Niner Times: October 23, 2018

OCTOBER 23, 2018 NINERTIMES.COM INSIDE THIS ISSUE: FALL FEST 2018

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Jeffrey Kopp

editor@ninertimes.com EDITORIAL

Alexandria Sands COMMUNITY EDITOR Megan Bird NEWS EDITOR Sam Palian SPORTS EDITOR Elissa Miller A&E EDITOR Hailey Turpin LIFESTYLE EDITOR Madison Dobrzenski OPINION EDITOR Emily Hickey COPY EDITOR Leysha Caraballo PHOTO COORDINATOR Pooja Pasupula PHOTO COORDINATOR Kathleen Cook VIDEO PRODUCER Natasha Morehouse LAYOUT EDITOR ASSISTANT EDITORS

Nikolai Mather, Noah Howell CONTRIBUTING STAFF

Breanna Herring, Sara Zimmerman

SPORTS

A&E

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49ers defeat the Herd with late goal

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TV REVIEW: ʻThe Walking Deadʼ - ʻWarning Signsʼ

49ers bested by Blue Raiders

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Charlotte Thriller ends in loss

GAMING REVIEW: ʻCall of Duty: Black Ops 4ʼ

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FESTIVAL REVIEW: Breakaway Festival draws Charlotte EDM and Hip-Hop fans for a weekend filled with dance and music.

Songs of Mourning and of Light

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Niners fall to Miners 1-0

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Charlotte 49ers stumble against Blue Raiders

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Bruce scores game-winner; Niners win

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VIDEO

Student Take: The new Belk Plaza Basketball Madness 2018 Do you know Hamilton?

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TV REVIEW: “Star Wars Resistance” – “The Triple Dark” Why We Still Watch “Fancy Free”” Talking Walls Produces Murals Across Charlotte

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VOTING GUIDE TO THE MIDTERM ELECTIONS

by Megan Bird News Editor

The 2018 midterm elections have been especially contentious as Democrats gear up to take back Congress and Republicans hope to maintain their hold.

There are currently 69 highly competitive seats across the country, and the Democrats need 23 of those in order to secure a majority in the House.

Democrats must defend 26 Senate seats while Republicans must maintain 9.

On average, at least half of Americans never make it to the polls, and those who do can are often blindsided by confusing wording or unrecognizable names. If you are registered to vote in the UNC Charlotte area, you will elect a congressperson, a state senator, a North Carolina house representative and a justice to the North Carolina Supreme Court. Everyone registered to vote in North Carolina will vote on six constitutional amendments.

Early voting continues through Nov. 3 and Election Day is Nov. 6 with polls open from 6:30 a.m to 7:30 p.m. Prepare yourself now with this summary of what will be on the ballot for most Charlotte residents.

Referenda The General Assembly has proposed six amendments to the North Carolina Constitution, all of which have received considerable criticism for intentional vague wording. They include an income tax cap, expansion of victims’ rights, right to hunt and fish amendment, change in procedures for appointments to elections board, change in judicial selection procedures for midterm vacancies and voter ID requirement.

The Income Tax Cap Amendment proposes to reduce the maximum allowable income tax rate in North Carolina from 10 percent to 7 percent. It does not change the current individual income tax rate of 5.499 percent nor the current corporate income tax rate of 3 percent. Income taxes are one of the ways state government raises the money to pay for core services such as public education, public health and public safety. Supporters claim the state has been operating well so far with the current rate; opposers say education will lose funding and that it does not provide exceptions for times of crisis.

The Marsy’s Law Victims’ Rights Amendment is intended to strengthen protections for victims of crime and to ensure the enforcement of these rights.

It would broaden the base of currently protected victims to include all who were personally victimized. According to the N.C. Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission, the additional rights would be: “To be treated with dignity and respect. Reasonable, accurate, and timely notice of a proceeding, upon request. To be present at any proceeding, upon request. To be reasonably heard at additional kinds of court hearings. Restitution in a reasonably timely manner, when ordered by the court. Information about the crime, upon request. To reasonably confer with the prosecutor.” The public fiscal note that accompanied this legislation estimates that these changes would cost about $11 million per year, although the amendment does not specify where the money would come from. Supporters say it is a bipartisan effort to protect victims while opposers claim it would slow down court proceedings.

The Right to Hunt and Fish Amendment would protect the right of the

NEWS

people to hunt, fish and harvest wildlife using “traditional methods,” although these are not defined. Hunters would still be subject to wildlife conservation and management laws. Supporters say that both practices have decreased drastically. Opponents say it is simply an attempt to draw Republicans to vote.

The Legislative Appointments to Elections Board Amendment proposes a smaller, eight member Bipartisan Board of Ethics and Elections. North Carolina currently has a nine member Board, eight of whom are appointed by the governor, resulting in four Democrats and four Republicans. The governor also appoints the ninth member, who is not a member of a political party, from nominations provided by the other eight members. This amendment would override the Supreme Court decision to not reduce to eight members.

Supporters suggest that dividing the Board on partisan lines would force them to make bipartisan decisions. Opponents worry that it will result in gridlock and eliminate representation for unaffiliated voters.

