North Texas Daily - 5/4/17 by North Texas Daily

VOL. 109 No.14

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017

Texas’ attempt to reform foster care system: privatization

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Analysis: student apartments with highest, lowest criminal activity

Arrests made in organized crime investigation

By Hannah Lauritzen & James Norman After a federal judge ruled in a 2015 lawsuit that the Texas foster care system violated children’s rights, the state of Texas’ 85th legislative session made revamping the foster care system a top priority. They introduced a litany of bills for consideration, all of which had one aim: to privatize the foster care system and take the burden away from the state. The big issues lie with the system’s social workers – or lack thereof. Andy Homer, public affairs executive director at the Texas Court Appointed Special Advocates (CASA), said the turnover rate for caseworkers has been 25 to 30 percent. “We have such an awful turnover,” Homer said. “We’ve been plagued with the inability to keep the people we hire.” Homer added it costs about $54,000 to hire and train a new worker. “So we’re literally just pissing this money away when we hire these people and then the majority of them leave within two years,” Homer said. This shortage of employees has piled more and more cases onto an already overworked staff. The Child Welfare League of America recommends that a caseworker should have no more than 12 cases at a time. Yet according to an investigation by the Austin-American Statesman, investigators have been known to manage upwards of 20 cases at a time. At one point in 2014, South Texas caseworkers had an average of 85 cases at a time. The amount Child Protective Services workers are paid has also

By Julia Contarelli Three apartment complexes in the immediate vicinity of UNT have some of the highest crime rates in Denton, police records show. Within a mile from UNT, student housing complexes not affiliated with the university have had multiple cases of theft, assault and drug offense, among others, spring 2017 police records show. And while some are close to Fry Street, the area with some of the highest crime rates in town, others are not so easily explained away. A popular guide for apartment hunters in Denton, Denton College Apartment Source guide book for spring 2017, advertised 39 apartment complexes to prospective residents. These five have the highest crime rates:

Brian Johnson

Top five apartments with the highest criminal activity U Centre at Fry Street, located at 1221 W. Oak St., is the apartment with the highest criminal activity with 14 crimes reported: theft, assault, drugs/ narcotics violations and harassment. The majority were thefts. Price rates for this apartment start at $704 per bedroom.

Rickey Brice Jr.

Affidavit details arrests of former members of men’s basketball program connected to drugs and prostitution

SEE HOUSING ON PAGE 2

By Clay Massey & Reece Waddell Warrants for four people, three of whom are UNT students, were obtained Tuesday for organized criminal activity – promotion of prostitution and drug possession, according to a statement sent by UNT. An arrest affidavit identifies the three UNT students and former members of the men’s basketball

team as Derail Green, Rickey Brice Jr. and Brian Johnson. Brice was taken into custody on Monday on the charge of possession of marijuana less than two ounces, according to Denton court records. Johnson was booked into jail Wednesday on the charges of engaging in organized criminal activity and possession of marijuana less than two ounces. Both were released on bond.

The third UNT student, Green, has yet to be taken into custody. “We have high expectations of all of our student-athletes,” athletic director Wren Baker said in a statement. “Even one incident of misconduct is one too many.” According to an arrest affidavit obtained by the Daily, a sexual assault was reported to the online

Equestrian club turns attention to fundraising as team grows

SEE CRIME ON PAGE 4

SEE CPS ON PAGE 2

By Samantha Morrow

The Great Divide, where the Burbs meets the Outskirts By Kyle Martin & Austin Jackson Along a road on the outskirts of Denton and Krum exists a clash of cultures. Rural and urban lifestyles meet face to face, staring each other dead in the eye. Ten years ago, Shannon Flanagan could sit on her front porch and watch her English riding horses prance and graze, uninterrupted. In front of her sprawled hundreds of acres of green pastures. The owner of Silent Knight Stables, she and her children lived the life of many Texan’s dreams holed-up on about 10 acres of unincorporated land, bothered by no one they didn’t invite. Things are different now. Her land has been annexed into the city of Denton. She answers the door with a pistol sometimes. “It’s frustrating,” she said. “We had a

Pyrenees dog that guarded the horses at night and I had to get rid of him because that was his property, in his mind. But he scared the shit out of people because he was ginormous. The police kept picking him up and he was guarding his property. That was his.” Starting roughly seven years ago, she said, they arrived: dump trucks, bulldozers, concrete, semi-trucks and construction workers. The whole nineyards. And they began to build. Over the next several years, from the same front porch, Flanagan watched her life change. Day by day, neighbor by neighbor, house by house. Her small town isn’t so small anymore. “We get no city services besides police, which I don’t want [Denton]

SEE KRUM ON PAGE 5

The small city of Krum with a population of 4,157 is quickly becoming urbanized. Kelsey Shoemaker

The faces of Fry Street By Alec Spicer When the last call lights come on, it’s a signal of a fun night nearing its end on Fry Street for many. For others, it’s the sign of a closure to just another routine day on the strip. Located right across the street from UNT’s northeast corner, Fry Street has remained a staple in Denton’s culture since the 1920s. However, what Denton locals now know as modern day Fry Street (often referring to a part of the perpendicularly located Hickory Street as well) only came to be after new developments in 2008 caused many

Julissa Medina spends time at Cool Beans in between classes. Alec Spicer

buildings on the beloved street to be torn down. Yet when you fast forward to 2017, and the last year and a half specifically, Fry Street has experienced growing notoriety due to shootings, disappearances and arrests. Aside from these isolated instances, what might not be visible on the immediate surface is the colorful space that the combination of bars and restaurants have created for both students and Denton locals.

SEE FRY ON PAGE 5

Even when they aren’t on horseback, the UNT equestrian club is clearing hurdles. This semester especially, the team has reached new heights in terms of competition, fundraising and volunteering, earning the recognition of Student Organization of the Year from Student Activities. To earn the award, the club completes two fundraisers and one social activity per month. But over time, the fundraising became more about keeping the club afloat than winning awards. “We were kind of in a sticky situation with dues and allocated funds only getting us so far,” junior club treasurer Breeland Lawson said. “We didn’t want to always struggle, [and we] didn’t want to ask members for more money. We wanted to make it as fun and easy as possible.” Each of the club’s eight competitions costs $1,500, which means the fee is $12,000 to simply compete. This does not include apparel and other equipment necessary for the team to operate. Since the Recreational Sports Office only allocates $1,900 to the club, the team is left with a steep deficit to make up for. With new officers coming in, the goal was to keep member dues below $200 while still competing in the events they signed up for. And to do that required fundraising. “Equestrian is an expensive sport,” junior club president Tiffany Mayfield said. “All of the fundraising that we do keeps us going because without it, we would not be able to do all of our competitions.” The team has managed to raise $3,000 this semester from various

SEE EQUESTRIAN ON PAGE 8

IN THIS ISSUE NEWS

Hiring freeze pg 3 A state-wide hiring freeze has affected 55 vacant jobs at UNT since the law took affect on Feb. 1. There are 26 departments currently affected by the freeze.

ARTS & LIFE Denton Arts Walk of Fame pg 7 The Denton Arts Walks of Fame, along a portion of East Hickory Street, honors local artists from Denton.

SPORTS

North Texas softball pg 8 The Mean Green softball team will be heading the Conference USA tournament after not qualifying for conference play last season.

OPINION

Sexual assault education pg 12 The Editorial Board discusses the need for more sexual assault education on campus to better inform the student body.

NEWS Page 2

NEWS AROUND THE WORLD 21 Iranian miners killed trying to save their trapped colleagues The bodies of 21 miners were found after trying to save 32 others trapped underground after an explosion, the BBC reported. The explosion at the mine in the northern province of Golestan injured 70 people. Iranian authorities said it was caused by a gas leak. Emergency crews are currently at work at the scene have cleared about a quarter mile of the tunnel leading to the mine.

Controversial Brazilian pension reform now expected after June The Brazilian government’s efforts to pass pension reform will likely pass committee Wednesday, but officials said the final passage may mean more fighting over the unpopular measure, Reuters reported. One of the authors of the bill, Arthur Maia, said he expected the reform to garner enough support to pass, but many members want “more information” before making changes. The measure is an attempt to cut Brazil’s massive pension deficit.

British Prime Minister accuses EU of meddling in election British Prime Minister Theresa May accused Brussels of attempting to influence the June election with “threats against Britain,” Agence FrancePresse reported. The comment came amid Brexit talks with the European Union. May said the hardening stance of the EU was “deliberately timed to affect the result” of the June 8 general election.

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017

Texas legislator prioritizes child welfare after federal ruling CPS CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 been an issue. According to the Statesman, from 2007 to 2015 the average salary of an investigator only increased by 6 percent. Will Francis, government relations director for the National Association of Social Workers’ Texas chapter further hit on the retention issue. He said the state needs to do better at keeping the workforce and developing it, as not doing so has overburdened caseworkers and caused unheard-of scenarios. “We have kids sleeping in offices,” Francis said. “We have some major issues on caseload sizes.” Francis also pointed out the 2015 federal lawsuit –Stukenberg v. Greg Abbott – as another “major issue,” saying he doesn’t think the state has done a great job in responding to the federal lawsuit. Texas has appealed the ruling on this case. “I think [the Department of Family and Protective Services], is trying their hardest,” Francis said. “But I think in the legislature they’ve sort of avoided it.” Senate Bill 11 SB 11, if passed, will assist social workers with their caseloads. The bill would also outsource CPS cases to a non-profit third-party entity in an effort to privatize parts of the service. “The major provisions have to do with expanding and privatizing, to a greater extent the ‘Foster Care Redesign,”

Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said he will withhold $1 million-worth of funding to the United Nations after a UNESCO criticized excavations in east Jerusalem, the Associated Press reported. Netanyahu called the resolution “absurd” at a cabinet meeting Wednesday and said the agency’s “systematic harassment” of Israel would have a price.

Business Adam Reese | Director 940-565-4265 adam.reese@unt.edu Adela Francis | Advertising Director 940-565-3989 adela.francis@unt.edu

Faculty Advisor Gary Ghioto | 940-891-6722 gary.ghioto@unt.edu

To pitch a story, or contact the Editor-in-Chief, please email northtexasdaily@gmail.com

Homer said. This redesign is the process that will aid in allowing the market to take on some of CPS’ work. According to DFPS, it will look to use single contractors “within various geographic areas” that will oversee the children’s living arrangements. Homer mentioned that in region 3b, consisting of seven counties in northeast Texas and as of March 2016 1,392 foster children, private contractor Our Community Our Kids has had more success than the state system. But the bill is not without its critics. Because of privatization efforts, the workload on the state is expected to lessen. This means letting workers go; About 3,200 of the 5,800 of them, according to an analysis by the Dallas Morning News. Francis likes some parts of it but remains unsure about others. While supportive of the required medical examination provisions, Francis isn’t sold on privatization. He asked whether DFPS has done a bad job or an “underfunded job.” If the bill passes, Francis said the role of the courts will come into question as well. If a case involving a child in the foster care system were to come up, the state is a party in the case. A private contractor though is not. Therefore, it would be hard to tell how much power a judge would have to force a contractor to carry out services. “Nobody really knows what it’s like to have a contractor in front of them,” Francis said.

