The Oswegonian 2-9-18

A6 Smoking ban to be revisited this semester

Friday, Feb. 9, 2018 VOLUME LXXXVII ISSUE XVVIII SINCE 1935 www.oswegonian.com

Safety inspections commence Resident assistants look out for fire safety violations Jordan DeLucia Copy Editor jdelucia@oswegonian.com With the beginning of every new semester comes fire safety inspections in all residence hall rooms a nd , s o me t i me s , c o n f i s c a t i o n o f personal belongings.

Oswego State junior Julie Loney previously had a foldup table taken from her room by a resident assistant over the Thanksgiving break room checks in the fall of 2016. She and her roommate were issued a citation for

a violation of the school alcohol policy and were ordered to take the InShape class at Mary Walker Health Center as a disciplinary action.

This happened during an inspection done to ensure no hazards would cause problems while the building was mostly vacant over break. Loney said she and her roommate only used it twice, never for irresponsible activities, so the consequences were a bit overdone.

“I think it was harsh for just the first time, because we didn’t even really know that they were going to take it and claim it to be alcohol paraphernalia,” Loney said. “We could have totally

Alexander Gault-Plate | The Oswegonian Every residence hall has smoke detectors in each room and fire pull stations in every hallway at intervals of a few feet.

played it off and said that it wasn’t.”

Seneca Hall’s assistant hall director Adam Cesarini said he typically sees more confiscations and fire code violations reported in the inspections done after students leave for Thanksgiving and spring breaks, as many people simply forget to remove any prohibited items from their room.

So far in the current academic year, Cesarini said resident assistants have most commonly had to confiscate vape pens and e-cigarettes.

“I don’t think students fully understand that they are allowed to have those items, but they’re not allowed to use them,” Cesarini said. “We don’t confiscate them unless we see them being used in the residence halls.”

Cliff-Simon Vital is a second-year resident assistant in Funnelle Hall and said that in his experience, he very rarely has to confiscate items from students during room checks. He and other resident assistants have sometimes seen violations, like candles and microwaves, upon casually entering a student’s room during the week.

“We see a bit more of those violations just when we do rounds or walk into a resident’s room,” Vital said. “I, personally, don’t see a lot of that stuff, but that just means we have a good floor.”

Resident assistants can sometimes

Oswego County Opportunities gets state grant for local homeless Kassadee Paulo Asst. News Editor kpaulo@oswegonian.com According to the Housing and Urban Development 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report, out of every 10,000 people in the U.S., 17 were experiencing homelessness.

The Department of Housing and Urban Development recently granted Oswego County Opportunities $385,000 to aid the Homeless Services for Rapid Rehousing and Permanent Supportive Rehousing programs.

OCO, located in Fulton, New York, offers many programs to help the communities of Oswego County.

Homeless Services help families and individuals who are in danger of losing their housing or have already lost it.

“Homeless Specialist assists families/households by assessing needs and strengths, planning goals, researching to locate housing/prevent eviction, advocate for families,

supporting families to maintaining housing and monitoring progress in retaining housing,” according to the OCO webpage.

OCO received the performancebased grant from HUD last year as well, but must reapply each year, said Patrick Waite, senior director of programs services.

“We also received, a year ago, funding for permanent supporti ve ho u s i ng , a nd t h a t i s a s s i s tance to keep someone in housi n g ,” W a i t e s a i d . “ H U D r e a l l y focuses now on permanent housing, as opposed to transitional or sheltering somebody.”

The Rapid Rehousing program works with families and individuals who do not have permanent housing to get back on their feet.

HUD provides other organizations like OCO’s Homeless Services with grants for this program.

HUD is a federal department with the mission to “create strong,

See HOMELESS, A5

See RA, A6

Taco Bell passes first hurdle on road to Oswego Fast-food chain’s local owner eyes former Ponderosa location Alexander Gault-Plate News Editor aplate@oswegonian.com

CONTENT

Plans to build a Taco Bell in Oswego moved one step forward, passing the City of Oswego Planning Board on Tuesday night.

Holding its monthly meeting at 6 p.m., the planning board approved the site plan for the fast-food restaurant, as well as its plan for off-street parking, and provided three favorable advisories to the zoning board.

The company behind the proposal, Hospitality Services Inc., which owns Taco Bell locations across the state, will have to bring its proposal to the zoning board in two weeks before beginning any construction at the location, the former Ponderosa Steakhouse building on George Street, on the east side of the city. The location is

Rachel Futterman | The Oswegonian

Weekend Weather in Oswego FRIDAY

See TACO BELL, A6

Calendar...................... C2 Classifieds................... C6 Crossword................... C6 Contact Info................ A2 Laker Review.............. C1 News............................. A1 Opinion........................ B5 Sports........................... B1 Sudoku......................... C7

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Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian

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Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian

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The Oswegonian Editor-in-Chief | Cole Parzych Managing Editor | Samantha Flavell News Editor | Alexander Gault-Plate Opinion Editor | Derek Smith Sports Editor | Luke Scoville A&E Editor | Dominick J. Lioto Photo Director | Taylor Woods Creative Director | Rachel Futterman Multimedia Director | Joey Lioto Chief Copy Editor | Maria Pericozzi Copy Editor | Jordan DeLucia Copy Editor | Jessica Wickham Copy Editor | Ben Grieco Asst. News Editor | Kassadee Paulo Asst. Sports Editor | Ryan Zalduondo Asst. A&E Editor | Ian Saunders Asst. Photo Director | Greg Tavani Web Director | Jazmyn Fields Web Editor | Samantha Flavell Events & Promotions Coordinator | Cloey Olkowski Ad Manager | Alexis Acevedo Sales Associate | Liz DeMartino Sales Associate | Brett Lahey Business Manager | George Burke Asst. Business Manager | Diana Soler Social Media Coordinator | Samantha Longton Social Media Coordinator | Eugene Segrue Classifieds | Selena Ferguson Faculty Advisor | Brian Moritz

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NEWS

QUOTE OF THE WEEK I feel like the ‘Cha-Cha Slide’ really brings people together.”

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

-Jade Gonzales, Vocal Effect secretary

A3

Oswego State celebrates Black History Month Black Student Union commemorates 50th anniversary with events Reggie Debrah Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com It is once again time to celebrate Black History Month across campus.

Black History Month is significant not only on campus but across the nation because it is a time to celebrate the accomplishments of civil rights leaders such as Martin Luther King Jr., Rosa Parks, Malcolm X and others who have done so much to call for equality throughout our nation.

Throughout the month of February, there will be many events across campus that highlight the accomplishments of civil rights leaders and celebrate those of the black students on campus.

This year will be even more significant for everyone taking part in the Black History Month festivities

because Friday, Feb. 23 will mark the 50th anniversary of when the Black Student Union was founded.

Earlier in the month, keynote speaker, CNN commentator Bakari Sellers, came on campus to speak about the evolution and future of civil rights. At 3 p.m. on Feb. 11 there will be a Black History Month Recital in Tyler Hall, which will feature the work of black composers and musicians. There will also be a variety show and a dinner to commemorate the 50th anniversary of the Black Student Union.

History professor Frank Byrne said he thinks that black history should be celebrated not for only a month, but all year long.

Byrne has been with Oswego State for 18 years and said it is much more important to study and celebrate black history now because the current demographic on campus is much more

diverse than it has ever been.

“I do think that, in our current political climate, it is important that we really focus on matters of race and justice,” Byrne said.

Byrne also mentioned that Oswego State offers courses all year that focus on the history of African American struggles, such as slavery in the U.S., civil rights, and reconstruction after the Civil War. There are also professors on campus that specialize in these specific topics.

Even outside the month of February, there are many opportunities for students to recognize the accomplishments of minority students across campus. Student organizations such as the Black Student Union and ALANA Student Leadership Conference hosts events throughout the year that offer students the opportunity to connect with students of other races.

Women’s basketball vs. Buffalo State, 5:30 p.m., Friday at Max Ziel Gymnasium.

Men’s ice hockey vs. SUNY Geneseo, 7 p.m., Friday in Marano Campus Center Ice Arena.

STARTALK Chinese Language and Culture Workshop, 1:30 p.m., Saturday in Sheldon Hall Ballroom.

Valentine’s Open Skate, 10 p.m., Saturday in Marano Campus Center Ice Arena.

Black History Month Recital, 3 p.m., Sunday at Tyler Hall, Room 50.

Planetarium Show: “Astronimical Subjects in the Works of Dante, Swift, and Verne: Old and New Cosmologies,” 7 p.m., Sunday in Shineman Center, Room 223.

Mardi Gras Carnevale, 4:30 p.m., Monday in Marano Campus Center, Room 114.

“Penfield Loves You” celebration, 11 a.m., Wednesday in the Penfield Library Lobby.

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian

Theatre performance: “El Hotel,” 7:30 p.m., Wednesday in Tyler Hall, Lab Theatre.

Resident assistants in residence halls created bulletin boards to provide information regarding different months, such as Black History Month.

Student Association Programming Board Director Cindy Pietrakowski requested of Student Association an additional budget of $12,000 for the day activities of OzFest at the end of the semester. The money would be used for a $1,750 Ferris wheel and $8,000 for inflatable attractions and other novelties. There is currently $13,330 in the SA account for the remaining academic year. SAPB is expected to spend $190, 959 with-

out the expenses of the daytime activities of the event. OzFest is an annual event with a concert and other activities on the last day of classes in May, which is covered by the student activities fee.

Representatives from club softball requested $1,020 to hire umpires for home games. The team i s c u r re n t l y i n s e c o nd place in the league with a chance of playing in the regional games. Each umpire costs $255 to hire,

Student Association President Dalton Bisson said there will be another town hall meeting this semester with President Deborah Stanley. Bisson also said the administration is very receptive and willing to speak with students.

Student Association President Dalton Bisson informed senators that

calendar committee is seeking to eliminate cer tain holidays from the academic calendar to allow science major s t u d e n t s w i t h l a b s to have enough hours.

Student Association Vice President Daisie Bancroft said that senators decided on Sunday to s t a r t to l e a r n n e w senator names quicker, stop talking over each other, and to continue to talk to constituents, among other goals.

A4 NEWS Shaun Cassidy Fan Club brings SCMA Winter Bash struggles to find audience entertainment to campus with improv Lack of advertising, push to spring semester cited as main issues THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

Leah Wolf Staff Writer news@oswegonian.com The Shaun Cassidy Improvisation Club is one of the many clubs that Oswego State offers and hosts a show at 8 p.m. every Saturday.

“It was very different than what I expected,” senior Natalie Peña said.

“I honestly thought it was going to be people throwing out topics for them to act out, but they actually had different categories.”

The show started with the audience writing up a phrase or a scene that the actors needed to act out. The club then took cellphones from the audience called “Unlocked Texts,” in which the actors could only respond to questions with answers from the text messages of the cellphones from the audience.

Other acts included guessing jobs that the audience had chosen for the actors and a group activity where the audience shouted out syllables and the actors made up a definition to the word they made.

“I’ve been wanting to come since my sophomore year,” Peña said. “I think I’ll come, not every week, but as much as I can.”

Junior Frank Heagle, a member since fall 2016, added that the audience has definitely gotten bigger over the years. However, he said, the attendance goes down when hockey is in season.

Heagle said that their attendance and numbers have grown. The audi-

ence has gotten larger since they he joined, and the club has gone from two regular members to 15.

Heagle and Andrew Sommers, a junior and member since fall 2016, took about a year to become full-time actors.

Any major is welcome and all are encouraged to join.

The club has practice at 6 p.m. on Sundays in the Marano Campus Center auditorium. They have a sign-up at the activities fair every semester, but people can show up to the practice as they please. To become a regular actor, regular attendance at practices is required.

D u r i n g t h e s h o w, t h e a u d i e n c e cheered and clapped along. It was not hard to see who had attended more often than others, with various levels of interactions between the crowd and the audience.

