The Lumberjack -- September 20, 2019

THE EPIDEMIC PAGE 4

THE LUMBER JACK

SEPT. 19, 2019 – SEPT. 25, 2019

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

S

pontaneity can sometimes be comical. Two weeks ago, the top of my dresser was the home to a bag of tortilla chips, lukewarm seven-layer dip and an empty Arizona Iced Tea. So, in perhaps my proudest moment of adulthood thus far, I spent my entire day off masterminding a plan to forever vanquish the trash from atop my dresser.

I thought to myself, “How about a small waste bin?” But upon calculating the diameter of the dip-holding plastic container, I decided that plan was futile. I could simply walk 30 feet to the kitchen and throw my trash away. A nice concept, but a temporary fix for a crisis that called for a lasting solution. Then it hit me — I will buy a glass box, place it on my dresser and fill the confines with a tiny ecosystem of aquatic plants and fish. That way, instead of forgetting to throw my trash away I can forget to feed my fish.

Let me clarify, my fish are well fed and cared for. All jokes aside, routine is something I have never been very good at, and I seem to have a talent for taking on new responsibilities, nonetheless.

BRADY Despite this, to the outside world I would like to think that I am reliable. I WHEELER am never late for work, and when I say that I am going to do something, I do it.

I manage this by laughing in the face of chaos and learning from it. I bought a DIRECTOR OF DIGITAL CONTENT new planner this week in an effort to be more organized after nearly missing an assignment, and this time I am going to actually use it.

I used to look at the world around me and collapse under the pressure of not living up to its expectations. We live in an age of social media where everyone pretends to have it all put together, and sometimes I think it is important to acknowledge the days where you wake up and decide to buy a fish tank, however irresponsible it may seem.

Life is chaotic, and if you think everyone around you has it figured out you are unfortunately mistaken. I am learning to accept my own shortcomings and improve upon them. Occasionally I make irresponsible decisions, and that is just fine. This year, I am banishing perfectionism from my life and replacing it with self-improvement — just like I banished the trash from atop my dresser.

Thank you for reading.

“People have asked me if I had one thing to do different, what would it be? And my response has been that we would have started [forest restoration] a decade ago.”

– Paul Summerfelt, fire management officer and FWPP project manager The Museum Fire, which started in July, was considered a low to moderate wildfire. Many trees are expected to die, but those with any green left on them will likely survive the winter, Sept.

13. MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 109 ISSUE 6

Editor-in-Chief Bailey Helton Faculty Adviser David Harpster

Managing Editor Sebastian Moore Sports Adviser Rory Faust

Director of Digital Content Brady Wheeler

Sales Manager Marsha Simon

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

Copy Chief Collin W. Clayton

Faculty Adviser, Visuals Taylor Mahoney Valerie Devoy

News Editor Scout Ehrler

Features Editor Shaelene Walker

Sports Editor Molly Smith

Asst. News Editor Trevor Skeen

Asst. Features Editor Ash Lohmann

Asst. Sports Editor Jacob Terrill

Asst. Dir. of Illustration Aleah Green

Online News Editor Ray Anne Galzote

Culture Editor Sabrina Proffitt

Director of Circulation Robyn Monroe

Director of Photography Morgan Fisher

Asst. Dir. of Circulation Anel Lamadrid

Asst. Dir. of Photography Bess Valdez

Director of Illustration Madison Cohen

Senior Photographer Shannon Swain

Op-Ed Editor Caitlin Burke

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Asst. Culture Editor Nathan Manni Asst. Op-Ed Editor D’Anna Davis

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From 2017 to 2018, e-cigarette use increased 48% in middle school students and 78% in high school students. Photo Illustration by Shannon Swain

Print Chief Bella Valenzuela

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board

Online News Editor Karin Johnson

On the cover

Corrections & Clarifications Last week in the story “Louie’s Cupboard participation may point to food insecurity at NAU” we stated that, “Of all NAU students, 45% reported experiencing food insecurity within the 30 days prior to being surveyed.” The 45% is not based off of the NAU student population, it is based off a 2018 national study by Hope Center for College, Community and Justice (Hope Center). We apologize for the error.

The Lumberjack is committed to factual correctness and accuracy. If you find an error in our publication, please email Bailey Helton at brs289@nau.edu.

PoliceBeat Sept. 8 At 12:37 a.m., an officer initiated a traffic stop at San Francisco Street and Mountain View Drive. A student was cited and released for extreme DUI above 0.15, and a warning was issued for speeding.

At 2:39 p.m., a student at the Cowden Learning Community called to report a student attempting suicide.

NAUPD, Flagstaff Fire Department and Guardian Medical Transport responded.

The student was located and At 1:37 a.m., a student transported to FMC. at Cline Library reported a suspicious male subject staring Sept. 11 at people. NAUPD responded, At 7:41 a.m., an employee and the non-student left the at West Riordan Road and area.

Knoles Drive reported an NAU vehicle striking a cyclist.

At 9:51 a.m., an NAUPD Officers responded, and the officer at the Drury Inn & cyclist was unhurt. The driver Suites on South Milton Road was cited for failure to yield to reported two non-students a pedestrian in the crosswalk. sleeping outside the building.

One subject was transported At 11:35 a.m., a staff to FMC by Guardian Medical member at the du Bois Center Transport for intoxication. called to report a suspicious package. NAUPD responded, At 11:54 a.m., dorm and the package was taken staff at Gabaldon Hall called for safekeeping. It was then to request help taking a pair returned to its owner. of scissors from a student who was threatening suicide.

Sept. 12 NAUPD responded and took At 11:24 a.m., a student the item for safekeeping. A near the Southwest Forest report was taken.

Science Complex called to report a suspicious person Sept. 9 on the bus. NAUPD officers At 9:30 a.m., staff at obtained video evidence, the Facility Services building verified employee status and reported that an NAU vehicle the student was provided with backed into a Starship robot. information.

NAUPD responded and took a report.

At 3:45 p.m., a staff member at Cline Library called At 9:34 p.m., an officer to request medical assistance initiated a traffic stop on for a student with abdominal South Milton Road. A non- pain. The Flagstaff Fire student was booked into Department and Guardian Coconino County Detention Medical Transport responded, Facility for false reporting to and the patient was transported law enforcement and three to FMC. misdemeanor warrants.

At 10:38 p.m., staff Sept. 10 at Wilson Hall called to At 2:24 p.m., a student report an odor of marijuana. at the Honors College called NAUPD responded, and two to report an injured bird on students were deferred for campus. NAUPD responded, consumption of alcohol by a and the bird appeared to be in minor and minor in possession good health. It eventually flew of alcohol. One student away. was also deferred for use of

Compiled by trevor Skeen marijuana. Another student is being long-form charged with minor in consumption of alcohol, possession of drug paraphernalia and possession of narcotics.

Sept. 13 At 1:51 p.m., a student at Cline Library reported a suspicious person on a bike harassing students. NAUPD officers responded, and contact was made with the subject. The non-student was told to leave campus.

At 3:38 p.m., NAUPD reported assisting FPD with a possible shots fired call at South Milton Road. No contact was made.

At 7:50 p.m., a student at the South Village Apartments called to report a loss of feeling beneath the waist. The patient was transported to FMC. At 9:53 p.m., a staff member at McConnell Hall called to report damage to an exit sign. An NAUPD officer responded and took a report.

Sept. 14 At 4:58 a.m., staff at FMC called to report a possible latenight assault on campus. An NAUPD officer responded, took a report and found the assault had not occurred on campus. The report was for information only.

At 4:58 p.m., a subject called to report a skunk near the Sports Activity Practice Fields. An NAUPD officer responded, but no contact was made.

At 7:18 p.m., a RA at Reilly Hall called to report an intoxicated student who needed medical attention.

The student was deferred for minor consumption and was transported to FMC.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

The epidemic inflicted by tobacco and e-cigarettes ray anne galzote

T

he Tobacco 21 smoking ordinance went into effect in Flagstaff early this month. According to an online copy of the ordinance, approved on Sept. 1, the sale of tobacco, including electronic cigarette products, to anyone under 21 is now prohibited.

