Semester Rewind Take a look at the top 14 moments from Fall 2014. Did your favorites make the list? p. 13
Inside this issue Offcampus housing
As the fall semester draws to a close, some students in off-campus housing are still left without apartments. p. 4
OP-ED: Morality Regulations
Why passing laws regarding morality does little to actually affect the behavior of the society they’re a part of.
p. 8
A PRODUCT OF STUDENT NINER MEDIA • THE DEC. UNIVERSITY NORTH 2, 2014 - OF JAN. 12, 2015CAROLINA AT CHARLOTTE • VOL. 27, ISSUE 13 NINERONLINE.COM
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DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
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With the semester coming to a close, students continue to be left without permanent homes As move-in dates for Arcadia and Circle University have continued to be pushed back, students struggle with the reality that they will be living in temporary housing for exam week and into winter break
Edward Averette
STAFF WRITER Over 100 students remain displaced from Circle University City and Arcadia Student Living as the fall semester draws to a close. Arcadia residents G.R. Waldrop and his roommate, Conley Hicks, were part of a post-August wave of move-ins, in which more than 300 residents moved into the resort style complex. “They promised legendary living, and that was living in a hotel,” said UNC Charlotte student Waldrop. In October, the duo moved into their Primrose manor residence after two months of staying in a hotel and rooming with a girlfriend. “One of our roommates was living on a pull-out couch for two months,” said Hicks. Since August, Arcadia officials have provided off-site residents with $15 daily stipends ($450 to 465 per month) for living expenses, along with parking passes and shuttle service to campus. As reported by the Charlotte Observer, Arcadia officials offered the option for off-site residents to move into furnished units in the complex in late October—an option that half of the 42 off-site residents reportedly declined. Campus Advantage, an Austin-based student housing company, seized control from Grand Campus Living as property manager of Arcadia on Nov. 10, the same day it acquired Hannah Lofts in East Lansing, Mich. (Michigan State). According to Marketwired, the acquisition of Hannah Lofts made Campus Advantage the largest acquirer of student housing properties since January 2013.
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“I think the old management [Grand Campus Living] was obviously not prepared for this site and they just didn’t know how to handle everyone’s complaints,” said Central Piedmont Community College student Raveena Sheeth. “They were obviously extremely disorganized moving us in and setting up move-in dates.” Arcadia’s previous management, Grand Campus Living, originally set a Nov. 22 projection for all of its residents to be living onsite. However, delays have crossed over into Campus Advantage’s realm of operations. Mark Evans, public relations manager for Campus Advantage, says that 14 students from Arcadia remain in hotels as scheduling conflicts with city and county inspectors postponed move-ins until Dec. 6, the weekend before final exams at UNC Charlotte. “We are working closely with those students to schedule move-in at a time that best accommodates their schedules,” said Evans. “They [Arcadia] told us all summer that we were on schedule and that everything would be done on time,” said UNC Charlotte student Cameron Abernathy. “They never once said it was going to be delayed.” Instead, Abernathy and his roommate Kevin Yandle moved into their unit in mid-September to a host of problems. “Our peephole was on backwards when we first moved in,” says Yandle. “We couldn’t see out.” The pair also faced problems with rent as Abernathy and Yandle note they weren’t prorated for the month of September, despite Abernathy re-
siding in a hotel and Yandle staying with his sister who lives in the area. “We were still paying for the apartment, even though we weren’t living in it,” said Abernathy. Johnson & Wales student Jasmine Tate voiced similar complaints and was upset about a last-minute change, which forced her to stay in a hotel. “Me and my roommate were both ouf-of-state,” said Tate. “I found out on the day of my flight, 12 a.m. ... I just got an email saying I had to live in a hotel.” Tate moved into Arcadia on the
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week of Sept. 1, but experienced a series of setbacks before they could move in. “We were supposed to move in on Sunday [Aug. 30] and they called us Saturday night saying you can’t move in on Sunday because your appliances are missing,” said Tate. Tate and her roommate moved in later that week, but currently stay in a treehouse unit with a temporary certificate of occupancy on their front door. “We have leasing for every couple months and the inspectors keep on coming back,” said Tate. “They
Ongoing construction at Arcadia. Photo by Edward Averette
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keep on renewing the occupancy.” This is standard practice in the construction industry whenever there is ongoing construction within a site. In addition to renewing occupancies around the complex, Arcadia is in the midst of completing their clubhouse, which will house on-site management and feature amenities such as a swimming pool, outdoor grills and group study lounges - complete with Mac computers and PCs. “Construction industry best practices dictate that the lowest point on a piece of property is the last to be developed because of storm drains,” said Evans. While there isn’t a specific completion date for the clubhouse, Evans said management’s ‘number one priority’ is to finish to remaining units. In the meantime, the opening gates into Arcadia are not yet functional due to schedule conflicts with AT&T, whose phone system controls the gates. On Arcadia’s Facebook page, Tim Johnson, a resident, cites the absence of working gates as a safety concern for students, a completely different reason for why they aren’t working. “I know there is still
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The unfinished pool at Circle University. Photo courtesy of Circle Problems Facebook page
a lot of construction and that’s the reason for it not to be up and operating but not parts— parts can be received in a matter of days,” said Johnson. “We are working diligently to have the gates fully operational as soon as possible,” said Evans. Arcadia’s Phase II, which is currently under construction, will follow the completion of the clubhouse and implementation of the property gates. According to Evans, Phase II is expected to be completed by April 1. The project will consist of three
residential buildings, which have not been leased out to residents. The most recent delays for Circle University City were announced on Nov. 8 via email and applied to Building E and F residents scheduled to move-in on Dec. 1. Darren Pierce, director of asset management at Crescent Communities, says widespread labor shortages have continued to impact Circle’s delivery schedule as the construction project nears its two-year mark. “We are doing everything we can to ensure the general contractor
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finishes the community in a timely fashion,” said Pierce. Circle officials noted in an email that they would have a series of construction meetings throughout November, but haven’t offered a specific date regarding move-ins for residents of the two buildings. In light of this, displaced residents will be provided a $150 credit and will not have to pay rent until they reside in the complex. On “Circle Problems,”an anonymous Facebook forum for Circle residents, tenants have expressed dissatisfaction over issues such as 50-inch television not being provided firsthand along with non-working appliances, water issues and smaller mattresses than the ones displayed in a showroom. While Circle’s parking deck is open, the leasing office, gym, pool and rooftop party deck are under construction. Circle officials claimed the clubhouse would be finished in November and have given residents a $25 credit for amenities for the month of December. Circle’s Leasing Office is expected to be complete sometime in December.
