The Lumberjack -- October 31, 2019

ALL HALLOWS’ EVE A SPECIAL ISSUE

THE LUMBER JACK

OCT. 31, 2019 – NOV. 6, 2019

Online at JackCentral.org

From the Editor

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rowing up in a home where your father loved horror movies when you were terrified of them was never an easy feat. All too often I would be called out of my bedroom to watch a movie with my dear old dad, only to refuse due to not wanting to watch something I knew would scare me. My mother would try to convince me as well, even though she would get scared and scream any time something popped up on screen. “It’s not that bad” they would always say. But every time I reluctantly sat down to watch one, I would walk away at the end down the dark hallway to my room in fear of what could be lurking in the shadows. I was definitely the kid who checked behind the shower curtain for serial killers.

As I grew up, I slowly grew more accustomed to the genre, and stopped being so scared of my dad’s favorite Universal Monster Movies that were playing in the background of my home. Boy was I in for a rude awakening when I learned the petrifying content contained within 80’s horror films. Having a variety of them played every Halloween never made things any easier, but as the years went on and I survived the unimaginable horrors, I made it to the point MORGAN where I now seek out the things that used to scare me. I want to catch up on all FISHER the things I missed out on because I was too afraid before. Especially now, with a minor in Creative Media and Film, I have gained an entirely new appreciation DIRECTOR OF for horror movies and see them as a whole lot more than the “nightmare fuel” I PHOTOGRAPHY previously assumed them to be.

Going beyond the realm of film, I am also a big fan of comic books. Some of the best stories I have ever read came from them, and I highly encourage people to give them a try. Like movies, comics also have a horror genre, and I think they bring about an entirely new experience to the genre only available through this medium: turning the page. It is up to you the reader to literally turn the page and find out what happens next. Will you face your fears and potentially see something even worse?

Or will there be the typical horror ending of the evil being defeated? It is up to you and your bravery, along with your physical intervention to find out.

That is where I am getting at with this entire section, dear reader. It is Halloween time, so frights and fears are running rampant. But for us college students, it is an ever-looming presence not bound to one small part of the year. I personally have been afraid of a lot of things in my college experience.

I was afraid to go to college in the first place. I was afraid to tell my parents how poorly I did in my first semester. I was afraid to change my major. Now, I am afraid of the unknown that lies beyond my graduation date in May. But no matter what, over time, I have faced my fears and grown from doing so. I have expanded my world views and became the person I am today. I have found happiness, passion, hobbies, and friends that I never could have imagined before. I chose to turn the page. Now the question is, will you?

Thank you for reading.

THE LUMBERJACK VOL. 108 ISSUE 11

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

Features Editor Shaelene Walker

Asst. News Editor Trevor Skeen Online News Editor Ray Anne Galzote Online News Editor Karin Johnson

Faculty Adviser, Visuals Taylor Mahoney Valerie Devoy

Op-Ed Editor Caitlin Burke

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Asst. Dir. of Illustration Aleah Green

Asst. Features Editor Ash Lohmann

Asst. Sports Editor Jacob Terrill

Director of Photography Morgan Fisher

Culture Editor Sabrina Proffitt

Director of Circulation Robyn Monroe

Asst. Dir. of Photography Bess Valdez

Asst. Dir. of Circulation Anel Lamadrid

Senior Photographer Shannon Swain

Director of Illustration Madison Cohen

Director of Multimedia Shawn Patti

Asst. Op-Ed Editor D’Anna Davis

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NAU men’s basketball celebrates after scoring against Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University Oct. 28. Bess Valdez | The Lumberjack

On the cover Illustration By Amy Czachowski

Print Chief Bella Valenzuela

Sports Editor Molly Smith

Asst. Culture Editor Nathan Manni

– Shane Burcar, Men’s Basketball Head Coach

Copy Chief Collin W. Clayton

Media Innovation Center Editorial Board News Editor Scout Ehrler

“What we tried and establish the whole time is to [focus on] every possession.”

Corrections & Clarifications 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 Oct. 21 At 10:10 a.m., Maricopa Crisis Center called to request assistance at The Suites for a student who suffered a head injury over the weekend and was making threats of suicide.

Flagstaff Fire Department, Guardian Medical Transport (GMT) and NAUPD responded. The subject was cleared by Terros Health and medics.

At 8:33 p.m., an RA at Tinsley Hall called to report the odor of marijuana. NAUPD responded, and three students were criminally deferred for possession of narcotic drugs and drug paraphernalia.

Oct. 22 At 7:43 a.m., a student called to report a subject carrying what appeared to be a firearm at Social and Behavioral Sciences West.

NAUPD responded, and the subject was found to be a park ranger with a simulated training firearm.

At 8:14 a.m., an RA at Reilly Hall called to report a student with a bloody nose.

Flagstaff Fire Department, GMT and NAUPD responded.

The patient was transported to FMC. At 1:20 p.m., a staff member at Drury Inn & Suites called to report an intoxicated subject in the lobby. NAUPD responded, and the non-student was arrested and booked into Coconino County Detention Facility for obstructing a public thoroughfare.

At 2:12 p.m., a staff member at the Native American Cultural Center called to report an intoxicated student. NAUPD responded, and the student was identified and provided a public-assist ride.

Oct. 23 At 8:28 a.m., a faculty member called to report a student who had fallen off their bike near the intersection of Knoles Drive and East McConnell Drive. Flagstaff Fire Department, GMT and NAUPD responded. The student was transported to FMC. At 11:59 a.m., a staff member at the Native American Cultural Center called to report an intoxicated subject. NAUPD responded, and one student was identified and left the area.

Oct. 24 At 5:28 a.m., a resident at Reilly Hall reported an unconscious student in front of the building. Flagstaff Fire Department, GMT and NAUPD responded.

The student refused medical transport and was cited and released for minor in consumption of alcohol.

Compiled by karin johnson Flagstaff Fire Department, GMT and NAUPD responded.

The patient was transported to FMC and will be cited and released at a later date for an alcohol offense.

At 2:04 p.m., NAUPD reported assisting the Arizona Department of Liquor Licenses and Control with a fake ID at the Walkup Skydome.

At 10:38 p.m., a verbal warning was given by NAUPD for driving too slowly near the intersection of Knoles Drive and University Drive.

At 11:17 p.m., McConnell Hall staff reported an intoxicated student.

Flagstaff Fire Department, GMT and NAUPD responded.

The subject was transported to FMC and will be cited at a later date for minor in consumption of alcohol.

Oct. 27 At 9:00 a.m., NAUPD reported assisting FPD with a At 2:21 p.m., a staff fight off campus. The situation member at Old Main called to was handled by FPD. report finding a bag of liquid.

NAUPD responded, and it was At 3:40 p.m., a staff found to be filled with urine. member at Ernest Calderon The bag was disposed of.

Learning Community called to request a welfare check Oct. 25 on a student. Flagstaff Fire At 10:13 a.m., a non- Department, GMT and student called to report a NAUPD responded. Upon student who was sexually officer arrival, the student was assaulted at Cowden Hall. found dead at the scene. The NAUPD responded and took investigation is pending. a report. The investigation is ongoing.

At 10:56 p.m., Wilson Hall staff reported the odor At 5:29 p.m., a student of marijuana. Flagstaff Fire called to report a non-student Department, GMT and following people at the carnival NAUPD responded. The event. NAUPD responded, but student fainted upon officer officers were unable to locate arrival and refused medical the subject. transport. Officers deferred the student for use of marijuana.

Oct. 26 At 9:54 a.m., an RA at Sechrist Hall called to report a student who was vomiting.

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Unsolved triple homicide case enters 20th year jacob meyer

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he mysterious unsolved murders of Richard Barnes, Lynn Patrick and Michael Alexander occurred approximately 20 years ago and is one of 36 cold cases in Coconino County.

The cold case opened Oct. 25, 1999. The bodies of the three victims were discovered in and around a trailer in the forest outside Bellemont, a small, unincorporated community near Flagstaff. No arrests were made, and the triple homicide has been labeled a cold case by the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office.

Chuck Jones, a retired FBI agent who works for the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office Cold Case Squad, is the investigator who led the reexamination of the case between 2005 and 2015.

Jones described some of the challenges in investigating the slaying of Barnes, Patrick and Alexander that have caused the case to remain unsolved for 20 years.

“Lack of evidence at the crime scene: that is the biggest thing that made it very difficult to go anywhere with it,” Jones said.

Investigators returning to the case even soon after officials completed their work on the scene found the site looked dramatically different than it did the day the crime was discovered.

The area had been marked for logging, and once investigators cleared out the scene, many of the trees at the site were quickly cut down.

“That part of the forest where [the victims] were camping — they were going to harvest the wood out of there, and lumber companies could come in there and cut those trees down,” Jones said. “Within a week, all the trees that were around the trailer were gone.”

The main evidence available to Jones was photographs of the scene, but as the area became largely unrecognizable, it was difficult to put the pieces together and understand what happened.

“You’ve got these photographs that show where this person was lying, where this was and where these empty casings were, and then you look at it a week later and it doesn’t make sense, because all those great big trees that were there are gone,” Jones said.

Despite the challenges of understanding the case, Jones needed to know exactly how the scene was laid out and how events unfolded if he was going to make any progress.

Over the course of three weeks, Jones used every available piece of evidence to painstakingly recreate the crime scene.

“The photographs were the best thing I had … I think they missed a few things here, so I redid the crime scene,” Jones said. “I looked at everything we had — the autopsies, all those photographs — and I put it all back together.”

Jones combined his re-creation of the scene with a critical piece of information that was overlooked by the original investigators: the medical examiner’s report. Jones eventually developed a new theory for how the homicides occurred.

His theory involves the perpetrator or perpetrators wounding Alexander, killing Patrick and Barnes, leaving the scene and then returning to kill Alexander and shoot the other two victims again, who were already dead.

“I’m starting to put it together … Alexander had gotten up

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and moved, and I think the perpetrator, or perpetrators — I think there was more than one, had left the scene for a while, came back that evening and saw that Alexander wasn’t laying there like when they left,” Jones said. “They find [Alexander] out there, and he’s still alive, but he’s going to die, because he’s bleeding, and they put that bullet in his head, and he’s dead after that. Then, I think they walked back to the trailer … they popped a slug right into both of them.”

Despite his breakthrough with the crime scene, Jones’ investigation never got much further. Similar to the initial investigation, the cold case detectives were unable to discover any evidence linking the shooting to a suspect.

During his investigation, Jones’ interviews focused on associates of Patrick, including her husband and people with whom she had business dealings. However, one key individual he sought to speak with, a man Patrick had borrowed money from and never paid back identified only as Brown, died a couple of years before Jones had a chance to interview him. The people Jones was able to interview did not have information that could advance the case.

When the Cold Case Squad was actively reexamining the case, they brought in an outside team of experts to help. The team included retired specialists in law enforcement from Philadelphia, but even they were unable to make much progress.

Alia Rau is a former Arizona Daily Sun reporter who now writes for The Arizona Republic. She handled the Daily Sun’s coverage of the 1999 murders.

