INSIDE THIS EDITION: SPORTS TAKES AN IN-DEPTH LOOK AT THE GROWTH THAT CHARLOTTE FOOTBALL HAS MADE OVER THE PAST SEASON
OP-ED: STANDING ROCK’S STAND WITH POLICE REMINDS US OF THE TURBULENT HISTORY AMERICA HAS HAD WITH NATIVE AMERICANS
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NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
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KEEP BUSY DURING THE LAST MONTH OF 2016 WITH 31 THINGS TO DO DURING THE MONTH OF DECEMBER PG. 15 VOL. 29, ISSUE 11
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STUDENTS VOTE ON TUITION INCREASES FOR 2017-18 Representatives of the student body review tuition and fee requests during bi-annual Tuition and Fees Advisory Board ALEX SANDS ASST. NEWS EDITOR
The Tuition and Fees Advisory Board, made up of student leaders, met last week to discuss and vote on proposed budget suggestions for the 2017-18 academic years. The meeting was moderated by Vice Chancellor for Student Affairs Dr. Arthur Jackson and President of the Student Body Fahn Darkor. Members of the public were allowed to sit in as well. During the first meeting held on Nov. 16 in the Harris Alumni Center, representatives from each department requesting fee increases were allowed to propose their plan for how they would use the money. Then, they answered any questions the students had. The meeting went from 4 - 6:15 p.m. The second meeting was held Nov. 17 from 6 - 8 p.m. During this session, the board voted on the proposed fees. They could vote either yes or no to the pay increases, or they could suggest alternate plans. The meeting started with a vote for a 2 percent tuition increase for resident undergraduates. This increase would only apply to incoming resident freshmen and transfer students who enter during the 2018 academic year. The majority, 9 out of 10 committee members, approved the proposed plan. The recommendation will be taken to the Chancellor. Intercollegiate Athletics received a recommended $22 increase, $2 less than their asking price. Their current fee is $802. Athletics had asked to receivehalf time sport
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Representatives of the student body review tuition and fee increases for the 2017-18 academic years. Photo by Austin Chaney
psychologists, which they argued would be beneficial for student athletes. Athletics had planned to split the cost with Students Health Services, who would have the psychologist for half of the time in the counseling center. Students discussed whether they’d rather see the psychologist in the counseling center full time and voted that Student Health Service raise their proposed increase from $7 to $9 so
that the counseling center would not have to share the psychologist with athletics. The recommended $22 increase for athletics will fund travel support and help the start up of new women’s sports, specifically a women’s golf team. The Student Health Services fee increase will add three full-time psychologist to the counseling center. They also said they needed
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an increase in order to maintain the new counseling center. The current Student Health Services fee is $229. Education and Technology received a unanimous decision to accept their proposed increase of $50. The committee members agreed that the money was needed to replace technology across campus that was quickly becoming outdated. The Cont. on page 5
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POLICE BLOTTER NOV. 12-18 ACCIDENT NOV. 15
• Cameron Boulevard, driver of vehicle one struck rear of vehicle two, which was stopped for traffic. No injuries were reported.
NOV. 18
• Cameron Boulevard, driver of vehicle one struck the rear of vehicle two, which had stopped to make a left turn. No injuries were reported.
ARREST NOV. 12
• Cato Hall, officers responded to a disturbance call. Once there, it was determined that the individual had an active warrant for arrest.The individual was arrested.
NOV. 16
• Cone Building, officers responded and arrested an individual for outstanding warrants out of Mecklenburg County.
LIQUOR LAW VIOLATION NOV. 12
• Off campus, officers responded to assist an ABC officer and issued CAT to the individual in addition to the State Citation issued by ABC.
NOV. 13
• Cameron Boulevard, while attempting to make a left hand turn, driver of vehicle one struck the right side of vehicle two, which was going straight on Cameron Boulevard. Multiple subjects in the victim’s vehicle received alcohol related citations. No injuries were reported. For more information on Mecklenburg County arrests, visit arrestinquiryweb.co.mecklenburg.nc.us
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Annual Campus Safety Walk reveals safety hazards Volunteers, Campus Police patrol campus, reveal safety hazards, give recommendation for improving safety NICK CROPPER NEWS EDITOR
The members behind the annual either lights were out or areas were the front of the gardens. Campus Safety Initiative has dark. According to Cobbins, light Once all groups have reported completed their report of potential outages and dark areas on campus their findings to the secretary safety hazards on campus after the are a reoccurring issue found during for student affairs, their Campus Safety Walk that occurred the annual Campus Safety Walks. recommendations are compiled Nov. 10. “Last year it seemed as if the into the official report with During these walks, volunteers, lights were a big issue as well. the findings and sent to UNC along with Campus Police, patrol Facilities management did correct a Charlotte Chancellor Philip Dubois. areas of campus and report any lot of those issues, including adding The report is also sent to UNC incidents of what they deem to be lights to dim areas on campus,” he Charlotte’s Campus Safety and unsafe or make recommendations on said. Security Committee and the office of how safety in these areas could be Volunteers also found that some Facilities Management. Afterwards, improved. of the same lights that were out the issues should be addressed. “The SGA believes in providing last year were out again and they The zones were broken down into a safe and accessible campus uncovered new poorly lit areas on the football stadium, the baseball community in which our students campus. field and CRI Parking lot, the Popp can navigate across campus at In addition to reporting & Martin Student Union and several any given time of the day, without findings, volunteers can also make resident halls, North Deck and the uncertainty of their safety,” said recommendations for areas on surrounding resident halls, Greek Secretary for Student Affairs campus that would improve safety. Village, the Botanical Gardens along Reginald Cobbins. The secretary for The volunteers who patrolled the with East Deck and Prospector, student affairs is responsible for Botanical Garden noticed that it was Fretwell and the surrounding organizing the Campus Safety Walk dark and could use lights. They also lecture halls, the Student Activity every year. recommended adding a blue light at Center and South Village. This year, there were 90 participants in the Campus Safety Walk. Members of the student senate at UNC Charlotte volunteer every year, along with student, staff and faculty volunteers. The volunteers work with Campus Police to patrol these areas. Volunteers were split into groups and patrolled nine different zones on campus for safety hazards. Many volunteers found similar issues in their Campus Police’s Mobile Command Center that is used during the annual Campus Safety Initiative. respective zones: Niner Times file photo NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
