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Treasuring Tradition North Texas Irish Festival pays homage to roots SCENE | Page 4
Friday, March 2, 2012
News 1, 2 Sports 3 SCENE Insert Classifieds 4 Games 4
Volume 99 | Issue 28
ntdaily.com
The Student Newspaper of the University of North Texas
Stovall, Scoular halls slated for demolition I SA AC WRIGHT
Senior Staff Writer The UNT Student Government Association will vote next week on whether or not to send the proposed Union expansion to a student vote, but a plan is in place to make space for the proposed new facility. Two buildings – Stova ll and Scoular halls – are on the chopping block and would be demolished to make way for the construction. The 2005 Campus Master Plan called for t he demolit ion of t he buildings, according to Union Director Zane Reif. The halls would be replaced by modular buildings, which the university would lease for about three years. UNT would have the option to purchase t hem fol low i ng t he lea se period, according to Raynard Kearbey, associate vice chancellor for system facilities. “They’l l look good, but they’re not intended to be permanent,” Kearbey said. “But, one thing I make sure of in my job is that they will meet
code, they will be built to standard. They’ll be high quality, but they’ll never be as good as a permanent building.” The programs and services housed in Stovall and Scoular
“... they’re not intended to be permanent.” —Raynard Kearbey Associate Vice Chancellor for System Facilities halls would be moved to the modular buildings. The buildings would be located on the site currently occupied by the Church of Christ Community Center on Welsh Street across from the Union Circle parking garage. “ T he u n i v e r s it y ow n s that,” Kearbey said. “That’s going to be demolished, and we’re going to place modular
Defying Gravity
building units on that site and relocate those functions from Stovall and Scoular into these buildings.” Scoular Hall, which was built in 1947, currently houses the UNT fashion design program, is home to the faculty offices for the Dance Department and houses numerous dance studios for the classes. “If they are going to tear Stovall down, they have to build us anot her building that has the same amount, or more, studio space that this one does,” dance senior Nikki Secrest said. “As long as they do that, we’ll be fine.” Dance professor Mary Lynn Babcock said she is unsure what the loss of Stovall Hall will mean for the department but said the building is no longer in the best condition. “I think the building is very old and it should be demolished or, at the ver y least, it needs to be renovated,” Babcock said. “At the ver y most, it [t he depa r t ment] should be moved to another building.”
PHOTO BY TYLER CLEVELAND/VISUALS EDITOR PHOTO BY COLIN DOBKINS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Church of Christ is slated to be replaced by buildings to house the dance and fashion design programs. The buildings would be modular in design.
Matt Thomas, a lawyer who practices parkour with a group on campus, side flips over business sophomore Nichole Lawrence on the Library Mall on Thursday. “We’re taught to walk on paths, but parkour unlimits you,” said Thomas about the exercise of “self-expression.” Parkour practitioners overcome fear and hurl themselves over walls and across buildings. Lawrence wants to train in Europe - “the architecture is amazing,” she said.
Man arrested for alleged vandalism Student’s health app places first Brief
I SA AC WRIGHT
Senior Staff Writer A man was arrested after a UNT police officer caught h i m a nd a woma n a l legedly graffitiing an image of a nude woman on the north side of the Joseph A. Carroll Building in downtown Denton on Wednesday at 3:40 a.m., accord i ng to t he sher i f f ’s report. Tom Reedy, public information officer for the Denton County Sheriff’s Department, said the UNT police officer approached the suspects and they ran opposite directions. The man, Nicholas Cassiani, 24, wa s a r rested, but t he other suspect, an unidentified Caucasian woman, f led the scene. “He had a br ush a nd a bucket of white liquid – probably glue,” Reedy said. “He also had pictures of a nude female, and there were also pictures of the same type in his car.” A search of Cassiani’s car
ISA AC WRIGHT
Senior Staff Writer
PHOTO BY CHELSEA STRATSO/SENIOR STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Nicholas Cassiani and an unidentified female were caught allegedly graffitiing at the north side of the Joseph A. Carroll Building at about 3:40 a.m. Wednesday. Cassiani, 24, was arrested, but the other suspect fled the scene. revealed more painting materials and wallpaper. Some of the illustrations in his car were marked with the signature “SUB,” which has been
seen on other graffiti painted downtown, according to the sheriff’s reports. Reedy said Cassiani was cha rged w it h cr i m i na l
mischief of more than $1,500, a state felony punishable by up to two years in prison. Cassiani posted a $12,000 bail and was released.
A UNT student won first place and $500 in the mobile health category of AT&T’s Hackathon competition in Dallas for an application that would help people with disabilities use mobile devices more easily. Computer science senior Christopher Rust developed his app, “ReAPPbilitation,” in about eight hours at the Hackathon, which was held Feb. 17 and 18. Rust’s app for Android phones features an interface with large buttons on either side of the phone’s screen to scroll through letters and numbers. “It’s almost like a carousel,” Rust said. “It replaced the standard keyboard in an Android tablet. Whenever you go to type, the app comes up in its place.” The Hackathon is a competition held in cities across the county in which students from area universities design apps.
T h e r e were more t ha n 113 st udent s competing at the Da l las event. R u s t CHRISTOPHER s a id t he RUST concept for the app was created in a directed study program with electrical engineering professor Kamesh Namuduri. Na mudu r i sa id he had a f r iend d iag nosed w it h mu sc u la r d y st rophy – a disorder that impairs movement – and he wanted to explore ways to make communicating for disabled individuals easier. “I n t he s e i nd i v idu a l s, the brain is very active, but they cannot communicate,” Namuduri said.
