The Lumberjack, September 27, 2018

SUN SETS ON SUMMER PAGE 18

T H E L U M BE R JACK

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

M

y grandma once told me if you are not living in the present you are not living at all. This is something that has always stuck with me, and I believe during college it is so important to remember that. Readers, this is your reminder that today is the day to focus on. I often catch myself getting caught up in worrying so much about the future that I forget I won’t meet my goals if I am not cognitive about what I am doing now.

I came to NAU in the fall of 2016 with big dreams and high hopes of where I would end up post-graduation. I wanted to be a doctor and go work in Africa helping remote villages learn more efficient ways of taking care of themselves.

That first semester of being a bio-med major was rough to say the least. I failed a chemistry class, got a D in the lab, and ended up on university academic probation and felt like I was a failure, but I got through it.

I got through it because I was able to stop looking at this bright and shiny future I wanted and look at my current life for what it was. I was not happy. If I would not have paid more attention to the present and focussed more on the future MARYANN I would not have changed my major to journalism and found my calling.

WITT So here is my advice to you: If you hate your classes, if you think that your FEATURES EDITOR days are filled with reading boring information and doing assignments that are unstimulating, change your major. People get so caught up with not wanting to change things up and with thinking that if they change their plans they won’t graduate on time. I am here to tell you that is not true. College is your time to figure things out. Don’t rush into a career that in 10 years you will hate. Take your time, try new things and focus on today because if you are not living in the present you are not living at all.

Thank you for reading.

“This is their game. This is their team.”

- Phoenix Suns head coach Igor Kokoskov, 2018

De’Anthony Melton (Left) and Mikal Bridges (Right) practice at the 2018 Phoenix Suns camp Sept. 25 at Rolle Activity Center. Shannon Ainsley Cowan | The Lumberjack

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 107 ISSUE 6

Phone: (928) 523-4921 Fax: (928) 523-9313 Lumberjack@nau.edu P.O. Box 6000 Flagstaff, AZ 86011

Editor-in-Chief Matthew Strissel

Managing Editor Ariel Cianfarano

Director of Digital Content Conor Sweetman

Copy Chief Ashley Besing

Faculty Advisor Annette McGivney

Faculty Advisor, Visuals Valerie Devoy

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

Print Chief Brady Wheeler

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Owen Sexton Asst. News Editor Chandler Staley Op-Ed Editor Peggy Packer Asst. Op-Ed Editor Maria Angulo Culture Editor Sebastian Moore

Features Editor MaryAnn Witt

Director of Circulation Director of Photography Deja Berkstrsser Shannon Swain

Asst. Dir. of Photography Asst. Features Editor Asst. Dir. of Circulation Shannon Ainsley Cowan Devyn Coons Sebastian Kwit Senior Photographer Michael Patacsil Sports Editor Director of Social Media Director of Illustration Kade Gilliss Teana Long Katie Dobyrdney Asst. Sports Editor Bailey Helton

Director of Multimedia James Lemarr

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Senior Illustrator Colton Starley

On the cover Cool nights have begun in Flagstaff reminding us that autumn is finally here — leaves have started to fall and flowers are fading. Autumn equinox marks the official transition into fall, Sept.

22.

Rylee Flowers | The Lumberjack

Corrections & Clarifications In the article titled “Old Volks at Mother Road Brewery” in the Sept. 13, 2018 issue of The Lumberjack, the article states that Chris Foley invited the club to have the event at The Orpheum Theater. It was Chris Scully who invited the club.

The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Matthew Strissel at mbs263@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Sept. 17 At 2:07 p.m., a student reported being harassed in the Social Behavioral Sciences building. NAUPD officers responded and the subject was warned to avoid future contact with the student.

At 6:18 p.m., a Gabaldon Hall RA reported hearing an unknown alarm. NAUPD officers responded and discovered the alarm had been set off by burnt food.

Sept. 18 At 10:11 a.m., a Campus Heights staff member reported a possible suicidal student. An NAUPD officer responded, and after the student was transported to FMC, NAU’s Counseling Services was notified of the incident.

and McCreary Drives that resulted in a verbal dispute between the two. NAUPD officers responded, and after the two cyclists exchanged information, they both left the area.

Sept. 19 At 10:09 a.m., a student traffic controller reported observing a collision between two bicylicsts at the intersection of South Knoles

responded but were unable to locate the climber.

At 1:06 a.m., a McConnell Hall RA reported discovering a damaged exit sign. An NAUPD officer responded, took a report and At 10:28 p.m., an notified Facility Services.

NAUPD officer initiated a traffic stop after observing a At 2:32 a.m., a Cowden subject driving in the bike lane Hall RA reported observing near the intersection of South an intoxicated student. FFD, San Francisco Street and West Guardian Medical Transport Dupont Avenue. The subject and NAUPD officers was advised that their vehicle responded, and the student was not a bicycle and given a was transported to FMC written warning. and deferred for underage consumption of alcohol.

Sept. 20 At 10:19 a.m., a Sechrist At 8:05 a.m., a subject Hall staff member reported reported observing an animal that suspicious Post-it notes stuck head-first in a dumpster were discovered in windows. by the Skydome. NAUPD An NAUPD officer responded, officers responded, and the but no criminal activity was animal was released from the observed. dumpster.

At 5:17 p.m., a student at Galbaldon Hall reported a possible flashing incident. An At 12:49 p.m., a student in NAUPD officer responded the Communication Building but determined no criminal reported hearing someone activity had occurred. yelling in the bathroom. An NAUPD officer responded but At 7:51 p.m., a subject no contact was made. reported observing someone tampering with a lamp post Sept. 21 near the ROTC building. An At 1:53 p.m., a student NAUPD officer responded reported observing a subject and discovered that the subject peeing on a building at Hilltop was just turning on the lights Townhomes. An NAUPD at the Atmospheric Research officer responded, but the Observatory. subject was not located.

At 8:20 p.m., a Sechrist Hall RA reported smelling marijuana. NAUPD officers responded and while the odor was present, they only observed an alcohol offense.

Three students were deferred for underage consumption of alcohol.

Compiled by Owen Sexton

At 11:29 p.m., Hilltop Townhomes security reported several subjects around a campfire along the Urban Trail north of NAU’s Practice Fields.

NAUPD officers responded, and three subjects were criminally deferred for possession of marijuana and drug paraphernalia.

At 11:10 p.m., a Wilson Hall staff member reported a student suffering a head injury.

FFD, GMT and an NAUPD officer responded, and the student was transported to FMC. Four other students were deferred for underage consumption of alcohol.

Sept. 23 At 12:10 a.m., a student at Mountain View Hall reported another student had been making suicidal comments.

FFD, GMT and NAUPD officers responded, and the student was transported to FMC.

At 2:09 a.m., a student at Sechrist Hall reported a possible suicide attempt by another student who had taken pills. FFD, GMT and NAUPD officers responded, and the Sept. 22 student was transported to At 12:27 a.m., a Pine FMC. Ridge Village RA reported spotting a subject climbing on the Skydome. NAUPD officers

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 3

NEWS

Wildlife feeding hits boiling point Jake Grosvenor

T

he issue of feeding local wildlife has recently attracted controversy in Flagstaff, as some residents of Continental Country Club are leaving buckets of feed out for the deer and elk herds that reside in the neighborhood.

In 2013, Flagstaff City Council established an Ordinance, 2013-20, commonly known as the Wildlife Feeding Ordinance, which strictly prohibits feeding wildlife with the exception of birds.

Despite the ordinance being put in place, some residents of the Continental Country Club continue to feed the deer.

At the Sept. 4 City Council meeting earlier this month, the council once again found themselves discussing this issue.