Rau recalled her experience reporting the case and the rarity of the circumstances.

“I covered public safety for the Daily Sun at that point, so I was doing all the crime and murder stories,” Rau said. “I couldn’t think of another triple homicide we had during that time. Maybe a couple of doubles, but a triple was pretty uncommon.”

As part of her initial coverage, Rau visited the site of the homicide near Bellemont. She was able to get to the scene shortly after the police first arrived.

“We didn’t normally go out that far to cover, but because it was a triple, it was worth going out there for that, and one of the photographers even went with me,” Rau said. “I remember that we were out there fast enough that the cops were still out there.”

Rau recalled several details from her time at the crime scene.

The journalist explained how the sheer number of shots fired, and the isolation of the site specifically, stood out to her when she visited.

“There were a couple things: I remember how it was just this little trailer in the middle of the forest — kind of nowhere — and I remember how there were a ton of those little flags, and I remember that they were saying there were a lot of shots fired,”

A trailer is parked in the woods close to Bellemont, Oct. 27. Shannon Swain | The Lumberjack

NEWS Rau said.

Joe Sumner, a former National Park Service criminal investigator and a detective with the Cold Case Squad, discussed the nature of many of the cases they look at and how they create unique challenges for the team.

“This is a big county with major highways going through, and a lot of the victims that we have differ from the cold cases in a city for instance,” Sumner said. “They’re dumps. The people could have been killed someplace else, or they’re at least from someplace else, and they’re not initially identified. By the time they’re identified, critical evidence could be lost, and witnesses are impossible to find because they can be traveling through.”

While there was not much physical evidence in the 1999 case to reexamine with new equipment, Sumner explained how technology that was not available when many cases were first investigated can be useful to investigators returning to a case.

“We’ve had more success with the old cases going back with fingerprints, because fingerprint technology has actually improved, too,” Sumner said. “So, we’ve closed cases from the ’70s and early ’80s using fingerprints.”

While the 1999 triple homicide case remains open, the cold case squad has had numerous successes over the years. Additionally, catching the culprit is not their only goal. Identifying remains and bringing closure to the friends and family of victims is also a major part of their work.

Sumner described the favorable outcomes of many of the squad’s other investigations.

“We’ve identified some unidentified. That’s part of our cases,” Sumner said. “We’ve closed some cases. We’ve identified suspects that we are sure have committed the crimes who have since passed away.”

Sumner had a few points for the public to know about the

work of the cold case squad.

“We’re still doing it. The victims are not forgotten,” Sumner said. “The other thing that the public should know is, if they have anything that could help with the cases, they should come forward — they should talk to us.”

While the cold case investigators have turned their attention elsewhere after reexamining all the evidence, they have no plans to close the case of Barnes, Patrick and Alexander until it is solved.

“Even if you don’t have any evidence, and you’ve got nothing to work on, you do not close it. You keep it open,” Jones said.

“You never know when somebody is going to stumble into the office and say, ‘Hey, I’ve got something I need to tell you.’ You might find something.”

To report information on this case or any others, contact the Coconino County Sheriff’s Office at (928) 774-4523.

Ensuring children’s safety while trick-or-treating Paighten Nolker

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uring the spooky season, traditions such as pumpkin carving, dressing up in costumes, drinking fall-themed lattes and trick-or-treating are evident in cities all over the United States, including Flagstaff.

Trick-or-treating is a tradition where people dress up as characters or celebrities from pop culture and roam around neighborhoods with baskets or pillowcases in hand, knocking on doors to collect candied goods from strangers. The potential fear of stranger danger urges parents to encourage children to be wary of entering strangers’ homes, be wellseen by parents and carry a cellphone while trick-or-treating.

Many parents wonder how they can allow their children to participate in this popular Halloween festivity without the lingering fear of sketchy strangers and their intentions.

Cheryl Anderson, Flagstaff local since 1998, gave advice regarding how parents and children can stay safe on Halloween. For parents, Anderson suggested always maintaining supervision, especially for children under 13.

“The advice I would give would just be to have an adult there to keep eyes on your kids so that they remain safe,” Anderson said.

However, for children, Anderson went more in depth regarding how

kids can protect their safety while roaming around on a dark Halloween night.

“Don’t go to the houses that are completely dark, and make sure you know where your safe person is in your group,” Anderson said.

Anderson defined a safe person as the parent, guardian or adult supervisor who watches children while they trick or treat.

Additionally, many parents make alterations to their children’s costumes to increase their safety throughout the night. These alterations may include, but are not limited to, incorporating glow sticks and flashlights to ensure a child can easily be seen at night.

“We had little flashlights when we went — when I took the kids trickor-treating — and lighter colored costumes or reflective strips so they wouldn’t get run over,” Anderson said.

Alternative solutions to guarantee a fun and safe experience trick-or-treating could be the location chosen, such as visiting trustworthy neighborhoods. Many families prefer to take their children to neighborhoods with larger homes, because there the candy is normally larger and more plentiful.

Frank Forbes, Flagstaff resident since 1999, discussed his upcoming plans for Halloween and being the supervisor of two twins, 9, while they trick or treat.

“I’d take them to a specific area to trick or treat, make sure they

stay within those boundaries and then kind of stand back and loosely supervise,” Forbes said. “That way, they can have fun.”

Forbes offered advice to parents who will take their children to participate in this Halloween activity, and he also gave instructions to the children themselves.

Forbes said that when children are separated from their parents, they should be mindful about going into strangers’ houses. This way, they can be more aware and have control over their own safety.

“Have somebody with an adult capacity keep an eye on [the kids], at least from afar, to make sure nothing’s happening,” Forbes said. “You can’t say, ‘Don’t talk to strangers,’ because they’re going to be knocking on strangers’ houses. But tell them to be careful: don’t ever go into a home, and don’t eat any of the candy until we can go home and check it.”

Daniel Ledford, a sophomore at Northland Preparatory Academy, explained his past experiences while trick-or-treating with his younger brother in local neighborhoods.

Similar to Forbes, Ledford mentioned how his parents would sometimes watch the trick-or-treating from afar. This technique grants kids some independence, while also maintaining adult supervision.

“Sometimes, one parent would take us around the neighborhood to the big houses, and they’d wait for

us at the end of the driveway, and we’d go to the door to get the candy,” Ledford said.

However, Ledford said that his parents would not chaperone him and his brother the entire night, granting them further freedom.

“Sometimes we would see people like our friends, and we would go with them, and our parents would go a different way, and we would meet up at a certain place in the same neighborhood,” Ledford said.

Unlike Anderson, no physical alterations were made to Ledford’s costume. Rather, his parents

ensured there was a method to contact their children while they trick-or-treated. Ledford said on Halloween night, he keeps his phone fully charged with the ringtone on.

When allowing children to trick or treat, it is important to weigh every possible factor and consider safety precautions to prevent any harm from happening. There is no technical right or wrong way to maintain the safety of participants, but using this advice from Flagstaff locals may assist in ensuring a fun, safe and memorable experience for everyone involved.

Illustration By Shelsey Braswell

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Haunted house acting is a high-risk job tabetha friday

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here are over 4,000 ticketed Halloween attractions nationwide, including corn mazes, theme parks and additional professional attractions.

Halloween is the second largest commercial holiday in the United States, according to figures presented by the National Retail Federation.

Haunted houses are popular attractions during October, and professional actors are often hired at these events to heighten the experience for customers. However, there are unpredictable circumstances that can make it difficult for actors to fulfill their jobs.

Over 30 mainstream haunted attractions exist in Arizona alone, such the Haunted Downtown Walking Tour and the Halloween tours at Riordan Mansion in Flagstaff, along with the 13th Floor and Fear Farm in Phoenix.

An article from the Haunted House Association stated that the amount of guests depends on the size and market of each attraction.

On a busy night, a major haunted house event can have over 10,000 attendants. Considering how many participants and workers are involved in each of these events, the risk for injury is high.

Haunt actor and stunt performer Katie Murphy said injuries are an everyday occurrence for Halloween event performers. Murphy said by the end of each night, performances leave her with a harness burn or bruise.

Most injuries are caused by faulty rigging, tripping hazards, overheating in costumes, set malfunctions, damaged vocal cords and dehydration, especially, Murphy said. Although most injuries are accidental, assault and harassment are prominent threats.

Murphy said she recently experienced an assault, which occurred Saturday at a haunt, when a customer punched her in the face.

Murphy said reckless attendees like her recent attacker are particularly dangerous, because they create unsafe environments for themselves and others.

Allen Hopps, the director and owner of Stiltbeast Studios, said in an email interview that even though customer attacks are rare, violent encounters happen. Hopps said he has personally attended court cases for several such occurrences.

Tabhi Schweizer, a haunt actor and set builder, said in an email interview that she and her coworkers have been injured by guests multiple times. Schweizer said it can be discouraging when guests disrupt the experience,

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even if they do not set out to hurt anyone and are just reacting to fear.

“If you are the type of person whose fight or flight response is to immediately fight, then maybe haunted houses aren’t for you,” Schweizer said.

According to the Murkerji Law Firm in Texas, haunted house customers present the most risk to actors. Startled guests commonly respond to fear by lashing out physically against performers and accidentally causing harm to employees.

Schweizer shared a personal experience that involved being intentionally harmed by a group of patrons.

“It’s very common for people to push actors in fright, which isn’t bad in most cases,” Schweizer said. “But during a haunt, a group came through twice. The first time, they shoved me back, and I landed on an exposed wooden beam. The second time, one of them kicked me in the chest.”

Schweizer said it is typical for groups to go through the haunt multiple times and learn the layout specifically to antagonize and harass actors. Murphy, as a haunt actor with six years of experience, said harassment is a common occurrence that manifests in multiple ways.

Some patrons make sexual comments and try to grope actors, and others goad them to break character or try to scare the actors.

“It ruins the experience,” Murphy said.

“Lots of customers think it’s funny to try to scare us — it’s not. We listen to people scream for hours on end. Do you really think screaming in my face is gonna scare me?”

Murphy said the harassment endured is often relatively harmless. However, it occasionally presents concerns, especially when offenders are intoxicated. These types of patrons are unpredictable, have lower inhibitions and often lack self-control. Murphy advised patrons not to enter an event under the influence and to read the rules, which are usually posted at the entrance of events. Knowing the rules can help witnesses report any misconduct that occurs and could be the difference between a safe or unsafe work environment.

Hopps said these high-stress environments can cause people to act poorly, because they will likely not be seen or caught. For this reason, most actors are trained to deal with these situations. Acting in an attraction is a marathon and sometimes requires a lot of preparation.

Hopps said it is hard on actors physically and mentally. However, despite the risks involved,

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he sees attractions like these as necessary and rewarding activities.

“I think [haunts] remind us we are still animals every now and then, despite how much technology changes our lives,” Hopps said.

Hopps has 33 years of combined experience as a haunt director, costume creator, actor and trainer. He trains his actors to avoid getting hit by reminding them to place their hands in front of them when they do their act and to look before they pop out and scare attendees.

Actors should be aware of their audience and workspace, Hopps added, especially when working in the dark. Specifically in threatening situations, actors are advised to disengage, retreat and radio for security when possible.