See APP on Page 2
Inside Program promotes student creativity News | Page 2
UNT football team’s schedule released Sports | Page 3
Turning out the tunes at 35 Denton Scene | Page 6
Page 2 Paul Bottoni and Valerie Gonzalez, News Editors
News
Friday, March 2, 2012 ntdnewseditors@gmail.com
National/Regional news briefs STAFF AND WIRE REPORTS NATIONAL
REGIONAL
U.S. Coast Guard increases presence in the Arctic
Federal court orders May 29 primary date for Texas
SEATTLE – With increasing ship traffic through oncefrozen northern seas and the expected debut of offshore oil drilling as early as July, the U.S. Coast Guard is launching Arctic Shield, its largest-ever deployment in the Arctic Ocean. Coast Guard officials said this week that they will be mounting full-scale patrols as well as helicopter and small-craft operations across the northern and western coasts of Alaska as Royal Dutch Shell prepares to drill exploratory wells in the Chukchi and Beaufort seas. “As the ice has receded and there’s more open water, we’re moving our operations up north,” Capt. Adam Shaw, chief of prevention for the Coast Guard’s 17th District in Alaska, said. Arctic Shield 2012 will allow the Coast Guard to do searchand-rescue operations for troubled vessels, monitor oil operations and conduct outreach activities with area communities.
AUSTIN – The federal court in San Antonio has ordered Texas to hold its primar y ele c t ion s on May 29, resolving for now one of the biggest issues in the state’s redistricting battles. T he t h ree-judge pa nel issued the election schedule t wo days a f ter releasi ng political maps for Texas to use in t he 2012 election. Legal disputes over the maps for congressional and House districts have kept Texas from holding elections. In the primary schedule r ele a s e d T hu r s d a y, t he filing period for candidates reopens on Friday and closes on March 9. County election officials will mail out voter registration cards on April 25 and any run-off elections will be held on July 31. W h i le t he cou r t order cla r i f ies t he elect ion schedu le, some minorit y groups complain that the election maps a re unfa ir and are seeking changes.
PHOTO BY COLIN DOBKINS/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
The Business Leadership Building houses the New Product Development Scholars Program, which offers courses in developing product ideas.
Program develops creative thinking B R A NDON H ELLER Contributing Writer
The next Bill Gates could be among us. This school year marks the si x t h for t he New Product Development Schola rs Program at UNT. Under the direction of David Strutton, the program offers courses that teach students creativity a nd m a r k e t i n g s k i l l s i n desig ning a nd sel ling developmental products to clients. “It is a suite of courses plus an internship that students a re able to ta ke, a nd t hey will earn academic certification in new product devel-
opment,” Strutton said. “The program itself is designed to create more creative businesspeople.” T he cou rses a re hosted in the Business Leadership Bu i ld i ng, but st udents out side of t he Col lege of Busi ness a re able to sig n up. The program had only nine out of a possible 24 spots f i l led i n Ja nua r y 2006, so t he pr o g r a m op ene d it s r e c r u it i n g t o a l l m a jor s rather than solely marketing and logistics. “ We’v e h a d a h a nd f u l of st udents outside of t he college,” Strutton said. “We’ve
App Continued from Page 1
35 YEARS OF CHANGING LIVES Intensive English Language Institute @
“They cannot talk, and they cannot move their muscles. There are also multiple facets to this problem. Some people can move one finger, or maybe even one is hard for them. There are many varieties of it.” E lec t r ic a l eng i ne er i ng professor Gayatri Mehta said Rust hopes to improve the application and is currently trying to develop a thumbstick device for phones to allow for more precise movement of the virtual keyboard. “He has a bar that you move right now,” Mehta said. “People that are physically challenged don’t even move that much. We need to take care of even those
had some journalism people, music people, psycholog y people and fashion design pe ople. T he be st w ay to persuade people that it is of good value is simply wordof-mouth.” Students have been able to pa r t ner w it h numerous c or por at ion s t h roug h it s pa r t nerships prog ra m, a l low i ng st udent s to test their own new product ideas and concepts as well as being the spokespeople of developi ng new ideas f rom t he firms they work for. Elvira Aguilar, a marketing specialist at the UNT College of Information, was a partici-
pant in 2007. “I was able to work with Col lege of In for mat ion sta f f a nd UN T Un iversit y Relations, Communications and Marketing to develop the new identity for the college,” Aguilar said. St r ut ton bel ieves t he program gives students an edge on facing life after graduation. “In America, none of our companies are going to be able to out-cheap any number of firms around the world,” Strutton said. “We’re going to have to out-innovate them, out-t h i n k t hem a nd u lt imately out-create them.
“We need to take care of even those finer movements ...” —Gayatri Mehta Electrical engineering professor finer movements that can be taken care of in the next level of prototyping.” The app is being fine-tuned, but Rust intends to eventually upload it onto the Android Market app store for free and hopes to develop the app for other mobile platforms.
