Niner Times: February 23, 2016

Living Guide 2016

SPECIAL SECTION INSIDE THIS ISSUE! STUDENTS RAISE MONEY FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS BY TAKING A “POLAR PLUNGE” INTO COLD WATER

OP-ED: CASEY DISCUSSES THE RAMPANT DOUBLE STANDARDS WHEN PEOPLE CRITICIZE CAM NEWTON

PG. 3

THOSE CLOSE TO HIM SHARE MEMORIES AND STORIES OF THE LATE AUSTIN RAINEY—FULL STORY ON NINERTIMES.COM

PG. 10

“He kept me motivated, always upbeat, and just wanted me to succeed.

He always thought of others before he thought of himself.”

NINERTIMES.COM

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

- Andrien White No. 2, Shooting Guard VOL. 28, ISSUE 20

1

Jordan Snyder

News

editor@ninertimes.com

Nick Cropper news@ninertimes.com

Hunter Heilman ae@ninertimes.com

Casey Aldridge opinion@ninertimes.com

Diane Gromelski copy@ninertimes.com

3 4 5

Alyssa Fronk

community@ninertimes.com

Jared Allen

video@ninertimes.com

John Lineberger

7 8 9

lifestyle@ninertimes.com

Ben Robson photo@ninertimes.com

Sara Carson

Ridell Camidge’s tattoos Ciara Gregory’s free throws Lexi Betancourt profile

Opinion

Andrew Hocutt

10 11

layout@ninertimes.com

MANAGING EDITOR managing@ninertimes.com

Polar Plunge Professor’s new novel Austin Rainey

Sports

sports@ninertimes.com

VIDEO PRODUCER

Andrew James

Contents

Salina Dickie, Sydney Stephens, Trevor Wilt, Mia Shelton

Cam Newton double standard Beyoncé backlash

A&E 12 13

ADDITIONAL STAFF Erin Cortez, Chris Crews, Leysha Caraballo, Jasmine Taylor, Alex Sands, Kathleen Cook, Kaitlin Malpass, Stephanie Smith, Vivian Westra, Sydney Swafford, Angie Baquedano, Ben Coon

Jazz quintet “The Lady in the Van”

Lifestyle 14 Oven recipe / fun things to do in

Charlotte 15 Running a radio show 16 Humans of UNC Charlotte

Matt Lorenz

Andrew Hocutt MARKETING STAFF

Tia Warren, David Mendez, Kristen Bobeng, Madeline Lemieux

NINER TIMES • RADIO FREE CHARLOTTE SANSKRIT LITERARY-ARTS MAGAZINE MEDIA MARKETING • TECHNICAL

MEGAN VAN EMMERIK

www.ninertimes.com/app 2

Cover photo by Chris Crews and contents photo by Leysha Caraballo

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

NINERTIMES

Photo by Erin Cortez

PHI SIGMA KAPPA TAKES THE PLUNGE FOR THE SPECIAL OLYMPICS NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR

Phi Sigma Kappa had their second annual Polar Plunge Feb. 20 on the West Quad near the Student Activity Center.

The brothers of Phi Sigma Kappa set up an above-ground pool, filled it with water and invited students to jump in to support the Special Olympics, which is their national philanthropy.

The annual polar plunge is an event put on by different Phi Sigma Kappa chapters across the nation.

The UNC Charlotte Phi Sigma Kappa chapter was the first chapter to start an annual polar plunge in Charlotte.

Following a less than satisfactory turnout at last year’s polar plunge, the philanthropy committee was determined to make this year’s event better.

“Last year’s turnout wasn’t as much as we had hoped it would be,

NINERTIMES.COM

so we made sure to try and change that this year and we really did, we really brought it around,” said philanthropy committe member Coleman Teofilak.

The philanthropy committee removed the $5 admission fee that they had last year and relied soley on donations.

The warmer weather did not keep students from participating and, in fact, encouraged more people to jump in the pool and support Phi Sigma Kappa.

“We got a lot of people who probably wouldn’t have jumped in had it been colder out. They were more inclined to jump in just because it was warmer out,” said Philanthropy Chair Austin Renzi.

Despite the success of this year’s polar plunge, Renzi is already looking to the future with some possible changes.

Renzi is looking to find a more permenant location for the polar plunge. It was held in the West Quad this year and in the front fields by SoVi the year before that. Renzi also wants to get more people to jump in next year.

“We had a lot of brothers jump in and a good amount of participants as well, but I do want to see more participants jump in,” said Renzi.

Phi Sigma Kappa’s goal was to raise $2,500, which is the total expense of sending a single athlete to the Special Olympics. Every chapter across the nation shares this goal. While they did not reach that goal, they did raise rougly $1,500.

Last year, the polar plunge raised only $300.

“I’m beyond satisfied,” said Teofilak. “We used a lot of capital on buying the pool and building the stairs; we just hoped that we raised

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

more than last year.”

Different fraternities and sororities were also invited to participate in the plunge. They were also given donations incentive, which only Sigma Kappa met.

Renzi hopes that UNC Charlotte students will continue to support the polar plunge and the Special Olympics for many years to come.

“I should be dead by the time it comes close to being canceled,” said Renzi.

