuals were taken to the UC Medical Center. Around four months prior on Sep. 8, 2016, Jiaen Zhang, then a 19-year-old student at UC’s College Conservatory of Music, was hit at 10:30 p.m. while in the same crosswalk. The impact threw her 20 feet and knocked her unconscious. “I broke my thigh and here a fracture on my hand and some traumatic brain injury,” Zhang told Local 12, having also sustained bruises on her lung and liver. In Zhang’s case, the car that struck her drove away. Students and community members find themselves scurrying through the crosswalk on a daily basis. “I feel like I might get hit,” Kate Yingst, a second-year social work student said of the crosswalk. “Some cars are really nice and they’ll let me walk.” Others, like first-year health sciences
student Chris Guiry, have had close calls. On one occasion, Guiry was walking to class when a car cruising down the road nearly hit him in the crosswalk. Many UC students depart from their homes or apartments on foot to get where they’re going, and in such a walkable neighborhood like Clifton – where restaurants, nightlife and class are all within a 15-minute walk – more visible crosswalks may improve the safety of their trip. Currently, the Calhoun Street crosswalk has high visibility signage installed and is clearly marked with painted markings – but some students say this is not enough. “If they had flashing lights or something, it would make people recognize that this is a crosswalk. ‘Cause I’ve seen it all the time – people come around here and they almost get hit by cars,” said Guiry. A technique successfully used in the past by the Department of Transportation and Engineering (DOTE) is the installation of curb extensions, or “bump-outs,” which help create a shorter distance for the pedestrian to cross and allows them to see around parked cars. Additions to the crosswalk would have minimal affect, according to McKenzie English, a second-year pathology student. “It’s not an area where many people want to stop,” said English, adding that improved markings aren’t likely to change anything. Another approach to crosswalk safety is to go to the root of the problem. Underlying poor behaviors that negatively influence pedestrian safety – such as speeding, inattention, distracted driving or failure to yield – continue to grow, often with tragic results, according to Black’s report. Combating these problems will require enhanced education and enforcement. Broadcast reporter Emily Wilhelm and videographer Michelle Fisk contributed to this report.
UC is in need of comprehensive sexual consent education reform, said Grace Cunningham, co-founder and leader of Students for Survivors (SFS). Currently, UC students are asked to “think about it” by taking a short online course regarding topics of responsible alcohol consumption and sexual consent. However, the program is very flawed and not nearly comprehensive enough, according to Cunningham. “Consent education needs to be in person,” said Cunningham. “Conversation and dialogue are so important. The program online barely talks about consent and sexual assault.” The focus of the program is mainly on alcohol and drug consumption, according to Cunningham, and there is no way to ensure that UC students even learn the information available. Additionally, there is no way to check that students have actually taken the online course or if they paid attention. “Students can click through the program without obtaining any of the info presented,” said Cunningham. SFS has been invited to collaborate with administration to build a workshop, but so far, it has been vague, said
Cunningham. In November, SFS released a list of demands to the university website. “We acknowledge that consent education must begin at a young age, but sadly, our society has failed to do this,” reads their seventh demand. The UC Wellness Center currently offers a GenderBased Violence Prevention and Educational Outreach series. This consists of a series of lectures on rape culture and gender-based violence. It is a traveling program, meaning they will come anywhere on or around campus and will be presented to classes, clubs and student organization meetings These programs consist of lectures that can be offered on request and can be 60 or 90 minutes long, depending on the needs of the group. These include lectures, for example, on intimate partner violence, Consent 101, Gender Roles and Power Dynamics. The program is designed to help students “learn the knowledge and skills you need to identify rape culture and promote consent culture through a variety of engaging activities,” according to the program’s site. However, none of these programs are required for all UC students. “The Women’s Center would like to start a consent ambassador program, but that will more than likely not be
happening until next year because of planning and other logistical stuff they have to figure out,” said Student Government Director of Women’s Affairs and Co-President of UC Feminists Madison Landkrohn. In recent years, technologies have been developed to help women fend off attackers, such as a rape drug detecting nail polish, “anti-rape shorts” and pepperspray with built in cameras. But a prevailing thought in feminist theory goes that from a young age, women are taught to protect
themselves from being assaulted, but the root of the cause, a lack of proper consent education among boys, is not addressed. “I think rape prevention technologies are important and should be used and should be used if you need them to feel safe. However, I also think it’s unnecessary that women need to take such extra precautionary measures … I think it’s more important that we teach people to not rape and the true meaning of consent instead of how to prevent rape,” said Madison Ivey, a third-year entrepreneurship student.