Editorial Staff Editor-in-chief ...............................................Sean Gorman Managing Editor .............................................Paul Bottoni Assigning Editor ............................................Valerie Gonzalez Arts and Life Editor ........................................Alex Macon Scene Editor.......................................Christina Mlynski Sports Editor ...................................................Bobby Lewis Views Editor .................................................Ian Jacoby Visuals Editor ....................................................Tyler Cleveland Copy Chief ....................................................Jessica Davis Design Editor ............................................... Stacy Powers Senior Staff Writers Isaac Wright, Nicole Balderas, Brittni Barnett, Holly Harvey, Brett Medeiros, Alison Eldridge Senior Staff Photographer Chelsea Stratso
Advertising Staff Advertising Designer ................................................Josue Garcia Ad Reps ....................................Taylon Chandler, Elisa Dibble
NTDaily.com GAB Room 117 Phone: (940) 565-2353 Fax: (940) 565-3573
PHOTO COURTESY OF CHRISTOPHER RUST
The Android app “RehAPPbilitation” developed by computer science senior Christopher Rust includes larger letters and numbers as an alternative to the standard keyboard. The app won $500 at the AT&T Hackathon competition in February.
Sports
Friday, March 2, 2012 Bobby Lewis, Sports Editor
Page 3 blew7@hotmail.com
UNT takes swing at another ranked foe Women’s basketball team now a threat Tennis
Team trying to improve doubles play
Opinion Bobby Lewis Sports Editor
Tyler O wens
Staff Writer Three days after soaring 20 spots in the Intercollegiate Tennis Association rankings, the Mean Green is gearing up for what could be its toughest matches so far this year. No. 40 UNT (8-4, 3-0) will travel to Tulsa, Okla. to face the No. 28 Golden Hurricane today. the Mean Green will duel the undefeated Kansas Jayhawks on Saturday. “Our ranking going up is very inspirational,” junior Ilona Serchenko said. “We expect to win, it’s as simple as that.” Tackling Tulsa Tulsa (7-2) marks the seventh ranked team that UNT has faced this season. Of those six opponents, the Mean Green has defeated three. Tulsa will be the highest ranked team that the team has faced since it fell to then No. 25 Oklahoma on Jan. 24. “On paper, this is another ranked team that we have [to face], and it’s a big one,” head coach Sujay Lama said. UNT is using its newfound success against ranked teams as motivation as it continues with one of the toughest schedules in program history. “W henever you have a chance to beat a team that’s
Photo by Chelsea Stratso/Senior Staff Photographer
Senior Nadia Lee and junior Barbora Vykydalova rush to return a serve during a doubles match against FlU at the Waranch Tennis Complex on Sunday. Lee and Vykydalova had the only UNT doubles victory over FIU, 8-2. higher ranked, you get a little extra motivation,” Lama said. “The players are very inspired because of the ranking. It’s a big step for our program. They look at it with a lot of pride and also with a lot of humility.” The Mean Green holds a 1-6 all-time record against the Golden Hurricane. The match starts 4 p.m. today. Crushing Kansas UNT will look to hand the Jayhawks (7-0) t heir first loss of the season at 1 p.m. Saturday in Tulsa. Despite being undefeated,
“We expect to win, it’s that simple.” —Ilona Serchenko Junior tennis player Kansas has yet to crack the ITA rankings, but that does not mean that the Mean Green will look at this match differently than any other.
“We don’t change what’s been work ing t he whole semester. We try to attack every team with the same passion and intensity,” Lama said. UNT has had abundant success in singles this season, but the team hopes to jump on Tulsa and Kansas early by capturing the doubles point. “We need to be more aggressive in doubles, because in the past matches we’ve had troubles earning that first point,” senior Irina Paraschiv said. “Everyone needs to do their job on their court.”
This time last year, it was painfully obvious only one of UNT’s basketball teams had any chance at success in the Sun Belt Conference Basketball Tournament. As one of the reporters who suffered through the women’s basketball team’s awful 5-25 season a year ago, it’s pretty refreshing to see the team with a legitimate shot to go deep in the conference tournament this weekend. W hen the Mean Green women’s basketball team took the Summit Arena floor in Hot Springs, Ark., on Mar. 5, 2011 to play Western Kentucky, UNT had lost 10 straight games and looked like a team that couldn’t get out of its own way. Predictably, UNT took an 81-66 first round loss to WKU and less than two weeks later, then-head coach Shanice Stephens was relieved of her duties. The team’s failures last season can be traced back to a lot of things, but it was clear the threeyear marriage with Stephens needed to end and a new voice was needed. Stephens is an excellent recruiter but she wasn’t right for the Mean Green. The team had far too many mental lapses and breakdowns to warrant Stephens getting another year on the job. That’s why Karen Aston has turned out to be a great fit for
Bobby Lewis UNT. Aston came to UNT with head coaching experience that Stephens didn’t have when she got the job, and it’s shown this season. The Aston-led Mean Green picked up its fifth win Dec. 2, less than a month into the season, and finished the season with a 14-15 record. Last season’s team didn’t get its fifth and final win until Jan. 15, more than two months into the season. When I watch this season’s team, it’s clear it is much tougher mentally than last season’s team. The women’s basketball team will open up the tournament against the 2-25 Troy Trojans tomorrow. UNT has lost six of its last seven games, but I’d be shocked if the Trojans, who the Mean Green beat 72-57 this season, pulled the upset. Once UNT wins its first tournament game, anything can happen, and we may be talking about this team, not the men’s basketball team, in the NCAA Tournament later this month.