An actor’s training depends on the size of the organization. Some smaller haunts do not require training. Schweizer said physical risk was not discussed during their training, and employees were only instructed to inform the tour guide of groups that cause an issue.

On the other hand, Murphy explained that wellknown organizations train actors on safety protocols, which include knowing when and how to report unruly or dangerous customers.

“Actors are advised to break character when

addressing and correcting the irresponsible behavior of patrons,” Murphy said. “The actor then would report the incident and take note of the customer’s appearance for identification.

Some haunts even provide walkie-talkies spaced throughout the haunt for urgent matters.”

Although haunt actors are frequently injured on the job, Hopps said event staff are becoming more cautious and are working to prevent injury risks.

When an actor is injured or assaulted, or if a group is causing a disruption, the more experienced haunts have cameras, as well as paramedics and security in case of an emergency.

Repeat offenders will most likely be escorted out and possibly arrested.

According to an article from the Haunted House Association, by implementing these safety codes and procedures for all official Halloween attractions, employees and volunteers in the industry wotk together to make safety a priority for staff and attendees.

All actors, regardless of appearance or facade, are regular people under the mask, and their safety is equally important.

Illustration By Blake Fernandez

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

NAU chooses compliance with the city’s Dark Sky initiative brady wheeler

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or over a century, residents of Flagstaff have marveled at the starry nights that rest above the pines. For some, such as Percival Lowell, hidden among the dark skies is discovery.

For others, the dark skies are a staple of the community.

The skies of Flagstaff have been the subject of international attention since Lowell first discovered Pluto in 1905. Flagstaff was recognized as the first International Dark Sky City in 2001. Presently, Flagstaff’s skies are still a valued commodity as the city and NAU continue to expand preservation efforts.

Flagstaff first began its ongoing battle with light pollution in 1973, when outdoor lighting standards were passed. In subsequent years, revisions to these standards were made frequently, as new technology and research were added to the equation.

The most recent revision to lighting standards was in 2016 and includes up-to-date outdoor lighting codes that buildings and facilities must adhere to. According to the city’s outdoor lighting standards, the purpose of these codes is to assure that the dark skies remain a resource for residents to enjoy.

“Dark starry nights, like natural landscapes, forests, clean water, wildlife and clear, unpolluted air, are valued in many ways by the residents of this community, and they provide the natural resource upon which our world-renowned astronomical industry depends,” as stated in the outdoor lighting standards.

These standards account for many different concerns.

Nighttime safety, energy efficiency and animal behavior are among the concerns addressed. The outdoor lighting standards note that modern lighting adequately provides light for safety and utility without excessive glare or light pollution. The city has taken it upon itself to preserve the dark skies without sacrificing the comfort of residents.

The city’s code compliance officer, Mark Stento, is employed to enforce building compliance with lighting code. Several times each week, Stento and other preservation officers conduct evening patrols to check for compliance. Stento said the enforcement process involves a detailed investigation. This process includes reviewing lighting standards when structural plans are approved, compiling data related to current fixtures and light sources, and an analysis of exterior modifications to the property.

“It’s an honor to serve the community and the city of Flagstaff as a code compliance officer, and I do enjoy my job,” Stento said. “I believe in the value of our dark skies and efforts toward sustainability as a whole.”

Stento said these efforts are now more important than ever before, as pollution continues to increase due to bright LEDs

falling in cost. LED lights are the top offender, specifically because they commonly replace outdated and less efficient lighting.

The city combats these new concerns by increasing awareness.

Stento said a new community outreach and incentive program for residential awareness and violation resolution is in the works.

NAU Facility Services has taken measures of its own to ensure the preservation of Flagstaff’s dark skies. As a state institution, NAU is exempt from abiding by the city’s lighting codes but chooses to comply.

The university’s Planning, Design and Construction (PDC) branch of Facility Services recently made efforts toward compliance. Project manager Andrew Iacona said a team of project managers and members of the Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition meet once a month to ensure new buildings and facilities meet the standards that are expected of a dark sky city.

“Our goal is to go above and beyond,” Iacona said. “We have always gone above and beyond.”

While the university lacks official enforcement, university lighting is regulated by way of PDC. New projects funded by the university are planned to comply with lighting standards

“Dark starry nights, like natural landscapes, forests, clean water, wildlife and clear, unpolluted air, are valued in many ways”

-Outdoor lighting standards

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set by the NAU’s design guidelines. Older buildings and facilities are slowly being brought up to code as renovations occur and the updated design guidelines are utilized.

Not only are dated buildings in violation of lighting, but the biggest offenders are campus streetlights and other types of outdoor lighting. Iacona said the university makes efforts to update these amenities as often as possible.

“The university has had a mentality of compliance for at least 10 years,” Iacona said. “We are constantly searching for ways to apply new conditions to existing spaces.”

Lighting standards are easily followed and create few issues for new projects being funded by the university. However, Iacona said PDC still goes to great lengths to ensure compliance. It is not uncommon for custom lighting products to be designed specifically for the university. Lighting shields, LED lights and outdoor lighting fixtures are a few of the products that have been tailored to the request of PDC. The recently constructed sports activity practice fields is one of many projects that boasts custommade products.

Departments like those of Stento and Iacona may have starkly different methods of dealing with light pollution, but Flagstaff citizens have come together to protect the community’s renowned starry nights. It may lack the ability to enact policy, butIllustration the community-led Flagstaff Dark Skies Coalition certainly

By Blake Fernandez influences residents to be mindful of their outdoor lighting.

Those who are interested in learning more about light pollution and how to prevent it can do so at the organization’s website.

Illustration By Blake Fernandez

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To this end, we encourage all interested people to apply.

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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NEWS

Illustration By Blake Fernandez

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Día de los Muertos is not an aesthetic kylie soto

The haunting reality of being ghosted

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as it ever seemed like a romantic partner dropped off the face of the Earth? Did the person that you have been talking to just stop responding to you out of nowhere?

If so, you may have been ghosted.

The term ghosting means to end a personal relationship with someone suddenly and without explanation by cutting off communication with that person.

Being ghosted brings a haunting feeling. I have been on both sides of the situation. People have ghosted me, but I am also guilty of ghosting people. Either way, it is never an ideal situation.

A lot of questions can run through someone’s head. It is hard not to question MADELINE whether or not you did something wrong HOLLMANN for them to stop talking to you.

WRITER Don’t take it too personally. The person ghosting you could be dealing with their own insecurities that they don’t want to confront.

Ghosting can happen for many different reasons. It can be overwhelming when it seems like a relationship is getting intense too quickly. If both people are not on the same page, it gets complicated. Instead of telling the other person they are not interested in a serious relationship at the moment, they may find it easier to ghost the other person. Confrontation is hard.

Having an emotional conversation is tricky for some.

In certain circumstances, it is OK to ghost someone. When trying to break off a casual relationship by hinting that you are no longer interested, ghosting might be the best option for the situation. If the other person is not taking the hint, cutting off contact is OK. Ghosting sends a message within itself. When being ghosted, the message is clear that the other person is no longer interested.

There is no need to feel bad about ghosting someone you are casually dating. You don’t owe it to them to respond. There is no obligation to a person you are not in a relationship with.

When it comes to relationships, it is a different situation.

Don’t ever ghost a significant other. After developing a close relationship with another person, closure should be given.

Disappearing from that person’s life with little to no explanation is immature and disrespectful.

I’m not saying that you should break up with someone by ghosting them. Before making the decision to ghost the person you are talking to, consider your situation. If it is casual, then there is no harm in ghosting, but don’t leave the haunting feeling of being ghosted with someone you were once in a relationship with.

D

ía de los Muertos is a sentimental tradition among people of Latinx heritage. It is when families remember those who have died and all the things they did in their

lives.

With the release of movies like Disney’s “Coco” and “The Book of Life,” the holiday has recently become more mainstream.

Craft stores profit from the public’s fascination with this cultural tradition. There are decorations for sale on their websites and in stores related to the holiday.

This wouldn’t be an issue if all facets of the holiday were broadcast and if these companies weren’t whitewashing the holiday to make it about bright colors and slapping a skull on every item they sell. Not to mention, the decorations sold at these craft stores are cheaply made and have been on sale long before the holiday.

Now don’t get me wrong, “Coco” and “The Book of Life” were wonderful movies that honored a chunk of what the holiday encompasses.

These movies are not the issue at hand. In fact, I believe it’s wonderful that Disney is presenting a character and culture that is not predominantly European. There may not be a Hispanic Disney princess movie yet, but that is another issue entirely.

It is the companies that seem to believe they can market an entire culture’s suddenly popularized traditions and sell them to people who think seeing one of these movies inducts them into a tradition that’s been celebrated for centuries that are the problem.

The people who buy these decorations and go on to celebrate the holiday without knowing its meaning contribute to this mass-produced and advertised cultural appropriation.

Much like the United States has its own holidays, such as Thanksgiving and Halloween, Día de los Muertos is reserved for the Latinx people who choose to partake in it.

That being said, the details of the holiday and culture are exceptionally sentimental to all who celebrate it. It is wrong for non-Hispanic Americans to steal yet another thing just to profit

from a movie they may have liked. The holiday is purely based on the love and importance of family, not aesthetics.

There are ways to respectfully enjoy and understand the holiday without offending people who genuinely celebrate it. In order to understand the customs practiced in the holiday, one must understand the background.

Día de los Muertos, also known as Día de los Angelitos, traditions vary regionally.

Ofrendas, as depicted in “Coco,” are altars with offerings most commonly seen at cemeteries where deceased loved ones lie. The idea is to honor and comfortably welcome family members during their short visits to the living world.

Ofrendas often have tasty food, beverages, books and even clothes relatives used to wear.

It’s quite the sight to see: cemeteries filled with candles and homemade decorations.

Festivals and clothing are also central parts of the holiday. Entire communities come together dressed in traditional guayaberas and colorful maxi dresses to celebrate the lives of those who have died. For women, dressing like a catrina means going bold with color and unique floral headdresses.

Marigold petals are used to guide deceased family members to reunion with their living families. They give Illustration By christian ayala off a pleasant, comforting and sweet scent, which gives the whole night a magical ambiance.

Sugar skulls are typically made of chocolate and are specifically crafted to represent specific people, with the names of relatives written on them. These are especially important, as the water and sugar-based treats represent the fusion of pre-Hispanic culture and the Spanish custom of sculpture.

Día de los Muertos is so much more than cheaply made sparkly decorations sold at 50% off in a craft store. It’s about celebrating the life of those who have died, rather than mourning the dead. It’s a night of reunion, remembering and reliving moments that may have otherwise faded away with time.

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

What scares me most this Halloween jacob terrill

I

have never been a huge fan of Halloween, even as a kid. Don’t get me wrong, the candy was delicious, and it was exciting to trade it at lunch during school. The holiday was all about who got the most or who got the biggest candy bar, but as I grew up, I got more suspicious of Halloween.

It is a day that is supposed to bring exciting fear and spooky spice into people’s lives. I started to realize the fear most parents have is unjustified, and that college students need to be more careful at the parties they attend.

