Celebrating 100 Years of Journalism Excellence VOL. 108 No. 8
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
In last debate, candidates talk Supreme Court, immigration and economy
A BALANCING ACT Juggling club provides students with a unique, creative outlet
Third presidential debate reinforces candidate positions, personal attacks By Julia Falcon
Timothy Walker juggles at the Library Mall at UNT. Walker is a media arts sophomore and the vice president of the Juggling and Flow Arts organization at UNT. He started juggling four years ago and to him it is something he loves to learn more of and teach others about. Jennyfer Rodriguez
By Cierra Edmondson It was a cool Thursday evening as Timothy Walker sat in Library Mall, fiddling through his backpack. It didn’t hold textbooks, pencils or notebook paper. The bag was full of juggling pins, small balls and a unicycle. Walker is part of UNT’s juggling club and spends his time practicing new skills and
New poll shows Clinton closing gap in Texas
tricks. When thinking about juggling, Walker said, a lot of people tend to think people who do it are training to become a clown or some other circus act. For UNT’s juggling club, the endgame is to just have fun. Juggling is a craft called flow arts. The term encompasses movement-based art that integrates dance and creative expression of movement along with skill-based
manipulation. Flow arts can be seen all around us in many cultures and includes fire-dancing, martial arts, hula-hooping and circus acts. “We do sometimes juggle with fire, but we don’t actually perform with it,” said Walker, a media arts sophomore and the club’s vice president. “There would just be too much going on and we always stress safety first. We
SEE JUGGLING ON PAGE 4
The cross-section of W. Hickory and Fry contains nine bars. Jake King
By Keoni Holoman Just a few feet off campus, the nine-bar lineup at Fry Street offers an escape from lecture. Finding shattered beer bottles is not uncommon to find each morning, and the increase in alcohol-related arrests during the long semester is no surprise either, police say. Since the beginning of the semester, 13 reports of urinating or defecating in public were reported by campus police. Most of them come from Fry
Street, where police and bartenders frequently catch these free-streamers. “Oh yeah, that happens all the time,” UNT police spokesman Kevin Crawford said. “You go by the bars at night and you’re like wooh, it’s smells bad.” Public urination/ defecation classifies as a class c misdemeanor which is punishable up to a $500 maximum penalty. “We typically don’t arrest in these cases because there could be
The third and final presidential debate on Wednesday night began with presidential candidate Hillary Clinton talking on her interpretation of the constitution, saying the Supreme Court should support “all of us.” “Our country is so imperative that we have the right justices,” Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump said. “We should appeal the second amendment. I feel that the justices that I am going to appoint will interpret the amendment like our founding fathers intended.” The debate was moderated by Fox News reporter Chris Wallace, the first Fox reporter to moderate. Wallace brought up many questions during the first half of the debate about the Second Amendment to Trump, who is very supportive of gun rights, and Clinton for gun control. “I support the second amendment, but I also believe there should be reasonable regulation,” Clinton said. “There’s other matters that would make a difference that do not conflict with the second amendment.” Abortion was another controversial topic in the debate. Trump, who is pro-life, said he will be appointing judges who share his views on abortion. Clinton said she will defend planned parenthood, women’s rights, and Roe v. Wade. Clinton talked about women’s
something more serious that needs our attention,” Crawford said. “To arrest for something like that would take2 hours or so, including booking and it’s just not really worth it.” Fry Street bartenders have differing approaches to resolving these frequently witnessed crimes. Lucky Lou’s bartender Phillip Canizares said he’s found people peeing by the dumpsters and in the back lot behind the bars. “Oh yeah, I’ve seen [people] peeing everywhere,” Canizares said. “ I’ve even caught them peeing off their balconies in the apartments right here near the bar. When they do that, I call the cops. Like fuck that shit! You’re not peeing on my car.” Canizares isn’t the only bartender to witness people peeing. A Riprocks Bar and Grill tender named Colton
SEE FRY STREET ON PAGE 3
@FalconJulia22
rights and said she doesn’t think the government should control their choices about childbirth. “Ripping the baby out of the womb on the last day in the ninth month is not right,” Trump said. “Nobody has that right.” When they were asked about immigration, Trump stood by his promise to build a wall on the southern border, saying heroin is coming across the border and destroying the youth. “We have some bad hombres here, and we want to get them out,” Trump said. But Clinton wants to create a path to citizenship for immigrants and disagrees with Trump on his policy to deport millions of immigrants from this country. “I talked to a girl who is worried her parents will be deported,” Clinton said. “I don’t want to rip families apart and force deportation that Donald is talking about. I think this is an idea that would rip this country apart.” Trump brought up NAFTA, “the worst trade agreement ever signed, by [Hillary’s] husband,” and said he will make trade deals with Mexico better. And on international relations, Trump’s alleged friendship with Russian president Vladimir Putin came into the spotlight. Clinton called Trump Putin’s “puppet” but he veered away from the subject and talked about how he “doesn’t know
SEE DEBATE ON PAGE 2
Fry Street home to new family owned and operated bar By Kyle Martin
Authorities: Too much public urination on Fry
By Julia Falcon Democratic presidential candidate Hillary Clinton is trailing Republican candidate Donald Trump by three percent in recent polls. A Houston Chronicle poll shows that Trump has 41 percent of the vote to Clinton’s 38. Texas, a historically Republican state, has so far shown that Clinton has an increased chance of winning the state’s’ vote. The last time a Democratic presidential candidate won Texas in an election was in 1976, when Jimmy Carter was elected. In a poll conducted by SurveyMonkey and the The Washington Post, a sample of residents across 15 states was taken. The survey asked “if the 2016 election were being held today among the following candidates for whom would you vote?” Forty six percent said they would vote for Clinton, 48 percent for Trump, and five percent were undecided. In another poll conducted by SurveyMonkey and the Washington Post, they asked which candidates they would vote for on election day, between Donald Trump, Hillary Clinton, Gary Johnson and Jill Stein. Forty two percent voted for Clinton, 44 voted for Trump, eight percent voted for Johnson, two percent voted for Stein, and three percent had no opinion.
NTDAILY.COM
Next door to Salata and across the street from Riprocks and Lucky Lou’s is Fry Street’s newest local business, Caskey’s Bar and Grill. Where what used to be Hickory and Fry, is now a family owned bar and grill, serving small batch whiskeys and local Texas brews. The crew had its soft opening earlier this month. They’ve been working out the kinks and plan to have a grand opening soon, though no data has been set. At the soft opening, friends and family of the crew got to see the major selling points of the new bar. Some of the custom pieces incorporated into the business include handmade oak-paneling around the bar and the bar’s refrigerator, a custom cut copper bar top, rustic, hand-painted walls and repurposed railroad wood as footboards. In addition, Caskey’s will
serve drinks from local distilleries, including Texas-local beers from the Deep Ellum Brewing Co. in Dallas and Armadillo Ale Works in Denton and local whiskeys from the Firestone and Robertson Distillery Co. in North Texas. Almost everything in Caskey’s is custom designed and hand-picked by two of the establishment’s co-owners and managers, Casey Glenn, 36, and Mitchell Hooten, 33. “We’ve talked about doing this forever,” Glenn said. “This has been a goal of Mitchell and I’s ever since we were little kids. I mean literally, since we were [in] junior high, high school, we were always like, ‘One day we’re going to own a bar, it’s gonna be sweet,’ and we finally just decided to pull the trigger.” Having lived in Denton their whole lives, the pair saw fit to put their dream to work in the town they grew
SEE NEW BAR ON PAGE 5
Casey Glenn worked on Fry Street in 1993 at Riprocks. He is now a bar manager and partner at his very own establishment, right across the street. Kyle Martin
IN THIS ISSUE NEWS
Funny Business pg 2 As the nation settles its recent fears over clown spottings, clowns in North Texas discuss how the coverage and attention has affected their businesses and reputation among consumers.
ARTS & LIFE
New House Venue For Denton pg 5 The House of God, a new house venue, has opened in Denton, offering music seekers and bands a place to celebrate local music and party into the night.
SPORTS
Social Sports Media pg 7 Trevon McWilliams, one of our sports writers, explores how North Texas coaches and recruiters use social media to get athletes to join the Mean Green.
OPINION
Props To Student Government pg 8 For a long time now, UNT officials have tried to get students to have school spirit. In our editorial this week, editors encourage students to be leaders.