Mean Green heads to Tulsa for final tournament of season Softball A lison Eldridge
Senior Staff Writer The Mean Green softball team will try to get its offense going again when it travels to Tulsa, Okla., today to compete in the Hyatt Downtown Tulsa Tournament. The tournament will be the fourth multi-game event the team has competed in this season, playing two games Friday and Saturday, and a final game Sunday. Con ference play hasn’t begun for the Mean Green (5-8), but the team has faced strong competition in the four nationally ranked teams it has played including Oklahoma, Houston and Baylor. “We’re still trying to get through the transition process,” head coach T.J. Hubbard said. “They’re [the players are] getting better. Facing a pitcher like [Oklahoma junior Keilani] Ricketts will prepare them for conference.” In last weekend’s five-game Texas Shootout, UNT went 1-4 and batted just .160 with three RBI. In Wednesday’s loss to Ok la homa, UNT was held hitless until the final inning. The Mean Green will start
Photo by Patrick Howard/Staff Photographer
Infielder senior Lisa Johnson bats during the Mean Green’s 4-1 loss to the Oklahoma Sooners Wednesday. Johnson holds the single-season and career walk records. the tournament Friday against Loyola (0-0), who UNT has never faced before. The game will be the Ramblers’ first of the season.
UNT will finish its Friday doubleheader against the Tulsa Golden Hurricane (9-3). The teams last met in the 2007-2008 season at Lovelace Stadium.
Each team handed the other a loss, a 7-5 victory for the Mean Green and a 6-4 victory for the Golden Hurricane. Tulsa advanced to the NCAA
Tournament last year after winning Conference USA. UNT will start the Saturday doubleheader with a game against the Austin Peay State
Governors (4-4), another team the Mean Green has never faced. As of Thursday night, UNT’s last two opponents of the tournament have not been announced yet. T he Me a n Gr e en h a s struggled on the road this season, entering the tournament with a 2-7 record away from Denton. The struggles shouldn’t discourage the Mean Green, head coach T.J. Hubbard said. “They [the players] always fight. I’ve never seen a game where they’ve quit or given up,” Hubbard said. “They still believe in themselves.” W hile UNT lost each of its games against nationally ranked teams, the opportunity to play tough games has provided the Mean Green with the chance to establish a necessary determination for the rest of the season, sophomore pitcher Ashley Kirk said. “If we can go up against the big schools,” Kirk said. “You can still take away that confidence to know that you can beat anybody.” The Mean Green’s game against Loyola, the first in this weekend’s tournament, will begin at 10:30 a.m. today.
LSU, Kansas State among 2012 UNT football opponents Brief B rett M edeiros Senior Staff Writer
Three matchups aga inst top 25 compet it ion a nd a nat iona l ly telev ised home game highlight the UNT footba ll team’s 2012 schedule, which t he school released Thursday. The Mean Green will host Louisiana-Lafayette in front of a national audience Oct. 16 on ESPN or ESPN2. “We are excited about the opportunity to showcase this beautiful facility to a national audience and help bring some much-deserved recognition
2012 Mean Green Football Schedule Date Sept. 1 Sept. 8 Sept. 15 Sept. 22 Sept. 29 Oct. 6 Oct. 16 Oct. 27 Nov. 3 Nov. 10 Nov. 17 Nov. 24
Opponent at LSU Texas Southern at Kansas State Troy* (Family Weekend) at FAU* at Houston Louisiana-Lafayette* at Middle Tennessee* Arkansas State* (Homecoming) South Alabama* at Louisiana-Monroe* at Western Kentucky*
*Sun Belt Conference game [to] the Sun Belt Conference,” head coach Dan McCarney said in a press release. “It
w ill be a great chance for our students, a lumni a nd member s of t he Denton
community to come out and show ever yone around the country what a special place this is.” UNT will open up its season on the road against Louisiana State, which lost last season’s BCS National Championship game against Alabama. The schedule also includes road games against Houston a nd Ka nsa s State, wh ich ended last season as the No. 18 and No. 15 teams in the nation, respectively. The Mean Green will open up Apogee Stadium for its second season in the 2012 home opener against Texas Sout hern on Sept. 8. UNT
will start Sun Belt Conference play at home against Troy during Family Weekend on Sept. 22. The team will also welcome t he c on fer enc e’s ne w e s t football addition Southern
Alabama to Apogee Stadium on Nov. 10. T he Mea n Green won’t face Su n Belt Con ference foe Florida International for the first time since the 2004 season.
Celtic Pride North Texas Irish Festival honors tradition and culture Page 4
NORTH TEXA S DA
ILY, March 2 , 20
12 VOLUME 9
9, ISSUE 7
S C E N E
LIFE:
DIY: Learn how to make refreshing beer shampoo
Page 3
FOOD:
PREVIEW:
IRISH:
The North Texas Irish Festival celebrates its 30th event
Page 4
Christina Mlynski, Scene Editor
Staffers pick their best bets for 35 Denton
Page 6
SQUARE:
“Avenue Q” comes to Denton for first time
Loco Cafe serves up typical brunch fare
Page 8
Page 7
ctm0061@gmail.com
LifeSCENE
Friday 3.2.2012
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DI : Beer shampoo and conditioner EMILY PEEK Intern
Instead of throwing away f lat beers stuck in the back of your fridge or draining out the keg from your party last weekend, use it to spice up your shampoo and conditioner. It doesn’t matter how old, f lat or new the beer is. B y a d d i n g b e e r t o y ou r shampoo and conditioner, your hair w ill come out w ith more body, thickness and shine. There’s no need to worry that your hair w ill smell like beer because the shampoo scents will
overpower it. All of the items will cost about $5. What you’ll need 1 pint of beer 1 cup of shampoo 1 cup of conditioner I medium-sized saucepan Open your can of beer, cold or hot, and pour it into the mediumsized saucepan. Make a mental note of how full the pan is. Turn the stove on to medium heat and let the beer warm up. There is no need to stir it, just
keep an eye on it. Continue to heat the beer until it’s reduced to one-fourth to onehalf of the amount it was to begin with. Once the beer has reduced, let it cool to room temperature. A f ter t he beer has cooled, mix half of it with one cup of shampoo. Repeat t he process with the conditioner. Pour t he mi xture in to t he sha mpoo a nd cond it ioner bottles. The new shampoo and conditioner can be used as birthday gifts or party favors.