Halloween is a night that lands in the middle of the semester.

College students are trying to blow off steam from their midterms and are looking to go have fun with their friends at parties. They are looking to drink and forget about stress for the night until they have to wake up the next morning and do it again.

During these parties, college students dress up in obscene costumes to impress each other. They usully want to get a cute person’s attention.

Halloween comes during a time when sexual assault rates rise significantly, especially on college campuses, according to a study from the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network. The website stated, “More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November.”

I believe that everyone should dress however they want to feel attractive for the momentous night. Just because someone is dressed sexy does not mean they are trying to have a one night stand with you.

One tool to help students stay safe is to always be with a group of friends and make sure they don’t walk home alone. Even though it’s a fun night and people are dressed up that doesn’t mean participants should let their guards down.

Halloween has always been a time for parents to let their kids dress up as superheroes, princesses, a favorite athlete or role model. It is an opportunity for their imagination to wander and to believe that, for one night, they are someone incredible.

A misconception parents have about Halloween is that it is one of the more likely nights for kidnappings to occur. Most states have laws for individuals who have been placed on the sex offender list to indicate safety in residential areas and prevent from such kidnappings in neighborhoods.

According to the Sex Crimes Attorney, a private law practice in California, states like North Carolina, Texas, Missouri, California and Tennessee have restrictions known as No Candy laws. These laws mandate that individuals on this list are not allowed to participate in giving out candy and must have signs that tell kids not to come up to the door. The practice states on its website that “the laws fall into one of two main categories: specific restrictions on registered sex offenders or restrictions on individuals on conditional release programs or paroled sex offenders.”

Illustration By diana ortega

In Arizona, there are a handful of rules applicable to sex offenders on Halloween night, but they have not been voted on as state law. According to the Phoenix private law practice Castillo Law, “Common restrictions for sex offenders on Halloween night may include but are not limited to the following: No passing out candy, no driving after dark, no wearing costumes or masks, no visiting haunted houses or mazes and no visiting any location primarily used by children.”

What I personally fear is the possibility of criminals lurking around to find anything they can vandalize or steal, and that my possessions might get caught in the crossfire.

Most families leave their homes unattended and leave their lights out for the night. They go out with their adorable kids to

More than 50% of college sexual assaults occur in either August, September, October, or November.

”

– rape, abuse and incest national Network

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”

watch them enjoy one of the most exciting holidays for children to experience. When people are away from their homes, it is the best time for criminals to strike.

It makes sense that criminals think Halloween is the perfect night to go shopping on other people’s properties. They know homeowners are most likely gone if their lights are out. People can dress up in whatever they want, and no one will know who they are. People will not be suspicious of a person in all black wearing a scary mask. They could continue on with their journey down the neighborhood without thinking of the consequences.

Everyone should prepare for the worst case scenario to prevent crime from striking in their homes.

I strongly urge that this holiday season, Halloween participants make sure to leave all house lights on, double check that everything is locked and valuables put away.

Halloween is an exciting time to celebrate, but no one knows when it could be Black Friday for a criminal.

SAVE SOME this Halloween

Unexpected EXPECT THE

AT GOODWILL

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OPINION-EDITORIAL

Black cats are nothing to fear ryan dixon

F

rom the star cat Salem of “Sabrina the Teenage Witch” to Binx in “Hocus Pocus,” black cats have stolen the hearts of audiences far and wide.

These comedic and helpful kitties are portrayed in a lovable light, which is why it is so sad that many black cats in shelters are burdened by the centuries-old superstition of bad luck.

According to rescue group Kindness for Cats Inc., black cats are the least likely to be adopted and have the highest rate of euthanasia.

Fear of black cats is a superstition that has its roots in prehistoric times. With saber-toothed tigers roaming the Earth, mankind’s instinctual determination to stay alive led to a healthy dose of fear for felines.

Thousands of years later in the Middle Ages, the folklore surrounding black cats started to arise from a story that raced across Europe, according to Intown Animal Hospital, a veterinary organization that focuses on education and outreach for animal health.

The story goes that one day, a man and his son threw rocks at a black cat who happened to cross their path. The cat, injured from the cruel actions of the men, ran into the home of a woman, who many people suspected of practicing witchcraft.

The next day when the woman left her house bruised and limping, the townspeople leapt to the conclusion that the cat they had stoned the day before had magically transformed into the witch woman.

The story raged across the continent, and for centuries, black cats went hand in hand with witchcraft and bad luck.

In cartoons, spooky movies and decorations, a gnarly, old, mischievous witch is almost always depicted with a black cat on her broom or by her feet. The shadowy feline has been the star of spooky folklore and mysterious bedtime stories.

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Illustration By dominic davies

American comedian Groucho Marx even once said, “A black cat crossing your path signifies that the animal is going somewhere.” I’m inclined to agree that the notion of nefarious motives behind a cat walking is just laughable.

It’s October, so I think it’s time we all

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show a little love to our furry, beautiful and misunderstood feline friends.

With the Salem Witch Trials being a thing of the past, what I can’t understand is why witches’ dark-furred companions still face the oppression and stigma of an outdated superstition.

We’ve moved past the long-outdated tradition of burning women at the stake for being accused of witchcraft. There is no reason to abandon black cats to a life of loneliness with the ancient justification that they bring bad luck.

For me, ditching superstitions regarding black cats is a deeply personal issue.

When I was younger, I came home from school one day not knowing that my life would be changed forever.

I opened the front door, completely oblivious to the blessing that was about to crawl into my life. I vividly remember my dad stepping to the side and revealing a ball of fluffy, black fur. A little squeak of a meow met my ears, and my heart belonged to that kitten instantly.

He was tiny, all black and deserving of every ounce of love the world could pour onto him.

I named him Thor, completely overlooking a perfectly good opportunity to name a cat Loki.

In the unfairly short lifespan of a cat, Thor wiped away any lingering superstitions of bad luck I could have held onto.

He was my best friend — the biggest sweetheart — with an even greater personality. He greeted me with kisses, meows, cuddles and naps on sight and provided what can only be described as some of the happiest moments of my life.

If my black cat brought any luck into my life, it could only be classified as good.

I would take a Thor in my life over a million other animals. He was proof enough that the color of a cat’s fur does not betray the color they will add to your life.

Please pick up that black cat that has been overlooked in the corner of the shelter for years.

Take a chance on the mysterious dark-furred kitten of the litter.

The superstitions of medieval people, who used to all bathe in the same bathwater and burn women to death, should be left far in the past where they belong.

The next stroke of good luck in your life could be in the form of a black kitty who has been misunderstood for far too long.

OPINION-EDITORIAL

spirits are not always as sinister as they seem I

grew up always liking Halloween, but as time went on, and my siblings and I grew older, we began celebrating it with less and less emphasis. I was raised to have an open mind and to enjoy the experiences life brings me. It was not until recently that I had my first paranormal experience.

Believing in cryptids, like the Loch Ness Monster and Bigfoot, was something my brothers and I shared a passion for. I knew the probability of those cryptids being real was low, but having something to believe in made the world feel less intimidating.

Since high school, I had stopped believing in cryptids and monsters, much like losing the belief in Santa as a child. I had lost hope that there was even a single thing in this world that evaded explanation. Reading extensive fantasy and sci-fi novels as a child, I was fascinated by the unknown and always wanted something to believe in. I learned to come to terms with the fact that life on Earth would always just be normal.

The very first time I saw a ghost was the first day of this semester. It was near 10 or 11 p.m., and I was waiting for my boyfriend to get off work so we could video chat.

As I sat in bed waiting, I watched outside my window. I live in Hilltop Townhomes, and the view from our townhome is of Citizens Cemetery. I can only describe what I saw as paranormal.

The spirit first appeared to me as a light. I figured the light source was the glare of headlights from a passing car.

It was not unusual for cars to pass by our townhome in the cemetery.

As I watched longer, the light grew and stretched until it formed the shape of a person. Rather than resembling the likeness of a person, this spirit had the form of a person with no facial features or hands. It was like a flickering flame morphed into human form that began to move. The spirit’s form twisted and moved until it was dancing around a rugged gravestone like a private ceremony.

At this point in my experience, I began to feel a panic attack brewing. I always wanted to have a paranormal experience, but

I was not ready for it. I was in such denial of it happening. I even timed its movements to make sure it wasn’t students pulling a prank or projecting an image. The spirit was definitely occupying space and illuminating light.

”

madison cohen

I always wanted to have a paranormal experience, but I was not ready for it.

”

Shadows danced along with the figure across multiple gravestones and crypts. The experience was like witnessing a car crash

while driving. As disturbing as it was, it was hard to look away. Eventually, the spirit faded and dissipated back into the ground.

I didn’t sleep at all that night. I cried to my boyfriend over the phone, but I could not articulate why I felt so afraid. I even spoke with my dad about it, because he had seen a ghost of a man working when he worked at a famous hotel.

He never liked to talk about it, but I knew he had a supernatural experience. As weeks went on and I reflected more on my experience, I arrived at the realization that I only felt fear because I had never seen anything like that before.

The uneasiness I felt that night came from the feeling that I was viewing a private moment

not meant for human sight. Where I once felt dread, I now feel lucky to have experienced something as rare as I did.

Movies and the rest of pop culture tend to portray ghosts and spirits as evil and scary.

I believe the paranormal is not necessarily evil.

There definitely are different experiences and opinions, but my encounter taught me to be respectful of the unknown.

Although a resident of Hilltop died in the townhomes last year, it does not mean this ghost was of evil descent or origin. After this night as I told my friends, I learned several other people had their first supernatural sightings in Flagstaff.

I intend to use my experience to teach others that there are things in life that can’t always be explained and that there is nothing wrong with believing in something, even if it may be rare or unnatural.

Halloween is a time for spooks and scares, but all participation does not have to be chilling. Casper was a friendly ghost, after all.

Illustration By amy czachowski

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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Students share some of

FEATURES

Burial bells and tombstone tales Ash Lohmann

W

ith the spooky season in full swing, creepy stories are buzzing around campus and leaving some students wishing they packed a night light for their dorm. We asked students to take a swing at sending shivers down our spines by sharing their scariest stories.

O

Shower time terror

ne of freshman Ian Tower’s first impressions of NAU was quite a creepy one when he decided to walk on the wild side one night and explore the areas neighboring campus. Tower said while he doesn’t believe in ghosts and ghouls, what he heard that night gave him serious goosebumps.

“I don’t really believe in the spook — like ghosts or spirits or whatever — but me and my girlfriend ... we dress really edgy. We saw there was a graveyard right across from Sechrist and thought it sounded like a crazy cool place to go to, and I couldn’t make it one night, because she was trying to go for the first time ... She was walking alongside it though, and apparently she heard bells, and I was like, ‘That’s weird. You’re trying to scare me.’ I thought that maybe they were on like those little American flags they put on graves ... and the wind was picking up

I

or something. So I was like, ‘Yeah, cool story. Whatever.’