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TUITION AND FEES, cont. current Education and Technology fee is $552. Recreational Services currently has a fee of $83, but was approved for a $2 increase that would pay for the new position of an Aquatics Coordinator, a position that will be dedicated to the maintenance of the pools on campus including those opening with the Health and Wellness Center. The Health and Wellness Center received their recommended $10 fee increase. This increase had been planned as part of a series of increases until 2021. Without the increase, plans for the building would have to be canceled. Currently, the fee is $5 but the fee is planned to be raised to $65 by the time of its opening in fall 2019. The Student Union has not received an increase since its opening in 2009. They asked for a $9 increase in order to hire an Associate Director for the Multicultural Resource Center and an Assistant Director for the Center of Leadership Development. Infrastructure Debt fee was approved for their $39 proposed increase to the current $200 fee. Some groups requested no increases, such as Playing Field Maintenance, Student Activity Center and Venue Management, Cone University Center and Student Activity Fees Commission. There were also two special fees, which are fees that only certain students are required to pay. The first was for students in the College of Health and Human Service. This is a new fee that would cost students in that college $260. The fee would cover the cost of teaching assistants, two lab technicians, field placement services, test and test prep fees and other resources that the college needs. The fee was approved with 10 out of 10 votes. The International Student Fee is also a special fee which was recommended to be doubled, from $50 per semester to $100 per semester. They plan to put the money towards more workshops, orientations and other events that help students manage culture shock and welcome them in the community.
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NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
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POVERTY STRIKES THE POPP & MARTIN STUDENT UNION
The Multicultural Resource Center offers students an opportunity to experience poverty during annual Poverty Simulation ANNA GIBBS INTERN
On Friday, few of the barriers Nov. 11, the that impoverished Multicultural community Resource Center members must hosted its annual overcome. Bryant poverty simulation also shares that in the Popp & most people are Martin Student likely to remain in Union. Kimberly the socioeconomic Turner, director of class they are born the Multicultural into. Resource Center, “This the next has been involved generation coming with the poverty into the workforce,” simulation program said Bryant. for over two years. “These are our “The object of next politicians, this experience lawyers, teachers is to sensitize and police officers. participants to If we can help to the day-to-day educate them on all realities of life of these difference faced by people social spheres and with low incomes how they impact and to motivate us people, then we to become involved are likely to have in activities which a positive impact help to reduce when they go into poverty in this the workforce.” country,” said Volunteers Turner. Mastewal Gezahegn Over-turned chairs depicting students who were evicted from their house during the simulation. Photo by Anna Gibbs Participants and Victor Mack are first assigned believe that all attend work or get the kids to school, Social Work. Students share the to a family and given information UNC Charlotte students should all while trying to pay the bills. frustrations they faced within the including their income, possessions be required to participate in the Meanwhile, the loan collector turns simulated world. Many felt they and bills. Then the family will poverty simulation. Bryant says over several clusters of chairs, which couldn’t succeed because the lack attempt to survive four 15-minute that if all students were required represents families being evicted of time and resources such as weeks of poverty by maneuvering to attend this program, along with from their homes as a consequence money and transportation. Bryant through the community resources. other topics of the same nature, it for failing to “pay the bills.” responds with a fresh dose of reality Volunteers act out roles such as would positively change the campus “The hardest part is getting on poverty happening in the world banker, pawn broker, police officer, environment and give students a everything done,” said Angel Carter, around us. utility collector, teacher, employer new frame for their education. a freshman participant. “We didn’t Bryant explains that the and more. “For me, it was really an eyeeat the whole time, and my kids frustrating limitations of the As the simulation month opener,” said freshman participant were in jail.” simulation are the stark reality for progresses, students rush to Mikalah Hall. “Everybody should At the conclusion of the the 32.9 million U.S. citizens who are exchange monopoly money for have to do this.” simulation, students gather affected by poverty. Transportation transportation passes, meet with around adjunct faculty member constraints, low wages and lack of their social services case worker, Dante Bryant with the School of inexpensive resources are just a
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NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
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A WONDER WHAT A YEAR CAN DO
ANDY GUSTAFSON ASST. SPORTS EDITOR