Back in 2005, Texas legislature approved a program to test privatizing the conservatorship duties, by allowing private foster care entities to get involved. The program, however, never developed into anything further, and was repealed two years later. The bill had the initial goal of full privatization by 2011, and by 2007 wanted to limit the caseload of the workers to 45 cases a month. House Bill 482 If passed, HB 482 will set caps on the caseload that each type of social worker in the system can have at any given time. Francis and Homer, however, are both doubtful that it will pass. Homer cited it as more of a “funding decision,” while Francis cited the bill’s history: rejection every time it’s filed. Critics say the bill focuses on a resolvable issue – that DFPS should be responsible for capping the caseloads themselves, rather than through legislation. But Francis is “incredibly supportive” of the bill. And while he acknowledges the pushback, he considers passing this legislation a step in the right direction. “It’s a strong bill without mandates,” Francis said. Other Bills Hundreds of other related bills have hit the legislature f loor this session. Most notably are Senate Bills 687, 74 and 495 as well as House Bills 634 and 723. SB 687 aims to target geographic

areas that are more prone to neglect or abuse and apply prevention and intervention measures. SB 74 targets specific at-risk children and families and provides them with psychiatric care, while SB 495 would put a limit on unsupervised visits of parents or relatives with a history of abuse or neglect. In the House, HB 634 would instate minimum educational requirements for CPS caseworkers while HB 723 calls for the establishment of county boards to oversee child protective services in those respective counties. Despite the overwhelming number of legislation related to the issue, Francis is at times unconvinced that Texas legislators are tackling the issues in the way they should be. “I think when it comes to the federal lawsuit we’ve danced around it a little bit,” Francis said. ”I don’t think we’ve addressed it the way we should. We don’t really like the federal government telling us what to do and I think that’s been a barrier.” To view the interactive version of this story and explore the data, visit ntdaily.com

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Student apartments ranked based on level of criminal activity from highest to lowest HOUSING CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Israel to withhold $1 million in funding to UN

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The Ridge at North Texas, located at 2700 Colorado Blvd., had the second highest criminal activity had 11 crimes reported: harassment, theft, alcohol violation, assault, drugs/narcotics violations, theft from motor vehicle and theft of a motor vehicle. The majority were thefts. The price rates for this apartment start at $480 per person. The Forum at Denton Station, located at 201 Inman St, had the third highest criminal activity with 10 crimes reported: disorderly conduct, robbery, alcohol violation, assault, drugs/narcotics violations and theft from motor vehicle. The majority were assault. The price rates for this apartment start at $609 per person. 33 Degrees North, located at 919 Eagle Drive, had the fourth highest criminal activity with seven crimes reported: weapon law violation, aggravated assault, harassment, robbery, theft and disorderly conduct. No crime was repeated during the semester. The price rates for this apartment start at $684 per person. City Parc at Fry Street, located at 1310 Scripture Street, had the fifth highest criminal activity and was the only one in the guide book to only have thefts reported, six during the fall semester. The price rates for this apartment start at $609 per person. Jackson Chang Apartments, Place to be properties, UNT and TWU housing were not analyzed for this story due to having multiple different addresses. Apartments with no reported crimes But not all of the apartments had comparable criminal activity. In fact, 10 out of 39 apartment complexes advertised in the apartment guide book had no crimes in the spring of 2017, Denton police records show. Apartment complexes without crimes reported were Eagle Rock, Greenway Patio Townhomes, Hunt Club Apartments, Oak Court, Quarter Apartments, Lights Apartments, Starlite Apartments, Vendi Place, The

Venue and Wolf Ridge Apartments. The prices for those apartments vary from $519 to $950 per bedroom. All of the apartment complexes in the guide book that cost over $710 had no crimes reported. “You also have to consider the things that skew those numbers,” Denton police spokesman Shane Kizer said. “You can be shot at, but we see it as no crime if you don’t report it.” Kizer commented that people might not report crimes in a few neighborhoods due to how often certain crimes happen in that area, or out of fear. For the crimes that were reported in the community-style apartments, the majority were classified as thefts. “Theoretically, if you can afford

more rent you can afford to have more valuable things in your apartment,” Kizer said. “More of an attraction for a thief.” Kizer outlined the safety concerns of living with people you don’t know. Coordinating between three or four students living in the same apartment with different schedules can lead to lower safety standards. “You have four people living together that don’t know each other, they have their own bedroom and that is their domain,” Kizer said. “They are very bad about walking out the front door and leaving it unlocked. Their bedroom is locked, so they don’t have to worry about it.” The risk of being arrested for

stealing inside of a community-style apartment is lower than in a suburban neighborhood due to the number of people living in the same apartment. “As a thief, you go around and you check doors, you found one that is unlocked, you go inside, if someone is inside you say, ‘Is Julia here?’, ‘There is not a Julia who lives here’, ‘I must be in the wrong apartment’ and they leave without being caught,” Kizer said.

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Julia Contarelli

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#UniversityofTexas

One student was killed and three other students were injured after being stabbed Monday. The suspect, Kendrex White, was immediately arrested, The Daily Texan reported.

#TheresaMay

The British Prime Minister accused EU officials of interfering with Britain’s June election Wednesday after an increase in Brexit tensions, The Washington Post reported.

#NorthLakeCollege

Two people died at North Lake College in Irving Wednesday. The shooter allegedly killed a woman and then shot himself, Irving Police said.

#BradPitt

The actor opened up about his divorce from actress Angelina Jolie this past year. In an interview with GQ Style, Pitt talked about his children and the aftemath of the split.

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UNT committed to long-term sustainability By Julia Falcon & Jackie Guerrero For years UNT has advertised itself as a “green” university with ecologically friendly buildings and programs. But just how “green” is it? The school is projected to be ranked as No. 1 in Texas in the US Environmental Protection Agency Green Power Partnership for 2017. Its efforts in waste conservation and electricity and water use has propelled UNT to become a school conscious of its environmental footprint. Associate vice president of facilities David Reynolds said the recent purchase of renewable energy credits with the We Mean Green Fund, as well as the Bigbelly solar-powered trash compactors on campus, are just a few examples of intiatives the school is making to truly be “green.” “Any solution to issues across campus, UNT is looking for a long term solution that is good for the university and community for the long term, not necessarily a short term easy to fix,” he said. Green waste management, water and powerReynolds said the Bigbelly trash cans reduced the amount of workers sent out to empty the cans and increased the amount of items recycled, while also promoting sustainability and

recycling on campus. Recycling services supervisor Douglas Turnage said the university made about $20,000 on recycled products in 2016. UNT is now powered 100 percent by renewable energy. A partnership between the We Mean Green Fund and Denton Municipal Electric’s Green Sense Renewable Energy Program took UNT to that level of sustainability on April 1. Facilities energy engineer Josh Lukin said the fund was possible through the Texas renewable energy credit market. “It gives us the ability to account for the environmental impact of our electricity purchased as it was produced,” Lukin said. “The renewable energy credits have to do with what types of energy we buy, not that we use.” In 2012, UNT partnered with Schneider Electric, a global specialist in energy management and automation. Lukin said this project helps the university conserve energy usage on campus by putting controls and equipment into each building, as well as the central water plant. Since the project started, UNT is averaging about 11 percent less electricity and about 28 percent less water per year, he said. This year, the university plans to use 110 million kilowatt-hours of electricity, equal to powering

11 small cities with about 80,000 people, 180 million cubic feet of natural gas, enough to fill almost 200,000 basketball courts and 120 million gallons of water, equivalent to almost 180 Olympicsized swimming pools. All of the buildings on campus are automatically operated, and only operated when needed. UNT has “improved” the operational systems with all the new building have “better” systems, trying to “keep up with the best,” Lukin said. Located at Discovery Park, there is a Zero Energy (ZØE) Research Laboratory where students and professors conduct research on energy conservation and production, research for sustainable energy, and research on human comfort in buildings and houses. Chairman of the department of mechanical and energy engineering John Kuruvilla explained the ZØE is used strictly for research. “The building is a wonderful living laboratory for graduate and undergraduate students for research,” Kuruvilla said. “We have faculty using that building doing innovative research, energy harvesting from waste, heat and h-vac system.” The lab itself has 12 solar panels on the roof and is shaped

Trash cans with solar cells on top are located around campus, generating energy. Jake King in such a way that it collects and harvests rainwater. Other features include a wind turbine next to the building, and geothermal heat pumping capabilities from under the ground that get fed into the grid for electrical energy. “The pros are obviously allowing energy production with the cheap source of the sun,” Kuruvilla said. “The con is, we are prone to extreme weather and we

worry about hail damage.” Other enhancements include looking at the UNT design guidelines, the replacing of bathroom fixtures like toilets and urinals, which can help preserve 60 percent of the water used when compared to the older fixtures Lukin explained. In the near future the university is planning on creating a central irrigation system installed to have

algorithms and analysis to assist in water conservation across campus, Lukin said. This system will water plants when needed and give them the correct amount of water.

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State-wide hiring freeze leaves 55 positions vacant open at UNT By Robert Warren & James Norman

A state-sanctioned hiring freeze implemented by Governor Greg Abbott has affected 55 vacant positions at UNT since the law went into effect on February 1. The freeze will go through the end of August and has affected UNT facilities the most, with 15 jobs currently unfilled in that department. Beverly Cotton, associate vice president for budget and analytics, said the university follows the law. “We comply with what our state needs us to do,” Cotton said. “It has been tough but we are making it happen.” The freeze, which was introduced to the Texas House of Representative on Jan 10, quickly passed the legislature preventing state institutions from posting new jobs or filling vacant ones. David Reynolds, associate vice president for facilities, said the freeze has forced his department to make some changes to their work. “The freeze has forced us to change up some schedules,” Reynolds said. “And slow down some projects.” How UNT is dealing UNT is balancing the vacant jobs it needed to fill with non-state funds, like student tuition money and waivers mainly aimed at UNT’s summer programs. Cotton said these actions are “critical” in filling some of the more necessary positions.

Infographic By Jake King

Cotton added she does not know what 2018 will mean for these positions. The hiring freeze will end September 1, when state institutions will again be allowed to begin hiring for unfilled positions. But she said nothing is official if Abbott signs off on legislation that will extend the freeze around mid-June. As of February 1, UNT has just under $1 million in legislative spending authority. But the university is not allowed to touch those funds until the end of the freeze. Unfilled job descriptions The unfilled positions in facilities are for five maintenance workers, four technicians, two supervisors, two construction specialists, one utilities manager and one assistant director in facilities. Reynolds said the hardest part of the freeze is there are fewer people, which means slowing down projects and monitoring them more. He added the freeze has caused some clients to become upset and frustrated by slowed work. Facilities maintenance currently has two unfilled positions affected by the freeze. They are responsible for cleaning and sanitation work in the assigned buildings or special projects. Two more ground maintenance worker positions also remain unfilled. They are responsible for outdoor work such as mowing grass, planting and watering plants, picking up and emptying rubbish on the ground. Facility technicians are workers

with entry-level to skilled-level craftwork. They are responsible for carpentries, installations, painting, welding millwork, mechanical and more. They have four positions affected by the freeze. Facilities supervisors can be responsible for frontline supervision maintenance functions, training, workers schedules, determining supply and material needs, or planning, assigning and scheduling work. Two supervisor positions are unfilled. Two construction specialists positions are also affected. Both – landscape planner and project manager positions – are affected by the freeze. One facilities and utilities manager responsible for establishing and implementing operational standards, allocating resources and strategy development also remains unfilled. And one assistant director position, responsible for daily operations, also remains unfilled. Reynolds said that despite the hiring freeze they are still functioning well and have an optimistic look on it.

other state institutions as well. There are currently two positions unfilled at the Texas Commission on Jail Standards responsible for inspecting the 242 county jails in Texas. Right now the commission has 15 employees. The two positions are for a complaint inspector and a program specialist responsible for handling escapes, deaths in custody and compliance paperwork. The freeze has forced Executive Director of the TCJS Eric Wood to shift people around to cover for the two unfilled position. “Whenever the hiring freeze was put into place we were no longer

able to continue interviewing for those positions and basically we were forced to rotate inspectors in from the field to cover those two positions,” Wood said. “And we’ll continue to do so until the end of the fiscal year, which is August 31.” Like UNT, waivers are offered to the commission to be exempt from the freeze. But it must be approved by the governor’s office of budget and policy and cases are reviewed one-by-one according to one of Governor Abbott’s memos on the issue. ”We did submit a waiver request,” Wood said. “But we were not one of

the agencies given a waiver to fill the positions. We’re a small agency to begin with, so most people perform one or more functions as it is. That was why it was necessary to basically rotate inspectors in from the field to cover those duties because office staff were already doing jobs that would completely overload them.”