NEWS Page 2
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
NTDAILY.COM
Local business clowns shed positive light on ‘creepy clown’ issue
NEWS AROUND THE WORLD Fight against ISIS in Mosul only the beginning The Iraqi military’s operation to retake the ISIS-held city of Mosul after nearly two years of occupation may prove to be the beginning of a larger fight, according to The New York Times. Iraqi-led forces are currently pushing through ISIS territory in the vicinity of Mosul, attempting to free the predominantly Christian town of Qaraqosh. So far, three Iraqi cities have been retaken from the Islamic State — Ramadi, Tikrit and Falluja.
German ‘Reich’ proponent arrested for wounding four police officers in shootout A 49-year-old man in the community of Georgensgmünd fired at police Wednesday wounding four after a raid to secure weapons he was deemed unfit to hold, according to Deutsche Welle. The weapons were legal, though, as the man was an avid hunting enthusiast. But police said the suspect belongs to the “Reichsbürger” movement, or “Citizens of the Reich.” It is a far-right movement that denies the existence of the current Federal Republic of Germany established in 1949 and say the German empire continues to exist exactly as it did in 1937.
72-hour ceasefire begins in Yemen after 18 months of fighting A fragile ceasefire took effect in Yemen just before midnight Wednesday under a United Nations plan to end the over year-long conflict, Agence France-Presse reported. The truce is subject to renewal but it is the sixth attempt to end the fighting since a Saudi-led Arab coalition intervened in March 2015. The coalition released a statement just after the ceasefire began saying they will abide by the three-day-long truce but will continue their air and maritime embargoes.
Tens of thousands evacuated in the Philippines amid landfall of Super Typhoon Super Typhoon Haima pounded the island of Luzon Wednesday where more than 10 million Filipinos live, the BBC reported. President Rodrigo Duterte is currently in China, but said emergency services have been deployed but experts fear it will be as destructive as the 2-13 Super Typhoon Haiyan that claimed more than 7000 lives. The storm was upgraded to a super typhoon shortly before it made landfall and has a 500 mile-wide weather band with 16-foot-high storm surges that could easily engulf coastal homes.
North Texas Daily Editorial Board
By Bina Perino Across the country, recent sightings of “creepy clowns,” who have been caught harassing and scaring individuals in communities, have been circulating online and on TV. In various cities, including Denton, there have been online threats posted throughout social media platforms. Entertainment clowns in the Dallas-Fort Worth area, however, have an opinion that most people haven’t considered. “It’s hard for us to tell people how we feel about this,” said entertainment clown Julian Del Gadillo. “But it contributes to a fear of clowns.” Del Gadillo, 33, makes a living off of his passion as an entertainment clown. It’s what he considers his full-time job, alongside his part-time job driving trucks. Clowning, to him, isn’t only a form of fun or expression, but it is also what he does to support his wife and three kids. Unfortunately, the clowns throughout the news have affected his business, a group called Latino Clowns, negatively. “Kids are being told to beware of clowns,” he said. “We’ve had a
few cancellations over this.” Del Gadillo is concerned for his business as more children and parents begin to wonder if party clowns are a good idea. Being that he both takes care of his family by clowning and enjoys his job, he said it makes him upset to see people turn away from his business due to recent news. He is also worried about his safety. Del Gadillo described being followed once by a cop in traffic while driving in costume. He feels as if people are watching clowns around town with caution, no matter who they are. To Del Gadillo it’s a confusing situation because not all clowns are out to hurt people. Instead, they are hoping to provide people with a sense of fun and laughter. Andy Espinosa, 22, has been clowning with his father since he was five years old. He attends Tarrant County College for telemarketing, but he intends on continuing his father’s business. As a lifelong clown, Espinosa has always dealt with children who are scared or hesitant around clowns. With a friendly smile and comedic approach, he eventually is able to soothe the children’s nervousness. “We’ve always experienced
what clowns do,” Divers said. “It’s a passing issue that feeds on its own negative energy.” Last week, Divers posted a video onto his website that addressed the creepy clown issue. The video has reached 27,000 views. It’s a visual expression of what constitutes as a real clown and how creepy clowns aren’t one of them. He expresses that children know the difference between “good” clowns and “scary” imposters and that people shouldn’t base their judgment of clowns on these pranksters. While Divers hopes the situation passes soon, his main concern is how media outlets have given these pranksters the name of clowns due to the face paint. Although generations of people have been afraid of clowns, this situation is bringing this stigma to light and creating a dialog that hasn’t been discussed before. On the other hand, it’s also giving professional clowns the opportunity to educate the public. “It’s giving clowns an opportunity to talk about what clowning [really] is,” Divers said.
@binaperino
8-year-old’s viral video leads to early acceptance to UNT By Julia Falcon An 8-year-old student from Garland, Texas is now the youngest person in UNT’s history to be accepted. Jordin Phipps, a third grader from Watson Technology Center for Math and Science, was given early acceptance on Sept. 30, after a video displaying her school spirit went viral. But Phipps was awarded more than early acceptance to UNT, a $10,000 scholarship that Smatresk said has never been awarded to anyone before. Phipps’ mother posted a video on her Facebook page of her reciting her class creed, but added a North Texas touch to it. The video went viral within a few days, and UNT president Neal Smatresk said the second he heard
about the video, he wanted Phipps to join the Mean Green family. “I use Google News alerts, and when I got an alert about her video and desire to be an Eagle, I promptly called our vice president of admissions and said, ‘let’s get her a scholarship,’” Smatresk said. “The video was cute, and she is a great role model for her classmates.” Phipps, whose mother is a UNT alumna, said she wants to keep playing soccer and become an engineer some day, both of which she wants to do at UNT. “I want to be an engineer because I like to build things,” Phipps said. “For steam school we do remotecontrol machines, and for practice we build paper and build towers that hold beanie babies.” Cynesha Hobbs, Phipps’ social
Dalton LaFerney | Editor-In-Chief Adalberto Toledo | Managing Editor Kayleigh Bywater | Managing Editor Reece Waddell | Managing Editor Preston Mitchell | Editorial Page Editor Tomas Gonzalez | Visuals Editor Colin Mitchell | Deputy Visuals Editor
Production Team Hannah Lauritzen | Design Editor Jillian Lim | Deputy Design Editor Linda Kessler | Copy Chief Chelsea Watkins | Designer/Copy Editor Evan McAlister | Designer/Copy Editor Samuel Wiggins | Staff Illustrator
anxiety from children,” Espinosa said. “This situation has been annoying more than anything.” In fact, other professional clowns share very similar views. To professional clowns, clowning is an art that requires honest vulnerability and good humor. “My way of seeing this is that they’re not really clowns,” said Rafael Rondon, a 44-year-old professional clown and magician. “They’re pranksters, there’s a difference.” According to Rondon, who has been clowning professionally for 25 years, the people who are dressed as these creepy clowns don’t accurately represent what a clown is. He claims they are hooligans causing trouble in face paint who perpetuate a stigma against clowns. “I really wish people would stop paying so much attention to it,” Rondon said. “It’s not that serious.” Sharing similar sentiments was 53-year-old professional clown Robert Divers. Divers, aside from performing as a clown, is a nurse at a children’s hospital in Dallas. To him, clowning is a comedic art that encourages entertainment and charity. “They have nothing to do with
Third grader Jordin Phipps smiles for a photo before going to her music class. Phepps was offered early acceptance and a $10,000 scholarship to UNT. Hannah Breland
studies and english language arts teacher, is the person who is responsible for teaching her students the creed they recite every morning before class starts. Hobbs credits the creed to the teacher who mentored her when she first began teaching 10 years ago at Cedar Hill, and wants her students to recite the creed to remind them of their duties as respectful citizens and students. “At first it was picking up Twitter feed so I was like, ‘oh that’s nice,’” Hobbs said. “The acceptance is shocking. I was thinking, ‘oh my goodness,’ and when I found out she said the creed I say every morning I was like, ‘what?’ That’s cool.’” Principal at Watson, Chris Grey, said he wants teachers to emphasize the importance of a college education every day, and continue to think about their futures. “We highlight the importance of college, whether it be myself, or someone encouraging kids to follow their dreams and goals on the announcements in the morning,” Grey said. “Mrs. Hobbs taught Jordin the creed, she shows the power of the teacher and youth. They recite the pledge every day that the students set the course for their own futures and expectations for what they can accomplish.” Watson has partnerships with schools around the metroplex, including UNT, Richland college, Eastfield college, and Texas A&M Commerce. These partnerships
involve campus tours that Grey said helps the students picture themselves in college. Smatresk has a special set of awards that are given in unusual cases, like Phipp’s. She will receive it upon her graduation from high school in 2026. “The award Jordin will receive is the Presidential Leadership Award, and I hope she ends up coming here and being in the class of 2030,” Smatresk said. “Something tells me she will be a highly ranked woman, and she is highly motivated.” The news made national headlines, on shows such as Good Morning America and ABC News. Even though the national news made the short video blow up fast and overwhelmed everyone, Grey said he was excited for Phipps and all of the opportunities this will open up for her in the future. “She is overwhelmed by the attention. It’s really cool to see teachers make a difference and reinforces value that shapes Jordins’ life forever,” Grey said. “It’s a great story about power of a teacher and primary job is to motivate and inspire to motivate students. Her personality is not wanting to be in the middle of attention, and I asked her if she was tired of this attention and she said ‘yeah, a little.’”
