INSIDE THIS EDITION: STUDENTS REACT TO PRESIDENT TRUMP’S TRAVEL BAN WITH PROTESTS AND SPEECHES
DRUNK DRIVER TAKES THE LIFE OF UNC CHARLOTTE FRESHMAN DANA WILSON
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MOVIE STUDIOS WILL BE HARD PRESSED TO RELEASE ANOTHER ANIMATED FILM AS CHARMING AS ‘THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE’ IN 2017 PG. 12
VOL. 29, ISSUE 18
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UNIVERSITY REACTS TO IMMIGRATION BAN Organizations join #NoBanNoWall coalition, UNCASG makes statement ALEXANDRIA SANDS NEWS EDITOR
Student sign reads “No human is illegal” at rally in Student Union. Photo by Alexandria Sands
Organizer of coalition Lauren Coker reads proposal to crowd. Photo by Alexandria Sands
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Since President Donald Trump signed the executive order that temporarily banned travel from seven majority Muslim countries on Jan. 27, the UNC system has heard strong responses from its community. Students joined in the Student Union Feb. 9 at noon to protest the ban and Trump’s plans to build a wall along the U.S.-Mexico border. Many students shared their stories about being or knowing immigrants. The rally was part of a coalition that 25 student organizations joined, including Muslim Student Association (MSA) and College Democrats. “I decided to start a coalition because I didn’t want it to be one protest of people being like ‘we care’ and then no action follows,” Lauren Coker said. Coker said she wants to work with administration and Student Government Association (SGA) to push safety measures for minority students. She also said the coalition will provide resources for undocumented students for when administration “doesn’t come through.” “I think it’s important to connect other people who are affected,” Coker said. During the rally, Coker read a document entitled “Proposed Policies and Procedures to Protect DACA and Undocumented Students at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte,” which gave specific instructions
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for how the University can protect undocumented students. The proposal was created by Assistant Professor of Philosophy Andrea J. Pitts and will be sent to Chancellor Philip L. Dubois. Coker said she doesn’t know if Dubois will respond. “Our school likes to remain neutral. In my opinion- remaining neutral in dark times of injusticeyou’re on the side of the oppressor if you remain neutral,” Coker said. The proposed procedures include creating a program for undocumented students with a full-time director and free on-campus access to legal counsel. The proposal also asks the University to immediately release a statement that declares safety to undocumented students and to establish “a pact of noncompliance with U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) by declaring that UNCC will not cooperate with ICE in localizing and detaining students.” Dubois sent out an email to UNC Charlotte students, faculty and staff on Jan. 30 in which he addressed the travel ban and clarified that the University was not aware of any students that were unable to travel back into the United States. On Jan. 31, the University of North Carolina Association of Student Governments (UNCASG) issued a statement, signed by UNC Charlotte Student Body President Fahn Darkor, stating that they fully oppose the ban.
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UNC Charlotte to receive Hechenbleikner Lake now a Certified Wildlife Habitat $225,000 grant for Certified Wildlife Habitat on campus national research study 2,600 students to take part in advising research program
KEENAN FREDHEIM INTERN
Four UNC Charlotte departments and 20 academic advisors will be participating in a $225 thousand national research program this semester, says Dr. John Smail, dean of University College. The program aims to connect college advisors with students who may be struggling academically. UNC Charlotte is participating in the study alongside two other colleges in the United States. The grant, called Integrated Planning and Advising for Student Success (IPASS), provides the funding for “predictive analytics tools” that flag students who are labeled potentially at risk and follow their progress through their courses. UNC Charlotte academic advisors hope that with these tools, they will be better able to highlight students who are, or may be at academic risk. With predictive analytics, college advisors can better monitor and assist students with encouragement and strategy to improve academic performance. “Advisors are in contact with students every two weeks or so, initially with positive messages and suggesting success strategies. If students show signs of risk, then
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the messages progressively become more insistent,” Smail said. 2,600 UNC Charlotte students are to be a part of the IPASS study involving the Belk College of Business, Computing and Informatics, Liberal Arts & Sciences and University College. Smail said UNC Charlotte attracted the IPASS grant award as a result of advising restructuring implemented in the fall 2015 semester. Funding for the IPASS grant is disbursed over three years and is provided by the Helmsley Charitable Trust and the Gates Foundation. Research throughout the program’s duration is being done in conjunction with the Community College Research Center at Columbia University and another social research institution, the Manpower Demonstration Research Corporation (MDRC). The California State University system’s Fresno campus and Montgomery County Community College in Pennsylvania are the other two institutions participating in the study. Students can expect research trials to begin in upcoming semesters.
serves as an educational tool for communiISA KNAPP STAFF WRITER
Hechenbleikner Lake on campus has been designated as a Certified Wilidlife Habitat by the National Wildlife Federation (NWF). When Lindsay Klingenschmidt was working toward her Bachelors in Human Environmental Sciences with a concentration in Food and Nutrition, she was encouraged to pick a project on campus that reinforced the underlying sustainability platform that Chartwells has. She decided to work toward designating the lake as a wildlife habitat. The requirements for a Certified Wildlife Habitat have five main categories that applicants must meet with more specific requirements in each category, according to the NWF website. The categories include food, water, cover, places to raise young and sustainable practices. University Sustainability Coordinator Tyler Sytsma said that the designation of the lake is a good educational tool for the campus community. “Biodiversity, protecting habitats, natural resources, making sure we’re being stewards of the land are all increasingly important concepts right now and being able to demonstrate that we’re taking this
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Photo by Katelynn Pennington.
seriously, taking the steps we need in order to protect what we have goes a long way with how everyone perceives the university,” said Sytsma. Sytsma touched on the importance of the certification for the campus. “It’s wanting to maintain the natural beauty of UNC Charlotte because if you went with aggressive expansion of everything around here we’d be in a concrete jungle that would feel really restrictive to go to school. By making sure that we have the fine balance of nature and education and development, it maintains that attractiveness to perspective new students and alumni who want to come back and see the campus,” said Sytsma.