Many locals and organizations around both Flagstaff and Arizona have differing opinions about this new ordinance.

David Morris, vice president of the Arizona Smoke Free Business Alliance (ASFA), said he and his organization are mostly in support of the ordinance.

Morris said ASFA’s core mission is divided into two parts.

The first part is to guarantee those not allowed to have access to vapor products continue to not get access. The second part is to ensure people who are allowed to have access to vapor products continue to have access to them.

However, Morris and ASFA had an issue with the lack of a grandfather clause included in the ordinance.

According to the Cornell Law School legal encyclopedia website, a grandfather clause allows those who are already legally able to do something to continue doing so, despite a new law or regulation being passed that would have prohibited them otherwise.

“There could be a 19- or 20-year-old who has been legally vaping as soon as they turned 18, and all of a sudden it is going to become illegal for them to do so,” Morris said.

Other organizations like Arizona Students Aiming for Prevention (ASAP) disagree with the inclusion of a grandfather clause. ASAP is a youth group based out of Flagstaff High School that aims to prevent tobacco use among teens and promote a healthy lifestyle. “[ASAP does not] fully support the grandfather law because it still gives access to [people between 18 to 20] and permission to continue using tobacco products,” said Nikki White, a senior at Flagstaff High School and member of ASAP. “The purpose of T21 is to eliminate the access.”

Other Flagstaff locals support the new ordinance. Kirsten Nolker, an academic adviser at the Gateway Student Success Center, said she is glad the ordinance has passed because it is a step in the right direction.

“I think [the ordinance] should be nationwide, and there need to be [stricter] laws about vaping and e-cigarettes because of how dangerous they are,” Nolker said.

Flagstaff’s new ordinance comes at the same time as Juul use in teens and young adults is being considered an epidemic, according to a CNBC article.

“I have three younger siblings who are all in high school, and [vaping] wasn’t a thing at all when I was in high school,” Nolker said. “Hearing them talk about how many of their friends do it and how normal it is in school systems is kind of scary.”

According to the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA), there were over 3 million e-cigarette users in 2018 among middle and high school demographics. From 2017 to 2018, e-cigarette use increased 48% in middle school students and 78% in high school students.

However, local businesses, workers and those who do use

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tobacco and e-cigarette products may adamantly oppose the new ordinance. Tyler Townsend, an employee at Red Star Vapor & CBD, said it is worthless. “[The ordinance] is completely uncalled for and unnecessary, considering the fact that the way they went about the [ordinance] and getting it passed is borderline, in my opinion, morally wrong,” Townsend said.

The Flagstaff City Council did not clarify whether they would be voting on the bill in their July 2 meeting, Townsend said.

“They’re still being very hushed about it, considering we didn’t even find out about it until two weeks before it took effect, which is over a month after it passed,” Townsend said.

Although the ordinance has only been implemented for a short time, Townsend said sales at Red Star have already declined.

“Considering [the ordinance] went into effect as of Sunday [Sept. 1], it has definitely affected our sales quite a bit,” Townsend said.

Between Sept. 1 and Sept. 3, sales have already dropped 20% compared to the week before, Townsend said.

According to The Washington Post, Michigan became the first state to ban flavored e-cigarettes Sept. 4.

A group called the Coconino Anti-Tobacco Students (CATS) have said they are in full support of Michigan’s new law. CATS is an anti-tobacco youth coalition based out of Coconino High School.

Anastacia Dougi, a senior at Coconino High School and the co-president of CATS, said she thinks banning flavored e-cigarettes is beneficial in preventing kids from using them more.

“A lot of the flavors we’ve seen are mango, mixed berry, mint, chicken and waffles or fruit loops, which is a kids cereal,” Dougi said. “They’re using these candy-like flavors to target youth, because what are youth attracted to? Sweet things.”

Emily Blink, another senior at Coconino High School and member of CATS, said banning these flavors is beneficial for health.

“A lot of these flavors have many chemicals,” Blink said. “In the juice, there are many carcinogens within vapes that can cause cancer.”

According to the American Lung Association, Juuls and other vaping devices harbor toxic chemicals and metals. A few of these include acrolein, carcinogens and diacetyl. The website stated these chemicals can cause lung damage, cancer and popcorn lung.

Although some organizations are in support of Michigan’s new law, ASFA is not. Morris said flavored pods are not the reason youth are attracted to smoking and vaping, therefore it’s not logical to ban these flavors.

“The way I see it is, [Juul] stopped selling flavored pods for their devices in stores about a year ago, and kids are still using Juul,” Morris said. “So, it’s obviously not the flavors that are attracting kids.”

According to an Associated Press article, Juul stopped selling certain flavors in store in 2018, unless a retailer can scan IDs and verify someone is 21. However, all their flavors continue to be sold online.

While visiting several school districts, Morris said he noticed most confiscated e-cigarette devices in high schools contained a

Photo Illustration By Shannon Swain

high level of nicotine. He said there are two different types of vapor products, and they can be classified as a closed or open system.

Closed system vape products contain about 17 times more nicotine than the open system. Open system liquid has been effective at giving smokers an alternative to cigarettes, Morris said.

“I smoked for 16 years, and I haven’t smoked a cigarette in about six years now … I used open system vaping to do that,” Morris said. “My problem with the closed system vaping products is that it has so much nicotine in it that it gave me almost like a buzz.”

Morris said the buzz he referred to is the primary reason that young adults and kids are using e-cigarettes.

Recently, there have been reports of lung illness caused by vaping. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), they, the FDA, state and local governments, and other health partners are investigating an outbreak of lung disease in relation to e-cigarettes. There have already been six deaths and more than 300 cases of illness related to e-cigarette products.

“Those products that they’re using are the products that contain either THC or CBD,” Morris said. “The specific disease that people were getting from this is called lipid pneumonia, [which is] caused when you get anything that is oily based into your lungs, because [they can’t] process that type of stuff.”

The CDC recommends people avoid buying and using e-cigarette products that contain THC, CBD and other cannabinoids.

“I see vapor as a technology that, if it’s used correctly, can end nicotine addiction worldwide forever,” Morris said. “But we can’t do that if we’re creating new nicotine addicts.”

NEWS

Investigate the inner workings of Journalism scout ehrler

T

he NAU School of Communication will host an Investigative Journalism Week beginning Sept. 23, which will include numerous lectures across journalism classes, a presentation to all Media Innovation Center (MIC) students and an investigative journalism workshop.

Jude Joffe-Block, an award-winning investigative journalist and fellow to Russell Sage in New York City, will lead these events. Evan Wyloge, data and investigation editor for The Desert Sun in Palm Springs, California and adjunct professor at NAU, will present a lecture discussing the Freedom of Information Act Sept. 26.

The journalism department formed the weeklong event in anticipation of a new investigative journalism fellowship.

Angele Anderfuren, the School of Communication internship coordinator and senior lecturer at NAU, paired with the journalism department to spearhead its efforts.

“We were given a gift by a generous alumna, Suzanne Goodspeed, to fund an investigative journalism fellowship.

Then journalism faculty decided to do a whole investigative journalism week in connection with the fellowship to celebrate the importance of the hard work journalists do to shed light on important issues here in Arizona,” Anderfuren said in an email.

“Journalism classes always highlight the work of investigative journalists, but celebrating a week of investigative journalism brings more student attention to the importance of investigative work.”

Goodspeed graduated from NAU’s School of Communication with a degree in journalism in 1991. As a past journalism student and writer for The Lumberjack, Goodspeed wants to provide the resources needed in the MIC. Details on the fellowship are still pending, but Goodspeed said the week of events is just the tip of the iceberg.

“I want to try this out and continue discussions on how to help the journalism department,” Goodspeed said in a phone interview. “I wanted to make sure this was a resource available at NAU.” In addition to general education regarding investigative journalism, the event will provide hands-on experience for journalism students. Anderfuren said students will be able to receive feedback on their work and ask for career advice.

“The goal is for students to feel even more informed and empowered, to build on top of what they’re learning, to be inspired, to learn more about what it takes to be a hard-working journalist that makes a difference,” Anderfuren said. “We routinely bring in amazing journalists from across the country to speak with our students in our journalism classes, but this event adds to that.”