They received several food and drink donations from Jamba Juice, Food Lion, Papa John’s, Zaxby’s and others.

“From what I could gather, I think it far surpassed my goals, my expectations, everything,” said Renzi.

Renzi estimated that roughly 30-50 people jumped in the pool to support the Special Olympics.

3

English professor Dr. Jeffrey Leak discusses his new novel Leak talks about his new novel “Visible Man: The Life of Henry Dumas” during Personally Speaking lecture series JASMINE TAYLOR INTERN

On Feb. 16 at 6:30 p.m., English Professor Dr. Jeffrey Leak participated in the Personally Speaking lecture series sponsored by the College of Liberal Arts & Sciences on his latest book “Visible Man the Life of Henry Dumas.”

In 2014, “Visible Man” received the Best Non-Fiction Book Award from the Black Caucus of the American Library Association. The presentation started with a reading from the text.

During the reading, Leak talks about why he chose to write a book about Henry Dumas and the correlation of his death to the events that took place beforehand.

Leak talks about how Dumas was an African-American writer and poet who loved black culture.

Dumas wrote works such as the novels “Arks of Bones,” “Jonah and the Green Stone” and “Rope of Wind and Other Stories,” published in 1974, 1976 and 1979, respectively.

He also authored several poems including “Play Ivory” and “Knees of a Natural man: The Selected Poetry of Henry Dumas.”

A light reception and book signing then followed leak’s presentation lecture.

He said he was one of the most gifted writers, but had hardly been published. Leak chose to write about Dumas because he felt that there needed to be more available information on him, rather than just a Google search and the one-page summary that could found online.

Leak felt that this one-page summary did not got in-depth about who Dumas really was.

4

POLICE BLOTTER FEB. 15-19 ARREST FEB. 15

• Mallard Creek Church Road, officers arrested an individual for second degree tresspassing after receiving a Live Safe tip.

FEB. 17

• Atkins Library, individual with an active arrest warrant turned himself into officers.

FEB. 19

• Holshouser Hall, officer responding to a tip, arrested an individual for multiple drug-related charges.

INFORMATION ONLY FEB. 18

English professor Dr. Jeffrey Leak and his book: “Visible Man the Life of Henry Dumas.”

Photo by Jasmine Taylor

What intrigued Leak was how Dumas was killed in May 1968 and Leak was born in August of the same year.

At the time of writing the book, Leak’s was 34 years old, the same age as Dumas when he died. He saw he was going through the same struggles as Dumas with providing for a family of four and managing his life.

The pair had more in common than what Leak was expecting.

As a professor of English and African-American studies at UNC Charlotte, Leak focuses on 20th and 21st century African-American novels, historical/cultural studies and biographies. Leak has been

teaching for almost 18 years now.

Leak said he tries to be engaging with his students and give them a chance to wrestle with whatever the lesson is at the time so that they can learn to grasp their own understanding of the content. Leak’s motto is taken from Luck 12:48, “From everyone who has been given much, much will be required; and to whom they entrusted much, of him they will ask all the more.”

Leak notes that in his class, he aims to create a space where students are dependent on him to learn and gain knowledge from his teachings. He also adds that no class is ever the same.

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

• Lot 5, officer observed a vehicle riding on its rims.

When the officer reached the vehicle, it was parked and the officer was unable to locate the driver. The officer made contact with the vehicle’s owner who stated they were not aware that the vehicle was being driven and that her boyfriend had the keys.

MEDIC ASSIST FEB. 16

• Martin Hall, officer responded in reference to a student who had fallen and hit her head.

VANDALISM FEB. 17

• McCall Circle, officer took a report of property damage.

A screen on a window was cut.

For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us

NINERTIMES

Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball student manager dies in car crash ANDREW JAMES VIDEO PRODUCER

Austin Rainey, a student manager for the Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball team died in a car crash Thursday in Northern Virginia.

School officials say Rainey was on a trip to Washington, D.C. with friends when the crash happened.

Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball coach Mark Price said in a statement, “Our thoughts and prayers are with the Rainey family during this difficult time. Austin was a beloved member of the 49ers basketball family. His uplifting presence will be greatly missed.”

Charlotte 49ers men’s basketball guard Andrien White said of Rainey in a tweet, “Today we lost a huge

part of our organization. RIP Austin. Supported me from day 1 & only wanted to see me succeed.”

Matt Sholtis, Charlotte 49ers basketball manager, also tweeted his condolences.

“Unbelievably sad to hear the news today,” he tweeted. “Still can’t believe it. Rest in peace Austin, you will definitely be missed.”

The team wore black laces in their shoes during the game Saturday against Western Kentucky University in honor of Rainey.

The funeral for Rainey will be Feb. 26 at 11:30 a.m., at St. Thomas More Catholic Church in Chapel Hill.

Photo courtesy of Andrien White

ALEX SANDS STAFF WRITER

The UNC Charlotte Student Government Association (SGA) had their weekly legislative meeting Feb. 18.

New senator sworn in Tazia Gunnoe, from the College of Computing and Informatics, was sworn into Senate Thursday.

“I want to voice my opinion for the women in computer science,” said Gunnoe when asked why she was interested in joining Senate by Vice President Jared Dobbertin.

