NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 3 POLITICS
Non-traditional student “Billy” Cunningham to attend state convention as Sanders’ delegate By Jynn Schubert Staff Writer @JynnWasHere
After deciding earlier this semester not to run for Justice of the Peace in Dallas County, UNT student William Cunningham Jr. began serving as a state delegate for Bernie Sanders. Though he identified as being politically independent for most of his life, he was inspired by Sanders to become a Democrat in order to be his delegate on a state, and potentially national, level. “It seems to be that I have on an individual level, by being in the party system, more input, control, voice and all of these other things that an Independent doesn’t have.” Cunningham said. “So I decided that because Bernie was an Independent and I was an Independent when he decided to go Democrat I went with him.”
Cunningham is currently the executive director for Texas Renewable Energy Systems, and does a lot of volunteer work in his free time. “The reason I got into that is exactly what our company motto is: making a greener planet,” Cunningham said. “And before we started the company I decided I didn’t know enough, so I got my associates degree in renewable and sustainable energy.” The process to become a state delegate has many steps, from voting in the primary election and attending the county convention where you sign up for the state convention, to being selected by a committee of Senate district leaders to be allowed to go. Once there, Cunningham will be presented with an opportunity to sign up to be a national delegate. “The committee picks people who say that they could go, want to go and would support certain
candidates, and I happened to get picked for the Bernie candidate to go to the state,” Cunningham said. “It’s fun, I feel like I’m more involved in the political process than I was before.” Delegates are responsible for choosing who the nominee will be for presidential elections. Super delegates may vote for whichever candidate they chose at the national convention, whereas normal delegates choose which candidate they support ahead of time. “Since we are a representative democracy I am the representative of the democracy to pick the presidential candidate,” Cunningham said. A baby boomer, Cunningham is proud to be one of Bernie’s older supporters and credits it for his motivation to become a national delegate. “First of all they say that [few] of the people [supporting Sanders] are over 45, so I’m one
Non-traditional student Billy Cunningham will be attending the state convention as Bernie Sanders’ delegate. Paulina De Alva | Staff Photographer of the rare ones,” Cunningham said. “I’m articulate, I can persuade people and I think that I can do the domino effect up there where I talk to a few people and they’ll say ‘Hey, we need to rethink this.’” Cunningham hopes Hillary Clinton will continue to absorb some more of Sanders’ ideals before election comes around. “I’m worried that Trump will get the vote, and if Hillary
doesn’t have Bernie’s supporters with her, then we’re going to have a Republican, fascist president,” Cunningham said. “We can’t have that, so I’ve got to rally the troops at the national level and make sure that the Bernie supporters support the Democratic candidate because the alternative is not good.” Cunningham is a nontraditional student studying for his degree in public affairs
and community service, with a minor in anthropology. He is also considering going for his master’s degree. “I’m a non-traditional everything,” Cunningham said. “I’m a non-traditional student, and I’m a non-traditional person, I’m just not traditional. But you know, that’s what we need. It’s time for nontraditional, because the regular guys aren’t doing the job.”