Independent, Phoenix-based journalist Joffe-Block began her journalism career as a graduate student and has spent nearly a decade in public radio. She has devoted the last couple years to working on a book with investigative journalist Terry Greene Sterling. The nonfiction narrative follows Maricopa County Sheriff Joe Arpaio and the evolution of immigration fights in Arizona. While on campus, Joffe-Block will share what she has learned throughout her career.

“I want to give the kinds of lectures that I wanted to hear when I was in journalism school. I didn’t actually study journalism as an undergrad — I came to that career later. I feel like I got some training in journalism school, but not the practical, how to put it all together advice that I felt like I always wanted,” JoffeBlock said in a phone interview. “I’ll talk about the beginning to end: getting a story idea, what public record to pursue, how to pursue them, what interviews to pursue, what details can help you make the product a compelling read. So, thinking through all the ingredients that make a good investigative story.”

Among interviewees, the same sentiment prevailed: journalism, more specifically investigative journalism, has never been more vital than it is today. Investigative Journalism Week is the first step in expanding how MIC students address journalism.

“Maybe we shouldn’t be letting standard journalism have such a lackluster definition. I think all the journalism we do can have an investigative component,” Joffe-Block said. “In a way, I think that we need to be thinking of all of our stories as demanding critical reasoning over secondary sources, even if it’s something that’s been talked about before — digging deeper and bringing things that haven’t already been discussed forward.”

A recent Duke University study showed that local newspapers remain the largest producers of original local content, despite their decline. While new online publications crop up and focus is shifted away from local newspapers, local publications continue to reign as the top news producers, outranking television, radio and online outlets.

Investigative Journalism Week has the potential to broaden the span of information available to students and supply more tools for their media toolbox. The workshop taking place on Friday will be open to non-journalism students who RSVP. “Investigative journalism is the backbone of all journalism.

It is one of the most fundamental and important parts of the profession,” Anderfuren said. “All journalists work to serve their communities — not only the people that directly read their newspapers, websites or social media posts, listen to their radio broadcasts or podcasts, or watch their video stories on phones, televisions and other devices.

They’re there for everyone.”

Illustration By Shelsey Braswell

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

New law gives harsher penalty to animal abusers

Animals in shelters face the risk of being euthanized, but rates are steadily decreasing, Sept. 12. Megan Ford-Fyffe | The Lumberjack

Tabetha Friday

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new law, HB 2671, declares an increased penalty for animal cruelty in which the charges for such abuse are raised to a class five felony. According to the Arizona Daily Star, this Arizona law went into effect Sept. 3, following a proposal from Senator John Kavanagh to increase the punishment for animal abusers. If found guilty of intentionally subjecting a domestic animal to cruel mistreatment, the offender may be sentenced for up to 18 months in prison and is required to have authorized supervision. In addition, these new charges cannot be relegated to a misdemeanor in a court of law.

While stricter laws have been passed to hold animal abusers accountable, another long-term progression has been made in shelters across Arizona. Euthanasia rates have steadily declined over the last 10 years, which can be attributed to an increase in resources and adoptions for shelters across the state.

Michelle Ryan, the executive director of the Coconino Humane Association, spoke over the phone about her experience with shelters in the Flagstaff area.

“Some days we would get 40 to 50 dogs, and we only have 66 dog kennels,” Ryan said. “Now we have more resources, like putting the animals into foster care during their healing process for treatment rather than being euthanized.”

Arizona Humane’s ethical no-kill

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philosophy, which is designed to eliminate unnecessary euthanizing, relates to the philosophies promoted by many other humane associations, including High Country Humane.

Steve Conrad, the executive director for High Country Humane, talked about the importance of protecting and saving animals from being euthanized when possible.

“We would never put a cat or dog down for lack of time or space,” Conrad said in a phone interview. “Health and behavior are our first and foremost concerns when it comes to quality of life.”

According to the Petful website, there are a number of reasons why animals are euthanized nationwide. These reasons include the rapid spread of diseases from infected animals to other healthy animals, overpopulation and behavioral issues, such as aggression and health complications, that cannot be medicated. For example, a virus like canine distemper would result in euthanization.

Ryan said there was an outbreak of canine distemper about two years ago that spread to shelters throughout Arizona, New Mexico and Texas. Furthermore, the outbreak infected over 6% of Coconino Humane’s total intake of dogs that year.

“We could not let the [infected] dogs risk getting the other dogs sick,” Ryan said. “It was so hard to make that decision to euthanize, but as more clinics and more shelters are treating, we are coming up with new ways to help them.”

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According to the Michigan State University College of Law, a majority of states have implemented laws decreeing that shelter animals must be spayed and neutered. Arizona is one such state, and the law has been shown to lower the number of euthanizations and improve adoption rates. According to Michigan State’s study, this trend is occurring because spaying and neutering offers numerous health benefits to the animal, along with preventing the overpopulation of stray animals. “[Spaying and neutering are] so important for health and well-being,” Conrad said. “Our veterinarian does about 18 spays and neuters a day. We see so many people that don’t take the means to get them neutered. Education is key.”

According to Ryan and Conrad, who are both familiar with the policies and tendencies of animal shelters, citizens can provide valuable assistance to shelter animals in a variety of ways.

“Adopt, don’t shop. If you can’t adopt, donate. If you can’t donate, volunteer,” Ryan said.

Conrad said volunteering is an important component of animal shelters’ business. He said that humane societies utilize help from the community to increase awareness and involvement.

“One of the things our community could use is volunteers to see exactly what’s going on around the shelters and getting a little more involved,” Conrad said.

There are various efforts throughout the

state to reduce the amount of unnecessary euthanizing. One example is Coconino Humane’s approach to marketing individual animals. According to Ryan, this strategy gives stray animals a better chance of being adopted. The humane center also partners with local veterinarians to prepare the animals for adoption.

According to statistics from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, approximately 1.5 million animals in shelters across the United States are euthanized annually.

This number is a significant decrease from 2011, when approximately 2.6 million animals were euthanized throughout the country.

As stated by a Cronkite News report from 2016, Phoenix had over a 70% decrease in euthanizing. This decline was partially attributed to an increase in adoption rates, approximating that 3.2 million shelter animals were adopted annually.

The rate of euthanizing has dropped rapidly in the last few years, and numerous animal shelters continue to pursue and promote better alternatives. Additionally, Arizona law now enforces stricter punishments for animal abusers. The Coconino Humane Association and High Country Humane continue to protect stray animals in the Flagstaff area, just as various organizations have committed to doing throughout the state.

NEWS

Remembering 9/11 Top Left: Flagstaff Mayor Coral Evans places flags on the City Hall lawn in preparation for the 9/11 Flag Memorial Field.

Bottom Left: 2,977 flags stand on the lawn of City Hall, each flag in memory of a life lost to the September 11, 2001 terrorist attacks.

Right: Nora Kruse, 10, places a flag on the City Hall lawn Sept. 10. This is the third year Kruse is participating in the 9/11 Flag Memorial Field.

Brian Burke|The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

There is power in a name and he left with a slap on the wrist. Miller received the worst of the punishment through knowing her assaulter was only n 2015, a horrific story of sexual assault swept the serving six months for his crime. nation. A Stanford University student was raped outside It is appalling that her attacker was protected by the of a party while she was unconscious. Previously referred judge. If someone makes the decision to sexually assault to as Emily Doe, Chanel Miller has publicly spoken out another person, they should pay for it. It is not that hard to about her story. understand that sexually violating a person’s boundaries is Miller anonymously delivered a powerful impact wrong and should be punishable by law. statement after her attack that helped give voices to survivors Turner used his consumption of alcohol as the of sexual violence. Even though this happened four years reasoning behind the assault. Clearly, being intoxicated is ago, the story is still very much relevant. not a justification for committing such a horrendous offense.

This case shed light on an issue that has From the cases that I have seen, the intent to sexually assault been going on for countless years. Victims someone exists in the mind of a morally unjust of sexual assault are often shamed or perpetrator whether or not they are drunk or ridiculed for what happened to sober. them.