“I remember one night — I think it was in about the third week of school — we decided to go to the graveyard, and we were trying to see if we could catch a scary vibe in t h e Halloween season. As we were walking through, the wind was picking up like crazy for some reason, but every time it picked up, we didn’t hear bells. So, I was wondering if she was just crazy. Eventually though, I heard this really faint noise and thought, ‘I must be tripping. That’s not what that is.’ Then I heard the tinkling of bells again, and I heard it up to three times and thought, ‘OK, that’s really weird.’ She didn’t hear it any of the times.”

n this chilling tale, junior Jeffery Despain confronted haunts when they paid him a visit during a shower. He said this spooky encounter, along with others he experienced in this home throughout the years, convinced him of the existence of the paranormal. Many would be rightfully spooked by flickering lights alone, but what happened to Despain during his shower went beyond the paranormal experience that would leave hearts racing.

“I was home alone, and I hopped in the shower. At one point the light turned off, but I just kept showering, because whatever. Then the water turned off, so I got out. After a few moments, the lights and water turned back on, and so I got back in. Then they both shut off again, and I got really annoyed.

“Suddenly, the lights started to flicker quickly, and the water

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turned back on, but it was pitch black, like thin tar pouring from the faucet. I got out and went to open the door, when it began shaking violently. I stood there and eventually was like, ‘Are we done?’ It all stopped, and I finished my shower.

“In that same house, I would wake up and see a shadow man watching me from the doorway, but my dog always slept in front of him, so I think that stopped him. Also, the room across the hall from mine, which was a guest room, was dark regardless of the time of day, and if you were on the computer, you could hear the closet door open and something crawl across the carpet toward you. I don’t know what would have happened if it ever got to you, but I would always turn around, which made it go away. So, I don’t know.”

f their spookiest stories

FEATURES

Creepy cabin conjurings

F

reshman Jose-Fabrizzio Romero has many unique stories from when he was in foster care, and this is among the scariest of his experiences. What was supposed to be a nice, cozy evening took a terrifying turn after what Romero witnessed.

“The story starts out with me in foster care. So,

there were like 12 of us, and we were staying in a cabin. We ended up eating some candy that made us all sick, so we all tried to go to sleep. But when we were heading to bed, we notice this bathtub, and in this bathtub — in this cabin — there was this red light. I thought the light was really cool, so I got in the bathtub, and I’m listening to French ’50s music.

Then, the water just started heading up on its own. Then I saw bubbles — lots of bubbles, and I start melting. So naturally, I get out, get my towel, dry myself off. I go to my room, then I get in the covers, and as I’m falling asleep, I see this figure watching me from the doorway.

Have no fear, your phantom friend is here

W

hen junior Tehya Morrison was younger, her best friend was someone nobody else could see.

Unlike normal imaginary friends, her pal came from beyond the grave for playdates.

“So when I was a kid, like maybe around 4 or 5, I always had this imaginary friend who I would play with. We lived in this apartment complex. Me and my parents just kind of let it go, because they were like, ‘Oh, she’s a kid. Everybody has imaginary friends.’

I can’t remember my friend’s name, but this went on for a long time, so my parents were kind of concerned, because I was going into middle school and still had this really weird kind of fixation with this imaginary friend.

“I would go everywhere with this imaginary friend. It wasn’t just like I only played with them: I would eat and sleep with this imaginary friend, but I was the only one who could see them. Then eventually, this

imaginary friend just went away when I was maybe 12 or 13.

“I remember there was one summer when we were cleaning out the attic, and my mom started really freaking out. She went to my dad with this old Polaroid picture, and we didn’t have a Polaroid camera, so he started freaking out too. They were so freaked out because the kid in the picture was the exact way that I described my imaginary friend to them. I never felt threatened or anything, and I remember this time so vividly, because it was around the time I was living in a neighborhood that wasn’t the safest place, so I couldn’t be outside all the time. I spent a lot of time by myself, and my siblings weren’t born yet, so I was just alone all the time. Except I wasn’t, because I would play with my imaginary friend.”

IllustrationS By Aleah green

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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FEATURES

Skeptics and believers collide on the paranormal Camille Sipple

F

or years, countless movies, books and television shows have made money on the possibility of the paranormal. However, when it comes to the real world that is not dictated by green screens and computer imaging, there are still those who wholeheartedly believe in the existence of ghosts and spirits.

Despite the amount of believers, there are still those who remain deeply skeptical about the paranormal in every possible regard. Paranormal investigators, are people who attempt to bridge the gap between skeptics and believers by demonstrating the reality of the spirit realm.

Psychic medium and paranormal investigator Chris Moon visited NAU Oct. 19. Moon gave students a presentation on his profession, abilities and past fieldwork, as well as a live demonstration of his equipment. This equipment included cameras, nightvision cameras, electromagnetic field meters, non-contact thermometers, white-noise machines, digital voice recorders and — most importantly — the spirit box. A spirit box is a radiolike device that can tune into certain frequencies and is based on Thomas Edison’s original Telephone to the Dead concept.

For investigators like Moon, spirit boxes are essential to actively communicate with the dead. As a psychic, Moon is able to sense paranormal activity but said it is important he does not base his findings solely on his psychic abilities.

“I don’t base any evidence on superstition,” Moon said. “I use my abilities to sense activity and then back it up through equipment.”

As a paranormal investigator, Moon has traveled all over the world and has been to some of the most supernatural locations on Earth, such as the Lizzie Borden House, The Sally House and the field that held the infamous Battle of Gettysburg.

Though Moon hasn’t conducted any formal investigations within Flagstaff, he has throughout Arizona.

Moon challenges those who are

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Illustration By Angelo Sanchez

skeptical to shadow him for a day.

Most associate skepticism with endless questions and a constant need for facts. While these statements are true, there is much more to being a skeptic of the paranormal.

Freshman Aurora Howard said she doesn’t completely dismiss the idea of paranormal entities being real, she just needs hard proof to believe.

“I guess I’m somebody who doesn’t choose to fully put my belief into something without solid proof,” Howard said. “In order for me to fully believe, I would need to experience something personal to me or view someone close to me experience something supernatural.”

There are some people in the paranormal community who attempt to force their thoughts and opinions upon skeptics. Howard said she is not happy with others who criticize her

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for her skepticism, because she doesn’t try to alter their beliefs in any way.

“I don’t see a problem in others fully believing in ghosts, as long as they don’t give me a hard time for being a skeptic,” Howard said.

For many cultures, stories comprise a large part of practices, some of which include tales of the supernatural or paranormal. Junior Beatriz Recinos-Pineda explained that these stories are especially prevalent in Latinx cultures. She referenced the Día de los Muertos holiday and the demonic creature of Latinx American, Iberian and Filipino folklore called a Duende. Recinos-Pineda said these stories tend to become so ingrained within the children that their belief in the paranormal is not something that can be easily stripped away.

“The people I trust around me have told me stories about spirits

being close to them, especially in Latinx culture,” Recinos-Pineda said.

“There is a lot of belief in spirits.

There is so much unknown in this world that it would be wild to not think that it’s a possibility.”

Recinos-Pineda said retelling stories is one of the best ways to convince others of paranormal occurrences and even change a skeptic’s mind.

On a lighter note, there are believers like freshman Kristin Weldy who simply look for the good aspects of life. Weldy said she believes in the paranormal or supernatural because it gives her hope and, at times, even joy.

“I really think that the impossible can be real,” Weldy said. “It gives me something to look forward to when things are bad.”

Skepticism and belief are the main ideologies when it comes to

the paranormal. However, there are those who find themselves lodged between the two, unable to proclaim themselves a complete skeptic or believer. Freshman Alexis Painter is one of these individuals. She described herself as both a skeptic and a believer. Her beliefs are not deeply rooted in a freak experience or ghostly occurrence, but have been weighed in her mind against the skeptical side of logic.

“I would describe myself as both a skeptic and a believer, because I don’t believe you can disprove the supernatural, but I also don’t believe you can prove the supernatural,” Painter said. “I don’t necessarily believe in ghosts, but I do believe in demons and angels.”

Painter said paranormal stories have a large influence on her believing, but she hasn’t personally had an experience with the paranormal.

However, she said if presented with concrete evidence, she could be easily swayed from one side to the other.

“If someone gave me hard evidence that could not be disproved, then I would accept it as the truth, whether it be on the believers’ side or the skeptics’ side,” Painter said.

For many people, such as Painter and Howard, proof is the most influential aspect of their belief or skepticism. On the other hand, where concrete evidence falls short, often stories that are passed down through generations make up the difference.

With believers, skeptics and those in between, it cannot be agreed whether or not paranormal phenomena occur. The question is how to explain the unexplainable.

But regardless of a person’s stance on ghosts, demons or spirits, there are those who dedicate their lives to investigating the paranormal. Moon stresses that if one chooses to go looking for the paranormal or pursue an investigation of their own, it is important to remain respectful of all spirits and to treat them as you would treat a friend.

FEATURES

Crafting your own creepy and cute costumes Renee Hanneken

H

alloween is the perfect day to be expressive. Costume options are endless: a dog, a witch, a cartoon character, a superhero. But at some point, costumes can become overdone, or worse — overpriced. This is why DIY costumes have become more popular.

Rachel Zsarnay, co-owner of the Instagram thrift store Lotus & Poppy and a habitual thrifter, has been making her own costumes for two years. She said thrifting has been an important part of her life.

Zsarnay has been thrift shopping for over eight years, and making Halloween costumes is just one part of her love for originality in clothing and style.

“Thrifting means cutting down on the stuff that I have, consuming clothing that won’t fall apart after a few uses and spending less money on clothes,” Zsarnay said. “It’s also great for the environment.”

Her favorite homemade costume thus far was the classic cartoon character Velma from “Scooby-Doo.” Velma was Zsarnay’s first homemade Halloween look and was completed for a Halloween party she attended.

Zsarnay purchased an orange turtleneck, a red skirt, fake glasses and knee socks. She already owned the signature red heels to complete this time-honored look. All of her purchases were made at Goodwill.

“I think it’s important to create your own costumes, as it displays your own creativity and originality,” Zsarnay said. “I will never not make my own costume. I get to make it my own this way.”

Rebekah Savona is a mother and Instagram blogger with a passion for fashion. She began thrifting a long time ago after her mother introduced the idea. Thrifting gave her the opportunity to save money and express herself in a new way.

“I wanted to find unique pieces and couldn’t always afford to shop brand new,” Savona said. “I shop secondhand most of the time now for sustainable reasons and to show that being fashionable doesn’t have to cost a ton of money.”

Savona has always created her own costumes out of her thrift finds and said she has little to no appreciation for premade costumes.

Creating original looks from secondhand pieces is also important to her because she enjoys practicing sustainable and ethical habits while being a consumer in current times.

“The premade costumes are garbage,” Savona said.

“Unfortunately, they end up in there too, because the quality is so poor. They are single-use. The impact fast fashion has on the environment is immense, and people around the world are being paid and treated unfairly.”

The sustainable and ethical practices behind thrift and secondhand shopping are varied. Creating costumes allows shoppers to get innovative with their clothing choices, much like Savona has done with her own costumes for Halloween.

