2016 10 04

INSIDE THIS ISSUE: GOLDRUSH, CHARLOTTE VS. FIU VARIOUS UNC CHARLOTTE ORGANIZATIONS COME TOGETHER FOR CANDLELIGHT VIGIL FOR VICTIMS OF POLICE BRUTALITY

FIND OUT HOW YOU CAN HANG OUT WITH A NASCAR DRIVER FOR ONLY $24 THIS FALL BREAK

DATING APPS AREN’T AS SCARY AS YOU MIGHT THINK, NICOLE IS HERE TO TELL YOU WHY

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OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

VOL. 29, ISSUE 5

Hunter Heilman editor@ninertimes.com

MANAGING EDITOR

Jasmine Taylor

Nick Cropper

Trevor Wilt

Kathleen Cook

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Carmen Westra

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Chris McKinnis video@ninertimes.com

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Salina Dickie, Mia Shelton, Pooja Pasupula, Andy Gustafson, Alex Sands, Angie Baquedano, Daniel Head, Stephanie Trefzger

ADDITIONAL STAFF Annie Young, Isa Knapp, Saba Solaimanizadeh, Christain Espinoza, Brittany Wilson, Courtney Singleton, Nicole Buckenham

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OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

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FIGHTING POLICE BRUTALITY THROUGH FELLOWSHIP Different UNC Charlotte organizations come together in rememberance of recent victims of police brutality

ANNIE YOUNG STAFF WRITER

Members of Voices of Eden sing during the candlelight vigil for Keith Scott and Justin Carr. Photo by Pooja Pasupula

A candlelight vigil in remembrance of Keith Scott and Justin Carr was held Sept. 28.

The event was held in the Student Activity Center where posters were on display titled, “I Do This For…” “Candle Dedication” and “White Light Vigil” along with eight candles which were later lit in honor of the recent victims of police brutality.

Building Better Brothers (B3)

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hosted the event to “promote fellowship among everyone.”

Event Coordinator Spencer Blackwell stated the purpose of the vigil is to “spread more love and peace in the community.”

Many students and faculty attended the event and listened to the variety of guest speakers. Vice Chancellor of Student Affairs Dr. Arthur R. Jackson spoke on the

current divide in the United States titling it “Two Americas.”

He stated the divide is between the Northern states and Southern states, in which the Northern states have made more progress than the Southern states when addressing racial issues. Jackson urged the audience to continue to peacefully fight for justice. “[Each new obstacle] gives us a chance for constructive,

OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

not destructive change.”

Dean of Students Dr. Christine Davis spoke words of love and support through tearful eyes stating that she has never been more proud of students than she has been this week. She concluded her speech with the quote, “Let your revolution start with your education.”

UNC Charlotte’s gospel choir, Voices of Eden sang “From the Inside of Me” and “Lean on Me” throughout the vigil. Their harmonious strains tugged at the hearts of all those in attendance. Their songs provided inspiration and fellowship among everyone in the room.

Following Voices of Eden, were speakers like President of the UNC Charlotte National Association for the Advancement of Colored People Deandre R Collins and Brent Campbell, a campus minister.

Campbell provided biblical words of inspiration with the message that the recent events are not problems between races, rather it is between “those who value life and those that don’t,” said Campbell.

He spoke of how the police system is operational. The people have to change in order for the brutality to stop.

Blackwell stated that he was very proud of the assembly.

“The Brothers of B3 want everyone to know that even though there is some fear of being brutalized by police officers during an encounter, we have never felt more powerful and confident in being black men in America. We will continue to stand united and fight for the cause,” said Blackwell.

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Students continue protests on UNC Charlotte campus Students, faculty march during peaceful protest of police brutality ALEX SANDS ASST. NEWS EDITOR

Students march up Craver Road holding Black Lives Matter signs. Photos by Pooja Pasupula

“The whole damn system is guilty as hell” was the chant that turned heads on UNC Charlotte’s campus Sept. 28, as a march of students and community members interrupted the flow of campus.

Protesters made their way down Craver Road, which was closed for the march, throughout campus and back to the Student Union, where a rally was held.

Organized by faculty and staff, the event was in response to the police shooting that occurred in University City last week.

Multiple protests were held on campus for the same incident last week, including a lay-in at the Student Union.

Protesters claim they will not stop anytime soon.

“The fact is, we as a people, feel like second class [explicit] citizens.

We are not against the police, we’re against police killing us. So can we please as a unit, a community, push past this thought that we’re a hate group,” said junior Kris Long, who led the protest.

Long mentioned his 2-year-old cousin multiple times throughout the protest.

“What am I supposed to tell him about this? Be scared of police cause you’re black,” said Long.

Director of Learning Resource Center Colette Townsend-Chambers

spoke at the rally.

“I’m here on this campus every day, teaching students, loving students, but who’s gonna love my boys,” said Townsend-Chambers.

Townsend-Chambers told the crowd she adopted her black, autistic son at age two.

“Do you wanna know what our conversation is every single night?

‘Son, if the police stop you, raise your hand, tell them you’re autistic so they don’t shoot you down like a dog.’ Every single day, for 21 years,” explained TownsendChambers.

Chancellor Philip L. Dubois sent out an email to parents of UNC Charlotte students, addressing concerns about the event being allowed on campus.