The Judicial Selection for Midterm Vacancies Amendment would change the appointment process if a judge does not complete her term. Currently, the governor chooses the replacement, but if the amendment passes, the legislature would pick two finalists from candidates reviewed by a commission and the governor would select between them. The N.C. Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission stated that it would weakens voters’ constitutional right to elect judges. Supporters claim it would reduce political considerations when choosing judges whereas opponents point out that judicial candidates would be required to lobby legislators whose laws they would eventually review.

Perhaps the most controversial of all the amendments, the Voter ID Amendment would require voters to provide photo identification before voting in person. The amendment does not specify what type of photo identification would be accepted. Supporters say it would prevent voter fraud and opponents say it would decrease voter participation by adding one more barrier to the process.

The Constitutional Amendments Publication Commission — made up of two Democrats and a Republican — typically drafts the ballot descriptions, but this year the legislature prohibited them from doing so and wrote them instead. Governor Roy Cooper and the N.C. NAACP challenged the four amendments because of their allegedly misleading wording, but the lawsuits died in the N.C. Supreme Court. An Elon University poll revealed that only 8 percent of North Carolina voters understand the amendments.

U.S. House of Representatives Incumbent Democrat Alma Adams and Republican Paul Wright are vying for the 12th District seat to the United States House of Representatives in what has been rated as a safe Democrat race.

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FROM PG. 3 Congresswoman Alma Adams served for 10 years as a member of the N.C. House of Representatives before she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. She has cast several key votes in the U.S. House including nay on a bill that proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status and preventing separation of families at the border. Her major issues of concern include narrowing the achievement gap and supporting HBCUs, proactive environmental policies to combat climate change, expanding the Affordable Care Act, tax increases for the wealthy and tax cuts for the middle class. Adams won 85.5% of the vote in the Democratic primary.

Photo courtesy of adams.house.gov

Congresswoman Alma Adams served for 10 years as a member of the N.C. House of Representatives before she was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives in 2014. She has cast several key votes in the U.S. House including nay on a bill that proposed funding a border wall, limiting legal immigration, a mandatory worker verification program, allowing DACA recipients to apply for legal status and preventing separation of families at the border. Her major issues of concern include narrowing the achievement gap and supporting HBCUs, proactive environmental policies to combat climate change, expanding the Affordable Care Act, tax increases for the wealthy and tax cuts for the middle class. Adams won 85.5% of the vote in the Democratic primary.

North Carolina State Senate Democrat Mujtaba Mohammed and Republican Richard Rivette are running for N.C. State Senate in District 38. The seat is currently held by Democratic Senator Joel Ford. Republicans have a 34-15 majority in the state senate heading into the elections.

Mujtaba Mohammed is a graduate of UNC Charlotte and a current public interest attorney. He is also a former employee of Charlotte Nonprofit Council for Children’s Rights. Mohammed is running on a platform of education, economy and equity. Specifically, he advocates early childhood programs, higher teacher pay, higher funding of education, incentives for companies to hire individuals with criminal records, a livable minimum wage, Equal Pay Act for North Carolina women, in-state tuition for undocumented students and automatic voter registration. In an unprecedented primary, Mohammed beat incumbent Senator Joel Ford with 51.9% of the vote.

Richard Rivette has worked in marketing, product development, branding and business development. He unsuccessfully ran against Senator Joel Ford in 2012, 2014 and 2016. Rivette is a self-described “strict Constitutionalist” who is running on a platform of “PROjobs, PROgrowth, PROcharlotte, PROnc and PROrights.” He believes that we must eliminate most taxes, maintain the current minimum wage and appoint citizen committees to help plan development in Charlotte. Rivette won as the only nominee during the Republican primary.

North Carolina House of Representatives Democratic incumbent Carla Cunningham and Republican Geovani Sherow are competing to represent District 106 in the N.C. House of Representatives.

Republicans have a 75-45 majority heading into the elections. All 120 seats are up for election.

Representative Cunningham is a registered nurse and has served five terms in the N.C. House of Representatives. She sought election to the U.S. House in 2016 but lost to incumbent Alma Adams. Cunningham supports the expansion of Medicaid, increased funding for public schools, free community college, enforcing equal pay for all citizens and increased training for employees in the criminal justice system. She won 88.9% of the vote in the primary. Cunningham also won by wide margins in the House races of 2012, 2014 and 2016.

Geovani Sherow is UNC Charlotte graduate and current commercial contractor. He does not have any information published online for the 2018 election, but in April 2018 he told the Charlotte Observer that he supports arming school teachers and staff and breaking up the Charlotte-Mecklenburg Schools district. Sherow ran unopposed in the Republican primary.

Additionally running are Democrat Anita Earls, Republican Chris Anglin and Republican incumbent Barbara Jackson for the North Carolina Supreme Court.

However, Anglin was a registered Democrat before filing as Republican for the 2018 race. There are currently four Democratic and three Republican justices.

Several local candidates are guaranteed seats because they do not face any opponents. Democrat Louis A. Trosch Jr., Democrat Karen Eady-Williams and Democrat Donnie Hoover will all retain their places in the Mecklenburg Superior Court. Democrat Garry McFadden will take over as Mecklenburg County Sheriff and Democrat Spencer Merriweather will take office as Mecklenburg County District Attorney.