What a difference a year can make. As the football season comes to an end, the Charlotte football program has made strides in becoming a legitimate team on the Division I stage. This time last year, Charlotte was coming off a 48-point beatdown at the hands of Kentucky and headed to Rice to conclude their dreaded season. As many know, Charlotte would lose to Rice and conclude their season with a 2-10 record. After beginning the season 2-0, Charlotte lost the final ten games on their schedule. The 49ers lost 12 seniors to graduation. Questions at the quarterback position plagued the team all year, as Charlotte started three different signal-callers. There wasn’t much excitement surrounding the football program. This past offseason was the biggest test for Charlotte. And for coach Brad Lambert, he had a group of seniors that were ready to make the call. “This (senior) class--we want to give them every opportunity to go out on top,” Lambert said after the spring game. “We’ve got a lot of confidence going into the summer. It’s a tough process to go through to put yourself in a position to be successful in September.” It was the senior class that set the tone for the upcoming season. Players like Larry Ogunjobi, Kalif Phillips and Austin Duke were a part of the program before the inaugural 2013 season. In all, Charlotte had 21 players from the original team, so age wasn’t a concern for the team. There were murmurs of the possibility of a bowl game for the team. Looking at any team in the
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Quarterback Hasaan Klugh celebrates after a touchdown. Photo by Ben Coon
nation with 17 returning starters and a bowl game is definitely a goal. But again, the quarterback position was still in question. Matt Johnson, Charlotte’s all-time passer, transitioned to an H-back role on offense. The 49ers added a pair of new quarterbacks in Kevin Olsen and Hasaan Klugh during the offseason. Olsen, a four-star recruit in high school and transfer from Miami (FL), won the job before the spring game and it appeared Charlotte finally had QB stability. Fast forward to September as Charlotte became Lamar Jackson’s first victim in his Heisman campaign. Then, Kevin Olsen broke out against Elon in the next week, going 19 of 25 with three touchdowns. That would be the peak of Olsen though, as he would be replaced by Klugh, an NC A&T transfer, three games later due to inconsistency. At that point, Charlotte was 1-4. Since becoming the starter, Klugh has gone 3-4, winning his first start ever against Florida Atlantic, and
has scored 15 total touchdowns (eight passing and seven rushing). It appears Klugh, a redshirt sophomore, has a firm grasp as the starting quarterback for Charlotte heading into next season. The rushing attack carried the 49ers offense again this season. Charlotte improved their rushing yards per game this season, jumping from 163.6 in 2015 to 176.2 this season. Philips did much of the work again concluding his career 907 rushing yards on the season, totaling 4,020 during his time at Charlotte. The drop-off won’t be too steep as Robert Washington will become the new engine, as he rushed for 489 yards and five touchdowns in his freshman season. Add in Klugh, 426 rushing yards, as well and the 49ers rushing attack will be a-ok. As a whole, the offense improved this season, scoring another touchdown (17.5 to 25.2) and turning the ball over less (2.8 to 1.25) per game. Looking at those numbers, the offense became more efficient. On the other side of the ball, the
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defense played exceptionally down the stretch. Charlotte gave up 27.7 points per game in their final seven games, opposed to 44.2 points in the first five. While the team only gave two fewer points per game compared to the 2015 squad, this year’s team generated turnovers. Charlotte ranked first in the Conference USA in interceptions with 16 and forced seven fumbles on the year. In total, Charlotte was able to score 75 points off those turnovers. Ogunjobi finished his career at Charlotte, starting in all 46 games. The defensive tackle accepted an invitation to play in this year’s Senior Bowl after 13.5 tackles for loss and three sacks this year. Linebacker Nick Cook, another senior, finished the season as the only one-hundred tackle guy on the roster with 107 total. The 49ers will be able to rotate some new talent on the defensive front. The 49ers will be able to rotate some new talent on the defensive front. Freshman Ben DeLuca finished third on the team in tackles with 68 to go along with two interceptions and one defensive touchdown and sophomore Ed Rolle was tied for first on the team with three interceptions. At one point in the season, there were hopes of making a bowl game. While the team finished 4-8, the 49ers did double their win total from the previous season. “Looking at 2016, it was a good step for us,” concluded Lambert. “We played good games against good teams and we won three in the conference so we just have to continue on this trajectory, keep recruiting hard and I think good things lie ahead for us.”
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OGUNJOBI GETS SENIOR BOWL INVITE
TREVOR WILT SPORTS EDITOR
Larry Ogunjobi. Although most people can’t begin to pronounce his last name, anyone who has attended a game at Jerry Richardson Stadium knows the greatness of the Greensboro native. Charlotte’s all-time leader in tackles, tackles for loss and sacks, will take his talents to the 68th annual Reece’s Senior Bowl in Mobile, Alabama on Jan. 28, putting his art on display in front of all 32 NFL teams. With the accepted invitation to the Senior Bowl, the 6-foot-3, 297-pound redshirt senior will become the first Charlotte player to be represented in the prestigious game. The Senior Bowl invites the top 110 seniors or redshirt juniors in college football, giving the players an extra game to showcase their talents. But this is not the first time Ogunjobi has been recognized at the national level. This season, Ogunjobi was named to the Bednarik Award watch list, an award highlighting
the best defensive player in college football, while also being named for the Outland Trophy, representing the most outstanding interior lineman in the nation. With all these preseason accolades, Ogunjobi definitely lived up to the preseason hype. In his last season with the 49ers, the redshirt senior rounded up the nation’s best run-stop percentage among all NCAA interior linemen, according to Pro Football Focus, while also being named the SB Nation’s “Conference USA’s Most Interesting Man.” Along with those recognitions, Ogunjobi is first in tackles in C-USA games with 53 tackles, averaging 6.6 per game, while recording 65 tackles this season to lead the conference. Ogunjobi will leave Charlotte’s defense with a big shoe to fill, leading the program in tackles (217) and sacks (13). With all of these records being made by the interior lineman, none of these
accomplishments could have been done without being on the field; which he holds a record for as well. 46 games. That’s how many college games the Charlotte 49ers have played since starting their program, which coincidentally marks the amount of games the North Carolina native has played. One last stat. Ogunjobi will leave the program with a school record, 49 tackles for loss, fitting for the player who was the first to wear the honorable No.49 jersey against Campbell back in 2013 in Charlotte’s first ever football game. The redshirt senior, who didn’t start playing football until sophomore year in high school, and was only a two-star recruit coming out of high school, will now have the chance to become the first ever Charlotte football player drafted with a strong outing at the Reece’s Senior Bowl on Jan. 28.