Dubois assured that representative from Police and Public Safety, Emergency Management and Health and Environmental Safety would be present at the events. He also mentioned that a Demonstration Activity Resource Team had been created to serve as a resource to demonstration organizers.

“A university is a place that creates dialogue and discussion.

In difficult times like these, it’s more important than ever that we remain committed to that effort,” wrote Dubois.

“THE FACT IS, WE AS A PEOPLE FEEL LIKE SECOND CLASS [EXPLICIT] CITIZENS JUNIOR KRIS LONG

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OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

NINERTIMES

Senate update: discussion of construction, traffic ISA KNAPP INTERN

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

29 and were joined by Director of Facilities Planning Chris Gilbert who discussed construction projects for next year and traffic alleviation with the SSenate.

Guest speaker- facilities management Gilbert spoke to the senate about the extensive list of changes that the University will see in the coming years pertaining to construction.

He broke down the areas of construction, which include renovations to the academic core, administrative space, improvements to infrastructure as well as new construction.

Current projects underway include the renovation of Burson, the resurfacing of the Belk track, campus-wide generator upgrades, renovations to the Resident Dining Hall and more. Future campus projects that Gilbert discussed include an admissions and visitors center, campus circulation improvements, Scott Hall renovations and an expansion to the Union Deck.

Gilbert assured senators that his team would do their best to keep congestion on campus to a minimum while construction is occurring.

Next year will be the busiest year pertaining to construction projects on campus.

He also informed senators that with the addition of the light rail, added security measures would be implemented around the stop including additional officers as well as possible security cameras.

Charlotte-Mecklenburg Police Department, Charlotte Area Transit System and campus police are working on other ideas to ensure the safety of the area.

Additional Guest Speakers Press Secretary for SGA Ena Walker spoke about the SGA

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homecoming float as well as “Norm Knows,” a campaign that will give students tips, tricks and advice through social media. This campaign will begin Oct. 10.

Secretary for State and National Affairs Vincent Cahill discussed voting registration, campus watch parties for the presidential debates and a voting site on campus for residents of Mecklenburg County.

Secretary for Athletic Affairs Carter Reid spoke about the concerns students had over ticketing and coming up with ideas on how to make the process of reserving a ticket for sporting events easier.

Junior Class President Mackenzie Belton and Sophomore Class President Robert Fleming discussed events that both classes are throwing. They are partnering together for a movie on the lawn event that is scheduled for Oct. 20.

Price of admission will be a canned good. Donations will be given to the local food pantry.

New senators sworn in Student Body Vice President and Leader of the Senate Carrie Nowell swore in nine new senators.

Freshman Class President and Secretary for Information Technology were also sworn in.

Freshman Class President Vivian Ojimadu was sworn in as well as Secretary for Information Technology Gyovanni Boston-Crompton.

Senator of the Month The senate has begun a new tradition of nominating a “Senator of the Month.” The first senator to hold the title for the month of September is Marshall Stookey. According to the Senate, he was chosen because “He is prepared, engaged [in meetings] and professional.”

New student organizations The Senate has approved three new student organizations. They are Odyssey Outreach, Odyssey Online and Tenacious Dreamers.

OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

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Engineering professor wins 2016 Bank of America Award

Matthew Davies, professor of mechanical engineering, receives Bank of America Award for teaching excellence SABA SOLAIMANIZADEH INTERN

For the past 48 years, the Bank of America Award for Teaching Excellence has been a notable distinction that honors professors for their achievements and exemplifies UNC Charlotte’s dedication to quality instruction to ensure student success.

Matthew Davies, professor of mechanical engineering, was announced as the recipient of the award for this year at a ceremony held in Hilton Charlotte Center City.

The Bank of America Award is a traditionally versatile award, with past recipients ranging from professors in art history to language and culture studies to economics. Professor Davies is only the fifth engineering professor to win the award since it was initially introduced in 1968.

Davies explained that one of the ways through which he identifies and satisfies his students’ academic needs is through the implementation of the Class Improvement Committee (CIC).

“At the beginning of every semester, I ask five volunteers to tell me immediate things that need to be fixed in the class so they are not prolonged into larger issues,” said Davies.

He also acknowledged the role of the CIC in lecture style engineering courses that are exponentially bigger and thus sometimes more difficult to approach.

“Another thing that I have them [the students] do is create their own surveys about one month into the class and they can ask whatever they want for the class to answer.

The CIC changes the classroom

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dynamic from an adversarial idea of ‘making the grade’ to actually making it a good class,” said Davies.

As an engineering instructor, Davies noted the importance of applying analytical approaches to unseen problems and being able to rationalize through issues instead of

“The CIC changes the classroom dynamic from an adversarial idea of ‘making the grade’ to actually making it a good class,” PROFESSOR MATTHEW DAVIES memorizing answers in order to be a successful science student.

With this, Davies attempts to build connections between theoretical and applied science for his students when teaching the classes.

In addition, Davies allows his students to choose their textbooks through feedback from the CIC.

Through this, students are able to utilize the textbook resource that best resonates with them and helps them master the course material.

As a 1988 graduate of Carnegie Mellon and having received his Ph.D from Cornell University, Davies places heavy emphasis on research and intellectual curiosity within the scope of engineering.

Davies’s research is currently focused in the Center of Freeform Optics, where the Center of Freeform Optics examine the replacement of centuries of sphere flat optics designs into three dimensional optics.