Chris Shields, the general manager of Continental Country Club, stated the club does not condone the act of feeding animals and urged residents to avoid the behavior.

“In our opinion, it doesn’t promote safety to have people feeding the deer especially,” said Shields in a phone interview. “We’ve had a number of reports from people, people’s dogs being attacked, humans that have gotten too close to them when they have their fawns with them and the fawns are eating. It’s a safety issue, first and foremost.”

While some residents say the animals are not aggressive, Shields explained the country club has had multiple cases of reported aggressive wildlife in the past.

One such incident involved a homeowner’s dogs, as they were on the deer’s feeding area and were chased off by the hungry wildlife.

Shelley Shepherd, public information officer for Arizona Game and Fish Department (AZGFD), shared the same views as Shields when it came to feeding wildlife and supported the ordinance. She explained this is a state-wide problem

Deer are typically seen feeding on Continental Country Club grounds. These deer were photographed at the Grand Canyon Deer Farm in Williams, Arizona Sept. 15. Alexa Meagher | The Lumberjack

involving more than just deer and elk.

In February, there were two issues with an elderly man and an elderly woman with separate communities that were feeding wild javelina. Both subjects were bitten, resulting in AZGFD hiring Wildlife Services to lethally remove around 15 javelinas from the neighborhoods as a result of the attacks.

“By feeding them you’re not helping [the animals] at all, you’re hurting them,” said Shepherd in a phone interview. “And in some cases, they end up dying from the result of the unhealthy food, the behaviors or they get removed.”

Shepherd expanded on the importance of this and stated that there are reasonable and unreasonable feeding practices, as well as intentional and unintentional feeding.

An example of reasonable feeding is defined as a bird feeder or hummingbird feeder hung at least 4

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feet off of the ground. Unreasonable feeding is troughs and buckets of food for deer and elk. She defined intentional feeding as purposely feeding animals and unintentional feeding as plants and trees growing on a property that animals happen to eat.

Shepard didn’t want to discourage people from feeding birds, but stressed that residents should keep their wildlife feeding to that.

“When we start seeing somebody putting out big blocks of seed or big feeding troughs, you never know what you’re going to get. For the most part, squirrels and birds and whatnot are safe, especially when gathered in large numbers,” Shepherd said in a phone interview. “It’s when some of the other smaller mammals come in concentrations that we are going to see predators come in including bobcats, coyotes and foxes.”

At the Sept. 4 meeting, some residents attempted to convince City

Council to repeal 2013-20, while others along with AZGFD argued to retain the ordinance and even do more to enforce it.

Tim Holt, a field supervisor for AZGFD, also spoke at the meeting and explained the ordinance was put in place for safety reasons. He stated that feeding these animals puts the animals and people at risk.

The ordinance was aimed mostly at larger wildlife to protect the animal’s health and public safety. He further explained this information was backed up by published research.

“When you concentrate wildlife, the research has shown that there’s a higher prevalence of disease among those wildlife, and that can lead to localized and sometimes catastrophic population level die-outs of wildlife, particularly deer and elk,” said Holt at the Sept. 4 meeting.

He added that when animals become used to humans feeding them,

they can lose their fear and approach people who may not want to actually interact with them. He cited a recent case at the Grand Canyon where a woman was attacked by an elk that was trying to eat her sandwich.

Robert McDonald, a resident of the Continental Country Club, told the council why he supported the ordinance.

“It’s unhealthy and sometimes deadly for deer and elk to be fed unnatural feed and be concentrated as the Game and Fish representative just stated,” said McDonald at the Sept. 4 meeting.

While some supported the ordinance and saw it as an important part of keeping both residents and the animals themselves healthy and safe, others argued the ordinance is unnecessary and that there is no risk within the community.

Some of the local residents at the Sept. 4 meeting who have lived in Continental Country Club said the animals are calm and feel safe in the neighborhood. They claimed there was not any real danger of aggression from the deer and elk.

Others agreed, claiming the animals were far from aggressive and the problem was a residential conflict concerning the ordinance itself, not with the animals.

Joe Farnsworth, another resident of Continental, told the council why he planned to continue to feed the deer and elk no matter what.

“My whole premise in this issue is religious. I am a strong Christian, so I believe the Bible in its entirety,” said Farnsworth at the Sept. 4 meeting.

“When God made man, he gave us dominion over these animals. He didn’t say Game and Fish.”

While some animals have been domesticated, like dogs and cats, there are still wild animals that despite seeming docile have not been tamed and can attack when they feel threatened. The issue is still ongoing, and residents are encouraged to adhere to local ordinances.

NEWS

Reported rapes nearly double at NAU Chandler Staley

C

rime rates at NAU are always fluctuating.

To keep track of its prominence on college campuses, the federal government’s Clery Act requires universities across the nation to report on all on-campus crime annually. Known as the Clery Report, NAU’s 2017 report has been made available to the public.

The most prevalent statistic is reported rapes. From 2011 to 2014, the average reported incidences of sexual assault at NAU were 13 per year. However, that number almost doubled from 2015 to 2017, averaging almost 25 per year over the time span, with 2017 totaling 31 cases.

Kirk Fitch, director of Clery compliance and the composer of NAU’s report, explained why these numbers are increasing at such a staggering rate.

“There’s definitely more frequency on reporting, not necessarily incidents,” said Fitch.

“There is much more awareness every year, so more of these incidents are being reported by victims. We also have more delayed reports coming in.”

He also credited the higher numbers to availability of resources for victims on campus, claiming NAU has a very robust system for supporting victims compared to other campuses.

Fitch predicted the rise in reported rapes is going to increase each year as the student population grows as well.

Lynn Jones, associate chair of criminology and criminal justice at NAU, provided her expertise on the subject.

“There’s greater awareness of what rape is, and students are more readily identifying when those situations happen to them,” said Jones.

Jones said rape continues to be one of most underreported crimes, but people are coming out in other ways, such as counseling, if they’re not reporting it officially with a criminal case.

Fitch stated NAUPD tries to use social media frequently to inform students and create as many in-person training classes as possible.

“It’s a challenge because students have a limited amount of time to allow them to utilize the information out there,” Fitch said.

Despite being the smallest of the three state universities, NAU appears to have a better reporting and training program for sexual assault.

ASU and UA averaged 13 reported rapes from 2014 to 2016. Nearly half compared to

NAU, despite both of those schools being larger in population and campus size.

Another crime statistic on the rise at NAU were drug-law violations. Since 2012, the average number of arrests made from these violations were approximately 76, until 2017 when 123 arrests were made.

Fitch claimed part of the issue is that there are some students coming from states where marijuana is legal. Medical marijuana is currently legal in Arizona, yet on campus it is still a violation of the student code of conduct.

Jones speculated marijuana wasn’t the only drug that NAUPD was cracking down on.

“We know there are more problems in the country related to opioid abuse,” Jones said.

Analysts from The Council on Foreign Relations stated the problem started with the abuse of legal prescription pain medicine.

The number of annual average arrests for liquor-law violations have decreased in the past four years. 2011 through 2013 averaged about 185 arrests, but it has decreased since then to roughly 86 arrests in 2016.

Referrals were much more abundant for these violations compared to arrests, resulting in about 839 per year since 2011.

Fitch explained referrals are more frequent in general, as they are typically given to first-time offenders. Moreover, most students were caught in campus residencies where they were reported

by Residence Assistance and disciplined by Resident Life or Student Life.

Jones pointed out that alcohol is much more accessible to students compared to drugs, making referrals more prevalent as well.

She added that when considering the overall population of NAU, most students were most likely not abusing drugs and alcohol, or at

Infographic By Colton Starley

least not getting caught.

