Oct. 3, 2016

2

3

Political endorsements

The Enquirer endorsed Hillary Clinton, their first democratic candidate since 1916

CCM’s ‘Romeo and Juliet’

CCM put on a production of on of the Bard’s most famous plays

THE NEWS RECORD / UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI NEWSRECORD.ORG

MONDAY, OCT. 3, 2016

Five Years After Joining Big 12 West Virginia University + $2,318 tuition

JUSTIN REUTTER | SENIOR REPORTER

Texas Christian University + $10,180 tuition

Five Years NOT in Big 12 University of Cincinnati + $581 tuition GRAPHIC BY RUSSELL HAUFELD

Big 12 move could increase tuition Students at newer Big 12 universities see costs increase since joining DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR AMIR SAMARGHANDI | MANAGING EDITOR

Many around the University of Cincinnati are eager for their school’s invitation to join the Big 12 conference ― but maybe they should not be.

While joining the conference will have clear advantages for the athletic department, students at UC could find themselves in a greater amount of debt.

“I would anticipate [tuition to increase],” said David Kelley, a UC professor who teaches sports finance and development. “If they do happen to have built within their budget a certain percentage of student tuition is a part of their overall revenue mix, then certainly… it would probably go up.”

When looking at the tuition of other schools that recently joined the Big 12, as well as what percentage of UC student tuition goes to the athletic department, Kelley could be right.

West Virginia University and Texas Christian University were the two expansion teams the Big 12 implemented in 2012, and both schools saw a tuition increase since their joining.

The year prior to West Virginia joining the Big 12, WVU’s tuition for in-state residents was $5,674, according to a document regarding tuition and fees of higher education institutions in West Virginia during the 2011-12 school year

This year’s tuition for WVU in-state undergraduates stands at $7,992, according to the school’s official website.

That is a $2,318 increase within five years.

Like West Virginia, TCU, a private institution, also saw an increase, but a more drastic one.

According to their official site, TCU’s tuition in 2011-12 was $32,400 and this year’s is $42,580 ― an increase reaching over $10,000.

I see the positives of [tution increases]. I think initially it’s a purely economic thing and it can have that ancillary benefit to the academic mission DAVID KELLEY

In comparison, UC ― who did not join a power-five conference within the same time frame ― saw a minimal tuition increase during those years.

Tuition for in-state students in 201112 was $10,419, and now it now sits at $11,000 for 2016-17 ― a $581 increase.

In fact, UC has implemented a tuition freeze the past four years.

Students give a good portion of their money to athletics.

According to a document regarding student fees going to campus

UC Med yields healthy impact

organizations during the 2015-16 school year, $398 of each student’s tuition goes to campus organizations ― nearly 32 percent of that goes to athletics.

That means every full-time UC student paid $126.36 to the athletic department during 2015-16, and that number has potential to increase if the school joins the Big 12.

Some students are okay with a tuition increase if it means UC is in the Big 12.

“I don’t see UC raising tuition by all that much, but if that’s what it takes to join the Big 12 then I’m for it,” said fourth-year sports administration student Chandler Patterson.

Other students are leery about the move.

“I am not quite sure why our tuition would need to increase,” said thirdyear secondary history education student Alexander Vinolus. “I personally am against a tuition raise as we need college to be financially possible for as many people as possible.”

While Kelley said going to the Big 12 does not positively impact UC academically, he still thinks the school should join if given an invitation.

“I don’t see why they shouldn’t do it,” Kelley said. “I see the positives of it. I think initially it’s a purely economic thing and it can have that ancillary benefit to the academic mission.”

The University of Cincinnati College of Medicine’s contributions to the local economy for the 2015 fiscal year has been a healthy one — at nearly $1 billion.

The College of Medicine had a $979.7 million direct economic impact on the region in fiscal year 2015, $4.6 billion of which was raised between 2011 and 2015 alone, according to a study by the UC Economics Center on Monday.

The study demonstrates how important the College of Medicine is to the financial health of our region, according to William Ball, dean of the UC College of Medicine.

“This is on top of the critical health benefits we provide through biomedical research discoveries and educating and training a significant portion of our community’s doctors,” said Ball.

The study did not include the impact of the affiliated hospitals, including UC Medical Center and Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center.

Also not included was patient care carried out by over 750 faculty members at the college who also work as physicians with UC Health, the affiliated health care system.

While the college trains healthcare professionals, it also acts as a component to the healthcare supply chain within the region.

UC is the second largest employer in the Cincinnati Metropolitan area, according to a 2015 Business Courier report.

The UC medical campus alone supports 2,562 fulltime staff, and the medical college’s activities created an additional 1,892 jobs in the 2015 fiscal year.

In total, these activities generated 4,454 jobs.

Employees contribute a

substantial income to the city in tax revenue as the city collected $26.7 million in taxes from $1.3 billion in wages between 2011 and 2015.

In addition to directly employing a large staff, the college creates a large number of jobs indirectly — averaging 1,743 local jobs created annually as an indirect impact of the college’s employment, according to the UC economics report.

The college also had over five thousand students enrolled in the five-year study period, and 993 students enrolled full time last year alone.

Of these students, 43 percent of those enrolled were from outside the region.

These students bring new money to the region in the form of tuition fees and other local expenditures with total enrollment slowly rising, according to the report.

After these students graduate, some of them may stay in the region, contributing to research and healthcare.

The college spends 70 percent of its budget to pay employees every year, according to the report.