SOCCER EXCELS IN AWARDS KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR
Even after their jerseys are hung up after the conclusion of the season, both men’s and women’s soccer teams still shine in post-season awards. Callum Montgomery became the fifth Charlotte player to be named an Academic All-American, as voted by the College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA). The biology major currently sports a 4.0 GPA while touting three goals this season on six shots on goal. Montgomery isn’t the only player on the men’s team to be earning recognition this season. For the first time in the 22 years Conference USA has been awarding their post-season superlatives, all seven awards went to the same team: the Charlotte 49ers. Becoming the head coach of Charlotte in the 2012 season, Kevin Langan’s hard work was recognized after being awarded C-USA’s Coach of the Year. Under his leadership this season, the 49ers held a 12-4-2 record and made an appearance in the NCAA tournament. During his first season in action, Elliot Panicco made his presence known. The 6-foot-5 redshirt
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freshman did not allow a goal through the first four games of the season. Through the 18 games played this season, Panicco allowed only 18 goals. The goalie was given the Golden Glove award and named Freshman of the Year. Two seniors, Brandt Bronico and Luke Waechter, made their final seasons in the green and white striped jerseys a memorable one. Bronico took home three of the seven awards: Offensive MVP, Golden Boot and Player of the Year. The 5-foot-8 senior scored a career-high nine goals this season after taking 49 shots, 24 shots on goal. Waechter, a redshirt senior, was named the conference Defender of the Year. The women’s team posted a record-setting seven players on the All North Carolina Collegiate Sports Information Association (NCCSIA) team. Previously the Niners had placed a maximum of four players on either the first or second NCCSIA team. Four of the seven players were named to the NCCSIA First Team. C-USA Freshman of the NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
Year Megan Greene was included in those four. Greene, a 5-foot-8 forward out of Fuquay-Varina, North Carolina, totaled 10 goals during her first collegiate season. In her second season with the 49ers, Katie O’Neill was also named to the First Team. The senior midfielder has tallied four goals paired with four assists on the season. Also on the first team is freshman defender Riley Orr. Orr and Greene pair together to be the only two freshmen featured on the NCCSIA First Team. Rounding out the 49ers featured on the first team is junior Martha Thomas. This will mark the third consecutive year that Thomas has been featured an NCCSIA team. Thomas tied with Greene for a team-high 10 goals on the season. Earning a spot on the NCCSIA Second Team are Julia Grainda, Shelby Hicks and Anna Sheldon. Both teams advanced to the NCAA tournament and after being eliminated now enjoy a winter hiatus in preparation of the 2017 season.
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STUDENT-ATHLETE
Lee McNeill has excelled in the classroom, earning national recognition for his academic performance
KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR
Lee McNeill puts the student in student-athlete. After joining the Charlotte 49ers football program as part of the inaugural class in 2012, McNeill has shown he knows how to excel both on and off the field. Through seven of his eight semesters as an undergrad, McNeill had a 4.0. A B in one class led the redshirt senior to graduate with a bachelor’s in business management and a 3.98 GPA. When looking at colleges, McNeill considered Ivy League options in addition to the 49ers. Ultimately he wanted to go somewhere that allowed him the opportunity to play football. “I really was focusing on going somewhere I can play football. I looked at a lot of schools in the Ivy League. Charlotte seemed like a good fit because of the coaching staff and all of the people here. I guess you could say I looked at the academic side, but I just wanted to go somewhere where I could do everything I wanted to do,” McNeill said. McNeill utilized his final year of
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eligibility on the field to begin his MBA. “It’s been an incredible opportunity and such a blessing to get the opportunity to go to college on scholarship. I did my best to get all of my classes in and graduate on time,” McNeill said. “Having the extra year left from redshirting, I figured it would be a great opportunity to get my MBA and go ahead to graduate school. It was my plan all along when I first came here to finish in four years. It’s worked out very well as far as how things have turned out.” His academic achievements haven’t gone unnoticed. McNeill was named the 2016 Conference USA Scholar-Athlete of the Year in Football. He also has become the first Charlotte football player to receive College Sports Information Directors of America (CoSIDA) Academic all-District team. McNeill is now on the ballot for the CoSIDA Academic all-American team. “Academics have always been really important to me. I just had great professors and great people
around me. I’ve had an opportunity a lot of people don’t have, and that’s the opportunity to come to college for free,” McNeill said. “I feel like it’s my obligation to work as hard as I can in the classroom. It’s worked out well for me. It’s something I’ve taken a lot of pride in.” Forget the Athletic Director’s list, McNeill’s name has been on the Chancellor’s list every year he has been in the Queen City. The Indian Trail Native was also awarded the 2016 Hugh Mcenery Award, which is given to the male student-athlete with the highest GPA over the two prior semesters. The quarterback/placekick holder has also been featured on the 2015 C-USA Commissioner’s Honor Roll and the 2015 C-USA all-Academic team. McNeill is on track to graduate with his MBA program next December. As far as what he wants to do after that, he isn’t quite sure. One thing that is certain: he wants to stay in the sports world. “I did an internship with the Charlotte Motor Speedway in their marketing department which I really enjoyed. I want to somehow have a career that includes sports and business. I know I want to be involved in sports and the competitive nature of it. It’s what I know and it’s what I have a passion about,” McNeill said. Redshirting his freshman year in preparation for the 49ers inaugural season will prove to be beneficial for McNeill as he enters a competitive field. “I felt it was an excellent opportunity for me, especially with my extra year of eligibility. I feel like it puts me in a good position to separate myself from other candidates in these competitive sports jobs,” McNeill said.
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McNeill has become a leader on the field and in the classroom for his fellow teammates. By leading through actions, he has built a rock solid foundation for academics as well as athletics for the 49ers. “I always try to encourage the guys to do the right thing, and I do through my actions. There are a lot of people out there that will say something, but they won’t necessarily do it. I’ve always been big on following the guys that I see doing the right things day in and day out,” McNeill said. “I hope the way I work in the classroom and on the field encourages guys.”