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Other departments affected Aside from facilities, the most affected departments at UNT were the financial aid department and the department of university relations, communication and marketing (URCM). Both have four unfilled positions. URCM has a digital image specialist, IT specialist, social media manager and senior social media strategist affected by the freeze. The digital image specialist put on hold deals with planning and production of audio, photo, video, lining up shots and shooting video. The IT specialist looks at technical support with the installation of hardware or software. The social media manager is responsible for assessing new initiatives in social media to advertise the university. The senior social media manager is responsible for disseminating creative content. Financial aid has counselor, counselor assistant, administrative specialist and call center representative positions affected by the freeze. The financial aid counselor is responsible for performing administrative duties for the student in a “service-centered way.” The counselor assistant and specialist do routine support in varied ways. The call center service representatives, work is administrative support. Effects on other state institutions Stepping back from looking at the hiring freeze at a university level to a state level there is a state agency affected responsible for the inspection of 242 county jails around Texas. This agency is the Texas Commission on Jail Standards. The hiring freeze affects

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NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 4

Underage drinkers slip by Fry Street security

Two people purchase drinks at a bar on Fry Street. Taylor Ratclif

By Jillian Selzer On Fry Street, there’s only one goal for college students: get as drunk as you can for as little money as possible. “Dollar Doubles” reign at Public House. Cool Beans boasts $6 pitchers during happy hour. The theme is clear: cheap drinks. Thursday through Saturday, groups of friends saunter around the area’s two-block boundary, making the rounds at every bar between Hickory and Mulberry to fulfill their Fry Street crawl, an infamous

and controversial tradition to many. But a common breed of customers tarnish the silver lining of a night out: underage drinkers using fake ID’s to slip through the cracks. “It’s kind of scary,” Dentonnative Reagan* said. “I think about my little sister who’s in high school who looks older. Could she go to Cool Beans and drink a pitcher with somebody? Just thinking about things like that is scary.” Despite her concerns, Reagan is just one of many underage drinkers using a fraudulent ID to take

advantage of the easy access to Fry Street. Her last name has been omitted in order to protect her identity. She has used her ID upwards of 40 times at almost every bar since receiving it in January of this year, just three months shy of her 21st birthday. As a townie, Reagan’s know-how of sidestepping the drinking laws goes all the way back to her years in high school and culminated when she began tagging along on crawls with her older friends. She currently possesses an old ID that belonged to a friend of legal age. The physical likeness of Reagan’s

appearance to that of the ID has granted her access to Lucky Lou’s, Shots and Crafts, Public House and Tom’s Daiquiri, among others. The bouncers know her. The bartenders know she is underage, yet ixt’s a weekly occurrence. And she’s not the only one. “Is it something that can be addressed and can be fixed? Absolutely not,” she said. “There are always going to be those people that want [alcohol] more than [they care about] the consequences.” Texas law says it is a Class C misdemeanor to own a fake ID, with a possible

punishment of up to a $500 fine and up to 180 days in jail. But the punishment escalates to a Class A misdemeanor if the ID is legitimate, but uses a fake identity or was originally issued to someone else – the same type of ID Reagan keeps on hand. The fine then increases to $2000 along with a sentence of up to 180 days in jail. Bars and restaurants also risk a hard hit to their business if they sell alcohol to a minor. For a first offense, the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission suspends the offending establishment’s liquor license anywhere from eight to 12 days while simultaneously placing a $300-a-day fine on the business. If a third infraction happens, a liquor license may be suspended for at least 48 days or canceled indefinitely. For bar employees like Jesse Avalos, a bouncer at Cool Beans Bar & Grill, a potential job loss or legal punishment is enough motivation to push back on underage drinking. He is even a member of a Facebook group of Fry Street employees specifically created to communicate any potential wrongdoing by patrons. “We try really hard to make sure every ID is legitimate,” Avalos said. “It’s just one of those things where people are getting better and better at getting them. Not much more we can do than take our time [checking the IDs.] We have our black light and an ID book and that’s about it.” So, if the consequences are severe and security is active, why is it popular? And how

can it be stopped? TABC Enforcement Agent Beth Gray said it can’t be. “There’s a bunch of different reasons why [it happens],” Gray said. “I’m not going to speculate. Being in a college town, there’s going to be a lot of fake IDs. I’ve worked most of my career in Denton and it’s just something I deal with.” She added that the gap between regulation of the law and the prevalence of fake ID users seems to lie within an inconsistent cycle of enforcement. Gray said the TABC works regularly with bar owners and employees to actively vet unlawful drinkers but does not work with local law enforcement. It would mean coordinating two different agencies. UNT police spokesman Kevin Crawford could not be reached for comment. On the other hand, Avalos claims he doesn’t see the TABC often, but is trained to detect fake identification and turns away minors trying to sneak into the bar. But, according to Reagan, it’s “known” that bouncers spread information about how to gain access, especially if the bouncer has a personal relationship with someone trying to get in. It’s all about knowing the “right people.” “Yeah, it’s bad, but at the same time it’s college,” Reagan said. “It’s everywhere. It’s not just Fry.”

UNT TAMS student creates plan for colony on Mercury By Kayla Davis Forget about living on Mars, Joanna Feaster, a UNT Texas Academy of Mathematics and Science junior, already has plans to settle Mercury. In just 21 hours, Feaster and her team of 50 students designed a hypothetical settlement for humans to live sustainably on Mercury. She is one of 12 students who is moving on to the international competition at the International Space Settlement Design Competition this summer in Florida. “Now that I’ve experienced it, I’m excited to put my new ideas out there and make it a whole lot better,” Feaster said. Feaster and three other students from the TAMS

program attended the regional Space Settlement Design Competition at NASA’s Johnson Space Center in Houston in March where the 200 attendees were split up into teams of 50 and each given the task of developing plans for the potential settlement of the planet. The teams had four subcommittees, each in charge of an important aspect of settlement: architecture, food, air supply and automation. Only getting an hour of sleep in the 21hour competition, Feaster served as vice president for her team, making sure all the groups communicated with each other efficiently. “We were given a bunch of statistics and requirements,” Feaster said. “It needs to be constantly moving, it needs

to house this many people, have this kind of machinery, it needs to have these supplies, and so on…” Feaster heard about the program through a TAMS senior who attended the competition last year. The TAMS program is an accelerated academic program for gifted high schoolers giving students the opportunity to live on UNT’s campus and start their college career early. Since fall 2016, Feaster has been enrolled in the High School Aerospace Scholars online learning module through NASA where she studies mathematics, science, engineering and computer science from NASA engineers. Feaster applied and wrote a letter to her state senator who admitted her into the program.

Originally from Friendswood, Texas, Feaster went to the Johnson Space Center for summer camp as a kid, sparking her love for aerospace. “Since I haven’t been able to visit it in a long time going for the competition was like going home again,” Feaster said. With paper airplanes hanging from her ceiling, she is proud of her love for space. Feaster plans to get her degree in aerospace engineering but has yet decided where she wants to go. “I’m a little obsessed. I love space,” Feaster said. “Engineering and aerospace together makes me really happy so I hope to get a job in that field and study that.”

@KaylaJeann19

Joanna Feaster. UNT Press Release

Two arrested in connection to organized crime investigation CRIME CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 Cler y repor ting system on March 30. The repor t was submitted by a U N T Resident

Hall A ssistant who alleged that a sexual assault and promotion of prostitution had taken place at an of f-campus location. On April 4, the R A was able to hear a conversation that the

af f iant had w ith Green and Johnson af ter a phone call was placed on speakerphone. According to the af f idav it, Green and Johnson then solicited the f irst v ictim

to engage in sexual acts in exchange for money. Green and Johnson then explained the amount of money that could be charged and their abilit y to f ind professional clientele, per the af f idav it. On April 25, Johnson was inter v iewed regarding the allegation and conf irmed that he and Green had the phone conversation w ith the f irst v ictim. Johnson then fur ther admitted there were other incidents in which he arranged for clients to engage in sexual acts in exchange for money, the af f idav it said. “The alleged actions of these students are contrar y to the values of our universit y and our Student Code of Conduct,” U N T President Neal Smatresk said in an emailed statement Tuesday. “The universit y is cooperating fully w ith investigators and working diligently to obtain all facts per taining to this issue. We w ill be transparent as possible w ith the universit y communit y.” The af f idav it also says the second female v ictim, solicited by Johnson, conf irmed that Terr y Marlon, the four th par t y not associated w ith U N T, took the v ictim to an of f-campus location in Denton where she per formed sexual acts in

exchange for money. A rev iew of the second v ictim’s phone records corroborated the interaction among the three par ticipants, according to the af f idav it. A search warrant was then executed on Johnson’s apar tment at 201 Inman St. at The Forum Denton on April 6 where a bag of marijuana was found in the common area. Four people live in the apar tment – one was out of tow n, and the second tenant was eliminated from the investigation. Police then determined that Brice and Johnson were in possession of the marijuana for personal use. Brice was subsequently arrested on possession of marijuana charges. The af f idav it does not indicate Brice was involved in the alleged promotion of prostitution, however. Brice was w ith the Mean Green for two seasons before announcing his transfer from the program on April 14 follow ing the hiring of new head coach Grant McCasland. Brice played in 27 games last season and averaged 5.1 points per game. Johnson ser ved as the Nor th Texas student manager for the past two seasons and assisted the coaching staf f w ith day-

to-day operations including equipment and f ilm study. Green played one season for the Mean Green as a graduate transfer and averaged 8.4 points per game in 2016. “The alleged misconduct of former members of our basketball program is not ref lective of the program we are building,” McCasland said in a statement. “We cannot allow the actions of a few to def ine the great work of so many.” Smatresk and U N T Vice President/Director of Athletics Wren Baker are using the law f irm Bond Schoeneck & K ing to conduct an independent rev iew to ensure there are no cultural or climate issues w ithin the men’s basketball program, according to the release. The f irm w ill begin its rev iew immediately. Green, Johnson and Brice are currently not allowed on campus.

@Clay_FC @ReeceWaddell15

ARTS & LIFE Page 5

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017

NTDAILY.COM

Professor shares the path that sculpted her into an artist By Sadia Saeed It’s a clear morning sky as the wind creates a breezy atmosphere. The door to Alicia Eggert’s studio is wide open as she and her graduate students work to create smaller versions of her massive sculpture “Forever,” a piece of art that has garnered attention for its play on language and time. Having just had a show at a the MAC in Dallas, and another solo exhibit coming up in Portugal along with a sculptural showing in Austria, little did Eggert know this was how her life would turn out. “I didn’t know I was going to be an artist,” said Eggert, a sculptor and UNT professor. “I took a sculpting class in my last semester [of] college. I had majored in interior design, so I took it as an elective course. It was during that time in class [where] I started to realize that I wanted to be an artist and not a designer because I enjoy making things.” Eggert had taken previous art classes before, and this class proved to her that this is what she was meant to do. She was about to graduate, however, and therefore became confused on where to go from here. After talking to her professor, Eggert decided to get a job in her major field but create art on the side. “I literally cried and said ‘I think I went to college for the wrong

reasons,’” Eggert said. After school, Egger moved to New York and worked for an architectural firm as a graphic designer. Although it was good pay, Eggert found it to be soul crushing since it was more of a desk job than actually creating art. Her desire to produce her own art surmounted to a point where Eggert started taking community art courses and worked on her craft at home, slowly turning it into a studio. Her next step was to go to graduate school. She was surprised to learn that it opened up many of doors for her. She started off as a teacher’s assistant and got offered a teaching position soon after. As a professor, she got the opportunity to be backed by the university for her art and is now as an assistant professor at UNT. She is able to do what she loves in one package. “A teaching position was great because half of the job is to be a teacher and half [of it] is to be a professional in the field that you teach in, “ Eggert said. As an up and coming artist, Eggert had to make a name for herself. “I didn’t wait for opportunities to come to me, I’m very much a gogetter,” Eggert said. “I applied to exhibitions and grants all the time because my goal has always been to be able to do what I love without making myself broke doing it. I never

want to be a starving artist. I want to be an artist that can make the work I want to without having to shell out all the money.” A conceptual artist, Eggert focused on language and time in her work. Inspired by the conceptual artist movement in the 60s and 70s where artists found a way to bring feature language as art, Eggert creates art that blends language and time together, therefore asking the big question “Why are we here?” “If your asking questions about time, you’re essentially asking questions about existence, so I think the root of what I do is there,” Eggert said. “I grapple how my life fits into this infinite universe through language.” Having shown her work both in state and out of state, Eggert has noticed a change in the way people interpret her sculptures and come to an understanding with her piece. A recent sculpture she did entitled “You are (on) an Island” was taken around various “islands,” including Australia, UK and Malta. A neon light installation where the word “on” flashes, the piece exhibited different experiences with isolation. Eggert’s project got turned into a limited-edition publication due to its popularity. Her next solo exhibition is in Portugal, where she continues to play with language and time. Another

one of Eggert’s sculptures, titled “Do We Realize,” will be shown at the Vienna Biennale in Austria this June. Her name has continued to soar. “The sculpture they wanted to include is my office chair,” Eggert said. “With the help of others, I made it where it spins so fast that it becomes a visual blur so the base is static but the top is barely there.” Although her summer is filled with exhibitions and showings, Eggert doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. She plans on tackling

a new project that she is working on with a friend of hers. Though it’s still in the early stages, Eggert plan is to create a hologram of the moon in the center of a pyramid, which sits on top of a black rectangular block. The 3-D image of the moon will deal with time, as it will change depending on the location of the piece in terms of the moon and the sun. Ever since Eggert started, her work has continued to rise. Now that she is at the forefront of her career, she believes being called an artist

changes with how long you’ve worked on becoming one. “I read a quote yesterday and it was inspiring,” Eggert said. “It [talked about] when can you call yourself a real artist. Essentially if you’ve done work long enough you eventually graduate to be the real thing but you never quite feel like it. I don’t think I’ll ever feel done.”

@sadiasaeed97

Alicia Eggert posses in front of one of her works titled “The Future.” She is an artist who centers her work in the relationships between language, images and time. She will present her work at a solo-showing in the Fernando Santos gallery in Porto, Portugal on June 17. Jennyfer Rodriguez

Familiar Fry Street faces share their experiences on Fry and beyond FRY CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 have come to understand fry from the other side of the bar. From patrons to service industry workers, many know Fry Street in different faces and from different perspectives. Leading by example One minute you may find Ryan Ingram scrubbing the bar top. A minute later, he’s on the phone with the property manager. The next, he’s gretting customers and serving drinks. “I started from the bottom and worked my way up,” Ingram, 32, said. Ingram is part owner of The Garage, another popular Fry Street stop. He started at The Garage in 2007 after he was laid off from a car dealership. Married with three kids, Ingram knows that life isn’t always easy. He also knows you have to work for what you want.