UNC CHARLOTTE PRECINCT: Photo courtesy Wright for US Congress

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UNIVERSIT Y CIT Y REGIONAL LIBRARY 301 E W T HARRIS BLVD CHARLOTTE, NC 28262

POLL YOUR OPINION WEIGHT

by Emily Hickey Copy Editor

A call for participation in the upcoming midterm election

Election time tends to turn the nation into a violent atmosphere yet just as much an exciting one. Most Americans only focus on the Presidential Election every four years, but the midterm elections are actually more important. Midterm elections consist of voting for your state Senators and Representatives, also known as the people who you have a direct voice towards who can benefit you when it comes to the workings of the government.

Everyone gets so caught up in the theater that presidential elections have become that the importance of Congress gets buried beneath it all, making midterms “just another election.” But now is the time for action; if you want change, you need to vote. Congress has always been more important than the President when it comes to enacting change, so it is important to vote for those who share your values and who you truly believe will get shit done, especially when it comes to the five amendments proposed for North Carolina.

For those who are unaware, on North Carolina’s ballot for this midterm election, citizens will be able to vote for or against six North Carolina constitutional amendments pertaining to a variety of issues that have created great divide between North Carolina’s political parties. The amendment that most people are really focusing on is a requirement to show a photo ID when voting. This was found unconstitutional in the 2016 elections, so the fact that the NC GOP is trying to bring it back is beyond me. Not only is this discriminatory, but it creates barriers to voter participation by targeting minorities who may not have access to photo IDs. The fear that voter fraud is more likely without a photo ID is false considering the amount of voter frauds in 2016’s election was documented at four, so this proposed amendment is unnecessary and a way to further take away voter rights.

Another amendment proposed deals with income tax cap, which will lower North Carolina’s maximum possible rate from 10 to seven. The state’s current income tax rate is at 5.499 percent, and the News & Observer assures this number will not change, no matter the voting outcome. However, there is still fear for those who could be negatively affected by this income tax limitation, such as public school teachers. Those against income tax find this proposal to be a step forward, however, many people from poorer counties throughout the state fear for their schools and children’s education. By capping income tax, the likelihood that public schools -- most of whom are already in poor conditions -- would lose even more funding is real and scary. If our education crumbles, so will everything else.

Moving from that amendment, the third amendment proposed contains changes to North Carolina’s election board. As of currently, the board has four Democrats, four Republicans, and one unaffiliated person of whom the amendment is targeting. This amendment is for the removal of the

Photo by Taylor Moody

unaffiliated member in order to leave the board equally split and free from a tiebreaker. Because of this, the governor will no longer be able to choose the members on the election board as that power will be transferred to the Legislature. This amendment not only instills a party divide in our state but also threatens for important legislation to possibly never be passed due to an indecisive vote. With only eight members, those voting against important legislation, like public school issues and rights, could potentially be blocked.

If you thought any of those three amendments were threatening, the fourth amendment proposed concerns judicial appointments and is even more frightening. In this amendment, the power to appoint judges will be taken from the governor and changed to a list of appointees presented to the governor from the state Legislature as well as, in other cases, given to the chief justice of the Supreme Court. As someone who identifies as more center when it comes to politics, I have to judge the GOP when it comes to this amendment. It’s public knowledge that the Republicans stray away from government power and focus more on state rights, but does this not directly contradict that? While the power will be shifted to North Carolina leaders in Legislature or the Supreme Court, that still takes away from North Carolina’s elected Governor to make direct decisions. Why elect a governor if you are going to give the North Carolina representatives working in D.C. the authority over major decisions? I personally would rather someone who is in North Carolina to make our decisions, despite the Legislature’s allegiance to our state, making this is a direct attack on Governor Cooper.

The final two amendments do not hold as much momentum as the previously mentioned four, but they are still important nonetheless. Marsy’s law, an amendment that would give more rights to crime victims, is the only amendment I have yet to find a major flaw in. While I see the controversial nature of this amendment, I am not educated enough on crime rights and the proceedings of the judicial. The hunting and fishing amendment proposed will actually make no changes to North Carolina law; its sole purpose is to reel in a particular voting demographic. Since all of the amendments align with the right, hunting and fishing is a tactic used by the GOP to grab the attention of many Republicans, ensuring they are at the polls voting for all six. It is up to you to decide which you will vote for, and it is up to you to make it to the polls. DO NOT SKIMP OUT. This is more important than you think, and just because America’s political climate is seemingly dangerous and threatening, fight for your beliefs and vote for who you want to enact change to your state, your HOME.

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SPORTS

CATCHING

Filling you in on Cha

by Sam Palian Sports Editor

Where we stand The Charlotte 49ers have been making strides this season, reaching heights that only attest to how badly they want it.

“We know we’ve got a lot to prove this year. With a season going 1-11, you definitely want to keep it in your rearview mirror, that way you see it everywhere you go. You never want to just let it go, you use that as motivation,” said running back Benny LeMay. “We’re going to do everything we can to fill the stadium.”

The 2017 season was not exactly something to be proud of, but the Niners certainly learned a lot about who they want to be, made a few changes, and have been working harder than ever.