In between acts, they would play popular, throwback songs, including “All Star,” by Smash Mouth, “See How Far We’ve Come,” by Matchbox Twenty, and others.

The audience got involved, singing along even past when the lights went up to signal the start of the new bit.

Throughout the show, the audience was engaged, shouting out suggestions and answers as they were asked.

In late April, the Shaun Cassidy Improvisation club will join improv clubs from other schools and perform in Sheldon Hall.

“It’s on campus, it’s safe, [and] it’s free for ever yone,” Heagle said. He added that it was a great alternative to drinking.

Photo provided by Shaun Cassidy Fan Club via FaceBook The Shaun Cassidy Fan Club improv group performs a series of loosely structured skits for its audience.

Kassadee Paulo Asst. News editor kpaulo@oswegonian.com

The Oswego State SCMA Winter Bash got off to a slow start, but the social gathering picked up the tempo after a performance by Vocal Effect.

A small group of around 30 students and faculty from the School of Communications, Media and the Arts gathered Friday night in Tyler Hall with the purpose of creating a space for different departments of the school to meet and socialize.

The social included entertainment from Oswego State’s radio station, WNYO’s DJ Kodak, and Vocal Effect. The show choir performed an a cappella rendition of “Sh-Boom” by the Chords and a mashup of The Jackson 5’s “ABC” and “I Want You Back,” which turned into an a cappella version when the music stopped halfway through due to technical difficulties.

Mirroring the event itself, the group pulled it together and made it work.

Like Vocal Effect President Dionisio Burgos Jr. said, “The show must go on.”

“At first I had a slight fear on my face, and then we just started singing,

and then I heard the beatboxing from our member, Kiersten, and we just made it work,” Burgos said. “The audience thought it was planned.”

Following the show choir ’s performance, students gathered in front of Kodak to dance and mingle with others.

“I feel like ‘The Cha-Cha Slide’ really brings people together,” said Vocal Effect Secretary Jade Gonzales. “If they do that at more events, there will be more mingling.”

The chair of the communications department, Mary Toale, headed the organization of the event with students in the Student Leadership Advisory Board and the help of other departments in the school.

“It was very quick coming back into the semester, so that was a bit of an issue, and since it was the first time, that was a little bit harder,” said Jessica Kisluk, a SLAB member. “Hopefully, as we do it next year, it’ll be better; we’ll be a lot more organized and we’ll know ahead of time.”

The communication department and SLAB orchestrate events typically aimed at students with majors in the media portion of the school,

but Toale said the students wanted to see an event with all of the SCMA departments.

“It gives the opportunity for all of the students - communications, art, graphic, theater, music, everybody - to kind of mingle and talk to each other, to get to know what other people are doing,” Toale said.

The social was supposed to be held for media organizations in December 2017, but due to unavailable venues, the plan fell apart and was pushed to the spring semester, where the idea was expanded to the other departments, according to Toale.

In addition to there being a lack of advertising for the event in advance, Kisluk said she does not believe the frigid weather helped urge students to attend.

“I was not sure what would happen, and I said to someone, ‘You know, if 20 people show up, that’s great,’” Toale said. “I think for the first stab at it, we did all right.”

Toale said she hopes for next year’s event to have better promotion and planning and to help build more collaborations with different departments of the school.

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian The SCMA Winter Bash was held in Tyler Hall on Feb. 2, bringing in around 30 attendees, which was intended to introduce different students and faculty from the school.

Cuomo announces raise to public school funding Raise of $750 million does not match previous promise of $1.2 billion

On Jan. 16, New York state Gov. Andrew Cuomo released his proposed budget for 2018-2019 online to the public.

According to Oswego County News Now, Cuomo proposed giving more than $750 million more than the previous year to public schools, which is an approximate 3 percent raise. His web page states that this i nc re a s e w i l l d o u bl e t he s t a t u to r y School Aid growth cap and bring the total investment to $26.4 billion.

It was previously stated by Cuo-

mo, however, that he would give an increase of around $1.2 billion to the p u b l i c s c h o ol s i n N e w Yo rk s t a t e .

Newsday credits this withdrawal to t h e c u r re n t m o n e t a r y d e f i c i t N e w York state is facing.

It is unclear how this decrease in promised funding may affect the different public schools in the Oswego City School District.

U p o n a n no u nc i ng t he p ro p o s e d budget plan, Cuomo released a statement revealing that the goal of his plan is to “[build] on our strong re-

cord and [continue] to move New York forward by protecting taxpayers against the federal assault, investing in education to support and train the next generation, and implementing bold progressive policies to make New York a more just and fair state for all.”

L o ok i n g i n to N e w Yo rk s t a t e ’s h i g h e r e d u c a t i o n , t h e re i s a p ro posed increase of $1.4 billion, which would show a 24 percent increase since 2012. It would total $7.5 billion in funds for the 2018 and 2019 year.

RA fire safety inspections intend to protect residents Items banned pose safety threat, can lead to pests or electrical overload

SAFETY from COVER be looked at by other students as having a lot of the same role as a police officer.

However, RAs simply view it as a safety concern.

“I guess sometimes it feels authoritative, but I guess that comes with the job,” Vital said. “We’re responsible to make sure [residents] are safe on the floor, so we have to make sure that items that would hurt [anyone] or harm the building aren’t there.”

Invasion of privacy can be a common concern for students when it comes to fire safety checks, but Vital does his best to alleviate things like that.

“I try very hard to make it very comfortable for people,” Vital said. “I ask permission; I knock; I send out emails ahead of time. I don’t surprise people.”

Students should never feel as though there are any surprises with the checks by resident assistants, as they are scheduled well in advance of the time they are conducted. Most resident assistants send out times during the week in which they are available to do checks so that students may sign up for a slot, but there are also some resident assistants that allow students to come to them with a convenient time, according to Cesarini.

The only time a check should ever randomly occur is when the fire marshal makes his appearance on campus to inspect a number of rooms in each building, chosen at random. Any violations will be immediately confiscated or fixed, Cesarini said.

Cesarini added that prohibited items, commonly seen in the form of candles, tap-

estries and extension cords, are on the prohibited items list because they are “item[s] that can be heated up without supervision.”

Their biggest concern is when someone forgets to turn such an item off before leaving the room and it ends up getting too hot and catching something on fire.

The prohibited items list is one that conforms with the New York State Office of Fire Prevention and Control’s public college fire safety code. Assistant Vice President for Residence Life and Housing Richard Kolenda said that this code can change as new items appear on the market. Once a new item is deemed to be fire hazardous, it is added to the list.

Unlike Oswego State, Buffalo State has

not outlawed the use of refrigerators with microwaves attached in residential buildings. Kolenda said they are not allowed at Oswego because of the amount of power they draw from outlets, which can trip a circuit breaker and cause a temporary outage.

Add in the occasional irresponsibility of students leaving things in the microwave too long and the possibility of pest infestation from cooking, and it becomes all the more reason to leave the microwave fridges at home.

“We really don’t want students to do a lot of cooking in their room because that invites a lot of pests,” Kolenda said. “Cockroaches and different kinds of things that we certainly don’t want to infest.”

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian Upon moving into a residence hall, students are given information pamphlets regarding fire safety.

NEWS Oswego State professor gets grant for battery research

Using sodium-ion technology, sustainability of energy storage can improve Jessica Wickham Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com Mohammed Islam, a faculty member in the physics department at Oswego State, recently received a grant that will further his research into sodium-ion batteries, which he said he believes will have a beneficial environmental impact.

Sodium-ion batteries, meant to be used in place of lithium-ion or other rechargeable batteries, are made with sodium, an element that is about 3.5 percent of the world’s ocean, according to the Nation al Ocean Service. Islam said this makes his goal a better prospect than the current lithium-ion batteries, which require the use of a comparably rare ore.

“That’s where the idea comes from for sodium [ion batteries],” Islam said.

“Sodium is much more readily available. If you can somehow build a sodium-ion rechargeable battery, that will solve source issues.”

The $3,000 grant was awarded by the Scholarly and Creative Activity Committee. William Bowers, associate provost for the committee, said Islam’s written grant was well deserving of the fund. “[Committee members] saw the benefit of creating or researching new ways of improving battery technology, just based upon kind of where the field was and where it’s going,” Bowers said. “It was seen as cutting-edge technology and research the students could participate in.”

T h o u g h t h e b a t t e r i e s a re o n l y about the size of a quarter, Islam said

he predicts the technology’s impact will stretch the length of the globe.

“Mass production of alternative energy technology is possible only when we can bring down the cost of the material,” Islam said. “That’s where the trade-off from lithium to sodium will take place.”

Four student research assistants work with Islam in his Shineman lab as part of their physics capstone class.

Joshua Willson junior electrical and computer engineering major, is one of Islam’s assistants. He said Islam lets the students conduct their own research, which is something Willson found rewarding.

“The research is all about the work that you do,” Willson said. “All the work is all the student. [The] biggest prospect I get out of it is more time in the lab, better suited for application.”

Islam said the reason sodium-ion battery research has not received as much attention until now is because though sodium and lithium are on the same row on the periodic table. Sodium is about 30 percent larger, making it far more reactant with oxygen.

“The size of the sodium ion and the reactivity of the ion is where we have to do most work to eventually get to the rechargeable sodium-ion battery solution,” Islam said.

Every battery Islam and his students build has to be constructed in a pressurized, argon-filled glovebox to prevent the sodium from coming in contact with any oxygen.

Islam has a learning contract with Paradim Research at Cornell University, allowing him to use their transmission electron microscope, a crucial tool

in the manufacturing of the batteries.

The grant helps to pay for Islam’s travel expenses, as well as the materials and chemicals involved.

Bowers said he hopes the grant helps the research to be a success so it can reach beyond the walls of Islam’s lab.

“The committee really wants the results that derive from these projects to be promoted,” Bowers said. “We want it to be out there so people understand what was done with it and how it impacts the field so it helps the students or the faculty member move and grow.”

Willson sees a future where research like Islam’s will continue to receive funding because of its possibilities in the realm of renewable energy.

“When the world is pushing batteryoperated systems, people are going to put more money into making better batteries,” Willson said. “I see a huge push for it.”

The path to the substantial result is long, so Islam made a smaller goal that he will consider a success.

“I would consider a good milestone for me to be able to make a sodium-ion battery I can charge and recharge 200 times before it starts to fail,” Islam said.

Bowers said the grant Islam received is ultimately just a stepping stone and the committee wants to help those that receive their grants to receive more from off-campus sources.

“We’re using this internal grant funding to promote [and] kick-start people’s ideas to give them some momentum,” Bowers said. “Then we can work with them to then go to higher-impact sort of funds.”

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian Professor Mohammed Islam demonstrates the air-tight glovebox he uses to assemble the sodium-ion batteries because the sodium ion he uses is very reactive with air.

Homeless citizens in Oswego get help from OCO

Rapid Rehousing program serves 14 families in Oswego County OSWEGO from COVER sustainable, inclusive communities and quality affordable homes for all,” according to its webpage.

The Rapid Rehousing program served 72 individuals, including 28 families according to the 2017 OCO Homeless Services Report. The Permanent Supportive Housing served 14 families 10 of which were from Fulton. Two were from Pulaski, one was from Oswego, and one was from Syracuse.

According to a 2016 report by OCO, in comparison to New York’s poverty rate of 15.7 percent, Oswego County had a poverty rate of 18.6 percent. In 2016, the county had a population of 121,183, and according to the U.S Census Bureau, the

city of Oswego had an estimated population of 17,599 that same year.

“On a single night in 2017, 553, 742 people were experiencing homelessness in the United States,” according to the HUD 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress.

The assessment reported that in New York, of the 89,503 homeless individuals, 4,555 were unsheltered. New York City makes up 76,501 of the total, leaving the rest of the state with 13,002 homeless individuals.

By requirement of HUD, OCO Homeless Services canvased Oswego County Jan. 24 to seek out homeless individuals in unsheltered areas such as under bridges and around laundromats for outreach, according to Waite.