Belk Plaza Forum The second Belk Plaza Forum will be held on Feb. 22 from 4-6 p.m. in Cone University Center’s Lucas Room.

Approved grants A financial bill has been approved. Various organizations received a total of $5,770.66 in

NINERTIMES.COM

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

grant money.

New student organizations Two new student organizations have been approved by the senate.

They include the Religious Studies Graduate Student Committee, which will assist religious studies graduates become more involved with department functions.

The new student organization AIGA Student Chapter is the professional association for design, which was founded by the American Institute of Graphic Art. Bill to include the alma mater in the order of business After much debate, a bill was approved to play the alma mater in the order of business, after the Pledge of Allegiance and before roll call.

5

6

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

NINERTIMES

TATTED AND

TALKING KATHLEEN COOK STAFF WRITER

The game of basketball is an art form that takes years to develop. Another type of art that one player has perfected over time is that of tattoos.

Ridell Camidge stands out not only for his performance on the court, but also for his abundance of body art. Camidge, a transfer from Cloud County Community College, has two full sleeves, tattoos on his chest going up to his neck and is beginning to collect ink on his legs.

Famous rapper, Wiz Kahlifa, initially piqued Camidge’s interest into tattoos. One of his tattoo goals is to be just like Wiz, and he’s “not far away right now.”

The beginning of Camidge’s collection came after one of his high school basketball games. His father made a bet based off of shots, and Camidge came through.

“My dad made it a basketball thing. He said if I made 300 out of 400 shots when we were shooting after a game, I could get a tattoo. I did that, so I got my first tattoo,” Camidge said.

With profesional basketball player Rudy Gay serving as his inspiration, Camidge went and got “It’s me against the world” tatted on the inside of his arm. “I just related to it at the time,” Camidge said.

After his initial tattoo, it was less than two months before Camidge sported an entire sleeve.

“I made another bet, if I got 30 points in the next game, I could get a tattoo. Then it turned into a grades – if I got straight As, then I could get about five tattoos,” Camidge said. “They come pretty quick.”

Inspiration can come in any shape, form or fashion for Camidge. A freshmen year history class prompted him to ink Alexander Hamilton

NINERTIMES.COM

on his upper arm. He then created another tattoo on his forearm. “It means grind or don’t eat,” Camidge said. Camidge looks for anything that can “tell a good story.”

Camidge’s favorite tattoo is the phrase “Live Life” located across his chest.

“It’s probably my favorite one just because the meaning behind it: you only live life once,” Camidge said.

With the amount of ink on his body, it’s typical for Camidge to evoke a range of reactions from those around him.

“I get some that want to know everything about them. There are some people that want to stay far away from me because I guess they look intimidating in some way, but usually I get nothing but ‘Can I just look at them?’ Then they hold my arms,” Camidge said.

The best reaction he’s had towards a tattoo was when he revealed to his grandmother that he had inked her name onto his forearm.

“She broke out in tears,” Camidge said. “That was a big moment right there.”

Though they decorate his body, tattoos serve a purpose more than art. With words like persevere and ambition and quotes such as “Don’t be ordinary, be extraordinary” from his dad scattered throughout, Camidge doesn’t have to look far for inspiration – he just has to look on him.

“When I see them it reminds me what I strive to do every single day and be the best I could be,” Camidge said.

There is already another tattoo in the works for Camidge. The new tattoo, which will most likely settle on his calf, should be done in a matter of weeks. As for when he plans to stop getting tatted Camidge said, “whenever my skin is covered.”

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

Ridell Camidge shows of a plethora of ink. Photo by Chris Crews

7

ON THE LINE Understanding the beauty of Ciara Gregory’s free-throw

JARED ALLEN SPORTS EDITOR

Ciara Gregory is dangerous.

Not only is the junior guard a threat from behind the arc, but she keeps defenders on their heels with her proficiency from the foul line. Give Gregory a foot and she’ll rise up from deep. Give her an inch and she’ll drive to the basket. The Jeannette, Pa. native leads the nation in free-throw percentage, converting 95 percent of her attempts.

In a world in which a plethora of players struggle with free-throws, Gregory makes the task look simple.

Just how does she do it?

The whistle blows and Gregory steps to the line. While one referee signals the foul to the sideline, Gregory makes her way to the charity stripe.

She looks down, staggering her feet before receiving the ball from the official. She centers her right foot along the black line while her left foot rests inches behind the other. Her positioning is key. The staggered base creates balance,

minimizing the chances of an errant release.

She stands 15 feet from the hoop, centered on the foul line.

Her arms rest at her sides as she takes a breath. Her body is squared to the basket, stance shoulder width apart. The referee bounces Gregory the ball. She catches it without diverting from the original base she set for herself.

What has become routine for Gregory is still an unmastered art form for others.

Upon receiving the ball, Gregory positions her hands. She bounces it twice, creating fluidity within her motion. Midway through the second dribble, she begins to bend at the knees, which becomes the catalyst for her power behind the shot.

She maintains her stability and positions her right arm at approximately a 90 degree angle, right shoulder tucked away remaining perpendicular to the hardwood. Her left arm rests at an obtuse angle with her left

hand positioned on the side of the basketball, serving as a guide. Her fingertips loosely grip the orange leather.