PHOTO BY CHELSEA STRATSO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
One-half can of beer, one cup of shampoo and one cup of conditioner can be used to make beer shampoo. When it is complete, it will smell like the hair product, not beer.
Have you completed your FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) for the 2012-2013 school year?
PHOTO BY CHELSEA STRATSO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Squeeze one cup of shampoo or conditioner out to be mixed with the beer after it cools down. After they are mixed, pour the mixture back into the shampoo or conditioner bottle.
PRIORITY DEADLINE: March 31st
N
Need help completing your FAFSA?
The Student Financial Aid and Scholarships department will host “March Madness” in an effort to assist students with completing their FAFSA’s before the priority deadline. The first floor office will be open until 6pm every Monday-Thursday during the month of March, excluding Spring Break. Bring your taxes* (if applicable) and any questions you may have and we can help you get a jump start on your financial aid for the upcoming school year! *For your 2012-2013 FAFSA, use your 2011 Tax Return.
PHOTO BY CHELSEA STRATSO/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
After the beer has been mixed with a cup of shampoo or conditioner, pour it into the bottle. When it is complete, it will smell like the hair product, not beer.
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IrishSCENE
Friday 3.2.2012
North Texas Irish Festival explores the
IrishSCENE
Friday 3.2.2012
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Celtic culture through music and dance
Brittni Barnett Senior Staff Writer
The distinct twang of the song “Cotton Eyed Joe” starts up as a troup of girls walk out on stage. The group’s shiny blue skirts shimmer in the stage lights as they forgo a predictable country line dance to produce an intricate tap routine. Their arms and torsos remain stationary while the girl’s legs and feet move rapidly to the song’s fast-paced beat. As t he song begins to end, there’s one final unanimous tap as the audience bursts into applause. Traditional Irish dancing is one of the many events that can be found at this year’s 30th annual North Texas Irish Festival, which runs today through Sunday at the Fair Park in Dallas. With more than 65,000 attendees at last year’s festival, the event brings together the North Texas Irish community and others to celebrate the music, dance and culture of the Emerald Isle. “We feature music and cultural events from all across Ireland,” festival director Marsha Singer said. “It’s a lot of fun, and there is so much people can learn about Celtic culture.”
Photo courtesy of Southwest Celtic Music Association, Inc.
Two greyhounds don Irish-themed attire during the 2011 North Texas Irish Festival at Fair Park in Dallas. The 30th annual festival begins at 6 p.m. today and runs through Sunday.
“We want to keep Irish traditions alive here in North Texas.”
—Sheri Bush President of the Southwest Celtic Music Association
Harps and Fiddles The theme of this year’s festival is “Harps and Fiddles,” two of t he most prom i nent i nst r uments used in traditional Irish music. The harp is also one of the traditional emblems of Ireland, sa id UN T Eng l ish professor David Holdeman, an expert on Irish culture who wrote “Irish University Review: a journal of Irish Studies.” Musicians and dancers from around the world will perform on the festival’s nine stages. Sher i Bu s h, pre sident of t he Sout hwest Celt ic Music Association said one of the acts she is most excited about is fiddle
Photo courtesy of Southwest Celtic Music Association, Inc.
Photo courtesy of Southwest Celtic Music Association, Inc.
Traditional Celtic dances are performed during the 2011 North Texas Irish Festival at Fair Park in Dallas. The first event was known as the “First Texas Céilí” on March 3, 1983. Céilí (pronounced kay-lee) means a visit or gathering in Gaelic and involves musical entertainment and dance. player Natalie MacMaster. “It’s our first time having her at the festival,” she said. “She is an absolutely amazing fiddle player. We saw her at Celtic Colours and were absolutely blown away.” In add it ion to music, t he festival offers visitors a chance to explore other aspects of Irish culture through hurling, an Irish sport similar to lacrosse. “For centuries, Ireland was
a part of the British Empire,” Holdeman said. “One of the ways in which Ireland maintained its own identity was to maintain things like Irish music and Irish games.” The festival will also feature several of what are known as seanchaí, or traditiona l Irish storytellers. In ancient Celtic culture, people did not write down their history
and laws but instead passed these along through long lyric poems, according to the NTIF website. “The Irish are great talkers,” Holdeman said. “They love to tell stories and are very famous for their storytelling. They engage in these activities to help them maintain their group’s identity.” The festival prides itself on being an event for all ages to enjoy, Singer said.
Urchin Street features performances for children. The event’s A n i ma l Rescue L eag ue a lso features more than 50 animal rescue groups. Last year more than 100 animals were adopted at the festival, according to the NTIF website. For the first time this year the event will feature culinary demonst rat ions f rom prom inent Dallas chefs. The chefs will
Various Irish whiskeys, including Bushmills and Tullamore Dew, both brands centuries old and bearing the name of their respective villages, are served at the 2011 North Texas Irish Festival at Fair Park in Dallas. prepare traditional Irish dishes, which audience members will have an opportunity to sample. The festival opens today at 7 p.m., and anyone in line before the gates open will receive free admission: otherwise tickets for Friday are $10. Saturday tickets are $20, Sunday tickets are $15, weekend passes are $30 and a pass for both Saturday and Sunday is $25. “I don’t know where else you
can go and pay $20 to see a full lineup of entertainment from beginning to end,” Bush said. “It’s a lot of fun, and everyone will find something that they enjoy.”