Founded 1880 University of Cincinnati 45221-0135 Newsroom 509 Swift Hall 513-556-5912 chief.newsrecord@gmail. com Advertising 510 Swift Hall 513-556-5902 newsrecordbiz@ gmail.com The News Record is the editorially independent student-run news organization of the University of Cincinnati. It serves UC students, staff, faculty, alumni and the Cincinnati community with award-winning news and information on a variety of media platforms. The free newspaper is published on Mondays and Thursdays and is distributed to more than 80 locations on and near UC campuses. TNR’s website, www.newsrecord. org, is updated as news breaks and offers video, audio and interactive features. TNR’s app and podcasts are available for download on mobile devices. FOLLOW US ON SOCIAL MEDIA Facebook TheNewsRecord Twitter @NewsRecord_UC Instagram TheNewsRecord SoundCloud The-News-Record-1 STAFF Editor-In-Chief Jeff O’Rear Managing Editor Lauren Moretto News Editors Justin Reutter Parker Malatesta Chief Reporter Emily Stolz Life & Arts Editor Isabella Jansen Opinion Editor Karly Williams Sports Editor David Wysong Copy Editor Cheyenne Krieger Photo Editor Shae Combs Chief Photographer Jean Pleitez Online Editor Stephanie Smith Designer Gabrielle Stichweh Broadcast Reporter Emily Wilhelm Videographer Michelle Fisk
ERIN HOOLEY | CHICAGO TRIBUNE | TNS
Teaching assistant Anna Kaszuba participates in a discussion about effective ways of confronting racist, sexist and homophobic behavior in a First Year Campus Acquaintance Rape Education class at the University of Illinois on Oct. 15, 2015 in Urbana-Champaign, Ill. The FYCARE workshop, which is mandatory for all first-year students, aims to educate students about on campus sexual assault, promote discussion and encourage students to look out for the safety and well-being of their fellow students.
Correction: Jan. 26’s article “UC’s Win by Quitting program supports tobacco ban” should have stated that the campus smoking ban will go into effect May 1.
LIFE & ARTS / 3 MONDAY, JAN. 30, 2017
Brewcats: Braxton Brewing Co. pairs up with Graeter’s RUSSELL HAUSFELD | SENIOR REPORTER
A very “Cincinnati” mash-up is about to be unleashed. Craft brewery Braxton Brewing Company and the local gods of ice cream, the Graeter family, paired up to bring to life something we’ve always wanted, but never knew about: The Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chocolate Chip Milk Stout. This creamy milk stout was brewed with Graeter’s black raspberry puree – concocted from black raspberries of Oregon’s Willamette Valley – and fresh cocoa nibs. The limited release kicks off Friday, Feb. 3 with a tapping party at Braxton Brewing Company. Bob and Rich Graeter will be in attendance, handing out free scoops of black raspberry chip ice cream while their supplies last. “We’re excited to partner with another local family company to create something truly unique,” Richard Graeter, CEO of Graeter’s Ice Cream, said in a statement. “As a Cincinnati-grown company ourselves, we’re proud to support not only local companies, but also craft brands that are just as passionate
about preserving their authenticity as we are.” The tapping party has over 5,500 people interested in attending, according to Facebook. Obviously, all won’t show up, but this pairing has clearly grabbed the attention of many Cincinnatians. Braxton Brewing’s co-founder and CEO Jack Rouse is more than excited to present this beer to the public, praising this brew as a serious achievement for the brewery. “Over the past six months, our teams have taken this project from imagination to one of the best tasting stouts we’ve ever created,” Rouse said in a statement. “We hope this is the first of many collaborations between the Braxton and Graeter’s Family and can’t wait for consumers to get their hands on this beer.” GO: Braxton and Graeter’s Black Raspberry Chip Milk Stout Tapping Party, Braxton Brewing Company, 27 W 7th St., Covington, KY, Friday, Feb. 3, 6 p.m.-11 p.m. BUY: The Black Raspberry Chip Milk Stout will be available at participating Kroger stores and independent area retailers on Feb. 6.