He has nine senior design students assisting with this as well, in preparation for graduate study.

Davies says that the most gratifying aspect of studying engineering is “taking the physics of why things happen and applying it and having it actually work, and beyond that, the results are utilized.”

The concurrence of a strong science background, an innovative style of instructing mechanical/ optical engineering and a desire to encourage student growth is what prompted Davies to be nominated for, and eventually receive, the Bank of America Award.

More of Davies’s past achievements include the Lee College of Engineering Undergraduate Teaching Award in 2005, along with the Bonnie E. Cone Early­Career Professorship in Teaching in 2007.

OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

NINERTIMES

CHARLOTTE VS. FIU · OCT. 15, 2016

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Photo by Chris Crews

KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR

Prior to Saturday’s matchup against Old Domnion, players and coaches from both sides came together and formed a “Circle of Unity” around the perimeter of the field.

The two sides joined hands together to symbolize that throughout the midst of the protests and riots that occured in the Charlotte area, that opposing sides can come together in a peaceful manner.

Senior Nick Cook spoke of how the event came to be and what it meant

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to him as a player participating.

“Coach Lambert pulled all the seniors together in the beginning of the week and said they reached out to us about it. He asked us what we thought about it and we were all for it right away. We all thought it was a good idea to show there was a lot more to life than football. Everybody stops playing the game at one point, so it is a bigger thing. It was nice to show the city and everybody here that was watching tonight that we can all come together as one.

GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION

CHARLOTTE 49ERS FOOTBALL: REASON FOR OPTIMISM

GRANT HUGHES INTERN

Workpeh Kofa makes a jumping catch against Elon. Photo by Chris Crews

Despite a 1-4 start to the season, there are plenty of reasons to still save hope in the 49ers. Through four games they have faced one of the best teams in the nation in Louisville, as well as Elon, Eastern Michigan, Temple and Old Dominion.

None of their five opponents have losing records and possess a combined record of 14-7, a pretty tough schedule to begin their season.

The rest of their schedule, however, contains just two teams with winning records in Southern Mississippi and Middle Tennessee, and the seven teams they have yet to play in the regular season have a combed record of 12-21.

This all equates to a strength of schedule that ranks 119 of 128 FBS teams for the rest of the season.

The room for improvement is there and maybe a few wins as well, but none of this can be achieved without several key players.

Through the first four games quarterback Kevin Olsen stands at

10th in Conference USA in terms of passing, with most of his yards heading to stud receivers in Austin Duke and T.L. Ford. Duke is well known around campus and has already eclipsed 200 receptions for his career.

Perhaps slightly lesser known is Ford, who has already eclipsed his receiving yardage total of last year in merely four games. Both Duke and Ford place in the top 10 C-USA receiving yardage ranks.

Ford possesses the fourth highest yards per catch (minimum of 15 receptions) in the conference. The two give Charlotte a strong pair of pass catchers, one that Olsen will surely grow more comfortable passing to.

In the run game, Charlotte has a four-star true freshman in Robert Washington who is currently leading the team in rushing yards and touchdowns. Behind him is senior Kalif Phillips who nearly eclipsed 1,000 yards on the ground last season.

Anthony Covington returns a kickoff for the 49ers. Photo by Pooja Pasupula

Joining Phillips and Washington is another true freshman Ben LeMay, who has averaged 5.3 yards per rush on his nearly seven carries a game.

The three combine to average over 5 yards per carry and are on pace for 1,572 rushing yards as a trio. However, it is more than likely that the three backs will eclipse this number greatly in their subsequent matches against lesser opponents.

As a whole, the offense has just been slightly below the FBS average, ranking directly below the University of Georgia and directly above Stanford in yards per game.

On the other side of the ball, the defense has played better than many may have expected.

For the year, the 49ers have allowed 486.50 yards of offense per game, a little higher than the FBS average of 403.35. Though most of the yards against Charlotte have come through the air, the run defense has been very good.

Opposing rushers are averaging 162.75 yards per game on the 49ers,

CHARLOTTE VS. FIU · OCT. 15, 2016

nearly 10 yards lower than the national average of 172.09 yards per game. Even more impressive considering that most of the damage was caused by Louisville’s 663 yards of offense and 272 yards rushing.

In fact, if you take out the Louisville game, the 49ers are holding teams to a mere 126.3 yards on the ground. This number is significantly better than the national average, and something the defense should be very proud about.

Whether Charlotte’s 1-4 start is simply a facade or foreshadowing of what is to come, we as fans should be excited about the rest of the season and for future years as well. The offense looks to be in good hands with Ford catching passes and Washington toting the rock this season and the near future.

Time will tell, but come out and support the Charlotte football team, they might surprise you sooner than later.

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GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION

MONARCHS TAKE THE CROWN IN THE QUEEN CITY

STAFF PICKS

ZACH TIMMONS STAFF WRITER

Charlotte came into Saturday’s matchup with Old Dominion searching for their first conference win. After not winning a single C-USA matchup and losing a close battle to ODU 37-34 last season, the Niners came up short once again.

The Monarchs got off to a fast start with a 21-point first quarter. ODU running back Jeremy Cox scored on a pair of 1-yard runs, and quarterback David Washington found receiver Zach Pascal on a 25-yard touchdown pass.

The Niners managed to get a field goal from placekicker Stephen Muscarello.