Finally, burglaries have seen a significant decrease at NAU. There were approximately 38 per year from 2011 through 2014, but that number has dropped to almost six since 2015, with only one being reported last year. However, these numbers may be flawed.

Fitch said this was because the federal definition of a burglary for Clery purposes is more restrictive than Arizona’s definition of the crime.

The Clery report also left out certain stolen items such as bicycles, which are always one of the larger issues regarding theft on NAU’s campus.

On the other hand, Jones believed technology played an important role in the drop

in reported burglaries. With advancements in technology, more valuables are in electronics, which students carry around with them.

“People may not have cash, but they have their credit card information on their smartphone or laptop, decreasing opportunities for burglaries,” Jones said.

Even with carefully analyzed data and statistics, the Clery Report only gives a glimpse into criminal activity on campus. Its definitions for certain crimes are vulnerable to alterations by the year, and it relies exclusively on the crimes that are officially reported.

No matter what the numbers say, it is ultimately the responsibility of the students to improve the campus, community and culture of NAU.

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 5

NEWS

Flagstaff’s suicide rate at all-time high Jayna Arola

W

hile Flagstaff locals are still mourning the suicides of Logan Flake and Andrew Bauer, these tragic deaths are bringing a dark statistic to light.

Suicides rates have increased across all of Arizona over the past few years, and Coconino County had the highest suicide rate in the state.

The Public Health Services District of Coconino County (CCPHSD) published an overview of suicide trends from 2010 to 2016.

The report was based off data from both death certificates and hospital records.

Between 2010 and 2016 in Coconino County, an average of 23.4 people per 100,000 committed suicide per year, higher than both Arizona’s overall average of 13.3 and the national average of 18.2 people per 100,000 per year.

The report revealed some staggering statistics, but CCPHSD chief health officer Marie Peoples stated the goal of the report was to educate in order to lower the rate.

“The CCPHSD strives to bring together many different perspectives to strengthen prevention efforts,” said Peoples. “The public health approach to suicide prevention requires that everyone work together to address system, community, family and personal factors that can lead to suicide.”

Despite so many suicides occurring within the county, two out of every five suicides that occurred in Coconino involved people from neighboring counties and states. The majority of those individuals were from Yavapai County and Maricopa County.

This suicide trend showed the median age for suicide deaths was 39, with Caucasians and Native Americans making up the most suicides.

Of those who committed suicide, 80 percent were men and 20 percent were women.

The most common manner of suicide was a self-inflicted gun shot wound, accounting for 54 percent of suicides during the 2010 to 2016 timespan. Hanging accounted for 28 percent of suicides, drug overdoses accounted for 12 percent and the remaining 6 percent were various other methods.

Suicide attempts also rose in Coconino County according to the report. Between 2010 and 2015, Coconino County hospitals saw 1,800 admitted due to suicide attempts.

In addition to this, nearly half of all suiciderelated hospital visits were those between the ages of ten and 24 and one out of every three

suicide attempts was a Native American.

Other groups prone to suicide attempts included LGBTQ+ youth and veterans. In a CCPHSD survey within the report, 38 percent of LGBTQ+ teens said they had made a suicide plan within the last year, compared to 12 percent of other teens. Twenty-nine percent of the LGBTQ+ teens actually making an attempt compared to 6 percent of others.

For all groups, the risk for veterans to attempt suicide was three times higher compared to non-veterans. Despite these statistics, suicide still affects people of all ages and groups.

The state’s high suicide rate has received

attention since 2007 from both the public and state government officials when the rate rose above the national average.

To help further suicide prevention within Flagstaff, NAU has been providing students with mental health and suicide prevention programs on campus.

Campus Health Services offers programs specifically for students who are struggling with suicidal thoughts and mental health issues.

Programs and services include online mentalhealth programs like SafeJacks and counseling services.

In addition to these services, there are also

24-hour suicide prevention hotlines, both local to the Flagstaff area and nationally.

There are other options available to students as well such as Stressbusters, a free service NAU provides to students where they can receive a free five-minute back massage coupled with counseling and presentations about suicide prevention. All of these services have been offered to support the mental health and wellbeing of students.

If you or someone you know are having suicidal thoughts, please call the National Suicide Prevention Hotline at 1-800-273-8255.

Source: The Public Health Services District of Coconino County

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Illustration By Alexy Flores

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 7

COMIC SPOT

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SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 9

OPINION-EDITORIAL

The villainization of candles Vianella Burns

I

Chlamydia County

t seems Coconino County has become a hot spot for sexually transmitted diseases. According to the Arizona Daily Sun, just two years ago, the chlamydia rate in our county was “41.96 percent higher than the national average, with 753 cases per 100,000 people.” The gonorrhea rates were lower, but surely not low enough, at 126 cases out of 100,000 people.

That is in Coconino County alone.

These numbers illustrate why it is so important to get tested for sexually transmitted diseases if you are or recently have been sexually active. Campus Health Services offers testing for both chlamydia and gonorrhea at the Health and Learning PEGGY Center.

PACKER NAU Campus Health Services screened OP-ED EDITOR 2,000 students from July 2017 to July 2018, 10 percent of whom tested positive for chlamydia. The numbers don’t lie, but you can avoid becoming one of them if you make getting tested one of your priorities.

The tests are not time consuming at all, and you can do it right here on campus, so there is really no excuse not to do it. Peeing in a cup could save you and your partner(s) from an extremely uncomfortable experience.

Chlamydia and gonorrhea are not the only concerns though. HPV is an STD that can be contracted by oral, anal or vaginal sex with someone who has the virus. It can also be contracted by close skin-to-skin contact during sexual activity.

The virus can be spread even if the person who is infected has no visible symptoms. In fact, most people won’t even show symptoms until the virus has already caused serious health issues.

Long-lasting HPV can lead to certain types of cancer, including anal cancer, cervical cancer in women or penile cancer in men.

Unfortunately, there are currently no FDA approved tests for HPV, but there is a vaccine. The vaccine is recommended for young women 26 and under and for men up until the age of 21. More people in Coconino County have been getting the vaccine every year, but there are still people at risk.

It is easy to pretend that STDs are not a big deal and to ignore the importance of STD testing, but if you are engaging in any sexual activity, it is important to take the necessary precautions. You and your partner(s) should get tested. If you’re having sex with someone, you should feel comfortable enough to ask them to get screened or vaccinated. Protect yourself and others.

Don’t become another statistic if you can avoid it.

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T

he NAU Student Code of Conduct are rules that are created and enforced to keep us safe — but do

they?

All universities have their own list of rules that students must follow to live in an on-campus facility. Most of the rules make sense and are reasonable for dorm life, but sophomore housing is a different story. It is an apartment setup, which should mean that certain rules about banned appliances and amenities should be different, but they are not.

Living in an on-campus apartment comes with an interesting and nonsensible set of rules that contradict one another.

The NAU Student Code of Conduct states that toasters and candles are not permitted in any on-campus housing.

But I am allowed to operate a barelyfunctioning gas stove?

In the freshman residence halls, there were electric stoves in community kitchens provided for the students, which fit with the “no open flame inside the building” rule. However, as the standards of residence states, exposed coil cooking devices are not permitted inside campus housing, and yet I was given an exposed coil electric stove to use in the community kitchen.

Throughout my time in Allen Hall, there were more fires due to the stoves in the kitchen than from residents lighting candles in their rooms.

Inside my current apartment in Pine Ridge Village, I have an old gas stove in which one of the burners simply expels the gas and doesn’t emit flame. The danger of carbon monoxide poisoning is a far more threatening and pressing concern than a Bath & Body Works candle setting my apartment on fire.