“Luckily the cards really fell in my favor when I got this job,” Ingram said. “It’s definitely not a glamorous job at first, either. I might have partial ownership of this bar now but I’ll clean a toilet with the rest of them.” Ingram said that The Garage, just like any bar on Fry, wants to make sure the customers feel comfortable and safe while also having a great time. Whether that means he has to break up a bar fight or make sure the space is clean, he wants to do whatever to make the area thrive. Because of recent events in the past few years, Ingram said people may be a little more put off at the thought of Fry Street. In his mind, however, Fry is just as safe as anywhere else, especially when you have a good foundation of businesses and people who care. “It’s really a shame because Fry gets a bad rap just because alcohol is involved,” Ingram said. “I was out

here when all three of those crazy events happened in the last year or so. Any of them could have easily happened at Albertson’s though. People are just as safe out here with us as they are at the mall.” Standing ground behind the bar “I was actually a regular before I started working here,” Tom’s Daiquiri bartender Victoria Buffington, 23, said. Buffington was a frequent Fry Street attendee because she lived at UCentre. She started working at Tom’s when she saw the unique vibe the bar gave off on Fry. While Fry is fun to experience, it’s a whole different view once you’re on the other side of the bar. “I have fun here,” Buffington said. “I get to test out new drinks, and no two shots of mine are ever exactly the same.” Buffington is currently a medical

Fry Street, located just off the Northeast corner of UNT. Alec Spicer

lab science senior at UNT, and she’s using her time at Tom’s to help her pay off some of the loans she has had to take out from school. The job isn’t easy, however. While the experience and money may be good and helpful, she’s also had to stand her ground. “It has it’s downsides just like every job,” Buffington said. “I’m a small 5’2 girl [and] there have been times I’ve had to hold the door shut myself to prevent drunk, belligerent people from coming back in after messing with someone.” Despite the hardcomings, she said Fry will always be more than just a place to party at for her. “One thing that’s really nice about working here is that we really care and make sure to keep an eye out for people,” Buffington said. “We’re honestly all a family, it’s really cool.” Part of a whole Between the hustle and bustle of school and life, Julissa Medina find peace in Fry. “I feel accepted here,” history senior Medina, 22, said. Medina has been coming to Fry four or five times a week and is a regular around the scene. While being a regular may not sound appealing to some, Medina couldn’t be more happy. “I like coming to Fry because even though Denton is growing, it still maintains a sense of a small community,” Medina said. “You can come out here just two or three times and then everyone already knows your face.” Unlike some bar scenes, Medina said she feels appreciated and welcomed when she steps into any business on Fry. As a busy college student, she said it’s nice to have somewhere you can sit back, relax and not have to worry, even if it is a bar. “I feel like there is often a stigma

to being a regular at a bar, in a college town especially,” Medina said. “But I’m an honors student and actually just received a full scholarship to go to grad school in Italy. [So when people on Fry] ask me how school is going, it is nice [because] I feel like people who come out here a lot get stereotyped, which just isn’t fair or accurate.” While some people may not expect support from a bar, Medina couldn’t be more appreciative. “People who work at all of the bars around here really care,” Medina said. Marching to the beat Sat down and eyes closed, street performer Michael Angelo drums, making music that can be heard through the conversations, glass clinks and rushing cars. The 22-year-old leans over his drums, feeling the beat while immersed in Fry. “I work at Albertson’s part time but I come out here and drum whenever I want, really,” Michael Angelo said. Michael Angelo began coming to perform on Fry last November. He said he tries to come out to Fry almost every other day if his schedule permits. What started as a way to play music after a busy day began to turn into a regular spot for the musician. Instead of coming here for just him, people have begun to take notice of his talent. “After I was out here a lot, this guy named Julian actually started playing banjo with me out here, too,” Michael Angelo said. “I think we made something like $85 in just under three hours once. That’s never been my goal with doing this though.” For Michael Angelo, it’s all about playing music, meeting people and experiencing the many faces of Fry. While he hasn’t been coming to the

spot for years and is surrounded by bartenders, business owners and unique groups of people, Fry allows him to express himself in a different way. “I just like having fun with drumming and people really seem to support it,” Michael Angelo said. “Lots of people will just stop and talk to me. It’s always a good time.” Making ends meet “I’ve been here on Fry for 22 years now,” street vendor Michael “E-B” Latimer, 47, said. Latimer grows and sells different herbs up and down Fry Street. He’s been standing tall through all the changes thrown at the street. “In fact I think I still have a brick somewhere from when they tore down for the remodel a few years back,” Latimer said. In the summer months, Latimer goes to the northern states, such as West Virginia and Ohio, to grow his herbs. But to him, Denton is, and always will be, home. Because he’s been coming to Fry for over 20 years, those around him on the street make up his family. “I have a lot of loyal customers here on Fry,” Latimer said. “They keep me fed. Everyone that works around here keeps an eye out for me too on the very rare occasion that someone tries to steal anything or get aggressive with me.” Things are different than they were all those years ago, however. Latimer said the more Denton grows, the more Fry changes. The scene is changing,” Latimer said. “There’s no hackie sack group practicing on the sidewalk anymore, no drum circles. It’s a mixed bag. Denton is managing to still really hold onto its spirit despite the growth and overflow.”

@spicer_alec

City of Krum experiencing a cultural shift as urbanization expands KRUM CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 police,” Flanagan said. “Krum Police [Department] is right there, and I used to call them and say, ‘I’m going to be out of town, I’ve got the girls staying at the house,’ and they’d say, ‘Okay, we’ll drive by and we’ll check on it.’ Denton P.D. is not doing that for me. [The city of Denton] provide me no services, but I have to pay more taxes.” The Other Side Donnie Rodgers works two weeks on and two weeks off, drilling for an oil company in Oklahoma. Back in town, for now, he watches his daughter play in the

street. He trusts his neighborhood is safe, mostly. But if he’s too busy to keep both eyes on her, he might sit a bucket in the road to keep drivers on their toes. Donnie and Tamra Rodgers moved from Lewisville to Krum into one of the subdivisions along the Divide, Saddlebrook Estates. “It’s different here, Krum is a family town,” Rodgers said. “You see a kid playing in the street [here]. Would that happen in Denton? She’d get run over.” In the four years since the Rodgers moved out to Krum, the population has doubled from 2,500 to 5,000. Tamra said the town has experienced some growing pains. In her eyes, the infrastructure hasn’t

grown fast enough, her internet isn’t speedy enough and there should be more community-building events. “Krum has grown but the resources haven’t,” Tamra said. “These builders kept building subdivisions and now you got an ass ton of people. I don’t think the city has done anything to cope with that.” Four years after their move, the Rodgers keep their children in Lewisville ISD. On school days, Tamra wakes up at the crack of dawn to drop her kids off at school before commuting to work in Las Colinas. Tamra would rather deal with the hassle of traffic than send her kids to Krum ISD. Beyond the schools, the Rodgers

said they wish there were more extra-curricular programs for their kids. They want their community to thrive. Masch Branch Road In a way, the two families both want the same things. Shannon Flanagan had her small town. It was the one she raised her kids in, the town where her kids’ teachers know her by name. This town isn’t the town she remembers from 10 years ago, though. Donnie spends his Friday nights in the fall, rooting for the Krum Bobcats. “Bobcat fight never dies!” is their mantra. In Texas, it’s hard to find a connection stronger than a small town to its sports. Denton

is too big for the Rodgers; their daughter can’t play in the street there. So Krum is better. “The only thing I don’t like about it is there’s nothing for you to do out here,” Tamra said. “They don’t have activities and stuff for kids. So we tend to always go towards [the] Flower Mound and Lewisville area, where they have more activities.” Donnie said it wouldn’t take much to make Krum into the town he dreamed of calling home. It just so happens that what he dreamed of got in the way of Flanagan’s sunset. Both families inhabit the same place. Where open space once lived is now a growing population. On one side of the road is the urbanization of Krum and its

housing developments, demanding space to expand, quickly. This side lays a microcosm of a growing beast, economic development. On the other side of the road exists a different lifestyle where people raise cattle and where some were able to shoot guns before they were annexed. On this side, people live on tens of acres of land, raise animals, fish in their own ponds and ride Gator tractors and allterrain vehicles. Many of them like it that way, too. This is Masch Branch Road. This is the Great Divide.

@Kyle_Martin35 @a_jack17

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 6

North by North Texas brings local and national music to UNT By Abby Jones Locals have dubbed Denton a “mini-Austin” in part for its patronage to the fine arts, music being the most prominent. UNT’s University Program Council justified this nickname for the city by hosting North by North Texas, an end-ofsemester bash that encapsulated the spirit of Austin’s South by Southwest music festival on a smaller scale. The annual music festival celebrated its third year on Friday. “It used to feature just local artists,” said Gaby Perez, UPC Live Music Coordinator. “Then last year they started reaching out to Dallas musicians. Then this year, I decided to reach out even further.” Although the festival took place at Clark Park in the past, UPC utilized some of the new concert spaces provided by the University Union. Four artists took the stages at the Union Patio and Syndicate as well as at Library Mall. The lineup for the festival came about as a collaboration of ideas within UPC’s live music committee members. “We asked our committee what bands people listened to and who they thought would be good to bring

to UNT,” Perez said. “We started figuring out who would fit in our budget and messaging them, seeing if our dates meshed with their tour schedule.” The Marfa Lights, Jessie Frye, DREAMERS and machineheart made up the lineup for NXNT 2017, showcasing talents from Denton and beyond. “We had extra meetings months in advance before the festival,” psychology freshman Ariana Mercado said, who is on UPC’s live music committee. “We figured out a lot of marketing ideas for the event as well as just the ins and outs of it all.” The Marfa Lights, a five-piece band, kicked off the festival at 5 p.m. at the Union Patio. They performed rock music with a southern flair, a telltale sign of their Texan origins. Local act Jessie Frye played next at the Union Syndicate. Decked out in an edgy ensemble, she gave a spirited pop-rock performance, backed by a three-man band. Frye, who has won Best Pop Act in both the Denton Music Awards and Dallas Observer Music Awards, said she was happy to be playing in her hometown again. The audience trickled back

outdoors to Library Mall for DREAMERS, who garnered much excitement among festival attendees. “I’m definitely most excited to see DREAMERS,” pre-business freshman Julia Narvaez said. “I’ve been listening to them for almost a year and this is my first time seeing them.” DREAMERS, a Los Angelesbased trio, were excited to return to Texas after having just wrapped up supporting a national tour — so much so that they flew in only a couple of hours before their set. “We just recently finished a month-long tour that ended in Austin,” DREAMERS frontman Nick Wold said. “We had a break, so we drove all the way back to LA, then flew in today just to do this.” DREAMERS had the crowd jumping, dancing and howling with their fiery indie rock sound. For their second-ever college campus performance, they said the friendly festival attendees and the free popcorn were their favorite aspects of the event. For a more mellow change of pace, synth-pop band machineheart closed out the night at the Library Mall. Fronted by a powerful female lead vocalist, the group dazzled the

Before starting their set, lead guitarist and vocalist Reed McBroom, of the band The Marfa Lights, welcomes the crowd at the union patio stage. The roots rock and roll band is currently on tour for their new album “Open Road” with their next stop at Toyota Stadium in Frisco, Texas. Katie Jenkins

During the DREAMERS performance at NXNT, fans clapped to the high-energy music. They played many songs from their debut album “This Album Does Not Exist” at the event, including “Wolves,” “Painkiller” and “Sweet Disaster.” Katie Jenkins crowd for the final set of NXNT. Although Perez feared her audience would be compromised by the Denton Arts & Jazz Fest occurring the same weekend, about 300 guests showed up to enjoy the free event. “With events like this, it’s a lot of trial and error to see what works and then make it better for next year,”

Perez said. “So hopefully, if the university sees that we’re bringing in these artists and spending the money on the festival and students actually come out, they’ll give us more money to bring in bigger artists.” With the aroma of popcorn and cotton candy wavering in the air and 200 free t-shirts to give away, UPC

presented a memorable experience for both performers and attendees. “My favorite part of doing this is having the chance to bring together acts that are local and national and do this really cool service for students,” Mercado said.