She looks towards the rim for the first time since receiving the ball.

She now focuses her attention and zones out distractions. She releases one last deep breath. Her body begins to rise, each muscle in sync.

Gregory’s shot ascends from her waist and as she reaches her forehead, she begins her release.

She rises onto her tip-toes, heels hovering above the court. Gregory maintains her line of sight towards the basket and extends her arms.

She smoothly flicks her right wrist.

The junior’s left wrist pulls away from the ball; it’s done its job.

She releases her shot, creating backspin as the ball tumbles through the air between two and three rotations. The backspin deadens the ball, initiating a favorable result should the ball touch the rim. The power and arc Gregory established gives her

mathematically the best chances of sinking the foul shot. Her trajectory is near perfect as she creates an opportune angle for the ball to pass through the rim.

If Gregory doesn’t establish enough arc, she minimizes her target radius. Too much arc produces inconsistency, leading to overshooting that usually results in a brick.

As her shot flutters through the air, she drops her arms back to her sides. The result is well-known and documented as well as expected.

Swish.

Contrary to popular belief, the free-throw is far from a freebie. At the highest level, only a few players boast a free-throw percentage over 90. It’s not a technique mastered overnight. Gregory’s countless repetitions and hours in the gym after practice from a young age led to an unrivaled free-throw shooting ability. It’s a talent that shouldn’t go under-appreciated, but should instead be admired.

Photos by Ben Coon

8

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

NINERTIMES

GETTING TO KNOW 49ERS ACE PITCHER

LEXI BETANC JARED ALLEN

URT

SPORTS EDITOR

Lexi Betancourt. Photo courtesy Charlotte Media Relations

NINERTIMES.COM

Any superstitions? If so what?

I try not to be too superstitious but I always double-knot one of my shoes and single-knot the other one.

Who is the most influential person in your life?

My parents. They’ve always been very supportive and have backed me up in academic and everything.

Any advice you’d give to younger players?

Have fun, it goes by fast... really fast.

Who’s the funniest player on the team?

We have a very funny team this season. Courtney and I have the same sense of humor; we get along

well. Becca and Lizzy are funny. All around, we have a lot of jokesters on the team.

What are your pregame rituals?

I try to stay away from pregame rituals but I usually get a bagel before however if I don’t have one we can still win.

What is your favorite candy?

Reese’s What is your favorite show on Netflix?

I have a serious binging problem but not during school. The last show I binged on was Scandal.

What is your favorite restaurant in the university

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

area?

My Bento, they have all you can eat sushi right now and I’m on a serious sushi kick.

Favorite kind of cookie?

I actually really like the M&M cookies from Crown, those are my favorite.

If you could be any animal, what would it be and why?

Dolphin. They’re smart and I wouldn’t want to be a dumb animal.

Favorite 90’s jam from a 90’s kid?

I was born in the 90’s so can that be my favorite part? I’ll go with anything N’Sync, that was my band back then.

9

Cam Newton and the double standard He’s the face of Charlotte we need, but not the one we deserve

CASEY ALDRIDGE OPINION EDITOR

On the field this year, Cam Newton took his play to new heights.

He’d always been an immensely talented football player, as Heisman Trophy winner and national champion at Auburn University, as number one overall draft pick by the Carolina Panthers in 2011 and Offensive Rookie of the Year in his first year in the NFL. His unique skill sets of pocket passer accuracy and powerful running were just part of the reason why, entering this season, he’d taken the Panthers to back-to-back NFC South titles – something no team in the division had ever done – and was already a two-time Pro Bowler.

But this year he took off, starting the season with fourteen consecutive wins. He took the Panthers to a franchise best 15-1 record without his main receiving target, Kelvin Benjamin. He developed an entire receiving corps out of a depth chart that had pundits writing the Panthers off to start the season. He took an offense that was expected to be a liability and turned it into the top-scoring offense in the league. Newton, in just his fifth season, has already shattered Steve Young’s record for most games with a passing and rushing touchdown, and put up 45 combined touchdowns passing and rushing on the regular season, with another five through the playoffs. For his efforts, Newton became the first Panther to win league MVP, and took Offensive Player of the Year and the Ed Block Courage Award as well. Newton was named to his third Pro Bowl, but couldn’t attend as he quarterbacked the Panthers to just their second Super Bowl appearance in the young franchise’s history.

I was at the NFC Championship game against Arizona, and I have to say, that was the biggest and most

10

incredible party the city of Charlotte has ever thrown. It was the first time that the Queen City had been able to host the NFC Championship game, and the crowd was rocking.

Newton, throwing two touchdowns and running for two more against one of the league’s more dynamic defenses gave us plenty of reason to celebrate, as did the thieves on Carolina’s defense who never gave Carson Palmer a break. That game felt like the whole season had – one big party. As someone who is essentially the same age as the Panthers organization, I grew up with the team, and never have I seen anything quite like this past season, even in 2003. I’ll always remember how this year, the kid in me was brought back, and I’ll never forget smiling and dancing while watching Newton smile and dance.