In the second quarter, Charlotte was unable to defend the big play, giving up two 40-yard completions on separate drives. Washington found Travis Fulgham on a 55-yard touchdown reception to punctuate the drive. Meanwhile, the 49ers got their first touchdown with two seconds remaining in the half.

Running back Kalif Phillips, in his second game back from injury, took Kevin Olsen’s short pass and turned it into a 42-yard touchdown. Olsen finished the game 14-31 for 145 yards, one touchdown, an interception and a fumble. Phillips finished with 62 yards on 16 carries as well as two receptions for 52 yards, including the aforementioned score.

“Kev dumped it off to me. I just did what I had to do to put some points on the board,” Phillips said.

Phillips acknowledges that to win games the 49ers as a whole can’t have a defeated mindset.

“There’s never time to beat up on ourselves. We come in every game ready to win and go hard every game.

We just can’t underestimate all the players or teams that we play.”

In the third quarter, Cox ran in his third score of the day, and Washington threw his third touchdown pass to

receiver Isaiah Harper. ODU put the exclamation point on the third quarter when running back Gemonta Jackson scored on a 37-yard scamper.

Charlotte’s backup quarterback Hasaan Klugh checked in during the second half and finished 4-5 passing for 31 yards. He also rushed six times for 41 yards, including the Niners’ final touchdown from three yards out with 2:57 remaining in the game.

Running back Matt Johnson also rushed 10 times for 61 yards during the game.

On defense, linebacker Nick Cook continued his successful campaign with nine total tackles. Defensive back Kedrick Davis recorded yet another spectacular interception when he ripped the ball away from an ODU receiver in the second quarter and returned it into ODU territory.

“Obviously I didn’t have them ready to play. We’ve got to go back and look at everything we’re doing. I’ve got to have them ready to play, and that’s my responsibility. We’ve got to look back at everything we’re doing and how we’re practicing, and that’s what I told our team,” Charlotte coach Brad Lambert said.

Lambert also hinted at some possible lineup changes that could be made during the coming games.

“We’re going to look at everybody.

You’ve got to always be careful, in the fourth quarter, playing against their twos and threes [second and third stringers]. I like what Hasaan can do; he can always make plays with his feet. We’re going to look at every position.”

Charlotte falls to 1-4 on the year and will return to action next week on the road as they take on Florida Atlantic.

CHARLOTTE VS. FIU · OCT. 15, 2016

FINAL SCORE (10/8) CHAR 24, Florida Atlantic 21 FINAL SCORE (10/15) CHAR 31, FIU 27

FINAL SCORE (10/8) CHAR 17, Florida Atlantic 13 FINAL SCORE (10/15) CHAR 24, FIU 20

FINAL SCORE (10/8) CHAR 35, Florida Atlantic 28 FINAL SCORE (10/15) CHAR 38, FIU 35

FINAL SCORE (10/8) CHAR 20, Florida Atlantic 35 FINAL SCORE (10/15) CHAR 20, FIU 17 Due to Fall Break, there will not be a Homecoming issue of Goldrush which is why we are giving our predictions for the next two games

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THE HEADS OF THE PROGRAM A look at the diverse hairstyles within the football program

KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR

Hair. Everyone has it, but some choose to use it as a form to express themselves. Examples of this can be found all around campus, including on the roster of the football team. We broke the team down into different hair categories and talked about what it’s like to have some of the best hair on the team.

Man Buns Sweeping the nation and the 49er roster the past few years has been the man-bun craze.

Jordan Starnes joined the trend when he began growing his hair out last year. The linebacker is cutting edge, showcasing undercut on the back of his head that allows for cool air to reach his neck.

“The process is really annoying. I started off in the awkward phase, wearing backwards hats because Jordan Starnes. Photo by Chris Crews it was wild.

Now it’s easier because I can put it up. It’s still pretty annoying at times and taking care of it is a pain, but it’s alright,” Starnes said After being in a school with strict regulations on hair, Christian Asher decided to let his hair down when he got to the Queen City.

“I went to a boarding school where we had to have our hair really short all the time. I decided that since I could finally grow it out, I might as well,” Asher said.

The art of the bun is something that takes time to perfect. Starnes is also quick to point out the

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differing styles of the bun.

“I don’t know if I would say I’ve perfected the man bun, but I try to make it look just like a regular bun, not a man bun. I would prefer it to be called just a bun. I think the man bun sits on top of your head, I like mine neutral in the back,” Starnes said. “In the beginning I would have to ask girls in my classes or my friends to put it up for me, but now it’s like second nature.”

Asher also doesn’t know if he’s got the bun down pat, but that doesn’t stop the six-foot-one linebacker from trying.

“I don’t know if I’ve perfected it yet, but I’m trying to. So far it’s come pretty natural to me,” Asher said.

Having long hair requires a good shampoo and conditioner.

“I use Pantene shampoo and conditioner every other day,” Asher said.

While Starnes has plans to cut his locks after after this season, Asher has a goal for his hair in the long run but he didn’t reveal any of his secrets.

“I have a plan on doing something with it in the future, but y’all just have to wait and see that one,” Asher said.

Dreadheads

Kalif Phillips. Photo by Chris Crews

Kalif Phillips has had his dreads for about six years, sticking with them throughout the hot dog days of summer.

Phillips has the thinner version of dreads, called sister locks.