“Coming off of the season we had last year, you wouldn’t expect us to have this type of energy from everybody on both sides of the ball and that’s really big coming from the summer that we had. That’s going to carry into the season and hopefully, we’ll turn this season around and have a winning season,” said linebacker Juwan Foggie.

They don’t quite have a winning season yet, but the Niners hold a 3-4 record overall and a 2-2 record in Conference USA with home conference wins over Old Dominion and Western Kentucky and a win over Fordham to start off the 2018 season.

Charlotte enjoys several names regularly appearing in the postgame reports nearly every weekend, including those such as LeMay, Foggie, Jeff Gemmell and QB Chris Reynolds, prior to his injury during the win against Western Kentucky.

Senior Foggie has caught not only one, but four interceptions in his linebacker position so far this season, having run one of them into the end zone

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The Rushing Game The Charlotte Forty-Niners currently stand ranked at No. 6 in the FBS in rushing defense, putting them in front of programs like National Champions Clemson and Alabama and previous opponent Appalachian State. Of course, this is just one area of the game, but the Niners are certainly working to show what they can do this season.

The 49ers lead the conference in rush defense and have held their opponents to no more than 84.14 rushing yards per game, allowing the most of 142 yards to Massachusetts and the most to a conference opponent of 123

by ODU. Offensively, LeMay rushed for 135 yards in the first game of the season against Fordham and has since rushed two more 100-yard games, including two conference games back-to-back, becoming the first 49er to do so.

The powerhouse junior running back currently ranks second in C-USA and 27th in the NCAA with a rushing yards average of 94.9 and ranks second in C-USA and 25th in all-purand 49 solo tackles overall. Just ahead of him is pose yards. teammate Ben DeLuca resting at fourth with 9.8 LeMay has accumulated 1,571 career rushing tackles per game and 56 solo tackles overall. Foggie, yards and sitting at 664 rushing yards, he is only Anthony Butler and Ed Rolle also appear in the top 68 short of reaching his career-high from the 2017 50 within the conference. season of 732.

Something else the Niners can easily boast this “I’m tired of being at the end of the rope, and we season is their rushing game, particularly on the really want to show people that we can be top condefensive side of the ball. tenders in this league,” said LeMay. for a return TD and using each of them to help put the Niners in scoring position. Foggie shares No. 2 in interceptions in the NCAA rankings with several other athletes at four interceptions so far this year.

He also solely claims the No. 5 spot in interception return yards with 100 yards.

Another LB, Gemmell, is sitting at sitting at sixth in Conference USA with 8.8 tackles per game

G YOU UP

arlotte 49ers Football

The Quarterback Question To Charlotte’s dismay, there has been a lot of back and forth since the 2017 season ended about who would find themselves in the 49er pocket.

Given the Niners’ record of 1-11, obviously many changes, including those to the coaching staff, were made between then and now.

To Charlotte’s dismay, there has been a lot of back and forth since the 2017 season ended about who would find themselves in the 49er pocket.

Given the Niners’ record of 1-11, obviously many changes, including those to the coaching staff, were made between then and now.

QB Hasaan Klugh finished the 2017 season with nine touchdowns, 10 touchdown passes, 11 interceptions and 1,433 passing yards in total in 10 games.

In the 2018 Spring Game, Reynolds and Klugh were trading places throughout, giving coaches and players a feel for what may work best for those QBs and for the team in the coming season.

Within the seven games that Reynolds was able to play in this season, he threw six touchdown passes, rushed for a single touchdown and collected 1173 passing yards.

Prior to his injury, Chris Reynolds was repeating appearances in postgame stats as well, especially when connecting with receiver Victor Tucker.

Early in the second half of the 49ers’ home game against Western Kentucky, Reynolds was injured and it was unclear whether he would return. By the end of the next week, it had been announced that Reynolds was out indefinitely and QB Evan Shirreffs would be stepping in to get his first start as a Niner against Middle Tennessee.

“It’s always tough,” said Lambert. “We tell our team all the time, you know, that nothing is guaranteed in football, and Chris didn’t think that was going to be his last game and sure enough it is. But, we’ll give Evan a shot, see what he can do.”

Shirreffs first saw action as a Forty-Niner in the 40-14 homecoming win over WKU filling in for an injured Reynolds, going 5-of-7 passing for 118 yards, a passing TD and a rushing TD. The Niners lost their next game on the road

to Middle Tennessee, with Sherriffs throwing two interceptions, a single touchdown pass, and went 20-for-40 passing for 209 yards.

What’s coming The Niners look next to their second to last home game against Conference USA opponent Southern Miss on Saturday, Oct. 27 at 2 p.m.

Charlotte is 3-1 at home, Southern Miss is 2-0 away, and they walked away with a home victory over the 49ers in 2017 at 66-21.

There are an abundance of differences between that time last year and this coming matchup, not excluding the vast changes in Charlotte coaching staff.

On the Golden Eagles’ end, redshirt senior and previous starting QB Kwadra Griggs, who threw 20-of-27 passing for 221 yards including a 45-yard TD pass and a two-point conversion pass, has only appeared in a single game for his team this season.