A study done by the Iowa State University Department of Agriculture and Biosystems Engineering states that “Carbon monoxide is a deadly

toxin. In one study, 51 percent of kitchen ranges tested raised [carbon monoxide] concentrations in the room above the EPA standard of 9 parts per million.”

In another study conducted by the National Fire Protection Association, they found that, “In 2011-2015, [United States] fire departments responded to an estimated average of 170,200 home structure fires that involved cooking equipment per year and ranges or cooktops, with or without ovens, accounted for the majority, 62 percent of home cooking fire incidents and even larger shares of civilian deaths, 87 percent.”

When the National Fire Protection Association ran the same study with candles, this was the result: “In 20112015, U.S. fire departments responded to an average of 8,690 home structure

fires that were started by candles per year.

Candles caused two percent of home structure fires.”

There is a much greater risk of deadly and nondeadly fires with cooking appliances such as gas stove tops and ovens than there is with candles. If fire safety is the main concern, then why not limit all students to electric stoves, which pose less of a risk?

When assessing the safety rules in place for on-campus housing there seems to be very little rhyme or reason. I can have a high-speed blender but not a scent warmer. I am allowed to operate an openflame stove, but I can not light an incense.

I, as a young adult, was entrusted with the responsibility to not leave the oven running — which is horrifyingly easy to accidentally turn on — risking not only myself but my other three roommates to carbon monoxide poisoning. And yet, in the eyes of the university , I am not qualified enough to use a toaster.

Illustration By Katie Dobrydney

OPINION-EDITORIAL

Why Juuling is the worst, but we won’t stop doing it Scout Ehrler

I

t is no secret that a plethora of vaping devices has overtaken our generation. Vape mods, Juul, Suorin, Breeze, etcetera. Since I’ve started college, I would say about 80 percent of the people I have met either consistently participate in this phenomenon or have at least once before.

Everyone my age has encountered a Juul, and honestly, it makes sense.

Cigarettes have existed for centuries, and our parents’ generation very commonly smoked them. To me, it only makes sense that a more potent and convenient form of this plague snaked its way into our generation, causing a new wave of addiction.

Let me just say, I’m not entirely anti-Juul or anti-nicotine. Almost all my friends own some sort of e-cigarette or vaping device, and I don’t look down on anyone for it.

However, it must be acknowledged that we were the generation that was supposed to kill the tobacco industry, but vaping has completely taken any

hope away from that potential.

In the 1960s, cigarettes were advertised positively. I studied this in high school, as did many of my peers.

Looking at these advertisements in retrospect, knowing what we know now, are borderline absurdist. They’re the perfect representation of a toxic industry pushing their agenda. Other examples of this transcend other industries, such as fast food. The portrayal of McDonalds as kid and family friendly is a similar advertising tactic, if not the same.

Once people began to acknowledge the negative effects of smoking, these advertisements died out, being replaced with much more honest ones. Campaigns depicting individuals with mouth cancer or breathing stomas have become more and more popular. Tobacco products have large disclaimers on the packaging with warnings about illness and cancer that are required by law.

Over time, we learned how terrible cigarettes and nicotine are. There was a shift from “Buy our cigarettes!” to “Smoke at your

own risk.” E-cigarettes and vapes came along for the sole purpose of attempting to help those who were addicted to quit. It’s a similar sensation and they often have less nicotine content, satisfying a craving, but not sustaining the addiction. Vaping was relatively successful in getting people to stop smoking cigarettes. Then, they were taken over by teenagers for the sake of “vape tricks.”

Now, we’ve reached the Juul era.

Companies such as Juul and Suorin took the concept of the vape and e-cigarette and used it to their advantage and the public’s demise.

A Juul pod is the equivalent to an entire pack of cigarettes. On average, based on the people I know, a pod will last a day or two. The Juul pod is designed to give one a head high, to “get you domed.” That is it’s only purpose. The e-cigarette was made with — arguably — good intentions, yet it was taken, manipulated and

has made a whole new generation addicted.

Juuls are spoken about and advertised just the same as cigarettes back in the ‘60s. We are watching history repeat itself, yet we’ll continue to keep taking hits because it’s easy, trendy, discrete and sleek. People Juul in class, at work, in the dorms.

The tobacco industry is just making nicotine addiction more convenient.

We’re at a point where, in order to stop Juuling, a pack of cigarettes is a step to wean yourself off. I know I can’t tackle the tobacco industry, nor do

I think anyone will quit Juuling as a result of reading this. However, the next time you take a hit, think about what you’re supporting.

I know I will.

Illustration By Alexy flores

Pill-popping rappers are killing their audience Maricella Cantu

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re rappers the ones to blame for the opioid epidemic?

Throughout the 2010s, rap music as a genre has gained tremendous mainstream success.

An article written by USA Today states that “For the first time ever, R&B/hip-hop has surpassed rock to become the biggest music genre in the [United States] in terms of total consumption, according to Nielsen Music 2017 year-end report.”

In the early 2010s you have rappers such as A$AP Rocky, Wiz Khalifa, Mac Miller, Tyga, Future, Chief Keef and others who start to emerge during this time period — all of which have promoted drug use at some point in their career.

When I freshly entered high school in 2010, raves were all the rage. You would hear the kids in the hallways and in the classroom talking about taking ecstasy or other drug substances so they can let loose and have more fun at the “rager.”

Some even took these opioids in their free time just to get high or seem “cool,” not really knowing the harsh repercussions that might occur if the drug was laced with an unknown substance, or worse, an overdose occurred.

Now I’m not saying that rappers are all to blame for others

people’s choices, but they did, however, have a hand in the glamorization of pill-popping.

Most notably, in 2013, rapper Tyga came out with a popular hit song called “Molly.” The song starts off by saying “Hi, I am looking for Molly. I’ve been searching everywhere,” followed by a hook that repeats the word molly about 16 times. This particular single reached certified gold, selling 500,000 plus copies.

The song has reached a massive amount of people that could be easily influenced or peer pressured into trying molly. What is molly? It was deemed a purer, legal form of ecstasy in the early 2000s. Yet that is further from the truth now. It is commonly laced with chemicals reported by police, such as cocaine, meth and bath salts just to name a few.

The hype surrounding pill-popping seemed to have died down until recently with the new wave of rappers called “SoundCloud rappers.” These rappers gained fame through the music streaming website SoundCloud.

With this new wave of rappers such as Lil Peep, Travis Scott, 6ix9ine, Post Malone and Lil Pump came a not-so-new popularization of Xanax. Although not talking about any specific pills, Post Malone’s song “Rockstar” chorus starts by saying “I’ve been ... and poppin’ pillies. Man, I feel just like a rockstar,” giving

the impression you need to do pills to feel your best. This may be the case for some people that struggle with an actual mental illness but not for some impressionable kid.

Xanax is prescribed to treat panic disorder and anxiety.

Misuse of the drug can cause addiction, overdose and even death.

In fact, 21-year-old rapper Lil Peep passed away last November from an overdose of Xanax and fentanyl.

His passing has started a conversation about the promotion of pill-popping within the rapping community. Rappers Lil Pump and Lil Xan have both stated that they will no longer support the use of drugs.

However, it was reported by Vox that “According to preliminary data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, more than 72,000 people in the U.S. are predicted to have died from drug overdoses in 2017. That’s up from 2016, which was already a record year in which roughly 64,000 people in the U.S. died from overdoses. At least two-thirds of drug overdose deaths in 2016 and 2017 were linked to opioids.”

Addiction is a disease and should be met with care, and it can be difficult when you have such a mainstream genre constantly advertising drug use.