“I don’t like the thick ones, I think the thick ones are ugly. Mine are called sister locks, because it’s the type that a lot of girls have as opposed to the thicker ones. The thick ones don’t do anything for me,” Phillips said.

The thick ones do something for redshirtfreshman Tyriq Harris, however.

Initially Harris choose cornrows after he decided to change up his hair style. He moved on to dreads next and his hair history hasn’t been the same ever since.

“When I Tyriq Harris. Photo by Chris Crews first started off my hair was really long and it was really nappy, I could run my fingers through it and they wouldn’t come out. My dad was like ‘Hey you’re going to have to do something with your hair.’ I started with cornrows, then I got tired of that and switched to dreads one day. It’s been four to five years.

People tell me all the time it would be so weird if I didn’t have my hair likes this,” Harris said.

Joining Phillips on team sister-locks is offensive linemen Casey Perry. His dreads came shortly after the POS came onto the Charlotte campus.

“They’re a lot smaller and they’re easier to take care of. I can go longer in between without looking fuzzy,” Perry said. “I had been clean cut all of my life, I thought it was a different stage of my life so I should do something different.”

Phillips takes note of the opposing players’ dreads, and of course, the 49ers are heads and shoulders above their competitors.

“I’ve seen a couple teams that had dreads that

GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION

were real thick and looked nappy,” Phillips said.

There is a bond between the players with dreads, from asking for tips to just admiring the others’ locks the group just “goes well with each other,” Harris said.

The support system found within the hair group is unrivaled.

“We always talk about each others’ hair. As soon as someone gets their hair done we pay attention to it. We ask each other for ideas,” Perry said.

Untamed Redshirt-freshman Nate Mullen began to grow his hair out two years ago, drawing inspiration from Cowboys player Cole Beasley. Throughout the process of growing it out, Mullen had to fight the urge to cut it off. His dreams of having hair peeking from underneath his helmet made it all worth it this season.

“I wanted my hair to come out of the helmet,” Mullen said. “I can’t wait to cut it off. But finally getting to play with it coming out of my helmet made it worth it.”

Joining Mullen in the Untamed category is punter Arthur Hart. When asked to describe his hair in three words Hart said “wild, crazy, everywhere.”

Hart is taking advantage of his time in college

to express himself through his hair.

“I’m going to have to be an adult, get a job soon. I decided this was the last time I could grow it out,” Hart said.

Expect to see Hart making a dash towards the showers after the game, but don’t expect to see him flake on his hairstyle decision.

Nate Mullen. Photo by Chris Crews “A hairstyle is a gateway to your personality, it’s a great way to express yourself,” Hart said.

The Highlighter In a category all to himself is Austin Duke.

The wide receiver debuted his new ‘do at football media day and it has been a statement piece ever since.

“My boy Odell Beckham had it and I thought it was cool, another thing is just a confidence thing

so I stand out and create my own trend,” Duke said.

After having his hair loose for the first few weeks of the season, Duke showcased braids still incorporating the eye-catching blonde.

“My girlfriend got bored one day and braided my hair, it ended up looking really cool so I kept it and made it my own style,” Duke said.

Teammates have been receptive to his bold hairstyle, calling it “dope” and “goddess-like.”

Duke takes risks with his hair and encourages others to take a risk with their hair.

“Do something that stands out. You can do anything with your hair, it Austin Duke. Photo by Chris Crews grows back. Go big with your hair, it grows back,” Duke said.

The hair on the team is ever changing, but one thing remains true: when it comes to hair, Charlotte Football knows what it’s talking about.

2016 FOOTBALL SCHEDULE THURSDAY, SEPT. 1

FRIDAY, OCT. 1

SATURDAY, NOV. 5

Louisville, Ky.

Jerry Richardson Stadium

Hattiesburg, Miss.

#19/#23 Louisville 7 p.m.

L, 70-14

Old Dominion

Southern Miss

6 p.m.

L, 52-17

3:30 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 10

SATURDAY, OCT. 8

SATURDAY, NOV. 12

Jerry Richardson Stadium

Boca Raton, Fla.

Jerry Richardson Stadium

Elon

6 p.m.

W, 47-14

Florida Atlantic 3:30 p.m.

Rice

2 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 17

SATURDAY, OCT. 15

SATURDAY, NOV. 19

Jerry Richardson Stadium

Jerry Richardson Stadium

Jerry Richardson Stadium

E. Michigan 6:00 p.m.

L, 38-19

FIU

6 p.m.

Midd. Tennessee 2 p.m.

SATURDAY, SEPT. 24

SATURDAY, OCT. 22

SATURDAY, NOV. 26

Philadelphia, Pa.

Huntington, W.Va.

San Antonio, Texas

Temple Noon L, 48-20

Marshall 5:30 p.m.

CHARLOTTE VS. FIU · OCT. 15, 2016

UTSA 7 p.m.

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GOLDRUSH · A NINER TIMES SPECIAL SECTION

STUDENTS RACING TO A DEAL CHRISTIAN ESPINOZA STAFF WRITER

UNC Charlotte students - are you stuck with no plans and need something fun to do over Fall Break? Do you need some excitement and exhilaration in your life?

Well Charlotte Motor Speedway has a deal for you.

Forty of NASCAR’s greatest stars are set to return to North Carolina next weekend for the Bank of America 500, the first race in the second round of the Chase for the Sprint Cup. The racing action all kicks off with practice and qualifying on Thursday night, followed by the XFINITY Series Drive for the Cure 300 on Friday night – all leading up to Saturday night’s main event.