“Because of the services that are in the

city of Oswego and Fulton, people tend to stay close to the cities,” Waite said.

Oswego County is also part of The Housing and Homeless Coalition of Central New York, which is “the organized body of informal networking and formal linkages between homeless services providers and other public and private human service providers,” according to the HHC webpage.

To assist in fundraising for homeless services, OCO will additionally be hosting a Bowl-A-Fun bowling event at Lakeview Lanes in Fulton, on April 14.

According to Waite, OCO Homeless Services are in need of substitute staff to work in the various programs.

If anyone in Oswego County is in need of emergency shelter, they can call the 24-hour crisis hotline, which is 211.

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

A5

A6 NEWS Taco Bell moves toward new location in Oswego THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

Photo Briefs

Chain failed to come to Oswego in 2016, after Dunkin' Donuts franchisees sued city

Felony Arrests

TACO BELL from COVER plaza off East Bridge Street.

The Ponderosa closed in 2014 after 30 years of business when it was unable to come to an agreement on the terms of the lease. The building has been vacant since then.

In 2016, a proposed Taco Bell, on Route 104, was stopped by a suit against the city by the owners of the Dunkin’ Donuts on nearby W. Seneca Street, Kimco Realty.

Roy Clark, co-owner of the local Dunkin’ Donuts franchise in Oswego, threatened an injunction against the project, claiming that the incoming chain’s breakfast menu, which was newly introduced at the time, would cut into the donut and coffee retailer’s sales.

Bailey Meier | The Oswegonian

On Jan. 25, University Police announced they have made two arrests relating to an investigation into a theft that had occurred in December 2017.

The two people arrested, Shawn Abbey and Jaden Gaffney, who are both 18, are accused of stealing a wallet from another student during finals week of the fall 2017 semester. The two men are also accused of attempting to deposit the money into their personal bank accounts.

The two men had a cour t date scheduled for Jan. 29, according to a UP press release, but the outcome of that trial has not been released to the public yet.

Their charges are criminal possession of stolen proper ty in the fourth degree and grand larceny in the fourth degree, both of which are

felonies. Those charges are related to the alleged theft of the wall e t . G r a nd l a rc e n y a p pl ie s w he n the value of an item is more than $1,000 or the item is a credit or debit card, regardless of the value associated with the linked accounts.

The two men are also charged with identity theft, petit larceny and attempted petit larceny, all of which are misdemeanor charges.

The charge of identity theft relates to the allegation that the two men attempted to use it to put money into their own accounts, identifying themselves as the cardholder.

The charge of petit larceny relates to theft of less expensive items, with value below $1,000, or anything that can not be used to gain access to another person’s bank or credit accounts.

Trespassers at Oswego water treatment plant

Alexander Plate | The Oswegonian

O n T h u r s d a y, a t 1 2 : 3 8 a . m . , a University Police patrol officer noticed an individual standing at the gate to the Oswego Water Treatment Plant and Lab on 6th Avenue and investigated.

6 t h Av e n u e r u n s p a r a l l e l t o Sheldon Avenue, behind Mackin Complex and up to the shoreline of Lake Ontario, on Oswego State property and city property, as one of two entrances to the main water treatment plant. It is regularly patrolled by Oswego State UP. T he o f f i c e r f o u nd t h a t , a lo ng with the male at the gate to the plant, another male and two female s w e re atte mp ting to le ave the area from behind the gate, which marks protected city property.

The individuals, based on their tracks in the snow, did not attempt to enter the water treatment facil-

ity, but were rather walking on its grounds, which is considered criminal trespassing in New York State.

The officer apprehended the four individuals and made contact with the water treatment operator, the individual in charge of the water treatment plant. The operator stated that there was “no need to press criminal charges,” against the individuals.

The Oswego Water Treatment Plant and Lab at Sheldon Avenue and 6th Avenue is responsible for providing water to the city of Oswego and the town of Scriba, with a capacity of over 16 million gallons per day, and processing water through chlorination, coagulation, filtration and fluoridation. The main source of water for the city of Oswego is Lake Ontario, which is then filtered through the treatment plant.

City officials appeared disappointed with the holdup, with Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow saying in a statement given in 2016 that it appeared that “this is simply a tactic for one fast-food company to delay the development and opening of a competitor.”

The proposed Taco Bell on Oswego’s west side was a peace offering by Hospitality Services Inc., which is the same applicant as the 2016 Taco Bell. Rather than fighting the lawsuit from Katko Realty, they opted to find a different site.

The proposal must still go before the zoning board, as well as get special permits for its drive-thru, paved parking lot and signage.

Jim Bell, city of Oswego code and

zoning director, stated that the process for getting a business into the city is as unique as the plots of land that the buildings occupy, based on water runoff, signage, and traffic among other things.

T he O s w e g o Ta c o B e l l lo c a t i o n closed over a decade ago, and the closest one in proximity is currently in Liverpool, New York.

The planning board also heard an application for a new Dunkin Donuts, put forth by ESW Realty LLC., on First Street in downtown Oswego. The resolution was tabled after residents and board officials expressed their respect for the appearance of the downtown area and desire that any new locations fit the character of the area.

Smoking committee to reboot smoking ban

Students, faculty fail to abide by ban, administration hopes to enforce it more firmly

Kassadee Paulo Asst. News Editor kpaulo@oswegonian.com Walking across the campus of Oswego State, students can see one of the college’s most apparent forms of pollution: cigarette filters.

Although the college implemented a tobacco-free and smoke-free policy in 2015, individuals have not followed it. As a result, the Clean Air Committee is planning to reboot the campaign to end tobacco use on campus, and the college is discussing plans to increase sanctions for those who violate the policy.

“Although we have implemented the policy, the adherence to the policy by members of the college community has been disappointing,” said Barbara St. Michel, chair to the committee, in an email.

It is a common sight to see students, staff and faculty alike smoking cigarettes, vaping and using other tobacco products regardless of the policy because it is self-regulated, meaning it is the responsibility of others to ask tobacco-users to stop.

“Dr. [Jerri] Howland, the dean of students, was mindful to remind me that this is not a law, University Police can’t enforce this and ultimately it’s up to us to make sure we create this culture,” said Andre Nichols, a senator in Student Association. “But it’s a pretty confrontational one. It’s not something that is easy for a lot of people.”

There are some consequences if violators are repor ted, most likely by resident assistants or Oswego State faculty. Students caught using tobacco products on campus go through the student conduct process. Faculty and staff go through human resources, according to Jerald Woolfolk, vice president of Student Affairs and Enrollment Management.

Violators will be given a warning the first time, according to the student handbook on the Oswego State webpage.

“So far, what we initially wanted to do was to create a culture where smoking would just be unacceptable o n t he c a m p u s a nd p e o pl e w o u l d abide by it just because it was policy, and we didn’t focus so much on

sanctions,” Woolfolk said.

The discussion to implement the policy started more than a year before it was enacted on Jan. 1, 2015 by the SUNY Board of Trustees, according to Woolfolk. During that year, the Clean Air Committee was formed, consisting of students, staff, faculty and administrators.

T he c o m m i t t e e c a m p a i g ne d to let tobacco users on campus know there would be a change and gave o u t re s o u rc e s re g a rd i ng s mok i ng cessation through the Walker Health Center for students and outsourcing for staff and faculty.

“We didn’t want to do it very quickly,” Woolfolk said. “We wanted people to have notice that whatever you need to do, you have a year to do it.”

As part of the student health fee for Walker Health Center, every student may receive free smoking c e s s a t ion p rod uc t s s uc h a s n ic o tine patches, gum and lozenges, according to Angela Brown, director of Walker Health Center.

“Usually we get them set up with patches and then gum or a lozenge for in between,” Brown said. “Then they come and follow up depending on how much they need every week or every two weeks, you kind of slowly start to decrease the nicotine that is kind of like weaning yourself off cigarettes.”

The main goal for the policy was “to reduce our carbon footprint and to make the campus a healthier environment,” according to Woolfolk.

In 2007, President Deborah Stanley signed the American College and University Presidents’ Climate Commitment to make Oswego State climate neutral by 2050, according to Oswego State’s website.

“When a prospective student comes to this campus who are not sure if they want to come here, and they see cigarette butts and cigarette filters littered throughout the campus, what kind of message does that send?” Nichols asked.

It takes 25 years for one cigarette filter to decompose, and during that time, several chemicals are being released into the groundwater and the grass surrounding it, according to Jamie Adams, the program coordinator for the Office of Sustainability.

“It’s gross to throw them on the g r o u n d .” A d a m s s a i d . “ I u s e d t o s moke … I neve r l e f t m y c i g a re t t e butts just laying on the ground. Even as a smoker you have to be responsible for your own litter.”

During a town hall meeting held Nov. 16, Nichols brought the policy’s effect on sustainability to the attention of Stanley and proposed the addition of cigarette filter receptacles f o r t ho s e w ho v i ol a t e t he p ol i c y.

As a response, Stanley suggested a civic engagement initiative for students to clean up the filters around campus.

“Do I think it would be smart to have a place to put them, even if it was non-specific, like there just h a p p e n e d to b e a n u n l i n e d t r a s h can that had some sand in it so it wouldn’t catch on fire, and it was not specifically for cigarette butts?

I wouldn’t be opposed,” Adams said.

Concerned with the impact of cigarette filters on the environment, Nichols said he visited different depar tments on campus to try to resolve the issue, none of which seemed to be of any help, he claimed. Taking matters in his own hands, he plans to propose a student-run operation to clean up the littered cigarette filters around campus next semester.

Nichols also said some of his constituents have expressed to him their concerns about if students are being punished more than faculty and staff.

“We are a union environment so employees have certain rights that are provided by the union,” Woolfolk said.

After the State University of New Yo rk a s a w hol e t r i e d to p u s h a l l campuses to go tobacco-free, they received some backlash by a number of unions, according to St. Michel.

Nichols said he would like to lobby state legislature to make SUNY and City University of New York smoke-free and tobacco-free because it is already prohibited to smoke on other state property such as state parks.

“As far as I’m concerned, we need to foster an environment where we can perhaps enforce the policy, but still be respectful to the personal choices that people make,” Nichols said.

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian Cigarettes and e-cigarettes can expose nearby non-smokers to nicotine and harmful chemicals. Smoking is banned on most state property for this reason.

OPINION PUPPY BOWL REMINDER

B5 Cortney Martin via flickr

VOLUME LXXXVII ISSUE XVVIII • www.oswegonian.com

Beat Writer’s Column: Seniors starring for women’s hockey

SPORTS THE OSWEGONIAN

SPORTS PELNIK RISING

B3 Greg Tavani | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

B1

Women’s hockey captain eclipses 100 points

Senior Olivia Ellis reaches historic accolade at tail end of her career

Ben Grieco Copy Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com

The Oswego State women’s ice hockey program has seen a strong class of players come into the system, but they are also about to see that same class play their final game as Lakers by the middle of March.

Olivia Ellis, who recently scored the 100th point of her career, is the Lakers’ all-time point-getter in program history. She has led scoring every year since her freshman season in 2014-2015. She has been a strong leader for the team, being named captain her senior year and an alternate captain her junior year.

Mariah Madrigal has been the primary goaltender for the last two seasons but has had strong outings in all four of her seasons at Oswego State. Despite being injured for the middle portion this season, she has been a driving force in some of the wins this season, including an exceptional 23-save performance in the tie against Plattsburgh State on Feb. 3.

Andrea Noss, a pure faceoff specialist, has given the Lakers numerous advantages throughout her seasons, especially on the power play. As of Feb. 7, Noss has a .623 faceoff win percentage, with a career total of 1,012 wins out of 1,625 attempts since her freshman season (of games that recorded faceoff stats and games she actually had faceoff attempts). A dominant faceoff specialist gives a team opportunities in the offensive zone, which Noss has done a lot of at Oswego State.