@falconjulia22
Trump doesn’t say whether he’ll accept results
Business Adam Reese | Director 940-565-4265 adam.reese@unt.ed
DEBATE CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Adela Francis | Advertising Director 940-565-3989 adela.francis@unt.edu
For advertising, please call 940-565-3989 or email adsales@unt.edu
Faculty Advisor Gary Ghioto | 940-891-6722 gghioto@gmail.com
To pitch a story, please email pitch.ntdaily@gmail.com
Putin.” “We are in very serious trouble,” Trump said. “She’s playing chicken. Putin doesn’t respect her.” Clinton called out Trump, claiming Putin has a “clear favorite” in America’s presidential debate. She also mentioned the recent cyber attacks from Russian sources targeting American government institutions, the most recent of which revealed more than 19,000 emails from the Democratic National Committee, some of which detail the sabotaging of Bernie Sander’s presidential campaign. “These cyber attacks come from
the highest levels of Kremlin,” Clinton said. “Seventeen military and civilian intelligence professionals are sworn to protect us.” But Trump brought up Clinton’s record as Secretary of State, and said she was outwitted in the Middle East. “Putin has outsmarted her in Syria,” Trump said. “Every single step of the way. Take a look at the startup they signed. Russia has created many warheads. The Middle East has taken over. She has been outsmarted and outplayed more than anyone.” Trump called Clinton a liar, and said she was “continuing to spit out lies” during the debate. But Wallace decided to change the topic abruptly to the state
of the economy. Clinton spoke on her policies of higher minimum wage, alternative energy and new jobs. “When the middle class thrives, America thrives,” Clinton said. “New jobs and clean energy, to create new businesses. I want to raise national minimum wage, and I want to make sure women get equal pay for the work they do.” When Trump was asked about his economic plan, he continued to talk down Clinton’s plan. He said the American jobs are fleeing to Mexico, and said he would terminate NAFTA, and introduce massive tax cuts, among other things. “I’m cutting taxes, the economy will
grow, we will repeal the disaster known as Obamacare,” Trump said. “We need to repeal and replace. It is a disaster. Obamacare has to go. Premiums are going up and I’m really glad the people have seen what’s happening.” He said Clinton “has experience, but it’s bad experience,” and asked her where $6 billion from the state department went, and said the country would turn into a mess if she became president. “I think it’s an important issue that he brought up my 30 years of experience,” Clinton said. “I am happy to compare my experience to yours.”
@falconjulia22
TRENDING @ntdaily @thedose_ntdaily @ntd_sports
#DerrickRose
The New York Knicks point guard was cleared of all charges in a rape lawsuit brought by an anonmymous past sexual partner.
#Apple
The company could potentially add to its Mac lineup on Oct. 27. The lineup hasn’t been updated since 2015, according to Recode.
#Halley’sComet
Orinoid meteors are predicted to fill the sky with the greatest number of meteros at night on Oct.21 and into the early hours of Oct. 22.
#Microsoft
The company has built a speech recognition technology that has the ability to understand conversations better than a human.
NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 3
Why do so many people pee on Fry?
Fry Street is usually packed during the day and at night, as partygoers take over the block. Police have reported several people urinating on the sidewalk or parking lots. Jake King FRY STREET CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
has caught people peeing. Timing is everything. “Some people will be like ‘hey there’s some dude out there peeing’ and I’m like ‘okay well how long ago was that’ and their like ‘about 15 minutes ago,’” Colton said. “ I mean, you can’t
really do anything about it.” A Cool Beans bar and grill employee said this kind of crime happens quite a bit. Just this Monday, he witnessed someone peeing on Chipotle. UNT students chalk it up to a normal night on Fry Street. “Not trying to incriminate anybody, but I know somebody who pisses everywhere, even on people’s bikes,” said Emily Fryksater, UNT student and
Fry Street bar-goer. “ I’m not morally against it, but I feel like if you actually get caught, then you should get a ticket. Cause you fucked up.” Brandon Bartlett, a commuter who stops by Fry Street after class sometimes, feels that peeing/defecating in public is unnecessary. “I don’t think it’s acceptable,” Bartlett said. “You shouldn’t do it unless it’s really an emergency. And
UNT Law to buy infamous Dallas building amid concerns By Tiffany Ditto UNT Dallas is paying the city of Dallas $1 for the city’s former municipal building with plans to house UNT’s law school there. But the building will cost $56 million to renovate, and UNT’s law school is still not accredited, officials said. The university has been negotiating the deal with the city for the last 10 years, law school Chancellor Lee Jackson said. The city of Dallas is donating the building, the land it sits on and $16 million worth of restorative work. “We believe the location is ideal for a public law school because of the many courts and law firms in the downtown Dallas area,” Jackson said in an email. After a decade of planning and gaining the state’s approval to issue $56 million in bonds, UNT is finally able to acquire the building, Jackson said. The long-term bonds will be issued by UNT but the state of Texas will reimburse the debt and interest. The city of Dallas has already invested $16 million into restoring the building’s exterior walls, stabilizing the structure and demolishing of the interior
of the building. Renovation of the inside is set to begin January 2017 by UNT’s architects. The goal is to modernize the inside so that it can function as a 21st-century law school while keeping its old charm. James Maguire, vice chancellor of the law school, will oversee the architectural changes made to the interior of the building, but he could not be reached for comment. The building, at 106 South Harwood Street, was erected in 1914 and was home to Dallas’ city government for over 60 years. The building gained fame when Lee Harvey Oswald was arrested and jailed there after assassinating President John F. Kennedy in 1963. Two days later, Jack Ruby shot Oswald while he was being lead out of the municipal building. With millions of dollars being poured into the new law building, UNT hopes it will be able to acquire the accreditation needed from the American Bar Association to graduate students that can go on to be lawyers. “We believe in this law school and it’s mission,” UNT Dallas President Bob Mong said. “We’re hopeful that the school will get accredited before our first graduating class in May. If not we will have to petition the
Texas Supreme Court so that students can take the bar exam.” The university will appear in front of the accreditation committee on Saturday in hopes that they have now fulfilled all the requirements. But Mong said it is not uncommon for new law schools to not get accredited on their first try. Though Mong remains hopeful accreditation will be granted this time around, Jackson said the process could take years. “The UNT Dallas College of Law accreditation process will go on for several years,” Jackson said. “We will continue to enroll students and teach and graduate them and believe we will be accredited in the not-too-distant future.” Mong said that the university would continue to apply for accreditation until it is granted. The law school is set to move into the building by fall 2019 shortly after the remodel is complete. “It’s very likely that provisional accreditation will have been granted by that time,” Jackson said.
@tiffanyditto
not trying to be sexist, but a female definitely shouldn’t do it. It’s easier for a guy to get away with it. But hey, I’m not the pee cop.” Despite dealing with these incidents often, officer Crawford and other UNT patrolling officers still offer an empathetic approach to correcting this type of misconduct. “I understand the bathrooms in the bars probably aren’t that great
and some people are like ‘I got to go now’,” Crawford said. “So a warning or citation will usually do just fine.”