@abbyfjones28

As the sun was setting on the Library Mall stage on Friday, April 28, vocalist Nick Wold with the band DREAMERS sings the bands new song “Sweet Disaster.” DREAMERS recently put out their debut album with Universal Music titled “This Album Does Not Exist” in August 2016. Katie Jenkins

Little studio in the woods By Abby Jones

At The Echo Lab recording studio a list of house rules is pinned up around the equipment. The quirky list reminds the studio’s users to not let the worries of making great music get in the way of actually recording it. Abby Jones

A red barn-like building in the midst of forest and farmland just south of Denton isn’t exactly where one might think an independent recording studio would exist, but Matt Pence makes it work. “People show up with the intent to create something they’re going to be proud of forever,” he said. Pence is a musician, engineer and producer. On top of that, he is also the owner of the Echo Lab, that mysterious red building near Argyle at the end of a long, bumpy private driveway. Pence, originally from St. Louis, Missouri, came to Denton in 1990 to study jazz at UNT. A longtime drummer, he performed in local bands during his time in Denton, but he found he was never quite satisfied by the work being done with his band when it came to the recording process. “I felt like I wanted something that I could never get from a conventional engineer,” Pence said. “So I started recording myself.” A decision Pence made

seemingly on a whim grew into a service he provided for others—a service he felt he was talented in. He then began recording his friends in other bands free of charge. “This other drummer in town asked me to make his first record,” Pence said. “That was in 1996. That was the first record I ever made.” Pence then met fellow musician Matt Barnhart, and the pair decided to become business partners, creating the studio that Pence wished he had. They chose to create their studio in Denton due to the vibrant music scene and the strong talent that existed there. The pair got in contact with Dave Willingham, who owned and lived at the property that would soon become the home of the Echo Lab. “It was at a time when people just wanted their records to sound less slick and polished than what it sounded like when you went to a conventional commercial studio,” Pence said. “So that was great for us. We’ve been recording ever since.” Barnhart and Willingham have since relocated outside of Texas, but thanks to their partnership in the early stages of the Echo Lab, Pence now owns his own studio that allows him to do the type of work he is absolutely passionate about. He emphasizes that the studio is a reflection of all their efforts, although he has had well-deserved success as the sole proprietor. The barn-like building houses a small lounge and a full, highclass recording studio stocked with enough instruments to record an entire album. Additionally, there is also an apartment for out-oftown artists to stay. The adjacent house, Willingham’s former place of residence, is also available for bands to stay in. There’s a good reason for the two housing options. Bands that record at the Echo Lab typically take a four to five-week process to complete their purpose. One of the traits that sets the Echo Lab apart from other recording studios is that it is not the place for quick, one-day single recordings, even if artists ask for such an experience. “The Echo Lab is a destination studio, and the destination is to make your album,” Pence said. In fact, an overwhelming

In a secluded, wooded area of Denton owner Matt Pence shows the space that he works in, The Echo Lab recording studio. Abby Jones

In the woods south of Denton this simple building, a professional studio owned by musician and engineer Matt Pence, exists for musicians to record their music in. Abby Jones majority of the Echo Lab’s visitors are from out of town. Some are even from out of the country. “There’s a band called Sweard from Spain, the Horse Company from Holland,” Pence said. “We’ve had Australian bands and British bands.” With local, national and international acts coming in to use his space, Pence said he’s usually booked solid three or four months in advance, and makes the drive out to the studio from his home north of Denton practically every day. “Sometimes you get asked to do something last minute and you have to turn them down,” Pence said with a hint of guilt. “But being a recording engineer is very tenuous and it can be hard to be successful, so I’m grateful that I’m busy.” Most, if not all, of Pence’s success in the engineering business is thanks to word of mouth. “We’ve never advertised and never wanted to,” Pence said. “The band I played in for 18 years, Centro-Matic, put me in contact with lots of musicians. You just meet bands from being a part of the

community.” While the location of the Echo Lab is unexpected to say the least, there are reasons behind its isolation. “The original reason was circumstantial, but I’ve made a huge effort to stay here,” Pence said. “We could’ve gone a lot of different ways, but it’s very relaxing out here. It’s amazing to get this sort of ideal location really quickly. Bands really respond to it.” Even if the drive is a bit longer than a hop, skip and a jump away for most, Pence’s dedication to motivating and serving artists seems to make the remote location more than worth it. “I want to get bands in here and have them forget about the outside world, and have them focus only on the music they’re trying to create,” Pence said. “I want to create a place that’s focused and inspired.”

@abbyfjones28

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 7 Members of Isis & the Star Dancers perform their finale dance at the festival stage at Denton Arts & Jazz Festival. Jake King

Denton Arts Walk of Fame: The faces behind the art

By Amy Roh

May 7.

The Denton Arts Walk of Fame is a place that honors all sorts of Denton artists, one granite square at a time. Along the stretch of East Hickory Street from Locust to Bell, pedestrians can recognize familiar names etched into the sidewalk. The project is a collaborative effort between the city of Denton, the Denton EDC and the Downtown Revitalization Program to commemorate Denton’s arts scene. Each two-by-two square is installed into a brick band, engraved with each artist’s name and claim to fame. “It’s really creates awareness of how many talented people have passed through our portals and have been born here, gone to school here,” said Julie Glover, Denton’s Economic Development Program administrator. Honorees must to have been born in, attended school or spent their formative years in Denton. Other criteria includes their longevity, impact on cultural heritage and contributions to the Denton arts community. The first inductees in 2015 included UNT alumna Norah Jones, architect O’Neil Ford and polka and worldbeat band Brave Combo. Recently, the city announced their 2017 list of inductees, whose names will be engraved

“Blue Lou” Marini Saxophonist Lou Marini boasts a lengthy discography with The Blues Brothers, James Taylor, the SNL house band and Buddy Rich. He attended UNT and quickly joined the One O’Clock Lab Band while also playing alongside professionals in the music industry. “Besides the joy of playing in the band and the challenge of the music I was also getting an education in professional work,” Marini said. “At the end of my freshman or sophomore year, I remember playing for Smokey Robinson and The Supremes.” Upon graduating, Marini joined the jazzrock band Blood, Sweat and Tears. Since then, he has worked with countless other artists and composed his own music. His first recording, “Lou’s Blues,” is a common track played by the One O’Clock Lab Band today. “A long time ago, the musical department achieved critical mass because they’re all such great players,” Marini said. “They inspire each other and that’s what I feel like the great staff of this school promotes.” Nowadays, Marini is busy touring overseas with the James Taylor Band and The Blues Brothers. Because he’s in good health, Marini says he’s trying to make the best out of the time he has now. Now, Marini will forever be engraved in

Denton’s history. “Since I [was] 19 years old, and maybe even before, I’ve been playing with great musicians,” Marini said. “Somehow doing that sharpens personalities in their own unique ways. These people that I’ve been playing with have inspired me also tickle me. I’ve been laughing for all these years.”

Brave Combo If a band could encompass the spirit of Denton, Brave Combo would be one of them. The band is comprised of members Carl Finch, Danny O’Brien, Alan Emert, Lyle Atkinson and Robert Hokamp who play a range of polka, salsa, the blues and more. Finch founded Brave Combo in 1979 in hopes of playing music that went against the status quo. “I thought it’d be interesting to play in a band that played music that was forgotten or made fun of by the mainstream,” Finch said. “The point of the band was to go to nontraditional sources instead of recycling whatever was popular.” The band has won two Grammy awards for “Best Polka Album” and was nominated seven times. Finch says polka music was their cornerstone, but they slowly began to expand into more unique styles. They welcomed in every genre of music, from lounge and latin to Japanese pop music.

“All the things that you normally would do, we try to evoke the opposite reaction to that,” Finch said. “Anything you already know, we want to turn that upside down and make you wonder about your core values.” To put it simply, they’re the kind of band to turn “O Holy Night” into a cha-cha. Denton has been instrumental in directing Brave Combo’s unique sound. Finch said there was once a time when the city was cool “before anybody realized it.” “Not everyone was walking around patting themselves on the back for being how cool of a town we are,” Finch said. “But if you were just focused on making good music and look for that community, you would stumble over that in five seconds.” For their unparalleled sound, Brave Combo was one of the first inductees of the 2015 Denton Arts Walk of Fame. “The city of Denton has allowed us to be as insane as we are, longer than we thought we’d be doing it,” Finch said with a laugh. “We’re in a town that loves us, respects us and considers us a part of the fabric. You can’t separate Brave Combo from Denton. We are Denton.” Paula Blincoe Collins Across Interstate 35 and UNT’s Apogee Stadium, Paula Blincoe Collins sculpts in her makeshift garage and studio she

appropriately calls “The Garadio.” With over 40 years of experience working with clay, Collins is one of the 2017 inductees who is not a musician. Collins did her postgraduate work at Texas Woman’s University, studying ceramics. She has commissioned over 250 works. “It’s a joy to me to see the smiles of the folks that have hired me with the faith that I can get it done,” Collins said. “This comes out of the earth, I mess with it for a while, it goes through fire and then it’s ready to become a permanent part of someone’s structure or of a bigger picture.” Collins has also worked with multiple clients, including the city of Denton. Along with her products on her Etsy store, Collins is currently working on a project with the city to create a design for the Denton Municipal Airport. The Arts Walk of Fame is just another way Collins knows her work, among many other talented musicians and artists’ works, are admired throughout the community. “The fact that I live in Denton gives me an enrichment and opportunity to listen to music of other artists,” Collins said. “The home that I’ve found here was the key. Even though I’m close to the stadium and I’m close to I-35, I have my serenity here.”

@rohmyboat

Electrical engineering program gears up for its first PhD graduate By Travis McCallum His deep gruff voice echoes off the white walls of the spacious classroom. He writes algebraic equations on the whiteboard in black marker with his left hand in large, perfect handwriting. Rn, Au, Ui, GM symbols litter the board as he reveals hidden solutions with ease. Students pass notes to each other, bored with the subject of “XX.” Yet he is unfazed by their disinterest. Instead, he engages in a series of questions, allowing an awkward silence to settle in the airy room until someone piques up with a meek yes. Mitch Grabner will be the first student to graduate from UNT’s College of Engineering Ph.D. Program in May. The program has been in the works since as early as 2004. Dr. Xinrong Li, Grabner’s advisor, said a Ph.D. program presents an immense impact. “Ph.D.’s are one of the essential parts of the education program,” Li said. “Lacking a Ph.D. program, the system is incomplete.” To understand the value of a Ph.D. program, Li describes the tiered levels of

degrees in the system. At its foundation is a bachelor degree that is education based, usually specialized in one field. The master’s degree follows where students dig deeper in the theory behind their craft. Finally, the Ph.D. degree focuses on research with open-ended explorations leading to major breakthroughs. Both local and national industries, like economics, rely on these breakthroughs to evolve and grow. For instance, Grabner is developing innovations in communication systems that offer high impact research outcomes for stakeholders in telecommunication or UAV technologies. Creating a Ph.D. program has been the goal of the faculty since the bachelor’s degree was established in 2004. In 2007, the master’s program was created. Finally, enough students were eligible to study for a Ph.D. in 2014. UNT itself is pushing to fill a research university category in order to recruit more students and grow in size. All of the faculty in the engineering department have Ph.D.s. The process for establishing a new program is tedious. First, the faculty at the Department of Electrical Engineering

Electrical Engineer PhD Student Mitch Grabner teaches an Amplifier Small Signal Analysis class at Discovery Park. He is the first to graduate from the department’s PhD program since it’s launch in 2015. Travis McCallum

had to submit a proposal based off a specific template requirement created by a coordinating board, separate from UNT. The board reviews the proposal by bringing in independent members from other universities to probe and ask questions that test the commitment and resource pool of UNT. The most challenging of those questions is how the department can differentiate itself from other Ph.D. programs and contend with recruiting future students. Once the proposal has been sufficiently solidified, it goes through a series of approvals. First, the department pitches it to the dean provost level. Then, it reaches the university level through UNT systems. And finally, the state level approves the proposal at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). The proposal is approved and UNT creates a policy to get it published in the academic catalog. Any minor revisions can be done internally, but major changes require a new proposal submission. The state also requests annual reports to ensure the program is operating properly and is up to standards. The Department of Electrical Engineering has tackled the tough question of having a unique Ph.D. program in its collaboration with the College of Business. Part of the curriculum integrates coursework in entrepreneur and management classes, expanding STEM students to become effective communicators and earn a minor in business administration. Still, there is the obstacle of recruitment for Ph.D. candidates. Dr. Shengli Fu, Chair of the Electrical Engineering Department, said recruitment efforts involve outreach at local college fairs and exercises with community and national leaders, such as emergency services and FEMA. There is the added difficulty of finding domestic students because the ratio to international enrollment is so big. Making history Mitch Grabner was born in Ontario, Canada. At age 5, he moved to Plano, Texas.