Victoria Blake, who is “a tough kid,” according to head coach Diane Dillon, has been a physical player in the defensive zone for the Lakers.

She has eight blocked shots and taken 13 minor penalties, resulting in 26 penalty minutes. She also has a strong slapshot, which helped the Lakers come away with a tie against No. 1/2 Plattsburgh State.

But the underclassmen are giving the Lakers hope in the next couple of seasons after strong performances in their freshman and sophomore years. Three of the top five scorers for Oswego State are underclassmen.

Freshman Emma Morisette, who was recently named NEWHL rookie of the week, has proven to be a fast skater and a strong shooter.

She leads all freshman with five goals. She is also taking after Noss with her faceoff skills apparent throughout her season. She appears to be a primed key player in her career at Oswego State.

Sophomore Kate Randazzo is taking after both Ellis and Blake with her play. From Ellis, she has taken leadership, being named an alternate captain this season, and the ability to see the open player, leading the team with 13 assists. From Blake, she learned the physical side of the game with 18 penalty minutes and a team-leading 12 blocked shots.

Amber Samonek, the sophomore backup goaltender who will most likely take the reigns after Madrigal graduates, had a good outing while Madrigal was injured this season.

She had a .907 save percentage during that time, as well as a 2.38 goals against average. She is a very active and collected goaltender, something Dillon has gotten out of all of her goaltenders as of late.

The future of the Lakers looks bright, despite losing the senior class. The underclassmen, as well as potential future recruits could bring more success to Oswego State in upcoming years.

Ryan Zalduondo | The Oswegonian

Ben Grieco Copy Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com Senior Olivia Ellis surpassed another milestone in her career at Oswego State, becoming the first player to score 100 career points in program history. She accomplished the feat with her second assist of the night against Plattsburgh State on Feb. 3.

She has almost 40 points more than Melissa Seamount, who sits in second place with 63 points. Seamount graduated in 2014, the spring before Ellis began her freshman season with the Lakers.

“It’s always a great thing when you can have a player who can be successful to that degree,” Dillon said.

“It shows steady progress through her career, that she’s gotten better every year. She’s been somebody to reckon

with every single season from the minute she stepped on this campus.

I think it’s wonderful. I’m thrilled for her.”

Ellis, who is originally from Ontario, Canada, was sent to Wilcox, Saskatchewan, Canada, by her parents at just 15 years old to continue her hockey career before coming to Oswego State. Wilcox, a town of less than 500 people, is known for its school, the Athol Murray College of Notre Dame, and its prestigious hockey program, the Notre Dame Hounds.

Under the helm of coach Janice Rumpel, Ellis played one year in the Junior Women’s Hockey League for the Hounds during the 2013-2014 season. According to Rumpel, she had high potential at a young age.

“She’s not only a good hockey player, but a good person,” Rumpel said. “She’s works hard in school, works hard on the ice and works hard

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian With more than 100 career points Ellis (15), can be considered the best player in Laker women’s hockey.

off the ice. That’s the reason why she’s where she is.”

As a Hound, Ellis had 26 points in her lone season, good enough for fourth best that year. But she was on an extremely strong team. She was well behind Jaycee Gebhard, who had 63 points and now plays at Robert Morris University.

Ellis was heavily sought after by Dillon before coming to Oswego State.

Dillon and the rest of her coaching staff traveled to Ontario to visit Ellis and her family. According to Dillon, a person that really stood out to her was Ellis’s grandfather. He told Dillon a lot about Ellis as a young child.

“We led a full-fledged effort to encourage her to go to Oswego State.

We basically stalked the kid,” Dillon said. “Olivia was one of those players we pursued for a long time. We got her on campus, and she fell in love with it.”

A big part that pushed Ellis to come to Oswego was the proximity to her family. Compared to the 26 hours from Ontario to Wilcox, it was a 2 1/2 hour drive to Oswego from her home.

“The campus is amazing, the rink is just beautiful, and the team atmosphere is really good,” Ellis said.

“I thought if something happened, and I couldn’t play hockey, I could still go to school here.”

Ellis had a lot of potential coming into her freshman season, according to Dillon. As a freshman, she was also given a little more free reign compared to others after seeing what she could do in practice. Dillon said she would challenge a lot of the upperclassmen during practices.

“I knew she had the potential to be a captain, and anytime you can recruit a captain, it makes a big difference,” Dillon said. “Knowing that was potentially in her future, it not only helps her but the program as well.”

Ellis has led the team in points every year during her time at Oswego State, ultimately leading to her 100th career point as a Laker. She also has

the most career goals and assists, pacing more than one point per game in her career. Dillon said she has a sense of competitiveness that has led to her success in college.

“She’s one of the hardest working kids in practice,” Dillon said. “She rarely takes a shift off. We have her playing in all kinds of situations because she’s earned it.”

Ellis also had some pretty big moments this season, some of which have been noticed by ESPN hockey personality John Buccigross on Twitter. He has tweeted a couple of the highlights that were sent out by the Oswego Athletics account.

“I think it’s pretty cool to get our program out there and get [Div. III] women’s ice hockey retweeted by such a big supporter of the ice hockey field,” Ellis said.

Now, the end of the regular season is rolling around for Ellis and the Lakers with four conference matchups left before the potential Northeast Women’s Hockey League playoffs, which begin in late February.

The Lakers face SUNY Cortland on Feb. 9 and 10, and then play SUNY Potsdam on Feb. 16 and 17 to close out the regular season. The second game against the Bears is senior day for the Lakers. Oswego State is the only team in the conference that has four NEWHL games left.

“We can’t play down to their level now that our team sees we can play with the No. 1 team in the nation,” Ellis said. “We’ve just got to bring that mentality into practice and into the game everyday.”

Ellis and the other six seniors have less than a month left in their Laker career, with the potential NEWHL championship game happening on March 3.

“It’s starting to dawn on them [that they only have a month left],” Dillon said. “I want Olivia to finish on a strong note. I want her to enjoy her last four regular season games. I want her to be successful and enjoy the last run.”

Shore Report

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

SUNYAC Standings

Oswego Scoreboard

Women's Hockey

Men's Hockey

Overall

Oswego State - x

16-3-2

11-0-1

23

Geneseo - x Buffalo State - x Brockport

15-4-3

8-2-3

19

15-5-3

8-3-3

19

2

11-10-1

5-7-1

11

OSW:

Ellis: 1 goal, 1 assist Madrigal: 23 saves

9-9-3

5-7-0

10

11-10-0

5-7-0

PLA:

10

Kiraly: 2 assists Moriarty: 1 goal Wolejko: 19 saves

8-9-4

4-7-1

9

8-12-1

3-8-1

7

6-14-3

3-11-0

6

Fredonia Plattsburgh Potsdam Cortland Morrisville

Men's Basketball Plattsburgh - 1 Brockport - x Cortland - x Geneseo Oneonta Oswego State Potsdam New Paltz Buffalo State Fredonia - e

Geneseo - x Cortland - x New Paltz - x Oneonta - x Brockport Fredonia Buffalo State Plattsburgh Oswego State Potsdam - e

(NEWHL)

Conference

Streak

17-4 15-6 15-6 12-9 11-10 10-11

14-1 10-4 10-4 9-5 7-7 7-7 5-10 4-10 4-11 2-13 Conference

W14 L1

19-2

14-0 10-4

13-8 14-7 15-6 10-11 8-14 8-13 7-15

Women's Hockey

7-14 1-20 Overall

Plattsburgh - x Buffalo State - x Oswego State Potsdam Cortland

Points

Overall

10-12 7-14 8-13 4-17 Overall

Women's Basketball

Conference

Saturday, Feb. 3

Saturday, Feb. 3

68 OSW: POT:

L3 W3 L4

10-4 10-4

W4

8-6

L1

6-9 5-10 5-10

L3

Saturday, Feb. 3 @

0

23

13-8-2

9-4-1

19

8-11-2

4-7-1

9

10-8-2

3-7-2

8

7-12-2

2-11-1

5

POT: (8-9-4, 4-7-1) PLA: (11-10-0, 5-7-0)

1

CAN: (6-15-2, N/A) GEN: (15-4-3, 8-2-3)

1.49:

David Richer's 1.49 goals against average leads the nation for NCAA Div. III. T.J. Black of St. Norbert College trails Richer with a 1.52. The sophomore has two shutouts on the season, after the 5-0 victory over SUNY Fredonia on Feb. 3. He made 36 saves in the performance. He currently sits at an 11-1-2 record on the season, with a 7-0-1 conference record. In conference, he has a 1.11 goals against average.

POT:

Hansen: 8 points Dufrane: 7 points, 2 rebounds Marcellus: 4 points, 3 assists

Men's Hockey Saturday, Feb. 3

5

0 Zizek: 2 goals Herligey: 4 assists Richer: 36 saves

Kane: 17 points, 3 assists Langley: 15 points, 5 rebounds Baksh: 10 points

FSU:

Valentine: 7 shots Rosen: 31 saves

Men's Basketball Friday, Feb. 9 @ 7:00 p.m.

GEN: (15-4-3, 8-2-3) OSW: (16-3-2, 11-0-1)

BUF: (10-11, 7-7) OSW: (8-13, 4-11)

Women's Hockey

Women's Basketball

@

@

Saturday, Feb. 10

Saturday, Feb. 10

7:00 p.m.

2:00 p.m.

COR: (8-11-2, 4-7-1) OSW: (7-12-2, 2-11-1)

FRE: (8-14, 6-9) OSW: (7-14, 4-10)

Laker Athletes of the Week

David Richer

Saturday, Feb. 3 @

7

Windhausen: 19 points Ameele: 15 points, 6 rebounds

7:00 p.m.

Men's Hockey

@

1

OSW:

Points

11-0-1

Saturday, Feb. 3

32

@

W2 L19

17-2-2

Men's Hockey

49

OSW:

Friday, Feb. 9

Around the SUNYAC

Men's Hockey

Saturday, Feb. 3

Pierre: 19 points, 9 rebounds Gartland: 16 points

Men's Hockey

L4 L2

0-15 Conference

62

Women's Basketball

Upcoming Matches

W1 L1 W1 W2 L1 Streak W2 W4

2

Men's Basketball

W4

4-10

B2

3

5

MOR: (6-14-3, 3-11-0) BPT: (11-10-0, 5-7-1)

10:

The Oswego State men's swimming and diving team has gone perfect in their regular season, with 10 wins and no losses. To seal the deal, the Lakers had a commanding 152-94 victory over SUNY Potsdam. Daniel Rodriguez, who was named the SUNYAC swimmer of the week, was a part of four of the victories during the meet.

This is the first time the feat has been accomplished by the team.

Courtney Ameele

Men's Hockey Sophomore | Mirabel, Quebec

Women's Basketball Senior | Palmyra

Richer continued his dominating per formance this past weekend on Feb. 2 and 3, allowing only one goal between the two games. On Friday against Buffalo State, the sophomore had a .930 save percentage, making 14 saves. During the latter game against SUNY Fredonia, Richer made a careerbest 36-save performance for his second shutout this season.The Mirabel, Quebec, native leads the nation for goals against average in NCAA Div. III with 1.49.

In the 67-55 victory over Plattsburgh State, Ameel became the 10th Laker to join the 1,000-point club. She had a career-high 33 points in the win, along with 13 rebounds for her first career doubledouble. Ameele also leads the SUNYAC in total points, with 303. During the Saturday matinee game against SUNY Potsdam, she added 15 more points to her career total. She had a .500 shooting percentage in the latter. The Palmyra native was also named the SUNYAC women's basketball athlete of the week.

In Super Bowl LII, the Philadelphia Eagles won their first Lombardi Trophy on Sunday, defeating the New England Patriots 41-33. Eagles quarterback Nick Foles was named Super Bowl MVP as he threw for 373 yards and threw four touchdowns, three passing and one receiving. A late touchdown pass to Eagles tight end Zach Ertz and a 46yard field goal by Jake Elliot with 1:05 remaining propelled the Eagles to victory.