@newzjunkie21
A guide to early voting in Denton before Nov. 4
By Tiffany Ditto Early voting for the Nov. 8 election begins Monday. For students who don’t know where to go to vote, here are some locations in Denton: Denton Civic Center, 321 E. McKinney St. Denton County Elections Administration, 701 Kimberly Drive, Denton UNT Gateway Center, 801 North Texas Blvd., Denton
These locations will be open 8 a.m.- 5p.m. Monday through Friday Oct. 24- 28. On Oct. 31Nov. 4 these locations will be open from 7 a.m.-7 p.m. For the weekend of Oct. 29, polls will be open from 1-6 p.m. In order to vote in Denton, students must register with a Denton county address.
@tiffanyditto
ARTS & LIFE
Page 4
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
NTDAILY.COM
Denton landfill moves toward sustainability By Sadia Saeed The Denton landfill, located on South Mayhill Road, has moved forward with a plan to implement new technologies to decrease the space Denton’s waste takes up. An eco-friendly landfill, Denton’s landfill has been working since 2008 to improve quality of life by using the waste to their advantage. A long-term process, the project began by partnering with UT Arlington, specifically professor Sahadat Hossain and his team of students. “I am excited to start this new project,” Hossain said. “Denton is the perfect place to break the ground for landfill mining.” As a civil engineer at the
UTA Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability, Hossain is working with the city of Denton to produce more energy by using closed landfill cells. This technique involves using the already buried waste, excavating it and processing the waste once again. It results in a decrease in buried waste and hazardous elements that were accidentally buried. It will also allow the landfill soil to aerate, decreasing soil compartment and enrichment of the soil by the production of methane. Then comes decomposition. After the process is complete, all that is left is the compost which can be thrown out. But another main component of landfill mining is its usage in
A worker uses heavy machinery to transport recyclables, brought in by the public, to a conveyor belt for sorting at the Denton Landfill. Hannah Breland
energy production, and that is the technique’s most attractive aspect. Combustible fraction will allow for the generation of power but at the moment, Hossain and Denton are working on using landfill mining to figure out how they can speed up the degradation process. Supported by a three-year Denton grant, amounting to about $399,806, the city intends to change the preconception most have about landfill. And they’re wanting to disseminate the practice. “We are hoping to expand this to other cities where new cell landfills could reduce space being taken up,”Hossain said. Vance Kemler, the manager of solid waste operations in Denton, said this should show environmental officials that landfills are not just costly, but can be an asset to each city. A novelty for Denton as well as for Texas and the country. The landfill mining project will be the first for Texas and the first landfill mining project toward sustainability in the country. The project has attracted numerous officials and has made the sustainability of waste an issue. The Solid Waste Institute for Sustainability at UTA, includes board members nationwide, from Ghana to Austria, including Kemler. “It feels good to contribute to such a project that is becoming
Dump trucks back their loads into the waste landfill in Denton. This is one of five cells within the 700-acre footprint at the Denton Landfill where the team is preparing to mine methane. Hannah Breland increasingly important in our day and age,” said Kemler. Kemler said that this will decrease trash and prevent the need to expand or provide a new landfill for the city of Denton. This reclamation process is relatively cheap when compared to how much it would cost to provide new land. The Environmental Protection Agency has written that the reclamation cost is compensated by the sale of recovered materials “such as recyclables, soil, and waste, which can be burned as fuel.” But there are some drawbacks
to using this technology — gasses could potentially be released from decomposing waste and hazardous material could be unearthed which would be costly to properly dispose. Also excavation work can cause adjacent landfill areas to sink or collapse and the equipment used has a shorter life-span, as they may wear down quickly, but that hasn’t stopped the U.S. from trying to reclaim land since 1980. The technology has recently taken off due to omnipresent waste and limited space. Hossain has found that the
waste in Denton is in good shape and can be used as long as it is decomposed first. But right now the goal is to figure out through mining samples, what category the waste fits into: waste, possible energy usage or recyclable. “Decomposition will be done in 15 years if we add water to it,” said Hossain. And Kemler added, “In the end, Denton will be for the better.”
@SadiaSaeed97
Juggling club provides students with a unique, creative outlet JUGGLING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
would never advocate for someone who is not ready to pick up and mess with fire, you have to respect the flame.”
Recently, Walker sat in Library Mall, waiting for the rest of the club arrived for their 5:30 p.m. meeting. Some zoomed in on skateboards,
while others walked. The group was diverse and they all greeted each other with warm smiles or embraces. The juggling club meets from 7 to 9 p.m. Monday in the Business Leadership and 5:30 p.m. on Thursdays in Library Mall. Once the meetings start, they attract many stares. The group is relaxed, and its members want people to stop by anytime to learn. “Joining the juggling club is easy,” Walker said. “All they have to do is get on their phone or computer and go to UNTjfa.com and put in their email. If they want to become an official member, they can pay $10 and also get one of our yearly shirts.” One exercise they do is balance pins on their noses, looking straight into the sky without dropping. Practices last about two hours, sometimes longer. They all meet somewhere to flow together, laughing and decompressing the stresses of the week. Watson, a computer science senior, has been a member since 2012 when the club was initially started. This is his first semester as president of the club. “We’re definitely more of a cometo-learn type of club,” Watson said. “We want people to come and be around like-minded people who have similar interests in the flow arts.”
Leon Watson, right, and Timothy Walker juggle at the Library Mall at UNT. They are the president and vice president of the Juggling and Flow Arts organization at UNT. The group meets every Thursday at the Library Mall to practice their skills. Jennyfer Rodriguez The juggling club does not require any sort of membership. If someone wanted to simply come by one of their meetings and try juggling, they said they would be more than happy to educate people and help them learn tricks and tips. They are open to people who are interested in the craft, whether they are new jugglers or masters. The club has already begun pulling in new members that could potentially carry the torch of what UNT juggling club is all about. One such member is biology freshman Amandeep Sandhu. Sandhu had never participated in juggling before but was able to pick up the craft quickly. “I really enjoy it because it’s about learning new things,” Sandhu said. “I was not a juggler before I joined
the club, but I know a little bit and as long as I have time, I’d like to stay and learn.” Some consider flow arts to be on the rise, calling it the new form of dance and a unique way of interacting with the physical world. The use of flow arts is also considered a meditative practice and requires serious dedication and mastery for those who see it as a hobby and creative activity. Walker said UNT juggling club provides just that, as well as a kinship to anyone who is interested. “We are an open group,” Walker said. “Anyone who is open to hanging out or learning about this amazing craft can stop by and learn.”