PROVIDED
CAROLE POSTER | CONTRIBUTOR
Clifton Market’s large produce section focuses on locally sourced food and produce.
Ludlow welcomes Clifton Market CHEYENNE KRIEGER | COPY EDITOR
Ludlow Avenue welcomes yet another business to the University of Cincinnati community – the Clifton Market. The Clifton Market was incorporated as a cooperative, meaning a group within the community created the grocery store and sells shares for $200 to those in the area. It is a store owned and operated by these shareholders, which gives a new meaning to the city’s grocery store presence. “A small group of Clifton residents and friends of Clifton met in the fall of 2013, and [they] visited coops around the country and wrote the Clifton Market by-laws. We incorporated in Ohio in Jan. 2014,” said Director of Marketing Marilyn Hyland. The first public meeting was in March 2014 at the
popular Esquire Theatre, and 100 shares were sold that first day. Today, there are about 1,500 shareowners, according to Hyland. Clifton Market offers fresh, local, organic produce, as well as homemade meals and salads. What sets them apart from major grocery retailers is the hometown feel and emphasis on community partnership. “I am so excited to have a co-op in Clifton. It’s only been open for about a week, and I think I’ve already been there five times,” said English doctoral candidate Lindsey Kurz. With the market being within walking distance of students who live near Ludlow Avenue and campus, many students find themselves frequenting the store more than places like Kroger or
Meijer. “I normally shop at Kroger, but now that the Clifton Market is around the corner from where I live, I find myself popping in there for my groceries. They have a great selection of organic goods,” said fourth-year architecture student Claire Dynes. The Clifton Market follows a longstanding tradition of having a grocery store at 319 Ludlow Avenue. “There has been a grocery store at 319 Ludlow Avenue since 1929. First an A & P from 1929-39, then Keller’s IGA from 1939-2011 and now Clifton Market! The grocery store is the economic engine of the Ludlow Avenue business district,” said Hyland. With the convenient location and demand for a high-quality grocer, the Clifton Market is projected at having 15,000 people a
week visiting the store. The increased traffic around Ludlow will not only benefit the Clifton Market, but also the surrounding business and restaurants. “It is a social space as well as the hearth of the community,” said Hyland. Not all students are excited about the market, though. “I guess it’s fine for those who live by Ludlow, but I still prefer to get my groceries from Kroger. If the Clifton Market had a program like the Kroger Plus Card, I might go there more,” said fourth-year English student Jordan Posey. The Clifton Market is a fresh take on grocery shopping. To form your own opinions, head on over, grab a cart and take a stroll around the market with your shopping list.
Know Theatre opens ‘Dragon Play’ RUSSELL HAUSFELD | SENIOR REPORTER
PROVIDED BY CCM
CCM hosts annual Steel Band concert Saturday night in Corbett Auditorium NOELLE ZIELINSKI | CONTRIBUTOR
The band, coordinated and directed by Russell Burge, performed several types of songs, ranging from Trinidad melodies to pop and rock arrangements. Declan Hayden, a first-year percussion performance and music education student, said that he never played steel drums until coming to UC. “It was difficult at first because the order of the notes in the pan is different than other instruments,” said Hayden. The band’s combination of entertaining music selections as well as lively performers created an irresistible atmosphere. Burge encouraged audience members to clap along, dance and even cheer in the middle of songs if they felt inclined to do so. This annual concert’s intermission featured a two-song performance from CinciSon, a salsa band. During this performance, members of the ensemble and the audience rose to their feet to dance to the music. “We feed off of each other’s energy and the energy from the audience, and it makes performing better,” said Paulina Michels, a second-year master student in percussion performance. Michels also played steel drums for the first time in the percussion program here at CCM, and just like any new skill, it took some time to master. “The pitches in the pan are organized differently, and it just takes some getting used to,” said Michels. Afterward, some of the members from CinciSon were asked to join the Steel Band for a few selected songs to accompany on the drums or other instruments. The Steel Band also incorporated sounds from other instruments as well, such as the xylophone, marimba and piano, adding complexity and depth to many of their
songs. This break in their songs allowed the audience to experience elements from different types of music. Performing lively songs such as “Birthday Party” and “H.M.A” allowed the members of the band to create a contagious, upbeat energy that filled the auditorium. “‘Birthday Party’ is just all over the place. It’s a very active song to perform,” said Hayden. During the last song, members of the audience were encouraged to join a conga line that circled the entire theater while others were invited to clap along to the rhythm of the music. Aside from the traditional Trinidad music, the band performed rock songs such as “Tom Sawyer” by Rush and pop songs like “Roxanne” by Sting. These songs sparked interest throughout the auditorium and provided a sense of familiarity among the audience. Other songs such as “Jump Up” and “Yes Darling” introduced audience members with a taste of Trinidad music, which was both tropical and relaxing. CCM’s Steel Drum Band is among many of the talented and well-known programs taught at the college of music. Students in percussion have three sections each year: a section for percussion ensemble, the steel drum ensemble and an additional section of percussion ensemble. This annual concert marks the end of the steel drum ensemble section. The students in the CCM Steel Band have spent months preparing for this showcase, which was clearly expressed through their intriguing performance. The performance was a perfect blend of skill, entertainment and diverse music that was enjoyed by both band members and the audience.