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CASEY ALDRIDGE
STANDING ROCK’S LAST STAND
OPINION EDITOR
Thanksgiving might be my favorite holiday. It is certainly my favorite secular holiday, though not at all because of the mythology and imagery around it. I love Thanksgiving in spite of its story, which attempts to normalize the colonization of this continent and genocidal actions towards the indigenous peoples of this land. I love that every year we travel to spend time with the extended family of my maternal grandmother and her siblings: the Kikers. Thanksgiving dances between religious, cultural and secular influences, but Thanksgiving as we celebrate it today is a manufactured holiday. While harvest feasts are nothing new, Thanksgiving as an official institution with a fixed date began with Abraham Lincoln. In 1863, during the Civil War, Lincoln established Thanksgiving as a national holiday, to occur on the final Thursday of November. Its story, of puritan settlers and Native Americans sharing a feast together, was a story designed - at least in its present iteration - to encourage a spirit of reconciliation between the North and South. The myth sounds harmless, even beautiful. But there is a veiled subtext to it: the reason a shared feast between settlers and indigenous people was so incredible is because the two groups, like North and South during the Civil War, were in conflict. Whether or not any such feast ever actually occurred is beside the point; there is a power imbalance at the heart of the Thanksgiving myth. What gets packaged as “people putting aside differences” is in fact a far more sinister process of oppressor
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expecting the oppressed to just get police tactics so far and based on the The point is not to reject family along and play nicely. By selling a lack of media attention, the Army gatherings and feasts, but to reject story of Native Americans playing Corps’ threat presents a real danger the story that makes reconciliation by the rules acquiescing to settlerto life. the responsability of the oppressed. colonialism, the Thanksgiving story There is nothing wrong with Reconciliation - if we want it - is delegitimizes Native American celebrating harvest with friends and the job of the oppressor, and in objections to the settler-colonial family. But the myth at the core of the context of Standing Rock the project. Thanksgiving conceals a terrible white settler is the oppressor. The Hundreds of years later, we’re still reality that to this very day is responsibility is on white settlers to celebrating Thanksgiving in a way violent towards Native Americans. donate monetarily to Standing Rock, that perpetuates antiquated and Centuries of settler-colonialism and to call legislators and policymakers problematic myths. And hundreds of repression have not translated into and to raise the voice of those on the years later, actual indigenous people better lives for indigenous people; ground at Standing Rock. We need a are still fighting settler-colonialism. quite the contrary, lands reserved new story of Thanksgiving: one that Most recently and most visibly, that for Native Americans have dwindled doesn’t conceal imbalances of power struggle has taken the form of the all the time, and Native Americans but exposes them, one that situates protests at Standing Rock in North face some of the most brutal policing reconciliation in solidarity, rather Dakota. The Standing Rock Sioux patterns and systemic poverty. than assimilation. Tribe has spearheaded one of the largest multitribe actions of indigenous resistance in American history, in order to block the Dakota Access Pipeline (DAPL). The oil pipeline would cross treaty lands and threaten indigenous water reserves. Extreme police force has been used against indigenous protesters and their supporters, with almost no media coverage. Water cannons have been fired on protesters in temperatures that are below freezing, putting health and lives at risk. Now, the Army Corps has given a date - Dec. 5 as the day they intend to clear all protesters from the pipeline route. Protesters have vowed to remain, as is their right, but based on how the United States traditionally has treated Police and protesters, referred to as Water Protecters, at Standing Rock, North Dakota. Photo via Tribune News Service Native Americans, based on NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
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Miami’s Cuban community celebrated the death of Fidel Castro in the streets after the news broke. Photo via Tribune News Service.
THE DEATH OF FIDEL CASTRO EDDIE ANGELBELLO STAFF WRITER
My grandfather has called many times with false news of the death of Fidel Castro, originating from who knows where. But on Friday, that news was finally real. I watched as CNN aired a pre-recorded segment about Castro’s life and the Revolution that he sparked, a segment they had probably been prepared to air for years. It was real this time: Fidel Castro, the man who caused such an unimaginable amount of pain for so many of his own countrymen, was dead. As I watched, I thought back to the first time I realized the immense impact of this man’s cruelty. My father had stumbled upon a cassette tape that my grandpa had made. As he plopped it into our cassette player and pressed play, my grandfather’s voice came loudly through the speakers, eloquently reciting poetry about Cuba. Poetry about the home that he fled when he brought his wife and two sons to this country over 50 years ago. Poetry so beautiful that you could hear the
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longing in his voice as he recalled walking through the streets of Sancti Spiritus, the town they lived in. You could here everything he lost, everything he sacrificed, everything that was stripped away from him and from the millions of Cubans who fled Castro’s regime along with him. It was all right there in that cassette tape, and as I listened to it, I reflected on the sacrifices my family made. I reflected also on the fact that the man I hate so much is also the reason I am alive. Had my father’s family never been forced out of Cuba, I would never have been born. The emotions that came sounding through my speakers that night were the same emotions that had been building inside the hearts of all Cuban exiles for decades. My grandfather stored his in his poetry, and my father put every ounce of his into paving a better future. On Friday, for many, those emotions were finally released. Stored up for far too long, they came gushing out
as people came pouring into the streets of Miami, waving Cuban and American flags, hoping for a better future. But Cuba and the Communist Party prepared a thousand times more diligently than even CNN for this day. Fidel’s death means everything to the Cuban exile community, but very little for the communist dictatorship he left behind. The nation will go through its (mandatory) nine days of mourning, and then all will go back to normal. Fidel’s quiet death, though it seems a victory to us Cuban Americans, pales in comparison to the victories he has stolen. This man succeeded in silencing any and all of his opposition, torturing or killing those who disagreed with him. He succeeded in establishing a dictatorship based on false hope and promises he would never deliver on. He succeeded in creating a one-party system that disguised itself as a “democracy” but really pressured
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people into compliance by way of fear. He succeeded in enslaving his own people, who by now have lost hope in the ideals of the revolution. Cuban Americans celebrating in the streets of Little Havana chant “Viva Cuba Libre!” but just 90 miles south, Cuba is still anything but free. So, for me, this still feels like another false claim from another one of my grandfather’s friends who heard “Fidel Castro croaked today,” when a sportscaster said “The Houston Astros choked today.” Because although Fidel is really gone this time, his legacy of oppression stays behind to further haunt the Cuban people. I am awaiting the day that Cuba is truly free, because although the nation remains relatively unchanged by Friday’s events, there is still hope for a better future. Castro’s rise is the reason I am alive. His demise is the reason I have hope that one day his dictatorship will fall—that Cuba will be free.