@Edmondson_C2017
LET YOUR CAREER TAKE FLIGHT MBA Webinar Information Session Wednesday, October 26, 2016 12:00 pm - 1:00 pm Sign up now: http://bit.ly/GraduateProgramsUNT | MBAcob@unt.edu
NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 5
Caskey’s on Fry to serve up ‘local everything’ NEW BAR CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1
Gayla Hooten-Caskey, one of Caskey’s owners, stands admiring her family’s hard work. Their copper bar was custom cut and designed by Ergo Simmons, a local business man. Kyle Martin
up in, adding to the ‘everything-local’ theme they wanted to incorporate into the bar. “We wanted to provide something where people can actually come in, calm down, unwind and have a nice cocktail,” Hooten said. “We wanted to keep offering the sipping drinks and not necessarily the chugging style that you typically get out of these bars.” Glenn and Hooten have both been involved in the service and bar industries for years and have brought their experiences together to come up with a bar all their own. Apart from their endeavors, they both worked at at Fry Street bar, Riprocks, years ago and have close relationships with many of the bar owners, managers and employees. “Really a lot of our friends at other bars have helped us out,” Mitchell said. “We’re all a really tight bar family in Denton.” Apart from an “everything-local” theme, the duo wanted things to be old fashioned and simple. When thirsty patrons walk in, they’ll likely hear old 60s music, a la Otis Redding, playing across the sound system to match the feel of the bar. Despite the handmade feel of the establishment, the copper bar top was the one thing the pair wanted to stand out. “This is going to be the cornerstone of the bar,” Glenn said. “This is what you want everyone to see when they come in and talk about, and it’s worked. So far the reception of the bar top has been good.” Gayla Hooten-Caskey, Hooten’s mother, is one of the other co-owners of Caskey’s Bar and Grill as well as a partner at Riprocks and other businesses. Her husband is also a Caskey’s coowner. Between herself, her son and Glenn, she says they have roughly 37 years of combined industry experience. In front of the bar, close to the ceiling, a photograph of Hooten’s great-grandparents is perched on the wall. They are the “Caskey’s” whom the bar is named after. Family is a significant part of the makeup of the bar, as all of the co-owners are family to each other. The photograph sits as a tribute to the family name. She said watching her family come up with a concept and see it through to realization has made her proud. “One is my son and the other is my ‘chosen
son’ because they’ve been best friends forever,” Hooten-Caskey said. “To be able to do something like this with our family [and] work together like this and to fulfill a dream is just amazing.” Hooten-Caskey said, after listening to customers and clientele for so many years, they are working towards bringing the people what they want. “We’re trying to give something to Fry Street for everyone,” Hooten-Caskey said. For the bar’s food menu, which is still being developed, Hooten-Caskey will be putting together what she calls the ‘Blue Plate Special,’ which will be “whatever [Gayla] feels like cooking that day.” The special pays homage to homestyle comfort food that she’s dished out to her kids and employees for years. “Come get a little bit of Mama Gayla’s comfort food and you’ll feel better,” she said. “When it’s gone, it’s gone.” Along with the Blue Plate Special, the bar’s main attraction and theme to the menu will be ‘Frys on Fry.’ Menu items, like chicken fried steak, hot wings, chicken and dumplings, spaghetti and more will be served over a bed of fries of the customer’s choice. Colton Notley, 25, stopped in for a beer at the bar for the first time this week to see what the buzz was about. A kitchen manager at Fry Street Tavern, former UNT communications major and a Denton resident of five years, Notley said he has known Gayla for a while and promised he’d come out and check out their new site. Like the bar staff at Caskey’s, Notley said there is a “camaraderie” around the conglomerate of businesses, specifically the bars on Fry Street, wherein people support each other. “It’s ‘if you do well, we do well,’” Notley said. “Everybody knows each other. It’s a community.” He said that though the overall atmosphere of Denton is not what it used to be five years ago, this new establishment is something valuable. Being that it’s a local company ran by locals, he said it’s a good fit for the town. “Denton’s changing and this is definitely going to help assist that in, I think, a good way,” Notley said.
@Kyle_Marin35
House of God, a new house venue, opens for Denton artists By Kyle Martin On Saturday, the House of God was christened as one of Denton’s newest house venues. Bands Bad James, Violent Feminist, Seth, the Band, Genghis Grill and Den Mother rocked the house for its grand opening. About 200 people found their way in and out of the venue throughout the night. Matt Snoddy, a 20-year-old biomedical engineering junior, is one of the residents, or altar boys, who help run and throw shows at the house. Snoddy played guitar in Bad James and also sang vocals for Den Mother that night. Both bands were comprised of either altar boys or friends of the boys.
The altar boys said upon moving into the house they consulted with their neighbors regarding the idea for putting on house shows. Their neighbors, one of which is deaf, said they would put up with the house shows as long as party-goers didn’t park in front of their homes. As far as noise bleeding into the neighborhood, the boys had that taken care of. “We bought basically some of this foam, styrofoam type shit, from Home Depot,” Snoddy said. “These eight-feet-tall by four-feet-wide things and cut them down and fit them into windows, that’s what we have in the back. We put up some random soundproofing things we stuck around, like some sheets and stuff like that.” Along with all of that, Snoddy and
The House of God opened its doors on Saturday, five artists played throughout the night, and the venue saw around 200 people. Kyle Martin
the boys asked around for some sound proofing tips, which led to tarps with a sign being put up around the backyard to let people know where they couldn’t stand and hang out, due to closeness to their neighbors. Upon walking up to the house, a little sound leaked out into the neighborhood, but not much. Passersby had to be on the front lawn or in the driveway to hear anything happening inside. “I really like meeting new people and this is a good way to do that,” Snoddy said. “House music isn’t always the best quality, but Denton people support it.” Outside, attendees sat on the concrete, drank beer and smoked cigarettes, per usual at any house show. Conversation varied from politics to music, fashion to food and anywhere in between. It was business as usual for the venue, and Denton knew how to handle itself. Kaitlyn Whilden, a communications junior at UNT, was an attendee at the house on Saturday night and even helped design and hang the banners and decorations before the party started. Having been to some house shows before, she was excited to be a part of putting on a show. “I know everyone who lives here and they’re all wonderful people,” Whilden said. Josh Hale, who sang vocals for
REGISTER NOW! SPRING 2017 Jewish and Israel Studies courses
ENGL 4660.001 HIST 4260.002 HIST 4435.001 PHIL 2100.001 PHIL 3510.001 THEA 4500.001
Literature and the Holocaust War Crimes, Genocide, and Justice American Jewish Experience Introduction to Judaism Hebrew Bible The Broadway Musical
MWF 12:00-12:50 MWF 11:00-11:50 TTh 3:30-4:50 Th 6:30-9:20 TTh 12:30-1:50 W 4:00-6:50
jewishstudies.unt.edu; 940.369.8926; Richard.Golden@unt.edu
Den Mother’s performance, was eager for the night’s experience. Hale is another of the altar boys who lives in the house and helped throw the show.
“There were a lot of nerves going into [Saturday], but I feel like went really well,” Hale said on Saturday night. “This is the first of hopefully
very many shows.”
@Kyle_Marin35
SPORTS Page 6
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
NTDAILY.COM
UNT OFFENSE STRUGGLING TO MAINTAIN CONSISTENCY By Clay Massey Kaydon Kirby was a centerpiece of the North Texas offensive line from the time he walked on in 2012 after being a stand out at Flower Mound High School. He was a Conference USA All-Freshman team member and started all 35 games he appeared in from 2013-2015 after redshirting in 2012. Kirby was even named to the Remington Award watch list prior to the 2015 season – an honor presented to the best center in college football. But Kirby’s 2015 season came to an end in the 10th game of last season when he suffered a shoulder injury against the University of Tennessee. He had every intention of returning to the team until life struck. Prior to spring workouts in 2016, Kirby’s father passed away. He decided it would be best if he took a leave of absence from the football program, so Kirby left the team in April and hasn’t returned. That left the Mean Green offensive line scrambling for answers, as three key members left in the offseason. Along with Kirby, North Texas also lost starting tackle Michael Banogu and starting guard Micah Thompson to graduation. With a new offense, new coach and new culture, North Texas responded the only way it could. “We have that next-man-up mentality,” senior left guard Sam Rice said. “We’re expected to be the next one up and keep the thing rolling.” With so many departures, the Mean Green have faced depth issues on the offensive line. North Texas has
used three different starting line-ups through six games and five different personnel packages total. With all the shuffling around, it might seem like it would be hard for the offensive line to build chemistry, but offensive line coach and run game coordinator Brad Davis has his own solution for that. “I expect all of them to be able to achieve whatever expectations I have of them,” Davis said. “They’re all getting coached hard. They’re all getting pushed. They all work under high expectations and we don’t make any excuses when we have to move things around.” At times, however, the Mean Green offensive line has struggled this season. Against the University of Florida, North Texas allowed the Gators to sack freshman quarterback Mason Fine a total of seven times, which set a new Florida school record for most sacks in a game. Overall, Mean Green quarterbacks have been dropped for a loss 27 times this year. The mark of 27 sacks allowed through six games matches the total from last year’s offensive line gave up all season. Two weeks ago, the line struggled to help establish a run game against Middle Tennessee University, and, along with surrendering four sacks, gained only five total yards on the ground. The Mean Green lost both of those games. But at times, the big boys up front have gotten the job done, and the results have reflected their success. Against Rice University, BethuneCookman University and Marshall University, the Mean Green averaged over four yards per carry. While the
North Texas freshman quarterback Mason Fine (6) gets sacked on a play against Bethune Cookman. Colin Mitchell
running backs had a lot to do with that, head coach Seth Littrell said it all starts up front with the big men. The problem facing North Texas is consistency, and it is a problem that has repeatedly bitten the offensive line in 2016. Littrell believes that the carousel of players coming in and out has hurt the group’s ability to grow as a unit. “[The offensive line is] continuing to get better, [but] at the end of the day we need to be more consistent,” Littrell said. “Some of it is youth. Some of it is continuity. Playing with those five guys and trusting the guys next to you, you earn that. The more you play together the easier it gets.”