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SGA LOW ON FUNDS FOR REMAINDER OF 2014-15 FISCAL YEAR HOW SGA IS LOOKING INTO STRETCHING THEIR BUDGET NEWS EDITOR
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NOV. 18 - 25
ACCIDENT NOV. 20
• Cone Lane, driver of vehicle one struck vehicle two while making a left hand turn • 220 Cab Lane, driver of vehicle one struck vehicle two while backing up.
ASSAULT NOV. 22
• 9112 North Library Lane, officer took a report at UNC Charlotte lobby regarding an assault at the Chick-fil-A on campus.
Sara Carson
UNC Charlotte’s Student Government Association (SGA) has recently had to look into stretching their 2014-15 fiscal year budget. The budget is given to SGA’s Organizational Ways and Means Committee each year by Student Activities Fees Commission (SAFC), who allocates yearly budgets for many other on-campus organizations, such as the Campus Activities Board. SGA uses these funds each year to distribute money to different student organizations so that they can participate in activities such as conferences, retreats, competitions and fundraising events. This year, SAFC allocated a total of $204,484 to SGA. Jared Dobbertin, Chairman of the Organizational Ways and Means Committee for SGA, noted that although SGA does still have money left in their budget, the funds are decreasing faster than normal due to growth in the university. “I think that the growth that our University has experienced has definitely affected the number of grant requests we’ve approved so far,” said Dobbertin. “We approve almost one new student org every week, and that’s just one other organization that is entitled to their portion of our budget. In the future, I’d love to see SGA receive a larger budget as we continue to grow.” Student organizations have
POLICE BLOTTER
knowledge on roughly how much money SGA is allocated each year, and still continue to ask for certain frivolous things through grants, according to Dobbertin. “This year, groups were just very aware of the budget that SGA offers and submitted lots of grant requests,” said Dobbertin. In order to stretch the budget to make it last for the entire fiscal year, SGA plans to only approve student organization requests that meet a certain standard. They will only be approving and funding conferences and competitions. SGA generally receives the largest number of grant requests from student organizations during the months of March and April. For that reason, they know that they need to save a great sum of their funds for that time of the fiscal year, rather than spend it during the first semester. “We are not currently out of money for the year, but we are currently trying to stretch our budget for as long as we can,” said Dobbertin. Dobbertin feels the situation can only improve from its current condition, commenting, “The biggest set back that SGA will experience has already happened, unfortunately, in us not being able to fund events this semester and the first couple of weeks in January.” SGA has similarly run out of funds in past years, although for
different reasons. Dobbertin noted that in the past, this likely occurred because SGA wasn’t following its procedures properly, which resulted in approving grants for student organizations that should not have been approved. “The biggest changes my committee has changed in regards to what will be approved in the future is just clarifying what we would like to see travel requests to be used on,” said Dobbertin. Travel requests are generally the most applied-for grant. These types of requests are used for student organizations who need help funding travel to any of the previously mentioned events, such as conferences, competitions and fundraisers. Travel grants are usually anywhere from $500 to the maximum of $1,000 a student, depending on how many members of each individual organization plan on attending the event. A record of all things SGA has approved for the 2014-2015 year thus far can be found at: http:// studentorgs.uncc.edu/event-grantsapproved. SGA will not have any additional senate meetings for the remainder of the semester. Their first senate meeting for the spring 2015 semester will be held in midJanuary. These meetings are open to the public.
DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
BREAKING AND ENTERING NOV. 24
• North East Recreational Field House, unknown person removed equipment and personal items from a secured storage building.
NOV. 20
• North East Recreational Fields, unknown person(s) broke a window and removed items from a secured vehicle.