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Drunk driver takes life of freshman
Students pledge not to drink and drive after freshman dies in accident
Dana Wilson with friend from high school Samantha Johnson. Photo courtesy of Samantha Johnson
ALEXANDRIA SANDS NEWS EDITOR
UNC Charlotte is suffering the loss of a freshman student, Dana Wilson, who died Feb. 6 in a wrong-way car accident driving back to Charlotte from her hometown of Wilmington, North Carolina Wilson and her boyfriend Ryan Michael Menke were pronounced dead at the scene. The driver of the other vehicle was suspected to have been under the influence of alcohol. “Driving while impaired is a horrible crime and I can’t tell you how many deaths I’ve seen,” UNC Charlotte Chief of Police Jeffrey Baker said. “It’s the kind of crime where when you read or hear about these deaths you say, ‘How many more does their have to be?’” According to Baker, approximately 1.2 million people are arrested for driving under the influence in America on average each year with the highest percentage of those arrested being 18 to 24-year-olds. Friend of Wilson and UNC Charlotte student Allie Williams asked students to pledge not to drink and drive outside the Student Union
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Friday. Williams also had books where students could write their condolences and accepted donations for the parents of both Wilson and Menke. “Dana Wilson was so full of life. Every time you saw her, she had the biggest smile on her face. She was so bubbly and happy, you couldn’t be mad when you were in her presence at all. She was the biggest sweetheart. She was a close friend of mine and there is no denying that Dana couldn’t light up the room,” Williams said. Johnson and Menke had just moved into an apartment together and bought a puppy named Charlotte. Charlotte was the only one to survive the crash, according to Wilson’s GoFundMe page which has reached over $25,000 worth of donations to go toward the memorial service. Samantha Johnson, who currently attends Laney High School where Wilson graduated from, said she remembers her first time meeting Wilson. “My friend had invited me to go with her to a small get together with some of her friends. As a freshman, getting invited by a junior to hangout with other juniors- it was kind of a big deal for me ... I remember getting there and just sitting on the couch by myself not talking to anyone until Dana sat next to me and started talking to me like we’ve known each other our whole lives,” said Johnson. “She didn’t care how old you were, what your reputation was or who your parents were, she treated you with respect.” Johnson said her and Wilson would spend time at a Wrightsville Beach hotel parking deck where they’d listen to the waves and talked. “It was our place to destress,” said Johnson. “We cried, we laughed, we laughed so hard we cried. Being at the beach was her happy place.”
Senate Update: Sophomore class will have “halfway there fair” ISA KNAPP STAFF WRITER
The UNC Charlotte Student Government Association (SGA) held their fifth weekly student senate legislative meeting of the year Feb. 9. Guest Speakers The Secretary for Information Technology Gyovanni BostonCrompton addressed the Senate on several projects she is working on. South Village will receive a printer in fall 2017. REPROS, who supplies the printers, are looking for suggestions of other places that students believe would benefit from having a printer. Boston-Crompton is also meeting with IT directors at each college to discuss issues specific to each college. IT directors have mentioned to her that they want to hear more feedback from students. Boston-Crompton also met with the Classroom Support Committee and discussed the need for all classrooms to be approved by the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA). Renovations to rooms have happened in Fretwell and Cameron. Changes will continue to be made across campus. Clickers also needed to become more ADA friendly. A large amount of faculty requested a change to the clicker program. The change will be announced on Friday. Sophomore Class President Robert Fleming announced that the sophomore class will be having a “Halfway There Fair” named after the idea that they are halfway through college. While the fair will have food and games, it will also tables from places like the Career Center. The tentative date and location is April 6 on the West Quad. Senator Bailey Russell spoke on behalf of Student Body Treasurer Hayden Smith. She discussed the 2017-2018 budget and budget
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cuts that each class council will experience. Secretary for Internal Affairs Marshall Stookey discussed the upcoming SGA elections. Nominations will be open Feb. 1827. Elections will be held March 28-29. Positions open to run for are listed on the UNCC SGA website. New Student Organizations The Senate approved the following new student organizations: Anthropology Graduate Student Association – The goal of this organization is to provide an opportunity for the professional development of anthropology graduate students and advocate for student participation through community and academic platforms. Student Parent AssociationThis organization was created by parenting students, to help provide academic and personal support, resources and networking opportunities to future, current, and/or past parenting students, regardless of age or sex. The goal of SPA is to provide peer support and useful resources for parenting and/ or pregnant students. SPA and its officers plan to utilize a collection of personal knowledge, in addition to resources provided by advisors and university staff, to provide academic assistance, familial aid and personal support sought by parenting students. Puppy Love – This organization will raise money and volunteer for local shelters and spread awareness for the “Adopt, Don’t Shop” movement. They will put on various fundraising events and workshops.