Newton’s five-year contract with the Panthers, signed last offseason, means we’ve got at the minimum four more years of smiling and dancing here in Charlotte (and I hope this franchise continues to resign him as long as he plays). That contract made him the “face of the franchise,” but he’s also become – through the course of this magical year – the face of Charlotte, or, at least, a part of Charlotte.

In Super Bowl media week, Newton told reporters that he was “an African-American quarterback, that may scare a lot of people because they haven’t seen nothing they can compare [him] to.” And Newton was right; he faced undue criticism after taking down an opposing banner at the Green Bay game (a banner which violated stadium policy), and was the target of not one but two angry fan letters.

The first came after a road game in Tennessee, where Newton’s dance moves and “pelvic thrusts”

Carolina Panthers’ MVP Quarterback Cam Newton passes against the Denver Broncos in Super Bowl 50. Photo via Tribune News Service

were denounced as inappropriate for children. The latter came after Newton led the Panthers over twotime defending NFC Champion Seattle Seahawks, and a fan again complained about Newton’s conduct.

Both of the letters relied on ageold tropes of American cultural racism. Newton is not by any means the first cultural icon to come under barrage of rhetorical attacks from paranoid white parents, and won’t be the last, either. The double standard applied to Newton is nothing new, but perhaps took largest expression after the Super Bowl. Newton congratulated Peyton Manning before leaving the field for interviews. After the game, he was asked particularly pointed questions and he abruptly got up and left the press conference. Newton caught hell for what pundits were calling “bad sportsmanship,” a label that was never affixed to Manning when he himself stormed off the field after his last Super Bowl loss. Manning’s Colts had lost to Drew Brees’s Saints, but Manning didn’t so much as shake Brees’s hand. The double

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

standard has reared its head again and again, and I doubt its over for him. But – as the face of Charlotte – I have to say I could not under any circumstances be more proud of Carolina’s quarterback.

I’ve seen what Newton has done for this community, surprising a young boy battling cancer by showing up for his birthday party in my home town of Concord, N.C. His charity work for kids and his larger than life personality have done wonders for the Queen City.

I don’t just “not blame” Newton for walking out of that press conference. I’m glad he did that.

I’m glad the face of Charlotte takes winning personally and takes losing personally. I’m glad he’s human, I’m glad he has emotions and wears them on his sleeve, I’m glad he took the Super Bowl loss hard, I’m glad he’s vowing that the Panthers will be back, I’m glad he got up and left instead of rashly firing back at some really vile questions, I’m glad he’s the face of our franchise and I’m glad people still hate him, because he’ll use that.

NINERTIMES

BEYONCE BACKLASH

Photo via Tribune News Service

Beyonce’s new single and music video sparked ignorant claims of being racist and anti-police

MIA SHELTON

ASST. OPINION EDITOR

“OK, ladies, now lets get in formation.”

If you watched the Super Bowl halftime show, then you know the controversy that has swarmed the nation. For those of you that did not watch, allow me to fill you in.

The show featured performances from Coldplay and musical guests Bruno Mars and the “Queen B,” Beyonce. The show began with songs from Coldplay then transformed into Mars’s “Uptown Funk,” followed by a spectacular entrance by Beyonce on the field where she performed her newly released song “Formation.”

The show was great, but Beyonce got a lot of backlash from the show.

A lot of viewers found it distasteful and racist that she had all AfricanAmerican backup dancers and that they were all dressed in Black Panther attire. For those of you that don’t know, the Black Panthers, also known as the Black Panther Party of Self-Defense, was a revolutionary black nationalist and socialist organization founded in 1966.

NINERTIMES.COM

The group’s core practice was its armed citizens’ patrols to monitor the behavior of police officers and challenge police brutality in Oakland, Calif.

Viewers went as far as to say that Beyonce’s music video for the song was “anti-police.” Plus, to add insult to injury, some of the viewers even plan to boycott the NFL headquarters in New York.

As a Beyonce fan, I found all of these allegations and raised issues utterly ridiculous. I have gone to her concerts and half of her dancers are Caucasian men and woman, so the accusation that she is ‘racist’ is wrong.

As for her music video, there is nothing “anti-police” about it. The music video itself brings awareness to the issues that are going on in the black community. For example, it features lyrics about Michael Brown and the “hands up, don’t shoot” protest. It features lines about Hurricane Katrina, and more importantly, it promotes African-

American success. There was no slandering of the police, nor did she ever show anything regarding the police in the music video.

I think the real issue people have with the song and the video is that she combats every allegation of her being a member of the Illuminati, with her opening line, “Y’all haters corny with that Illuminati mess.”

She defends her daughter, who people have decided to attack because she has a natural hair afro, with her line, “I like my baby hair, with baby hair and afro.” She even defends her husband that people call “ugly” because he has a big nose by stating, “I like my negro nose, with Jackson 5 nostrils.”

The second reason I feel people have an issue with her song and music video is because it brings to light the issues and horrific incidents that are going on in the African-American community, with young boys and even older men being targeted or killed by the police, with little to no probable cause. I

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

say if you have an issue with her bringing awareness to it, stop killing our young men.