This is just one case out of thousands.

Victims are never to blame Everyday, situations like this happen that for their assault. More needs to don’t make the news and are never shared. be done from law enforcement Victims rarely come forward out of fear to bring justice to sexual assault of being accused of lying, or out of fear survivors. that their attacker will not be convicted Rapists deserve to be with proper punishment. punished for their actions.

The awareness that Miller Unlike other crimes, brought to this subject was a sexual assault is wake-up call, but there still is never an accident or more to be done to protect unintentional. survivors and punish In the Stanford assaulters. rape case, the There is a stigma perpetrator, Brock surrounding sexual Turner, was given a assault that the victim six-month sentence and is to blame because it served only three could have been avoided months when by not drinking or trusting the maximum the individual. This blame sentence was 14 should be turned around on years, according to The the assaulters, and they should be New York Times. expected not to physically attack This is not nearly enough time. people out of selfish reasons.

Turner deserved to serve much more for Miller’s open letter to her attacker went his actions. The judge on the case, Aaron Illustration By diana Ortega viral for her shocking and emotional words.

Persky, supposedly didn’t want Turner’s She was a voice for other survivors. It was life and career to be ruined. According to Persky, a prison chilling to listen to her retell what happened. She described sentence would have a “severe impact” on Turner, as stated what many other survivors had felt and experienced. by an article from The Independent.

The culture behind sexual assault allegations of viewing However, there was no mention of the severe impact the survivor as responsible in any way is unacceptable. Society Turner had on Miller when he raped her. She must live with needs to replace this toxic mindset with an expectation of the lasting effects that sexual assault imposes for the rest of protecting the survivors who need it the most. her life.

By revealing her name, she is reclaiming her identity.

The only priority that Persky cared about was making Her message to other victims of sexual assault is inspiring. sure Turner’s life wasn’t ruined based on a crime he She will not be known as Emily Doe, a victim. She will be knowingly committed. known as Chanel Miller, a survivor.

Thankfully, this biased judge was recalled from his position in 2018 after losing a recall vote, as reported in the Los Angeles Times.

In this case, the evidence against him is incredibly clear,

Madeline hollmann

I am no victim I Editor’s note: The author of this column is writing under an alias to protect their identity.

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s much as I resist them, the flashbacks never subside. I think about what happened every single day.

I was 17 years old. It was the night of the last day of my senior year of high school. I felt free — more free than I had in my entire life. I felt ready to take on new challenges, experiences and make the most of the newfound independence.

That night amid the glory and euphoria, I was raped by a coworker and friend. The next day, I couldn’t admit to myself what had happened the night before. I shut it out completely. I pushed the thought CAMERON MOON so far down, refusing to acknowledge what may or may not have happened.

WRITER I felt so unsure. I was so quick to dispel the idea in my head. I thought something like that would never happen to me.

I kept it to myself for a year. I spent a year battling these thoughts.

Day after day, I’d attempt to muster muffled images of that night in my head, trying to piece together an answer to why it happened.

The answer was I didn’t know. I still don’t. I don’t know why this happened to me, and I don’t know why this happens to the 321,500 men and women that are raped or sexually assaulted each year in the U.S, according to the Rape, Abuse & Incest National Network.

I know that the memory will follow me for the rest of my life. It haunts me every day.

I lost sight of who I was. Sometimes I feel like I’m still searching for her. But everything about that night shaped me into the person I am now.

I hold a lot of residual anger, but I don’t blame myself anymore. It took a lot of evaluating to understand that I was not the problem. I was not why this happened, and I am not less of a person because of it.

One thing I’ve struggled with was showing weakness. I built up walls that were never there before and confined myself to emotional boundaries I didn’t dare cross.

I hate to be seen as weak, and I despise the words victim and survivor because of that. I can’t be a survivor if I haven’t fully overcome it.

I will not succumb to being a victim. Doing so, I’ll be defeated.

For the past two years I’ve been trying to conquer the fear, anger and guilt. Each day, I remember. With the memories come overwhelming emotions, but I remind myself that I am unassailable.

It happened, and it was a horrible thing, but life didn’t stop because of it.

It’s been over two years, and I still have a lot of questions I know will never be answered. But that’s OK. What matters is that I continue with daily life, as difficult as it may be some days. At the end of it all, I will know I didn’t let it take over me forever. I didn’t let it win. I will never be defeated because I was raped.

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Point-Counterpoint: Vape nation Ryan Dixon

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ith a rising number of studies being done across the United States on vaping-related deaths and illnesses, vaping of any nature is starting to receive an overwhelmingly negative reputation.

Of all the things to try to scrutinize, I feel like rejecting the abundant cotton candy and blue raspberry flavored clouds that swirl around campus is a little naive.

This is college, and out of the many addictive substances and practices that run rampant on college campuses, vaping should be the least of people’s worries.

Smoking cigarettes is a bad habit that has plagued the country for hundreds of years. According to studies done by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), as of 2019, smoking is still the leading preventable cause of death in the United States and worldwide.

That’s where vaping steps in. Vaping provides a healthier alternative to the carcinogenic killer known as cigarettes.

According to the CDC’s website, there are some pros to vaping. One positive is that they are a safer alternative to cigarettes and can be used as a tool for long-term cigarette smokers to help ease their addiction.

The website also states that electronic cigarettes do not contain tobacco, therefore they do not contain as many toxins or carcinogens that cause lung disease and cancer in cigarette smokers. Having fewer toxins, Juuls and other e-cigarettes emit less toxic material in the aerosol.

They also appear to be less risky to smokers who have mild to moderate cases of asthma, as the clouds are made of innocent and tasty vapor.

I have also heard from friends that vaping has helped them decompress from the negative affects of mental health struggles, such as anxiety, depression and PTSD. When addiction comes into play, such as a nicotine addiction derived from vaping, the action of vaping can leave the user feeling relaxed and calmer when they have been deprived of the chemical for too long.

Overall, vaping does not deserve the bad reputation. This has only been exacerbated recently from a study done on a very small sample of people who have developed illnesses from other underlying medical conditions on top of vaping, as reported by The Guardian.

Vaping has cut down the smoking plague that was passed on from generation to generation and is a positive comfort in many people’s lives. Vaping ultimately brings much less harmful side effects than the alternative of smoking cigarettes.

A complete ban on the widespread access of vapes sold in stores could lead to a detrimental impact on people who are addicted to vaping and could potentially switch to something more harmful and easier to obtain, like cigarettes.

Brady Wheeler

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Illustration By amy czachowski

ook, I get it — electronic cigarettes have never been so appealing as they are now. Vape technology consumption has never been more convenient. It seems everybody my age is constantly chasing that instantaneous feeling of pleasure or a calming effect on stress and anxiety, especially when it comes prepackaged in fruitflavored, disposable cartridges that can be found on every street corner. But it’s time to stop.

To my peers: Let’s stop willingly giving ourselves nicotine addictions just because it is convenient.

As someone that admittedly enjoyed the occasional cigarette, I was initially on board with vaping. I was by no means addicted to cigarettes, but on the few occasions each month when I would have normally smoked a cigarette, vapes seemed like a healthy alternative. In fact, they probably still are. But very few people are using them as an alternative, and it seems with each passing day, more and more studies are being released showing that e-cigarettes come with a massive risk of their own.

Perhaps e-cigarettes were introduced to the nicotine market as a healthy alternative to smoking, but this is no longer how they are being advertised, and they can no longer be considered healthy.

A 2017 study conducted by the Centers for Disease

Illustration By amy czachowski

Control and Prevention (CDC) reported in 2017 a record low 7.6% of high school students using e-cigarettes on one or more occasion, but saw that number jump back up to 8.1% in 2018.

Meanwhile, the same survey concluded that from 2017 to 2018, the percentage of high school students using e-cigarettes jumped from 11.7% to 20.8%.

No one can convince me that these adolescents picked up vaping as a healthy alternative to cigarettes. When looking at the numbers, it is simply illogical.