Olivia Ellis of the Oswego State women's hockey team scored the 100th point of her career as a Laker. Her 100th point came from her second assist of the game against Plattsburgh State on Feb. 3, the 61st assist of her career, which is also atop the records in program history. She is the first player in program history to hit the triple-digit mark. Ellis leads the team with 18 points, with a teamleading seven goals.

LII:

100:

SPORTS

SPORTS

Each week, The Oswegonian Sports beat writers give you their thoughts on each team's upcoming weekend schedule.

FRIDAY, September 10, 2010

Pelnik improving during second season Former prized recruit beginning to find success with Lakers

Men's Hockey Weekend

Greg Tavani | The Oswegonian Pelnik (5) scored his first collegiate goal on Feb. 2 against Buffalo State in a 4-1 victory for the Lakers. He has two points on the season after an assist on Jan. 6.

Michael Reilly Circulation Director mreilly@oswegonian.com Consistency and improvement are two key qualities that Oswego State men’s hockey head coach Ed Gosek and his staff look for in their players. Sophomore defenseman Charlie Pelnik is one of the many that fits that mold. “[Pelnik] has improved on his one-on-ones. He’s improved on his gap,” Gosek said. “He’s improved on his awareness. He is getting more consistent.”

The Cary, North Carolina, native has been working to achieve certain goals not just by himself but also by the coaching staff.

“We look for consistency, consistent, consistent, consistent,” Gosek said. “Defend and distribute the puck.”

Due to the large number of upperclassmen on the team the past two seasons, Pelnik did not see much playing time. However, with a couple players down due to injury, Pelnik was able to get his chance to step up and get some ice time.

“It’s a big opportunity for all of us. We don’t really have a choice,” Pelnik said. “You know, you hate to see guys go and get hurt, but it’s

a good opportunity to rise to the occasion and get some playing time and experience and kind of get better from there.”

Gosek praised the sophomore’s improvement, mentioning his attitude going against his teammates in practice as a key factor.

“Every day in practice, [Pelnik] goes against our forwards,” Gosek said.

“They’re solid forwards, and when you have to defend against them, whether it’s someone like a [Joey] Scorpio, [A.J.] D’Orazio, or [Michael] Gillespie - small guys with quickness that can change gears and change directions on you in a hurry - it makes you better. As [the coaching staff] says, over the course of the year, [players] have a chance through our practices to make yourself better. [Pelnik] has done that and now the bell has rung for him.”

Pelnik’s expectations moving forward are not only for the team, but also himself. He said he is concentrating his focus on the former.

“I mean, it’s all team-based right now,” Pelnik said. “One game at a time, do what we can to get the [win], and move forward from there.”

Before coming to Oswego State, Pelnik some spent time playing for various teams in a few highly touted junior leagues known as the United

States Hockey League, the British Columbia Hockey League and the Eastern Hockey League.

When it came to playing hockey for Oswego State, Pelnik was impressed with every aspect and felt the team was impressed with him as well.

“Coach Gosek, Digby and Whitelaw are all good coaches, and their recruiting process was really good, and when I came [to Oswego State] and visited, I felt really welcomed,” Pelnik said. “I like the tradition of Oswego [State] hockey and the school, and I knew right away it was good fit for me.”

From the coaching side, Gosek seemed to be impressed with every aspect of Pelnik’s game both on and off the ice, right from the get-go.

“We started following [Pelnik], and we liked certain things that we saw and we liked his personality a lot when he visited,” Gosek said “We thought he was a very respectful young man. He works at the academic part. Guys like him. He’s a good teammate and he’s handled the whole situation well.”

Gosek, Pelnik and the rest of the Oswego Lakers men’s hockey team look to extend their current fourgame winning streak this weekend as they take on SUNY Geneseo at home on Friday and the College at Brockport on the road on Saturday.

Men's hockey closing in on clinching first seed

SUNYAC landscape clearing up as regular season comes to end Cole Parzych Editor-in-Chief cparzych@oswegonian.com Whiteout Weekend is one week away, but it could be argued that these two contests on this weekend’s schedule are more important. The stakes are high in the battle for the first seed in the SUNYAC playoff picture. Oswego State is in the driver’s seat to capture home ice throughout the SUNYACs with two games in hand over Buffalo State and one over SUNY Geneseo.

Friday night’s contest at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena against SUNY Geneseo should be a fast-paced affair again. Oswego State was able to adjust to the team speed of the Ice Knights, who appears to be the quickest team in the conference. The Lakers were able to salvage a point on the road after a shaky start from David Richer. With Richer hitting his stride, holding the third best save rate in the nation (.938), Oswego State should be in good hands with Richer in the blue paint this time around. Richer has allowed just one goal over his last nine periods and will need to be just as consistent with the playoffs right around the corner.

Oswego State also shut out the College at Brockport on Dec. 2 for its fourth SUNYAC victory. Sophomore Cedric Hansen was in net for that contest, and he could see the net again if Richer does not have to face too many shots the night before.

Each week, The Oswegonian Sports beat writers give you their thoughts on each team's upcoming weekend schedule.

Luke Scoville Sports Editor lscoville@oswegonian.com

With two wins and four more conference points last weekend, the No. 4/4 Oswego State men's hockey team continued their unbeaten ways in the SUNYAC. Looking forward to this weekend, the Lakers will be aiming to knock off No. 7/7 SUNY Geneseo at home before heading off to The College at Brockport to take on the Golden Eagles. SUNY Geneseo is responsible for the only blemish on the Lakers' 110-1 conference record, coming from a 1-1 tie at the Ira S. Wilson Ice Arena on Dec. 1. The Lakers will be extra motivated to win this game because it will clinch them a SUNYAC regular season title and a home ice advantage throughout the SUNYAC playoffs. Oswego State will pick up the victory over the Ice Knights and clinch the conference. As a result of this, expect to see Oswego State tinker with the lineup against the College at Brockport and try to get lesser-used players some experience in conference games. Because of this, the Golden Eagles are in prime position to steal a game on home ice and better their position to sneak into the conference playoffs to try to make some noise with a victory over the No. 4/4 team in the country.

The No. 4 Oswego State Lakers are coming off an impressive couple of games this past weekend. First, the Lakers dominated Buffalo State 4-1 on the road, then traveled to Fredonia and defeated them 5-0 the next night. Last week may have been easy for the Lakers, but this week's first matchup will not be. The Lakers will host the No. 7 SUNY Geneseo Knights at the Marano Campus Center Friday night. The Knights come into this matchup after dominating Canton in two matchups last weekend, putting up seven goals in each game. It will be the Lakers' toughest test to date, but they should prevail at home and climb in the rankings. To follow it up, the Lakers will hit the road and visit the Golden Eagles of the College at Brockport for another conference matchup that will provide the Oswego State Lakers another opportunity to clinch the SUNYAC conference. It is a matchup they appear to be capable of winning and capturing themselves the regular season title.

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Men's Basketball Weekend

Ryan Zalduondo Asst. Sports Editor rzalduondo@oswegonian.com

Joe Porpora Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com

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THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

Ryan Zalduondo Asst. Sports Editor rzalduon@oswegonian.com With just two weekends remaining in the SUNYAC men’s hockey regular season schedule, the Oswego State Lakers are in prime position to lock up the No. 1 seed for the upcoming playoffs and secure their second consecutive SUNYAC regular season title.

Each SUNYAC team plays a 16game conference schedule and has played a different amount of games heading into the final stretch.

The top three teams, No. 4/4 Oswego State, No. 7/7 SUNY Geneseo and No. 13/Unranked Buffalo State, have played 12, 14 and 13 games, respectively. Looking at the matchups on the slate for the weekend of Feb. 9 and 10, there are various scenarios that could play out based on the results.

Oswego State and SUNY Geneseo will square off at the Marano Campus Center Ice Arena on Feb. 9, and the final score can have a major impact on home ice in the SUNYAC playoffs.

If the Lakers are able to knock off the Ice Knights, Oswego State will clinch the No. 4 seed. As it currently stands, the Lakers can finish with as many as 31 points by the end of the season and will need 26 to clinch the top seed.

Despite the likelihood that Oswego State finishes with the top seed, Lakers head coach Ed Gosek expressed his desire for his team to take it one game at a time and just win, with all the extra accolades being part of the process.

“The bottom line is that this time of year, you need to take care of your own business,” Gosek said. “You try not to focus on the rankings or the league, but focus on playing your best hockey.”

The Ice Knights can only finish with 25 points if they win out, so they will need to win against Oswego State in order to have any chance to have home ice in the playoffs.

SUNY Geneseo’s road to the top seed will need to see them win their remaining conference slate and have Oswego State win just one of their final four games, so they will own a tiebreaker with a 1-0-1 record against the Lakers.

For Buffalo State to attain the top seed, they will need plenty to play out in their favor. The Bengals will need to win out, SUNY Geneseo will need to beat Oswego State, and the Lakers will need to lose out.

For SUNY Geneseo and Buffalo State, they are locked into top three seeds, so they are battling to get a first round bye. Whoever finishes third between the Lakers, Ice Knights and Bengals will have to host a playoff game during the week

of Feb. 19 against the sixth-place team in the conference.

The bottom three playoff seeds are much more complicated, with just two points separating the four teams vying for the final three spots in the playoffs.

The College at Brockport is fourth in the conference with 11 points, SUNY Fredonia and Plattsburgh State are tied for fifth place, and SUNY Potsdam sits in seventh with nine points.

Each of these teams and SUNY Cortland, who sits in eighth place with seven points, has a chance to step up and claim the final

Oswego State men’s basketball has a big weekend ahead of them as they need to manufacture a string of wins heading into the SUNYAC Championships.

One of their best weekends of the season took place when they played Buffalo State and SUNY Fredonia on the road and beat both teams convincingly on Dec. 8 and 9.

One of the biggest disappointments this season in SUNYAC has been Buffalo State, who I predicted to finish second in the conference standings. This season, they are only 4-11 in SUNYAC, but have won two straight contests.

Jamir Ferebee is expected to be 100 percent this weekend. He scored 35 points last time against the Bengals, and I expect him to show up big once again for a 20plus point effort.

Lakers win this one 82-74.

The next day, Oswego State will take on SUNY Fredonia, who have also struggled this season, as expected. They were the first team to be eliminated from postseason contention with a 2-13 conference record.

The Lakers' balance of scoring and improving defense gives the Blue Devils a slim look of winning this. Leone will likely utilize the low-post tandem of Tyler Pierre and Josh Ivey to set up the perimeter players.

The deep balance of scoring of the Lakers makes it harder to predict who will shine in contests nowadays. One way or another, Oswego State beats SUNY Fredonia 75-60.

Women'sHockeyvs.SUNYCortland

Ben Grieco Copy Editor bgrieco@oswegonian.com

The Oswego State women’s ice hockey program had an exciting weekend. After a 6-2 defeat at the hands of the Plattsburgh State Cardinals, the Lakers came back in the Saturday matinee and tied the No. 1/2 Cardinals 2-2 after 65 minutes of play, and also ruined the Cardinals’ perfect conference record.

Olivia Ellis was able to notch her 100th career point at Oswego State, tallying two assists. Ellis is the first player in program history to hit the 100-point mark. The next closest player is Melissa Seamount, a 2014 graduate, who has 63 points.

Ellis and the Lakers will be riding the momentum from a top-quality game on Saturday into the rest of the regular season, where they have two games each against SUNY Potsdam and SUNY Cortland.

This weekend, the Lakers take on the Red Dragons, currently the only team that will be left out of the NEWHL playoffs. The Bears will be squaring off against the Cardinals. Oswego State must take advantage of this weekend to gain some leeway on the conference heading into the playoffs. Buffalo State is the only team without a conference matchup this weekend.