CALLS FOR SERVICE NOV. 24
• Witherspoon Hall, officer responded to a strong odor of marijuana coming from a dorm room.
NOV. 18
• Mu Tau Beta Honor Scoiety, officer took a report at the UNC Charlotte counseling office regarding embezzlement.
LARCENY NOV. 25
• Hawthorne Hall, unknown person(s) removed secured bicycle and lock. For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us
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Legislating morality is ineffective in upholding society’s moral standards Brittany Wilson
STAFF WRITER Many people, especially college students, laugh at the notion of modern-day alcohol prohibition. The idea of legal abstention from a substance that, when used responsibly, is virtually harmless to society is irrational. The legal prohibition of the 1920s ultimately didn’t stop people from enjoying their forbidden beverages. Statistics show that numbers stayed the same, and illegality just made the practice more dangerous. Gone are the days of speakeasies and bootleggers, but today’s politicians from both the left and the right seem to have forgotten the failure of the roaring twenties in barring substances. In an all-too-common repetition of history, they continue to ban whatever immoral substance or behavior they believe will best protect society irrespective of the unintended consequences. I tend to believe that my personal behavior is a consequence of my morals, beliefs and values that I have acquired through my upbringing and personal experience, not from legislation created by politicians. It is for this reason that I often question the effectiveness of laws. Is legislation effective in upholding society’s moral standards? A case for legalizing prostitution would lend itself to the contrary. Aside from the principled appeal for prostitution legalization –that mutual, personal practices between consenting adults shouldn’t be outlawed – there is also a numerical
case against the embargo of “America’s oldest profession.” The commonly held misconception about prostitution – that is strikingly similar to many issues of morality – is that legalization would result in an increase in the behavior. Study after study finds this prediction to be a fallacy. Rather, the practice is just as common, but it’s practiced in a different manner. The same principle holds true with alcohol and marijuana legislation. Any college student could probably attest to the not-sosecret reality that young adults partake in activities that are illegal. By and large, the law does not prevent college kids who wish to smoke pot or drink from doing so. Nevertheless, many folks support increasing government power as a means to restrict unlawful and immoral behavior. Ultimately, this tragic misplacement of power usually leads to a plethora of unintended consequences, often creating victims in otherwise victimless crimes. Prohibition of marijuana has resulted in a costly, dangerous and unproductive drug war that continues to plague our country and violate our personal liberty by giving government more power to Tribune News Service pry into individuals’ lives, often creating more harm than good. Outlawing drugs like marijuana hasn’t prevented people from using them; it has just changed the way in which people do so, creating a black market that is hazardous to not only those
EDITORIAL POLICY Niner Times is written and produced by students at UNC Charlotte. All unsigned editorials are the expressed opinion of the editorial board and do not represent the views of the University. Views expressed in signed editorials are solely those of the author. Niner Times is published on Tuesdays during the regular academic year except during holidays and exam periods.
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involved in drug consumption, but also society as a whole. Similarly, the illegality of sex work has made prostitutes more vulnerable to violence from pimps and customers by forcing those wanting to participate in the consensual act to do so within the constraints of the dangerous black market. Even the unreasonable age of alcohol consumption – higher than almost every other developed country – puts college students at a disadvantage more than it protects us. Instead of consuming alcohol in a public location, such as bars and concerts, with sober staff watching and trusted bartenders to make your drinks, college students are largely forced to drink behind closed doors where there is less accountability. These realities notwithstanding, many people will still vehemently oppose the legality of these practices, equating an endorsement for legality with an endorsement of practice. It is just as rational for an individual to personally oppose a practice and still support the legality of such a practice as it is for an individual to oppose someone’s speech and still support his or her right to say it. My advice to readers: If you don’t like pot, don’t consume it. If you don’t see prostitution as a legitimate form of work, don’t participate. If you don’t agree with someone else’s morals, abide by your own, and allow the law to be impartial in respecting everyone’s liberty to live their life as they please. Laws that restrict personal behavior in the name of moral conscientiousness, however well intentioned they may be, are not only ineffective, but also detrimental to society due to the unintended consequences they create. Allowing everyone to live their life as they best see fit, as long as it doesn’t negatively impact another person’s life, creates a better and freer society for all.