What is more likely is that these adolescents have acquired a nicotine habit from smoking e-cigarettes. Of course the fault does not only fall to the products themselves, but can you blame young, impressionable people for falling into the trap? I have had a hard time not doing so.

These devices are marketed as a healthy alternative to cigarettes, are advertised in a wide variety of sweet flavors and look like an Apple product. The showings are all there for a successful product, so why would these massive distributors even mention the health risks or the thousands of new addictions being created?

As of Sept. 6, the CDC reported more than 450 possible cases of lung illness associated with the use of e-cigarette products. Six deaths from the CDC’s investigation were confirmed. How bad will these statistics get? I really couldn’t tell you, but I certainly am going to avoid being among them. Vaping is not worth the risk.

Never mind that it’s expensive, too.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Charlie Duke, an Apollo 16 astronaut, stands at the Descartes landing site at the rim of the Plum crater on April 21, 1972. A lunar rover is in the background. Photo courtesy of Business Insider

Moon walker recognizing Flagstaff’s giant leaps Ash Lohmann

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lmost a half century ago, General Charlie Duke prepared for his Apollo 16 moon landing here in Flagstaff. Now, locals are awaiting his return as the keynote speaker for this year’s Flagstaff Festival of Science.

The Flagstaff Festival of Science is an annual festival that celebrates Flagstaff’s STEM community and encourages everyone to be engaged with science. Lowell Observatory historian Kevin Schindler has been part of the festival for over 10 years. Schindler has a passion for science, and loves that he can share that passion with others during the festival.

“The [festival] is one of the oldest festivals of science in the western hemisphere,” Schindler said. “It all started in 1990 when a group of scientists and educators got together and said, ‘You know, we have this great scientific heritage here, and there are festivals celebrating beer and arts and music and everything else. How about we have a science festival?’ It started as a threeday event highlighted with a keynote speaker,

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and then it soon turned into the 10-day event it is today.”

Schindler said the Flagstaff Festival of Science is a signature event for Flagstaff. Master teacher at Lowell Observatory Ted Gonzales agrees. Gonzales said the festival is the best way to engage the younger generation in science, because they are the ones who will carry on Flagstaff’s legacy of innovation and discovery.

“Basically, [the festival] is to show youth and the public that science is fun and that science is for everyone,” Gonzales said. “Bringing science to the kids, bringing science to the public, making science accessible — that’s why it’s important. Flagstaff is a very big STEM city, and science isn’t just for scientists or engineers — it can be for everyone.”

Bonnie Stevens, the event coordinator for the Flagstaff Festival of Science, said the festival is celebrating its 13th year, but will also celebrate Flagstaff’s Lunar Legacy. It commemorates the dedication of everyone involved in the Apollo moon landings, including Flagstaff’s very own community members. Stevens said while

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the Flagstaff Festival of Science is a great way to involve the community in STEM, it also demonstrates how intertwined science is with the city’s history.

“I was around when the festival was just coming together, and it seemed like such a great idea to be able to showcase some of the world-class science that goes on in Flagstaff,” Stevens said.

What’s being showcased this year is monumental – Flagstaff’s legacy in the Apollo missions.

Alongside the Lunar Legacy celebration that will encapsulate this year’s festival, American astronaut Duke will be presenting the keynote speech.

“We’re so honored to be able to draw from greatness in the Flagstaff community,” Stevens

said. “The keynote presentation sets the tone for the whole 10 days of the festival, and this year, it just couldn’t be a better match than having General Charlie Duke.”

Keynote speakers tend to be high-profile scientists, explorers and innovators. While Duke will be the third moon walker to be a keynote speaker for the festival, Schindler said his involvement is extraordinary. Twelve people have walked on the moon, and only four are still alive today, including Duke.

Stevens said she and the rest of Flagstaff are simply “over the moon” to have him back in town. Scientists and historians are urging the community to participate in the festival and to listen to Duke’s keynote speech, as it will be an exciting moment for Flagstaff’s history.

“You have to go see General Charlie Duke talk, because as one of the last moon walkers

FEATURES

alive today, it’s important we carry on that legacy as Flagstaff residents,” Gonzales said. “Whether we’re all students just here temporarily or we’re part of northern Arizona, it’s important we carry on the experience he’s going to share with us, even if you’re not a science major. If you’re an art major, it’s still so important to know that experience of going to the moon.”

Gonzales said it is important to recognize the bravery and determination it took Duke and other moon walkers to achieve what they have.

“They inspired humanity to be explorers, and to use science, math and engineering to push us forward and not be afraid to take those leaps,” Gonzales said.

Duke is one of Schindler’s role models because of his involvement in our national effort to get to the moon, and because Duke demonstrates that if we put our mind to something, it is achievable.

“Charlie Duke and those guys were the ones who sat on top of that explosive device — a rocket as high as a football field is long — and put their lives on the line for their country and for the quest of knowledge,” Schindler said.

While Duke was not the first man on the moon, he was the youngest man to walk the moon’s surface, and Schindler said his involvement in researching the moon was as crucial as that of Neil Armstrong’s, Buzz Aldrin’s and Michael Collins’.

“We had to go to the moon, not just that one time, but several times to learn more about that body,” Schindler said. “If we had gone to the moon just that one time, the science we’d have learned of it would have been so much less.”

Stevens said Duke’s accomplishments are mighty, and the pride Flagstaff has in Duke is double the pride the rest of

the nation has in him because of his involvement within the questioning about the universe.” community during his training.

Schindler said he hopes Duke’s presence at the festival “Even though we may not have been here, it’s still reminds people to be more conscious and curious about their something we all take really great pride in,” Schindler said. surroundings.

“It’s part of the heritage of northern Arizona.”

“We’re human, we explore, we like to look into the Duke and fellow American astronaut John unknown,” Schindler said. “But in this world, sometimes we get Young named a crater they visited on the moon caught up. You walk down the street and everybody’s on their cell Flag Crater after Flagstaff. Gonzales said that phone, but sometimes you just have to step back, look especially showed how much Duke and reengage with that awe and wonder that’s enjoyed his training here, part of us as humans. Having somebody and Flagstaff played an like Charlie Duke here and the entire astounding role in all festival of science, that’s the whole the Apollo missions goal of all that – to really take a through mapping minute and think about your missions at Lowell place in the universe.”

Observatory The Flagstaff Festival and training in of Science invites the public nearby crater to tap into their universal fields. awe at Duke’s keynote “To have speech Sept. 20 in NAU’s [Duke] in Ardrey Auditorium at 7 Flagstaff represents p.m., or to watch the live everything that stream of the event on the makes Flagstaff special,” Festival of Science website.

Gonzales said. “It’s not just The festival will continue astronomy, it’s all the sciences until Sept. 30 and will host over and the drive to figure out the 100 free events and activities for universe that I feel resonates so greatly all ages in various facets of Flagstaff with Flagstaff.” science.

Flagstaff is a large contributor to the Apollo missions’ success, and Stevens said the community should be brimming with pride about the city’s innovation and status for incredible discoveries.

“Every [Apollo] astronaut who has walked on the moon has walked in Flagstaff first,” Stevens said.

Scientists said they are proud to be part of a community with such strong ties to great movements in science, including the Apollo missions. Duke and Flagstaff’s involvement in the Apollo missions demonstrated the drive to understand the unknown, a drive central to the human experience.

“The big question for humans is, ‘Where is our place in the universe?’ And we learn a little bit more the further we step outside our doorstep,” Gonzales said. “It’s important to know what humans are capable of, because we get to know ourselves better, and I think it’s important for humans to continue pushing our boundaries and continue Illustrations By Brooke Berry and Christian Ayala

“We’re human, we explore, we like to look into the unknown” – Kevin Schindler, Lowell Observatory historian

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

The audience applauds after Jake Skeets finishes reading an excerpt from “Eyes Bottle Dark witha Mouthful of Flowers: Poems” Sept. 16. Quinten Kessler | The Lumberjack

Where Flag’s bookworms flock for fun Ashlyn Easley

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ince it opened nearly three years ago, Bright Side Bookshop has been hosting events that provide opportunities for people to meet their favorite authors and gain insight into the writing processes.