One of the drivers set to do battle at the 1.5mile Cabarrus County racetrack is Dawsonville, Ga. native – Chase Elliott. Elliott is a 20-year-old rookie in the NASCAR Sprint Cup Series who took over the famed No.24 machine earlier this year after Jeff Gordon retired last season. Elliott, in collaboration with Charlotte Motor Speedway, came up with a great deal for college students looking to come kick back and enjoy some exciting NASCAR racing action.

For only $24, college students with a valid student I.D. can take advantage of one of the most unique ticket packages available in all of sports. Students can spend time hanging out with Elliott in the personalized college pre-race tailgate area, while listening to live music and playing in corn-hole tournaments, all before heading to the watch the race from seats with an “A+ view.”

In an interview with the Niner Times, Elliott talked about how this special package came to fruition and how important it is for college students to be able to come out to the races and have a good time.

NINERTIMES.COM

Photo Courtesy of Charlotte Motor Speedway

“It was just an idea that our group kind of came up with,” said Elliot. “It was something that I felt like would be cool to jump on board with. I have some friends that are in school right now and I get to see a little bit of what their lives entail and what they do, so we thought it might be neat to try and incorporate some of that into what we go do on the weekend’s. We found the opportunity to do that with this program.”

There is no doubt that this is one of the most affordable ticket packages available for any major sporting event in and around the Charlotte area, so for those college students who are looking to attend an awesome sporting event without breaking the bank, Saturday night’s race should be right up their alley. And to add to the list of fun activities that will be available to college students and all fans in attendance on Saturday night – triple platinum, GRAMMY-nominated rock group 3 Doors Down will be performing an hour-long pre-race concert.

“I’m not begging anybody to come,” Elliott continued in the interview. “I just want to provide something that will allow that college age group to go and have a good time at the races. And OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

that’s the biggest thing for me, just try to make it fun where they can go and enjoy themselves and enjoy the racing. Hopefully we can provide an environment where our folks can go and have a good time, enjoy themselves and enjoy a nice fall weekend at the racetrack.”

Saturday night’s event is also one of the most important races of the season. Charlotte Motor Speedway is the home track for a wide majority of the NASCAR world, so teams and drivers put a lot of pressure on themselves to go out and perform well in front of their “hometown audience.” The Bank of America 500 also falls towards the middle of NASCAR’s 10-week Chase playoff system. Twelve drivers will still be alive with a shot at winning the championship, which as we have seen in past years, certainly creates for some added drama and intensity during the race.

For $24, pretty much the only thing that college students can’t do on Saturday night is get behindthe-wheel of a Cup car and compete against Elliott and all the other NASCAR stars. But according to Elliott, the students may have a shot at beating him in something else that night.

“My corn-hole game is not very good, I’ll be honest with you. I probably should do some practicing I guess, so we will see.”

Fall Break is a weekend that is good for every student because they get to relax and enjoy a couple more days outside of the classroom. But for only $24, students could take this upcoming weekend from good, to amazing – courtesy of NASCAR, Chase Elliott and Charlotte Motor Speedway.

If you are interested in attending the ‘Chase University’ then visit charlottemotorspeedway. com or call 1-800-455-FANS to purchase the package before it’s too late.

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FIFTEEN YEARS LATER Honoring the fallen of September 11 though free thought and non-interventionism

BRITTANY WILSON STAFF WRITER

September is done, and so another Sept. 11th has passed. In its harrowing wake, terrorism has once again taken the forefront of evening news and dinner table conversation.

Each year this day holds an especially tender place in my heart.

I was a New Yorker, my father worked for law enforcement and though I was only a kindergartener, the attack had a markedly profound impact on my life. I have essentially spent all of my formative years trying to make sense of it all, trying to take something away from it.

This year personal obligations prevented me from tuning in to the 9/11 news specials, media coverage and reflection services but, alas, I knew what would happen anyway.

In one breath, grey-haired politicians would address a lachrymose crowd, asking them to put their hands over their hearts and pray for the fallen. In their next, they would use these casualties to advance a self-serving and highly damaging interventionist foreign policy. Following, policy makers from both sides of the aisle, with a swoop of a pen, would pass legislation that would take away civil liberties from the well-meaning public under the guise of patriotism and for a false sense of security. Isn’t that always the way it works in these United States?

Fifteen years later, countless lives have been affected. Families have been torn apart and entire cities have been destroyed. What do we have to show for their sacrifice?

If there’s one thing these past years should have taught us, it’s

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Student participates in the on campus Sept.11 memorial. . Photo by Leysha Caraballo

that fear is perplexingly addicting.

It’s that patriotism is misleading.

It’s that violence and terrorism have a concerning way of scaring us into voluntarily forfeiting our freedom.

Post-Sept. 11th fear has resulted in a war in which everyone has lost.

It has resulted in a corrosion of our Fourth Amendment rights to privacy and a Patriot Act that ironically is the least patriotic thing our country could have done.These actions have garnered ambiguous hate for largely peaceful religions and cultures.

And though our people have largely become more hostile and our country has become more interventionist in exchange for a sense of security, we have not become more safe.