Currently, Oswego State holds the No. 3 seed with nine points and lead SUNY Potsdam by one point. The Lakers are trailing the No. 2 Bengals by 10 points. If the standings remain the same, Oswego State will be heading to Buffalo for the NEWHL semifinals to recharge the storied rivalry from the past couple seasons. three spots, as they all have four conference games left to play, except The College at Brockport, who has three games remaining.

With the exception of the top and bottom spots, which are all but clinched by Oswego State and Morrisville State, respectively, there are many different combinations of results that could play out heading into the SUNYAC playoffs.

Ryan Zalduondo | The Oswegonian

SPORTS B4 Track & field teams continue Men’s basketball closing in on end of regular season THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

successful winter season Matt Watling Staff Writer sports@oswegonian.com One year after hiring Evan Magnussen to coach the Lakers’ cross-country program, Oswego State added interim track and field coach to his set of responsibilities. He has worked closely with senior Colin Greenseich and junior Dylan McCarthy, both setting personal and program records this past crosscountry season.

Despite the additional role, Magnussen is not worried.

“The main difference is the number of things going on,” Magnussen said.

“The distance group is the same kids from cross-country, so that was going to carry over. Adding the sprints, jumps, and throws on top of that, [something I’ve done] in the past, it’s really not anything unmanageable.”

A big help in the transition to the several events of track and field are his two assistant coaches, Curtis Merrick and Tyler Morris.

“Even when they are not on campus, over the winter, summer and spring break, [the distance runners] are always training, so that never changes,” Magnussen said.

“For the sprints, jumps, hurdles and throws, we tend to break up practice so I get to spend time with each group individually during their main set of their workout. During warm-ups, the assistants take control.”

With that plan, Magnussen’s track and field program has seen some improvement. As for the women’s side, sophomore jumper Tylea McCarthyWalker has improved meet after meet. At the first meet on Dec. 2, she had a 10.91m triple jump. Last week, her triple jump was 11.04m, good for first place at the RIT February Invitational. Her long jump distance that same day was 5.47m, which earned her second place.

McCarthy-Walker said it felt a little

different because her teammates were up there with her.

“I know my [teammate] Sarah [Yensan] actually had the record at the same meet, and I was just really hyped for her,” she said. “Another one of my friends was winning the meet, and I was [excited] for her. So, I think I just get hyped for my teammates.”

The excitement McCarthy-Walker alluded to is infectious, considering how competitive track and field can be.

“It is a good competition because if we challenge each other, we all get better,” McCarthy-Walker said.

Greenseich is one of the many on this roster that understands how important that friendly competition can be. In the first two meets this season, he finished third in the 5,000m and set a personal record for the 3,000m with a time of 8:54.23.

For the senior, the only place to go is up as he continues to improve meet after meet.

“I am hoping to run a personal record for indoor [track] in the 14:40s or 14:30s, but that would be a stretch,” Greenseich said.

“I have been seeing a lot of progression in training and races, so I am hoping this weekend in Boston will be a good morale booster.”

His current best time in the 8,000m is 15:13.69, so shaving off over half a minute may be tough, but Greenseich has time to get there. With consistent training, anything is possible, as Magnussen’s athletes improve nearly every race.

“We have made consistent improvements over every meet we have been to,” Magnussen said. “We have 56 of our 60 people set [personal records], and those four who haven’t are matching their PRs and just not breaking that barrier.”

The stat is a testament to the work ethic every athlete on the roster has brought to the table. If Oswego State’s track and field athletes can continue to improve week after week and season after season, they will be set up for some tremendous success in the near future.

Ryan Zalduondo | The Oswegonian

Team holds final SUNYAC playoff spot with 4 games left in season

Austin Dearborn | The Oswegonian The Oswego State men’s basketball are the defending SUNYAC champions and are fighting for an opportunity to make the playoffs and repeat.

Luke Scoville Sports Editor lscoville@oswegonian.com Oswego State men’s basketball have had a roller coaster of a season full of winning streaks, losing streaks, long consecutive road trips and losing multiple players from their day-one roster.

Yet, with classes in full swing, the Lakers still sit in the final SUNYAC playoff spot, up two and a half games with their four remaining contests of the regular season at home.

“We’re through the stage of the season where we’re through all the psychological warfare that coaches go through with their players,” head coach Jason Leone said. “Guys unhappy about their role, all the emotions of being here over break. Now we’re playing for something to look forward to with postseason around the corner.”

The Lakers’ magic number to officially clinch a playoff spot would be two wins in the remaining four games. A SUNYAC playoff berth for the 16th straight season is the goal, but Lakers hope to make a bigger push than just the sixth seed.

“Now that we all but clinched a playoff spot, now it’s about jockeying for position,” Leone said. “So, this is kind of the ‘very fun’ part of the season. I wouldn’t say it is comfortable, but it’s definitely something the guys look forward to when I think of being able to play in front of our home fans, and being here is certainly an advantage.”

It has been hard to tell which direction this Lakers team is heading. They

are just 3-3 in the last six conference matchups, but three of those losses were on the road against top teams like SUNY Cortland, the College at Brockport and Plattsburgh State. Halftime leads against the Golden Eagles and the Cardinals were surrendered, as they have struggled to close out games at times this season.

On Feb. 2, up north at Plattsburgh State, the Lakers held a 38-35 lead at the half. Lakers senior guard Ian Schupp had 15 points at the break and Plattsburgh State star player Johnathon Patron was in foul trouble having only played nine minutes that half.

“Plattsburgh [State] is a top-25 team,” Leone said. “When you make mistakes not running the floor, not communicating - we just got away from things that got us the lead.”

Leone also noted without taking credit away from Plattsburgh State about how short-handed the Lakers were over the weekend. Senior guard and leading scorer Jamir Ferebee was out of practice all of last week with the flu and played only 12 minutes. Freshman starting point guard Liam Sanborn has also been shaken up playing with a pinched nerve in his back.

Plattsburgh State went on to win their 14th straight SUNYAC game on Sunday over SUNY Cortland and officially clinched home court for the SUNYAC Championships. The possibility of seeing them again down the road is something Leone will keep in mind.

“If we see [Plattsburgh State] again, we got to get at Patron,” Leone said. “We got to try to get him out of the game. He is by

far in a way the biggest difference maker in this conference. He’s 25 years old. He’s a man.”

One of the crucial wins of the season came the next day on Feb. 3 when the Lakers took on SUNY Potsdam. Perhaps the loss to Plattsburgh State hung over a bit, as Oswego State faced a 35-26 halftime deficit to the Bears.

Staying confident in the locker room, the Lakers opened the second half on a 16-0 run and did not look back, winning the game 68-62 behind Tyler Pierre’s 19 points and nine rebounds.

“I knew my matchup was a little weak defensively,” Pierre said. “Coach told me to go after him. I know I didn’t have a good game Friday night, so I wanted to come out strong.”

Next in sight for the Lakers this weekend is SUNY Fredonia and Buffalo State. When playing them out west back to back in December, the Lakers defeated both opponents due in large part to the stellar play of Ferebee that weekend. He scored 35 points against Buffalo State and another 30 points the next day against SUNY Fredonia.

“Just got to be aggressive again,” said Ferebee on playing those opponents.

“Stay confident. Just staying confident.”

A little over two years ago, after having a similar SUNYAC season, it was the Buffalo State and SUNY Fredonia weekend at home where the Lakers turned the whole season around with a pair of victories that led to six straight wins.

This team has been looking to break through all season and now may be the best time to do so.

Campus Recreation Report: Spring starts up Broomball, basketball continue; soccer, handball, volleyball begin next Morgan Meaney Contributing Writer sports@oswegonian.com Week two of intramurals brought its share of excitement as teams continue to prove themselves in both the basketball league and broomball tournament.

Additionally, we saw the beginning of the indoor soccer league. Broomball started its second week of play with exciting games in the men’s 8-on-8 competitive broomball full ice tournament. In a close game, the Roll Tide Pods took its second victory of the season with a win over Stop N’ Dump with a final score of 1-0. In the corec broomball tournament, Church Group Getting Holy swept MUDBEAST. NET by a score of 3-0, leaving MUDBEAST. NET with their first loss of the season.

In the basketball tournament, the SAE LIONS captured its first victory of the season over Big Baller Brand in a wellfought game. In the second Wednesday night game, We Shoot 3s overtook NY Ballers, with We Shoot 3s shutting the game down in only half the time played The final game of Wednesday pitted Team Recklexx against Scrambled Legz.

In the most exciting game of the night with the biggest crowd, Team Recklexx walked away with the victory in a final score of 42-39.

On Thursday night, we saw three even more exciting games back to back.

In the first game of the night, the Faikeys overtook Kappa Sigma in a final score of 51-43, handing the Faikeys its first victory of the season. In the second game, Snipers Everywhere took on United Nations, as the Snipers left United Nations devastated in a nailbiter of a game with a final score of 56-53. With the score exactly the same, Shooters Shoot defeated the Muff Divers

Ryan Zalduondo | The Oswegonian

in the final game of the night.

The tables, were turned, however, in the third week as teams who captured victories in week two were defeated.

Snipers Everywhere defeated SAE LIONS with a final score of 60-50. Similarly, Team Recklexx fought hard but did not come out on top in a game separated by one point to Triumphant Vainly (47-46).

In the final game of the week, Tigers in the Jungle continued their winning streak against the bartons with a final score of 67-43.

As we come to the close of our week, we saw the beginnings of the soccer league. Soccer kicked off with five games in the first night, making it a very busy but exciting evening. Neverton took the first victory of the night against Boonk Squad

by a final score of 13-3. Following the first game came a matchup between Rooney Toons and Kick My Balls, which was hard fought by both squads and ended in a tie.

ChurchGroup PutinBallAway and Super Strikers saw a close game by a final score of 3-1, with ChurchGroup PutInBallAway coming away with their first victory of the season. Finally, Wanderers FC saw their first victory of the season against Deadly Daga with a finishing score of 5-1.

If these games prove anything, it is that we have some real talent on these soccer teams and it is looking to be quite an exciting season.

In the coming weeks, we see the beginnings of handball, volleyball and many others. It looks to be a very exciting semester here at Campus Rec.

Dillon Emory Men’s Competitive Basketball Dillon Emory captured the title of Player of the Week by leading his team, We Shoot 3s, to a shutout victory last week and scoring eight 3-pointers throughout the game. In addition to the eight 3-pointers, he scored about six other points and made 13 assists. If this first game was any indication, We Shoot 3s is a force to be reckoned with in the men’s competitive tournament, and we cannot wait to see what they do this season.

Puppy Bowl XIV highlights importance of pet adoption

OPINION

THE OSWEGONIAN FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

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Oswego tries drive-thru economics City needs new fast-food chain like Taco Bell needs breakfast menu Derek Smith Opinion Editor opinion@oswegonian.com

Photo provided by jeffreyw via flickr Pet adoption is a wise choice considering animal shelters can become overcrowded and under-funded.

Girard Bailey Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com Every year, a major sporting event takes place either on the last Sunday of January or first Sunday of February. That tradition continued this past weekend. It was not the Super Bowl, but rather the Puppy Bowl.

This past Sunday marked the Puppy Bowl XIV. Since 2005, the TV channel Animal Planet, along with the ASPCA and several animal shelters, have held a program every year before the Super Bowl in which a few dozen puppies (along with some appearances by other animals) run around in a vague approximation of a mock football game.

There are noticeable differences between the two sporting events, of course. Unlike the heavily commercialized Super Bowl, the Puppy Bowl is a nonprofit event meant to serve a good cause. Every puppy that appears on the program is available to be adopted. The program is actually filmed ahead of time in October, meaning that some of the puppies appearing may already have been adopted. Still, there are not only the remaining puppies, but it also serves to raise awareness of adoptable animals. Just as the Puppy Bowl is now aired every year before the Super Bowl, other programs, such as the Kitten Bowl V, now air every year before the Puppy Bowl.