UC Medical also spent more than $2.2 million last year to support research and education, creating a $2.3 million indirect impact on the region.

In 2014, the college purchased $3.2 million worth of equipment, which stimulated other industries in the region, causing an indirect economic impact of $3.4 million.

UC also provides research considered vital in the field of medicine. According to the U.S. News and World Report of this year, the UC College of Medicine is among the top 40 medical schools for research in the nation.

AARON DORSTEN | PHOTO CONTRIBUTOR

UC Med School aids in growth of local economy.

Bearcat socialists see increasing numbers KARLY WILLIAMS | STAFF REPORTER

CALEB HUGHES | CONTRIBUTOR

Theo Winston of the Social Party of England and Wales speaking to UC students.

For many interested in politics, the word “socialist” may conjure up mental imagery of philosophers like Karl Marx, legendary revolutionaries like Che Guevara or even some modern left-wing politicians like former presidentialhopeful Bernie Sanders.

The ideology has seen increasing support in recent years from millennials, college students and those simply fed up with the economic, social and political status quo in the U.S. University of Cincinnati Students for Socialism, a new club focused on progressive politics, social justice and activism has brought its own brand of the ideology to campus.

“UC students have been more receptive to socialist ideas than we predicted,” said Cole Weirich, president of UC Students for Socialism.

Although still fresh to campus, the club has cultivated around 200 contacts that have shown interest in the presence of the new club, according to Weirich.

Started at the beginning of the semester by students Weirich and Griffin Ritze and UC Adjunct Professor Franklin Ridgway, UC’s chapter of Students for Socialism is just one of many across the U.S. Students from Socialist Alternative, a national organization active in over 50 cities, has branched out to create the studentoriented organization, which has found a home at over 40 campuses nationwide.

“Through our organization we aim to educate the UC community on what socialism is and isn’t and demonstrate the need that exists for system change. We oppose economically unfair university practices that negatively affect members of our community,” said Weirich.

Weirich pinpointed the main goals of the organization as promoting socialism on campus, advocating for university students, faculty and staff and developing members as activists.

“As we get older and struggles sharpen, the world will have greater need of activists. We hope that our organization can give a

new generation the tools to fight for a fairer world,” said Weirich.

A portion of every meeting is devoted to learning activism skills.

The group has hosted one speaker so far, Theo Winston, the National Chair of Socialist Students U.K., during his speaking tour organized by Students for Socialism nationally.

Winston’s talk at UC was the best attended at any college campus, according to Weirich.

Cincinnati itself has historically dealt with substantial economic divide, a major issue and focal point of both Socialist Alternative and Students for Socialism, which both take a stand against unchecked capitalist practices.

Cincinnati has the highest percentage of top 5 percent income households in Ohio, or those making more than $200,000.

Cincinnati also has the third highest percentage of bottom 20 percent households, or those making $21,433 and below, according to research conducted in 2015 by the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program, a

THE STUDENT VOICE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF CINCINNATI

Washington, D.C. based nonprofit public policy organization.

In Dec. 2015, 47.2 percent of children in Cincinnati were living below the poverty line, according to the U.S. Census Bureau American Community Action Survey.

Weirich said he looks forward to getting involved in local issues, continuing establishing the group’s presence and membership on campus, and in the immediate future organizing around Ray Tensing’s trial next month.

Tensing, a former UC police officer will stand trial for murder on Oct. 24 for shooting and killing an unarmed black man, Samuel DuBose, during a traffic stop off campus.

Weirich remains optimistic about future prospects, activism and goals of the organization.

“By far the best part about being involved in Socialist Students is being able to meet so many peers who want to change the world.

We are the smartest, most passionate generation in history,” he said.

FREE

2 / NEWS Students identify what they want in next UC President MONDAY, OCT. 3, 2016

LAUREN MORETTO | NEWS EDITOR

Personable, outgoing, caring — these are just some of the qualities University of Cincinnati students want their next president to exhibit, and they may be reminiscent of whose shoes that individual will need to fill.

A period of speculation on whether former President Santa J. Ono was leaving UC was officially put to rest June 13, when the University of British Columbia announced that he would become the 15th president and vicechancellor of the university.

UC’s Board of Trustees named Provost Beverly Davenport as interim president the same day.

Ono’s heavy social media and on-campus presence made him a well-known

figure at UC; some say his reputation may hold a strong influence in what students are looking for in his replacement.

Students’ love for Ono likely influenced some of the survey results, according to Zack Deters, a third-year accounting student.

The presidential search survey, initiated by the Presidential Search Committee in collaboration with Wyzerr Inc., gathered 2,491 student responses with questions ranging from what background the next president should have to where UC should be in five years.

In the survey, students were asked to select qualifications for the next president, of which more than 84 percent selected a student-centered focus, with

community involvement close behind at more than 68 percent.

Though he did not take the presidential survey, firstyear accounting student Michael Codispoti had similar sentiments.

“President Ono had some pretty big shoes.

He did a pretty good job,” said Codispoti. “He was definitely focused on students, he did a great job being involved and always being around. So whoever takes his old job better be big on students.”

Some believe Ono’s relationship to the student body is a key factor in why he was so influential.

“He actually made an effort to connect with students and not just sit up in his high office, and actually like try and get us to like him and to give

a good impression of UC,” said Julie Paprocki, a fifth-year civil engineering student.

The majority of survey responses came from the uptown campus and the ratio of male and female students who took the survey was near equal.

Although international students contribute almost 8 percent to the student population, they far exceeded that number in survey responses, making up 14 percent of the survey data.