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C FOR THREE
Ciara Gregory claims No. 1 spot for all-time three-pointers made TREVOR WILT SPORTS EDITOR
Just over 20 feet away from the basket is where you can normally find Ciara Gregory, a three-point specialist for the Charlotte 49ers women’s basketball team. This is her home. And now she is home to the most three-pointers made in Charlotte 49er history, hitting No. 204 on Feb. 4 against Florida International University, ultimately passing her ex-teammate, Hillary Sigmon, for No. 1 on the all-time list. A native of Jeannette, Pennsylvania, the 5-foot7 senior has made a name for herself around Conference USA for being “the one who shoots from anywhere on the court.” Just ask FIU. Against FIU on a Sunday afternoon in Miami, Florida, Gregory broke four records for Charlotte, including single-season three-pointers made (75), single-season three-pointers attempted (208) and single-game three-pointers made (9). But if you had asked Gregory if she would have had one of the most decorated games in Charlotte history that day, she would have said you were crazy. “Before the game, I looked over at Randi [Henderson] and was like, ‘I don’t know what’s wrong with my shot,’” Gregory said. “She kept pumping me up and telling me ‘It’s right there and those are good misses.’ I was like, ‘No misses are good misses.’ And then in the first quarter, I think I missed my first shot and then I made like five in a row after that. And then I thought to myself, ‘This could be a really good day.’” Gregory totally undersold it. It was a recordbreaking day. The senior finished with 32 points on 10-of-20 shooting from the field, including 9-of-16 from downtown, with the ninth make being one of the biggest shots of her life. With eight three-pointers already in the game (seven in the first half) and just under seven minutes to go in the fourth quarter, the 49ers were coming out of a timeout and coach Cara Consuegra was ready for Gregory to shine bright in the sunshine state. “Coach had called a timeout and said she wanted to get me the record on that next possession,” Gregory said. “So she drew up a play for me to get it and it was just awesome.
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We ran the play a lot when Hillary was here and it’s just an elevator screen. So she drew it on the board and I was like ‘Oh God,’ but we drew it up perfectly on the court and I made the shot.” Making such a monumental shot can be very emotional but Gregory kept her cool and looked over to the sideline and at the person who made all of it possible. “After I made it, I just looked over at coach Cara [Consuegra] and she was just so happy,” Gregory said. “It was just a good feeling to know how much she truly cares about me. And it’s not just me; she wants everybody to succeed. It was just an awesome feeling.” That awesome feeling was mutual with her and her coach, a young lady that Consuegra says is a “special talent.” “I have thoroughly enjoyed coaching Ciara throughout her career,” Consuegra said. “Some people may have heard me say this about her after the game but the thing is about C[iara], is that it wasn’t always easy for her. I think in this day in age, it is very easy for young people to want instant gratification all the time and if they don’t have that, it results in issues on teams and kids transferring. For C[iara], she didn’t play a whole lot as a freshman, played a little bit as a sophomore and as a junior, she was having a great year then got injured. So you look at all the adversity that she’s been through, and she’s still been one of our hardest workers, best kids in terms of leadership and being a great teammate. So I think anytime you have a young lady that has been through a lot and has always put the team first and you see her leave here as one of the all-time greats, that’s just a really really awesome thing.” From one mentor in her life to another, Gregory got a hold of her grandma after the game over the phone, only to get a laugh out of what her grandma had to say about her hitting the big shot. “When I called my grandma, she said, ‘Ciara, you just did everything right today.’ She’s probably my biggest fan along with my mom and dad and although they couldn’t see the game, they listened to Josh [Feldman] and were super FEB, 14 2017 - FEB. 20, 2017
Photo by Chris Crews
excited to hear it.” While after the game was all fun and smiles and full of celebration, Gregory knows that the work that she puts in before games and after practices is the reason why she has been such a decorated athlete for the 49ers over her four-year career. “I get shots up after practice because I am more fatigued and that’s more game-like for me,” Gregory said. “And before games, I come out and get my shots up early before warm-ups before anyone is out here.” Although none of those extra shots count at the time, they help account for every big three she hits during each game, with none bigger than No. 204, which means more than just a number to her. “It means that I am just a testament to hard work does pay off. Nothing came easy for me in my time here. To the younger kids who may not be playing right now, your time will come if you stay the course and you trust the process.”