Inspired by Margot Tenenbaum played by Gwyneth Paltrow in “The Royal Tenenbaums,” Savona created a mime look that

is perfect for the Halloween season. The outfit does not take long to complete and can be pulled together in a variety of ways.

She said she had the pieces already in her closet.

To create the mime, Savona put on a red and white striped long-sleeve shirt under a black, flowing romper and completed it with mid-gray socks, chunky black heels and a gray beret. She wore red lipstick and heavy eyeliner to accomplish that vintage, Anderson look. This can be repeated several different ways, as long as there is some extra eyeliner or face paint laying around. A beret helps, too.

Dorothy Nelson, a lecturer in the School of Communication at NAU, has been making her own costumes since she was a college student.

“I feel like creating my own costume makes my look more authentic or unique than just buying a printed costume in a bag,” Nelson said. “Even if there are multiple people dressed up as the same character as me, my look will still be unique.

People can tell that I put time into creating my vision.”

Nelson has made her own costume, as well as costumes for her toddler and husband. Her pieces are completed with craft supplies, thrift items and even household cleaning supplies.

It can take one day or several depending on how deep the creator wants to go.

“I could typically complete a costume in a day’s time ... if working all day,” Nelson said. “Sometimes, things like paint and paper mache may take several hours or overnight to dry before I can move on to the next step.”

Some of her past looks include Jack and Sally from “The Nightmare Before Christmas,” Boo from “Monsters, Inc.,” and Elle Woods and Bruiser from “Legally Blonde 2.”

Nelson said her favorite look was Elle Woods from “Legally Blonde 2,” because she was able to incorporate her dog, and everyone knew exactly who they were. Nelson purchased a pink sweater from Target, created her own pillbox hat, painted her shoes to match and found a dog purse to put her own dog, Noah, in.

Illustration By Madison Cohen

Another favorite created by Nelson was one for a Tim Burton themed Halloween party. This look was completed with paper mache and selective thrift shopping. Nelson and her husband made the Jack Skellington costume from a paper mache headpiece that they molded around a balloon, a black suit and a bowtie made of cardboard.

Nelson’s 2-year-old daughter’s costume was based on the scene from “Monsters, Inc.” when Mike and Sully created Boo’s costume to blend in with the monster crowd in the factory.

Nelson purchased a purple puffer vest with a hood for the body and head, used a mophead for hair and combined felt, paint, pipe cleaners and styrofoam balls for facial features. Some tools used included a sewing machine, needles, thread and glue.

There are tons of different tips and tricks on blogs such as the Spruce Crafts and Red Ted Art for people looking for costume inspirations.

Whether taking pieces that are already owned and transforming them into something wicked and wild, or crafting classic characters from items found at a local thrift store, creating costumes is cost-efficient, fun and a great way to be expressive.

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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Homecoming Carnival 2019 Carnivals bring out the child in everyone Top: The NAU Homecoming Carnival was filled with local carnival rides, fair games, festive food, and booths that lit up central campus Friday, Oct. 25th.

Morgan Fisher | The Lumberjack Bottom Left: Japanese foreign exchange students, Amper (left) and Pearl (right), laugh while sliding in their seats on the Himalaya ride MacKenzie Brower | The Lumberjack Bottom Middle: NAU’s annual Homecoming Carnival attracts many students as it is free entry and rides all night.

Shannon Swain | The Lumberjack Bottom Right: Freshmen Allison Moon and Cameron Hernandez ride the Sizzler.

Brian Burke | The Lumberjack

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CULTURE

Believing in a great beyond Ian Sloan

The 1975 are as dynamic as ever

T

he 1975 released “Frail State of Mind” Friday, another single from their upcoming February 2020 album, “Notes On a Conditional Form.” It will be the third song on the 22-track project.

Wow, this song is incredibly stunning. The band’s drummer and main producer, George Daniel, created an instrumental that is rich in synthesizers and has a steady piano that brings depth to the track. The seemingly endless layering to this colorful beat is my favorite thing about the song. Really, it makes NATHAN me want to close my eyes and dance for MANNI eternity. To me, the vocal cadence in the initial verse sounds fairly similar to ASSISTANT CULTURE EDITOR “TOOTIMETOOTIMETOOTIME,” which coincidentally was also the third song on the band’s previous album. “Frail State of Mind” is “TOOTIME”: somber edition.

Let me be clear that this is not to say The 1975 is unoriginal.

In fact, I think they are the most relevant and creative band in the world, and I love their music dearly. I assume that the similarity between the two tracks will make sense later, once the rest of the album is released. The alternative-pop band is notorious for clever but cryptic tactics in their music, with easter eggs alluding to previous songs, albums and music videos.

So, maybe the paralleled sound is not a coincidence after all.

Introverts please rise, for Matty Healy is on our side. The 1975’s frontman and lead singer is one of the strongest lyricists in the music world, and he shines once again on “Frail State of Mind.”

“Go outside? \ Seems unlikely \ I’m sorry that I missed your call \ I watched it ring \ ‘Don’t waste their time’ \ I’ve always got a frail state of mind” The subject matter of the song is very relatable to listeners.

As someone who prefers being alone or in the company of a few friends at the most, the previous lyric about watching the phone ring hit close to home. I am guilty of ignoring countless video calls in favor of staying in the comfort of my own space.

Healy sings about how his fragile, unpredictable attitude and anxiety hold him back from common thrills that everyone surrounding him seems to love, such as partying. His vulnerability and transparency about his inner battles are what draw listeners in, dating way back to the band’s first EP. The 1975 are at their best when they are brutally truthful.

As melancholic as the lyrics are, the song gradually grows euphoric, leaving the listener with a divergent feeling as the last piano riff plays. Powerful, honest writing intertwined with superlative production will always combine for an irresistible tune. This is the formula The 1975 have followed since 2012, and it has yet to fail them. It probably never will.

T

hroughout history, different cultures have formed beliefs surrounding the only unavoidable aspect of life: death. These beliefs vary in attempt to create meaning for the afterlife and undead.

In A.D. 300, the Mayans were one of the ancient civilizations who ruled South America. NAU Anthropology professor Claire Ebert said she has gone on archaeological trips to study them.

“During [the Mayan] height, we know they had very sophisticated ideas about spirits and how they interacted with each other, especially spirits of the ancestors,” Ebert said.

Ancestral worship was common among early civilizations and Ebert said the practice can be seen from early Asian countries all the way to where the Mayans were in South America. While early civilizations had different ways of evoking their ancestors, the Mayans did so by practicing what many other Mesoamerican people did: sacrifice.

However, the Mayans had their own unique methods.

“Ancestors could include a dead king, a dead relative, but also included mythical spirits that speak to you and help guide you,” Ebert said. “Often what [ancestral communication] entailed was self-sacrifice. It was often making yourself bleed in some way, and the blood would then soak these pieces of paper, which they would burn. The smoke that would come up from the bowl of paper would invoke the ancestors.”

Ebert explained the Mayans also had many beliefs in different deities and spirits. They did not worship one god in particular but believed in spirits associated with different plants and animals that were constantly present. Their funeral rites were also similar in the sense that a person was buried according to their class.

“Different people did [burial] in different ways. The common folk would bury the dead underneath the floors of their houses, and they did this for two reasons,” Ebert said. “One was to keep their ancestors very close to them, and the second is that it was a great way to claim property rights. Common folk were also

buried very simply, without many items with them. Royalty had very elaborate burials. They were buried with vessels, beads, blades and hairpins.”

Many Native American tribes, such as the Navajo Nation, also have their own unique ways of handling the dead and spirits.

Sophomore Myron Bryant, a Native American Cultural Center tutor, said the culture’s burial grounds are usually hard to get to and are located away from their homes.

“We’re not really supposed to grieve as much or do any [services] unless we’re burying the body,” Bryant said.

“Basically, it’s just two people bury the body somewhere. Before those people can return, they have to take certain herbs and [go through] a cleansing for all the bad inside their bodies. Burial is usually done by whoever is available, but typically you want someone who is not closely related to the [deceased].”

Bryant said contrary to cultures that encourage visiting the graves of loved ones, Native American culture often discourages even setting foot on burial grounds. If someone sets foot on burial

grounds, a bad spirit can attach itself to them and bring about negative emotions.

Two other burial rituals in Navajo culture are the enemy way ceremony and the blackening. The enemy way is performed on soldiers who come back to relieve them of the spirits of those they have killed.

NAU Asian studies professor Di Wu said that while some Chinese traditions were lost when the Communist party took over in 1949, a few beliefs still hold true.

“Tradition is that if family passes, the person should be properly buried ... so the spirit can go to rest,” Wu said, “In China, there is an unofficial holiday on July 15 of the lunar calendar called the Ghost Festival. That night, even though it is not officially encouraged, Chinese people burn various things to send to family members that pass to the underworld. Parents will also tell their kids not to go out on that night ... [or] the evil spirits attack.”

The cycle of life is one that will continue until the end of time. Whether one believes in spirits or not, death is a constant, and it may be closer than they think.

Illustration by Kaylyn Dunn

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

Scary stories to tell on the Rez Kyler Edsitty

O

n Native American reservations, there are often no houses for miles, and police officers can take hours to respond to calls. These circumstances make evil almost inevitable. Three NAU students discussed the terrifying experiences they had on the Navajo Reservation.

Sophomore Edwin Mata recalled a story that makes him hesitant to drive at night on the reservation.

As a child, Mata was riding with his father at night on a back road to get to Window Rock, Arizona. Mata and his dad were talking casually when his dad glanced at Mata and started to speed up. Mata was confused and asked his dad what he saw.

“My dad told me not to look out the window and not to look into its eyes,” Mata said. “I wanted to listen, but I had to see what made him so scared.”

Mata did not take the warning and looked out the passenger window. At first, he saw nothing. Then, he looked into the side mirror and saw two glowing, red eyes following their truck. He continued to stare. He noticed the eyes were getting closer to the truck until they came around the right side and eventually disappeared. His dad was still driving fast, trying to get home quickly. Moments later, a creature ran in front of their truck. Mata’s dad swerved out of the way in an attempt to not hit it and nearly drove off the road. He regained control of the truck and tried to drive faster.

Mata said the creature looked like a coyote but was larger and looked deformed. Its gray fur was dirty and matted. Mata said the scariest part was that it was wearing clothes. It wore blue jeans and a black T-shirt that was torn and faded. When they got home, they quickly ran inside and locked all of the doors. They never spoke about what they saw, but Mata said he will never forget the image of the creature.

Sophomore Vernandria Livingston and her family were having a garage sale in Church Rock, New Mexico on the Navajo reservation.

She was selling some of the clothes that she had outgrown, and her dad was selling clothes and shoes that he didn’t like anymore.

A man came to their garage sale and seemed very interested in her dad’s clothes, so he bought all of them. Livingston thought this was strange, because the clothes seemed like they would be too big for the man. Several days later,

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Livingston’s dad started having terrible dreams, and he said what he saw was too scary to tell anyone. After this, he started seeing sores all over his body that itched constantly.

“I was scared and told him to go to the hospital, crying,” Livingston said. “He told me that a doctor couldn’t help him.”