Griggs was suspended early on in the season due to a “student conduct matter” and has since been reinstated with the team but has yet to contribute positively to the stats since August.

On the other hand, the defense will look to keep a tight lock on quarterback Jack Abraham who has thrown 135-of-184 for 1,532 yards this season in five games.

Charlotte’s No. 6 rush defense prepares for a team averaging a total of 132.2 yards per game.

Photos by Chris Crews

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A&E

A SKELE-TON OF FUN

By Breanna Herring Images courtesy of Pixabay and Staff Intern SVG Silh

The Jazz Arts Initiative presents ‘The Jazz Room Series: Trick or Treat Edition II’

It is officially spooky season! So what exactly does that look like?

Scarecrows, monsters, witches, scary movies, pumpkins and college students’ grades dropping? If you think about it, does jazz come across your mind?

The Jazz Arts Initiative is a non-profit organization that consists of musicians, educators and individuals who want to contribute to Charlotte’s growing art culture. It is vital to develop an audience for jazz through music education, performance opportunities and musician support. “The Jazz Room” is a series created by the organization designed to showcase talented musicians from across the world. They have shows all throughout the year with different themes. For the fall season, the themed concert was called “Trick or Trick Edition II.” The President and CEO of Jazz Arts Initiative is Mrs. Lonnie Davis. Davis has a B.A. in Psychology and a minor in Music with an additional graduate work in Urban and Regional Planning. She is a graduate of Leadership Charlotte, Class XXXII and is an accomplished jazz flutist. Davis also studied music at Louisiana’s prestigious arts conservatory, New Orleans Center for the Creative Arts.

When asked about “The Jazz Room” series, she stated, “My favorite aspect of this program is to bring musicians together. Often times, they meet for the first time and come from different cities.

It is really about forming a stronger bond between both regional and local artists. And outside of that, I love seeing the audiences’ faces when they hear these great musicians and educating them on jazz.”

I went to see the Halloween-themed concert on Friday, Oct. 19 at 8:15 p.m. It was held in the Booth Playhouse at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center. The building itself was incredibly beautiful. The room was mainly dark. The stage was lit with different colors, such as orange, red, green and purple. The decorations consisted of mini jack-o-lanterns, a screen with halloween pictures and candles. There were tables out in the lobby with black cloths and candy on top.

To my surprise, there was a small bar right

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beside the stage. The adults would casually purchase an alcoholic beverage during the performances.

The concert was fun and I enjoyed myself. The band consisted of a drum player, bass player, pianist, trumpet player and saxophone player. There were also three vocalists that were featured throughout the concert. They all performed Halloween-themed jazz classics, such as songs from “West Side Story,” “Halloween Theme” by John Carpenter, and songs by Frank Sinatra, Herbie Hancock, etc. It gave me goosebumps. My favorite part was the recital of a poem by Edgar Allan Poe. The vocalist recited the poem as the band gave chilly background noise to enhance the thrill. The audience loved every moment of it. They clapped, snapped and hollered.

Some people got up to dance a little.

Everyone would usually turn to have a light conversation with their neighbor. The whole atmosphere that night was relaxing and “jazzy.”

The performers did an encore performance since the audience wanted to hear more music.

The only thing that I did not like about the concert was the absence of programs. I wish I had received a hard-copy program that had a layout of all of the selections that were performed; it would have been nice if I had known the names of the songs. Granted, someone did announce the name of the song about to be performed, but let’s be honest here... who actually pays attention to people talking during a jazz concert? We are here for the jazz and tune out everything else. I also wanted to know more information about the musicians.

I wish there was a list of their names with a brief biography and social media account. They were all just incredible musicians. I genuinely wanted to research about them but I did not have a program in my hand.

Overall, I would most definitely recommend the Jazz Room series. It is a great way to experience live music performances and be introduced into the jazz world. Music is when we all can come together and enjoy life, and I must say, they must have put a spell on me because I am going to their next concert!

IN THE SPOTLIGHT

Indie band COIN takes the stage for concert at The Underground

By Elissa Miller Arts and Entertainment Editor

Since the age of 13, the age at which my mother finally allowed me to create a Facebook account, my online life has been curated by an increasingly-present series of algorithms. They determine what I see on the internet, both curating my personal news feed and the ads I am most likely to click on. Most of the time, “the algorithm” feels like some omnipresent force, one with confusing and menacing intentions. However, sometimes the algorithm chooses what music I listen to, such as when it decided to mix the band COIN’s songs into my recommended Spotify playlists. I found them to be a solid listen, especially when I needed to stay awake late at night doing schoolwork. When I found out that the band would be performing at The Underground on Oct. 19, I decided it was time to actually hear them in person.

COIN took to the stage relatively soon after its opening act (the young indie band Arlie), immediately showcasing a strong technical set. Lights flashed, smoke poured in, and strobing effects were utilized. Silhouettes were a popular light motif. Lead singer Chase Lawrence had an infectious energy, dancing and moving along with the music. He often talked to the audience about how special the night was and stated that the band had not played a show in the United States for too long. He also indicated that COIN would need to come to Charlotte more often, though it is possible that this is something he says about all of the places the band visits. COIN’s other members, Ryan Winnen (drums) and Joe Memmel (guitar), were placed on either side of Lawrence. While they were fundamental in making the music and keeping the energy alive, Lawrence dominated the performance.