Davis believes the consistency issues come from execution. He knows his guys can do it – they just have to. “The bottom line is they haven’t done it,” Davis said. “It’s a group of kids that are learning how to win. Winning is an all-time thing. It’s an attitude. Our guys are learning how to do that. Have they made huge strides? Heck yeah, and I’m proud of that. But are we where we want to be to talk about winning championships? Not even in the conversation.” This year, the offensive line has worked to produce holes for the running game, and that has helped the confidence of Rice and his linemates.
Knowing what they are able to do when they execute properly has set the bar high for them moving forward. “It’s a fun realization knowing we can help us run the ball,” Rice said. “We have great running backs, and our o-line has become pretty good run blocking. It’s fun. I think a lot of people have matured and a lot of people have stepped up.” When North Texas travels to face the Army West Point this Saturday in New York, it will be almost the ultimate test for the offensive line. The Black Knights currently sport the second-best total defense in the nation, just behind the University of
Michigan. Army opponents average three yards per rush, good for second in the nation, the Black Knights have sacked opposing quarterbacks 15 times, tied for 48th in the nation. “We’re still trying to find who we are,” Davis said. “We do some things good sometimes, and some things not worth a dog-gone. We need more consistency. Running the ball, protecting the quarterback – we need to do that more consistently before we can talk about being a unit that has done anything noteworthy.”
@Clay_FC
Roundtable: After the week off, reflecting on the2016 season By Sports Staff Who or what on the team has impressed you most to date and why? Clay Massey: Defense has been one of the most impressive things about the Mean Green so far. Kishawn McClain keeps forcing turnovers, and the Mean Green have cut opponent scoring in half. Matt Brune: The obvious answer is Jeffrey Wilson. He is one of only eight running backs in the NCAA to average over 6 yards per carry with over 90 attempts. However, I’ve been equally impressed with the secondary on this team, not only in wins but in losses. To be more specific, the Middle Tennessee game showed me a lot as they held that aerial attack to
UPCOMING GAMES Friday •Soccer: vs. Charlotte (Denton, TX) – 7 p.m. Saturday •Football: @ Army (West Point, NY) – 11 a.m. Sunday •Soccer: vs. Old Dominion (Denton, TX) – 1 p.m. •Volleyball: vs. Charlotte (Denton, TX) – 1 p.m.
MEAN GREEN QUICK HITS Football North Texas returns to the gridiron Saturday morning in a road contest with Army at West Point. The Black Knights are 18-point favorites and have a 91.1 percent chance to win, according to ESPN’s Football Power Index.
24 completions on 45 attempts and forced an interception. Courtney Anderson: Mason Fine. I’m always impressed when a true freshman or rookie makes a breakthrough and beats out the seniority of the team for the starting position. He continues to improve each week. Austin Jackson: Seth Littrell. I know, I know, It’s a cop-out. But the improvement from this year to last year is across the board, and it all starts at the top. From bringing in defensive coordinator Mike Ekeler, who’s cut down opponent scoring average by nearly two touchdowns, to trusting the quick release and mobility of freshman quarterback Mason Fine to lead his offense over the experience of Alec Morris, Littrell has pressed all the right buttons. Trevon McWilliams: Mason Fine. His poise and leadership on the field are tremendous. He has complete control of the offense and in big situations, has come through time in and time out. What is the team’s biggest problem or weakness? Massey: The offense’s consistency continues to turn on and off. Fine and the crew need to be able to replicate success and sustain it. They all agree and have said on several occasions when the offense
North Texas freshman quarterback Mason Fine (6) takes the ball after the snap. Fine ended the game with 206 yards passing and 49 yards rushing. Colin Mitchell is firing on all cylinders, they’re hard to stop. Brune: It’s one thing to give up seven sacks to one of the best defenses in the country in Florida. It’s another to give up five sacks to a bad Rice team. The offensive line is mostly at fault, as they are still shuffling guys around halfway through the season, but Fine is not helping them as he occasionally begins to scramble before he needs to, which leads to sacks. Anderson: I think the real “weakness” is that North Texas has not beaten a tough school. Marshall was the most exciting win we’ve probably
experienced all year, but they’re a 1-4 team and not that impressive on paper. This team needs a signature win. Jackson: Pass protection. Mason Fine has improved the Mean Green’s offense but for all the efficiency they’ve provided to the running game, the offensive line could do more in terms of keeping Fine’s uniform clean. Over the past four games the Mean Green offensive line has given up 21 sacks and no matter how tough the quarterback is, the kind of beating Fine has taken is just not sustainable long term. McWilliams: Pass defense. North
How will the team finish out the season? Massey: The game against Marshall made me feel really good about the future of this season. If the Mean Green can knock off Army, it has to beat one of the better teams in the West in Louisiana Tech or Southern Miss. Both games are at home, which is very doable. The Mean Green go bowling at 6-6. Brune: After letting last week’s
@Clay_FC, @mattbrune25, @CPaigeA23, @a_jack17, @trevonmac1
Volleyball team kneels before anthem Friday, sweep UTEP By Courtney Anderson
North Texas volleyball swept the University of Texas at El Paso Friday night in Denton. The Miners (4-15, 2-4) fell to the Mean Green
Soccer The Mean Green has four games remaining on its schedule before the Conference USA tournament begins Nov. 2. North Texas is currently tied for third place in C-USA with Rice, and is three points behind first place Western Kentucky. Volleyball The entire volleyball team, both players and coaches alike, kneeled before the national anthem Friday night against UTEP. Junior middle blocker Amanda Chamberlain said the team kneeled before the anthem as a symbol of unity.
Texas has a decent front seven, but its back four could use some work, especially in the red zone.
impressive win settle in, I realized North Texas’ three wins are against teams that are a combined 1-13. With that being said, I did like the way that the Mean Green played in two the losses to Florida and Middle Tennessee. I believe it’ll stay in most games and be competitive, so I’ll give the Mean Green wins over UTSA and UTEP at least, putting it at 5-7. That would be an incredible season. Anderson: I think the team will pull out a few more wins before the season is over, but I don’t want to get my hopes up about a bowl game. I’ll stick with my original prediction and say North Texas will finish 5-7. Jackson: 7-6. Yeah, baby, that’s right. Everybody needs to put their bowling shoes on because this team is winning an obscure bowl game. The remaining contests on the road against quality opponents are a smidge dubious considering the games they’ve won have come against opponents with a combined 1-13 record, but who cares? Last I checked, they still have Eric “the best damn punter in the whole damn state” Keena. If Trevor Moore starts a brawl, this team might go undefeated the last half of the season.
UNT volleyball players celebrate after scoring a point during UNT vs University of Texas El Paso game. Taylor Ratcliff
(10-11, 4-2) after they were unable to overcome several key errors. The coaches and women of North Texas knelt together before the national anthem to signify team unity, junior middle blocker Amanda Chamberlain said, but everyone stood during the anthem, unlike previous games where select players continued to kneel. The first set of the game showcased the challenge UTEP presented. The Miners had a slight lead throughout the middle of the set, but North Texas gained it back after tying things up at 17. Senior libero Amy Henard finished out the set 25-20 with two consecutive aces. “We’ve been doing some consistent things throughout the last couple of weeks so we’re starting to see improvements in certain areas,” head coach Andrew Palileo said. “That’s translating in us playing a little better and crisper.” North Texas gained the lead during the middle of the second set at 19-13, putting the pressure back on the Miners. After both coaches argued with the referees over a questionable call for the second team, the Mean Green’s lead shrunk to 22-21.
But North Texas bounced back, and scored the next three points to clinch the set victory. The win gave the team momentum going into the final set of the evening. “We weren’t just going to sit back and relax after winning the first two sets,” Eakin said. “We said we were going to finish the third one and dominate it.” And dominate they did, gaining an early 11-1 lead over the UTEP. It was not long before the Miners succumbed to the North Texas attack, as defensive specialist LekaLeka KinerFalefa secured the sweep and match victory with an ace. The game was the team’s first home contest in nearly two weeks, and the Mean Green was happy to be back in Denton. “The fans [at home] add so much more enthusiasm and excitement to the game,” Chamberlain said. “We enjoy playing at home and also hearing the band taunt the other team. [That is] my favorite part.”