ALCOHOL
Dining services make progress on Fuzzy’s alcohol licensing in University Union By Lisa Dreher Staff Writer @lisa_dreher97 Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in the University Union could serve alcoholic beverages beginning fall 2016, dining services department coordinator Suzan Cruz said. Dining services will soon submit its application for a Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission food and beverage license, caterer’s permit, mixed beverage license and beverage cartage permit. The commission should make a decision over the summer before the fall semester, but it is uncertain if it will decide by then, Cruz said. “I would hate to start something like that in the fall,” Bill McNeace, executive director of dining services, said. “We would need summer to figure it out.” The first of the application packets was started Feb. 3, a few weeks after the Student Government Association passed legislation approving alcohol sales. “The first one was a little bit more extensive,” Cruz said. “Once this one was done, the other two were pretty easy.” The first packet, On-premise Prequalification, asks for the business, location and types of permits or licenses being
applied for. These forms required signatures from Denton’s city secretary, county clerk and comptroller of public accounts. The first step of the application was completed March 21. On that day, the remaining parts of the application were submitted and completed April 22. The final step is for the university to send the application to the TABC for approval before UNT can serve alcohol in the Union. The commission typically takes 39 days to review the application, according to licensing regional supervisor Loretta Green. Applicants must also notify the public of their application for any TABC permits and licenses through an advertisement in the local newspaper. A notice was published in the Denton RecordChronicle before dining services moved to the next packet. McNeace said the tedious process of filling out the application is for the safety of the public. “The state makes it difficult on purpose,” McNeace said. “They want to make sure they have good stewards of alcohol service. It’s because there’s lots of due diligence.” Cruz said she does not know what the alternative would be if TABC does not approve of dining services’ application.
Fuzzy’s Taco Shop in the University Union could serve alcoholic beverages beginning fall 2016. Hannah Ridings | Senior Staff Photographer Third party vendor Metzler’s Food and Beverage supplies alcohol to the Gateway Center, Union and Apogee Stadium, but neither Fuzzy’s nor UNT dining services’ Verde Catering service are properly licensed. “This will be a new experience for all of us,” Denton TABC agent Beth Gray said. “Especially in a retail situation like they’re doing with the Fuzzy’s.” The food and beverage license is needed because Fuzzy’s profits come primarily from serving food, as opposed to a bar that mainly sells alcohol. A mixed beverage license allows the selling of beer, wine, liquor and mixed drinks at designated
licensed locations. McNeace said Fuzzy’s would serve drinks the chain typically has, like beer and margaritas, but specific drinks will not be confirmed until after it is licensed. The alcohol itself is for both Fuzzy’s and dining services’ Verde Catering, and will be stored in the Union, but it is unknown exactly where. The application includes a beverage cartage and caterer’s permit for Verde Catering to transport the alcohol from the Union to events. The cartage permit is also for Fuzzy’s supplier to deliver its alcohol to the Union for the restaurant to serve, Cruz said. Dining services officials said
they will find a supplier after TABC approves the licenses and permits. The second part details if the land or building for the sales is owned leased or subleased. The location packet for retailers also asks for estimated annual beverage sales, and according to McNeace, Fuzzy’s would hardly make any money off the alcohol sales. “The vast majority of our students are not old enough, so I really don’t see much profit there at all,” McNeace said. A piece of student legislation passed Wednesday “will allocate all profits from Union alcohol sales to alcohol ed, drug prevention and mental health.” “I think alcohol is available all around,” computer science graduate student Anish Rani said. “I don’t think it’s really necessary.” Lastly, the business packet discloses individuals holding ownership in the business selling alcohol, like owners, trustees and stockholders. McNeace said specific disciplinary actions and procedures to ensure only students of legal age are drinking and that they are consuming the limited amount of alcohol will be discussed after the commission licenses Fuzzy’s. Dining services said staff
training will start after TABC grants permission for alcohol sales. SGA legislation mandates a twodrink limit for Fuzzy’s customers. The bill says alcohol will be served 3 p.m. Monday through Thursday, and no earlier than noon Friday through Saturday. Sales will end at 11:30 p.m. and people will be able to drink until midnight. Although Fuzzy’s is on a university campus, there are no exceptional rules and it must follow TABC guidelines like any other establishment. Kinesiology senior Davonte Wade said having the on-campus restaurant serve alcoholic drinks on campus will be convenient. “For the people that do drink, it’s here on campus,” Wade said. “Especially since Fuzzy’s is open longer than any other food place.” Students also said they would consume alcohol at Fuzzy’s but only in moderation, and administration should not worry about students excessively drinking. “I probably wouldn’t want to get turned up in the Union, but I would purchase wine if I were 21,” anthropology sophomore Sarah Stutts said. “I don’t see it being an issue.”