Sam Butler has been Bright Side’s events coordinator since February. Butler’s favorite part of being the events manager is seeing everything fall into place.

“Author events are a really important part of a bookstore,” Butler said. “In the book world, people have their favorite authors, and they’ll read anything that author writes. It’s always exciting when we get to meet the author behind such an enrapturing book, and it’s an experience many people, including myself, enjoy.”

Butler said she loves the moment when the author is done speaking and everyone goes to the signing table. She said it’s wonderful to hear all the positive comments about the book and the author.

“It’s amazing to hear people telling how much they loved the book, how it changed their life or how many people they recommended it to,” Butler said. “The praise for the author is my favorite part, because you can see in the author’s eyes that they worked so hard, and this is how they get their gratification.”

In the future, Butler hopes to bring in more authors, especially children’s and young adult authors, to inspire readers of all ages.

Since the shop opened, at least 100 authors have participated in this event. Local favorites, such as travel writer Kevin Fedarko and wilderness

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author Craig Childs, have done repeat events as well.

Local authors usually reach out to Butler if they’re interested in participating in an event.

Occasionally, authors from out of town will contact the shop if they’re going on tour and would like to do an event.

Most author events at Bright Side are relatively intimate, with anywhere from 10 to 30 attendees. However, local favorites usually draw large crowds, no matter how many times they have held events.

Recently, author of “Verde River Elegy” Jon Fuller stopped by the bookshop for his own author event. He gave a presentation on his book and met with locals afterward to discuss the Verde River and sign copies of his book.

“I’ve done a lot of technical writing, but this was my first published book,” Fuller said.

“I’ve found a lot of people from Flagstaff love the Verde and go down there a lot, so I always love to swap stories with them.”

Fuller’s advice to new writers is to keep writing, because practice will ensure improvement.

The Northern Arizona Book Festival is an annual literary event with readings, workshops, panels and book signings. These kinds of events are heavily marketed toward NAU students.

“Sometimes going to these events can be very educational for students and aspiring writers, because you get to see other people who have achieved things they didn’t think possible,” Butler said. “Our events can also help students figure out what they want to do after college.

For instance, we’ll be hosting an archeologist in November, so these events can really be geared

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toward specific interests.”

Butler said reading is essential for creativity and passing on information.

“Movies and TV have only been around for about a century, but books have always been there,” Butler said. “In a way, reading feels like returning to our roots.”

English major Grace Buckley said she hopes to be a writer one day. She looks to published authors for advice and to learn the ropes of the

writing world.

“I think it’s really cool that Flagstaff is hosting so many authors, big and small,” Buckley said. “It’s very important for students to have this kind of experience.”

Those who want to learn more about Bright Side Bookshop’s events can stop by the shop, which is located on San Francisco Street.

A detailed list of upcoming events can be found on the shop’s Facebook page.

Author Craig Childs reads from his novel, “Vigra & Bone: Essays from Dry Places,” Sept. 14.

Nicholas Campbell| The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

There’s unity in gaming communities Ian Sloan

Don’t call them angels

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riana Grande, Miley Cyrus and Lana Del Rey have collaborated to create a powerful trio that can do no wrong. “Don’t Call Me Angel” was released Sept. 13 as a music video on YouTube and as a single on streaming services. The catchy and anthemic track had been teased previously on Grande’s Instagram account and will be featured as part of the soundtrack for a nearing “Charlie’s Angels” reboot, which will hit theaters Nov. 15.

Here’s an accurate representation of what these three women performing a song together makes me feel: LeBron James, Dwyane Wade and Chris Bosh teamed up to form one of the NATHAN most superstar saturated teams to ever play MANNI basketball in 2010, and they struck fear into me as a viewer. That’s what this music video makes ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR me feel. Except these women aren’t playing basketball, they are prancing around a mansion and looking intimidating while doing so.

The empowerment of women is something that I’ve loved to see surge, especially in the mainstream music world. So frequently in music, women are objectified and used as dancers in gaudy rap videos.

It’s simply overdone, so it was riveting to see the roles reversed. In the video, Cyrus is in a boxing ring with heavy chains draped around her neck and a suited man sitting in a chair with his hands restrained as she scolds him.

“I make my money and I write the checks \ So say my name with a little respect,” Cyrus sings as she circles the man.

Grande handles the chorus, and as always sings a captivating tune that will replay in the brain for days. I’m humming it to myself as I write this.

Grande is dressed in a white and shimmering dress that looks like it’s covered in diamonds or something I’m not remotely wealthy enough to pronounce — fitting for someone whose top song on Apple Music is titled “7 rings.” She rounds out her look with her signature high ponytail, thigh-high boots and angel wings on her back.

Lana Del Rey enters the song like the elegant musical deity she is. The bass line stops, along with other layers of the instrumental, to make way for her haunting and steady cadence. It is surprising to see her collaborate with the other two, as she rarely appears on work that isn’t her own.

Earlier this month Lana released her latest album, “Norman F*****g Rockwell!” and she returns to assist Grande and Cyrus on this track. She wears a tight black leather bodysuit and acts as a weapons specialist. There’s a scene where she heaves a knife into the crotch of a humanlike target, which I loved for its outlandishness.

Collectively, I think the trio work perfectly on the song. Nobody outshined another, in my opinion. I would say the artists coexisted on this track and teamed up for a song that could play over a dramatic fight scene in “Charlie’s Angels.”

Final rating: 8/10

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I

n the age of the internet, making a connection is easier than ever.

People can talk to each other and play games together online.

Communities have sprung up, and people have grown to become truly invested in them.

In the past decade, careers surrounding video games and internet fandoms have developed, with people hosting lore-based web series, playing games for live audiences and even coaching others on how to excel at their favorite games.

Fandoms, which are subcommunities of video game and entertainment enthusiasts, allow the people who participate in them to maintain connections they could otherwise lose.

“Over the summer, my friend and I played Borderlands 2 together, and that was cool because we made plans to do that with Borderlands 3 this year,” freshman Alexander Furash said. “So even though he’s still in Phoenix and I’m still up here, we’ll have a reason to keep talking.”

Furash also encouraged others who might not participate in gaming and internet culture to do so.

“Having a hobby that you’re passionate about is great,” Furash said.

“It gives you something to keep your brain working and a community to engage with, and there are people across the globe that if you share an interest, you can have something to talk about.”

NAU Auditoria events coordinator Brett Kitch who organizes the university’s performing arts centers, has a similar story.

“The best thing I have taken away from my time in online gaming communities are friends I would never have made otherwise,” Kitch said.

“I’ve got really close friends who live in Missouri [and] Canada who are all from different professions.”

Fandom and gaming communities can be found globally, as well as close to home. Calvin Legassie, the faculty adviser for the NAU Roleplaying Game Club, said he has many fond memories of playing console games with his older

Whether it be tabletop or online, gaming can bring people together, Sept. 14.

Morgan Fisher | The Lumberjack

brother.

“As I grew up, I got really into the Pokémon games through much of the years that I was in school, and my brother would watch me play and want to play as well,” Legassie said.

“Eventually [he] did take on that hobby and that passion and has really ran with it quite a bit.”

As an adviser for the club, Legassie supports others with similar hobbies.

“I think that we’ve seen a lot of traction in the past decade,” Legassie said. “I’ve witnessed how games and fandoms used to be much more reserved for people who are kind of outside the limelight of society. But it’s become much more normalized and popular.”

Legassie represents only one of many groups on campus, but there are others around the world who aim to provide a sense of camaraderie and community.

“People here in the United States, down to South Africa and all the way over to Korea — everywhere across the world, people are video game players,” NAU eSports club president Gabriel Santos said.

As president of the club, Santos said he sees firsthand how people from different backgrounds come together and support each other in gaming communities. Santos said he has been playing since he was very young.

“I started playing when I was about 4 or 5, and the progression in

certain games like the Legend of Zelda franchise … some games have more critical thinking tasks that give you such a feeling of accomplishment,” Santos said.

These feelings that people who play video games experience also translate to moments when they seek to move on to a more competitive field.