@CPaigeA23
NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 7
The softball team warms up before its three-hour practice. The team is preparing for its first home game against Weatherfod today. Hannah Breland
Mean Green softball evaluating talent and newcomers in fall play By Clay Massey Fall is normally reserved for cold-weather sports like football, basketball and hockey. But North Texas softball has already begun its march towards the 2017 season with the beginning of fall ball. The team played five scrimmages against West Texas A&M University, Texas Woman’s University and the University of Oklahoma, and has three games remaining on its schedule. The Mean Green will meet Weatherford College and North Central Texas College later this month. While the games don’t mean much on the record sheet, it is a crucial time for head coach Tracey Kee and and her staff to evaluate their team. Kee only added four new freshmen and a walk-on in the offseason – outfielder Camille Grahmann, utility players and twins Lindsay and Lacy Gregory, walk-on outfielder
Victoria Blagg and catcher Nicole Ochotnicki. Before the 2016 campaign, Kee added 11 new players to the squad, so she was excited to get back on the field to see what she would be working with. “It felt good,” Kee said. “You don’t know what your strengths are [and] what your weaknesses are when you’re scrimmaging each other. To actually see a quality team I felt was important.” North Texas posted a 22-33 mark last season with a 5-19 record in Conference USA play. One issue that plagued them last year was timely hitting, and it’s something the Mean Green worked diligently on over the summer and into the fall. “We were able to produce some runs,” senior infielder Kelli Schkade said. “Having hits back-to-back-to-back and putting runs up so our pitchers are more comfortable was a big focus.” Schkade is a key returner for
the Mean Green and was far and away the team’s most valuable player last year. Schkade hit at a .393 clip with 13 home runs while driving in 42. She led the team in nearly all offensive categories. To begin their scrimmages, North Texas hosted West Texas A&M in a doubleheader at Lovelace Stadium. The Lady Buffs finished last season as the No. 1 team in the NCAA Division 2 South Central Region rankings. In a close game, the Mean Green fell in extras of game one 10-9 after both sides traded home runs. North Texas bounced back though and dominated game two, winning 13-1 later in the afternoon. Grahmann, who dons double zeros on her back, impressed for the Mean Green. She batted lead-off in both contests and reached base on multiple occasions while milking pitches from the West Texas A&M pitchers. Kee hopes Grahmann can be
an important cog for the team moving forward. “She causes havoc,” Kee said with a laugh. “We let her do her thing. If she wants to bunt her way on [or] slap her way on it doesn’t matter. She has an unbelievable eye. We needed a table-setter early, and I wanted to get Schkade out of that leadoff [spot] and get some people on in front of her.” Overall, Kee was pleased with how her freshmen performed across the board. “I thought Lindsay and Lacy put some great hits on the board,” Kee said. “The new additions have made some nice offensive contributions.” The Mean Green then went across town to face TWU in a doubleheader. North Texas lost game one 4-3 but took game two 5-3. They then went north to Norman to face the Sooners, and Oklahoma knocked off the Mean Green by multiple runs in both games. The injury bug bit the Mean
Green pitching staff over the fall, leaving seniors Jessica Elder and Stacey Underwood hobbled. This also meant sophomore Lauren Craine was the only pitcher at 100 percent. But the pitchers are not the only ones dealing with injuries. Sophomore utility player Rhylie Makawe has been sidelined due to shoulder surgery but should be back for the regular season in the spring. Thrust into the top of the depth chart, Craine started both game ones against West Texas A&M and TWU, and started game two against the Sooners. Underwood started both game twos against WTAMU and TWU, and game one against the Sooners on a bum ankle. Elder made her fall debut in the second game against Oklahoma. Craine gave a “valiant effort,” according to Kee, throwing 128 pitches in game one against West Texas A&M. And despite the injured ankle, Underwood looked like herself and racked
up the strikeouts. “It felt good,” Underwood said. “Obviously the pain wasn’t too great, but it felt good going out there and just pitching because I haven’t been able to practice too much.” The Mean Green will wrap up fall play before October comes to a close, and will then turn their attention to the regular season. The schedule for the spring has not been released yet, but the anticipation is palpable for both the players and coaches. “The thing I’m most excited about is the hitting,” Kee said. “I don’t think we have any holes one through nine in our lineup. Freshmen are getting their opportunities and capitalizing. The excitement of our depth will hopefully help us in the long run.”
@Clay_FC
The complex relationship between NCAA Despite injuries, North Texas soccer remaining stout defensively athletes, coaches and social media By Matt Brune
By Trevon McWilliams Last spring, the NCAA passed legislation that effectively changed how colleges recruit athletes. The new policy allows coaches to interact with recruits by favoriting and retweeting them on Twitter. While the NCAA has a limit on how many phone calls coaches can make to prospective athletes, social media is far less regulated. For coaches, social media is a platform to contact, recruit and gather information about players, and for players, it’s a way to get recruited and interact with admirers. “We appreciate our fans,” sophomore wide receiver Terian Goree said. “They do so much for us and we do our best to show appreciation for our fans for the time and sacrifice they give for us.” Across all sports, many North Texas recruits have Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and Snapchat accounts. Whether it’s through one of those aforementioned platforms or something else, social media has invaded almost every aspect of the recruiting process. For decades, recruiting was done behind closed doors and fans would be lucky to know what prospects were being targeted by a program. Those days are long gone, for better or worse, as some athletes now give play-by-play commentary of their recruitment for everyone to see. Social media also gives fans a behind-the-scenes glimpse into the process, as prospects live-
tweet, Instagram or Vine their in-home and official visits. “Social media is one of the first things I look at when I’m looking to recruit an athlete,” head track and field coach Carl Sheffield said. “It says a lot about who they are and it’s important to know as a recruiter what kind of athlete you’re getting down the road.” But more than just in the world of sports, social media has become important to the world, in general. Many people get their news, meet friends and learn things on a constant basis every time they check Twitter or Facebook. High school seniors who are being pursued by universities can be heavily impacted by their social media presence, facing serious consequences if it is misused. “My advice for high school seniors, and athletes in general, is quite simple,” junior running back Jeffery Wilson said. “If you wouldn’t want your mother or your grandmother to see it, that means you shouldn’t post it or even let the world see your opinion on the particular subject.” Many coaches use social media to showcase their schools and boast various facilities.
Graphic by Tomas Gonzalez North Texas head football coach Seth Littrell frequently interacts with players and even fans in the offseason and has tweeted things from GIFs to Drake Lyrics. “Coach Littrell is doing a great job using social media,” Goree said. “He helps out a lot, and it makes UNT great.” For athletes especially, social media can either help build reputations or quickly destroy them. Many recruits forget their friends aren’t the only ones with access to their accounts. Coaches can easily see what they post, retweet, favorite, like, share, and in many cases, can also see what an athlete’s friends are posting. And senior setter Amy Henard has a simple piece of advice for her fellow athletes. “You have to be careful about how [you] use [social media],” Henard said. “It can change your life completely. Don’t let anyone into your social media, and be careful about who you follow.”