Ethnicity demographics from the results loosely mirror the ethnic diversity of campus when compared to 2016 enrolment data provided by the Provost.

Black students, who make up a little over 8 percent of the campus population, were about 6 percent of the

survey make up.

An outlier survey representation was identified in the Asian student population, which surpassed recent enrollment data.

Where as the Asian population accounts for about 4 percent of UC’s population, it made up 14

percent of those who took the survey.

As far as what he’s looking for in the next president, Codispoti’s thoughts may resonate with some students.

“Someone who does what Santa Ono did,” said Codispoti. “They just got to do what he did.”

N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

File art of former UC President Santa Ono from the Main Street Stride on Friday, April 15, 2016.

Increase in alternative students International

First Gen

MITCH WEBB | CONTRIBUTOR

Obama’s 9/11 bill veto overridden by Congress MOUNIR LYNCH | CONTRIBUTOR

On Wednesday, Congress overwhelmingly rejected President Barack Obama’s veto on a bill that would permit the families of Sept.

11 victims to sue foreign countries that they feel could be liable for the attacks.

This is the first time during Obama’s presidency that congress has rejected his veto.

The new law, titled the Justice Against Sponsors of Terrorism Act, originally passed through Congress on May 17, before eventually being vetoed by Obama.

However, the recent override of the veto received strong bi-partisan support, passing through the Senate with a vote of 97-1.

As a sensitive topic to many American people, terrorism and 9/11 has been a common theme in political campaigns on all levels following the attacks.

Some think that certain members of congress voted to override the veto for their own political benefit.

“In general, it is a political thing” said Andrew Lewis, a UC assistant professor for political science. “Once they put that 9/11 bill on the table, it is very hard to vote against it.”

Lewis echoes the statements made by many, including Obama, that the election season played a significant role in the rejection of this veto.

“You have a Republican from Texas and a Democrat from New York supporting the same law, [and] Congress wants to please a broader range of constituents because it is an election season,” said Lewis.

Obama and his cabinet have serious concerns about the bill crumbling

the concept of sovereign immunity; by definition, this means that a nation alone cannot commit legal wrongdoings, and therefore cannot be taken to court.

The main concern lawmakers have with taking away sovereign immunity is that individuals from foreign countries could now possibly take legal action against United States soldiers who they feel harmed them.

Lewis expressed this as the main reason why, in his opinion, Obama was right to veto the bill.

“We should be much more careful about altering sovereign immunity. In this case, the president was right to veto it,” said Lewis.

For that same reason, only one day after the new law was enacted, many who so overwhelmingly supported the bill are now having their doubts and regrets.

“I’d like to think that there’s a way we could fix [it] so that our service members do not have legal problems overseas, while still protecting the rights of the 9/11 victims,” said House Speaker Paul D. Ryan (R-Wis.).

Though he did not cast a vote during Wednesday’s override, Ryan issued public statements of support for the bill.

Lewis suggested that they will revise the law at the end of Obama’s presidency and after the presidential election, in a period called the lame-duck season.

On Friday, the wife of a Navy commander who died at the Pentagon on Sept. 11 became the first to file a lawsuit against the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, claiming that Saudi Arabia was fully aware of the plan to attack the U.S. on Sept.

11.

Many college students are reaching family milestones by becoming the first generation to attend higher education — and here at the University of Cincinnati, that population is increasing.

The number of first generation students this year is over 6,330, up more than 9 percent from the 2015 fall semester, according to 2016 enrollment numbers from the UC Office of the Provost.

This increase may be due in part to resources like the “Gen-1” program at Stratford Heights, which offers firstgeneration students opportunities and experiences that will help them develop their academics and professional life.

This will be the tenth year the program has existed, according to Gen-1 Director Suzette D. Combs.

For Rolando Mendez, a first-year business student, the program is like family to him. Raised in Cincinnati, he applied to the Gen-1 program after high school counselors brought it to his attention.

This year, Gen-1 was able to provide students with iPads, according to Mendez, who said they have been very useful to him and his classmates.

“Some of the students in Gen-1 don’t have any other electronic devices besides their cell phone, so they don’t have a laptop or any other resources to like access. So I think the iPads are very helpful,” said Mendez.

Resources like workshops and tutoring sessions are available through the program.

During their time in the program, students reside in Stratford Heights and must maintain above a 2.7 GPA. Mendez believes access to more resources may be one of driving factors behind the increase in first-generation students coming to UC.

7,000

International student enrollment has increased 7 percent from last year. The rise correlates with the overall enrollment increase for the entire University of Cincinnati.

Since it’s inception in 2006, the UC International Studies Program has tripled in enrollment, with 3,470 International Students this semester.

Now, the international student admissions staff is beginning to look at students with stricter qualifications that almost mirror the domestic student admission process already in place at UC. “We’ve made a concerted effort to reshape the class to get a higher caliber of student,” said the Director of International Services, Ronald Cushing.

By developing programs that have specific interest to international students, UC has grabbed the attention of degreeseeking individuals across the globe.

Shivani Gundala is a graduate student seeking a master’s degree in electrical engineering. She earned her undergraduate degree from a school in her hometown of Visakhapatnam, India, a coastal town in the southeast region of the country.

“I wanted to have more specialization in my major,” said Gundala.

She heard about UC from a hometown friend that was attending UC at the time.

“I had to choose between UC and the University of Houston,” she said on her college decision, which was based on internet research and Wikipedia city biographies.