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SO MANY BOARDS, SO FEW VOICES
Students need to be more involved and informed about the actions of the Board of Trustees
Sean Grier
STAFF WRITER It may come as a surprise to many, but I have a love-hate relationship with politics. I appreciate the truth at all times and ensure that those who deliver it have my full backing, which usually means the backing of my friends as well. So it should also come as no surprise to my Niner family how excited I was working the polls this past election. I saw friends who are members of fraternities and sororities from National Pan-Hellenic Council, Diversified Greek Council and Interfraternity Council. Members of the College Republicans and College Democrats handed out literature for hours and advocated for issues and politicians – all for the success of their favored candidates, of course. For those of us who truly understand the power of the vote, this was more than a set of community service hours, and it was more than a resume builder. In these positions, we were conductors of our futures, and now that the election is over and the majority of people have forgotten about Senator Hagan, we can focus on the now and the local. It should also come as no surprise to our readers how frustrated I get by systems controlled by politics and politicians, but not the kind we would find on a ballot box. This article is dedicated to our home at UNC Charlotte and the people who help run it. They are mostly unseen, unless you go to a speaking engagement in our Center City building, a dedication or are invited to an event at the Chancellor’s residence or Alumni House. But if you did meet one of our Board of Trustees members, what would you ask them? I have always been one to maintain relevancy in conversation, even when variances in education,
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income and influence have been beyond measure because, to me, power is relative – something that is given by a person, that can also be taken away. So that brings us to our governing Board of Trustees – the group that decides who should be our Chancellor, votes on our tuition and fee increases, votes to set priorities for UNC Charlotte, like our Campus Master Plan and so much more. Our Board of Trustees is comprised of 13 members; the General Assembly elects eight, the governor appoints four and then there is our ex officio member, Student Body President Steven Serio. Interestingly enough, our UNC System Board of Governors is comprised of 32 voting members elected by both houses of the General Assembly. These facts are important because we have approached a road less travelled by a generation that only cares when it is relevant. As far as I’m concerned, you still receive e-bills, and after you graduate, the Alumni Association will greatly appreciate any and all donations. That means you will always be a relevant part of our Niner family, so act like it. We can start by increasing the attendance rates at our own Board of Trustees meetings. For those of you who are upset by the amount of attention and funding dedicated to our football program, look no further than these two boards, as they voted for its approval after “significant student input.” We need changes to how our Board of Trustees operates. We can start by contacting our re-elected representatives; the representative for our university area is Representative Carla Cunningham. You should also reach out to Representatives Tricia Cotham, Linda Johnson and Charles Jeter. These representatives can submit
legislation that would change how the Board of Governors operates; they also change how our Board of Trustees operates. At this time, there are so many boards and committees and not enough voices. You will be hardpressed to find an adult who cares and understands college students’ needs more than another college student. We have voted, yet there is no real representation for us on either board. Yes, we have a member on the Board of Trustees but he is ex officio. In my respectful but blunt opinion, there is nothing worse than a title with no weight. Elected by his peers, Serio should be just as powerful a voice on that board, but you don’t need to attend the meetings to know that isn’t the case. The membership of the Board of Governors and UNC Charlotte’s Board of Trustees need to hear us loud and clear. The N.C. Student Power Union has already staged a walkout at UNC Charlotte and other sister institutions, I now encourage we walk-in. We must be present at our Board of Governors meetings as well as our Board of Trustees meetings. At times when attending is difficult, call them and ask what was discussed, voted on, tabled, etc. The Board of Governors publishes the minutes for all of their meetings on its website. There you can see where UNC Charlotte was authorized to purchase land, designate a millennial campus, approve funding for housing projects and the PORTAL building. All of that information is there, but it is discussed and voted on at the university level before it reaches the state. Essentially, we learn of these details after it has been decided. It is disrespectful to the student body and a blow to
DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
transparency. The university’s website has the infrastructure to publish the Board of Trustees work, so why hasn’t it been done? I requested a copy of the minutes for a special meeting that was held two weeks ago. The secretary took my email and cell phone but first asked why I needed the minutes. With respect, I hear this often from staff and faculty at this university and so I will answer here: I do not have to justify a request for public information – work that can only be completed because of taxpayers. It burdens me to say I have yet to receive these minutes, but I can guarantee you, we have already paid the price. I must remind you of the goals. I hope we attend and question more of our officials. I hope for less talk of tuition increases; as the Tuition and Fees Advisory Board meeting showed me, they all lack the ability to say, “decrease.” Our state representatives in the House and Senate must vote to change this injustice we face. It’s close to but still far away from “taxation without representation.” We pay to be a member institution without getting a member’s say. We pay to learn how to become future leaders, nurses and politicians just to be stifled by a bureaucracy last revised in 1972. It’s 2014, and time has again shown our representatives that we do vote, we do pay attention and we do pay taxes. If you can stand up at a blowout football game in 80 degree heat after tailgating for four hours, you can attend an airconditioned meeting for an hour and let your voice be heard. At least now you know the names of all of the members of the board – no more excuses.