As if slandering Beyonce and attempting to boycott the NFL headquarters wasn’t enough, Tomi Lahren, the female anchor from The Blaze, made a statement against Beyonce’s husband saying, “Your husband was a drug dealer.

For 14 years he sold crack cocaine.

Talk about protecting black neighborhoods. Start at home.”

Beyonce has not responded to the statement, but her husband just laughed it off.

My response to her statement is, so what if he was a drug dealer? He is now a legitimate businessman with a legitimate business. People can change. Beyonce has done nothing wrong, and as an AfricanAmerican woman she has a right to protest what is going on in her community, as do the rest of us. If people are too brainwashed and ignorant to see that, that is their problem.

11

A look inside the UNC Charlotte Faculty Jazz Quintet KAITLIN MALPASS INTERN

Recently, I sat down with Dr. Will Campbell and Dr. Michael Hackett, two members of the Faculty Jazz Quintet. Here is what they had to say about their upcoming concert on Tuesday, Feb. 23 in Rowe Recital Hall. The faculty members participating are Campbell on saxophone, Hackett on trumpet, Noel Freidline on piano, Troy Conn on guitar, Ron Brendle on bass and Ocie Davis on drums. Davis is a guest fill-in for a faculty member who will not be able to perform.

What pieces will be performed and why were they chosen?

Dr. Campbell: We are mostly doing original music that was written by people in the band.

The originals are all written by Dr. Hackett, Ron Brendle and myself, and Noel Friedline is bringing two arrangements of tunes by other composers. We all write music, and we felt like this would be a way to showcase not only our playing skills but also our compositional skills.

What are your personal favorites that are on the set list?

Dr. Hackett: My own tunes. [laughs] No, I like them all, they are all great tunes. Dr. Campbell writes well and is a very talented composer. He has written a number of originals and has also written for the big bands a number of times. We both play in a big band in Greensboro called the Piedmont Triad Jazz Orchestra.

Dr. Campbell: And I like playing Dr. Hackett’s

12

music, to tell you the truth, I really do. I really love his writing and his very original approach to composition. It stretches you because his tunes are different from the standard way people write, so it causes you to really challenge yourself as an improviser because the tried and true ways of always playing don’t always fit. So it pushes you to dig a little deeper.

How long have you all prepared for this concert?

Dr. Hackett: We didn’t set the repertoire until about two weeks ago.

Dr. Campbell: But we have known about the concert for almost a year.

Dr. Hackett: It’s a little different from the past, we have done themed concerts or tributes to other famous jazz musicians. This time we are playing ourselves.

Why do you think a faculty jazz concert is important?

Dr. Campbell: For one, we want to show the very talented faculty here and that goes for all styles of music. But we wanted to focus on the people that teach the jazz courses here, that they are not only good teachers but great players as well.

So that is really the motivation and also we see it as a way of challenging ourselves and having fun. If you set a recital, that means I have stuff I need to work on between now and then. We practice everyday on a number of things, but with FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

a specific repertoire that you are going to perform, you address it. It’s good to have something to work towards and keep up performing.

Dr. Hackett: It is really important to reiterate what he said and emphasize that we are doers, not just teachers.

Dr. Campbell: Yeah that’s important, we want to show the students what we are capable of doing.

They don’t always hear us playing all the time, we play in their context with them, but to hear us in a professional setting is good for them.

Anything else that I did not cover that you want to mention?

Dr. Campbell: I think people will be very pleasantly surprised if they came to the jazz events here, both the faculty and the student groups, to hear how strong the talent is and how well the groups perform. We are constantly hearing from people who come to an event and say they had no idea the student jazz bands were so strong, which is every flattering, but if we get more people who don’t normally come, they would be surprised at what good of entertainment it is.

I think maybe people don’t realize that everyone on this faculty has played with very famous musicians around the world. We all bring a lot of professional experience from New York to Paris.

We are all in these positions because we have a lot of experience performing, not just teaching.

See the full interview at ninertimes.com

NINERTIMES

‘ The Lady in the Van’ is perhaps the most English film imaginable HUNTER HEILMAN A&E EDITOR

We all have had Dame Maggie Smith as a part of our lives from a young age (at least for the collegeaged readers). As children, we all sat and marveled at the story of Harry Potter and the world of Hogwarts.

Approaching for Harry’s first year of school, the first person we greet in Hogwarts is the classically epic character of Professor McGonagall, there to explain the proceedings of the night when each of the students are sorted into their houses. From here, McGonagall takes on a stern, yet loving mother figure to Potter, filling in for the years of neglect placed upon him by the Dursleys.

Smith put forth a world class performance here that changed my outlook on women of older age in cinema. That being said, Smith’s forte is not in big budget fantasy films, but smaller, intimate pieces, much like “The Lady in the Van.” Here, Smith is in her comfort zone when it comes to genre, but she finds herself in a role that could challenge any actor, that of an enigma. Allen Bennett (Alex Jennings) is a lonely writer and closet homosexual living in Camden, London in the 1970s.

Throughout the neighborhood, a homeless woman, Mary Shepherd (Smith), pushes her van from house to house, looking to find a dwelling spot for herself. After stopping in front of Bennett’s house, the writer asks Shepherd if she would like to pull her van into his driveway, out of kindness, until she could get a permanent residence. Little does he know, she would reside in his driveway for over 15 years.