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THE STUDENT BECOMES THE TEACHER Colby Lewis spent his collegiate basketball career within Halton and now helps the 49ers on the sidelines
KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR
Four years ago Colby Lewis could be found on the sidelines of Halton Arena at every men’s basketball game. He can still be found on the Charlotte bench today, just in different attire. Lewis started his time with the 49ers in 2009 when he came in as a freshman guard. During his time as a player in the Queen City, he was a twotime recipient of the Charles Hayward award – an honor given to the athlete that best demonstrates leadership, work ethic and teamwork. In his senior season with the Niners, Lewis and his teammates won 21 games, won the Great Alaska Shootout title and made the 49ers’ latest appearance in the NIT. The Statesville, North Carolina native was also successful off the court, getting a degree in business while also finding his now-fiance, Ginny Johnson. The two met their sophomore years through athletics, as Johnson was on the tennis
Lewis participates in a skills contest circa 2012. Photo by Chris Crews
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team. “It was the best four years of my life. I know everyone says that, but it’s really true,” Lewis said. “I got some really good friends out of it. For me it was really cool off the court too.” After completing his business degree in three and a half years, Lewis began his masters at Charlotte. His four years of player eligibility had expired, so Lewis stayed with the 49ers in the form of a graduate assistant. Having played with the team prior to switching to a coaching role benefited Lewis. “I had enough respect from the guys I played with that they were going to listen to what I was going to say,” Lewis said. “The guys knew what I was like as a teammate and that meant when I transitioned to the next role they knew they could trust me.” His stint as a graduate assistant lasted one year, then doors were opened for Lewis to become the director of operations for the 49ers. “It all fell into place,” Lewis said. “I didn’t know if I was going to go somewhere else and try to get a support staff role or if I had to go somewhere else and try to be a grad assistant again. At that time the director of operations position opened up here and coach (Alan Major) kept me on as that.” As director of operations Lewis was able to see the more business and organizational side of the game. Major stepped down from the Charlotte basketball program in Spring 2015, beginning the Mark Price era. With new coaching staff, Lewis wasn’t sure if he would still have a spot on staff. “You never know with coaching changes if you’ll stay or not. It was a real blessing to be able to stay here with coach Price,” Lewis said. Under Price, Lewis became the video coordinator, where he is in charge of advanced scouting of the Charlotte opponents and breaking down the 49ers’ game film. With his knowledge of the Charlotte campus and surrounding area, Lewis was a crucial part of making the transition in coaches as smooth as possible. “When they got here we immediately had kids FEB, 14 2017 - FEB. 20, 2017
coming on campus for recruiting visits. I was able to help out with a lot of different things they needed help with. It was a chance for me to prove to them that I was going to work hard and that they could trust me to get something done,” Lewis said. In his time on campus a lot has changed. When Lewis was a freshman the location of the football stadium was used as the rec fields and the Student Union was not even a year old. While his future is uncertain, Charlotte will always remain a special place for Lewis. “With this job you never know what’s going to happen,” Lewis said. “Ultimately my goal is to be a coach. It would be a dream come true if I could do it here, this place is really special to me. I try not to think too far ahead, I want to focus on right now and what I can do to make this team the best it can be.”
Lewis looks over notes on the sidelines. Photo by Chris Crews
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IT RUNS IN THE FAMILY
Softball’s Haley and Carson Pace share a love for softball and the 49ers
KATHLEEN COOK SPORTS EDITOR
Haley and Carson Pace out there was a took their seats across the solution for the hole, picnic table on a partially it was like ‘lets just go cloudy Wednesday fix it,’” Carson said. afternoon. The two After undergoing look at each other and open heart surgery, exchange giggles – the Carson still remained two’s friendship is athletic and would already evident. eventually receive The two are just now an offer from becoming used to seeing Appalachain State to the other on a daily basis. play softball which The softball sisters are she accepted. back in action together “I spent my first after Carson transferred semester there and to the Queen City from realized it wasn’t for Haley (left) and Carson (right) Pace strike a pose on the diamond. Photo by Kathleen Cook Appalachian State this me. Coach DeVos was semester. really generous and Their adventures began Haley’s ninth grade year when told me there was a spot here for me,” Carson said. the two first came on campus for softball. When Haley heard that her sister was coming back to “Carson came on my first unofficial visit to Charlotte play with the 49ers, she was pumped. after my freshman year in high school. That’s when this “I was really sad on her signing day when she signed whole process began,” Haley said. with App. I felt like this could be my last time getting Being able to tag along with her sister on the to play with her,” Haley said. “I was really excited. I just recruiting visit allowed Carson to see what she herself love getting to play behind her for one more year.” could accomplish. After Carson came to Charlotte, she moved in with her “I remember coming to visit her and thinking ‘okay, sister. Carson utilized Haley’s veteran knowledge to ease this is where I’m going to college,’” Carson said. her transition into the team. Tragedy struck the Pace family when their father lost “She’s helped me find my own path too, so I won’t just his battle with ALS Haley’s junior year of high school. be ‘Haley’s little sister.’ It’s been nice having someone Through the strife the two only became closer. who’s really experienced and respected to help guide “That was something that really brought us closer me,” Carson said. together,” Haley said. “We became dependent on each Due to NCAA transfer policies, Carson has to sit out other to make it through that.” the 2017 season of Charlotte softball. Being sidelined Then in her junior year of high school, Carson doesn’t damper her spirits however. discovered a heart injury that proved to be a set back for “Even though I don’t get to play, I’m so excited with her collegiate career. While attending a Charlotte camp just the whole situation here. I’m really happy I get to be her junior year in high school, Carson almost fainted. here and be a part of the team,” Carson said. A visit to the doctor’s office would show that she had a Carson will be in the circle just in time for Haley’s hole in her heart between two of her atria – an incident senior season. common in infants. “I’m so thankful for everything that Charlotte has “When we went to visit her in the hospital, 16-year-old brought me from school to sports, having Carson here Carson was in the pediatric intensive care unit next to makes for the perfect senior year,” Haley said. all of these babies,” Haley said. The Pace sisters can be seen in action, along with While there was concern for Carson, an easy surgery the rest of the softball team, in their home opener fixed her heart and put her back on the diamond. Wednesday afternoon as they take on Gardner Webb in a “Our dad had ALS, so that’s not fixable. Once we found double header. The first game begins at 3 p.m.