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 11

FEATURES

Discing4Kids CEO Eddie Diaz carries two disc golf baskets after a session Sept. 14 at Marshall Elementary School. Michael Patascil| The Lumberjack

Discs are not just for throwing Matthew Kruelle

S

ome people are in a traveling band. Others are traveling artists or salesmen. Some are just travelers. Eddie Diaz, on the other hand, is a traveling disc golf program.

His program, Discing4Kids, brings disc golf baskets all over the greater Flagstaff area to teach kids fundamental values and life lessons through the medium of a growing outdoor sport.

The program began four-and-a-half years ago at Killip Elementary School, which Diaz attended in 1969, with just 20 students. It has since grown to over 2,000 students.

Diaz began disc golfing about five years ago and saw that not many children were

participating. The few children that were playing disc golf were there with their parents who had been disc golfing for years.

“I figured the kids needed something that taught them core values, got them outside [and] taught them the fundamentals of disc golf,” said Diaz.

Diaz’s version of core values are integrity, responsibility, leadership, mentoring, accountability and kindness.

Discing4Kids has two rules that take precedence over all others.

“The rules are to have fun and be safe.

That’s it,” Diaz said.

The program took off after Flagstaff Unified School District’s Family and Community Teaming for Students (FACTS) after-school

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program took notice of what Diaz was doing.

From there, Discing4Kids was integrated into the program as a vendor.

The following success led to more integration into FACT’s Camp IWANNAGO. Following the club’s first outing at Camp IWANNAGO, Discing4Kids was brought into FACT’s after-school program, which runs in every elementary school. The program operates in the Flagstaff area from Leupp to the west side.

Starting this year, Discing4Kids became independent. The program expanded beyond elementary schools and now includes middle schools. The disc golf club has now spread to Cottonwood.

“Seeing my kids active and seeing my kids interactive with other kids who are into the

same kind of stuff is the most fulfilling thing to me,” said Steven Bengson, parent of two Discing4Kids participants.

Discing4Kids is a nonprofit funded entirely off donations and sponsors, including Fratelli’s Pizza and Sportsman’s Warehouse. Volunteers from groups like NAU sorority Alpha Phi also assists the outdoor club. The group is always seeking and accepting new volunteers and organizations for assistance.

Discing4Kids is free to all members and will remain free until the end of time or the end of club, whichever is first. Diaz aims to help atrisk kids, but all are welcome. It does not require extensive gear — just one flying disc, which can be purchased for less than a dollar at various retailers.

FEATURES

Discing4Kids is a program that aims to teach core values to children of various ages through the sport of disc golf Sept. 14 at Marshall Elementary School. Michael Patascil | The Lumberjack

“It’s not like baseball, soccer [or] football where [parents] have to pay to have a bona fide babysitter,” Diaz said.

Disc golf is a parrot of classic golf, but instead of smacking a smalldimpled ball across endless greens, players throw Frisbees toward a basket. Like golf, par is typically three or four.

Players take their mark at the start of the course and make a drive, which in disc golf looks more like a discus toss than anything else, and hurl the vibrant plastic disc as far and as accurately as they can.

Then, they walk to their flying disc, pick it up and throw it multiple times. As they get closer, shots become more precise and tuned as opposed to the previous attempts. Near the end of their course the players toss with

caution in a final putt.

“My kids hardly play video games or any of that, we’re out on the course a majority of the time,” Bengson said just a half hour before heading out to his local disc golf course with his children.

Bengson’s children relish in helping their peers learn the sport, trying to emulate those who helped them when they began.

For his after-school program, Diaz hauls disc golf baskets to various elementary and middle schools then sets them up on schoolyard playgrounds.

First he teaches them to putt, then a mid range shot then the drive.

For each shot, different games have been composed including: Ring of Fire, Step up, Shoe Shot, Closest to the Pin and Tournament Play.

The students’ favorite, Ring of Fire, is simple. Golfers stand in a circle 15 feet from the basket and putt toward it. Those that do not make the shot are eliminated. All survivors take a full step back and putt again. The process repeats until one champion is crowned. “[The students] can get very competitive, but yet everybody cheers everybody on, it’s pretty awesome” said Suzi McDonough, board member for Discing4Kids.

Discing4Kids has its own team of young disc golfers and sponsors them in competition throughout the country. Last July, the club paid for Bengson and his child, Martin, to travel to Emporia, Kansas and compete in the World Junior Disc Golf Championship.

“The people you meet in disc golf

altogether are just a bunch of friendly people,” Bengson said.

To become a team member of the Discing4Kids Team, players must exemplify the group’s core values, be active in the club and get excellent grades in school.

“They have to send me their report cards and their progress reports,” Diaz said. “If they don’t do good, its just like a college student — They go on academic suspension.”

While there are plentiful clubs and disc golf leagues across the state, there are none that cater exclusively to children like Discing4Kids.

For its enigmatic and charismatic founder, the group is just as much about sharing the sport he loves as it is teaching children how to function in society. He is a mentor for many of the children and helps to steer them

down the right path. “[The golfers] are getting out of the house and getting physical activity versus being on the computer all the time,” McDonough said.

When Diaz created the program he aimed at the modest goal of reaching just one child.

“It changed me immediately, I was the kid that it changed,” Diaz said. “In turn, I’ve been able to help hundreds of children, no, thousands.”

Since rediscovering childhood bliss, Diaz has become a mentor for many Flagstaff children by teaching the game of disc golf.

Diaz will continue to teach children important values in life while simultaneously showing them how to hurl vibrant pink, blue, yellow and green flying discs toward a metal basket.

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 13

FEATURES

Student by day, singer by night David Smith

F

or nearly five years, NAU graduate student Mikayla Theone Khramov, has been pursuing her dreams of being a singer even before she finishes college under the stage name Theone.

“I teach during the week, go to school and then I play music on the weekends,” said Khramov.

Khramov’s love for music has existed and grown since she was a little girl in Los Angeles.

Since the age of 11, she would learn to play guitar, drums and how to use her own voice.

Despite initial nerves of traveling to a new state, she left the city and came to Flagstaff. She has been playing music ever since.

Starting out her freshmen year, she joined a band and continued to sharpen her music skills. Eventually she reached out to Sun Entertainment, the company that organizes entertainment for the NAU campus, and played at Prochnow Auditorium her sophomore year.

She and her band would open for the visiting national bands, such as Jesse McCartney and the AJR Brothers.

Doug Quick, event coordinator of Sun Entertainment, is the one who books local bands for opening acts for the main events.

He believes having students part of the opening shows is a good experience for those seeking life in entertainment.

“It’s a chance for them [students] to be performing on a professional standard. They’ll get to see how the national acts performs and acts,” said Quick.

Quick also hopes this will be the starting point for new careers.

“It’s helpful to students who perform and are now touring around Arizona and other parts of the country,” Quick said.

This is what Khramov hopes to accomplish, as she is part of a mini-tour that will take her and the band she’s part of on the road to Texas, sponsored by Vinyl Ranch.

Originally declared as a business major, she took one film class and changed her track. In 2017, she graduated with a major in creative media and film. Now she is aiming to get her masters degree in documentary studies. Khramov is also a graduate assistant, helping to teach other students in the School of Communication.

Despite her eagerness to start her music career, she is just as determined to finish school.

“So, my goal is getting straight As this year

NAU graduate student Mikayla Theone Khramov, also known by Theone, has been a musician in Flagstaff for nearly five years, Sept. 5.

Maria Saldivar | The Lumberjack

before I graduate, but I also need to be actively pursuing music this year as well. I am working on my second album,” Khramov said.

Khramov has an equal passion for what she studies in school and wants to expand upon it in her future life.

“I’m really glad I did that [change majors] because I’m a creative person, whatever I’m doing has to be creative,” Khramov said. “So video production and music are a good outlet for me.”