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Photo courtesy of Walt Disney Pictures
‘MOANA’ IS DISNEY FORMULA INCARNATE How can you argue with something so charming, even if we have seen it many times before? HUNTER HEILMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Like it or not, you’ve seen a Disney movie; hell, you’ve probably seen at least 50 Disney films due to their magical nature and catchy music. Disney and more specifically their princesses have inspired girls across all continents to love and cherish themselves for who they are. Sure, some of them are dated and hold antiquated standards of how a girl is supposed to act in society, but the messages remain clear for those willing to accept the time change. The world has grown with Disney animation as well, transitioning from 2D to 3D animation for their newer films, the world of the Disney princess has grown new depth with a new age, coming to a head in 2013 with “Frozen,” which swept the world and our ears with icy magic. Seeking to replicate its magic once more, Disney had returned with yet another princess movie with a twist in “Moana.” Moana (voice of Auli’i Cravalho) is a young girl living in pre-colonial Polynesia. The daughter of
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the island chief, Moana is destined for greatness as the next leader of the reclusive island in which she lives. Drawn to the water from a young age, she is constantly discouraged by her father to go into the dangerous waters, but after the island becomes diseased and dying, she secretly escapes in the night to return the Heart of Te Fiti to its rightful place with the help of Maui (Dwayne Johnson), a vapid demigod that will guide her to help save her island. It’s hard to comment on acting in an animated film, but it’s notable enough that Cravalho is already a star in her own right from her voice. From her expressive and amazingly nuanced speaking voice to her absolutely stunning singing voice, Cravalho is as bright as the sun. Her chemistry with Johnson’s Maui is also incredibly charming and endearing on its own, with Johnson’s big personality the only thing to match Cravalho’s sweet, perky nature. NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
It should come as no surprise that “Moana” is a beautifully crafted and animated film that is an absolute treasure to look at. The film is a fully realized tropical fantasy that is as stunning as it is detailed, all perfectly matched by the film’s wonderful usage of the 3D format that is as engrossing as any Disney film thus far. At this point, it’s not shocking at all when Disney raises its own bar and it only keeps me on my toes for the next innovation that Disney has next. From the water, to the hair, to the expressions, to the earth, everything about “Moana” is pitch-perfect. Another thing that shouldn’t come as a surprise is that the music in “Moana” is also wonderful. Written by Mark Mancina, Opetaia Foa’i and “Hamilton” creator Lin-Manuel Miranda, it’s no wonder that the music is as catchy and beautiful as it is. The sound envelops the auditorium and captivates the audience in catchy, uplifting beauty.
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‘RULES DON’T APPLY’ IS A PILE OF GOOD PARTS THAT NEVER ASSEMBLE INTO ANYTHING USEFUL There are good things in this film, they just never feel utilized enough to make it a satisfying film experience HUNTER HEILMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
Old Hollywood is something that is often overantics of the billionaire and quickly found myself romanticized by New Hollywood, forgetting the annoyed with how he chose to inconvenience terrible way women were treated by studios, everyone around him for the sake of his own ego, the constant degradation of people of color in which irked me greatly. Supporting players, like Hollywood, the puritanical ways films had to Bening, Alec Baldwin, Haley Bennett, Candice abide by censors, etc. But what Hollywood always Bergen, Matthew Broderick, Steve Coogan, Ed seems to remember is the aesthetic that helps Harris, Megan Hilty, Oliver Platt and Martin make their period pieces pop. When you have a Sheen all give fine performances, but are film like “La La Land” come along (which I have relegated to caricatures of actual characters, if seen, review coming soon), you have a film that they’re even afforded that much. solely romanticizes those aspects to help a film about New Hollywood take Photo courtesy of shape, and it works wonderfully when 20th Century Fox donelike that. Hell, even a movie like “Rules Don’t Apply” can work in the right context, you just need to have all of your parts in place for execution. “Rules Don’t Apply” has all the parts, but much like anyone with anything ever bought from IKEA, Warren Beatty has a hard time putting anything together. Frank Forbes (Alden Ehreneich) is a driver for the contract actresses of the elusive billionaire Howard Hughes (Warren Beatty). Frank soon finds himself smitten with new contract actress Marla Mabrey (Lily Collins), who is under the care of her domineering Baptist mother (Annette Bening). Under rule, any driver romantically involved with a contract actress is immediately fired, so Marla and Frank “Rules Don’t Apply” is a very nice looking film find ways to secretly hide their love from the in itself, at least. The film is bathed in a sunpublic, which becomes increasingly difficult when drenched beauty that actively tells you that this Frank’s role with Hughes becomes greater and is in fact ‘60s Hollywood. Beatty, coming off of Hughes’s mental fortitude begins to fade. an 18-year hiatus from directing, does a nice Ehreneich and Collins are both affable leads, job keeping the oft repeated setting interesting, but two leads that offer little to no chemistry utilizing time of day to a nice degree to get with each other. Both of them deliver solid different moods and tones from each setting performances on their own (especially Collins in many times over. This often times means that an increasingly ridiculous scene with Beatty), the film is dark, especially whenever dealing but together I felt no real spark between the with Hughes in his reclusive habitats (his hotel actors other than that I thought they both looked rooms, apartments, etc.), not giving anyone much attractive in each other’s presences. Beatty, of anything to work with, but doing his best to coming off a 15-year hiatus from acting, delivers make it work. Beatty as a director is easily the a nicely tuned performance of the eccentric and strongest element of the film, as it’s obvious that elusive Hughes, but I soon tired of the wacky he respects the time period that he is portraying
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and is doing it to the best of his ability . There’s a lot of passion felt here, even if it feels misguided. While many websites reported “Rules Don’t Apply” to be 158 minutes in length, audiences are luckily spared in an actuality of only 126 minutes to watch, but that doesn’t mean that “Rules Don’t Apply” isn’t long. I’m not sure where it happened in the script, but there comes a point in “Rules Don’t Apply” when the pace of the film grinds to a screeching halt, leaving the film dead in the water with nowhere to go and almost an hour left of screen time. Up to this point, “Rules Don’t Apply” had been slow, but not painful, as I completely expected the film to pick up in pace, but when nearly all of the supporting characters were somehow axed from the story and we began to deal with a subplot as our main plot, especially with it not being a particularly interesting subplot, “Rules Don’t Apply” lost me and never regained me. “Rules Don’t Apply” isn’t technically a bad film, as it has a lot of the elements it needs to be one there, but without a clear vision of what it needs to be in the two-hour span we’re given, the film feels lost and DOA. Beatty has a strong sense of direction going on visually, but the film loses its characters in the sea of recognizable actors involved in this quite quickly. Ensemble casts are fine, but you have to know what to do with them if you’re going to have them. Beyond the initial love story, much of “Rules Don’t Apply” feels unneeded and quite dull, if we’re being frank. The performances are fine, but misguided, with Beatty shining in his completely unlikable role. But it’s just how one plot ends and one begins halfway through this already slow movie that completely put the nail in the coffin for this period piece for me. It’s strange having this be in a film directed by Beatty, as I expected a lot more cohesion in its execution, but they can’t all be winners, as I still look forward to Beatty’s next step.