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Photo by Leysha Caraballo
PARKING PROBLEMS Is increased faculty and resident parking leaving commuters behind?
MIA SHELTON
ASST. OPINION EDITOR
As college students we go through a lot: paying for courses, getting money for food and keeping up with numerous course loads. The last thing we need to deal with is trying to find parking. I don’t have classes until 11 p.m., so you would think I could sleep in, not! I live off campus, so I would have to get up by at least 9 a.m. to get ready. I would have to be on campus by at least 10 p.m. just to drive up and down the first three levels of East Deck just to find a decent parking space. By decent I mean one that is not on the highest level so I won’t have climb a mountain to get to my car, which will almost make me late for work seeing as it will take at least 8-10 minutes to get across the slow crosswalk and another 8-10 to get off campus. Want to know how this could be rectified?
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If there were more available parking. It is ridiculous that I have to get to campus almost an hour before my class in order to find a decent parking space that is close to my class. It’s even more ridiculous that in some parking decks there are whole sections empty just waiting for students to park in them, but we can’t because it says faculty and staff only. One prime example of this is Cone Deck. When I used to have classes at Colvard I had to troll for a parking space at West Deck for 30 minutes, stalking people like a pervert until I found one. Once I finally did and I began rushing to class because I was about to be late as a result of how long it took to find a parking space. I noticed a whole deck almost empty that I could have
parked in that would have been closer and more convenient, but it said faculty and staff parking only. Let me just share some important information with you: there are more students on this campus than there are faculty and staff members. With that being said there should be more student parking than faculty parking. There are more commuters on this campus than anyone else, so why is it that we are so restricted? We are already limited because there are lots that are only for people who live on campus, and now we are even more limited because there are lots only for faculty. Commuters rarely have their own decks and if they do they are small or they have to share with faculty and staff. Why when faculty have
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whole parking decks to themselves? All they are doing is taking up the spaces that us commuters could be using. Commuters should have more parking than they do and they don’t need to share with anyone else because that defeats the purpose. With the amount of money I pay per semester to this University for parking I shouldn’t have limitations on where I park and I should also be able to find parking a lot easier. With the amount of money this University racks in each year, this shouldn’t be as big of a problem that it is. If the University can put up new apartments almost every year, then the University can find a way to extend student parking.
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ONE THING LEADS TO ANOTHER
Photo courtesy of Tribune News Service Photo by Olivier Douliery
JOHN PATRICK STAFF WRITER
I am not here to gloat, nor do I have time to say “I told ya so.” Nothing positive can be gained by suggesting that the tables have turned after eight years of being in your shoes. I only wish to highlight a simple inquiry for my liberal friends to ponder over: how embarrassing must it feel? I mean that as unironically and genuinely as I can. Again, I am not here to belittle. This question is not in reference to Hillary Clinton losing the presidency, but, rather, who was the president prior to Trump taking office. Just think about it. A man, who had a video of him saying “grab her by the p%$^@” leaked a month before the election, was elected chief leader of the free world. A man, who had the brashness to post a picture of him on Cinco De Mayo with the caption that read “Happy #CincoDeMayo! The best taco bowls are made in Trump Tower grill. I love Hispanics.” A man who in that photo was posing with a taco bowl -- the most
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bastardized American version of Mexican cuisine mind you -- is now an acting president. Cinco De Mayo is the celebration of the Mexican victory over the French at the Battle of Puebla, and as we all know, Hispanics are not limited singularly though Mexican heritage, which makes his post all the more ridiculous and insincere. A man, who said “Heidi Klum. Sadly, she’s no longer a 10,” is married to the current-first lady of the United States. And finally, a man that actually uttered the words “I could stand in the middle of Fifth Avenue and shoot somebody and I wouldn’t lose voters” during the campaign now has access to our nuclear codes. This brings me back to my original question. If, as a liberal, you adored President Obama, but loathe President Trump, how truly embarrassing must you feel knowing that Trump was a direct result of Obama? Let that sink in. Stare right into that looking glass-
mirror and take the time to think before you call Trump a racist again or burn another American flag. Because make no mistake, the law of cause and effect quietly set it and the dominoes fell easily into their place. Eight years of unbridled deficiency, failure to build a consensus and ruling through the executive served as a good enough catalyst for a wrecking-ball candidate like Trump to take the reins and win. I’m well aware that politics is mostly cyclical and Hillary was not short of flaws herself, but that doesn’t change the fact that Obama was the 44th president, and consequently, Trump is the 45th president. The entrenchment of the establishment, ringing celebrity endorsements and the oversaturation of being insulted by the most trivial of matters did not cut it this go round, though. Even now, if you despise Trump’s policies -- what with the immigration ban, his wall at the Southern U.S-Mexico border and scaling back parts of Obamacare -- it
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must be apparent that such drastic measures did not simply populate overnight. Trump understood the dissatisfaction and frustration that so many citizens in middle America felt and used the void to advance his message. He seized the opportunity that President Obama handedly gave him. Let this serve as a warning. Reflect, cry even, just understand that the administration obsessed with endless virtue-signaling and legacy-seeking bears some responsibility for the prevailing current of today. Much caution should be yielded on my side, too. Trump won, okay, we get it. We cannot rest in complacency through the luxury that our side finally won. It is not enough to say “sore losers lose sorely,” or “get over it,” because it didn’t feel that great when it happened to us eight years ago. At this point, there’s nothing to do but smile and unity, John. Just smile, wave and unity.