She is already using what she has learned to good use by creating music videos of herself and other local bands, including her newest song, “In Love with Jean.” The song has been uploaded to YouTube.

Her friend and occasional band mate, Brad Bays, already sees Khramov making a name for herself.

Bays is a professional musician and private music instructor who teaches, plays and records at Arizona Music Pro. He teaches anyone who has an interest in music, from elementary students to full-grown adults. When he’s not

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teaching, he plays with a band.

“Mikayla is quite serious of her music and film career, one of the best drummers I [have] worked with,” said Bays.

He’s known Khramov for five years, basically since she first came to Flagstaff. In that time, he has built a lot of respect for Khramov’s determination.

“She is a very driven young lady who is going exactly where she wants to go,” Bays said.

Khramov has hit a few bumps in the past few years but hasn’t given up.

“I’m definitely pursuing my dream, and along with every dream, there’s also a little bit of nightmare because it’s not always an easy road, but I think it’s worth it. Money is not always there, the support is not always there but the dream is always there ... I hope that doesn’t sound too cheesy,” Khramov said.

She has grown a lot in her abilities over the years in the pursuit of her dream, to which she gives credit to practice and experience. She often looks and takes whatever opportunities come her way. She doesn’t wait for anything

to happen, she goes for it. This helps her to be a better musician and to further seek out gigs to perform and build connection with people, whether here in Arizona or back home in Los Angeles.

She was born in the city, but she has grown to love the small town of Flagstaff that has been her home.

“It’s a small town but it’s a good town for artists to connect with people,” Khramov said.

Despite these advances, though, what she hopes is for more people to show her more support. She has the love and affection from both friends and family, but she hopes to grow a larger fan base that will buy her material, attend her shows, follow her on social media and give the support that will aid her on her journey to a successful career.

No matter where life takes her, though, Mikayla Theone Khramov is determined to produce videos, films and play music to her creative heart’s content.

“I’m too stubborn to get a real job like everyone says,” Khramov said.

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 15

CULTURE

Making memories while making your own food Sabrina Proffitt

W

hether a person moves far away from home or just a few miles away, learning to live on a campus and to take care of oneself can be a struggle. Now, about a month into the semester, freshmen have begun to understand what it will take to make it on their own. From many different walks of life, including family size, income and cultural backgrounds, freshmen all have one thing in common: Living on campus is a very different environment than anything they are used to.

NAU has 13 freshmen residence halls, spanning from north campus to the edge of south campus. According to NAU’s website, these halls house over 10,500 students, including the addition of the newest Honors College.

Each hall is filled with a variety of students, but the rules and experiences of residents are similar.

Compared to much larger schools, NAU has a small-town feeling, with restaurants on both sides of campus, small grocery stores and dining halls. Freshmen are encouraged to have a meal plan, which help guarantee they have steady meals throughout the year.

Each hall has at least one resident assistant (RA) on each floor to keep rules in order and to help the new students enjoy living in the hall.

Many events happen throughout the semester, ranging from Welcome Week events to events set up by RAs. There are a plethora of ways new students can branch out and meet new people with common interests.

Freshman business accounting major Audrey Hartshorne lives in McConnell Hall with her roommate, freshman exercise science major Leo Snyder. She moved to Flagstaff from Highlands Ranch, Colorado and has been learning what it is like to live on her own for the first time.

“At first, it was very difficult because I kind of relied on my parents for a lot of things.

Food [is] very different and difficult at first because I never really appreciated home-cooked meals before I came up here,” said Hartshorne.

“What’s changed the most is that I really have to take care of myself. Coming in, you really need to know what works best for you.”

Through school activities and events, Hartshorne found ways to make her experience at NAU more memorable and ease the feeling of homesickness.

“A lot of the activities I’ve done have been influenced by Rush Week and sororities. At my activity for Rush Week, I met my best friend,

Katrina Kevorkian, a freshman staying at McConnell Hall, puts clothing on hangers in her dorm room Sept. 24. Chanel Smith | The Lumberjack

other than my roommate. Then I got introduced to this huge group of people, I met so many people through it,” Hartshorne said. “I know this is stereotypical, but you do really meet a group of girls that are your family and you can talk to them about anything and everything, so that helps a lot.”

Rush Week is a week of events near the beginning of the school year that helps new students get involved with Greek life.

Many freshmen find a place in sororities and fraternities, but for others, Greek life isn’t a priority.

“Making friends is huge, there’s a lot of events,” said Snyder. “Even if they sound kind of

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dumb, you never know if you’re going to meet your best friend or who’s going to be at your wedding. So just go to them.”

For many new students on campus, moving in was only the beginning of the major changes they were going to endure. For construction management major Taylor Grimaldi, also a resident of McConnell Hall, the changes resulted in homesickness for the first week. As time passed, he realized that change isn’t always a bad thing and it has the possibility of leading to new amazing experiences.

“It’s been hard living away from my house, my dogs and my parents. It’s definitely difficult adjusting to a new life, but it’s worth it,” said

Grimaldi. “It’s going to be rough the first week or so, but you’ll definitely enjoy it and it’s pretty cool being able to do your own thing, even though it seems stressful.”

While it may take time, NAU is a place where students have the opportunity to thrive.

A change that monumental in a person’s life takes time to resolve, but it is clear that it is a welcomed transformation. Freshman year can be a time to experience new situations, meet new people and become a more independent person. Becoming content and adjusting to new surroundings is only one of many bumps of the roller coaster that college has to offer.

CULTURE

New multicultural Hollywood films Jay Buttcane

M

ovies are a large staple in American pop culture. Lately, some films have been able to make headlines not only for their anticipated success, but for their inclusion of a diverse cast of characters.

Box office powerhouses such as the Star Wars saga, which used to feature a primarily white male oriented cast of heroes, now has a black man and a woman as the two main protagonists for the last two installments of the film series. Filmmakers in Hollywood are beginning to make the executive decisions to create movies that support a cast of people who come from different backgrounds of race and sexuality. Even films with the most fictionalized premise and themes are being released with representation more akin to what someone would see in real life.

One film that has stuck out this year is the movie “Coco,” directed by Lee Unkrich in 2017, for its family friendly animation and themes revolving around Hispanic traditions.

“I think [‘Coco’] gets overlooked if we’re talking about diversity in films because it’s animated,” said senior business marketing major Sayra Ortegeros. “But it represents Mexican heritage so well.”

Even with the contemporary animation, all ages could enjoy the film, partly because it represents ideas familiar to some people’s upbringing.

“I got to watch the film with my grandma who is from Mexico, and it was such an amazing experience because Spanish is her first language, so we watched it all in Spanish,” Ortegeros said.

The highest grossing film of the year so far is “Black Panther,” which was released Feb. 16.

“Black Panther” is directed by Ryan Coogler and supports a predominantly black cast of characters. Actor Chadwick Boseman plays T’Challa, the Black Panther and the new king of his home African nation of Wakanda. When he is challenged for his position as king, he realizes he must unleash the full potential of the Black Panther with the help of his allies to keep the people of his country safe. The film was met with critical acclaim, securing a coveted 97 percent from the review website Rotten Tomatoes. The amount of positivity following its release had not yet been achieved in American cinemas with a cast such as this.

“It would just be boring to continue to watch movies that always have the same cast all the

“I got to watch the film with my grandma who is from Mexico and it was such an amazing experience because Spanish is her first language, so we watched it all in Spanish.”

-Sayra Ortegeros time,” said senior business major Gabriel Ipina.

“I like that we have both “Black Panther” with an almost all black cast and “Crazy Rich Asians” with all Asians. Plenty of movies have already come out with an all-white cast, so it’s refreshing to see movies like that come out.”