The tiebreaker for Shivani was the illustrious architecture of UC’s main campus, which was highlighted by the New York Times.

Aside from the university’s high rankings as a research institution, other international UC students have been attracted to Uptown campus’ beauty.

Gundala will graduate with her master’s degree this fall.

Rising Numbers of Domestic and International Students at UC

JOE BURBANK |ORLANDO SENTINEL | TNS

Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton on stage during a campaign rally Wednesday, Sept. 21, 2016, in Orlando, Fla.

One of Cincinnati’s primary local news outlets, the Enquirer, endorsed a Democratic candidate for the first time since 1916.

A long-time yet controversial tradition for news outlets, endorsing candidates during election cycles has been in place since 1860 when the New York Times released the first endorsement for Abraham Lincoln.

Though sometimes frowned upon, most major news sources see endorsements as a part of a civic duty to make a statement regarding the paper’s identity because of their role as an active voice within communities.

The Enquirer’s editorial board released its endorsement of Secretary Hillary Clinton on Sept. 23.

“Our country needs calm, thoughtful leadership to deal with the challenges we face at home and abroad,” the Enquirer said. “We need a leader who will bring out the best in all Americans, not the worst.”

The endorsement drew major attention both locally and nationally because of conservative paper’s century long endorsement tradition— typically in favor of republican

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

Twitter @NewsRecord_UC

6,500 6,000 International

5,500

Instagram TheNewsRecord

Total

5,000

SoundCloud The-News-Record-1

4,500 4,000

STAFF

3,500

Editor-in-chief Jeff O’Rear

3,000 2,500 2,000 1,500 1,000 500 Fall 2015

Fall 2016

News outlets’ political endorsements of 2016 KINSLEY SLIFE | NEWS EDITOR

Founded 1880

Facebook TheNewsRecord

GRAPHIC BY RUSSELL HAUSFELD

OLIVIER DOULIERY | ABACA PRESS | TNS

President Barack Obama speaks at the opening ceremony of the Smithsonian National Museum of African American History and Culture on Saturday, Sept.

24, 2016, in Washington, D.C.

PARKER MALATESTA | CONTRIBUTOR

candidates.

According to Peter Bhatia, Enquirer editor and member of the editorial board, the paper has received both subscription cancellations as well as angry threats and letters that total somewhere “in the triple digits.”

Other news outlets have largely reacted to the Enquirer’s break in endorsement tradition, implying the amount of influence it may have on its readership.

According to the Atlantic, the endorsement is among “a harvest of things that haven’t happened in presidential campaigns before.”

Vox also responded: “Research has found that when newspapers break with tradition, readers take it seriously,” — implying that the endorsement could make an actual difference in the election’s turnout.

National news outlets aren’t the only ones responding to the Enquirer’s breaking of century-old tradition, though.

Danny McManus is a fourth-year neurophysiology student at the University of Cincinnati who has taken special notice of news outlet endorsements during this election cycle.

McManus supports the tradition of

outlets endorsing candidates, and believes it can be very telling about the way areas of the country are leaning politically.

“I don’t think its that bad because we already know which areas of the country lean a certain way so I think its telling when certain areas like Arizona or Ohio – who typically go for Republicans—go against the norm,” said McManus. “It can show you how an election is going.”

“As long as a newspaper is giving equally factual information for both sides, its ok for them to make an endorsement,” he said.

McManus, though, doesn’t think that local or national endorsements have too much of a sway on college students because of the way that campus life can be self-contained.

Youssef El-barrad, a fifth-year civil engineering student agrees.

“UC is kind of its bubble and students seem to be more affected by what’s happening on campus rather than what the local media is doing,” said El-barrad. “You see people campaigning around campus, and I know that my peers and other people on social media have affected my opinions on politics more than news outlets have.”

Managing editor Amir Samarghandi News editors Lauren Moretto Kinsley Slife Chief reporter Ashleigh Pierce Sports editor David Wysong College Life editor Samantha Hall Arts editor Russell Hausfeld Opinion editor Caroline Cory Copy editor Huey Nguyen Photo editor Alexandra Taylor Chief photographer N. C. Brown Online editor Stephanie Smith Designer Gabrielle Stichweh Broadcast Reporter Emily Wilhelm Videographer Michelle Fisk Sales manager Caleb Ward

LIFE & ARTS / 3 The Yoga Bar provides community and flow to OTR MONDAY, OCT. 3, 2016

CHEYENNE KRIEGER | STAFF REPORTER

Over-the-Rhine has much to offer, from unique restaurants and lively bars to eclectic boutiques.

Within the bustling atmosphere of OTR lies another special spot, The Yoga Bar. The Yoga Bar opened in 2010, and the location prompted the name. The original location was a cabaret bar, which had a 35-foot mahogany bar.

Owner Rachel Roberts fell in love with the idea of the space offering a sense of community and togetherness through yoga practice, so the name stuck.

“We serve hot tea and sometimes kombucha or coconut water at the bar, so we really encourage people

to get to know the other practitioners to help hold them accountable for their practice,” Roberts said.

Every yoga studio provides a new experience for all levels of yoga practitioners, and The Yoga Bar is no exception.

“We encourage experimentation. All levels of yogi are welcome at every single one of our classes. If you can breathe on your own and get up and down from the floor unassisted, we have a yoga class for you,” said Studio Manager Amy Thornley.

The studio has many class offerings, including “flow and align,”“gentle and restorative flow,”“yin,” “the fundamentals” and “ashtanga and vinyasa flow.”