The band, though more established than its opener, is still a fairly new addition to the music scene. Their 2015 debut album, the self-titled “COIN,” and 2017 follow up, “How Will You Know If You Never Try,” were both featured on the night’s setlist. Falling somewhere between indie pop and modern rock, the band kept concertgoers enthralled and dancing. My personal favorites of the night included “Run,” “Malibu 1992,” “I Don’t Wanna Dance” and “Talk Too Much.” Hearing them played live, as opposed to on my Spotify playlist, brought them to life and made them feel more high energy. The fact that the floor seemed to vibrate under my feet from the bass and sound might also have been a contributing factor. However, I also found that many of the other songs seemed to sound the same. They rarely seem to push the genre and while fun, I would have appreciated a bit more variety and depth.

With so much negative (and warranted) discussion of it on news and social media platforms, sometimes I forget that “the algorithm” can be a good thing. It is, ideally, supposed to help me find content I am uniquely interested in. Three of the books I physically bought this year are by authors I found and follow on Twitter. And in the case of COIN, a band I only found out about because it was in my Spotify “Daily Mix,” it seems the algorithm has succeeded once more.

While COIN isn’t my favorite band, it adds to the list of musicians and songs I like, and was a solid and fun concert experience. It is proof that sometimes, in an online world that can be both concerning and hopeful, the algorithm can get it right.

ACROSS 1 Online auction venue 5 Waffle House competitors 10 Mine extracts 14 Wind-driven device 15 Complete extent 16 City founded by Pizarro 17 Simple __ of kindness 18 Cause of squinting 19 Sometimes-puffy I’s?

20 English king married six times 23 Circular coaster feature 24 Guthrie at Woodstock 25 Vietnamese export 26 Vietnamese soup 28 Denials 30 Site for crafters 32 “Three cheers” cry 36 Inventor’s spark 37 Prefix with -gram 38 Govt. workplace monitor 42 How wealthy people live 47 Arrived

48 One-man show about Capote 49 Salt Lake City athlete 50 Bay Area airport letters 52 Gillette razor 55 Bluesman Redding 57 Keep something in mind 61 Christmastide 62 In first place 63 Perjurer 65 Bana of “Hulk” 66 Orange Bowl city 67 Sole 68 Perlman of “Cheers” 69 Kenneth Lay’s scandalized company 70 Eye rudely

5 Singer known as the “Godfather of Punk” 6 Put the kibosh on 7 Nebraska city 8 Less tainted 9 Pittsburgh footballer 10 Cassini of fashion 11 Southpaw’s opposite 12 Be a ham 13 Obama daughter 21 Rice-A-__ 22 Tiny bit 26 Honor society letter 27 Got ready for the surprise party surprise 29 Deposed Iranian despot 31 Clog or moc 33 Bad-joke response 34 Tres menos dos 35 Speak wildly 39 Saying “Quiet!” to 40 Very popular 41 Get on in years 43 “__ the end of my rope!”

44 Return from work 45 Enter steadily, as a line of students 46 Rwandan native 47 “Border” dog 50 More lamb than tiger 51 Club with 20-, 32-, 42- and 57-Across as members?

53 Kidney enzyme that regulates blood pressure 54 Essential rose oil 56 Snow house 58 Prefix for “ten” 59 __ sapiens 60 Towering 64 Pastrami bread Across

DOWN 1 Longoria of “Desperate Housewives” 2 One of music’s Three Bs 3 Savanna springer 4 Simple question type

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Photos by Wikipedia and Pixabay

LIFESTYLE

The Moon Signs

A further investigation into the world of astrology

by Emily Hickey Copy Editor

Zodiac shmodiac. Is it even real? Actually, it’s more real than you think. While not entirely to blame for all the mishaps of life or the negative quirks in your character, the Zodiac signs you were born under influence a lot more than what is consciously recognized. For example, your moon sign influences the way you think and feel as well as your intuition. This sign is especially important when dealing with said mishaps, for it gives you an understanding on why you react and deal with it the way you do. Look at it as an insight to your emotional side. Here’s a description of each sign under the moon.

Aries The Ram in the moon is impatient, finding everything to not happen fast enough. Their constant state of emergency makes it hard for them to wait for life to happen, emphasizing their fiery inner passion. These lunar signs have a desire for activity and will waste no time when it comes to getting what they want instantly, especially when it comes to romance. Because their needs and wants are undefined to them, many lunar Arians have many short-lived romances and secretly love being surrounded by trouble.

Despite their aggressiveness, they tend to be very defensive people. The difference between lunar Arians and Cancers are that, when upset, Arians lash out while Cancers retreat. Although their fire burns, many people appreciate lunar Arians’ ability to be straight-forward, even if you sometimes feel you can never keep up with them.

Taurus Lunar Taureans thrive in familiarity. Due to their earthy nature, they tend to be rooted in their ways and feel safe in comfortable foundations.