“Fly away, Dragon Girl. You’re the only one with wings, here.” Know Theatre opened “Dragon Play,” the fifth production of its nineteenth season, on Friday to a full house snuggly packed into the theater’s upstairs auditorium. I’ve attempted to explain the story of “Dragon Play” – a love triangle between two human men and a dragon woman, set in a modernday suburban home – to friends, but realized it is near impossible to understand without actually having witnessed it yourself. Playwright Jenny Connell Davis’ premise is weird and magical, yet contained within a grounded and surprisingly-human world. Here is how Know Theatre describes the play on their website: “Dragons are people and love is beautifully complicated.” And as bizarre as this play may sound, when it is performed in front of you, it is actually very straightforward and easy to follow. The stage is split in half to depict two separate scenes, representing the past and future. On the left is a cave, with a pile of rocks atop
which a young Dragon Girl (Kearston HawkinsJohnson) falls in love with a young man called Loser Boy (Josh Reiter). On the right is an intricately designed log cabin kitchen where an older version of the Dragon Girl (Torie Wiggins) lives with her husband (Paul Strickland), who is, curiously, not the younger man on the left side of the stage. The meat of the production revolves around what happens when an older Loser Boy (Claron Hayden) comes to visit Dragon Girl almost a decade after the two lovers lost contact. The left-hand set depicts a much more fairytale-esque story (boy meets dragon), while a more complicated and adult-oriented story plays out on the right-hand side of the stage as two flawed – yet redeemable – men fight for a dragon’s love. Hawkins-Johnson and Reiter have hilarious chemistry between both of their characters. Lanky Reiter struts around the stage in adorably awkward clothing, from a wife beater and a military jacket to a Sunoco cashier’s uniform. And Hawkins-Johnson, playing a dragon, wears tight black clothing, with ripped-up frills in just the
right areas to suggest a dragon-like appearance. The two have a mutual curiosity about the worlds in which one another live. The choice to not have two characters in giant dragon outfits strutting around stage was one of the best parts about this production. It left a lot to the imagination and worked wonderfully to depict the play’s assertion that humans usually cannot see dragons for what they are, because humans only perceive what they understand. Wiggins’ struggle with the urge of all dragons – to fly away and lead a nomadic life – while being tied down by a family and a home is an incredibly human dilemma. In fact, it is a story that has been played out time and time again and could seem contrived or overdone. However, by throwing in the fantastic element of dragons and following through with it wholeheartedly, “Dragon Play” stands out as a uniquely emotional and quirky piece of dramatic theater. GO: “Dragon Play,” Know Theatre, 1120 Jackson St, through Feb. 18, 8 p.m. Wednesday-Saturday, 3 p.m. Sunday. $25 or $15 Rush tickets.