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THE BATTLE OF MECKLENBERG COUNTY:
THE HORNET’S NEST The Charlotte 49ers and Davidson Wildcats will match up once again this Wednesday
Alex Passannante
SPORTS EDITOR For years, the Charlotte 49ers and Davidson Wildcats have battled over the basketball crown of Charlotte. The Hornets Nest is an annual game that has pitted two rival schools against each other. The 49ers lead the series 27-11, with Charlotte winning two of the last three games. This year’s rendition turns to Belk Arena in Davidson, where the arena has a little over 5,000 seats. The atmosphere in Belk Arena is usually sold out and the loud crowd provides a great atmosphere for the rivalry game. In the 2012-13 season, the 49ers had their best start in a long time, winning their first eight games. If they won the ninth straight, it would have tied their best starting record in program history. This added some fuel to Charlotte’s fire in wanting the win. They were able to win the game after a 40-minute battle from a Pierria Henry step back jumper with a few seconds remaining. The 49ers were the underdog, the Davidson fans were rowdy and that game had every element that was necessary in an important rivalry game. In last year’s matchup, the Wildcats defeated the 49ers in Halton Arena in overtime, 87-78. The 49ers played without Henry, their starting point guard, but still put up a good fight to a Davidson team that eventually made it to the second round of the NCAA Tournament, where they lost to Marquette. Tom Droney, a starting guard for Davidson last year, said following the game that “This wasn’t a prize fight. This was a backyard brawl. This was a street fight.” Comments like that are what makes the Battle for the Hornet’s Nest so important. Despite both schools moving conferences (Davidson left the Southern Conference for the Atlantic 10 and Charlotte left the Atlantic 10 for Conference USA), this game remains scheduled every year and remains hostile and bloody. These two teams recruit from the same area, play within the same county and fight for brag-
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ging rights once a year. It’s the perfect recipe for a rivalry, and it turns out to be a good game every year. This year’s matchup will be just as interesting as the past few ones. The 49ers travel to Belk Arena with nearly a completely different team consisting of freshmen and transfers like Torin Dorn, Keyshawn Woods, Braxton Ogbueze and Bernard Sullivan. Davidson (4-1) is having a tremendous season so far, especially when it comes to their offense. They are ranked 15th in the country in scoring per game (85.4), 19th in the nation in rebounds per game (43) and 15th in the country in assists per game (18).
Mike Thorne goes up for a layup last season against Davidson. Photo by Chris Crews DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
The Wildcats are currently first in the A-10, and have beaten Catholic University, Campbell, Central Florida and UNC Wilmington. Their only loss of the season came from #6 UNC Chapel Hill, with a 90-72 loss. Davidson’s leading scorer is sophomore Jack Gibbs, who is averaging 15 points, four assists and five rebounds per game. He exploded for 37 points in the win against Central Florida, and should match up nicely with the 49ers’ Ogbueze. Henry, one of the leaders for the 49ers, has had a rough season so far. He has only scored in double figures three times this season and is averaging a career high 4.2 turnovers per game. Despite all of this, Henry was able to make the game winning 3-pointer in their last game against UNC Asheville to win in overtime. This was the third 3-pointer that Henry made all year, but it was the shot that counted the most. Henry may be able to continue his momentum into Belk Arena Wednesday night. Even though the 49ers have a record of 4-2, their defense has been less than stellar this season. They rank almost 300th in points allowed per game, 200th in blocks per game, and 276th in steals per game. If the 49ers want to continue their success, they’re going to have to step up their defensive effort and communicate better. With a win against the Wildcats, the 49ers could have victories over several good conferences like the South-Eastern Conference, Atlantic 10 and the Big 10. Not only would this be great for morale, but it could add some votes when being considered in the top 25 rankings or RPI rankings. The victory on Wednesday night will not come easily, and both teams will have to play their topnotch basketball. Charlotte and Davidson will tip off at 7 p.m. and can be watched on Time Warner Cable Sports.
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The 49ers have arrived THE CHARLOTTE 49ERS FOOTBALL TEAM MAKES THE LEAP TO CONFERENCE USA IN 2015 Matt Chapman
SPORTS EDITOR Year two of college football in the Queen City has come to an end and now the 49ers have reached the moment they’ve been waiting for. Charlotte will make the jump to Conference USA and FBS football beginning in 2015. “I’m looking forward to getting started on next year’s team,” said 49ers Head Coach Brad Lambert. “We’ve got a tough task ahead of us next year and we all know that. We’ve got a lot of guys coming back and we’re going to be a fairly old team next year. It really all starts next week for us in preparation for 2015.” Charlotte will kick things off in the Georgia Dome against the Georgia State Panthers on Sept. 3, 2015. The 49ers will also travel to Lexington, KY to face the Kentucky Wildcats of the Southeastern Conference (SEC). The 49ers have made great strides throughout their first two seasons at the FCS level. Charlotte finished with a 5-6 overall record both years and now feel as though they have the right pieces in place as Lambert continues to build the program. “We’re going to continue to keep our nose down and work extremely
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hard,” said Lambert. “This will be a critical offseason for us. We need to continue to get bigger, faster, stronger. We’re going to have about 30 fourth-year players heading into next fall which is what we set our sights on. It’s going to be a good offseason for us and it’s going to be tough on the guys. We’re going to get a lot of work done.” Charlotte has been most impressive on the offensive side of the ball these past two years. Kalif Phillips and Austin Duke have proven to be two of the most electric players in the FCS in just their sophomore season. Phillips is a running back with a rare combination of power and breakaway speed. He set multiple school records in 2014 as he ran for 1,441 yards and a team-high 20 touchdowns. Phillips has been exceptional, but the 49ers have to be concerned with their lack of depth in the backfield. Alan Barnwell and Maetron Thomas each showed potential before getting dismissed from the team. “No question I’m concerned,” said Lambert. “We’re going to look at Garrison Duncan there. He came to us from
Kalif Phillips finds the end zone against Wesley College. Photo by Chris Crews
Delaware State and we’ll move him to running back this spring to add some depth. He’s a big guy that can really move.” Duke is a nightmare for opposing defensive backs in one-on-one coverage. He had six consecutive games with at least 100 yards receiving, including two games of more than 250 yards. Duke led the 49ers with 79 catches in 2014, 46 more than Trent Bostick who ranked second on the team. He caught nine touchdown passes while racking up 1,373 yards, including a school record 98-yard touchdown against James Madison. Matt Johnson is the leader of the 49ers offense, but the quarterback will enter 2015 coming off of an MCL tear in his left knee. Johnson missed the final three games, but still threw for 1,941 yards and 13 touchdowns before the injury. Johnson throws a fantastic deep ball, but his accuracy on short passes has been inconsistent throughout his first two seasons. He completed just 52 percent of his throws in 2014
DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
and also threw eight interceptions. Charlotte’s offense scored nearly 40 points per game, but struggled mightily to convert on third downs. The 49ers converted just 33 percent of the time, while the defense allowed opposing offenses to convert at a rate of 47 percent. The 49ers battled through an injury plagued season on defense, losing inside linebackers Caleb Clayton-Molby and Nick Cook early in the year. Charlotte went through a brutal stretch of four games in which they allowed at least 530 total yards in each contest. The Citadel marched up and down the field, compiling 709 yards against the 49ers defense. The Citadel ran for 573 yards and seven touchdowns with their triple-option offense. The 49ers will now begin their grind through recruiting and spring practice as they prepare for their toughest season yet. Lambert and his high-powered offense will have to raise the bar even higher if they want to put Charlotte football on the map next year.