His father worked for Nortell as an engineer and made math, education and problemsolving a big part of Grabner’s upbringing. “My dad said, ‘you’ll be more successful and it will pay off more if you go to college,’” Grabner said. In high school, he was interested in computer science and math, winning awards for his effort. At a college fair at Collin Community College, he discovered a UNT booth that would spark the beginning of his eight-year university career. “It seemed more fun,” he said. “It seemed like an interesting place. A place where you could learn about lots of different things. Everyone seemed so enthusiastic. It seemed like a fun place to be.” In 2009, Grabner moved into Maple Hall. He jokes at the irony because the leaf reminds him of the Canadian flag. He studied computer engineering for the first year until a digital logic course with Professor Bittle made an impact on his future plans. His past experience had been in programming, but Grabner found the logic, which offered harder work, fun. As someone who gets bored easily, he constantly strives for challenging work that keeps him engaged. By the end of his freshman year, Grabner switched majors to electrical engineering. The passion for doing more with handson hardware fueled him to take a basic circuit analysis course, where he met Li, his dissertation professor. The class was incredibly hard and for the first time in his education career, Grabner received low marks. Never discouraged, he stayed up later and spent many all-nighters doing homework. And it paid off. Soon after, Li recognized that dedication and perseverance and the pair began a partnership in research. “I remember Li was always like, ‘double check your results, make sure everything’s correct,’” Grabner said. “We didn’t really know how good it could get until we tried.” The switch to electrical engineering changed Grabner’s hobbies too. He worked as a mechanic in the summer and designed

hobby amplifiers just like his father did when he was a kid. He branched out into other programs on campus, such as the Institute of Electrical and Electronic. At the end of his undergraduate career, Grabner continued to pursue challenging content in his senior problems class, so much so that his professors had to tone down his pace. Taking note of his passion for hard work, they encouraged him to apply for the master’s program if to explore the more difficult problems in electrical engineering. His decision came down to figuring out two things: how to work in the industry and how he can find the “crazy hard stuff” he wants to research about. From those questions, Grabner began a project in communication systems using circuit analysis and Li’s guidance as a foundation in his Masters and Ph.D. research. The process would be a tiered approach compounding information with waypoints along the way. He examined cellphone wireless communication systems as parts, working to improve each area to be better, stronger and faster. Grabner fondly remembers Li saying, “Double-check your results. Make sure everything is correct.” Grabner loves doing research but teaches classes to kill time. He is well acquainted with all the professors in the electrical engineering department, like Guturu, who he found out worked with his father at Nortell some years ago. Grounded in his brown loafers, Grabner moves firmly from spot to spot, standing erect, a tower of impenetrable defense with a lust for knowledge, expelling the notes he holds tightly in his right hand. He looks at the class, lifting his thick black-rimmed glasses up his perfectly linear nose, and points with an outstretched arm at each equation on the board. Grabner fosters the future engineers of tomorrow with a passion for knowledge he zaps into their souls.

@Travis_McCallum

SPORTS Page 8

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017

NTDAILY.COM

North Texas softball gearing up for C-USA tournament By Morgan Price North Texas softball is going somewhere only one player on its current roster has been. The Conference USA tournament. The Mean Green missed out on the Conference USA tournament last season after finishing 22-33, but clinched a berth in the tournament this year with an 11-13 conference record. Freshman catcher Nicole Ochotnicki is one of 14 players ready to make her postseason debut. “Conference [tournament] play is definitely different,” Ochotnicki said. “There’s a lot of pressure, but it’s a fun experience because we know the games mean more.” For senior pitcher Jessica Elder, playing in the conference tournament in her final season has proven all her hard work

UPCOMING GAMES Friday •Softball @ Florida at 5 p.m. Saturday •Softball @ Florida at noon. •Softball @ Florida A&M at 2:30 p.m. Sunday •Softball @ Florida at 11 a.m.

MEAN GREEN QUICK HITS Softball Softball takes on No. 1 Florida over the weekend. The Mean Green clinched a berth in the C-USA tournament and are currently the No. 6 seed, but could move up to the No. 5 seed. Track and Field Track and field is preparing for the C-USA outdoor championships next weekend in El Paso. Both the men and women finished third at the Bobcat Invitational last weekend, their last competition before the C-USA championships

has paid off. “I am very excited to go to the conference [tournament],” Elder said. “Last year was a huge upset for us. For it to be senior year and for us to have a spot in the tournament, I’m going to give it my all.” North Texas, Louisiana Tech University, the University of Alabama-Birmingham, Marshall University, Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University and Western Kentucky University have all clinched tournament berths. As it stands now, North Texas would be the No. 6 seed in the bracket. Depending on the outcome of a few games, the Mean Green could potentially climb to the fifth seed if UAB loses a few of its final games. The University of Southern Mississippi’s playoff fate is in the hands of Charlotte University. While Southern Mississippi has ended its season conference play, should Charlotte get swept in its final three games, the Golden Eagles would take the final spot in the C-USA tournament. It would only be in North Texas’ best interest for Charlotte to drop its final three games and miss

the tournament, especially considering the 49ers are one of three conference teams to have swept the Mean Green this season. “When you’re familiar with what the teams are capable of doing with their pitching and their style of play [it helps us prepare for the tournament,]” head coach Tracey Kee said. “Getting it on a neutral site is helpful, instead of playing someone at home or, in our case, away.” North Texas was swept on the road by Florida International, Louisiana Tech and Charlotte at various points throughout the season. The Mean Green lost its three-game series against UAB and won its three-game series against Southern Mississippi and Florida Atlantic. Currently, each of the top four teams in C-USA, Marshall, Louisiana Tech, Florida International and Florida Atlantic, all have three more conference games to play, but could not fall below North Texas in the standings. Since the Mean Green will be in the bottom half of the bracket, they will play a single elimination game in the first round of the tournament. In 2015, the last time the

Before the start of the seventh inning in game one versus UTEP on Saturday March 11, Senior Kelli Schkade practices her throws with other teammates. Schkade spent 3 times at-bat with 1 hit and 1 run during game one. Katie Jenkins Mean Green were in the C-USA tournament, North Texas lost to Florida Atlantic in the first round. Should North Texas make it to the second round, they would play in a double elimination scenario, meaning if they lose their first game, they move to the loser’s bracket where every game becomes an elimination game.

The Mean Green will play four games this weekend in the Florida Tournament, including three against the No. 1 softball team in the country, Florida. Kee hopes that series, although challenging on paper, will give her team some momentum heading into the tournament. “Going on the road and

getting this opportunity to play the No. 1 team in the nation a few times will be a challenge, but we’ll utilize the opportunity to compete and face live pitching,” Kee said.

@morganprice

UNT Equestrian team raising funds to compete at events EQUESTRIAN CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1 fundraisers including a Valentine flower sale, lemonade stand and a percentage night at Panda Express. The biggest thing they have done to fundraise is Coliseum clean up, picking up trash and helping various event coordinators after events end at the Super Pit. The team earns between $200-300 from this alone.

“There is a lot of pressure to make sure our competitions are fully paid for,” junior club secretary Hannah Collins said. “But this semester we have really stepped it up with the fundraising so the financial burden is not there as much.” Along with turning around their fundraising efforts and activity in the community, the team has also been more competitive on horseback. So far this season, the team

Senior Shelby Aiken jumps over a barrier at practice. Aiken is part of the UNT English Equestrian team. Sara Carpenter

has experienced unparalleled success. UNT competes in the Intercollegiate Horse Show Association (IHSA) in zone seven, region two in both English and Western. They compete against schools such as North Central Texas College, Texas Tech University, West Texas A&M University and the University of Oklahoma. Each of the two teams within the club are not only completely separate in style and dress, but they also practice at two different facilities. The Western team practices at Oakdale Farms with Golden Touch Stables with stable owner and head coach Courtney Burggren, while the English team practices at Diamond Four Ranch with Storybooks Sporthorses with coach and Storybooks trainer Julene Chiaramonte. “Each member practices at least once a week,” Collins said. “The horses that we practice with are donated for us to use and we switch which horse we practice with depending on what our coach thinks we need to work on.” Even though practicing with different horses is good preparation, members of the equestrian team have no clue

what horse they will be riding until the day of the competition. The Western team has become the most successful of the two, as they brought home five blue ribbons in various classes at one show and even sent a rider to regionals for the first time. Mayfield says that while the Western team has reached the point where they are consistently winning, the English is still trying to find their footing. “The English team has been in a period of growth whereas the Western team has been more established since the start of the club,” Mayfield said. Despite hitting a peak in their club’s history, the team does not plan on slowing down anytime soon. The equestrian club hopes its hard work will not only translate into trophies but also into points with the Recreational Sports Office so that they can be rewarded with more funding. “We put a lot of work into organization of this year,” Lawson said. “We want to push for more individual achievements and push our team goals and the next step is sponsorship, which we have started the paperwork on.” Now that the club has won Student Organization of the

Year, they are finding success in the ring and money is becoming less of a problem, Mayfield believes that the club can start to look towards long-term goals, including having their own facility and getting sponsored. Sponsorship for the team would mean getting local businesses or supporters to fund them financially, which would allow them to grow even more. “One day I think we will get to the point of having a unified barn with staffed coaches,” Mayfield said. “I think if we keep working towards that and get recognized by the university as an actual sport, not just a sport club.” With the growing pains seemingly behind them, the equestrian club will now look to turn their past obstacles into future success. They want to turn their attention from raising money, to raising championship banners. “Our club has gone through many ups and downs in four years,” Mayfield said. “We have hit the pinnacle of our growing period and it can only go up from here.”

@sam_morrow14

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 9 On Wednesday, April 5, Sophomore Harley Perella (3) hits the ball and runs for 1st base in the 2nd inning. Katie Jenkins

Getting on base By Clay Massey Sometimes in the game of softball and baseball, it really does not matter how you get on base, just as long as you are there. That is the mindset North Texas softball has adopted this season. The Mean Green has upped its walk numbers and hit by pitch numbers from last season, and has taken a more patient approach at the plate. Head coach Tracey Kee has been quite impressed by her young squad and their mature approach when they step into the box. “Our hitters have really listened,” Kee said. “We’ve been working on pitch selection and kids understanding their strike zone and what pitches they can handle. It’s worked. Our hitters are not chasing too many bad

balls out of the zone anymore.” A more balanced approach from the Mean Green hitters has led to more runners on base and more chances to scratch across runs. With one more series left in the season, North Texas has already eclipsed its walk total from this past year’s season. The Mean Green reached base on balls 132 times last season. But this season, North Texas ranks sixth in Conference-USA in walks, reaching base on a free pass 136 times. Freshman Hanna Rebar leads the squad with 20 walks in just 115 atbats, one of the lowest totals on the team. Despite the Mean Green walking more, the team on-base percentage has gone down by a tenth of a point. North Texas is getting on base at a team mark of .340 compared to .353 last season, which has also led to a

dip in batting average. North Texas is hitting .252 as a team this season compared to .279 last season. The minimal drop has not necessarily been noticed, as the Mean Green have already posted a better record compared to last season. But at times, the team has struggled moving runners over and bringing them home. “There’s some times when you don’t want to chance an out on a steal that we’ll sacrifice them over,” Kee said. “If the next kid draws a walk they move the runner. We’ve got all kinds of way to move runners, we just have to execute.” Not all free passes are free, however. Just ask sophomore infielder Rhylie Makawe. She leads the team in hit by pitches with nine. As long as she’s getting on base, she doesn’t care. Kee put an

Mean Green softball becoming disciplined at the plate

emphasis for hitters to adjust in the batter’s box to the pitch type they were seeing. Makawe adjusted to crowding the plate a bit more. “I’m not going to move out of the way,” Makawe said. “If you’re going to give me a free base I’m going to take it. I’m going to take advantage of an opportunity. But I think it varies by player. Not everyone is going to get beat up by pitches.” Kee just wants her runners on base. “We will do anything we can,” Kee said. “We’ll wear it, walk it or hit it to get on base. Our whole motto is get them on, get them over and get them in. I want to get them on second, because then you’re just one hit away from getting a run home.” As the season begins to wind down, the Mean Green will have to sharpen what they have done

well going into the Conference USA tournament. Senior infielder Kelli Schkade, the team’s leader in batting average, is ready to wipe the slate clean. Schkade reaches base the most out of any Mean Green player with a team-leading .423 on-base percentage. She’s been hit by four pitches. When she gets on base, she has stolen the most bases of any North Texas player and the gap is wide. The senior has attempted 21 steals, and only been caught once. The next most attempted steals is nine held by freshman speedster Camille Grahmann. Schkade knows the Mean Green need to plate more runners. “We need to focus on what we’ve done well,” Schkade said. “We need to worry about the regular season once the tournament starts and we’re

ready to do that.” With a young squad that features just four graduating seniors and a core that surrounds freshmen and sophomores, Kee thinks her squad can just keep growing at the plate. She has already seen a growth in her freshman class from last year to this season. The walks are proof. “I think as you mature you learn you have to shorten your swing sometimes,” Kee said. “Across the board we worked on our two strike swing. It’s not about driving the ball over the fence, it’s about getting the ball in play. Most of the kids have bought into that now.”