This truly is Smith’s show, with

NINERTIMES.COM

strong competition from Jennings though. Smith is an absolute wonder as Shepherd, who is a mystery all her own. The beauty of Smith’s performance comes in that when we uncover all there is to know about Shepherd, all of her actions preceding these reveals begin to make sense. As for Jennings, he simply was perfectly cast. Especially by the cameo by the real-life Bennett near the end, standing very near Jennings, it’s clear that it was A+ casting.

“The Lady in the Van” does struggle a bit with the passage of time, as there is no clear marker of what year it is, and I wasn’t even aware of any passage of major time until Bennett’s narration talked of it about an hour into the film, which perplexed me. I began to pay a bit more attention to it after that, but was still thrown off when over 15 years had passed, when it felt like merely months. Adding a simple message of what year it is would’ve helped me gain perspective about the story arc.

Besides the sloppy passage of time and slow start to the film, “The Lady in the Van” is a comfortable piece of English cinema. In fact, “The Lady in the Van” is about two cups of Earl Grey tea short of being one of the most English films imaginable, with its portrayal of London and of course, the exquisite presence of Smith, making this a uniquely pleasant experience. The story goes in places we might not have seen before, even if the film feels oddly familiar.

ACROSS 1 Siri counterpart 10 Inst. with a weekly “Big Picture Science” radio program 14 Short-term hospital service 15 Demonym that may have a second “a” 16 Ignores 17 Wise guys 18 One of the Noldor, in Tolkien 19 Pitcher’s goal 20 Kind of red 21 Dark genre 23 Holy __ 25 Child expert LeShan 26 When many take breaks 28 Work with a partner 29 Dropbox’s blue box, for one 30 More, to Nadal

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

32 Chain with day care 34 Lollygag 37 Stay in the cooler 38 Refreshing ice cream with blended cookies 40 Mattress problem 41 First name in couture 42 Brand at 32-Across 44 “Pipe down!”

48 Child support org.

49 Road safety feature 51 Family __ 52 Schools abroad 54 Genre of the late David Bowie 56 Dove shape 57 “Iron Chef America” host Brown 58 Step out 60 Hunger Games competitors 61 “We don’t promise you a rose garden” slo-

ganeer 62 Transposes letters, say 63 Tom Jones hit written by Paul Anka DOWN 1 Lead source 2 Spotted cat 3 Company 4 Alfa Romeo sports cars 5 More, to minimalists 6 Flash 7 Got down pat 8 Diner kitchen shout 9 Minute 10 Heineken logo feature 11 It’s trained on a nest 12 Name meaning “God’s gift” 13 Flash 15 Tweeter, say 20 Phrases on seals 22 Sends in 24 Musical piece 27 Icel. is its only member without a standing army 29 “Perhaps” 31 Soap, for example 33 Short stops?

34 She played Arwen Undómiel in “The Lord of the Rings” trilogy 35 Albee’s “The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?,” e.g.

36 Enjoy The Atlantic 38 Government nutrition guide 39 “Holy cow!”

43 Wilde tragedy 45 Roger Ebert’s Illinois birthplace 46 Ready for dinner 47 Reason for Luther’s excommunication 49 Target section 50 Family matriarchs 53 Ages 55 “The Social Network” actress Rooney __ 58 Gloomy one 59 Pickles on “Rugrats”

13

Tribune News Service

Amazing oven recipe: Root vegetable medley STEPHANIE SMITH STAFF WRITER

When I was growing up I hated vegetables. Literally, if it even looked like a vegetable I did not touch it. Then somewhere along the way my taste buds changed. How it happened I have no clue but one day I tried a some vegetables for like the 100th time thinking that I was going to gag and spit it back out.

That is when it happened, boom!

I was hooked. These veggies were amazing. I thought where on earth have these been my entire life? Why am I just now starting to like these?

Now that I live on my own, I have to find good and easy recipes that I can make in my apartment. This oven recipe is full of flavor and has a balsamic ginger sauce that adds a little sweetness to the mix.

INGREDIENTS 1 parsnip, peeled and chopped into ½” cubes 1 Yellow gold potato, chopped into ½” cubes 2 medium-sized sweet potato, chopped into ½” cubes 4 carrots, peeled and chopped into ¼” rounds 1 yellow onion, diced

1 red pepper 6 cloves garlic, minced 2 tablespoons grated ginger 2 tablespoons olive oil 3 tablespoons balsamic vinegar 1 teaspoon salt (or to taste) ¼ teaspoon ground cayenne pepper 2 teaspoons ground cumin Instructions 1. Preheat oven to 375 degrees.

2. Put all chopped veggies into a large, deep casserole dish (this may require 2 casserole dishes).

3. Whisk together the olive oil, balsamic vinegar and grated ginger.

Pour over the vegetables and mix using a fork.

4. Sprinkle the salt, cayenne pepper and cumin over the veggies and mix again with a fork to be sure everything is coated.

5. Bake 25 minutes and then remove casserole dish from oven to stir the vegetables well.

6. Increase heat to 415 degrees, place vegetables back in the oven and bake an additional 20 to 25 minutes until the sweet potato is softened and al dente, but not mushy.