These efforts to raise awareness about adoptable animals are necessary. Many people are unaware of the critical differences between adopting pets and buying them from pet stores. Animals living in shelters consist of strays, as well as animals

that were abandoned, surrendered or seized from indifferent or even cruel owners. What people may not know is that some of those puppies are seized from the very breeders that produce the puppies found in pet stores.

Some pet stores do sell shelter animals.

However, many also sell puppies that come from breeding mills. Puppy mills are cruel; the dogs are isolated from each other, including their families, and kept in cramped cages. They also receive inadequate nourishment and little veterinary treatment. Combined with a number of hereditary conditions, these “pure-breeds” suffer from awful health conditions and shorter life spans then the mixed-breeds found in shelters. Puppies that are obviously sickly or do not sell are left to die, not euthanized, but shot or left to starve. It is easy to feel for these puppies and want to buy them, but doing so only serves to benefit the mills that want nothing but profit.

Even purchasing other pet supplies from pet stores can fund these mills. It is better to let these mills be shut down and for shelters to take the rescued dogs in.

There are a number of other reasons to choose to adopt an animal over purchasing one from a store. Shelters do everything they can to take care of their animals, and some will even pay for their vaccinations.

Even without that, animals in stores are very expensive.

Shelters can also be relied on for he l p a nd a d v i c e w i t h c a r i ng f o r a new pet. Shelter animals are in general healthier and live longer, because “mixed breeds” do not suffer from the breeding practices of puppy mills, and shelters still offer a variety of ranges.

No athletic team safe from offensive nickname controversy Michael Reilly Circulation Director mreilly@oswegonian.com With the recent announcement of the Cleveland Indians doing away with their infamous Chief Wahoo logo due to racist overtones, it has raised debate over another team changing its name for similar reasons. It has now come into question whether or not the University of Notre Dame should do away with the “Fighting Irish” name and leprechaun mascot.

The topic was brought up on Jan. 30 by ESPN’s Max Kellerman on his show “First Take” with co-host Stephen A. Smith. When discussing the topic on the show, Kellerman mentioned that “many Irish-Americans are not offended” by the team’s name and it is symbolism, “but many are,” he went on to add.

Both Irish-Americans and diehard Notre Dame fans may have been shocked by hearing that the team should do away with its name. Hearing Kellerman’s claim that many Irish-Americans are offended by the name and mascot is baffling. While there may very well be an Irish-American out there that finds something offensive about the university’s choice, one would at least think someone of that heritage

would have said something by now.

The idea of the name and mascot being racist likely has not crossed many people’s minds until it was brought up

by Kellerman.

Native Americans have complained about logos like the Indians’ “Chief Wahoo” or names like the Washington Redskins for years, and for very good reason. This claim about Notre Dame’s name and mascot being racist or politically incorrect has just recently emerged.

Irish-Americans do not seem to bat an eye at the Notre Dame team name and mascot. This may stem from the idea that a leprechaun is a symbolic part of Irish culture rather than a type of racial stereotype.

As for the name, the word “fighting” just makes for a better sports name. The “Fighting Irish,” as opposed to just the “Irish,” comes off as more intense and gritty. For example, take a look at the University of Illinois. Their team name is the “Fighting Illini.” It is tough to justify that it would sound better if it were just “Illini”. It should not be looked at as anything more than just a sports name.

With all this in mind, trying to make sports as much as racially sensitive place as possible is great idea.

However, in the case of Notre Dame’s team name and mascot, unless a majority of Irish-Americans all of the sudden change their minds, things should be left the way they are.

Photos provided by Kamoteus and Erik Drost via flickr Sports team nicknames based around certain groups of people have recently come under more scrutiny.

No official date is set, but the city of Oswego will soon be home to a new Taco Bell location. At first glance, this may seem like a triumph for a city full of broke, stoned college students. Oswego and Oswego State may be better off long term without it. Like most Americans, I enjoy Taco Bell and many other fast-food chains. Like their food however, drive-thru “restaurants” are best in moderation.

Oswego Mayor Billy Barlow, like any responsible elected official, announced the opening with a picture at his desk holding one of its tacos in support of the new franchise.

Regardless of the goods or services a company provides, elected officials at all levels must praise the arrival of new businesses for “creating jobs” and “attracting investment.” President Donald Trump is often heard lauding his ability to convince companies to relocate or remain in the United States to “invest in America” and “create employment opportunity.”

Whether a new restaurant in a small Central New York city or manufacturing plant in Detroit, both undoubtedly come with economic upside. Private construction companies, public works departments, employees and owners of the new business all have their hands full developing, then maintaining the project.

Presumably, a new Taco Bell is an investment that will get more people spending money in the city, benefitting the economy and the local franchise owner. The almighty dollar and economic development often trump all other factors guiding our politics, but we should consider the type of businesses we attract before

Rachel Futterman | The Oswegonian

praising the newest fast-food joint.

Oswego is already saturated with big-name chains like McDonald’s, Burger King, Dunkin’ Donuts, Domino’s, and Wendy’s, to name only a few. Taco Bell is great, but given the potential costs, all these available alternatives make it difficult to justify squeezing them in. Economic competition is important, but any business that Taco Bell will receive is probably business that would have gone to one of those other franchises anyway. Ideally, strong competition involves some smaller or family-owned businesses as well, though franchises are still technically locally owned.

City space is another factor that got too little consideration in this deal. The new Taco Bell site is set at the location of the former Ponderosa Steakhouse on George Street. This is already an incredibly crammed, high-traffic area.

Wouldn’t the city do just fine with one less big, bright neon drive-thru advertisement?

The new restaurant will likely create em-

ployment, like any new business. That said, a few dozen minimum wage jobs in a lowincome area is not exactly the perfect recipe for economic success.

What is more, the abundance of cheap food incentivizes people to buy more of it.

We college students love it now, and our bodies can tolerate it. For older city residents though, local, county and state taxes ultimately pick up the expensive healthcare tabs left from the health costs of fastfood consumption. It is no surprise that the rise in obesity, fast-food consumption and healthcare spending have all correlated over the last several decades in America.

Amazingly, the supply of fast food in the city is beginning to outpace the demand for tasty, convenient food on the cheap.

Though these stops indeed hold a distinct purpose, especially in a college town, the city of Oswego does not need to hear the ring of the Taco Bell.

Wedding costs bruising wallets Young people spending fortune on extravagant wedding parties Michael Reilly Circulation Director mreilly@oswegonian.com Recently, another contributor to hurting millennials’ chances and opportunities for home buying has come to my attention: bachelor/ette parties.

According to statistics from the wedding website theknot.com, an individual spends an average of $1,532 on just one bachelor, between partying, travel and lodging. As for bachelorette parties, that number is $1,106.

We will put some much-deserved emphasis on travel and lodging. According to the same statistics, when talking about travel and lodging cost, the average cost goes down to $738 and $472, respectively.

Thus, the more local the party festivities, the cheaper it was for everyone. As one can clearly see, travel and lodging contributes to over half the cost in both cases.

Despite how much more money spent with travel and lodge, that may not be enough to stop some from spending that extra money. Actually, it may not stop many, which is why this article needs to be written in the first place.

A story on cnbc.com mentions that the average American goes to about three weddings per year. After crunching some numbers, attending just three bachelor/ rette parties would set one back about $4,596/$3,318.

Just looking at those figures can legitimately make anyone pretty fearful of bachelor parties. Bank accounts will take a huge hit, not to mention college loan debt, children, or any other expenses.

Many other articles also discussed this topic using a number-crunching example of attending nine pre-wedding blowouts per year. Multiply $1,532/$1,106 by nine, and one finds themselves throwing back around $13,788/$9,954 per year.

It is clear as day that will affect one’s

Rachel Futterman | The Oswegonian

home-buying ability.

Staying on the topic of weddings and budgets, bachelor and bachelorette parties are not the only thing one can be dropping a ton of dough on.

Statistics report that the average amount of money spent by those who are in the wedding is around $1,154. Those who are just guests still spend an average of $888. Most of these expenses go toward attire, gifts and travel. So, what is the point this study is trying to make?

Basically, everyone has a choice to make between budgeting or going to bachelor/ rette parties. Or, perhaps, millennials are the worst and do not have their financial priorities straight? Perhaps both.

Statistics on to moneyish.com say that 60 percent of millennials spend more than $4 on a cup of coffee (basically, “60 percent of millennials go to Starbucks”). 60 percent also spend money on clothes they do not need, which is a terrific way to waste money and build up credit card debt.

The same article also goes out of its way to mention that these numbers were far lower for generation Xers and baby boomers, coming in at 29 percent and 15 percent.

It is safe to say they deserve a massive round of applause for their hard work and effort.

Well, at least, it seems like they think so.

As for millennials, the overall take away from this study is to prioritize their finances and decide how important things, such as buying a house, are to them. Of course, there is nothing wrong with choosing to live with parents for who knows how long, emptying one’s bank account overpaying for coffee and going all out at bachelor/rette parties.

At the end of the day, this is very much like choosing between McDonald’s and Burger King; it comes down to personal preference.

OPINION NOT SO FAST

B55 Photo provided by Jason the Hutt via flickr

OPINION

VOLUME LXXXVII ISSUE XVVIII • www.oswegonian.com

“Congress shall make no law... abridging the freedom of speech or of the press.”

SPORTS PLAYOFF PUSH

B4 Austin Dearborn | The Oswegonian

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

STAFF EDITORIAL

B6

LITTLE DONNY’S BIG PARADE

How do you feel about the Taco Bell eventually coming to Oswego?

“I am going to miss out because I’m a junior but it’s going to definitely make its money here in Oswego.”

President Donald Trump’s vision of marching soldiers, confetti and tanks rolling down the streets of Washington D.C. is slowly becoming a likely, yet unnecessary, reality.

Last month, an anonymous military official told The Washington Post that Trump requested a “parade like the one in France.”

Trump was a guest at the Bastille Day parade in Paris last year, calling it “one of the greatest parades” he had ever seen. Military officials are planning the parade during top-secret meetings, instead of discussing the problems with North Korea or planning strategies for the problems in Afghanistan and Syria. Military members are probably selecting the colors of confetti to be thrown and which tanks should be shipped to Wash-

ington D.C. for the special event.

Not only is this going to be another “my button is bigger than yours,” moment, but it is extremely costly, when the U.S. debt is already so massive and growing each day.

The last national military parade the U.S. saw was in 1991 under former President George H.W. Bush to celebrate the end of the first Persian Gulf War. The parade cost $8 million, which in today’s dollars would cost around $13.8 million. The $13.8 million of citizen tax dollars will be wasted. The members of the military are not Trump’s personal cheerleaders.

A majority of active-duty military are not in the Washington D.C. area. They are spread throughout the country, with a small per-

centage being in or around D.C. While the military should be supported for the many sacrifices they make, throwing a parade will not actually support the military. Giving the $13.8 million to organizations that help veterans and troops would actually support the military. Multiple organizations, such as the Wounded Warrior Project, the American Freedom Foundation and many more, would appreciate the $13.8 million more than confetti.

Throwing a grand parade wastes money and resources. There are multiple other ways the president and citizens in the U.S. can show their support for the military, but this one-time grand showing should not be the answer.

IN THE OFFICE

Sandro Rodriguez broadcasting, junior

Unfortunate weather calls for additional bus

“I love Taco Bell. So I support it.”

Congested Blue Route during winter leaves some students out in cold

Madison Cline public relations, junior “Taco Bell? Why not Chipotle? I know a lot of people would like a Chipotle to be here.”

Gbemi Abiola business administration, senior “I am actually really excited, now that you told me [it is coming.]”

Looking out the window to frosty and bitter winter conditions is a constant occurrence at Oswego State. Just the thought of having to walk from a residence hall like The Village or Seneca Hall is chilling to the bone on mornings like these. The one godsend would seem to be the Blue Route bus, but now, it is like musical chairs: There is never enough room for everyone.

During the spring and early fall, temperatures are warmer, snow is mostly nonexistent, and sidewalks are clear, prompting plenty of students to use bikes, boards and two feet to get to class without hesitation.