@Clay_FC

COLUMN

In one year under Wren Baker, North Texas athletics has taken tremendous strides

By Matt Brune I’m from San Antonio and an avid sports fanatic. I watch more than my fair share of college football, basketball and baseball, and am familiar with most Texas universities. Two years ago, when it was time to choose a school, I chose North Texas — a school almost no one, including myself, knew anything about. Most people

associate large, powerful schools with having grandiose sports teams. With that in mind, it’s painfully obvious why a majority of people, like my 16-year-old self, had not heard of UNT. In general, athletics at North Texas has historically sucked, especially the revenue generating powerhouses of football and men’s basketball. But that’s all changing. The Mean Green are a few years from no longer being cellar dwellers and a few years from being a top-four program in Conference USA. I say this with confidence, because first-year Athletic Director Wren Baker has shown a vision, a plan and a concise approach for making North Texas better now. Not later. While he did not make the decisions to hire women’s basketball head coach Jalie

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Mitchell or football head coach Seth Littrell, Baker has given them the resources to succeed and had their backs throughout these growing times. North Texas has six core sports in football, volleyball, men’s and women’s basketball, women’s soccer and softball. The 2016-17 average winning percentage in Conference USA play across those six sports is 46.5, up exactly five percent from the 41.5 percent average in 201516. That’s including the dumpster fire that was men’s basketball. Excluding men’s basketball, the other five sports had an average C-USA win percentage of 53.5 — an 11.5 percent increase from the 2015-16 year. Volleyball had to rebuild from losing Carnae Dillard, women’s soccer had to come back after arguably the best team in

program history in 2015, while football and women’s basketball both had young coaches at the helm. All of these teams, including the revamped men’s basketball program, appear to be trending upward in the near future. If they don’t, Baker has made it clear he has little patience for lackluster programs. Ask Tony Benford. Baker has also stepped outside of Denton in an effort to grow the Mean Green brand. Recently, he outsourced all media in a partnership with Learfield. He also made his first hire in men’s basketball, coach Grant McCasland from Arkansas State University. Doing so, he showed his willingness to spend what it takes to make a team competitive. UNT President Neal Smatresk hired Baker with aspirations to see improvement in the near

future and so far, Baker has upheld his end of the bargain. Now it’s up to the players and coaches. They have all the tools to succeed. Men’s basketball and women’s basketball should take significant strides next season while soccer, under head coach John Hedlund, will work towards maintaining their prowess in conference. The 2016-17 school year displayed several talented players across all sports and showed fans, students and recruits that North Texas has taken the proper steps to becoming a prominent school for athletics sooner rather than later. Soon, more than just Texans will know the Mean Green name. On Monday, radio and television host Colin Cowherd sat in his studio with Joel Klatt, a college football commentator

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and analyst for Fox Sports 1. Cowherd mocked Iowa University’s football program — as he has for the last few years, because of their nonconference schedule — and in doing so, also summarized a school in Denton fairly accurately when it comes to their national perception. “[Iowa] is facing, Wyoming, Iowa state, and something called North Texas,” Cowherd said emphatically. Cowherd said what I asked myself when I first saw the name North Texas on a computer screen three years ago. What is North Texas? That is what Wren Baker has been tasked with changing. He’s on the right track.

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OPINION Page 10

THURSDAY, MAY 4, 2017

NTDAILY.COM

Banning controversial people is banning freedoms of speech

By Gabriela Macias On April 27, Ann Coulter was scheduled to give a speech at the University of California, Berkeley. Her appearance was canceled once university administrators detailed active security threats. In a letter to the Berkeley College Republicans, the student organization sponsoring the event, two vice chancellors said that the university was “unable to find a safe and suitable venue for [the] event.” This comes after the

events of last February when Milo Yiannopoulos was unable to appear on the campus after protests erupted and turned violent. Him and Coulter are both figures known for their inf lammatory rhetoric, and the purpose of this column is not to discuss their ideologies. Similar events have happened around campuses nationally and it seems as though they are becoming more frequent. We need to address the importance of freedom of speech, but another important question to ask ourselves is: what do we really gain from these people not speaking? This might not be a popular stance, but I think it should be. We should defend freedom of speech for all, even from those we disagree with. Most importantly, they should be met with better arguments. Discussion is an essential part of change. Now I personally disagree with everything Coulter

stands for and profusely repeats. Same with Yiannopoulos. But I also know that keeping her from speaking does nothing. Her message is still out there and plays right into the hands of her supporters, further feeding their arguments. In a way, it makes people like them a lot more relevant than they should be. Shining a light happens to be the best antidote to ignorance. A way to combat Coulter-esque views in particular is to be prepared with challenging questions and facts to present. If you truly disagree with someone, become part of the conversation. Go to the event and participate or, better yet, protest outside peacefully. That is everyone’s right. Maybe don’t show up at all, but can you imagine if no one went to the event or only five people showed up? They would not be invited again. It needs to be understood that listening to someone

Not caring for politics is a sign of privilege

By Morgan Sullivan Whether you’re a Republican, a Democrat or somewhere in between, politics rule the world around us. From healthcare to taxes, nearly every tenant of our lives revolves around politics in some way. Even with this encompassing nature, there are people who decide to opt out of politics. After every election, it seems as if the number of people who decide that they “couldn’t care less about politics” grows exponentially. Which is fine if you’re privileged enough to do so. Sen. Bernie Sanders’ campaign raised a lot of internet buzz last year, as young people across the country began supporting politics in f locks – or so it seemed. Although the whitehaired candidate seemed to have a huge backing online, those numbers didn’t translate to voters heading out to the polls. According to the Pew Research Center, millennials and baby boomers together now make up about 31 percent of the voting population. However, as we saw in the latest election,

and therefore choose not to vote. But if you’re not personally affected by a single political issue, you’re probably a robot. Voting is important and politics are important. You’ve got to be pretty ignorant to think that you’re going to be unaffected by politics, no matter who wins. For many people, especially minorities, choosing not to vote isn’t an option, because the risks are far too great. If you’re a person with a uterus and you have opinions on whether or not politics should be involved, you’re probably involved in the voting process. If you don’t have a uterus and you want to make that decision, that’s privilege. Rest assured that there are millions of people without a stake in your situation who want to make decisions for you. Women weren’t always allowed to vote. To shrug off the sacrifices and efforts of suffragettes simply because you’re “not interested” in politics is a slap in the face to those women. To shrug off the fight that

minorities waged to gain the right to vote is not only ridiculous, but it’s disrespectful. These groups of people sacrificed so much for the future generations to have voting rights, and to choose not to exercise that right is a step backward. Being able to say “eh, I think I’ll sit this election out,” is something many people cannot afford to do. The fact of the matter is, if you’re able to opt out of politics, things are probably already going your way. You may be unaffected by immigration reform, but for 11 million undocumented immigrants living in the U.S. – according to Pew Research Center – politics are one of the most important things about their lives. Whether you want to smoke weed legally or want to stop a pipeline from taking over native land, politics are evident in your everyday life. Claiming to have no concern or interest in them is detrimental to the people around you, not just yourself. We have the right to vote because the people who came before us thought it was important for citizens to have a say in the political system that controls the way we live. I don’t often think I’m smarter than George Washington and John Adams, and maybe you shouldn’t either.

does not automatically mean agreeing with them or their views. College campuses should be the one place where opposing views can be fully discussed. A place where people with opposing ideologies can talk in a safe environment and try to address real issues. There most likely won’t be a

resolution to these cancellations, but students would have at least had the opportunity to learn. It should be fully acknowledged that outside college campuses, real people are the bearers of the

Illustration by Samuel Wiggins

consequences from hateful speech. That should never be dismissed. I understand the pain that certain speech inf licts, but I also know that shutting people out is not the solution. To see real gain, we need to be prepared to face real challenges and have better arguments. We cannot shy away from combating hateful rhetoric face-toface. Freedom of speech is our most coveted and protected right. We should defend it at all costs, because without it we could all be silenced. Defending the basic right of the person you disagree with the most is a mature way of protecting your own rights. It means that all of us can voice our opinions. The fight for more than just an accepting world has never been easy, but we cannot give in now.

@Gaby_Mac22

The motives behind the ESPN layoffs

By Nate Jackson Sports are a piece of the tapestry that is our lives. For as long as we can remember, we’ve either participated in athletic endeavors or observed and acted as a support system for our loved ones who take part in sports. Sports have always served as a pleasurable distraction from stress, the responsibilities of school and the societal issues we encounter on a daily basis. It’s served as an escape, and those who have aided in our elopement of sports have become something like family. ESPN was the venue, the platform that married fans to their perspective teams. The reporters and writers were the officiants. Which is why when ESPN cut 100 of its on-air personalities and writers last Wednesday, it gave us all a cause to pause. I was personally dumbfounded when I learned of this. Being a public relations major, our

professors continually preach that traditional media will never die. So, naturally, this leads you to ask questions. If you have a slight amount of business savvy, you understand that the greatest cost to a company is retaining its talent, or human capital. From what I’ve been able to gather, ESPN laid off so many employees in an effort to save “SportsCenter.” According to the latest estimates, ESPN has lost 12 million subscribers in the past six years in a nearly 12 percent drop, and there is no current sign of the decrease slowing down. The accessibility that the internet has provided has greatly damaged the leverage “SportsCenter” once possessed. It was “must-watch television” for the avid sports consumer. The loss of subscribers isn’t necessarily in retaliation to something ESPN has done, it’s more likely that they’re people who don’t see the need to pay for cable anymore. I personally find it hard to pay for cable when I can easily pay for Netflix and subscribe to WatchESPN, saving $70 to $80 a month. So, technically, the loss of subscribers isn’t affecting them as much as we might have initially thought. The real reason behind the layoffs is actually the series of attempts to modernize their business model by becoming more digital. This raises a bigger issue: what

is the long-term effect of internet streaming services on traditional media such as cable providers? Do I think that traditional media will ever die? Of course it won’t. According to Business Insider, six media giants control 90 percent of what we read, watch or listen to. A total of 232 media executives control the information diet of roughly 277 million Americans. The overall revenue for these six companies was $275.9 billion in 2012. Now ESPN is owned by Disney, which is one of these six companies. If they don’t want ESPN to fail, you can bet your last dollar it won’t. Many people have shown sympathy for those who have lost their jobs. In a lot of instances, people place their identities in their occupation. So it’s a process of finding yourself again when you’ve let a job define you for so long. In other cultures, companies do their best to retain their employees. There is this sense of unquestionable loyalty. Therefore, watching ESPN lay off the people who have dedicated their lives to them ultimately shows us what our favorite sports channel now stands for.

@_NateJackson11

@sadsquadch

Illustration by Antonio Mercado millennials don’t turn up to vote, while baby boomers do. This is an underlying sign of privilege that most of us take for granted. Many millennials don’t find personal profit in voting,

Illustration by Samuel Wiggins

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 11

You can be any gender and still label yourself a feminist

By Kara Jobmann The feminist movement is always getting flak for being too extreme, losing sight of its message, hating men and being “too liberal.” Some women say they can’t support the movement because they enjoy having “gentlemen” treat them like ladies. But these traits do not have to be mutually exclusive. Women can like men holding doors open for them and want to be paid the same amount as a man for the same job. Men can still be gentlemen while simultaneously believing that rape culture should

not exist. There are a slew of stigmas surrounding the feminist movement, but the fact of the matter is that feminism is defined as the belief that women should be treated equally. The Oxford Dictionary defines it as “the advocacy of women’s rights on the basis of equality of the sexes.” That is what most feminists are marching for, and while there are some who have ruined it for the masses, there are also Christians who kill based on the teachings of the Bible. But we as Americans don’t clump those things together and criticize the entire religion of Christianity. Through the feminist movement, women have marched for a variety of reasons: income inequality, rape culture, sexual assault, harsher punishment for male rapists, women who are mutilated at birth, women who have “lost their worth” and are abandoned after conceiving a child out of wedlock, and women who cannot leave an abusive relationship because they will

be ostracized by their families or communities. When women march, we march for the rights of all women. When women marched on Washington the day after President Donald Trump’s inauguration, they were not whining or attempting to belittle the scare tactics that women have to endure in other countries. Injustices are injustices nonetheless. A woman being paid less than a man for the same job is, in fact, an injustice that is not meant to downplay how some women can’t show their faces in public, or are burned with acid by men. We shouldn’t be competing for

attention on injustices, and the validity of each once should not be downplayed even if you have it “better off.” However, there should always be perspective. I am in no way saying that I have it just as bad as the women who live in fear of their

husbands, or who had to flee their communities after being deemed to have no purpose. That is not the case. We march because we know women should be treated as equals in every society and every country, but that is simply not the case right now. Another point of criticism is when women who call themselves feminists say things about other women, or work against their female counterparts. Women and men should not find it hard to get behind a movement that works on their behalf.

While some women may believe that they are not oppressed or suffering from the patriarchal society we live in, there are many women that do feel these effects. If a tsunami hits Indonesia and you don’t feel its effects, that doesn’t mean the tsunami didn’t happen.