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49ERS CANT COMPLETE THE COMEBACK OVER MIAMI The Charlotte 49ers fell 77-74 against No. 17 Miami inside Halton Arena
Matt Chapman
SPORTS EDITOR The Charlotte 49ers showed tremendous grit, rallying from a 13 point deficit with 5:20 remaining in the game before ultimately falling to the No. 17 Miami Hurricanes for the second time in three nights. Sophomore Braxton Ogbueze put up a contested three-pointer in the waning seconds of the game that clanked off the rim as the 49ers comeback fell short in the 77-74 loss. “I probably could have gathered myself a little better and gotten a better crack at it,” said Ogbueze when asked about the final shot. Ogbueze scored eight of his 13 points in the final four minutes of the contest, but it wasn’t enough for a Charlotte team looking for a marquee non-conference victory. The 49ers trailed 75-72 with 10 seconds remaining as Ogbueze was fouled on a potential game-tying threepoint attempt. Ogbueze, an 87.5 percent shooter from the charity stripe, stepped to the line and calmly knocked down the first two free throw attempts to pull Charlotte within one point. His third and final attempt couldn’t find the mark and Miami’s star Sheldon McClellan pulled down his 11th rebound and hit two free throws of his own, icing the game as he led all scorers with 31 points. Charlotte (3-2) played with great energy from the opening tip in front of a raucous crowd in their home-opener at Halton Arena. Unfortunately for the home crowd, the 49ers had no answer on defense for McClellan who had the hot hand all night. McClellan, a transfer who started his collegiate career with the Texas Longhorns, hit five of seven shots from beyond the arc and showcased his elite athleticism, blowing by Charlotte defenders on his way to the rim. His 21 second half points allowed the Hurricanes to weather Charlotte’s late rally and remain perfect through six games this season. “I’m getting a little more confident in my three-point shooting,” McClellan said. “The last few games I haven’t been that confident.” McClellan put on a show, but the entire Hurricanes team shot lights out from deep. Miami hit 60.9 percent of their shots from distance, including seven of nine three-point attempts in the second half. The 49ers had four players reach double-figures scoring led by Mike Thorne Jr. and true freshman Torin Dorn who pitched in 17 points apiece. Charlotte’s senior point guard Pierria Henry scored just four points on 1-10 shooting from the field, but he
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nearly recorded a double-double adding 11 rebounds and nine assists. Charlotte led for the majority of the first half and got a spark off the bench from their two true freshmen Dorn and Keyshawn Woods. The newcomers poured in eight points in less than a minute, building the 49ers lead to 21-13 midway through the opening 20 minutes. Miami (6-0) looked out of sync on offense early in the game, but they dominated the offensive glass and knocked down seven three-pointers to keep things close. Back-to-back triples from Angel Rodriguez and Manu Lacomte gave the Hurricanes momentum heading into the locker room with a 38-37 lead. The Hurricanes began to pull away early in the second half as they hit their first seven shots from the field. Lacomte pushed the lead to double-digits with 13:34 left in the game. Thorne continued to dominate in the paint, keeping the 49ers within shouting distance. McClellan gave the Hurricanes their largest advantage of the night at 73-60 with a fast-break layup and proceeded to run down the court shouting “Let’s go home now!” Charlotte continued to battle down the stretch and a 9-0 run cut the lead to 73-69 with 2:37 left to play, setting up the late game drama and heartbreak that ensued. The 49ers shot a very respectable 49.2 percent from the field in the loss, but left some crucial points at the free throw line. Free throws have been a recurring problem for Charlotte over the past few seasons and their 10 of 19 performance cost them a win over one of the top teams in the nation. Both head coaches gave high praise to their opponents following the dog fight on the court. “A lot of credit to Miami. They did the one thing that we told our guys to make them have to do to win,” said Charlotte Head Coach Alan Major. “I thought our guys played their hearts out and clearly I’m not down on our guys at all. I’m encouraged about where we can go from here.” Miami Head Coach Jim Larranaga echoed Major’s sentiments and admitted that the basketball future in the Queen City is very bright. “Charlotte is in for a very strong season,” said Larranaga. “I thought Halton Arena was great. It was a very vocal crowd. They reacted well to everything the 49ers did. The Charlotte area loves basketball.” The 49ers will now hit the road for their next three games.
DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
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Semester Rewind
14 MOMENTS OF FALL 2014 This semester really flew by. Let’s take a look back at the most memorable moments of Fall 2014.
Michelle Carpenter
LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Amanda Duke
ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Sept. 4: Joan Rivers dies
Officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Michael Brown after Brown robbed a convenience store in Ferguson, Mo. The shooting caused violent protests. Uprisings continued even after the decision not to indict Wilson was announced on Nov. 24. Wilson decided to resign the morning of Nov. 29.
The entertainment world lost another great this semester with the passing of Joan Rivers after she spent weeks in a coma. Now who will remind the stars just how awful some of their red carpet looks are?
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co ur te sy of Tr ib un eN ew sS er vic e
Aug. 9: Ferguson controversy erupts
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Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service
Aug. 11: Robin Williams dies The beloved comedian’s death was deemed a suicide, sparking a larger conversation on mental health and the stigma attached.
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Aug. 18: Martin Hall opens on campus
Sept. 17: iPhone 6 and iOS 8 are released
The newest campus housing option opened its doors for the first time this semester. The residence hall features apartment style living and numerous study rooms and lounges. Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service
Apple released their newest upgrades this semester with iOS 8 and the iPhone 6 and 6 plus. iOS 8 was met with mixed reviews, while the iPhone 6 and 6 plus are big hits.
Turn the page for more 2014 moments! DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
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SEMESTER REWIND, cont. Photo by Ben Pepe
Sept. 23: Ebole fear strikes America The Ebola craze hit America in full force at the end of September. People hid in fear of catching this fatal disease, and the nation’s attention was held.
Photo by Chris Crews
Sept. 26: First community garden built on campus UNC Charlotte’s first community garden hosted its build day on Sept. 26 between Storrs and Robinson Halls on campus. The garden has carrots, lettuce, herbs, chards, peas and many other produce items. The produce will be donated to Oct. 15: N. Tryon off-campus non-profit Street closes until May organizations and to 2015 Chartwells for use on campus. A section of N. Tryon Street at
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December’s book is
Hood by Emma Donoghue
Check back at the end of the month for a review Tweet us @niner_times or email lifestyle@nineronline.com to tell us your thoughts about the book
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The Buddy Walk was the first public event to ever be held in Jerry Richardson Stadium. The Buddy Walk was hosted by the Down Syndrome Association of Greater Charlotte (DSAGC) and raised donations and awareness for the disease. In addition to this being the first community event held in the football stadium, it was also the first year in the event’s 16 years that it was not held Oct. 22: at Freedom Park. Chance the Rapper performs for Homecoming concert
by Be nj am in
Tweet us @niner_times with #semesterrewind with some of your favorite Fall 2014 moments!
Oct. 11: Buddy Walk held at football stadium
Ro bs on
Mallard Creek Church Road has been closed since Oct. 15, making it almost impossible to get to Cookout. Make sure to avoid this intersection when venturing out for your late-night milkshake craving. The road will reopen in May 2015 ... or so we’re told.
DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
For the 2014 Homecoming concert, the Campus Activities Board (CAB) brought Chance the Rapper to campus. Students were able to enjoy the show in Halton Arena for the low cost of $15 for presale tickets. The show was just one of many exciting Homecoming events that were put on this year. Other events included the lights parade, Habitat for Humanity build and tailgating that led up to the main event: the Charlotte 49ers football game against James Madison University.
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Nov. 12: Kim Kardashian breaks the internet Kim Kardashian debuted her nude “Paper” r nte magazine cover via Instagram using the rpe a eC hashtag “break the internet.” ell ch i Kardashian almost did just yM ob t o that. Her photo has since Ph been parodied numerous times, including a fan favorite, Ellen DeGeneres’s Christmas card.
Nov. 6: UNC Charlotte police lieutenant resigns
Nov. 4: Midterm elections
Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service
Lieutenant Shawn Smith put in a letter of resignation after a sexual assault case involving himself and another member of campus police reached the North Carolina State Bureau of Investigation.
Nov. 13: Taylor Swift sells 1 million albums, removes music from Spotify. Taylor Swift made headlines this year for something other than who she’s rumored to be dating. Her latest album “1989” sold 1 million copies in one week, the first to do so in 2014. Also, she removed all of her music from Spotify, claiming that music is art and should be paid for.
Voters flocked to their appropriate voting stations to vote for state representatives. Thom Tillis won the open Senate seat for North Carolina and the Republicans took control of the House.
Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service
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DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
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WINTER BREAK EVENT CALENDAR 7
8 WINTER JAM 2014 AT AMOS’ SOUTHEND
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December
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A JOHNNYSWIM CHRISTMAS AT THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEATER
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THEATRE CHARLOTTE: “A CHRISTMAS CAROL” FINAL PERFORMANCE
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KISSMAS CONCERT 2014: JESSIE J, NICK JONAS AND BEBE REXHA AT THE FILLMORE CHARLOTTE
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DALE JONES AT THE COMEDY ZONE THROUGH DEC. 13
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THE NEIGHBORHOOD THEATRE AND NODARIOTY PRESENT: ALL ARTS MARKET FREE EVENT! DEC. 11 AND 12
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“A SOULFUL NOEL” AT MCGLOHON THEATER DEC. 18 AND 19
CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY: MESSIAH
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30 SALSA NIGHT AT TEXICALI
19 SLAMCHARLOTTE POETRY SLAM AT BOOTH PLAYHOUSE
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HOLIDAY ON ICE AT NASCAR HALL OF FAME PLAZA
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DISNEY’S “NEWSIES” OPENS AT BELK THEATER. RUNS THROUGH JAN. 11
“NUTCRACKER” AT THE BELK THEATER AT BLUMENTHAL DEC. 12 AND 13
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ACOUSTIC SYNDICATE AT THE VISUALITE THEATRE
27 WET WILLIE’S HOSTS IMPROV COMEDY SHOW
“TOM CLANCY’S” THE DIVISION RELEASE
January 4
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BLACK KEYS AT TIME WARNER CABLE ARENA
DONNELL RAWLINGS “ASHY LARRY” AT THE COMEDY ZONE DEC. 26 AND 27
CHARLOTTE BALLET: NUTCRACKER
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PAT MCGEE ACOUSTIC AT THE VISUALITE THEATRE
DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
3 CARS AND COFFEE AT MATTIE’S DINER
9 CHARLOTTE SYMPHONY POPS: CLASSIC SOUL AT KNIGHT THEATER
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MONSTER JAM AT TIME WARNER CABLE ARENA JAN. 9 AND 10
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MOVIE RELEASES December 12 17 19 24 25
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- EXODUS: GODS AND KINGS - TOP FIVE - THE HOBBIT: THE BATTLE OF THE FIVE ARMIES - NIGHT AT THE MUSEUM: SECRET OF THE TOMB - ANNIE - THE GAMBLER - TWO DAYS, ONE NIGHT - INTO THE WOODS - UNBROKEN - THE INTERVIEW - BIG EYES
January - THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2: ANGEL OF DEATH
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- SELMA -TAKEN 3 - THE WEDDING RINGER -PADDINGTON - THE BOY NEXT DOOR - BLACK SEA - MAX - PROJECT ALMANAC
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DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
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NINER COMICS What Had Happened Wuz... by Javon Jeter “Ms. Andrews”
65 Brain scan, for short 66 Put on notice 67 Being hauled to the garage
ACROSS 1 Greenhouse growth 6 Condescending one 10 Take wing 13 Andrea __: sunken ocean liner 14 “So I was wrong!” 15 Actor Stephen 16 *Mark of a hothead 18 “A mouse!” 19 Remain fresh 20 North African port city 22 Regret one’s 32-Acrosses 25 Cavs, on scoreboards 26 Blurt out 27 Figure skating jump 28 NYC airport named for a mayor 30 One of two matching beds 32 Admission in a confessional 33 Hotelier Helmsley 35 Lady’s title
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DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
38 *“This space available,” in a Pennysaver box 41 Peddles 42 Fight mementos 43 Crunched muscles 44 Dog who reveals the Wizard 46 Netherlands airline 47 Those, to Pedro 48 Procedure: Abbr. 49 Stamp sellers, briefly 51 Ancient scrolls 53 Takes over, like termites 55 Menu item 56 Baseball’s “Iron Man” Ripken 57 Foot-operated mechanism on a motorcycle, and what the first word in each answer to a starred clue can be 62 Pitcher’s stat 63 Online letter 64 Accord automaker
DOWN 1 ASAP cousin 2 Baseball’s “Iron Horse” Gehrig 3 Tycoon Onassis 4 Five-cent coin 5 Unavailable 6 Total 7 Himalayan country 8 Brunch order 9 Arctic hazard 10 *Relaxed 11 Suspicious 12 Chews the fat 14 Back-to-school mo. 17 Lipton shelfmate 21 Basketball Hall of Famer Thomas 22 Filing tools 23 Formally banish 24 *A football referee may throw one 25 Vancouver NHL team 29 Baby talk syllables 31 Alleged Iraqi arsenal, for short 33 “__ we forget” 34 Sea divided by shrinkage 36 Leafy recess 37 FC Barcelona soccer star Lionel 39 Nearby 40 Deodorant spot 45 Kia sedan 47 “Sleepless in Seattle” director Nora 48 Game trap 50 “The Odd Couple” slob 52 Japanese beer brand 53 Slurpee alternative 54 Distort 55 Broadband letters 58 Family 59 Blasting material 60 Tokyo, long ago 61 Like unprocessed data
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DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
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DEC. 2, 2014 - JAN. 12, 2015
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