However, too much of a good thing is possible, and everything must be taken in moderation.

Regardless of what community or video game someone is invested in, too much distraction can lead to obstructions in life. Although his experience was largely positive, Kitch said he’s come across these issues before.

“Part of the reason it’s taken me so long to get my bachelor’s in my mid20s [is that] I really, really dove into online gaming,” Kitch said. “I didn’t have a strong friend base outside of [World of Warcraft]. I’m not really the outdoorsy type to begin with, so it was a safe haven. But also, I would play as soon as I got home. Without selfregulation, it just kind of took over for a while.”

Despite the differences, games and fandoms have one commonality – they bring people together. Video games can affect people both positively and negatively, but at the end of the day, they provide spaces for people to make unique connections, regardless of how far people are from one another.

CULTURE

“It takes a lot of money to look this cheap” Kyler Edsitty

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rom wearing mountains of hair to hand crafting the most extravagant dresses, the drag scene in Flagstaff is growing rapidly.

Drag is a form of performance entertainment in which individuals use extravagant costumes and makeup.

They usually perform by dance, singing or other onstage shows.

Anya Mann calls herself a “drag race baby boomer” and said she was influenced by “RuPaul’s Drag Race” to start doing drag.

“I remember watching the first season of “Drag Race” in secret after my family had gone to bed,” Mann said.

However, Mann really got into the drag scene by attending, and eventually participating, in drag shows on campus. Mann knew she wanted her name to have a pun. She originally wanted to be named Anya Knutz, but the name was already taken by another queen in Los Angeles.

Although Mann’s style is influenced by pop culture and other queens on social media, most of her outfits are made by hand. Mann said she struggled with makeup in the beginning but has perfected one neutral look to complement all her outfits.

Before drag, Mann had little experience with sewing. Now her pieces are well-known in and out of the community. Some of Mann’s dresses will even be featured at the Miss Gay America pageant, which according to their website is a beauty pageant for female impersonators. Mann handcrafted dresses for a performer and their backup dancers for the upcoming event.

Mann said the local drag scene has grown so much recently. Years ago there were only a handful of shows, and now there are several happening every month.

“These multiple shows make our presence known,” Mann said. “This helps open more minds in this already accepting community.”

Drag also allowed Mann to showcase her extroverted personality.

“Drag is like a superhero cape, and it helps people step out of their comfort zone,” Mann said. “It allows me to do and say things that I wouldn’t normally without caked-on makeup … and 8 pounds of hair.”

Drag has allowed Mann to meet new people and grow as a person. She said she has made friends in the drag scene who she now

Illustration By Aleah Green

considers family.

“Drag will always be a part of my life,” Mann said. “As long as someone wants me to, I’ll put on my best rhinestone dress and give them a show.”

Drag has given Mann the opportunity to help the Flagstaff community through fundraising. She has participated in Wrecking

Ball Flagstaff, an organization that raises bail money for undocumented people to get out of detention. She has also been in events that benefit the Shadows Foundation, a charity for people struggling with medical bills.

Mann said that drag isn’t only for

cisgendered men. Anyone who wants to entertain can be a part of the community and are encouraged to do so. Drag queens can also be very approachable and open to engagement.

However, boundaries and consent are also taken very seriously.

“Respect all drag performers. Always ask permission before touching, and please tip your entertainers,” Mann said. “It takes a lot of money to look this cheap.”

The biggest struggle that Mann said she has faced as a member of the drag community is getting from one show or event to another.

The cost of traveling around Arizona can add up. Mann said she’s thankful that she has friends in the community who welcome her into their home. She also said she’s lucky to come from an open-minded family who are supportive of her art. The effect of drag also extends to people off the stage.

NAU graduate student Lauren Ellis is writing her master’s thesis on drag performances.

Ellis has even had roles as a dollar boy, someone who collects tips for performers at drag shows, and is even considering becoming a drag king and performing in local events.

“I believe it will be a beneficial creative outlet for my mental health and an overall fun and exciting experience,” Ellis said.

Although the drag scene is up and coming, Ellis said members of the community still face discrimination, and performing in drag can be a safety risk.

“I believe drag affects the community, primarily in a positive way,” Ellis said.

“Drag provides a space for queer individuals to engage in creative expression and to make radical political statements.”

Junior Roshauna James said she recently became a fan of drag and is happy to support individuals in the LGBTQ+ community. She said she appreciates how much time and sacrifice it takes to make a performance into an art form.

“I could never get on a stage and be that confident,” James said. “Today, it takes a lot of courage to be unapologetically yourself.”

Anyone interested in getting involved in Flagstaff’s drag scene can see Mann host a drag show Sept. 28 at the Green Room in downtown Flagstaff.

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra’s special anniversary

Frank E. Scott, former director of the Piano Program at NAU performs during movement III in the NAU Symphony Oct. 8, 2012. Holly Mandarich | The Lumberjack

Nayomi Garcia

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he Flagstaff Symphony Orchestra (FSO) is not just an orchestra, but rather a family of musicians that enjoy making music for their community. FSO was formed in 1950 and is celebrating its 70th anniversary of performance this year.

FSO started their new season by hiring Larry Lang as the new executive director of the organization.

As executive director, Lang represents the symphony in the community and oversees the advertising of the orchestra. He is also responsible for engaging with community members.

“I’m very excited to be the new director of FSO,” Lang said. “In June, we held our first performance at the [Continental Country Club]. It was a great way to kick off the season, and I enjoyed getting to see the orchestra perform for the community. This event made me excited to see how the rest of the performances go.”

Lang said he wants to continue with FSO traditions, like the performance of Pyotr Ilyich

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Tchaikovsky’s “The Nutcracker” that is held each December. Another tradition he plans to continue is the Link Up program.

Link Up is an annual program hosted by the Weill Music Institue of Carnegie Hall. The program allows students in grades three through five to participate in a yearlong program that teaches them about music, singing and composing. In March 2020, the students get to participate in a concert with FSO where they perform what they have learned.

“This program has been going on for seven years,” Lang said.

“The orchestra works with teachers and students from Flagstaff and surrounding areas. Link Up reaches about 3,600 students a year and is a very effective program.”

Cindy Binkley works as the communication liaison between the musicians of the group and the business office. Binkley is also in charge of auditions for FSO. Each year, Binkley posts vacancies that will be available for auditions. Binkley said this year, FSO had 40 musicians audition. There were 20 vacancies in

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seven different instrument sections.

“Auditionees come to me when they would like to set up an audition for the orchestra,” Binkley said. “We hold the auditions each August. At the audition, the musician goes into a room to perform their excerpts.

The principal musician for their instrument and the conductor are sitting behind a screen recording the audition. From there, we decide who is the best fit for the group.”

FSO band director Charles Latshaw began his third year as director this season. Latshaw is not only the director of FSO, but he is also the director of the Grand Junction Symphony Orchestra in Colorado. Prior to directing these groups, Latshaw was the director of the Kent Blossom Music Festival and the Kent State University Orchestra.

“The process to become a band director for FSO took about two years,” Latshaw said. “I applied for the job in 2015 and then came to audition in 2016. During the audition, I directed the orchestra, and everything felt right. Ever since the beginning, I knew that this was the

right fit for me.”

Latshaw said his past two years as director have been a great part of his career. Although the symphony has 60 to 80 members, he said they all consider each other a family.

“FSO is a phenomenal group of musicians,” Latshaw said. “Everybody works hard to make the best music we can for the Flagstaff community.

I think that Flagstaff is also such a unique community compared to other parts of Arizona. Working with such a close group that cares about their community makes me love my job even more. Everyone is looking forward to begin our special 70th anniversary season.”

The 70th season of FSO will feature many performances that the Flagstaff and NAU community can attend. Their first performance will be held Sept. 27 at the Ardrey Auditorium.

“I think our audience will definitely enjoy our first performance for this season,” Latshaw said. “We have a guest pianist, Daniela Liebman, performing with us. She’s a piano prodigy from Guadalajara, Mexico.

She made her professional debut when she was just 8 years old. We are very excited to have her perform with us during our first concert.”