He didn’t bother going to the hospital, and he saw a medicine man instead — someone who practices traditional medicine. The medicine man said these symptoms were not a coincidence. Whoever bought the clothes at the garage sale was responsible for them. That person had used dark magic on Livingston’s father out of jealousy.

The medicine man also knew how to solve the issue. He said the buyer had put something on Livingston’s land to target the family. Near their house, the medicine man dug a hole, and inside he found a bundle of Livingston’s father’s clothes that were soaked in blood. The clothes were tied around a large stone that had strange carvings on them. The medicine man blessed

the family and left with the findings. All of Livingston’s problems ended, but she remained skeptical of who she could trust.

Senior Anahí Montelongo Nevarez was driving home with her cousins near Window Rock on the Navajo reservation. Their truck was a single cab, and there were four people, so she sat in the bed of the truck alone. She said she did not mind because it was going to be a short drive, and there was plenty of light from the full moon above. She also did not believe in anything paranormal. To scare Montelongo Nevarez, her cousins turned onto a dirt road with no street lights.

After a couple of minutes, she started to hear a drum playing. She looked around but could not see where it came from. Then from out of the bushes, a man started running toward their car. He was incredibly pale and looked very thin. She started banging on the back window, warning the others of what she saw. The driver stomped on the gas pedal.

The man ran after the truck, and they

started to drive faster. The drum was still playing, and it started to play louder and faster.

As this continued, the man sped up and began laughing.

“When I heard his laugh, I froze and felt chills all over my body,” Montelongo Navarez said. “I didn’t want to think about what he would do if he caught up to us.”

The group finally made it back to their house. They all ran inside and locked all the doors. They didn’t see the man again. None of them could sleep that night from fright, but they heard footsteps on the roof of the house all night long.

“Everyone on the reservation has some sort of scary story,” Livingston said. “For me, telling them reminds me of home and gives a strange sense of nostalgia. That’s why I like hearing other experiences and seeing whose is scarier.”

No matter where a person lives, many grow up listening to and passing down scary stories.

To those who have experienced them, they are real and terrifying memories.

The Navajo Reservation is located just north of Flagstaff and has sprawling landscapes and mountains. Occasionally, structures and architecture can be seen amid the desert, Oct. 25. Morgan Fisher | The Lumberjack

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CULTURE

Illustration by Diana Ortega

Illustration by Dominic Davies

Inktober conjures new ideas Olivia Charlson

Editor’s note: The sources in this story are illustrators for The Lumberjack.

I

n October, witches hit the streets, cobwebs fill dorm windows, skeletons are around every corner and artists hit the sheets — not the cliche ghost costumes, but their own sheets of paper. Inktober is an internet trend that pushes artists to create and improve their skills every day of the month with a Halloween inspired prompt.

Just by looking at the #Inktober or #Inktober2019 hashtags on social media, one can see millions of posts by artists who participate in this challenge. The premise is to create something new every day with the intention of sharing it. According to the Inktober website, the rules are

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simple. The participants are supposed to make drawings in ink, post it with the hashtag and repeat daily throughout October.

Sophomore Christian Ayala is an illustrator for The Lumberjack and said he has never done Inktober in the past but started experimenting with it this year.

“It’s a really fun thing to do, because they give you these weird categories and topics that most people wouldn’t think of,” Ayala said. “Plus, when the challenge is presented to you, you have to think more outside of the box with what you could do.”

Ayala described himself as more of a digital artist. A large part of creating is simply trying to figure out where to take a piece. He said he sits down and questions what he wants to do with the colors, the patterns and whether or not the piece is self-

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explanatory or more controversial. It is a process of starting and improvising to get an end result that is satisfying.

Ayala said that the first thing he does when creating an illustration is imagining an image that could represent the idea.

“Being an illustrator is a really fun thing to do, because it’s a way of both telling the viewer a message, while at the same time showing it,” Ayala said.

Sophomore Lumberjack illustrator Kaylyn Dunn said she tried to do Inktober this year and the last, but that it is a lot of work trying to juggle with university life.

She said doing one every day feels like a lot of effort, but also that she finds inspiration for her illustrations in daily life.

“Normally, it will come to me.

What I’m going to draw is inspired

when I see something and think, ‘That would be cool if I did this or that with it,’” Dunn said. “For something that is assigned to me, I’ll have to really think about it for a minute and picture it before I can actually get an image, and then once I have something, I try to improve it by looking for other inspiration.”

Sophomore Diana Ortega is also an illustrator for The Lumberjack and said she usually starts with a few sketches and works off the best idea that pops into her head. She likes contacting writers to see what they think and then adds her own spin.

She said she has done Inktober in the past but also struggles to keep up.

“I did [Inktober] a couple of years ago. It’s fun to do, but it is difficult to do every day because sometimes you just want to make a good piece,” Ortega said. “Sometimes, ink can

be intimidating ... once you make a mistake, it is on there forever.”

Ortega said that ink can be challenging to a lot of artists, but they have changed the rules in past years to make pencil and digital drawings accepted. Ink pens can be a challenging tool to work with but can make the art feel more real, like painting on a blank canvas. An artist can never hit restart — the privilege a computer provides.

Maybe dressing up in a costume is not for everyone, but each person has their own way to express themself in this mysterious month. Inktober is an interesting outlet for young artists to find their style.

Whether illustrating for an assignment, a project such as Inktober or just drawing for fun, it is a chance to create something that used to only exist in thought.

CULTURE

Illustration by Amy Czachowski

Illustration by Diana Ortega

INKTOBER Illustration by Diana Ortega

Illustration by Blake Fernandez

Illustration by Shelsey Braswell

Illustration by Blake Fernandez

Illustration by Aleah Green

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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CULTURE

Left: Ashley Doering, 9, gets her face painted by Patricia Rodelo, Oct. 27. Middle: Frank Moraga decorates a sugar skull at the Museum of Northern Arizona. Right: Anamaria Ortiz lights a candle at her family ofrenda. Brian Burke| The Lumberjack

Celebrating Day of the Dead Nayomi Garcia

D

ía de los Muertos is a holiday celebrated in Mexico that is about death, but it is not a sad nor scary celebration. The purpose of this holiday is to celebrate the lives of those who have died. Families create ofrendas, or altars, that symbolize the lives of their ancestors. These altars are decorated with a picture of a person, religious elements, incense burners and personal objects that belonged to an ancestor.

Families also celebrate the holiday by making pan de muertos, day of the dead bread. This bread is also placed on the altar as an offering to ancestors. Afterward, families gather together and eat bread to celebrate the holiday.

Celebraciones de la Gente is an annual event held by Flagstaff’s Nuestras Raíces organization to celebrate Day of the Dead. Nuestras Raíces,

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which translates to “our roots,” promotes Hispanic culture in Flagstaff by organizing events that honor Hispanic traditions.

The organization was formed by families who helped build Flagstaff. These families worked together to begin this organization and share their culture with the community.

Nuestras Raíces secretary Dolores Cordova said Celebraciones de la Gente is an annual event that has been going on for 17 years. Each celebration, Nuestras Raíces partners with the Museum of Northern Arizona to host the event.

“We’re so grateful that the museum works with us to host this special event,” Cordova said. “I think this event is a great opportunity for people to understand more about Mexican culture. A lot of people think Dia de los Muertos is scary because it celebrates dead people, but it’s not scary at all. It is a time to

remember the people we had in our lives and honor them with the altars.”

At the event, Nuestras Raíces decorates the museum with altars, hosts mariachi performances, face painting, sugar skull painting classes and booths for vendors. Cordova said the altars are what members of the group like to work on most. Members of Nuestras Raíces create the altars and put them on display for guests.

To fundraise for Celebraciones de la Gente, Nuestras Raíces hosts a party each summer. At this event, the organization provides food and music for the community.

“The tardeadas [party] are a key part in creating Celebraciones de la Gente,” Cordova said. “I think the community enjoys this event because of the entertainment.

We have a mariachi band and folklórico dancers that the audience loves. It’s really great

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to see that the community enjoys what we do, and that they get to learn more about our culture.”

This year was artist Rick Pacheco’s third time participating as a vendor at Celebraciones de la Gente.

Apart from selling his art at the celebration, Pacheco also designed the T-shirt for this year’s event.

“I’ve been creating art for about four years now,” Pacheco said. “I’m very proud to sell my art at events like this, because my paintings are mainly about Hispanic culture. I’ve heard lots of people say that things about Hispanic culture are strange. I’ve had people comment on how they find the female skeletons — catrinas — scary. Although people think this, I still find it important to represent important aspects like this in my art.”

Apart from paintings, Pacheco also creates talavera tile and pottery. Talavera is

a type of ceramic that was created in Mexico after the arrival of the Spaniards.

The talavera Pacheco creates features flowers and Day of the Dead skeletons.

Although Pacheco is not a member of Nuestras Raíces, he said he is thankful for the opportunity to experience working with the group, even if it is only for one event.

“Organizations like these are especially important, because they keep the Hispanic culture alive,” Pacheco said.

“Hispanic culture is one of the most beautiful, in my opinion.

I don’t think we get enough credit for how amazing and unique our culture is. Day of the Dead may seem like a strange or scary celebration, but when you think about it, it’s just a day to remember the special people we had in our lives.”

Hermanas United for Change, a women’s Latinx group at NAU, also

participated as vendors at the event. Sophomore club copresident Julie Joseph said their group participates at events that focus on the importance of Hispanic culture, like Celebraciones de la Gente.

“In the past, we’ve created altars, but this year we decided to set up a booth at Celebraciones de la Gente,” Joseph said. “We created floral headbands to sell, because they are such a staple for this holiday. Many women wear these for the holiday, because they resonate with what the catrinas wear. We thought it would be an accessory that women would enjoy and that it would remind people of the holiday.”

Although Day of the Dead may be seen as a strange holiday, groups like Nuestras Raíces share the importance of their culture with the community.

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OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

27

SPORTS

The nightmare before practice — Athletes and their fears

Eric Friedl practices with the NAU club baseball team at south recreation fields Oct. 24 Italia Diazbarriga | The Lumberjack

david church

T

he fall season is fully underway, and Flagstaff is getting spooky. While this time of year brings images of ghouls and ghosts, there are bigger fears that go through an athlete’s mind.

Career-ending injuries or not enough playing time are extenuating circumstances that force an athlete to leave the game they love.

There are factors that make it difficult for a player to move on to the next level in their sport.

College athletes play for the love of the game, but there are some aspects that athletes think about that can scare them when it comes to the sport they play. Take junior Eric Friedl for example.

Friedl is an outfielder and first baseman for the NAU club baseball team. He had a traumatic experience while playing the sport he loves, which he said scares him from time to time to this day.

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“My biggest fear for a possible injury would be getting hit in the face with a foul ball,” Friedl said. “In high school, I got hit in the face while being on deck by a foul ball and had to get 20 stitches on my chin. So whenever I’m on deck and a foul ball comes close to me, I have flashbacks to high school.”

Friedl’s fear is warranted. A large attribute to a successful baseball pitcher is the ability to throw the ball with as much velocity as possible.