If you’re reading this I challenge you not to play into the media’s narrative, which is set with purpose by self-serving politicians in order to take our liberties. When they say that we must expand our influence, I challenge you to advocate a peaceful and non-interventionist foreign policy approach. When they

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espouse hate toward any broad group of human beings, I challenge you to love. When they say we must sacrifice our freedom for security (or really essentially anything else), I challenge you to stand by your liberty.

Love people. Seek truth. Be brave.

Protect the rights that we are so lucky to have here in America and set such a great example for the rest of the world.

This is how we honor the fallen.

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Photo by Alexandra Valenti

KALEO PROVE THAT THEY’RE ONES TO WATCH

This rising alternative rock group energizes Charlotte’s Underground COURTNEY SINGLETON INTERN

One of the coolest aspects of concerts is the chance they provide for audience members to discover new music. Whether it’s that one song off of one of the band/artist’s older albums that you somehow missed or a surprise hit from an opening act you’d never heard of, to be able to walk away from a concert thinking “I’ve gotta find that song” is an awesome feeling. And that feeling was what I hoped to take away from the Kaleo concert at The Underground on the night of Sept. 27. Until a few weeks ago, I was among the many who had never heard of the rising Icelandic alternative rock group. I did a little research, listening to a handful of tracks from their album “A/B,” which was released as their international debut in June. Though I enjoyed what I heard, I decided not to listen to more until after the concert, in the hopes that their live performance would make me a fan.

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Excited though I was, I never expected to be won over so quickly. The evening started strong with indie rock group The Wind + The Wave, who had me jotting down lyrics within the first minute so I could track down songs later. With a folksy sound similar to Of Monsters and Men, the band managed to deliver a strong, energy filled performance despite the mellow nature of their music. This was largely due to their relaxed and comfortable presence on stage, as if this were merely another rehearsal and a bunch of people just happened to stop by and watch. In between numbers, they casually interacted with the audience, lightheartedly scolding the latecomers who walked in during their second song and celebrating the fact that nobody knows who they are despite the fact that their closing song “Grand Canyon” apparently has made it in the Top 20 (of what chart, I don’t know).

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Lightning struck again with the following act, the phenomenal Bishop Briggs. If you want to talk about an artist who can completely energize a room, look no further. In contrast to the previous group, Briggs’s music has an electronic edge to it, riddled with hard beats and bass drops to create an infectiously intense atmosphere that’s impossible not to dance to. It wasn’t just her music that set Briggs apart though, her performance style was more theatrical. During verses and bridges she often seemed almost eerily possessed by the music, while other times she jumped enthusiastically around the stage, smiling and urging the audience to join in with her. I enjoyed all of her songs, but “Wild Horses” and “Pray (Loaded Gun)” are the ones I’ve since been listening to non stop.

After two stellar performances, I’ll admit I was slightly skeptical about whether or not

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Photo by Alexandra Valenti

the main event would be able to top them. This turned out to be an unnecessary worry however, because Kaleo absolutely killed it. The lead singer Jökull Júlíusson’s voice has been compared to that of Hozier with its gravely tone perfectly suited for both soft ballads such as “Save Yourself” and harder rock such as “Hot Blood,” which was one of my personal favorites of the night. One of Kaleo’s greatest strengths lies in their instrumentals, which blend intense drums and sharp electric guitar riffs in a perfectly seamless fashion and this shines through in “Hot Blood.” “Vor í Vaglaskógi,” one of their first songs and sung entirely in Iceleandic, is also worth mentioning for its sheer beauty which left the audience in awed silence. While I tend to be more partial to those headbang-inducing rock numbers, this song was mesmerizing. And of course, the highlight of the night was “Way Down We Go,” a song that may be recognizable to “Orange is the New

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Black” fans, which was surprisingly not the closer, but undeniably the audience favorite.

Considering that I had hoped to leave The Underground with maybe one or two new songs in mind, I was more than thrilled as I made my way back to campus and had to decide which album I wanted to listen to first. If you’re a fan of rock in any way, you should definitely check out all three of these amazing artists. I expect you’ll be able to find at least two or three songs between them that fit your interests. I know I’ll be eagerly anticipating their next visits to Charlotte.

The concert in Charlotte was just one stop on Kaleo’s international “The Handprint Tour,” which continues through the rest of October and into November. The band’s debut album released internationally in June and is available for download on iTunes. For more information about the band and their tour, visit OfficialKaleo.com.

ACROSS 1 Out of practice 6 Blue stone 11 It doesn’t last long 14 Casual opening 15 Saudi neighbor 16 Part of un giorno 17 Crayfish habitat 18 Employees 20 Seminal discovery by sports historians?

22 Newspaper supporters 25 LAX stat 26 “You got me there” 27 Comprehensive text on mints?

32 Card game 33 Certain cross-country traveler 34 Crane’s construction 36 “One Mic” rapper 37 Reaction to Bugs’

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continued evasiveness?

41 Common ID 43 Soaps actress Rylan 44 Some kissing sounds 47 Snap 48 How a snail moves?

51 Lend __ 54 “That’s so cute!”

55 Brine-cured delicacy 56 “I plotted against Caesar completely on my own!”?

61 “Doubtful” 62 Be enamored of 66 Relative of -ista 67 View from the Eiffel Tower 68 Traction aid 69 Cold and wet 70 Fragrant compound 71 Quite a while DOWN 1 Kid

2 A, in Acapulco 3 Mess metaphor 4 Canter cousin 5 “Am I clear?”

6 Dieter’s choice 7 Milwaukee : mine :: Marseilles : __ 8 Last of three Catherines 9 Calligrapher’s array 10 Searches (through) 11 Philatelist’s source 12 Peloponnesian region 13 Nature spirits of Greek myth 19 Plains tribe 21 List substitute: Abbr.