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Photo courtesy of Warner Bros. Pictures
‘THE LEGO BATMAN MOVIE’ SETS THE BAR HIGH FOR ANIMATED FILMS IN 2017 This Lego story might be one of the better Batman films ever made HUNTER HEILMAN EDITOR-IN-CHIEF
In 2014, critics and audiences alike were shellshocked at the level of charm that “The Lego Movie” had. It was a funny, beautifully crafted, surprisingly dark and super clever animated film that used its self-awareness to its glorious advantage. Of course, “The Lego Movie” has its inevitable sequel hitting theaters in 2019, but Warner Animation Group and Lego have something up their sleeves to keep us occupied until then: “The Lego Batman Movie.” The undisputed star of “The Lego Movie” was Will Arnett’s smooth-talking, vapid Batman that was a completely new take on the beloved character. Can this live up to the glory that “The Lego Movie” brought to the screen? Surprisingly, yes. Batman (Will Arnett) is perfectly happy with his life as both Bruce Wayne and the Caped Crusader of Gotham. He lives a solitary life with his butler, Alfred (Ralph Fiennes), but finds little joy beyond the vapid pleasures of life. At a police gala, Wayne is transfixed by the new police commissioner, Barbara Gordon (Rosario Dawson), who proposes a plan to unite the police force and Batman, to which Wayne feverishly disagrees.
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In his tirade, he accidentally agrees to adopt an orphaned fan, Dick Grayson (Michael Cera), who then begins work as Batman’s expendable sidekick, as he sneaks around the police to put The Joker (Zach Galifanakis) away once and for all. Now, of course this doesn’t feel as fresh as “The Lego Movie” did when it dropped, if only because this isn’t the first movie we’ve ever seen on the big screen made out of Lego toys. What “The Lego Batman Movie” surprisingly doesn’t do is spoil the character of Batman. In the past, studios have given beloved supporting characters the spotlight in a sequel or spin-off film and completely spoil the character when we’re given too much (ex. Mater in “Cars 2”). From the start, the filmmakers know that Batman must have a story arc from the get-go, or all of the shenanigans will get old really quickly. The emotional connection establishes with Batman and his relationship with others from the start makes “The Lego Batman Movie” successful on the most rudimentary of fronts. Yet, the biggest success in “The Lego Movie” FEB, 14 2017 - FEB. 20, 2017
overall was its use of humor, which “The Lego Batman Movie” has in full. From before a single studio logo appears, it’s apparent that the writers here have used this medium to satirize the entirety of the superhero genre, which they pull off wondrously. This is a movie in which there are both jokes for kids and adults simultaneously, but not in the typical fashion where the adult humor is a cleverly worded sex joke, but that of some really smart humor that actually requires a bit of thought. This isn’t the film you expect that from, but you oddly appreciate that it has it. Just like “The Lego Movie,” “The Lego Batman Movie” is a beautifully animated film. The 2D product is a stunning sight for the eyes, which makes me wonder how fun this film will be in its full IMAX 3D release. This is a lively, colorful film that seemingly goes against everything that DC Comics movies have done lately. I can go so far to argue that “The Lego Batman” movie is one of the best Batman movies ever made, if only due to its fun nature and complete reinvention of the character that surprisingly works.
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‘LEGION’ IS A MARVEL OF MODERN TELEVISION Obliterating the TV Superhero Mold JESSE NUSSMAN STAFF WRITER
The series is technically a comicbook show and part of the “X-Men” canon, but it never feels that way. It’s almost as if creator Noah Hawley, who also helmed the TV adaptation of “Fargo,” took every blueprint we come to think of in a superhero show and smashes them on the ground in defiance. It owes more to films like “A Clockwork Orange” than anything from the pages of Stan Lee or Chris Claremont, who created the character of Legion in the comics. In the show, the character of Legion is David Haller (a terrifically spastic Dan Stevens), a mental patient at Clockworks Psychiatric Hospital. For most of the pilot, we’re trapped inside the mind of this character, who happens to be suffering, possibly from schizophrenia. Of course, whether or not David really does suffer from the mental illness is entirely up to speculation. What is clear is that he appears to have some sort of telekinetic ability. David spends most of his days going through the mundanity of life in the hospital. “It’s a life of highly regimented routines that all seem to blur together through the passage of time. Breakfast, lunch, dinner, medication, therapy, sleep, repeat. The only friend David seems to have on the inside is Lenny, played by an unhinged Aubrey Plaza. All this changes when a new patient appears, a beautiful blonde named Syd (Rachel Keller) with a serious distaste for physical contact. A rather quirky romance sparks between the two, with moments such as them figuratively holding hands by gripping either side of a towel as they walk through the halls. However, here is where the episode really takes a spin. Hawley and his writers put the audience in an almost disorienting stream of consciousness within the head of their main character. We’re constantly switching between different flashbacks,
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memories and fantasies to the point where we as an audience are just as unclear about what’s real as David. A large part of the episode also sees David being interrogated by a group of mysterious men who seem to know that he, in fact, does have superhuman abilities. It’s through this interrogation that David comes to question whether or not the voices in his head and visions he sees are actually real. However, Hawley and his team seem completely uninterested in connecting their show to any kind of larger universe, meaning whether or not the show is viewed as part of the X-Men universe, it’s never going to specifically connect to the movies at large. What that offers is more creative freedom both on the page and on the screen. It’s also helpful that the writers and production designers behind “Legion” drew their inspiration from outside the comicbook world. In recent interviews, those involved with the show stated that Hawley pointed to the cinematic indulgence of “The Young Pope” and creator Paolo Sorrentino’s film “The Great Beauty” as well as the non-linear, stream of conscious storytelling of Terrance Malick’s film “The Tree of Life” as elements he wanted to capture in the series. The period setting for “Legion” is purposely vague, perhaps there is none. David uses a pay-phone at one point and the interrogator uses an tablet in another moment. Some of the character’s outfits even look as if they were ripped straight from a hip ‘60s fashion magazine. However, all this just adds to the world Hawley has created: part retro, part modern. It’s filled with bright colors and bizarre shots using specific lenses. Quite simply, this doesn’t just feel like no other comic book show, it’s also visually more interesting.