Irish Tradition The NTIF began in 1983 when a group of four Irish musicians threw a party at Nick Farrelly’s Lounge in Dallas with other area musicians, Bush said.
“They expected around 50 to 100 people to come out,” she said. “W hen more than 600 people showed up they thought, ‘We might have something here.’” The event was called a céilí, a Gaelic word meaning an informal gathering that usually involves music a nd da ncing, Holma n said. After its first year, the festival moved to Fair Park to accommodate the expected number of visitors. It has been held there ever since. The Southwest Celtic Music
Association sponsors the NTIF. The group began after the first event was held, Bush said. Musicians and other interested parties from the event thought it was beneficial to create an organization that would organize the affair and give it focus, according to the SCMA website. “Our main focus is promoting Celtic music, dance and culture,” Bush said. “We want to keep Irish traditions alive here in North Texas.” The organization upholds this mission by sponsoring dance and
music workshops and supporting various cultural organizations. Bush said that although North Texas does not have an Irish population as prominent as Boston and New York, the number of Irish residents is large. According to the U.S. Census Bureau, between 10 and 15 percent of the Dallas population is Irish. “It [the NTIF] has drawn a lot of us together that would never have known each other otherwise,” she said. “I do think it’s had an impact on the Irish community here.”
North Texas Irish Fest Where: Fair Park in Dallas Time: Friday 6-11p.m., Saturday 10 a.m.-11:30 p.m., Sunday 11:30 a.m.-7:30 p.m. Cost: $10-$30 Contact: www.NTIF.org
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PreviewSCENE
Friday 3.2.2012
The NT Daily staff picks must sees for 35 Denton Dum Dum Girls 6 p.m. Sunday, March 11 at Main Stage 1
Danny Brown 12:30 a.m. Saturday, March 10 at Hailey’s Club Self-proclaimed “greatest rapper ever” Danny Brown stands out from the pack of hip-hop artists who made it big – big on the Internet, at least – in 2011 for a few reasons. With his asymmetrical emo-kid hairdo and a predilection for jeans tight enough to restrict blood circulation, Brown certainly doesn’t look like most rappers. The Detroit wordsmith never veers too far from the tried and true rap tropes of bragging, swagging and spitting about women, drugs and life on the street. However, the inventiveness of his foul-mouthed, often hilarious tirades put him at least one bad haircut above the rest. Brown’s voice zigzags over oppressive, clattering beats – a nasal whine one second, DCTA is hosting public meetings in July to continue guttural snarl the next – and by all accounts this rap goon in his tiny pants is a force discussions ononstage. a new proposed fare structure, a bus and to be reckoned with rail integration plan, and initial A-train levels. 35 Denton landed plenty of outstanding hip-hop acts thisservice year, but none quite like Danny Brown. -Alex Macon. Arts & Life Editor Additionally, the agency will outline proposed changes to
After three consecutive performances at Radio City Music Hall with Vampire Weekend, it’s safe to say that Dum Dum Girls is establishing its credibility as a force to be reckoned with in the world of indie pop music. Powerful drums, heav y guitars and catchy vocals characterize this all-female band from California. Their sound is the Ramones meets Joan Jett and the Blackhearts. Dum Dum Girls’ sophomore album “Only in Dreams” was the first to feature all four of the members’ voices. The record also includes songs with more emotional lyrics as well as resonating harmonies. 35 Denton attendees will have the chance to hear these women rockers in action when Dum Dum Girls, who got its name from the song “Dum Dum Boys” by Iggy Pop, takes the stage next weekend.
DCTA Public Meetings Scheduled
-Brittni Barnett, Senior Staff Writer
its Access (Demand-Response/Paratransit) Policy.
DCTA Public Meetings Scheduled Public comments on the proposals will be open through August. You may submit comments via email to info@dcta.net. Highland Village
Lewisville
Denton
Public Meetings: Community Survey Results July 15 | 11:45am July 21| 6:30pm July 13 | 6:30pm Over theCenter, last several months, feedback Lewisville Senior Highland VillageDCTA City Council collected Chambers, Denton City Councilfrom Chambers, 1950 S. Valley Parkway 1000 Highland Village Rd. 215 E. McKinney community members and passengers through a Community Accessible via Connect Route 21 Accessible via Connect Routes 4, 5 & 6 (with On Demand Request) Survey regarding the transportation needs facingJulythe residents 14 | 1:00pm and businesses within Denton County. The comments collected Denton Senior Center, July 20 | 7:00pm 509 N. Bell Lewisville Municipal Annex, will be used to develop service change recommendations for Accessible via Connect Route 1197 W. Main St., DCTA is hosting public meetings in July to continue4, 5 & 6 Accessible via Connect Route 22 implementation in August 2012. July 22 | 6:30pm
