Denton Police investigating ATM skimmer found at local convenience store PAGE 3
VOL. 110 No. 5
THURSDAY, JULY 27, 2017
NTDAILY.COM
Murder trial for slain UNT student begins
Parking meters removed from Fry Street
By Alexander Willis
By Alexander Willis
An emotional first day of testimony in the murder trial of Eric Johnson, a former Marine accused of fatally shooting UNT student Sara Mutschlechner on New Year’s Day of 2016, concluded Tuesday. Johnson allegedly fired two shots from a 9mm handgun into the vehicle Mutschlechner was driving, striking her in the back of the head. The two were at the intersection of North Elm Street and West University roughly two miles from campus when Mutschlechner was shot and crashed her vehicle. She died later that day. State prosecutors Tony Paul and Michelle Dobson recapped the events of that night during their opening statements. According to Paul and Dobson, words were exchanged between the two vehicles Mutschlechner and Johnson were driving, and the conversation eventually escalated. Just as the light turned green, Johnson reportedly fired two shots at Mutschlechner’s vehicle – one striking the back seat passenger door, and the other striking Mutschlechner. Mutschlechner was unresponsive as the car collided with another vehicle and ran into a telephone pole. “This is a horrible tragedy that has devastated two families,” Bruce Isaacks, Johnson’s defense attorney, said in his opening statement. “But Eric was a good child.” Isaacks didn’t object that Johnson fired a gun, but argued a manslaughter charge would be more appropriate, as Johnson didn’t intend to harm anyone and was only “trying to defuse the situation.” Johnson’s defense said during the verbal exchange between the two vehicles, racial slurs were used, and it was Mutschlechner’s vehicle that started the conflict. Johnson was living in Yuma, Arizona at the time and was only in Denton visiting his mother for the holidays. He was an active duty Marine, living close to a Yuma military base where he was stationed. If convicted of murder, Johnson could face life in prison, while manslaughter carries a maximum penalty of 20 years. After investigators linked Johnson
The parking meters on both Fry and Hickory Street have been removed, in favor of free parking, limited to two hours. The time limit will still be enforced by UNT Transportation Services, but students and shoppers are no longer required to carry quarters and dimes in order to park. Mark Nelson, the director of transportation for the City of Denton, said parking will be free from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., but it will be restricted to two hours. It will also be open on weekends and after hours. “We’ll do a pilot program, and see if that format works in that particular area,” Nelson said. “Understanding that often times, students may see the two-hour parking as free parking, and go from two hours to maybe a little bit longer and create some congestion.” The decision to remove the parking meters was approved by the city council during their June 20 meeting, with business owners, merchants and other stakeholders utilizing the area being included in that process. Revenue collected from the parking meters was split between the city and UNT, with the city receiving a third of the funds because Hickory and Fry are public roads. Local businesses vary in their opinion on the removal of the meters. “We can park in the loading zone, our drivers can, if they have a topper,” said Laney Brown, manager at the Jimmy John’s located on Fry Street. “We do all get tickets if we park right in front of the store [without a topper], or even with sometimes. It just depends how they feel… so no tickets is good.” Ariel Neuf, a shift leader at Salata, a salad restaurant on Hickory Street, said she thinks it’s a good thing. “I think that certain people weren’t as eager to come in because of the parking situation,” Neuf said. “I’ve had people say that all the time, like ‘oh I never came in because I didn’t know where to park.’” Other local business, such as Caskey’s Bar and Grill, weren’t as thrilled at the idea of free, extended parking. “If they’re just trying to make it free parking, like completely free, I think that might suck,” Mitchell Hooten, a
SEE TRIAL ON PAGE 2
Rising Stars Former Dallas Cowboy Michael Irvin brings youth football camp to Denton By David Urbanik Kneeling in a semicircle on the 50-yard line of a practice field outside of Apogee Stadium, 200 young players at the Michael Irvin Playmakers Football Academy barely seemed to notice the July heat even as the perspiration poured down their faces. Most were still wearing their jerseys, cleats and protective gear as they stared silently up at the muscular man standing tall in the middle of the huddle. The sea of faces went blank with a collective expression of stunned amazement as the man began to speak. “The only way we can make America great again is right here,” the man said in a deep and powerful voice. “It starts with you!” An older player in the back let out a cheer and was quickly joined in a chorus of whistles and applause from the rest of squad. This was the moment they had been waiting for. This was the man they had come to see — three-time Super Bowl champion, NFL Hall of Famer and former Dallas Cowboy, Michael Irvin. Irvin was tall, impeccably groomed and dressed in black shorts and a skin-tight white T-shirt. Even now, 18 years after his last game, he appeared to be in peak physical condition. “You’ll know him when you see him,” a camp counselor said earlier in the day. “He’s hard to miss.” By now a crowd of the player’s families had converged on the huddle, cameras out, fresh footballs and magic markers at the ready, all hoping to get an autograph and a picture with the Dallas legend. The excitement was palpable. “This for me is the essence of the whole game,” Irvin said. “Right here, right now. This is the best part. It revives me. This game was built for the kid in all of us. I love doing this — these kids are incredible.” The Michael Irvin Playmakers Academy, a part of Sports
Top: At the awards ceremony for the Playmaker’s Academy football camp, former Dallas Cowboys wide receiver Micheal Irvin claps for the youth being awarded. Over 200 kids joined the camp this year, featuring specialized instruction on how to be confident, well-rounded players. Katie Jenkins
Bottom: Before playing their last few games, campers at the Playmaker’s Academy football camp take turns running across the field. The camp was open to kids aged 7 to 18 and taught football fundamentals as well as sportsmanship and teamwork. Katie Jenkins
International’s series of nationwide football camps, was held from July 15 to 18 at Apogee Stadium. Since UNT and the Dallas Cowboys have a close partnership, the camp provides a unique opportunity for many young football players from all over the country to come practice at a college stadium while learning from NFL greats.