“Crazy Rich Asians” was released Aug. 15 and was met with both commercial and critical success. The story of the film follows a woman named Rachel Chu, who was born in the United States but is of Chinese descent. Chu gets invited to accompany her boyfriend to Singapore for a wedding, where she discovers that his family is very wealthy. According to USA TODAY, the release of the film was historical for being the first for a Hollywood studio in 25 years to be centered around an Asian-American character’s story and have an all Asian-American cast.

Another popular film released in August was “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before,” which stars Vietnamese-born actress Lana Condor.

Distributed by Netflix, the film revolves around a high school student whose secret love letters to boys she has had a crush on get exposed. The movie has garnered praise from social media sites, such as Twitter, for its handling of teen romance and for being supported by charming characters.

Senior civil engineering major Dani Yamson has family roots in the Philippines and watched both “Crazy Rich Asians” and “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before.” “‘Crazy Rich Asians’ depicted real-life values and family struggles that most Asian families do go through,” said Yamson. “I felt like the movie addressed a lot of stereotypes against Asians.”

The two films have drawn comparisons for the genre and use of an Asian-American woman for the lead role. Both of the movies’ protagonists

are female and “Crazy Rich Asians” features a high-budgeted spectacle with and all AsianAmerican cast, while “To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before” takes place in a more modest high school setting with a rounded set of diverse American actors. “‘To All The Boys I’ve Loved Before’ had an Asian lead who fell in love with boys of different ethnicities, and I thought that was cute,” Yamson said.

“Honestly, it just felt really nice to see people who I can relate to on screen.”

Diversity is not only limited to race, as several recent noteworthy films have revolved around or included characters who are gay or bisexual.

According to the website IMDB, “Moonlight,” which won the Academy Award for Best Picture in 2016, follows the life of a gay black man through three different time periods of his life as he goes through a journey of finding acceptance of his sexuality in an environment surrounded by crime and drugs.

A study done by University of Southern California’s Annenberg Inclusion Initiative examined the top 100 highest-grossing films from the last decade and found almost no change whatsoever to the number of marginalized peoples included in cinema. In other words, films with an extreme representation of marginalized people such as “Black Panther” and “Crazy Rich Asians” are still few and far between.

However, these recent films have proven that quality filmmaking is possible when led by a diverse cast and crew. Their box office successes show that moviegoers are welcome to the change of a more accurate representation of the country seen in its films.

Illustration By Pruthvi Khilosia

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 17

CULTURE

Left: Autumn equinox marks the official transition into fall, Sept. 22. Right: The last sunset of summer falls behind clouds at Snowbowl Sept. 22. Rylee Flowers| The Lumberjack

Clocks tick to the autumn equinox Hannah Morris

T

he autumn equinox is one of two equinoxes that occur throughout the year, the other being the spring equinox. It is important because it marks both the beginning and end of some of the most important times of the year. It also marks the change in direction the sun’s rays fall on earth, making it astrologically important as well. The autumn equinox occurred Sept. 22 at approximately 6:45 p.m.

The autumn equinox as the commencement of the fall season and the time when the sun crosses the plane of the Earth’s equator, causing day and night to become equal length. Although this is the scientific definition of the autumn equinox, it has different, individual meanings to people.

To junior secondary education major Courtney Ratkus the autumn equinox has a more spiritual meaning.

“For me, the meaning of the autumn equinox is more spiritual,” said Ratkus. “It’s all about change or finding the meaning within yourself to change. It could also be seen by some

as a time of rebirth, but that is a far stretch even for me.”

Fall offers many differences such as cooler temperatures, leaves changing colors, fall harvests, pumpkin spice lattes, the celebration of Halloween and Thanksgiving.

Junior biological sciences major Lysette Moreno said the fall season is her favorite of them all. She especially enjoys celebrating Halloween.

“My favorite part about fall is celebrating Halloween because I love getting to dress up and be someone I’m not,” said Moreno.

While Moreno loves fall because she gets to celebrate Halloween, Ratkus loves the colors of fall because she feels connected to the warmer colors.

“My favorite thing about the fall is the leaves and their colors. I’ve always been more prone to warm colors because they make me feel good,” Ratkus said. “I can’t really explain why, but fall is my favorite season. It’s not the bitter cold of winter yet but still, the Earth is grasping onto its last breath before hibernating.”

In the fall, events such as homecoming

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weekend and football games take place on campus. Madison Goodall, junior criminology and criminal justice major, said she looks forward to Rush Week in the fall, which she enjoys participating in.

“I look forward to all of the sorority events that happen during the fall as well as tailgating before the home football games because each of these events allows me to spend more time with my sisters and friends,” said Goodall.

During the fall season, there are plenty of events at NAU and around Flagstaff. The Star Party, Cornucopia Festival and the Pumpkin Walk are just a few during the season.

Goodall looks forward to celebrating one of the two major holidays that are celebrated during the fall. The holiday she enjoys celebrating incorporates food, grace and family.

“A tradition I look forward to in the fall is celebrating Thanksgiving because of all the food and getting to spend time with my family,” Goodall said.

While it may not be your typical Thanksgiving celebration with family, Ratkus is looking forward to celebrating Thanksgiving

differently this year. She is also looking forward to embracing the cooler temperatures fall has to offer.

“The main tradition I’m stoked to celebrate this fall is ‘Friendsgiving’ since I won’t be going home for Thanksgiving. But other than celebrating with my closest friends, I also look forward to just coming home after classes and wrapping myself in a blanket,” Ratkus said.

Now it may not be Thanksgiving or Friendsgiving, but there is another special day that occurs in the fall that Moreno celebrates annually.

“A family tradition I look forward to in the fall is celebrating Day of the Dead. Each year my mom throws a huge party in celebration of this day, and I always look forward to it because I get to see relatives I don’t see often,” Moreno said.

The autumn equinox happens once every year and can symbolize balance, preparation and reflection. These values can help guide people through the cloudy days of fall and back into the sunny days of summer.

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 19

SPORTS

Before he’s Jerry Rice, he’ll need to cut the vice

J

ust days before the Cleveland Browns training camp this summer, star receiver Josh Gordon informed the team he’d be checking into an addiction rehabilitation center instead of catching footballs. Gordon, who was suspended the entire 2015 NFL season for substance abuse, previously admitted to abusing alcohol, Xanax, cocaine, codeine and promethazine.

Yet, when Gordon returned to the Browns’ facility weeks later, the Cleveland Browns’ head coach Hue Jackson was giddy.

That’s because 6-foot-3-inch, 225-pound phenoms who put up 1,600 yards in 14 NFL games are very, very rare. Just as rare?

An enabled addict staying clean after just MATTHEW one month of rehab. That’s why, even with JARECKI the excitement surrounding Gordon’s recent HOST OF “THE JERK” trade to the New England Patriots, I have ON KJACK bad news. Folks, it’s not going to work.

“Gordon showed up late to the facility [one] Saturday morning and was ‘not himself,’” said Cleveland Browns reporter Mary K. Cabot.

Staffers thought he was drunk or high. He was then informed by the Browns that he’d been cut that Monday, only for the Browns to learn there was enough interest from teams around the NFL to merit a trade. The Patriots were the prize winners — or losers.

I am a Patriot admirer. In a league with the most annual roster turnover, the highest rate of injuries and a hard salary cap, the Patriots have somehow attended eight Super Bowls in the last 18 years, winning five. Patriots general manager Bill Belichick runs the best program in the NFL. Under most circumstances, I’d call this Gordon trade a sure-fire success.

Not when it comes to substance abuse.