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4 Smile shape 5 Iroquoian people, or a hair style named for them 6 Fred or Ethel of old TV 7 Texas A&M athlete 8 19th-century master of the macabre 9 Old Rus. state 10 “Get lost!” 11 Follow, as a tip 12 Trailblazing Daniel 13 Roundheaded Fudd 18 Yucatán years 22 Jungian inner self 23 Pack (down) 24 Calf-roping event 25 Poet Khayyám 26 Punt or field goal 27 Mine, to Marcel 28 One of 100 between end zones 31 Native New Zealander ACROSS 41 Father or son New York 32 Source of quick cash, 1 “Get lost!’ governor briefly 6 Google __: geographical 42 Head, to Henri 33 Brainstorm app 43 Suffix with joke or pun 34 Butterfly catchers 10 Ruth with bats 44 Gratify 35 For nothing 14 Egypt’s capital 46 *Castle gate-busting 37 Eight-musician group 15 They may clash on a weapon 38 Regretful sort movie set 51 Going on, to Sherlock 39 Bulleted list entry 16 Environmental sci. 52 Lily pad squatter 43 Heavyset 17 *Power source that plugs 53 Sock hop site 44 Plum’s title in Clue, into a computer port 56 “The Mod Squad” cop briefly 19 Physics particle 57 Home of the player at 45 Blue or black water of 20 Andes, e.g.: Abbr. the ends of the answers to filmdom 21 Against starred clues 46 Hay bundles 22 Make amends (for) 60 Actor Estrada 47 Burning 23 *“Airplane!” flight 61 Be complicit in, as a caper 48 Mixer with gin number, to the control tower 62 Giraffe kin 49 Player referenced in 26 Boats with double-bladed 63 Exec’s asst. 57-Across’ clue, briefly paddles 64 TiVo predecessors 50 Southern side dish 29 Forget to include 65 Jotted down 53 Tiny biting insect 30 Mosque leader 54 “Eek!” 31 Address for Bovary DOWN 55 Hotel room cleaner 33 Having one flat, musically 1 Film on stagnant water 57 Cleveland cager, for short 36 *Carl Icahn or Michael 2 Film credits list 58 “Easy as” letters Milken 3 Barbecue fare 59 Old studio letters 40 Billy the __
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Photo by Tribune News Service
#NTDAYSOFDECEMBER ANGIE BAQUEDANO
31 things to do in the month of December
ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR
Get the scissors, a pen and your camera out because December is right around the corner and there is far too much to do in so little time. Here I’ve narrowed it down for you to 31 things to do this month. You can start by doing one a day, or if you’re prone to being busy, plan to do a few in a day. With finals coming up this could be a good way to de-stress. So cut this bad boy out, put it in your wallet and remember to check them off as you go, and don’t forget to document it! Tweet, Instagram or post on facebook of your adventures with the hashtag #NTDaysOfDecember. 1. Visit The Green Christmas Tree in uptown! I know what you’re thinking, most trees are green unless they are fake and then they can sometimes be white or pink or whatever you want, but this tree is made entirely of plastic bottles. So go out snap a pic with the tree and remember Reuse, Reduce, Recycle! 2. Donate food, or even blankets, or clothing to the less fortunate. Anything really helps. Some people aren’t as fortunate as I hope we all are. You will be glad you did it. 3. Dec. 3 make your way to NoDa and check out the All Arts Holiday Market 4. On Dec. 4 you can checkout Matthews Ballet rendition of “The Nutcracker.” 5. Make s’mores, either over a firepit or the stove top don’t end a perfectly good year S’moresless. If you’re vegan, I have good news. They make vegan marshmallows. If you’re not vegan and don’t know what marshmallows are made of... don’t look it up. I know this makes you want to look, but it might gross you out so just don’t. 6. Go to Gingerbread Lane and cast your vote on the best gingerbread house in Charlotte 7. Drive through Christmas at the Speedway! It’s a 3.5 mile course of over 3 million lights and then you can walk around the Christmas Village they have set up. 8. Go celebrate holiday fun at the Billy Graham Library. 9. Hop aboard the train to Christmas town! It’s a 30 minute ride along the Piedmont Northern
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Railway. 10. Go check out historic homes in the Fourth Ward of Charlotte. It’s a self guided tour and you get to see beautifully decorated homes that have been standing for years. 11. Head out to NoDa on Dec. 11 to see the Annual Tree Lighting and join in on the celebration! 12. Try to take a picture with every UNC Charlotte statue on campus. Bonus points for somehow getting a Santa hat on it; just be careful with how you do this, don’t do anything I wouldn’t do. Which basically means DON’T vandalize, or you’ll get coal. Remember to hashtag this! 13. Pay it forward and buy someone a coffee. A little act of kindness goes a very long way. 14. Check out the Charlotte Christmas Market at Romare Bearden Park. 15. On Dec. 15, go relish in the Winter Wonderland Light Show at Phillips Place. 16. On Dec. 16, celebrate the end of finals with a drive to McAdenville aka Christmas Town and check out the Yule Log Festival and Parade. 17. Go to Walmart and buy a $12 gingerbread kit. I promise you won’t regret it, it comes with four little gingerbread houses and it is truly a fun thing to do with your roommates. 18. Dec. 18 make your way to the American Made Market at Atherton Mill and Market in beautiful South End. 19. Go to a hockey game! I swear they are so much fun. It’s just a bunch of big guys on skates slamming into each other and the walls for a little black disc. It’s intense, but awesome. 20. What’s a holiday without Christmas movies or holiday related movies? Grab the hot chocolate and your pals and sit on down in front of the TV. 21. Spend a whole day in your pajamas. Alright, this could also apply to the holiday movies day as well, but you should definitely do it. You would be surprised how freeing it is to not have to look presentable even if it’s just for a day, plus who said pajamas can’t be cute? Head to Target for a crazy sweater or onesie. 22. Go get your ice skating on at the Holiday on NOV. 29 - DEC. 5, 2016