22 Cadillac model 23 Hägar creator Browne 24 TV’s “Through the Wormhole,” e.g.

28 Invoice heading no.

29 Initiation 30 Ryan of “Sleepless in Seattle” 31 Night sch. staple 35 Bit of adverbial wordplay 38 Confessional music genre 39 LBJ’s successor 40 Real head-turner in the animal kingdom 41 Deeper into la-la land 42 “From Here to Eternity” Oscar winner 45 Coverage-providing org.

46 __ symbol 49 Bit of equestrian gear 50 __ Beach, Hawaii, home of the 2005 Little League World Series champs 52 “__ suspected!”

53 Salon procedure 57 Hawaiian strings 58 Agitated state 59 Pothole warning 60 Farm female 63 Org. assisting museums 64 Amtrak unit 65 QB’s stat

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WHY YOU SHOULD BE PRO-DATING APP IN COLLEGE As busy college students, we don’t know what we want half the time

NICOLE BUCKENHAM STAFF WRITER

Being a millennial these days means that our phone has become an extension of who we are.

We do not go anywhere without our phones and feel lost without it being glued to our hips. Even if you don’t want to admit it, misplacing your phone for a brief moment makes us feel sort of naked followed by a mini heart attack. So, when you meet someone on a dating app it doesn’t feel that far off from meeting them face-to-face. Besides, what is the difference between our parents meeting on E-Harmony versus us looking for our soulmate on Tinder? Let’s face it, we’re busy college students and we don’t know what we want half the time. So how easy is it to just lay down in bed and swipe left or right with our fingers on someone’s face? Well, it is so easy we should all be doing it.

One thing all college students have in common is the need to expand our social circles and just meet new people. This is especially the case if you’re new to campus or you just happen to be a social butterfly. When you’re older, you feel content with two to three close friends. But, as a college student, you feel content and full with the more friends you have. Basically, we can never have enough friends, right? And that’s the mentality you need to have if you decide to download a dating app. You need to be prepared to not only meet some hottie you swiped right on, but a friend as well. And the thing about that is, it is totally okay. Maybe you meet someone you had a great connection with, but if they look a little different from their Facebook pictures try to further that connection in a friendly way. If they don’t want to be friend zoned, then hey, don’t sweat it. But, if they’re feeling like expanding their social circle as well, you just got one great thing out of downloading that dating app you were hesitant about in the first place. With apps like Tinder and Bumble, expect the unexpected and just roll with it.

These days, whether we want to admit it or not, looks are way up there in the list of what

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you look for when you are out there searching for your significant other. We pride ourselves in the way we look and being ages 18 and into our 20s, this is our prime. We will possibly never look better than this. It just makes sense that we want someone that we find attractive. And what better way to find out who is attractive in your area and who finds you equally attractive as well than a dating app. This way you can swipe to the right if you like the way they look, and left if you’re not feeling it. Most people just assume that is it when it comes to these kinds of apps, but after that you can message that person that you matched up with. You can find out more about them and see if they want just a hook-up or maybe something a little more. This is why downloading a dating app in college is just so useful. We are busy people, scared about the future and even sometimes a little lazy. When dating is there at the tips of our fingers, it just makes thing so much easier.

Going to bars can be scary sometimes and going to parties can maybe not be the best idea to meet someone. But when dating can be that easy, there’s no excuses. Dating apps are just a great way to meet people these days as a university student.

Even though Tinder can help you meet people and is simple to use, it still has that hookup stigma about it. This is where the app tends to lose some of its customers in the college scene.

Some people want to hit it and quit it, while others are looking for something long term. The thing about this though, is this not only happens on your phone but also in the real world. You never really know what the other person you’re engaging with truly wants until you ask them.

The same goes for dating apps. It gets such a bad reputation because it is just easy to meet someone attractive, but that is why you get to know someone beforehand just as you would in real life to figure out what they are all about.

Like I mentioned before, use the messaging part to your advantage. Get that person’s information OCT. 4 - OCT. 17, 2016

after, message them, meet up and figure out what they are really all about. Be honest with people and from that point there will be no confusion if the person you matched with is just trying to hook-up or take you on a date. This happens in real life too. People use you, or they don’t. Just be honest about what you want. If you just want a hook-up, that’s cool, and that is also a great way to use a dating app as well. But you could also meet your soulmate. The key to this is just use communication and there’s no confusion in the end about whether a dating app is just a hook-up app or not. We create the stigma for this as users, so get out there and make it what you want it to be.

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ANGIE BAQUEDANO ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR

“I think the person that inspires me the most is definitely my soulmate, best friend and biggest fan, my cousin Nicole. She’s been my number one supporter all of my life and she’s never failed to inspire me. If you’ve ever met Nicole you’ve automatically noticed her huge smile. You wouldn’t know this just by seeing it, but she’s smiled through so many hard times.

She kindles strength and hopefulness in everyone she meets. I wouldn’t be exactly who I am today without her beautiful smile.”

- Melany Zagazeta

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