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ACROSS 1 Show affection to, as a dog 4 Barton of the Red Cross 9 The Congo, formerly 14 Martinique, par exemple 15 Archaeological find 16 Bother 17 *Track event with batons 19 Night, in Naples 20 Congregational “Absolutely!” 21 “__ beaucoup” 23 Lab rodent 24 Schoolbook, or much of its contents 25 *Romantic outing for four 27 “Romanian Rhapsodies” composer 29 Wears away 30 John, Paul and George: Abbr.
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31 Under-the-sink fitting 35 For fear that 36 *Romantic ideal 39 Farmland measure 42 Steinway or Yamaha 43 Crone 46 Yellow Teletubby 49 Meditative music genre 51 *Machinist’s hole maker 55 Ache 56 Announcer Hall 57 Use a loom 58 What aces may count as 59 Black, in Burgundy 61 Players on the same side ... and what the starts of the answers to starred clues can be 64 Hues 65 The “I” in IV 66 High season on the Riviera 67 Grain disease 68 Ruby Dee’s husband Davis
DOWN 1 High seas bandits 2 Periodic table listing 3 Fax forerunners 4 Bawl 5 The Once-__: “The Lorax” character 6 Mission to remember 7 Houston sch. 8 Biting, as criticism 9 More wacky 10 Period with 365 días 11 For services rendered instead of cash 12 Revolves 13 Driver’s license requirement 18 Aardvark fare 22 The NFL’s Browns, on sports tickers 25 Pour affection (on) 26 Sweetie pie 28 EMT procedure 32 Knock hard 33 Parisian pal 34 Ryder Cup org. 36 Big name in computers 37 Holiday and Days 38 Caviar 39 Firm, as pasta 40 It’s usually locked after parking 41 Attacking, as the fridge 43 Full of ghosts 44 Go along with 45 Prepares 47 L.A. Angels’ division 48 Big galoot 50 Stagecoach driver’s “Stop!” 52 4:1, e.g. 53 Alternative to odds 54 Theater chairs 60 Classic car 62 CAT scan cousin 63 Fannie or Ginnie follower
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“LOVE ON THE ROCKS” This Starbucks secret menu item will have you head over heels
BRIANNA SUMPTER INTERN
Love is in the air… and in your drink! If you are familiar with the secret menu from Starbucks, you know that there are many different drinks that you can try that are perfect for this Valentine’s Day. I decided to try the ¨Love on the Rocks¨ refresher from the Starbucks secret menu, and I found it to be extremely delicious. This refresher was made with the juice used in the famous Berry Hibiscus Refresher. If you are familiar with the Berry Hibiscus Refresher, you know that the refresher is half juice, half water with berries and ice in it, shaken. The Love on the Rocks refresher is the same berry juice but instead of water they put apple juice in it. If you are into juice, then this is the perfect drink for you because there are not two, but three different kinds of juices in this drink. After the berry juice and apple juice, they put raspberry flavoring in the drink. I got a venti size so they put six pumps of raspberry in the drink (for all of my non-Starbucks drinking people a tall is small, grande is medium and venti is large). Lastly, the drink was topped with a splash of passion iced tea and ice, shaken and poured into the cup. Overall, the drink was very good. I was extremely pleased with the options on the secret menu. I am not a fan of coffee at all, so I was not sure if I
was going to be able to find a drink that was just right for me being that majority of the drinks at Starbucks have coffee in them. The drink was a lot sweeter than I imagined it to be, but it was still very tasty. I think if I had gotten a little less rasberry than it would have been a little better because the raspberry was a little strong. I would definitely recommend this drink to anyone, especially if you are not a fan of coffee because there is absolutely no coffee in it. If you are not a juice lover you are not, I repeat you are not going to like this drink. It is very fruity and I might suggest you do half the amount of raspberry pumps than what normally come with the drink, especially if you get a venti size. If you go online and go to http://starbuckssecretmenu.net/ you can find a bunch of other drinks if you aren’t big into juice. On the website they have refreshers, frappuccinos and different kinds of lattes for you to try, and many of these drinks are Valentine’s Day themed. My favorite part about the refresher was the apple juice. I could taste the apple juice more than anything else in the drink. If you have a valentine, bring them with you to Starbucks and try the refresher, you won’t regret it! Or come by yourself and enjoy the cool refresher, it is the perfect way to spend your Valentine’s Day.