DCTA Public Meetings Scheduled DCTA Public Meetings Scheduled discussions on a new proposed fare structure, aLibrary bus and Emily Fowler DCTA is hosting public meetings in July to continue 502 Oakland St. survey results along initialA-train recommendations forRoute 6 Accessible via Connect rail The integration plan, andwith initial service levels. changes on to DCTA’s and bus services will be discussed discussions a newrail proposed fare structure, a busatand Additionally, the agency will outline proposed to Persons public with hearing or sight interpretive service needs are asked to contact thechanges DCTAan at least two meetings in March. Each meeting will begin with rail integration plan, and initial A-train service levels. business days in advance of the publicand meetings at 972-221-4600 or7:00 info@dcta.net. open house at 6:30 p.m. presentation at p.m. its Policy. MoreAccess information(Demand-Response/Paratransit) the regional rail project can be found at www.myA-train.com. Additionally, theabout agency will outline proposed changes to Monday, March 5th Tuesday, March 6th Thursday, March 8th its Access (Demand-Response/Paratransit) Policy. Public comments on the proposals will Chambers be open Lewisville through August. Downtown Denton Transit Center Highland Village Council Council Chambers 151 W. Church St., Lewisville to info@dcta.net. Public comments on the proposals will be open through August. Highland You may submit comments via email to info@dcta.net. Public Meetings: Proposed Service Changes Lewisville Denton Village A final set of recommendations for service improvements will be Highland July 15 | 11:45amat another round July 21| 6:30pm 13 | April 6:30pm and discussed of public meetings inJuly late Lewisville Denton Lewisville Senior Center, Highland Village City Council Chambers, Denton City Council Chambers, early willVillage begin with an open house at 1950 S. ValleyMay. Parkway Each meeting 1000Village Highland Rd. 215 E. McKinney
The Jesus and Mary Chain 8 p.m. Sunday, March 11 at Main Stage 1 The Jesus and Mary Chain brings an electric mix of indie rock and classic ’70s guitar sound all the way from Glasgow, Scotland. The band was founded in 1983 by brothers Jim and William Reid and broke up in 1999. Throughout The Jesus and Mary Chain’s 16-year tenure, the band topped U.K. charts, was arrested for drug use and became known for its violent shows. Once dubbed “the new Sex Pistols,” this headliner should be a show to remember, as it is the band’s first live performance since 2010. -Nadia Hill, Staff Writer
604 E. Hickory, Dentonsubmit comments 1000 Highland Village Rd., You may via email Highland Village
6:30 July 15On| 11:45am (with Demand Request)
Devin the Dude 6 p.m. Saturday, March 10 at Main Stage 1
Accessible via Connect Routes 4, 5 & 6 p.m. and presentation at 7:00 p.m. July 21| 6:30pm July 13 | 6:30pm
Accessible via Connect Route 21
Lewisville Senior Center, 1950 S. Valley Parkway July 20 | 7:00pm Monday, April 30th Accessible via Connect Route 21
Highland Village City Council Chambers,
1000 Highland Village Rd. Tuesday, May 1st
July 14City | 1:00pm Denton Council Chambers,
Denton Senior Center, 215 E. McKinney Thursday, May 3rd 509 N. Bell
Accessible via Connect Routes 4, 5 & 6 Lewisville Municipal Annex, Center Highland Village Council Chambers Lewisville Downtown Denton Transit Council Chambers (with OnW. Demand Accessible via Connect Route 4, 5 & 6 1197 Main St.,Request) 604 E. Hickory, Denton 1000 Highland Village Rd., 151 W. 14 Church St., Lewisville July | 1:00pm Accessible via Connect Route 22 July 22Senior | 6:30pm Highland Village Denton Center, July 20 | 7:00pm Lewisville Municipal Annex, 1197 W. Main St., Accessible via Connect Route 22
Emily 509 N.Fowler Bell Library 502 Oakland St.Connect Route 4, 5 & 6 Accessible via Accessible via Connect Route 6
Everyone is welcome to attend the meetings. Persons withJuly hearing or sight in22 | 6:30pm terpretive are asked to contact DCTA least two business days Emily Fowler Libraryat least Persons with service hearing orneeds sight interpretive service needs are asked at to contact the DCTA two 502info@dcta.net. Oakland St. in advance the meeting at 972-221-4600 or dleggett@dcta.net. business days inof advance of the public meetings at 972-221-4600 or Accessible via Connect Route 6 More information about the regional rail project can be found at www.myA-train.com.
Persons with hearing or sight interpretive service needs are asked to contact the DCTA at least two business days in advance of the public meetings at 972-221-4600 or info@dcta.net. More information about the regional rail project can be found at www.myA-train.com.
dcta.net 940-243-0077
35 Denton is approaching quickly. With such an extensive musical lineup, attendees must pick and choose which artists they want to see, but be sure to catch Devin the Dude. Devin the Dude is a fellow Texan from Houston who stays true to his underground rap roots. The beat-ripping, rhyme-flowing, hip-hop extraordinaire never fails to put on an incredible show. This rapper is sure to bring the necessary smooth hip-hop that 35 Denton needs. Previously referred to by the New York Times as “your favorite rapper’s favorite rapper,” Devin the Dude is a must-see at this year’s festival. -Leigh Daniels, Intern
SquareSCENE
Friday 3.2.2012
7
Antique car enthusiasts unite “Avenue Q” musical debuts in Denton A shley Grant
Senior Staff Writer
Photos by Patrick Howard/Staff Photographer
Top: CTC Auto Ranch, located at 3077 Memory Ln., opened in 1985. “People buy what they had in their high school days and are trying to fix them up,” said Allen Williamson, one of the owners. “They’re just people who like cars from an era when you could actually work on them and didn’t need a computer to do it.” Bottom left: CTC Auto Ranch is home to the remains of more than 3,000 classic cars. Parts taken from these cars are both sold locally and shipped worldwide, often to countries where older cars are more common. Bottom right: “It’s not every day you find a job you have fun going to,” said Allen Williamson, one of the owners of CTC Auto Ranch, on Wednesday. The auto ranch specializes in parts for classic and antique cars.