I personally got sober four years ago. I attended a sixmonth rehabilitation center, along with a six-month outpatient program. I’ve been employed in the recovery industry ever since. I’ve seen hundreds of addicts come, go, and mostly, not stay clean. The numbers are stark, and so is the reality.

When I say that Gordon to the Patriots isn’t going to work, it’s not a shot at the Patriots system or even a shot at Gordon. It’s an educated guess, based on my experience dealing with myself and countless other addicts.

We have an obsession of the mind, a need to fill a hole in ourselves. For Gordon, that hole has clearly not been filled by football.

The Patriots are a great football program ­— the best in my opinion — but that’s just what they are. A football program.

For addicts, a life program is required. A shift in personality, a complete alteration of being.

On paper, Gordon and the Patriots are the perfect marriage. In reality, Gordon has a few mistresses, called alcohol, Xanax, cocaine, codeine and promethazine. He’ll need to break up with those before he can break NFL records.

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Junior psychology major William McMullan practices MMA fighting in the multi-purpose gym at the Health and Learning Center Sept. 25. Jay Soliz | The Lumberjack

The intricate art of MMA Amber Neate

S

weat dripped from William McMullan’s brow as he hobbled on the mat with a shattered foot and an aching body. With four out of five matches already won, he was ready for the fifth and final opponent. Anger and pain pooled in his blood as instinct to survive took over him. McMullan entered the final round throwing punches with every bit of power he had left. With one wrong step, his mangled foot gave out and the opponent planted him with a kick to the face. McMullan’s eyes fogged as he slammed to the mat. It was lights out and a silver medal in the 2014 World Tang Soo Do Association tournament.

McMullan is a junior psychology major and current member of the NAU Mixed Martial Arts club. At 6 feet 2 inches tall and 230 pounds, he holds a black belt in Tang Soo Do, a Korean martial art, and has four years of hand-to-hand self-defense training.

MMA is often perceived as a fighting free-for-all that renders competitors crippled and bloody. Although participants often do experience injuries, the sport is misunderstood.

“People see MMA as this aggressive thing, but it’s an art. It’s a dance,” said McMullan. “I’ve done every other sport, none of

them gave me the same excitement.”

MMA was first introduced during the ancient Greek Olympics as a form of entertainment and combat practiced by Greek armies. The sport was called pankration, meaning “all powers.” There were two rules: no biting and no eye-gouging.

Since then, MMA has evolved into an organized sport that has strict rules to enforce professionalism, mutual respect between opponents and clean fights.

MMA incorporates a variety of fighting styles such as boxing, karate, jiu-jitsu, wrestling, judo and others. Typically fights consist of three, five-minute rounds, and competitors grapple with opponents belonging to a similar weight class.

Although MMA incorporates grappling skills, pro-wrestling and MMA are not the same.

“MMA is a competitive sport. Wrestling is a cooperative sport — it’s more theatric,” said NAU pro-wrestling coach Matias Tautimez. “The two sports have completely different objectives.

Wrestling is muscle memory and going with the flow. In MMA, it’s resisting and protecting yourself.”

Head-butting, eye-poking, kicks to the groin and small joint manipulation are not allowed. Downward elbow strikes and kneeing a fallen opponent in the head are prohibited. If a foul is

SPORTS intentional, the competitor may be disqualified.

Opponents are scored based on a 10-point-must system. Ten points is awarded to the winner.

The other fighter gets nine points or less. Judges analyze technique, effective striking, control of the fighting area, defense and successful takedowns.

The NAU MMA Club has been in existence for five years and is a 100 percent student-run organization. Practices are from 4:30 to 6 p.m. every Monday in the NAU Fieldhouse. Friday practice times vary from 3 to 5 p.m. or 4 to 6 p.m. depending on the availability of the space There is a fee of $30 per semester to become a club member, but students have a twoweek period to try out the club before they pay.

Gloves or wraps and a mouth guard are required for practices.

There are currently 10 consistent members of the club, but new members are constantly joining.

In a typical practice session, club members circle up, stretch and perform basic warm-ups such as tumbling, push-ups, grappling, striking and wrestling. Members learn one to two different submissions, standing exercises and blocks. In the last hour of practice, members pair up and work on combinations, sparring and wrestling for three, five-minute rounds.

Senior social work major Julio Burgos is the president and coach of the club. He began training in MMA at age 15 and has been practicing for six years. He holds a purple belt in jiu-jitsu and is proficient in boxing and grappling. His love for the sport, persistence and discipline make him a crucial force in the clubs success.

“Everyone deserves to learn martial arts, it’s freedom of movement. You can express yourself through fighting,” said Burgos.

New members are accepted no matter their rank or level of experience or gender. Students are encouraged to explore the MMA club even if they don’t want to compete.

MMA teaches basic self-defense, a skill that is important to be educated in. Participants must understand that accidents can happen and be aware of the risks. MMA is an organized art, but it requires awareness, balance and technical skill. Several current members of the club have suffered injures such as broken noses, wrists, feet and dislocations from fighting.

“I’ve almost had my back broken,” McMullan said. “I’ve been punched in the throat and put in a neck brace, but I was back at it the next week.”

Despite the serious nature of fighting, club members have fun and hold a close bond.

Training together is a way to relieve stress and get a hard workout. The motto of the club is to foster camaraderie, confidence and competence

Julio Burgos (right) is the NAU MMA club president. The MMA club is making their mark on campus, Sept. 24. Jay Soliz | The Lumberjack

through combat sports.

Fighters feel a range of emotions when they compete, from anxiousness and excitement to hopes of victory and survival. Some competitors listen to music and pray before fights.

“I feel calm, there are no emotions,” Burgos said. “It’s just business. I’m on autopilot when I fight.”

The MMA club used to have a “Fight Night” in the Fieldhouse where club members gathered to compete in front of students and the community. In 2016, this practice was disbanded for being too aggressive and extreme.

Due to liability concerns and risk of severe injury, NAU no longer wanted to publicly support the events. Some MMA members still compete outside of club training and have placed in world championships.

MMA requires dedication, endurance and passion for success. It’s an extreme and highcontact sport, but its rewards are significant.

Not only does MMA enhance confidence, unity and self-discovery, it offers a tool box of combat skills that might save your life.

Do you have what it takes?

Junior psychology major William McMullan is an active member of the MMA club at NAU. MMA is a sport that consists of combining many different fighting styles all into one, Sept. 25.

Jay Soliz | The Lumberjack

SEPT. 27, 2018 – OCT. 3, 2018, 2018 | THE LUMBERJACK 21

SPORTS

Blue and gold in action

Big Sky two-time champions, NAU cross country, takes on the Nuttycombe Invitational Sept. 28 after coming home with a win from the George Kyte Classic.

Women’s tennis at ITA All-American Championship Sept. 29 to Sept. 30.

Last weekend NAU completed in the UNLV Fall Invitational where three athletes earned a title.

Last time NAU football took on Idaho State was Oct. 15, 2016 when the Lumberjacks blew out the Idaho State University Bengals 52-7.

NAU is scheduled to take on ISU Sept. 29 at 1:30 p.m. in Idaho.

Top: John Chaides| The Lumberjack Bottom Left: Bess Valdez| The Lumberjack Bottom Right: Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

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NAU volleyball comes into this weekend with a record of 9-6 while their opponents Sacramento State University has a record of 6-10. These two teams have competed for the last five years with the Lumberjacks coming out on top two of the five matches. Their next matchup is scheduled for Sept. 29 in Sacramento starting at 7 p.m.

Women’s soccer takes on Southern Utah University (SUU) in Cedar City Sept. 30 at 12 p.m. Currently the Lumberjacks have a conference record of 1-0-1 and SUU a conference record of 0-2. This will be the fourth conference game of the season for the Lumberjacks and the second for SUU.

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