In January 2020, FSO will be performing a concert that will be different from their previous performances. Project Trio, a beatboxing group, will be performing alongside the orchestra.

“This concert will be very unique,” Lang said. “I think this concert will be fun for young people to come watch. We’ve never done a concert like this before, so I think people will be excited to see what the orchestra performs with Project Trio.”

All FSO concerts begin at 7:30 p.m. at the Ardrey Auditorium.

At 6:30 p.m., the audience has the opportunity to speak with the conductor and guest performers about the concert. Anyone interested in attending a concert can visit the FSO website, or purchase tickets through the NAU ticket website.

Rough and Tumble Sculptures from the Rough and Tumble art exhibit in Old Main on display Wednesday, Sept. 11, 2019. The exhibit comes from artist Eric Conrad and will be in Old Main until Nov. 23, 2019.

Renee’ Hanneken| The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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Collegiate athletes getting paid to play

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onetary compensation for college athletes has been a debate that has been addressed for several years.

Nancy Skinner, a member of California’s Senate, is trying to make a change in California by passing the Fair Pay to Play act. If this bill becomes law, college athletes’ scholarship eligibility cannot be revoked if they are compensated for the commercial use of their name, image and likeness. If passed, the bill would take effect Jan. 1, 2023 to allow time for all complications that come with this law to be sorted out.

Skinner has support from politicians and celebrities, such as Bernie Sanders and LeBron James, who have tweeted about the issue.

James tweeted, “Everyone [in] JACOB California — call your politicians and TERRILL ASSISTANT SPORTS tell them to support SB 206! This law is a EDITOR GAME CHANGER. College athletes can responsibly get paid for what they do and the billions they create.”

Bernie Sanders responded to this tweet by saying, “College athletes are workers. Pay them.”

On the other hand, NCAA President Mark Emmert believes this law is going to give the California schools an unfair advantage.

Emmert wrote in a letter, “The bill threatens to alter materially the principles of intercollegiate athletics and create local differences that would make it impossible to host fair national championships.”

This is true, because if certain colleges allow players the opportunity to be compensated for playing, it can affect the recruitment process. Top high school athletes who gain national media attention at a young age will be more attracted to a school where they can be paid for playing.

I do believe that colleges should give their scholarship athletes the essentials they need in order to live. This should include a dorm room where they can sleep, a meal plan so they don’t go to bed hungry and the free education they have earned from their scholarship. This should also pay for any medical bills that the players face: a broken leg, a torn ACL or even medicine to ease a headache.

The compensation athletes currently receive is the ability to attend college for free and get a degree to get a job outside of athletics once they graduate. In addition, colleges give players a platform to be scouted for the professional league — an opportunity to make millions.

Most careers today require a college degree, and that is exactly what college has to offer. In addition to this, colleges keep many players debt free, which is one of the largest struggles college graduates face today.

In the end, college athletes are being given opportunities in their schools, which should count for compensation.

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Professional football scouts watch NAU football players in the Walkup Skydome March 13, 2018.

Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

Finding success in football beyond Flagstaff david church

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or most college athletes, moving on to the professional level is the goal and a large reason they give their all for their college team. It is the feeling of playing on the big stage in front of thousands in the stands, the millions watching on TV and to have people buying a jersey with their last name on the back.

For some, that may be an unattainable dream.

NAU is a Football Championship Subdivision (FCS) team. It is still NCAA Division I football but is not on the same pedestal as teams like UA, ASU and other Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) teams.

NAU has had little success turning college players into drafted NFL pros. According to a statistics website, Pro Football Reference, 37 former Lumberjacks have been lucky enough to be drafted by an NFL team. The last one was kicker Paul Ernster, who was drafted back in 2005. It has been almost 15 years since a Lumberjack has had their name called in the NFL draft.

The Lumberjacks have seen some real talent inside the Skydome — players that could easily gain some draft stock. But the unfortunate fact is that they can’t get the same eyes on them as players from FBS schools, not for lack of talent, but for lack of exposure.

Take wide receiver Emmanuel Butler as an example. Butler was the go-to receiver through most of his career as a Lumberjack.

Any professional football scout could see the potential and talent that Butler possesses.

However, when the NFL Draft came around, Butler went undrafted. Although he was eventually signed by the New Orleans Saints, a regular season roster spot was unavailable for him. This is just another example of a player having star-like abilities, but not having the exposure needed to succeed.

“I definitely think it can be much harder,” former NAU safety Wes Sutton said. “For example, you look at a guy like Emmanuel Butler who broke every record there was to be broken — a prototype wide receiver — and he goes undrafted. You don’t see that happen at too many other programs, especially in the FBS and even in the FCS.” Sutton knows firsthand what it is like to try to stand out to NFL scouts, because he participated in the 2019 NAU Pro Day. Although it did not lead to a spot on an NFL roster, Sutton was still grateful for the opportunity.

“It was a good experience. I performed well,” Sutton said.

“I didn’t achieve all of the numbers that I was shooting for, but it went well overall. Pro Day is a day that I’ll never forget for the rest of my life. It was my first time getting a chance to showcase my talents in front of NFL scouts ... and that experience will always stay close to my heart.”

Although Butler may not be on the Saints 53-man roster at this time, he is relegated to the practice squad, and there is still hope for the former NAU wide receiver.

“He has elite ball skills, and he is a guy who’s a better athlete than people give him credit for,” NAU offensive coordinator Aaron Pflugrad said. “He is a guy who I would anticipate if the Saints got anybody injured, they could bring him up and know

SPORTS the offense.”

Even though the NFL is the premier football league in the world, there are still opportunities for former Lumberjacks to play the sport they love and keep the football dream alive.

Defensive back Marcus Alford graduated from NAU in 2015 after being a Lumberjack for five years. Although the NFL may not have been an option for him, he was able to find success in football elsewhere. Alford continued his football career after leaving NAU by being a part of the Canadian Football League.

“I was signed to the Toronto Argonauts following my senior year at NAU,” Alford said.

“I played there for two years, and then was signed by the Ottawa Redblacks, but waived in 2018 before the season started.”

These are some stories of success for NAU football alumni, and these men have been able to encourage NFL scouts to keep NAU players on their radar.

“It’s about the product that has been put out at NAU. Not many have made it to the big dance from our school,” Sutton said. “So I get it, but I feel as if those of us who have had a shot

and got our chance, we have made a positive impact on scouts for NAU’s future reputation and future talents for the coming year’s draft.

So it’s all a part of the plan. Everything has happened and is happening the way it is for a reason.”

Plain and simple, NAU has struggled to compete at the same level as FBS teams.

However with that being said, there is an undoubted feeling of optimism and change around the Flagstaff campus.

Fans and even players can start looking to change what people think when they hear the name Lumberjack football. We can start looking at the small sample size of NAU players who have made it to the NFL as signs of hope.

If players work hard and never give up on their dreams, they can be a shining example that it does not matter where a player comes come from, but the fight and determination they show every day does.

Even if the NFL might not be in the cards for the young athletes who call the Lumberjacks their college team, they can look back on it as a time in their lives that they will never forget.

Top: Elijah Marks does running drills at the NFL Pro Day March 13, 2018. Bottom: Elijah Marks runs in front of professional scouts at the NFL Pro Day March 13, 2018.

Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NAU sweeps Louisiana State University

Left: Senior Abby Akin (9) prepares to serve against LSU Sept. 13 in Rolle Activity Center. Top Right: Senior Abby Akin (9) celebrates the match point against LSU with her team.

Bottom Right: NAU Volleyball celebrates as a team after their win against LSU in three straight sets Sept. 13. Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

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Lumberjacks dominate Mustangs 55-21

Top: Senior Jalen Cook (30) blocks a Western New Mexico University field goal attempt Sept. 14. Jack McMillan| The Lumberjack Bottom Left: Junior Aramis Aldredge charges upfield against the Mustangs Sept. 14. Bottom Right: Senior Joe Logan (22) and redshirt sophomore Brandon Porter (18) celebrate a touchdown Sept. 14. Brian Burke| The Lumberjack

SEPTEMBER 19, 2019 – SEPTEMBER 25, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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