Don’t try to push these people to do something because they’ll just ignore you. However, there is a steadiness when it comes to those under lunar Taurus, and those around them feel their comforting nature. They tend to stay away from

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“messy” emotions and situations and are very romantic beings. They are sentimental and warm; their affections are strong, and because Taurus is a fixed sign, the likelihood of a break-up is slim.

Anything a lunar Taurean decides will be safe to them, making them very reliable people. These people are loyal yet fiercely stubborn and falter when their routine is interrupted, so don’t try to surprise them. They love the good things in life.

Gemini Have you ever met someone who is utterly charming yet emotionally detached? They were probably a lunar Gemini. To the public, they are pleasant and interesting, but at home, they can be irritable and moody at times. They are comfortable talking about feelings, but feeling their feelings is hard for them. Because of this, they come off as detached, but really, they just feel misunderstood.

When confronted with a problem, lunar Geminis are known to talk it out immediately. These people are plagued with nervousness and restlessness, making them prone to reading, talking and thinking a lot -- maybe sometimes too much.

They have a way with words and are generally adaptable and open to new ideas. Lunar Geminis strive when they have plenty of things to do and love home improvement, even if they don’t necessarily like housework, they just need an outlet for their unending imagination. Their need to do a million and one things, however, causes them to find trouble at sticking to one thing.

Cancer The moon happens to be the natural ruler of Cancer, so those born with this lunar sign are able to truly understand the feelings and emotions of others. These people have immaculate memories and are very clingy in every aspect of their life, seeking familiarity and comfort in all things. They are peace-loving, accommodating and dwellers.

Their insecurity in confronting others leads them to use indirect ways to garner attention, which

many feel is them usually beating a dead horse, but they just want to get you to understand how they feel. Since they are ruled by the watery moon, their moodiness can be surprising since they tend to be irrational. Despite this, they will always take care of you, even if they are being crabby.

Leo Those who know some about Zodiac signs are familiar with the outgoing Leo. However, lunar Leos are the complete opposite. They only seek attention when they feel comfortable, more specifically with family or friends. Those born with this lunar sign have a need to organize and control, making them the overseers of everyone in their group. Because of this, don’t change plans at the last minute. They need time to adjust their schedules. They can come off as bossy at times, but they have a deep desire to treat others fairly and justly. Lunar Leos love the idea of creating and entertaining but can be rather lazy. They also require a lot of love, and when their pride has been hurt, they will sulk dramatically. Not in public, though, because they can’t make a scene. Their integrity and dignity won’t allow them.

Virgo Like many of the previous signs, lunar Virgos search for security, only this time it’s in the little things in life. Many love the mundane errands of everyday, like paying bills and balancing the books, because they feel most content when life feels straightened out. Although they are prone to nagging and complaining, lunar Virgos love taking care of things and people. They feel best when they are needed and useful, being the first to offer help to those in need. Lunar Virgos are content with regular lives and reject attention due to their ability to become overwhelmed easily when there is too much to think about. These people need a steady routine and a hobby where they can analyze, attend to details and micromanage. When it comes to relationships, lunar Virgos shy away from gushy displays of affection. They are shy, self-

effacing and kind, and when they come out of their shell, they have a lot to give.

Libra The co-dependent Libra; those with their moon sign in Libra need partnership and feel incomplete without people to share their lives with. Lunar Librans are sympathetic, sharing, social and most likely to get married young. Their partnerships give them strength and reinforcement. Lunar Librans are charming and flirtatious, winning the hearts of others in gentle ways.

However, when it comes to flaws, people with in this sign are nit picky and stubborn. Anything flawed will bother them until fixed, and in arguments, they always have to have the last say, making them great lawyers. People in this sign will always love and defend others, even if they are stubborn.

Scorpio Give a lunar Scorpio emotional intensity and they are set for life. These people are intense, seeking out the core of everyone they meet to be able to see what’s hidden inside. Because of their need for dramatic emotions, their lives can seem like a lot of up and downs, but to the lunar Scorpio, it’s merely transformation and rebirth.

They tend to stir up emotional excitement and seek out intense experiences, going into everything with the mindset “all or nothing.” Lunar Scorpios have a strong fear of betrayal and challenge their partners with love tests, expecting the other to give up something for them.

Once they are committed, lunar Scorpios are the most loyal and protective partners around. These people radiate strength and have the ability to size up situations and people quickly, satisfying their need to understand human motivation and nature. Intelligent and intimate, lunar Scorpios make for rewarding friends and lovers.

Sagittarius Similar to the sun in Sagittarius, those with their moon in Sagittarius need personal freedom and space. If they have both, they are happy and easygoing. Their love for open spaces extends to their need for travel. They love meeting new people and going out in the world, using their optimism to help inspire others. Some may consider lunar Sagittarians to be irresponsible, but it’s only their dislike for mundane routines. Lunar Sagittarians enjoy friendly competition, but when life becomes too much, they tend to run away. They will always come back though, they just needed to take a break. Their need for freedom gives them the mindset that everything will work out, especially since everything they do is generally on a whim. These people are lovers of truth, new experiences and mind-expanding ideas.