PROVIDED BY KNOW THEATRE
4 / SPORTS MONDAY, JAN. 30, 2017
Shanice Johnson is taking UC women’s basketball by storm ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER
JEAN PLEITEZ | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER
University of Cincinnati women’s basketball coach Jamelle Elliott admits that junior forward Shanice Johnson is probably the best player she has ever coached at UC. “Top to bottom, she’s probably the most complete player physically and from a basketball IQ standpoint that I’ve coached here,” Elliott said following a tough overtime loss against Tulane University on Saturday. “Her ability to take over a game on offense by touching the ball in the post, touching it at the high post, touching it outside the three,” Elliott said. “Her versatility, I think, makes her a matchup problem for any team that we face. And defensively, she’s a really, really, really good anticipator off the ball. She has the ability to sit down and guard a post player
one on one.” In action versus Tulane, Johnson got off to a quiet start. She committed a pair of turnovers early and picked up a foul. But as the game wore on she demonstrated all the talents that Elliot described post-game: a block here, an assist there, a trey from the top of the arc and a turnaround jumper from the block. Johnson finished the contest with a doubledouble by dropping 18 points and nabbing 14 rebounds. Additionally, she led the Bearcats with five steals and tied for the team lead in assists with four. Her one regret was that she fouled out in overtime. “I feel like I let my team down because I shouldn’t have fouled out,” said Johnson. This is just Johnson’s first year of action in a Cincinnati uniform. Previously, she played
at Monroe Community College in upstate New York where she caught the eye of Cincinnati assistant coach Geoff Lanier. Temple University and Rutgers University were on Johnson’s short list of destinations to land, along with Cincinnati. UC ended up feeling like the perfect fit for the 5-foot-11-inch forward. “I came out for a visit and I loved it. I loved the team,” said Johnson. “It’s like we clicked right away, so I was pumped to come out here and start a new experience.” So far the “new experience” has gone swimmingly. Johnson is averaging 15.7 points per game along with 9.8 rebounds per game. She also leads the team in steals with 62 and blocks with 33. With stats like that, Johnson has been making perennial appearances
on the American Athletic Conference’s Weekly Honor Roll. Numbers are one thing, but putting in hard work to become a great twoway player can be another beast. “You can’t talk about something and not really act on it. So, as far as my defensive skills, I’ve been really striving to just get stops because defense, to me, leads to offense,” said Johnson. In Johnson’s case, her actions speak for themselves, but she also has plenty to say too. Just ask teammate Chelsea Warren, a sophomore forward. “Shanice is Shanice. She makes everyone better. She’s going to be in your ear when you’re not going hard. She’s going to be in your ear when you’re going hard. She just wants the best out of everyone,” said Warren.
Shanice Johnson (21) is guarded by SMU defender, January 17 at Fifth Third Arena.
Bracketology: No. 1 seeds right now DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR
It’s almost February, and college basketball is in the heart of its conference play. March is drawing closer, meaning it is almost time to print and fill out the NCAA Tournament brackets. Experts always give their guess of what they think the brackets will look like, so I am going to give you some of my own Bracketology. Here are the four teams I believe will be the No. 1 seeds in the tournament.
Kansas Jayhawks
I know, this selection makes me want to puke. Kansas seems to always be a No. 1 seed every year, but you cannot discount their 19-2 record. The Jayhawks lost to the Bob Huggins-led West Virginia team this week, but they bounced back with a huge win at No. 4 Kentucky. Kansas became only the third team in history to defeat the Wildcats at Kentucky when both teams are ranked in the top-five. The other teams to do so were North Carolina during the 1968-69 season and Arkansas in 1993-94, according to a tweet from ESPN’s SportsCenter. North Carolina went to the Final Four that season and Arkansas won it all, meaning history could be on the Jayhawks’ side. Kansas has terrific guardplay with Frank Mason III, who seems like he’s been wearing the Kansas blue for over a decade, and
freshman Josh Jackson who towers defenders at six-foot-eight. Expect to see the Jayhawks atop a tournament region.
Gonzaga Bulldogs
I don’t particularly think Gonzaga is one of the topfour teams in the country, but their 21-0 record puts them in the conversation for a one-seed. The Bulldogs have taken advantage of their belowaverage conference and took care of a strong team in Arizona earlier this season. Gonzaga’s success has been largely in part due to junior guard Nigel Williams-Gross. Gross leads the team in points with 15 per game and is second in rebounds with 5.6.
Saint Mary’s and BYU are the only two teams that could somewhat give Gonzaga any trouble in the regular season, but I expect them to defeat both of those squads, securing a No. 1 seed.
Villanova Wildcats
The defending championWildcats lost this week, but they will still be a No. 1 seed. Villanova is 19-2 as of Jan. 29 and both of their losses were close games. Villanova has almost the same roster from when they won the championship last year. The only key contributor they lost was guard Ryan Arcidiacono due to graduation. Josh Hart led the team in scoring last season and has taken the next step this year. Hart is averaging 19
points per game and almost 7 rebounds. Hart’s ability to rebound has led to Villanova being No. 3 in the nation in rebounds per game. If they can continue to rebound effectively and get the same production night-in and night-out from Hart, Villanova will be a No. 1 seed.