Photo courtesy of Cooking on the Weekends

14

5 fun things to do in and around Charlotte VIVIAN WESTRA STAFF WRITER

In the winter, it is always harder to find fun or active things to do to keep busy while it is cold. Living in Charlotte for the past two years, I have found a solid list of exciting and adventurous activities to do to keep yourself and your friends busy during these cold winter months.

1. FIND THE PERFECT CAFE Venture out and find a new favorite coffee shop: one of my favorite things to do in Charlotte is discovering new cafes to try. Some of my favorites are The Smelly Cat, The Daily Press and Amelie’s.

I love going to the Smelly Cat whenever I want a quiet relaxing atmosphere just to think or study. The Daily Press is great when you want to try a new type of coffee or a unique pastry.

Amelie’s is perfect when you are having a late night or sweet craving, as it has everything from macaroons to cakes. Amelie’s is also perfect for studying because it is open 24 hours, which is a great bonus.

2. DEFY GRAVITY One of my favorite activities to do on a rainy day is to go to Defy Gravity, the trampoline park. It is such a nice way to be active when the weather is not the best and it is also so much fun to go with friends. Defy Gravity also has workout classes every night, which is a nice way to incorporate exercise and fun.

3. HIKE My favorite place to hike around Charlotte is Crowder’s Mountain. I love inviting a group of my friends to go hiking and have great conversations while enjoying nature. The hike is about an hour to the top, and less than an hour back down. The view is so beautiful, especially when the sun is rising or setting.

4. WATCH THE SUNRISE OR SUNSET My absolute favorite thing to do on campus is to go to the top of one of the parking decks and and either watch the sunrise or sunset. It is such a beautiful and relaxing view to watch.

5. STUDIO MOVIE GRILL I love going to dinner then watching a movie, but I absolutely love going to the Studio Movie Grill in the Epicenter to do them at the same time. The food is phenomenal and they have endless options from desserts to pizza to fish and chips. The prices are very reasonable and is one of my favorite ways to spend a Thursday night.

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

NINERTIMES

Find out what it’s like to be the host of your very own radio broadcast SYDNEY SWAFFORD STAFF WRITER

Ever wonder what it’s like to be a radio disc jockey? UNC Charlotte junior Katy Brabham is hosting a new radio broadcast called “Sting!” that allows students to unwind through music and conversation.

Every Monday from 2-3 p.m., Brabham takes over UNC Charlotte’s student run radio station, Radio Free Charlotte, in the hopes of connecting with fellow classmates and brightening their mood for the rest of the week.

Finding free time is one of the many challenges all college students are faced with. Taking advantage of small moments can make a huge difference in overall attitude and happiness. Whether you’re stuck in traffic or trying to focus while finishing up some work in the library, a great way to combat time is listening to the radio.

Listening to great conversation and soothing music played by Brabham will help students and faculty relax and destress for the beginning of the work week.

Through Brabham’s one-hour

NINERTIMES.COM

broadcast, she doesn’t limit her topics of conversation, leaving the door open to any and all current discussions. She encourages students to text, tweet and call to talk about difficult situations, funny stories and events happening around campus.

In between breaks in conversation, Brabham hand picks songs that she says, “either helped me feel inspired, helped me when I was feeling sad or put me in a really good mood.”

Motivated and encouraged by family and friends, Brabham wants students who listen in to feel included, safe, unjudged and a part of something. Brabham has always wanted to become involved with broadcasting and is excited to be living out her dreams here in Charlotte.

Charlotte provides the perfect mix of busy city life full of new experiences while still holding onto that hometown feel everyone yearns for.

If you’d like to become involved with broadcasting or Radio Free Charlotte, Brabham suggests being personal in your approach

saying, “If you physically go in person and show that you have dedication, it’ll really resonate with people how serious you are. You’ll most likely get the opportunity you want, and you’ll usually be the first person they go to if they need help with something, which can only help you further.”

The Radio Free Charlotte office is located in the Lower Level of the Student Union. You can email radiofreecharlotte@uncc.edu for

more information.

If you missed “Sting!” this week, try catching it next week by downloading the Niner Times app in the app store. This will give you free direct access to Radio Free Charlotte any time, any place.

If you’d like to know more about Brabham or her show, feel free to contact her directly through email at kbrabha1@uncc.edu or follow her on Twitter or Instagram @KatyBrabham.

Photo by Jeremy Bohannon

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

15

ANGIE BAQUEDANO STAFF WRITER

“I was 15 and competing in judo, which is a type of martial arts. Everything was great, but I eventually reached a point where I became tired of it, and I wanted something more challenging. So I went to a new gym­—mixed martial arts—and there I found a large amount of people kickboxing, and I immediately knew that’s what I wanted to do. I got my butt kicked for the next six months, and then I moved to Charlotte for a better gym and more opportunities.

The guys that I met at the gym here in Charlotte brought me up to the level that I am now. It’s been a long road, but now I’m a personal trainer and a professional MMA fighter. I truly am thankful for the people who got me here and the ones who made me love it.”

Rodney Jordan

16

FEB. 23 - FEB. 29, 2016

NINERTIMES