@KaraJobmann

Illustration by Samuel Wiggins

The emotional passing of Senate Bill 4

By Tori Falcon Senate Bill 4, a statewide sanctuary city ban, was passed through the Texas Senate in February. Last Thursday, the bill withstood a 16-hour debate and passed through the House on a 93-54 vote. This legislation, which sparked what is being called one of the most emotional political debates, ended around 3 a.m. the next day. The reason for such a debate comes from the language of the bill, which withholds money from sanctuary cities and makes it a criminal offense if police and government entities do not enforce immigration laws. Moreover, the original script of the House was altered to sound more like the Senate version, where officials may ask for immigration status if someone is detained. Before, the House version only authorized questioning if the person was under lawful arrest. Many Democrats and several Republicans said they would vote against this provision proposed by Tyler Rep. Matt Schaefer, but sadly no compromise was made and the bill passed instead. This bill is seen by many as a message to not only sweep illegal criminals off the streets, but to incriminate any vulnerable immigrant. The only win Democrats were able to get was an amendment allowing local entities to prohibit employees from helping immigration at places of worship. Otherwise, the

Illustration by Samuel Wiggins

bill makes homeless shelters, schools and every other public setting an ICE raid free-for-all. Many Democrats did their best to appeal to fellow members by telling stories like Ana Hernandez’s. A Democrat from Houston, Hernandez tearfully recollected on growing up undocumented and relaying her family’s fears of running simple errands in public places. Dallas Rep. Victoria Neave launched a four-day hunger strike in protest and spoke while holding a photo of her immigrant father last week. Houston Rep. Gene Wu cried during his speech last Wednesday about the Chinese Exclusion Act of 1882 and the World War II internment camps of Japanese-Americans. Clint Rep. Mary González emotionally told her story as a sexual assault victim, claiming the most vulnerable immigrants of such assaults would be too scared to ask for help in fear of deportation. González even went as far as to say, “If you ever had any friendship with me, this is the vote that measures that friendship.” However, the Democrats’ efforts were not enough. According to the Pew Research Center, in 2016, Texas tied with New York for the second largest state immigration population. Its close proximity to the Mexico border has made it one of the most accessible thresholds for illegal immigrants. This isn’t a new concept, but with a fresh populist president and an uprising of a nationalist right, Texan Republicans were given a Trojan Horse to allow the action of this move. With their side

winning in basically every form, they made a power move ignoring any truce between Texas’ large immigrant population and the U.S. government. The bill is repulsive because it doesn’t attempt to hide its true intent or even strive for compromise. It will be used to display discrimination and outright racism when simply performing a traffic stop. Migrant workers who work some of our biggest labor jobs, like infrastructure and oil work, will essentially be told they are no good for us. According to Politifact, the Mexican migration has stalled and Texas economy has slowed. Therefore, the bill seems to come at a time when the Texas legislature is seeing no further benefits from the undocumented workers and is only taking action since they are pretty much done with them. The people who will hurt the most from this will be those searching for a better life. Efforts like Sanctuary UNT, which have protested for education rights without worries of thwarting, are potentially being silenced. With bills like these, it is no wonder why our immigrants and minorities stay in vicious, dangerous cycles. Any attempt to do more calls on the government to punish them. They can’t live outside of these circles and taste the America everyone else can because of a system which constantly oppresses them. Yet the Texas Republicans, in the name of party unity, are too busy patting each other on the backs to lend anyone else a helping hand.

President Maduro, help Venezuela before helping TrumpFlight Week

By Matthew Li It is amazing how far Venezuela President Nicolás Maduro has allowed his nation to fall. For the country with the largest proven oil reserves in the world, 297 billion barrels, it is amazing how badly it is managed. It has more reserves than Saudi Arabia, yet somehow the rulers of Saudi Arabia have managed to change a barren desert into a beacon of wealth and luxury in the heart. Similar to how the Muslim empires of old used the spice and gold trade to finance their amazing cities, Saudi Arabia has used its massive oil reserves to build itself a new shining bastion of opulence. Not only is Venezuela not as wealthy as Saudi Arabia, it has one of the worst track records for human rights in the world. There is surprisingly no gas for those citizens, where underneath the ground lies enough oil to satisfy the need for multiple years. This country cannot even produce enough oil to satisfy the needs of its own. On the other hand, Japan

@falconista_

Illustration by Antonio Mercado

has literally no oil reserves and depends on exports for all of its oil, yet it manages to satisfy the needs of its country and even keep some in reserve. Venezuela isn’t just oil deficient; it doesn’t even have enough food to feed all of its constituents. Even the country’s main airport, Simón Bolívar International Airport in Caracas, lacks toilet paper for its travelers. An airport is the first thing a traveler sees when they come to your country, so logically it should be the best that the country has to offer. If Venezuela has no toilet paper for its biggest airport, then imagine how the rest of the country is doing. Maduro has decided that in the midst of the countrywide protests, famine and the battle between police and protesters, this would be a good time to donate $500,000 to the inauguration of U.S. President Donald Trump. This comes from a country where the GDP per capita is only $12,000 a year, which equals the entire livelihood of 42 Venezuelans in an entire year. The Venezuelan-owned company Citgo was the generous donor, giving on the likes of ExxonMobil and JPMorgan Chase. No one knew Maduro’s thought process as he decided to neglect his own citizens and place the most recent American inauguration as one of his top

priorities. It would also be interesting to note that Maduro is a socialist, very far removed from Trump’s capitalism. Trump’s ideas are not even on par with Maduro’s agenda, yet these two seem to be very chummy. Maduro has been slow to publicly condemn Trump, even though he blames most of Venezuela’s ills on the capitalist pigs of America. The problem at heart doesn’t lie with the changing price of oil, but with the management of Venezuela. There is no reason why a country with such a large supply of oil and the means to extract it should have problems meeting the bare minimum of its citizen’s requirements. In a country where doctors make the same as taxi drivers, there’s a clear economic problem that lies with the socialist policies of the rulers, not the price of oil. Saudi Arabia has weathered this drop in oil prices, and Venezuela should be able to do the same. If Maduro doesn’t start some radical reforms soon, he is looking at a violent revolution.

@matthewli2009

NTDAILY.COM | PAGE 12

UNT is in need of more sexual assault education By The Editorial Board On Tuesday, we reported that three University of North Texas students and one other person were implicated for the “promotion of prostitution and drug possession.” Last Tuesday, we reported that two in every three freshmen fail to take the university’s “mandatory” sexual assault prevention course, in which the only students facing consequences from a lack of completion are Greek life members. Even more alarming was last summer’s report of publicized sexual trafficking straight out of our campus – Kerr Hall to be exact. Glancing at these stories alone, it’s clear to assume that more sexual assault victims need to report their situations more often. However, many rape situations aren’t always cut-and-dry. For instance, former men’s basketball player Rickey Brice Jr. has only been arrested for an April marijuana possession thus far – almost a month before Tuesday’s news break. Yesterday, former men’s basketball manager Brian Emmerson Johnson was arrested on similar charges. It doesn’t help that UNT has a peculiar relationship with sexual assault education. According to previous reports, only 56 percent of surveyed students remember taking Haven, the university’s prevention course. Although this accounts for majority of the 291 students who were surveyed, Grant Hale, UNT Student Government Association president, is one of many who would like “to see the numbers be higher.” Then there is the case of former student Valerie Nystrom, whose pornographic Tumblr account led into the arrest of Joshua Jackson. According to Nystrom, Jackson “used ‘force, fraud and coercion’” to traffick her, including tasers and financial bribery.

In Brice and Nystrom’s situations, a combination of lies and mystery impeded any progress of sexual assaults to be known immediately to the public. Therefore, it falls on the

Feautred image by Samuel Wiggins administration and authorities behind the Mean Green to make sure upcoming students have more sexual assault awareness. And it all begins with our education. Last year, the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network found that “one out of every six American women” has either been raped or had a rape attempted on them. Thirty-five percent of women, almost a third of the planet, have had these experiences around the world – according to the World Health Organization in 2013. So it should be imperative for all UNT students, not just frat brothers, to take Haven every semester and be reprimanded for not completing it. If students are required to take basics before enrolling in advanced classes, they should also be required to take sociology

or psychology courses geared towards sexual education. RAINN found that 11.2 percent of all U.S. college students have experienced “rape or sexual assault.” Since 44.7 percent of respondents declared unsafe feelings about our own campus last semester, our administrators need to implement more courses for the education of sexual nature – whether consensual or malicious. Now this isn’t to say UNT hasn’t taken previous actions to foster such awareness. Every April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, which organizations and administrators have made a point to honor in the past. According to officials, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton awarded a $50,000 grant to UNT for the aid of sexual assault survivors in 2015. The Teal Ribbon Campaign was created in 2014 to publicize available resources such as the UNT Police Department and the Dean of Students Office – even though the campaign didn’t happen until April 30, the last day of the month. While UNT is certainly no Baylor, we still have a lot of progress to make if students have hands in any sexually aggressive behavior. Taking advantage of another human being’s body is looked upon differently in every institution and workplace, which creates different approaches to how people look at sexual assault in general. So if UNT makes its views more apparent in the classroom, we could potentially avoid sexual assault reporting days after Sexual Assault Awareness Month ends.

Letter from the editor: Farewell By Hannah Lauritzen Another semester has come and gone. As I finish up my very last print night in the basement of the General Academic Building, it’s bittersweet. My time at the Daily will be remembered as one compounded with laughter, tears, and many many sleepless nights. I’ve learned more in the walls of this sweaty office than I have in all of my classes combined. This is my final farewell to both the North Texas Daily, and to UNT. I will be graduating and going on to spend some time at Houstonia Magazine. The Daily, as always, will be in good hands after my departure. I will pass the torch to Reece Waddell, who will serve as editor-inchief in the summer and fall. I hope we provided coverage this semester that was valuable to you, or at the very least entertained you for just a moment. This semester has been quieter than the last. Still, we covered a charged political climate on campus, a lawsuit surrounding the shooting on Fry Street, and local conspiracy theorists. We dug into sexual assault on campus and the hampering effects of rising tuition costs. All praise should be directed to my staff, who are dedicated, hard workers with crazy initiative. We made a few risky moves, which warranted both flak

Political cartoon by Antonio Mercado

and praise. None of them leave me with any regret. We encouraged discussions through our opinion pages, and worked hard to reach out to the rest of the UNT community to use our platform and have their voices heard. I’ve been a part of the Daily since my freshman year. I never thought that I’d be editor-in-chief. As each semester passed, I couldn’t force myself to leave the Daily. I cared about this publication more than I ever wanted to admit, and I cared about its future. I decided to take matters into my own hands and apply to be editor-in-chief.

In the process, I’ve made and lost many friends. I’ve made both triumphs and mistakes. At the end of the day, this experience has pushed me further and made me stronger, and I wouldn’t trade it for anything in the world. I’m looking forward to no longer having 36,000 unread emails to manage each day, but I’ll miss being on the other end of the phone when readers call in. At the end of the day, that’s who I worked for, and who mattered most. Thank you for reading and farewell, Hannah Lauritzen

The problems with ending Texas auto inspections

@NTDaily

“Back and part of the resistance”

Photo by Hannah Breland

By Bethany Wallace On March 14, Sen. Ron Huffines (R-Dallas) filed a proposal called Senate Bill 1588, which would make Texas an inspection-free state if fully passed by the state’s House and Senate. The decision is not official yet and it’s only gingerly coming up in collegiate circles as a topic for discussion. Back in Nov. 2016, CBS DFW wrote about the origins of Huffines’ proposal and the elimination of the state automobile inspections is still up for debate. The main concern is that the state is making people pay for an inspection that is “not even a necessity” to have. According to Pine Tree Inspections, car inspections started in

Massachusetts in 1926 and then became popular a year later when “the governors of New York, Massachusetts and Maryland” campaigned for them. Due to this, owners had their cars “voluntarily inspected” and select garages made repairs, birthing the practice around the country. Two days before the bill was filed, ABC 13 deduced that the lack of car inspections would do absolutely nothing for our cars. Their source came from Huffines’ written statement and was sponsored by Sen. John Whitmire (D-Houston). We may not be in need of yearly car inspections, but I’m personally unsure if getting rid of the inspections altogether is a great idea. Having car inspections ensures our safety. If we get rid of these inspections, it could put us all in danger of having accidents at the wheel. Plus, eradicating car inspections could leave some people without jobs. I know plenty of people who

make livings by conducting car inspections. There are a few car shops I know of that would go out of business if the inspections were no longer required in Texas. You can find on Lawyers. com that there are 16 states in our nation requiring “motorists to bring in their automobiles to perform safety inspections.” The inspections ensure that automobiles have working breakers, tail lights, horns and so on so that they can be deemed safe to drive. Texas is one of those 16 states. While I would not mind saving a few dollars from this bill being implemented, I still like the idea of knowing that my car has been proven save and adequate to drive. I would hate to get behind the wheel if my car has something wrong with it that I didn’t know about and I got into a wreck because of an inspection freedom. I think if the prices for car inspections were lowered, more Texans would be happier. However, I don’t believe the pricing of car inspections should be left up to the state.

Featured image by Samuel Wiggins

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