Classic Car Companions Walt’s Garage: 940-387-6022 CTC Auto Ranch: www.ctcautoranch.com Early Automotive Club: www.ccarshow.net Did You Know? There are more than 3,000 cars and automotive parts at CTC Auto Ranch To read the story visit NTDaily.com
“Avenue Q,” the award-winning Broadway musical, is making its regional premiere in Denton today with envelope-pushing topics such as sex, racism and homosexuality. Characters such as Lucy the Slut, reminiscent of puppets from the popular children’s show “Sesame Street,” are bound to create some shock and awe in the audience. “Avenue Q,” presented by Music Theatre of Denton, will run through Mar. 11. at Campus Theatre. “The way I described it to my grandmother was ‘Sesame Street’ without the sugar,” said Kelsey Macke, a puppeteer for the production. The book for “Avenue Q” was written by Jeff Whitty, with music and lyrics by Jeff Marx and Robert Lopez. In the show, a recent college graduate named Princeton attempts to find his purpose in life while exploring New York City. Along the way he faces challenges, satirized through upbeat songs such as “Everyone’s a Little Bit Racist” and “If You Were Gay.” Olivia Emile, who plays the human character Christmas Eve, said “Avenue Q” is important to Denton because of the exclusivity of the show. “This is the first time in this region that a theater has been given the rights to do ‘Avenue Q,’” Emile said. “That makes it even more exciting.” Puppeteer Justin Harmon said “Avenue Q” is edgier than other musicals shown at Campus Theatre because of the strong language and adult content, which makes it unsuitable for children but perfect for college students. “We haven’t edited anything out of the original show. Everything is intact, and that’s unusual on the
Photo by Patrick Howard/Staff Photographer
Justin Harmon, performing as Nicky, is confronted by Chris Jordan, performing as Rod, for discussing Rod’s homosexuality during “Avenue Q’s” final dress rehearsal. community theater level, but we think that adds to it,” Harmon said. Political science freshman Cassidy Perkins said she’s excited to see the show because of the puppets and risky topics. “I think it’s definitely indicative of Denton’s open-mindedness and dedication to freedom of artistic expression,” Perkins said. “Shows like ‘Avenue Q’ get shut down in small towns all over the country as if they can eliminate politically incorrect ideas by pretending they don’t exist.” The show originated off-Broadway and made its debut on Broadway in 2003, winning several awards, such as Tony Awards for “Best Musical,” “Best Score” and “Best Book”. Although the show is quirky and pokes fun at adult issues, the cast said they hope the audience walks away with the understanding that the show is about tolerance and being true to yourself. “Even though it’s a silly show with some questionable content, there’s still a heartfelt message behind it,” Emile said. For ticket prices and times, visit www.campustheatre.com. Christina Mlynski, SCENE Editor, contributed to this story.
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FoodSCENE
Friday 3.2.2012
FOOD SNOBS Loco Cafe 603 Locust St. Denton, TX 76201 Open Monday – Saturday 7 a.m. – 5 p.m. and Sunday 7 a.m. – 3 p.m. (940) 387-1413
Did You Know? The owners of Loco Cafe also own GreenHouse Restaurant and Bar across the street. Brittni Barnett Senior Staff Writer
Unlike its sister establishment, the GreenHouse Restaurant and Bar, Loco Cafe tries its hand at brea k fast and lunch items, a challenge it meets with middling results. The restaurant, with its exposed metal air ducts, red booth seats and wooden accents, gives off the feel of a modern diner. Customers order their food from a large menu at the front of the restaurant. The menu is limited
but does include some options unique to the restaurant. Specialty dishes include the Loco Moco, the restaurant’s take on a traditional Hawaiian dish, which contains stacked hash browns, eggs, gravy, salsa and a choice of meat. Traditional diner options such as B.L.Ts, grilled cheese sandwiches, and biscuits and gravy are also available. After ordering, patrons take a number and a seat in one of t he restaurant’s main dining spaces. A lt hough t here is no table service, the staff is friendly and the food arrives quickly. T he brea k fa st taco for $ 3 included a corn tortilla piled high with eggs, cheese, hash browns and bacon with a side of salsa. Customers have the option of choosing additions such as ham or avocado. The mild flavor of the cheesy scrambled eggs was somewhat overpowered by the robust taste of the small, chunked red potato hash browns. However, the chunks of bacon were cooked to greasy perfection and added a much-needed crunch to the dish. The side of salsa lacked a fiery
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kick but worked well with the breakfast taco, as its strong tomato flavor balanced some of the dish’s more powerful flavors. Overall the dish had some nice flavors: however, because of its small size, be sure to order two. The cinnamon toast for $4, minus the optional cinnamon apples, came in a stick form, dusted with powdered sugar and served with a side of syrup. The slices of toast were made with hearty biscuits rather than normal bread. Unfortunately, the biscuits did not translate well into a French toast form. Instead of tasting light and savory, the bread seemed heavy and bland. For a total of $8, the meal was filling but nothing to write home about, a theme that personifies the Loco Cafe. From its straight-from-IKEA
furniture to its adequate dishes, the restaurant gives off an average vibe. While it’s not a bad place to stop by if one is in the neighborhood, those seeking the best breakfast in Denton should look elsewhere.
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Photos by Olovia McClendon/Staff Photographer
Top: Loco Cafe serves an assortment of breakfast and lunch delectables. Bottom: The bacon and avocado breakfast taco, made with a tortilla, hash browns and eggs, is served at Loco Cafe. The taco is served with hot sauce.
Loco Cafe Cleanliness Service Affordability Atmosphere Food Quality