CITY COUNCIL
Voting to open this weekend: A guide to Denton’s City Council election By Jynn Schubert & Julia Falcon Staff Writers @JynnWasHere @falconjulia22 Polls open to Denton residents Saturday to vote for city council. Running in this city council election are unopposed Mayor Chris Watts, incumbent Greg Johnson and Sara Bagheri for AtLarge Place 6, incumbent Dalton Gregory, Deborah Armintor, Will Wooten, Mike Cheves and Sam Ortiz for At-Large Place 5, and a special recall election is being held for District 4 seat holder Joey Hawkins. Residents who live in any district in Denton can vote for the two at-large seats and for mayor. Only residents in district 4 can vote in Hawkins’ recall. Voting polls are open from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. and the locations are as follows:
North Branch Library 3020 N.Locust St., Denton Martin Luther King Jr. Rec. Center 1300 Wilson St., Denton Denia Recreation Center 1001 Parvin St., Denton North Lakes Rec. Center 2001 W. Windsor Dr., Denton Chris Watts for mayor Watts is running in this election unopposed. Watts has been the Denton’s mayor since 2014, after serving on city council for district 4 from 2007 to 2013. Watts believes in affordable housing and economic development in Denton. Joey Hawkins Joey Hawkins, the current District 4 seat holder, is on a recall election. Residents of District 4 turned a petition in to the city secretary regarding their complaints for Hawkins. These residents claimed that Hawkins
Greg Johnson poses for a photo in his office. Hannah Ridings | Senior Staff Photographer
has poor communication and doesn’t do anything about issues. Hawkins is the owner, alongside his wife Amy, of Jupiter Coffee House and Royal’s Bagels in Denton. Sara Bagheri Sara Bagheri is a fiscally conservative attorney at her company Bagheri and Upshaw running against Incumbent Greg Johnson for a seat on city council. One of her biggest concerns is city council’s failure to hire an auditor, although she is also advocates for increased transparency from local government in general. Originally from Denton, this is Bagheri’s first election after she decided not to run last year. Rumors about Bagheri accepting funding from tea party affiliate Empower Texans were false, although they endorse her. Greg Johnson After finishing his first term on council, the current At-Large Place 6 seat holder Greg Johnson is focusing on small businesses and working to preserve Denton’s “uniqueness” and diversity. Johnson has been involved in multiple controversial issues this election. Owner of local company VERUS Real Estate Advisors, he was accused of using his position for personal gain after his company brokered the deal for city council’s new town hall. He also spoke out against those who petitioned to have Hawkins recalled.
Dr. Deborah Arminator is running for At-Large Place 5 in the city council election. Kristen Watson | Visuals Editor Deborah Armintor UNT professor and local activist Deborah Armintor wants to run a cleaner government and have cleaner air if she is elected. Armintor has been an English professor for 14 years and has two children. Her passion for city council began when House Bill 40 was repealed and she has been involved with local politics ever since. Mike Cheves With his background as a pastor, Mike Cheves wants to be the voice of the people of Denton. One of his biggest concerns is child safety and having a city auditor.
Dalton Gregory Dalton Gregory is the Incumbent for At-Large Place 5, and has been a member of city council for seven years. Gregory represented District 2 from 2009 to 2014, and became At-Large Place 6 city council member in 2014. Some issues Gregory focuses on include helping the biking community in Denton in addition to helping small businesses succeed. Will Wooten Will Wooten is a graduate student at UNT who wants to emphasize the issue of transparency in city government and enforce local control. Wooten is an activist for Occupy Denton
and is involved in environmental activism, including the fight against hydraulic fracturing. Sam Ortiz Sam Ortiz wants to help residents with lower incomes get back on their feet. Ortiz comes from a low-income background and would like others from his situation know that their voices matter. For more information, to find out what district a voter lives in and more go to http://www. votedenton.com/upcomingelection-information/.