Ice, ice skating rink located at the Nascar Hall of Fame Plaza in Uptown. 23. Holidays at the Gardens at Daniel Stowe Botanical Gardens. 24. It’s Christmas Eve, in my family we celebrate Christmas on the 24th so you can find us walking around the living room in practically ball gowns just to get nice pictures. If this is the case for you, then make it your goal to photobomb at least five family members. If this is not the case for you then bake up some cookies for old Saint Nick, traveling around the world in one night is hard work! 25. MERRY CHRISTMAS! Celebrate with your family, tear up gift wrapping, eat until you feel like your heart might give out and remember to pretend to be one of the blind mice when you walk past the dirty dishes in the sink. 26. Dec. 26, you can watch the Menorah Lighting at Stone Crest. 27. If you have snow anywhere nearby make a snowman or igloo, but if you’re like most of us who don’t get to go home to snow quite yet then make a blanket fort. 28. Attempt to eat all of your holiday leftover candy. Someone has to right? And it’s best to do it before the new year when you can swear on your life that your new year’s resolution is to eat healthier. 29. Have a board game night/party with your family or friends! 30.The party talk continues… Take this day to plan a New Year’s Eve party if you don’t already have plans. You’d be surprised how many people spend holidays by themselves, why not plan a last minute party. Two days in counting until the new year, drum roll please… 31. The day is here. In a few hours, we will no longer be in 2016 and we can all mess up the year on our dates for the next three months. Think long and hard about your New Year’s resolutions and narrow it down to three so they are easier to keep. May your new year bring in wealth, beauty and many more wonderful things your way.
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MOTIVATION, MOTIVATION, MOTIVATION How to keep on keepin’ on even at this point in the semester HAILEY TURPIN LIFESTYLE EDITOR
It’s that time of the year again when motivation is at its lowest around college campuses. Students are drained from midterms, skipping more and more classes and are trying to figure out how to pass a class with the least amount of effort. But this time is crucial for a successful semester, so how do you stay motivated? Here are some tips to actually care a little bit. 1. Keep it interesting. No matter what you are involved in, it’s beneficial to keep it fun and exciting because it takes the chore or job out of it. Playing studying games, thinking more positive thoughts or just having fun is astronomically helpful in whatever you do. Taking in the positive things in each situation gives a new outlook on it and can also help make the people around you feel a little bit more motivated. 2. Try new things. If you’re burned out in your boring, everyday routine, it might be time to join a new club or take up a new hobby. Whether it be exercising, joining the newspaper or UNC
Charlotte’s quidditch team, adding something new gives more incentive to rearrange your schedule so that it no longer seems boring. 3. De-stress. As the work piles up and motivation plummets, we often see stress arising in young college students. Taking the time to take care of your body and mind help to clean the clutter out of your brain. Taking up yoga or meditation, or just sitting still for five minutes can have a major impact on how you go about all of the things you have to do. 4. Get organized. This is probably the most important tip, because if you stay organized, nothing gets forgotten and it makes getting things done easier. Buy a cheap planner, write down assignments, meetings, events, reminders, anything that you need to keep the clutter out of your head, so you feel less bogged down. 5. Manage your time. Everyone wants to be successful, so it’s important to manage your time so that things can get done efficiently and on
time. It helps you to be more reliable, trustworthy and able to get things done when they need to be. Try getting up earlier in the day to study more for an upcoming test, or setting days aside to do certain tasks to save you time in the future. 6. Understand that it’s okay to not be motivated. Everyone gets tired from the things they do in their everyday life. It’s okay to take some time to take care of yourself, get organized and get focused. It’s the normal cycle of everyday life, and it’s okay to take some time to find your groove again. No matter what you’re going through, or how motivated you are, it’s easy to get off track. But knowing it’s okay to take time for yourself or to try something new is what will help you to jump back up and keep going. As finals week approaches, may the odds (or your grades and motivation) be ever in your favor, Niners.
CANDICE KELLY STAFF WRITER
“For Thanksgiving this year I will be with my dad’s side in Holly Springs. My mom is from Costa Rica and my dad is from Jamaica. Because I have a blended family we usually alternate where we go every day. We don’t eat the traditional thanksgiving foods, except mac and cheese, I can eat that all day long. I’m a part of an organization called girl trek where we try to promote fitness among women. After Thanksgiving girl, trek has a turkey challenge where we encourage people to go out and walk off all the food and spend some quality time together. My family is planning on riding our bikes.”
- Siarra Scott
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