According to the MLB Statcast leaderboard, the average pitch velocity of the top 50 hardest throwers in the major leagues is 97.88 mph.

According to MLB Statcast leaderboard, the average exit velocity for the 50 hardest hits in the 2019 season was 119.9 mph.

Imagine a hard baseball being thrown at someone’s head that fast. This is arguably one of the scariest situations in sports.

Pitchers are at the highest risk of injury, due to constant strains on the arm. According to Baseball Reference, an average of 16 players

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required Tommy John surgery each year of the 2000s.

“If you’re a pitcher, the worst injury to get is Tommy John surgery,” former NAU club baseball player Dominic Bravo said. “I think a lot of people think if your elbow goes, then pitchers can lose velocity on their curveballs.”

Baseball is not the only exception when it comes to scary injuries. All sports have the possibility of freak accidents that could give anyone a case of the chills.

Sophomore Zachry Friday plays for the NAU club hockey team. He discussed some of the gruesome injuries and freak accidents that he witnessed while on the ice.

“The injury was when a goaltender got cut by a pair of skates,” Friday said. “[He] got ran over by the incoming skater’s blades first and went up his mask, sliding in with a lot of speed and basically cut open his corotid artery. But thank god we had a doctor at the rink.”

However, there are some examples besides

injuries that can make the hairs on an athlete’s neck stand up.

Confidence in yourself and competition can be concerns for an athlete, whether it be not enough playing time or losing a starting role on a team due to a lack of production. This can be a thought that worries athletes.

“Another fear, disregarding injuries, would be getting in a slump, which could lead to me losing my starting position and being taken out of the lineup,” Friedl said.

Athletes always have to play at peak performance levels and do everything they can to produce for the team.

While fears can be a factor in an athlete’s performance, they do not have to prevent a player from reaching their full potential. Instead of focusing on thoughts that are fearful, there are ways to focus on the positives.

“The steps I take to avoid those injuries are to stretch every day with the full range of motion,” Friday said. “I always play hard, but I am aware of everything happening on the ice at any given second. Just in general, I train hard and get better with everything that I do ... learn something new, or hone in on a skill or a talent that will, overall, make you better, on and off the ice.”

Sports are both physically and mentally demanding. Sometimes an injury keeps a player off the field, but the mental aspect can keep an athlete from playing as well. Bravo shared some of his ideas on how athletes can stay healthy and keep them playing the sport they love.

“I think the big thing is to exercise and work out as much as you can, keeping your body and your mind strong,” Bravo said. “The biggest thing people take for granted are pregame warmups, pregame stretching and stuff like that.

It makes your body loosen up. It is especially important in a game like baseball, since it’s more of a stand-around sport, so the best way to have your body ready is to do pregame warmups.”

While October only comes around once a year, when paranoia is heightened, the fears that athletes deal with last long after the calendar year flips. The scary thoughts athletes go through are not special but show a simple fact: athletes are human.

The fact of the matter is that athletes go through a lot of the same issues that non-athletes do. Just because they play a sport does not make them any different. It is all about blocking out the negatives and focusing on the positives.

VISUAL SPOTLIGHT Illustration By Blake Fernandez

Illustration By Christian Ayala

Illustration By Diana Ortega

Illustration By Amy czachowski

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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SPORTS

Understanding your influence

A

s kids, dressing up for Halloween felt like choosing your destiny. The coolest movie characters, favorite music artists and the hottest trends were all contenders for popular costumes. For one day, you could be whatever and whoever you aspired to be.

When trick-or-treating or attending costume parties, you are bound to see a jersey of some sort. To many people, jerseys are everyday casual wear, but others dedicate the holiday to cosplaying as their idols.

A little boy fully dressed in football pads with an oversized Rob Gronkowski jersey and a little girl in eye black dressed as Alex Morgan take on the persona of their favorite athletes.

It is easy to put professional athletes MOLLY on a pedestal. Athletes are humans too, SMITH and we have to respect that. They also need SPORTS EDITOR to respect that they have a large platform where many people see every action, and the negatives are highlighted.

In recent news, Phoenix Suns center Deandre Ayton was suspended for 25 games. During a drug test, he tested positive for an illegal diuretic. What was found in his system was banned after the league found it was popularly used to flush illegal drugs from players’ bodies.

Ayton claims it was unintentional and that he was unaware of what the repercussions would entail.

Ayton played at UA and began the 2018-19 season as the No. 1 overall draft pick. A young, local player on the struggling, rebuilding Suns is someone kids can look up to.

Not only is he someone who has disappointed his teammates and coaching staff, but also the young fans whose parents will not let them collect candy while wearing his jersey.

On the other hand, Halloween costumes are all fun and games — people dress up as Michael Myers and inflatable dinosaurs for goodness sake.

Children usually do not dress up without influence and confirmation from their parents. I doubt they want their kids sporting someone who already has negative press in their second year in the NBA. Ayton is young, and we all make mistakes. But if you are going to accept such a large job with great influence, please understand you are now impacting the minds of others.

Despite having a large influence and household name, someone who has kept out of the press completely is Mike Trout.

He is an eight-time MLB All-Star, two-time MVP and sixtime Silver Slugger Award winner.

He has played in the league since 2011 but has managed to keep his name out of anything that sheds a negative light.

I am sure as these athletes are partying they are not thinking of children wearing their jerseys around a suburban neighborhood. However, these are small things to stay conscious of.

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Freshman cross-country runner Abdihamid Nur poses for a portrait Oct. 23. Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

The story of Abdihamid Nur thomas rodgers

W

hen he arrived in Flagstaff to join the three-time defending national champions NAU cross-country team, freshman runner Abdihamid Nur was welcomed with open arms. Standing slightly shorter than the rest of the pack, you can find Nur at the front of any race. His yellow uniform sticks out like a sore thumb in a sea of green, blue, red, all hustling down the trail. Unlike his fellow runners, Nur’s arrival to NAU was not the strangest transition he’s made.

The first chapter of Nur’s journey to Flagstaff began in Mogadishu, Somalia.

Mogadishu is the capital of Somalia and home to over 11.2 million people, the majority identifying themselves as Sunni Muslims. Affected by instability and famine, the country has seen little to no peace over the past two decades of civil war.

For Nur, there is not much he remembers about his home country, but he keeps in contact with his family back home and is concerned about their safety often.

Nur left Mogadishu at a very young age to live in Cairo, Egypt for about five years before he landed in Phoenix, which became his home and the place where he discovered his athletic gifts.

Before Nur put on the running shoes and became a crosscountry runner, he could be found in a pair of soccer cleats and shin guards. Nur attributed sports for his smooth transition to the United States by allowing him to acclimate to a new culture.

“I played soccer before I ever started running,” Nur said. “In soccer, you have to make friends with a lot of different people

from a lot of different places. Sports brought me closer to people and helped me make friends.”

Nur’s passion for running was not something he immediately discovered but instead was born from catastrophic beginnings.

Shortly after trying out for the soccer team at North High School in Phoenix, he found himself in a nearly fatal car accident. “[The accident] really messed me up really bad,” Nur said. “I was out for the whole season and couldn’t go to school for three months. It was a really bad time for me.”

After missing the entire season due to being bedridden for months, Nur returned determined to get back on the field by any means necessary. With a hunger to make a strong comeback, Nur was ready and willing to do anything to get back to his previous shape.

As Nur trained to make his comeback for the upcoming soccer season, he was advised by his coach to take up crosscountry as a way to get back into shape. As he began to get his feet under him again, he started to notice something. Just north of campus at Buffalo Park, Nur and his coach came across a lifechanging revelation.

“My first meet was here in Flagstaff,” Nur said. “I got third place. I saw how good I was, and my coach said, ‘Let’s do this.

Forget about soccer — you can do this.’”

Nur found a new direction in running that set him on a course to the championships. He won the AIA Division I State Championship his senior year of high school and created a plethora of opportunities thereafter.

“Winning the state championship was big for me,” Nur said. “That opened up opportunities to college and a lot potential

SPORTS that I never thought of before that.”

Nus is now a freshman runner at the most elite running program in the nation, according to the NCAA national rankings. Nur fits right in. At their last meet, he finished ninth in the men’s pack at the Nuttycombe Invitational in Madison, Wisconsin in 23:48.6 — a 0.1 second behind senior runner Geordie Beamish, who finished eighth with a 23:48.5 time.

”

I really owe all the good things about who I am from [my mother] -abdihamid nur

”

Those involved in the program have praised the budding freshman. Among the staff, there’s only been discussion of his potential as a runner in this year’s championship, as well as others after.

NAU cross-country head coach Michael Smith said Nur is an integral part of the Lumberjack team and one of the key pieces to the next generation of championship contenders the program’s staff is putting together.

“Nur initially came to NAU as a nonqualifier, so he wasn’t able to compete right away, and that time allowed him to focus on his school work and his training,” Smith said. “[Nur] got really serious in [cross country], and now he brings in a lot of ownership and a great attitude to our team. He’s really an example of someone who elevates everyone around him.”

For Nur, one major component to his growth and success as a runner is the relationship with his coaches, bonding and being open to the different styles of teaching that each brings to the table. Nur said while he still keeps a strong connection with his former high school coach, he described Smith as an instrumental part in his growth as a runner, calling him a near-father figure. “[Smith] is more than a coach to me,” Nur said. “He’s almost like a father. He looks out for me and teaches me a lot about life. Our relationship is very little about running and a lot about life and the kind of character I should have and display.”

In addition to his coaching staff, Nur attributes his success to his relationships with his teammates.

“The results I have this year and all the things I’m showing right now comes from my teammates and how we push each other,” Nur

said.

One of his teammates and closest friends, junior Luis Grijalva, is one of Nur’s top motivators and running partners. Nur said the two push each other and work to bring each other up, both as runners and as people. Nur said his team’s success comes from these types of relationships and the atmosphere that surrounds the team.

Above all, Nur said what keeps him grounded is his family. “[My mother] is my biggest role model — the person I look up to the most,” Nur said. “I really owe all the good things about who I am from her.”

With a strong foundation from his family, in conjunction with the growth that comes from being around his teammates and coaches, Nur has a good head on his shoulders and big aspirations set for himself and his team.

“Our potential is really high,” Nur said. “I’m starting off my [running career] here at NAU, but I see myself winning a lot of titles and bringing in a lot of good for this team.”

The Lumberjacks finished the regular season with a win at the Nuttycombe Invitational Oct. 18 and are preparing for the Big Sky Conference Championship in Greely, Colorado Nov. 2. The Lumberjacks will attempt to sweep the conference championship and the NCAA Mountain Regional Championships in Salt Lake City, Utah Nov. 15.

Having taken the No. 1 spot at every meet in their schedule, the Lumberjacks are in a prime position to make NAU and NCAA history as they aim for their fourth consecutive national championship Nov. 23 in Terre Haute, Indiana.

Freshman cross-country runner Abdihamid Nur traveled from Mogadishu, Somalia to join the most elite college running program in the nation, Oct. 23.

Michael Patacsil | The Lumberjack

OCTOBER 31, 2019 – NOVEMBER 6, 2019 | THE LUMBERJACK

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