Capricorn The competent Capricorn should be the nickname for people with this moon sign. These people keep their emotions under check, and if they are experiencing a tornado under the surface, they will always keep a

calm composure. This, along with their usefulness and productiveness, makes them come across as steady, reliable people. Clear boundaries and realistic goals are a must for these traditional people. They respect authority and seek safety and security in most everything. Mood swings can occur, but for the most part, their collected nature makes them scared of people with turbulent emotions. Although they come off as level-headed, lunar Capricorns experience emotions like the rest of us, they’re just better at hiding it. These people crave respect and feeling worthwhile. They also put a lot of value into real, tangible things, like money and realistic goals. Lunar Capricorns are well-managed and like to live a structured life.

Aquarius Why do people do what they do? This is what lunar Aquarians want to know most. Being extremely observant people, they tend to come off as shy or detached, although they can be very sociable. They strive for uniqueness and often feel different from others. These people are admired for their idealism and ability to put themselves above jealousy and possessiveness. They are fiercely independent and are generally proud of their family.

Young lunar Aquarians are prone to temper tantrums, but as they grow older, they outgrow “messy” emotions and pride themselves on their level-headedness, even if it may come off as detached to others. Lunar Aquarians give those they love copious amounts of personal freedom and are very tolerant people, making them good humanitarians. They are constant, trustworthy and loyal, making for amazing friends since they refuse to leave anybody out. Lunar Aquarians are charming yet stubborn, and when they feel their pride has been attacked or are being criticized, they will hide their sensitivity and probably end the relationship.

Pisces Dreamy lunar Pisces seems to never be in touch with reality, but that’s not a bad thing! They need time to daydream or else they become overwhelmed with life.

They are intuitive and find ease at putting themselves in other people’s shoes, even though they sometimes lose themselves in the suffering of others. Lunar Pisceans are perceptive and a bit odd, always laughing and making others laugh. Soft-hearted and sweet, these people are touched by human suffering and are suckers for sob stories. However, they have an apt ability to discern between sincerity and manipulation. They may come across as absent-minded, but they are anything but weak.

They are compassionate and seem to understand things even if they have never experienced it, making them brilliant actors/actresses. When they retreat to recharge, you can often find them drawing, writing and making/ listening to music. They love emotion and the ability to share it with the world.

To find out your moon sign, go to https://astro. cafeastrology.com/natal.php.

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by Sara Zimmermann Staff Writer

Photo By Pexels

‘IN THE LAKE IN THE WOODS’: A BOOK REVIEW

“You know, I think politics and magic were almost the same thing for him. Transformations — that’s part of it — trying to change things.

When you think about it, magicians and politicians are basically control freaks.”

“In The Lake Of The Woods” has become an odd favorite of mine.

This novel doesn’t particularly bring me joy or comfort, but it has left me with a lasting intrigue which inspires me to revisit it frequently.

Tim O’Brien is a knowledgeable author whose firsthand account of the fictionalized subject matter lends itself to a very genuine and believable story. The subject of war (namely, the Vietnam War) is heavy in this novel, and Tim O’Brien is a veteran. Many people may know his name from his novel, “The Things They Carried,” which is based on some of his experiences in the 23rd Infantry Division. I have read “In The Lake Of The Woods” several times now and I have suggested it to many people.

“The Lake Of The Woods” owes a lot of its magic to the protagonist, John Wade, who happens to have a strange fascination with magicians and tricks. This is only one of the many somewhat bizarre facets of John Wade, who is a politician running for higher public office. His character is very appealing, but he is surrounded by an air of mystery from the very beginning. He is a driven if not troubled man, and he seems to have high chances and an already impressive history under his belt. The plot of the novel doesn’t hinge on this, though. Instead, the plot immediately kicks off when the public is informed of war crimes involving John Wade.

Instantly, whatever expectations readers have change into something completely unpredictable. John’s wife goes missing and no one has a clue about what happened. From this point on, Tim O’Brien drags readers down a very dark and convoluted path of twisted outcomes and

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possibilities.

One of the other strengths of the novel is its eerie tone. Even the mundane seems heavy and tense with Tim O’Brien’s touch. Things that shouldn’t be unusual seem horrific by nature. Readers will be left with a combination of fascination and distrust in the characters, the plot and their own mind. Much of the true grittiness of the novel lies within the imagination. Tim O’Brien does a fantastic job of creating horror with implication -- he tells you just enough to lead your mind in uncomfortable directions, and it is up to the reader to imagine the worst.

What makes this novel interesting is its alternating points of view.

The story is told in many ways and it is not always linear. In this way, reading this novel doesn’t feel much different from solving a puzzle.

The story is told by John Wade (both past and present) and by many of the people involved in his life, be it through testimonial transcripts, flashbacks or interviews. The reader must ultimately pick who to believe and which story to trust. This is by no means an easy feat, and many people may not want to believe some of the things they are reading.

I suggest this novel to anyone who likes to have their minds challenged and who also finds mysteries to be satisfying. The book is heavy with politics, magic and war, but readers need little knowledge or interest in those topics to enjoy the experience. The real point of “In the Lake Of the Woods” I believe is to examine the conscience and the darkness of relationships. The truest form of horror I’ve found is in what real people can do to each other. Tim O’Brien doesn’t need ghosts or ghouls to show what it’s like for someone to be haunted.

Rating: 5/5 stars