ANGIE BAQUEDANO ASST. LIFESTYLE EDITOR
“I’m not really a big fan of Valentine’s Day. Too many people ‘showing love’ only on a certain day and fail to show the rest of the year. Now it’s also a day of friendship and I’m about that. Friendships are very important to me. I’m picky who I call a friend.” - Jonathan Blandon
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Photo by Tribune News Service
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
FOUR REASONS WHY NOT HAVING A VALENTINE’S DAY DATE IS OKAY HANNAH BRADY INTERN
It’s that time of year again, romance is in the air. Walking through campus you are constantly greeted with couples holding hands. Everywhere you turn there is another Instagram picture of a girl receiving flowers and going on a date with her significant other, making you feel depressed and alone. So, what is the game plan? Do you constantly scramble looking for someone to be with on this “special day” or do you wallow in your own self pity? Here are four reasons why you should do neither. 1. You are not alone There are over 28,000 students at this school, so it would be foolish for you to think that you are the only single person in the entire school. But if you are like me, the single one in a friend group of couples, it can be challenging to have that mindset. So, take a step back and enjoy the day by yourself by binging your current television show obsession (personally, mine is Riverdale on the CW) and eating your weight in your favorite food. 2. Valentine’s Day is not just about romantic love There are all different types of love that help make Valentine’s Day special. Make sure to reach out to those who you look at not just as romantic interests. Call your parents, tell them that you love them. Also tell your friends how you appreciate them or do something with them. 3. Having a date does not always make the holiday better I have spent this holiday both in a relationship and single and honestly, my best Valentine’s Day memories come from being single. There is one in particular that sticks out in my mind. Last year, the thought of Valentine’s Day made me want to burst. The boy that I had been seeing had broken things off on Feb. 10, with little reason why. Deflated that my Valentine’s Day plans had been ruined, I was certain that the day was ruined. When the dreaded day came, my friends surprised me with a girls night, which is still one of my favorite memories of 2016. 4. More chocolate for you At the end of the day, It is just another day. What matters is how you spend every day, regardless of if you spend it with your significant other. If you just smile and get through the day, you can buy half priced chocolates on Feb. 15.
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THE HISTORY OF VALENTINE’S DAY Find your love and the meaning of love EMILY HICKEY STAFF WRITER
Oh, love. Oh, Valentine’s Day. There’s something about this Hallmark holiday that sends lovers all over the world in a frenzy. The cards, the flowers, the jewelry, the dinner, but who really knows the history of this beloved holiday? Starting in Ancient Rome around approximately the 1st century, the fertility festival called Lupercalia, named for the saint Lupercus, was held on every Feb. 15. This pagan holiday was dedicated to the Roman god of agriculture Faunus and the Roman founders Romulus and Remus. Every festival began with the order of Roman priests called the Luperci gathering at a sacred cave where the infants Romulus and Remus were being cared for by a she-wolf. The Luperci would sacrifice a goat and a dog – the goat for fertility and the dog for purification – and slap the women and crop fields with blood soaked goat hide. Roman women welcomed this because it was a belief that they would then become more fertile in the upcoming year. Afterwards, all the young women would put their names in an urn for the city’s bachelors to choose from. Whichever name was chosen, the bachelor and the woman would be paired for a year with the match usually ending in marriage. Around A.D. 270, Pope Gelasius put a stop to this “un-Christian” holiday. It is believed the Christian Saint Valentine was killed around this time, and to honor him, Pope Gelasius placed his commemoration feast in the middle of February to “Christianize” Lupercalia. Despite the Pope declaring Feb. 14 as St. Valentine’s Day, no one really knows who Saint Valentine was. There’s one theory that he was a Christian cleric in 3rd Century Rome who was sentenced to death for performing illegal marriages in secret. At that time, Roman Emperor Claudius II banned marriage for young men because he believed single men made better soldiers. In another theory, it’s said Valentine was jailed for helping Christians escape Roman prisons. During his confinement, he fell in love with a young girl (said to be the jailer’s daughter) and sent her letters signed: “From your Valentine.” The signature “From your Valentine” was penned in the year 270 and is still in use today, showing love truly does travel distances. After Valentine’s death, the next Valentine known to be sent was in the year 1415 by Charles, Duke of Orleans. Charles sent his wife a poem he wrote while he was imprisoned in the Tower of London. Valentine’s today are simple notes of love and appreciation, but the first Valentines were more tragic, being sent to dearly loved wives by men awaiting their deaths. King Henry V was one of the first documented Valentines to send a note to his wife, Catherine of Valois, just to celebrate the holiday, thus starting the tradition of sending your loved ones a simple Valentine note. Every year, 1 billion Valentine’s cards are sent, 35 million heart shaped boxes of chocolate are sold, 220 million roses are produced, $20 billion is spent on Valentine’s and $4 billion is spent on jewelry. This loved-up holiday is more of a pick-pocket franchise, but love never fails to be the defining motivation for it all. An average 6 million couples get engaged on Valentine’s Day, showing it truly is the day of love. Although this holiday has a dark and sinister past, love prevails through it all, so eat your heartshaped chocolates and tell your person you love them. Just don’t forget to sign your card “From your Valentine” to make Saint Valentine proud.
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