SEE FOOTBALL ON PAGE 4
SEE PARKING ON PAGE 3
Texas craft brewers oppose new beer bill By Alexander Willis Brewers all over Texas are standing together in opposition of a new bill that could potentially limit growth of the craft beer industry. House Bill 3287, also known as the beer bill, was passed last month, and requires craft breweries who produce at least
175,000 barrels of beer annually to pay a distributor in order to sell from their own taprooms. In short, if beer goes straight from production to on-tap without leaving the brewery, a fee is now required. Craig Goldman, Republican member of the Texas House of Representatives, is the author of the bill. Amanda Robertson,
On Thursday, July 13, manager Ben Webster pours a “white rascal” beer from the tap at The Bearded Monk craft beer store. The Bearded Monk offers 21 different beers on tap everyday, as well as a wide range of bottled beers brewed locally and internationally. Katie Jenkins
Goldman’s Chief of Staff, said the bill was designed to help smaller breweries. “Our bill states if you are this big guy, you don’t get to claim and call yourself a craft brewer and utilize the carve outs and the exemptions that the small craft beer industry gets,” Robertson said. “It does seem ridiculous, but it’s that, or you close your taproom down because you’re too big to be able to operate one to begin with.” Supporters of the bill argue large manufacturers like MillerCoors will be prevented from competing in the taproom market, which would be good for smaller breweries who don’t have the same resources. The bill’s opponents argue this is a moot point. “They want to protect us, the small brewer, from large breweries that could open taprooms,” said Charles Vallhonrat, Executive Director of the Texas Craft Brewers Guild, a craft brewer advocacy organization. “[But] large breweries aren’t going to open up full breweries just to open up little taprooms. We’re not worried about an Anheuser-Busch taproom. We’re not worried about a MillerCoors taproom.” The bill has only affected one brewery in Texas so far, Oskar Blues Brewery, which is based in Colorado, and opened a location in Texas just last year. Beyond
SEE BREWERIES ON PAGE 3
George Getschow, retired UNT professor and chair emeritus of the Mayborn Conference, talks with conference attendees. Getschow helped start the conference in 2005. Cameron Roe
Mayborn Conference helps young writers hone their craft By James Norman Katherine Boo sits at the front of the room, scribbling and revising her keynote speech up to the last second. She skipped dinner, wanting to get her wording perfect before she addressed “the tribe.” Her speech covered 15 rules she made for herself throughout her Pulitzer Prize winning career. It was initially supposed to be just 10 rules, but she wanted the crowd at the 2017 Mayborn Literary Nonfiction Conference to get their money’s worth.
This year’s theme, “the power of words,” was meant to help detail the impact writing can have on the world. In pursuit of this, the conference covered a variety of topics that pertained to not only the industry, but the world as well. From a round table on freelancing to the Syrian refugee crisis, the topics addressed problems facing everyday citizens, as well as journalists trying to find their footing in the industry. “I think our subject matter has come
SEE MAYBORN ON PAGE 2
IN THIS ISSUE NEWS
UNT partners with Chinese university for transfer program pg 2 A transfer program through UNT and Dalian Jiaotong University will allow students to complete a material science degree.
ARTS & LIFE UNT students and professors break ground on the ‘pollinative’ prairie pg 4 The UNT biology department and We Mean Green fund have officially broken ground on the pollinative prairie. The prairie will provide resources for plant and animal species all over Denton.
OPINION
There is nothing wrong with working unpaid internships pg 6 Internships are one of the options for students to gain experience, even if they don’t pay. One of our latest columns brings light to unpaid advantages.