I went to an evening ashtanga and vinyasa flow class, and I have never experienced a more trueto-form session. Ashtanga and vinyasa is a style of dynamic yoga where the body is kept in constant motion while the yogi focuses on meditative breathing.

For those of you with quite a few hours on the mat, try out an advanced class to feel the sense of revival that happens in there. For those of you starting out, rest assured that you will be walked through the process to fully learn the core of yoga.

Aside from what is offered in class and at the bar, The Yoga Bar also keeps tons of mats and blocks on hand.

I forgot my mat at home,

so it was reassuring to see baskets full of mats — especially when I think of novices who may not own one yet.

The Yoga Bar, although modern and rather upscale, holds true to its roots in OTR. Between the exposed brick and natural lighting, it is hard not to appreciate the history of the space.

“Our move to OTR came from our involvement in ‘Yoga on the Green’ in Washington Park. This class has grown over the years, to about 300 yogis joining us every week on the Green, mirroring the growth of OTR. Our relocation to this thriving, diverse neighborhood was a natural consequence of this community building,” Thornley said.

GO: The Yoga Bar, 15 W 14th St., 6 a.m.-8 p.m.

Monday-Friday, 9 a.m.-6

p.m. Saturday-Sunday. For class options, see www. theyogabars.com.

SHAE COMBS | STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Yoga Bar evolves from Yoga on the Green in Washington Park to a second story studio located at 15 W 14th St.

Brewcats: Urban Artifact, kings of Midwestern sours STEPHANIE L. SMITH | ONLINE EDITOR

PROVIDED

Cincinnati local band, Ryan Fine & The Media, made their festival debut at Midpoint Music Festival.

Cincy locals Ryan Fine and The Media make debut ERIN COUCH | STAFF REPORTER

What do you get when you cross the aesthetic of Jason Mraz, a full horn section and 10 CollegeConservatory of Music students and alumni? You get the jazz-pop group, Ryan Fine and The Media.

The local band just made their festival debut on Sept. 24 at the 15th annual Midpoint Music Festival.

Among just a handful of jazz-influenced groups that included sax player Kamasi Washington and Cincinnati cerebral jazz group Animal Mother, the festival heavily featured indie rock, so the band’s music was definitely a contrast as far as genres go.

Ryan Fine has his own solo album under his belt, so Ryan Fine and The Media’s jazzy tunes still have a solid lyrical presence which meshed well with the indie following at the festival.

Having played mostly bar shows, Fine — a fourth-year commercial music production student in CCM — said Midpoint was a big opportunity to garner exposure. While the group is currently in the process of recording their first album, Midpoint was a good starting block to build a fan base in Cincinnati, according to Fine.

“We want to keep having a presence playing every month, to the point where if someone wants to come from, say, New York they should expect that we have a big crowd and help them

out,” Fine said.

“That’s such a key thing in networking with live music. You have to be able to draw a crowd and have a relationship with your fans.”

Being linked to CCM also helped with the networking aspect, Fine said.

While this was the band’s first appearance at Midpoint, they are no strangers to the other performers they shared the stage with throughout the weekend. Both Animal Mother and indie-rock band Public have members that hail from UC’s music school.

The band is recording their first album at Audio Grotto in Newport, which will display the band’s musical diversity and experimentation with different genres. The album is expected to be released this winter.

With the album on the way, Fine has some advice for up-and-comers who hope to make it in unique music styles.

“Our motto is music for dreamers,” Fine said. “It’s easy to get discouraged especially if you’re not extremely mainstream.

We try to have a positive attitude for all types of music and we just hope people can support us, because we can support them.”

GO TO THEIR NEXT SHOW: Ryan Fine and The Media with On the Sun, MOTR Pub, 1345 Main St., Saturday Nov. 19. FREE.

Urban Artifact is the Apple Computer of the Cincinnati beer community. Like the Cupertino company, the Northside brewery believes in thinking different.

Founded by Dominic Marino, Scott Hand, Scotty Hunter and Bret Kollmann-Baker, the brewery and taproom located in the former St. Pius X Church, focuses exclusively on sour beers and wild ales.

Since its opening in April 2015, Urban Artifact’s Finn — a Berliner Pale Ale — has been featured in GQ Magazine as one of the country’s best sour beers, and the brewery hosted its first beer and music festival in August called Bewilderfest, which focused on the unique, both in music and in beer.

The News Record spoke with Hand, Hunter and Kollmann-Baker about what inspired them to start a brewery, their focus on sour beers and what the beer business — and future brewers — can do to stand out.

TNR: What led you to start a brewery?

HUNTER: I started home brewing at Ohio University. It actually started out as trying to drink better beer than what the normal college student drinks and still lowering the cost.

Then I found as I got other jobs that I didn’t like working for somebody

else. I wanted that true freedom of owning your own business.

HAND: For me, it started more as a combination of trying push together a bunch of different things that I liked doing already, and trying to form the business around that. I owned a record label called Grayscale Records. It was mostly digital but we focused on specific types of music, and as that evolved though the years.

KOLLMANN-BAKER: A lot of it echoes what Scotty said. I also went to OU, started home brewing, and it kind of took over from there.

TNR: Scotty and Bret, you both have a degree in chemical engineering. Is that a common trait with people who start breweries?

Kenny McNutt and Jeff Hunt of MadTree have an engineering background. Scott LaFollette of Blank Slate was an engineer and a chemist.