Arizona Wildcats
Arizona is another team where I do not believe they are one of the top-four teams in the country. However, the Wildcats are 19-2 and have a considerably weaker remaining schedule than some of the other top contenders. Arizona runs a wellbalanced offense as five guys average double-digit points per game, and guard Kadeem Allen almost makes it six, scoring 9.9 per game. The plethora of weapons at Arizona’s disposal will lead them to a No. 1 seed, but their inability to defend and rebound will be their demise in the tournament.
Where will Cincinnati fall?
STEVEN M. FALK | PHILADELPHIA INQUIRER | TNS
Villanova’s Darryl Reynolds dunks against American during the first half on Wednesday, Dec. 21, 2016 at The Pavilion in Villanova, Pa.
Prior to last week, many experts predicted Cincinnati to be a No. 5 seed. After their huge win against the No. 24 ranked Xavier, I expect UC to be a No. 3 seed. The Bearcats can actually score with ease this year, and their defense ranks with the best of them.
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Is this Cronin’s
best roster at UC? ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER OPINION
Is this the best squad the University of Cincinnati men’s head basketball coach Mick Cronin has coached? The question comes naturally this season because the Bearcats are 18-2, and they are undefeated in the American Athletic Conference. A resume-building win against Xavier University begs the question too. Cronin has coached at UC for a decade now, and the Bearcats have enjoyed sixstraight NCAA Tournament appearances since 2010; that makes the question at large a little more complex. In three of those six appearances, the Bearcats made a first-round exit. UC advanced to the second round of the tournament twice and made it all the way to the Sweet Sixteen once. Cronin’s current team feels deeper and a little more developed than the 2014-2015 team that advanced to the second round of the tournament and lost to a top-ranked University of Kentucky team. Since then, point guard Troy Caupain and forward Gary Clark have matured, and forward Kyle Washington is arguably more of an offensive presence than Octavius Ellis was. Plus, guard Jacob Evans — who is shooting 40.4 percent from beyond the arc — can match the shooting of the 2014-2015 team’s shooter, Farad Cobb. The 2011-2012 team that advanced to the Sweet Sixteen has impressive credentials. That team accrued 26 wins, beat eight nationally-ranked teams and was runner-up in the Big East conference tournament. This year’s team is currently 2-2 versus ranked opponents and will not have the benefit of playing in a conference as strong as the old Big East. Such standouts as Yancy Gates, Sean Kilpatrick, Cashmere Wright, Dion Dixon and Jaquon Parker all played for the Sweet
Sixteen team. Gates accumulated over 1,400 points and more than 900 rebounds during his time at UC, Kilpatrick became UC’s second all-time leading scorer, Wright became the school’s all-time steals leader and Dixon was a 1,000-point club member. However, Cincinnati’s current roster boasts a depth that Cronin’s teams have not previously possessed. Although the current set of Bearcats don’t have a scorer quite as dominant as Kilpatrick or a defender as indomitable as Kilpatrick’s former teammate Justin Jackson, the Bearcats have the type of bench that could spark a tournament run. Take, for example, Justin Jennifer hitting a shot from midcourt on his birthday, or Jarron Cumberland hitting a crucial trey against Xavier, or even Quadri Moore, who came off the bench versus Tulane to score 14 points. Expecting such things of UC wasn’t always normal, but now Bearcat fans find themselves asking, “Why not?” Forwards Tre Scott and Nysier Brooks are also two reserve players who are quite capable of contributing to a game. Maybe if Kilpatrick and Jackson had a bench like that, they could have avoided the first-round loss to Harvard University that the Bearcats suffered during their senior year. Depth is a major factor in the team’s current success, but the regular starters shouldn’t be overlooked either. Washington — who can score from the block or shoot an outside jumper — gives Cronin a player unlike any that he has had at Cincinnati, and Gary Clark is the type of consistent stalwart that rosters are built upon. Add to that the perimeter defense of Kevin Johnson and the scoring ability of Caupain and Evans, and you have a recipe to win that Cronin’s previous rosters had never enjoyed.