@treyvonmac1
Over the course of 15 games this year, Mean Green soccer forwards and midfielders have hoisted up over 200 shots. Twenty-eight have been goals and have altered the trajectory of several matches. While the offense fills the seats and puts points on the scoreboard, to paraphrase hall of fame college football coach Bear Bryant, defense is the reason North Texas remains in contention for another Conference USA championship. Sitting on a 10-4-1 record, the Mean Green have had flexibility and depth at the four defender positions and at goalkeeper. While some changes have come out of necessity, as sophomore keeper Brooke Bradley and senior center back Alexsis Cable are out with injuries, the defense has managed to remain stout all year long. “We’ve done a good job of running the back line regardless of who we put there,” head coach John Hedlund said. “Tori [Phillips] has stepped in and done a good job, and [Carissa Sanders] is a force in the middle. We’ve got a ton of speed back there and it’s really helped us against speedy forwards.” As a former professional defender himself, Hedlund understands the intricacies of a good defense. This, along with 21 years of head coaching experience, make him an extremely knowledgeable defense-first coach. The Mean Green has allowed 0.92 goals per game this year. This would be the seventh time in the last eight seasons that Hedlund’s team finished the year with a goal allowed average under one. His attitude has trickled down to the assistant coaches and players, and now everyone has the same approach. “Shutouts are our mindset,” junior defender Tori Phillips said bluntly. “If we do our job, then our forwards will
do their job. Even if we only get one in the back of the net, we win.” Phillips was thrust into the starting lineup four games ago to replace Cable. During her freshman year, Phillips started 13 games at center back on a defense that allowed merely 0.53 goals per game. While Phillips has experience starting at the collegiate level, freshman goalkeeper Miranda Schoening started her first game just two and a half weeks ago. These two changes have understandably taken some getting used to, but North Texas seemingly has not missed a beat. The Mean Green is 3-1 and has allowed four goals over its past four matches. “Tori is an athlete,” assistant coach Daniel Dobson said. “She is a good, athletic player that has to be on the field somewhere, whether it’s midfield or center back, we trust her to get the job done.” As a unit, the defense has put up above-average numbers in 2016. North Texas is in the top-23 percent in the country in goals allowed average, top-27 percent in shutouts per game, and top-22 percent in save percentage. The Mean Green has also held its opponents to a 42 percent shot on goal average. Meanwhile, 50 percent of North Texas’ shots are inside the frame. That eight percent difference may sound trivial, but it makes a huge difference in games that come down to the wire. “We just communicate really well,” freshman defender Madeline Guderian said. “We’ve got a lot better at that since the beginning of the year. And [Hedlund] likes us playing balls down the line and over the top, and I think we’re starting to get really good at that. The ability to communicate on defense is necessary as the four defenders spread out over the width
of the field. Sophomore defender Carissa Sanders has started every game this season at center back and now has a different partner in the middle. The transition is eased when the two talk, and often yell instructions at one another during games. “It just helps us not get beat,” Sanders said. “It can be difficult because when you’re tired and telling your teammate where to go or who to mark, you can barely get the words out, so I’m not saying as much as I was at the beginning of the game which doesn’t help.” At the start of the year, depth was the one of North Texas’ greatest strengths. Even though the rotations have been slightly trimmed, the defense remains flexible. This is especially the case at the outside back positions as Hedlund typically rotates four player in and out. “I think [the depth] helps us a lot,” Guderian said. “[We can] stay fresh and keep the starters good for the next game that we have. It’s nice to have depth so we can all get some time in [the game]. Beginning Nov. 2 in Charlotte, North Carolina, the Mean Green will play win-or-go-home games in the C-USA tournament with an NCAA tournament berth on the line. Entering as one of the favorites will force the defense to be near perfect. But that is what this team has come to expect, and players and coaches alike all understand what they need to do in order to reach their goal. “Play mistake free,” Dobson said. “[If we] play the way [we] know how to play and eliminate the simple mistakes, we’ll be fine.”
@mattbrune25
OPINION Page 8
THURSDAY, OCTOBER 20, 2016
NTDAILY.COM
The need for students to keep school spirit alive The Editorial Board For many, Denton is less of a college town and more of a weird microcosm. This place offers people from numerous walks of life a platform to come together and be creative. But on campus, for years it has seemed nobody is interested in having school spirit. University administrators and student leaders have for a while now spun their wheels to encourage more students to become campus leaders. This semester, the Student Government Association finally began to look outward to the student body and, instead of focusing on themselves, the student legislators
have revamped their efforts to diversify student representation. One reason for students’ indifference to UNT events and organizations, we’ve found, is that students perceive Greek Life students to be in charge of most student organizations, making it appear as though Greek Life students are the only ones who care about the school. But you don’t have to be in a fraternity or sorority to be a campus leader. Grant Hale, the president of UNT’s SGA, spoke in an interview about their newfound approach to spurring involvement. “Out of
the 103 people currently in SGA, including the executive branch, student senate, supreme court and freshmen interns, only 29 of them are in Greek Life,” said Hale. “Some people might assume that [SGA] falls under generally racial or ethnic categories, [but] that’s not necessarily the case.” Grant said while “people in Greek life are often incentivized to get involved on campus because their chapter requires it, not everyone in SGA has to be a part of ‘Fraternity X’ or ‘Sorority X,’” or has to have prior student government experience to join. In the past, this newspaper has reported stories critical of SGA’s close tie to Greek Life. But let us be clear: this is in no way a critique of fraternities or sororities. It is a call for students to understand they
can be a voice on campus in any capacity. Our differences should not divide us. Whether you are a Greek student, a nontraditional student, a Republican or Democrat, remember Denton’s clashes are what make this wacky place so rich. Even with the liberal arts vibe of UNT, the hipster centrism of music and the emphasis on local business, Denton County is still among “the reddest” in Texas.
of Texas. So step up and join UNT President Neal Smatresk’s team in boosting the university’s reputation. Denton isn’t quite insular, so why should our campus be? Try getting out of your comfort zone and talk to other people that may not have your same interests or resumes. It’s the least we can do to begin heightening our school spirit.
The United States should be legally multilingual
By Shain Thomas The multicultural United States lends itself to multilingual communication. It should be noted, as of the 2015 U.S. census, while 77.1 percent of the U.S. population is white, the remaining 22.9 percent consists of African-Americans, Native Americans, Asian-Americans, Hawaiians, Hispanics and multiracial people. With any other multicultural society, there is a tendency towards multilingualism. So contrary to the diversity that politicians seem to ignore, why should the U.S. only have one official language?
When it comes to your family’s health... BE SURE.
ER
OPEN 24 HOURS
NW Corner of I-35 and Loop 288 . www.SurepointER.com
This semester, we have a football team on the rise, so why not join our spirit groups like Talons at Apogee Stadium to cheer on the team? University officials have worked hard to ensure you remember your time in college. You don’t have to be Greek to celebrate UNT. Home to a bevy of clubs, associations and organizations, UNT has the potential to be on the same level as Texas A&M University or the University
COLLEGE SKI & BOARD WEEK Breckenridge • Vail • Beaver Creek Keystone • Arapahoe Basin
breckenridge
20 Mountains. 5 Resorts. 1 Price. FROM ONLY
plus t/s
Time and time again, congressional legislative bodies have attempted to make English the official national language. But interestingly enough, establishing a national language is only an issue when certain politicians feel threatened by minorities. Since 1981, with efforts employed by Californian Republican Senator Samuel Hayakawa, many politicians have tried to amend the Constitution and the U.S. Code, proposing to Congress how English should be our sole legal language. During the 107th Congress, the House of Representatives advanced H.J. Res. 16: “The English language shall be the official language of the United States. As the official language, the English language shall be used for all public acts including every order, resolution, vote, or election, and for all records and judicial proceedings of the Government of the United States and the governments of the several States.” Furthermore, the same session of congress saw H.R. 3333 include the following text: “The Government of the United States shall preserve and enhance the role of English as the official language of the United States of America. Unless specifically stated in applicable law, no person has a right, entitlement, or claim to have the Government of the United States or any of its officials or representatives act, communicate, perform or provide services, or provide materials in any language other than English.” In 2012, political columnist
Molly K. Hooper wrote that “House GOP [was] closer to a vote on making English the official language” than ever before. Politicians appear to have issues with English not being our the one and only speech process. They fail to recognize how the legislative bodies of other sovereign countries address the issue of establishing their main language(s). There exists, at least from a globalist perspective, a precedent for multiple national languages. Countries inclusive of Belarus, Belgium, Canada, Finland, Kosovo, Malta, The Netherlands, Serbia and Switzerland all have two or more official languages. Canada, our neighbor to the north, has two national languages: English and French. In a similar vein, our Congress could consider making English and Spanish as both of our official languages. Out of the 50 states, 32 have completely officiated the English language. Because of an inherent respect for Hawaiian heritage, the Pacific island group established two official languages, English and Hawaiian, rather than disrespect the native people by recognizing an imported language as the official tongue. The remaining states should take notice.
@shainethomas
WWW.UBSKI.COM
1-800-SKI-WILD • 1-800-754-9453
Spaces filling fast for Fall 2017!
Apply online today at
AMERICANCAMPUS.COM WALK TO CLASS OR BIKE TO CLASS PRIVATE BEDROOMS & BATHROOMS AVAILABLE FULLY FURNISHED APARTMENTS AMENITIES FOR A FIT & HEALTHY LIFESTYLE INDIVIVDUAL LIABILITY LEASES ROOMMATE MATCHING AVAILABLE
See office for details.