KOLLMANN-BAKER: I think it just gives you the tool set you need to create a manufacturing facility which, at the end of the day, that’s what brewing is. Not only does it give you those tools to create a plant, it also teaches you how to solve problems.

TNR: Why sour beers and wild ales for Urban Artifact’s lineup?

HUNTER: We made a conscious

choice and effort. That was for marketing position and long term viability of the company, especially now when we’re up to probably 5,000 breweries in the U.S. Even though we could do anything else, we didn’t see that was a good way to compete. And when it comes down to it, sours and wild ales are the stuff that we love.

It’s super microbiological heavy.

TNR: If I never had a sour beer before, which one of Urban Artifact’s beers should I try?

HAND: We’ve had a lot of success introducing new drinkers to our fruit beers like Chariot, our cherry gose, because people know what to expect with them.

GO: Urban Artifact, 1660 Blue Rock St., 4 p.m.-12 a.m. Monday-Thursday, 4 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Friday, 12 p.m.-1:30 a.m. Saturday, 12 p.m.-12 Sunday.

STEPANIE SMITH | ONLINE EDITOR

The brewery, taproom and music lounge is located in the former St. Pius X Church at 1662 Blue Rock St., Northside. Three of Urban Artifact’s founders: (L to R) Scotty Hunter, Scott Hand, and Bret Kollmann Baker.

Mermaids put on new mystical show at the Newport Aquarium SAMANTHA HALL | COLLEGE LIFE EDITOR

PROVIDED BY NEWPORT AQUARIUM FACEBOOK

Mermaids will be swimming at Newport Aquarium from October 1 - 16, 2016.

For two weeks only, the mystical, magical Mermaid show at Newport Aquarium returns.

The coral reef creatures swam their way right into the aquarium, where guests are able to interact and live in the fairy-tale world that mermaids exist during the month of October.

The 2016 Mermaid show kicked off with a “Mermaid and Pirate Ball” on Friday, which doubled as an after-hours costume party for families. The ball hosted dozens of activities, ranging from mermaid and pirate-themed adventures, to dancing, to eating available appetizers and refreshments.

During daily operating hours from Oct. 1-16, the colorful performers will be available for a meet and greet in the Shark Ray Bay Theatre at various times between the week and weekends. The meet and greet is included with general admission prices.

On Oct. 9 and 16, there will be a “Mermaid and Pirate Breakfast” from 8:30 a.m. to 10:30 a.m. where guests can enjoy breakfast along the Ohio River while observing a mermaid actually swimming in the aquarium’s 32-foot long acrylic Amazon Tunnel, where the world’s largest freshwater fish lives, along with many other species.

The tunnel holds 117,000 gallons of fresh water.

Following the breakfast, guests will be able to tour the aquarium prior to its general public opening, with an exclusive and separate up-close out of water meet and greet.

Prices for the breakfast and a day at the aquarium stand at $42.99 for general admission and $19.99 for pass holders. Pass holders receive early access to the meet and greet.

The “signature event” has tickets available online, with special prices for pass holders during the magnificent mermaid show, according to AquariumWorks.org.

The Newport Aquarium has been putting on a mermaid show for the past three years, in the past using mermaids of Weeki Wachee, North America’s deepest naturally occurring spring.

Newton Perry, who began what is now known as the Weeki Wachee Mermaids, purchased the springs in 1947.

Perry began capturing the magic of mermaid performance, prompting international auditions by the 1950s, according to AquariumWorks.org Seemingly there was a change in show this year, with Newport not using the years past performers, but something new and original.

Guests can enjoy the added change this year and discover a new love for mermaid magic, with free mermaid activities available during the twoweek tour.

Further information and ticket purchasing can be found on NewportAquarium.com.

CCM’s production of ‘Romeo and Juliet’ is the biggest party on campus PATRICK MURPHY | SENIOR REPORTER

By far the loudest party this week was the CollegeConservatory of Music’s chaotic, modernized “Romeo and Juliet” — a party possibly too good for its second act performance.

The play’s deconstructed madness began as scores of characters clamored across stage, stretching, sauntering and cursing — an anarchy mounting, until the stage manager’s cautious call cuts over the performer’s squabbling, signifying the start of the show.

The characters then crossed to their family’s respective side of the stage.

For the modest Montagues, a cluster of boxes under

an industrial-sized rolling ladder represented their turf; for the regal Capulets, lavishly faded furniture under a seismic scaffold.

Scenic Designer Whitney Glover was responsible for the impressive sets.

In the depths of center stage presided Verona’s Prince — portrayed by Emma Walton — where she and the rest of the nineteenmember cast remained for a majority of the play.

With astute direction by Brant Russell, the ensemble pulled modern comedy out of the dated text with fist bumps over past lays, mocking calls from characters out of scene and about two groin punches to Romeo.

Bending wordplay and character genders, this modern approach developed love interests from many of the gender bending characters.

Mickey Tropeano’s Benvolio was wonderfully portrayed as the girl-nextdoor, given tragic dimension by not only an ambivalent Romeo but by her dynamic relationship with the hot-headed and fragile portrayal of Mercutio by Annie Grove.

Katie Langham’s rambling and eccentric Nurse, Clare Combest’s cougar of a Lady Capulet and James Egbert’s dope-growing, wheelchairrolling Friar Lawrence highlighting the comedic stage.

Exceptional praise as well to both on-stage DJ and Sound Designer Sean K. Tingle and Lighting Designer Nick Saiki.

The chief achievement and the utter highlight of the play was realized during Owen Alderson’s portrayal of Lord Capulet’s white, animal-mask wearing club.

As Lord Capulet stood before his patient crowd, waiting in the pit, he turns around, falls backwards and lands in their arms as the bass blares in a tone more akin to a Saturday night house party south of campus.

With Saiki’s interweaving of saturation in color and desaturation with black and whites, the party

rages as Romeo (Spencer Lackey) meets Juliet (Katie McDonald).

The chemistry of this scene is disrupted by the use of a microphone to amplify their voices above the bumping house music of the scene.

Act II was, while enjoyable, particularly disheartening. Nuances established from Act I were slowly stripped for support of the original script, leaving Shakespeare to his own devices in the party’s aftermath.

Raphael Regan’s cleverlydesigned costumes share this gradual transition, starting modern in the vein of urban hipster apparel and shifting to the stuffy

garments of doublets, corsets and ruffs.

In all its glory, CCM’s rendition of “Romeo and Juliet” functioned much the same as a real party: the first half a wild ride you want to keep chasing and the second half a bit harder to remember.

PROVIDED BY CCM’S FACEBOOK

CCM’s Mainstage production of Romeo and Juliet.

4 / SPORTS MONDAY, OCT. 3, 2016

Bearcats have questions to answer after USF ETHAN RUDD | STAFF REPORTER

N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

UC cheerleader weeps on the sidelines after time expires in the Bearcat’s 45-20 loss to the USF Bulls, Saturday October 1, 2016, at Nippert Stadium.

N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Senior safety Zach Edwards (4) returns to field at Nippert Stadium, Saturday, October 1, 2016 for the first time since suffering an injury against Purdue on September 10, 2016.

N.C. BROWN | CHIEF PHOTOGRAPHER

Junior running back Mike Boone (5) and junior wide receiver Devin Gray (21) run out on to the field at Nippert Stadium prior to UC’s 45-20 loss to USF, Saturday, October 1, 2016.

There seems to be more questions than answers about the University of Cincinnati’s football team nearly halfway through the regular season.

After a 45-20 loss to the University of South Florida Bulls, the Bearcats stand at 3-2 on the season.

Both of the Bearcats losses have been against inner-conference rivals, and UC lost by more than 20 points in both matchups ¬— Cincinnati lost to the University of Houston Sept.

15 by a score of 40-16.

If teams are to be measured by winning important games, it would be fair to say that UC has stumbled out of the blocks.

Notching a win against Houston would have been big in terms of conference play. Defeating innerdivision rival USF could have been big too by putting the Bearcats in the driver’s seat to be the team to play for American Athletic Conference Championship out of the East Division.

Instead, Cincinnati finds itself on the outside looking in watching both of the AAC’s division favorites build momentum.

Turnovers, inconsistency and a quarterback carousel has plagued the Bearcats this year.

UC committed seven total turnovers in both of their losses — including three pick-sixes.

Cincinnati’s head coach Tommy Tuberville was disappointed with the amount of turnover after South Florida.

“Offensively we didn’t do much,”Tuberville said. “We turned the ball over three times and when you do that against a football team like that, especially one for a touchdown, you’re not going to win many football games.”

The inability to finish games has contributed greatly to a sense of overall inconsistency.

Against Houston, the Bearcats kept things interesting until they imploded in the fourth quarter, and UC kept pace with USF until they fell flat after halftime.

“We’ve got to learn how to play four quarters; not two, not three. We have to play four quarters,”Tuberville said.

The quarterback position has been another area of concern this season.

Hayden Moore originally started for the team, but he has not played since sustaining an ankle injury against Houston.

Tuberville opened competition between redshirt senior Gunner Kiel and redshirt freshman Ross Trail to fill the void left behind center.

Trail has been named the starter for two consecutive games now and has thrown just one touchdown and six interceptions on the year — one interception coming

from the game against Houston.

Kiel saw his first significant action in relief of Trail against the Bulls and completed three of 11 passes for 47 yards.

There is little certainty of who will start at quarterback next.

Moore’s timetable to return is unknown, Trail has inspired little confidence and Kiel has been this season’s biggest mystery.

“Hayden hopefully will be back soon. I don’t know when he’s going to be back,” said Tuberville.

He went on to say they would go back to the drawing board regarding the quarterbacks.

For now, the Bearcats are tasked with preparing to play seven more games.

Six of those games are against conference opponents, which provides ample opportunity for the Bearcats to try to make some noise in the AAC, even if it means they have to chase South Florida.

UC has plenty of questions to address after losing to the Bulls. Who will start at quarterback? How will the team find a way to finish games? When will the offense stop turning the ball over?

Only the Bearcats can answer these questions and they will have to if they want to run through this season’s gauntlet and make it to a bowl game or the conference championship game.

TNR predicts the results of the MLB World Series JEFF O’REAR | EDITOR IN CHIEF DAVID WYSONG | SPORTS EDITOR JASON SZELEST | STAFF REPORTER CLAUDE THOMPSON | STAFF REPORTER

The MLB playoffs begin Tuesday so the discussion is in the air for who will win the whole enchilada.

Our sport experts: Jeff, Claude, Jason and David picked who they think will win the World Series.

Jeff: Texas Rangers

Everyone’s focus is on the Cubs. Everyone wants to know if the Cubs can finally break the curse.

Everyone’s distracted, and I think the Texas Rangers benefit.

The Rangers finished the season strong and can beat you at the plate all day long. While the Cubs’ pitching will get them to the World Series, the Rangers’ bats will be their undoing and Adrian Beltre will celebrate by keeping people from touching his head.

My personal dream, however, would somehow involve the Mets winning it all and the Blue Jays going far just so I can enjoy more Joey Bautista bat flips.

Jason: Boston Red Sox

No team plays offense better than the Red Sox. Boston leads the major leagues in runs, hits, batting average,

runs batted in, on base percentage, slugging percentage, doubles and total bases.

They have two legitimate MVP candidates in Mookie Betts and David Ortiz, the latter arguably being the greatest designated hitter to ever play.

There pitching has not been as dominant, but still ranks in the top-ten in most categories.

Teams will not be able to outscore the Red Sox this postseason

Claude: Boston Red Sox

The Red Sox have some of the most consistent offense capabilities of any team in the playoffs with three players in the top-10 in batting average, hits and runs batted in.

The team is also in the top-five for fielding percentage. It would also be a truly fitting send-off for David Ortiz, who will undoubtedly be headed to the Hall of Fame.

It’s so hard to argue against the Cubs success this season in order to try and break through the over 100-year streak of not winning a World Series.

With 100 wins and the best record in Major League Baseball, no team is as hot or look as good

or appear as prepared as the Cubs, but these are the playoffs. You’re going to get everybody’s best shot every single game.

I would have to pick the Red Sox to win. I think that would be a perfect sendoff for Ortiz to send him in to the horizon with another World Series win.

David: Washington Nationals

I was going to pick the Red Sox to win it all, but since Claude and Jason already did, where’s the fun in that?

I think the Red Sox will have a fantastic chance to make the World Series as they are one of the most explosive teams in baseball, but the most complete team will win it all this year.

The Washington Nationals have the pitching and batting to go the distance this year.

They are second in team pitching, as well as in the top-10 in team batting, and have the star power from Bryce Harper, Stephen Strasburg and Max Scherzer to take them the distance.

I also think manager Dusty Baker is well overdue to finally win a World Series ring.

DOUG KAPUSTIN | MCT

Cincinnati Bengals quarterback Andy Dalton watches from the bench after his team fails on a fourth down conversion during the overtime period of their game, won by the Ravens in overtime, 20-17, in Baltimore on Sunday, November 10, 2013.

Who are the Bengals really?

AMIR SAMARGHANDI | MANAGING EDITOR OPINION

ERRY HOLT | MINNEAPOLIS STAR TRIBUNE | MCT

Boston Red Sox designated hitter David Ortiz celebrates his second home run in the forth inning against the Minnesota Twins at Target Field in Minneapolis on Tuesday, May 13, 2014.

The traditional chant has turned into a genuine inquiry: Who dey?

Not who’s going to beat them Bengals, but what is this team? Are they good?

Evidenced from keeping largely the same core intact from last season’s divisionwinning team, you’d expect a more lively performance thus far in the new NFL season.

The University of Tennessee-themed Miami Dolphins were a pretty hapless opponent on Thursday night, as dominant performances from key offensive and defensive superstars helped seal a 22-7 victory in Paul Brown Stadium.

A.J. Green’s continuing impersonation of a human CPR for Andy Dalton’s career was on display again. His 173 yards and one touchdown were monumental to winning against the Dolphins.

“I hold myself to a very high standard,” said Green in his press conference Thursday. “I know what I’m capable of.

Last week I didn’t perform to that level. I had to refocus on a short week.”

Green and the entire team struggled against the Denver Broncos last week, losing the home opener and much of their defensive pride by allowing the inexperienced Trever Siemian to torch their secondary.

Some of that pride was restored by returning defensive captain and buzz-saw Vontaze Burfict doing what he does best: directing traffic on a defense that looked pretty good on the night.

Those are undeniable positives. But this game deserves plenty of strongly noted caveats.

This was another Thursday night snoozer ― the NFL’s painful-to-witness money-grab that gives teams no time to prepare or rest and almost always ends up being a boring pile of drudgery. The Bengals were 3-of-15 on third down, but the Dolphins were even

worse at 2-of-11.

This was a sloppy field goal fest that only a masochist would watch again.

And the Dolphins are quite possibly the saddest franchise in the NFL. Unlike the comically, cosmically cursed Cleveland Browns, South Florida’s franchise isn’t even interesting and should have lost to the woe-be-gotten Browns last week.

The solidified defense still allowed an early 74-yard touchdown from Ryan Tannehill, the South Beach incarnation of Jay Cutler.

Most teams will not be as foolish as to let Green be covered one-on-one, a bizarre game plan that let the narrow scope of Dalton remain on his comfiest reception blanket.

The upcoming portion of the schedule will give us the answer regarding who this team really is.

Two road games against marquee franchises will be the tests for head coach Marvin Lewis and the 2-2 Bengals.

Heading to Dallas, the Cowboys and seemingly-composed rookie quarterback Dak Prescott will be another test for a secondary that has been getting burnt more than bread in a bad toaster.

The once-again imposing New England Patriots await the Bengals after, as does the returning Tom Brady. Despite the NFL’s ignorance about the noble gas law, Brady served a four-game suspension and will be desperate to make his mark against the league that has forsaken him, putting the Bengals in the crossfire.

We’ll be able to see if this team is the same division-winning, almost-there team they have been, or if there’s a regression, especially in an aging secondary.

But for a team that’s gone to the playoffs five-straight seasons and has yet to claim a postseason victory, the regular season games are important, but to fans are meaningless. The only way to know “who dey” are will be in the postseason.