Unfortunately, when winter rolls around, the snow and temperature makes traveling on bikes or boards generally impossible, forcing more students to find other options to go farther distances between classes.

Walkers and riders alike line up on winter mornings to catch the Blue Route bus to class so they do not have to walk through awful conditions for what could be a 20-minute commute. The trouble is, because of the high demand, seats on the bus become scarce quickly, and trying to get off the bus

Jessica Wickham Copy Editor jwickham@oswegonian.com anywhere but Marano Campus Center or Onondaga Hall is next to impossible.

This is not to mention art students, who at times have to carry projects that will not fit in their bags. For those students, walking could mean a disaster and a ruined piece of hard work. But with a crammed bus, they have no choice but to walk.

Few would blame the bus drivers for this problem, it is not their fault. There are

simply too many students in the winter months to transport on one bus. The solution that becomes clear is to implement a two-bus system, at least during routes that run just before class start times. That way, no student who wants to ride would have to shove themselves to the front of the bus line just to get on, let alone find a seat.

This would involve having two buses go to every major stop at the same times, so twice the number of students can get between the same buildings in the same amount of time. It would mean finding another Centro bus to cover the campus and paying an additional bus driver, but especially because this would only be for one season, it is well worth the extra cost.

The solution will likely not be one that can be completed immediately, and perhaps not even by the end of this bitter season. Still, there should be an effort to make it happen sooner rather than later. Hopefully, future students will be able to ride the bus without having to climb over each other to find a seat.

This meal could fit in my paper cup

Strict to-go limits have students smuggling food Emily Finger biology, freshman “I think it’s going to take away from local businesses.

It is going to add to the obesity epidemic in this county.”

Amana Caba broadcasting, junior

Erin Newell Staff Writer opinion@oswegonian.com It is no secret that the on-campus college experience is one that comes with a high price. Sure, for an in-state resident attending a state school the cost is more affordable, but there’s still a list of fees longer than the naughty and nice list. That being said, food is one of the most costly out of them all, especially for a freshman. Oswego State, like some schools, requires that all first-year students must have the full meal plan. This gives the students an unlimited amount of swipes and meals in any

of the on-campus dining halls as well as $80 laker dining dollars. All in all, the full meal plan costs $2,575 per semester, which is $5,150 for the full year. If students are effectively paying for this food ahead of time, then it only makes sense that they should be able to take it out of the dining hall. However, despite having unlimited meal plans, students are limited to one cup or drink and one snack. If Oswego truly valued their students’ money, they would not stop kids from taking their for food with them, and perhaps even develop a to-go food system.

College life is among the busiest. Between classes, homework, clubs, sports, and work, students find themselves hectically prioritiz-

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Email all letters as Word attachments to opinion@oswegonian.com or mail submissions to 139A Campus Center, Oswego N.Y. 13126 All writers must provide their real name, address, academic year, major and phone number (which will not be published).

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See web exclusive Opinion articles at www.oswegonian.com/opinion

Taylor Woods | The Oswegonian

Tip of the hat... ◊....to more sustainable batteries. ◊....to adopting pets from shelters. ◊....to students who are productive even on snow days.

ing to cram the most into their days which are not nearly long enough. Of course, students, like everyone else, have to make time to eat.

Although it would be nice to live in a utopian world where everyone had the time to sit down and eat all of their meals, the fact of the matter is, we do not. That being said, if students at Oswego want to eat a full meal they have to stay in the dining hall to do so. This is inconvenient for students with busy schedules that do not allow for a leisure lunch. As a result, students will skip eating, grab a bag of chips as a meal, or try and sneak out five cups stuffed with food.

If students are required to pay good money for subpar dining food, shouldn’t they at least be able to take it outside the dining hall? Additionally, the dining hall is only open certain hours throughout the day. Subsequently, it would be nice for students to be able to take food with them from the dining hall that they can eat later when dining is not open.

A reasonable solution to this would be for the school to provide a to-go container that fit a full meal inside of it and allow students to take out one with them upon each visit if they wish. By doing this, students would be getting the most out of their money and would help kids cut back on ordering food off-campus.

One of the motivations for ordering greasy delivery food that has numerous consequences for our health is convenience. If the school made it more convenient for students to eat the dining hall food off campus, they would be providing a deserved and paid for service to the students of SUNY Oswego.

◊....to the city of Oswego for opening their doors to a new Taco Bell. ◊....to the dining halls not allowing students to take enough food to-go. ◊....to only one Blue Route during winter.

Wag of the finger...

x

INSIDE

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10 years of ‘Breaking Bad’

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‘Phantom Thread,’ another C5 Rich Brian changes alias, FRIDAY drops debut album masterpiece from PTA & DDL Feb.9, 2018

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FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

LAKER REVIEW

Looking at 10 years of ‘Breaking Bad’

History, analysis, appreciation of most groundbreaking series on TV Dominick J. Lioto Laker Review Editor dlioto@oswegonian.com

New trailers and TV spo ts dro pp ed for “Ve nom ,” “So lo: A Sta r Wa rs Sto ry,” “De adp ool 2,” “Mission: Impossible - Fallout,” season two of “Westworld,” “Ant-Man & The Wasp,” and more.

“Star Wars” has announced that David Be e nioff and D.B. Weiss, th e creators of HBO’s “Gam of Thrones,” will be helm of ing their own series far, films set in a galaxy . ay aw far e Thes new films, like ly Rian Johnson’s recent ll announced series, wi n to have no connectioga . sa r ke al the Skyw

nt Netflix and Paramou ry ve e th Pictures dropped rve Clo first trailer for “The e th g rin field Paradox” du s wa ie ov Super Bowl. The m g in m ea str then available for g in ris rp su after the game. A ice rv se e move from both th and studio.

st episode Check out the newePo d dcast on of The Review Boarm Oswegonian.co /lreview

its viewership expanded and the awards kept on coming. When the first three seasons were On Jan. 20, 2008, TV changed added on Netflix in the midst of for the better. Nobody knew it shooting the fourth season, the right away. In fact, most people show’s popularity shot up again. did not see this show making it People were, for one of the first past its first season. But this bold, times, binging a series before daring series would eventually watching the newest season on come to define a golden age of actual TV. People were sitting modern television. That show is down and witnessing the evolu“Breaking Bad.” tion of Walter White, thus far, in a AMC was not known for its single viewing, something that is original programming. It was commonplace in TV today. a network known more for its AMC president, Charlie ColFourth of July marathons than lier, credits the show’s maraanything else and had just comthons and the introduction of mitted to a little show called Netflix as key reasons for the “Mad Men” as its first original show’s popularity and success. It series. But AMC believed in this did not do anything for the brilstory of a good man breaking bad liance that Gilligan and company and took a gamble on it. It was a were creating, but it opened a lot show that HBO, TNT and FX all of new doors for people to discovpassed on and probably regretted er “Breaking Bad.” during its height.

“Breaking Bad” was the itMost main characters are thing on TV for its fourth and stagnant. Their motivations do fifth seasons. Die-hard fans have not change and the viewer can been following along since 2008, rely on them. Their actions are but the word of mouth around not going to surprise viewers the show was like something because they have been cynever seen before. If you were cling through different versions not watching “Breaking Bad,” you of the same day, season after were not in the cool kids’ club season. Most shows are comanymore. It was a borderline pop fort food in that way, which is culture sin not to be caught up not necessarily a bad thing, but with “Breaking Bad” by the time Vince Gilligan never wanted to the final season was airing. do that. He wanted to tell a story The show raised the bar in terms of both narrative and visuals. Visually, “Breaking Bad” is more gorgeous than most movies. The cinematic look and feel of the show was a character in and of itself. Michael Slovis, who shot 50 episodes of the series, beautifully captured the landscape of New Mexico and all its intricacies for the characters to navigate like chess pieces. Narratively, there will never be a character viewers hated to love more than Mr. White.

There will never be another “Breaking Bad,” and that is why we are talking about it 10 years later. People can argue about what the greatest show of all time is, but when people who hate watching TV are as obsessed as the die-hard critics, the answer is clear. If a friend needs something to watch and has not experienced the hidden gem turned cultural phenomenon that is “Breaking Bad,” have them Image from AMC via YouTube.com watch the first episode. They will Bryan Cranston completely transformed, both physically and mentally, to become Walter White, the role of his career. regret having waited so long. in which the character viewers follow completely changes between the first episode and the finale. He wanted to create an evolution before the audience’s very own eyes.

In this case, that character was Walter White, a man beaten by the hands life dealt him.

He was once a man of science and discovery, but when viewers meet him, he is a struggling high school chemistry teacher.

Not only that, but he learns he is dying of lung cancer and it is inoperable. To top that off, Walt decides that cooking meth is the only way to leave his family the money they deserve after he dies.

Gilligan describes the transformation of Mr. White as turning “Mr. Chips into Scarface.” An argument could be made that White is a good man forced to turn bad because of society and the obstacles thrown his way.

Everything revealed about him backs this argument up, but the things audiences discover about who Walt truly is could also back up the argument that he was always a bad man, and the cancer allowed him to finally be himself.

Bryan Cranston’s reign of Heisenberg won him six Emmy awards. Cranston brought this timid teacher turned ruthless

drug lord to life. The thought of Matthew Broderick or John Cusack, two notable actors who turned down the role, playing the one who knocks is unfathomable. It would not have been the same; it could not have. AMC had its doubts about the family man from “Malcolm in the Middle” breaking bad, but those doubts did not last long. Gilligan shut the worriers up when he showed them an episode of “The X-Files” where Cranston plays a racist, and after that, the role was his.

White is the centerpiece of a character study enthralled in a modern Greek tragedy. Gilligan and the show’s other writers have cited the sonnet “Ozymandias” by Percy Bysshe Shelley as a direct inspiration. “My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings; Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair!” White excuses all of his scheming, murdering and drug manufacturing as him protecting his family, when in fact he is torturing them all to a point of destruction. He does the same thing with Jesse (Aaron Paul), his apprentice, and arguably the greatest victim of all of this.

Most shows dwindle as they continue, both in terms of ratings and viewership. “Breaking Bad” did not. Season after season,

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

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Spielberg crafts his love letter for journalism in ‘The Post’

Garrick Groover Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: In the past few years, the role of the media in relation to our current political climate has been relentlessly debated.

Some would argue that journalists in our modern era hold no integrity and only serve biased political dogma or perpetuate “fake news.” Others would contend our media is integral in keeping our leaders and representatives in check and held accountable for their actions.

This ongoing debate is one of the many reasons why films like “The Post” exist. Rushed into production by legendary filmmaker Steven Spielberg (“The BFG”), “The Post” is a film that examines the correlation between the press and the government, as well as the difficulties that surround newspaper production in the middle of the 20th century. Set during the backdrop of the Vietnam War, “The Post” covers the events surrounding the leaking of the classified Pentagon Papers and the legal battle that ensued between the free press and the

Image from 20th Century Fox via YouTube.com Hanks leads an ensemble cast in Spielberg’s latest, bringing together actors of various backgrounds for this story about humanity.

Nixon administration.

These events are seen through two figures: Ben Bradlee (Tom Hanks, “The Circle”), editorin-chief of The Washington Post, and Kay Graham (Meryl Streep, “Florence Foster Jenkins”), owner and publisher of the paper based out of Washington, D.C. As always, Hanks and Streep are excellent in their roles, as they both distinguish the stresses from the trials of tribulations behind maintaining a nationwide publication, as well as deal with the political backlash. Streep

in particular is expected to be nominated for her performance at this year’s Academy Awards, her 17th nomination overall.

“The Post” also boasts a very talented and stacked supporting cast. Standouts include Bob Odenkirk (“The Disaster Artist”) as journalist Ben Bagdikian, Bruce Greenwood (“Gerald’s Game”) as Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, Matthew Rhys (“Burnt”) as leaker Daniel Ellsberg, Sarah Paulson (“Rebel in the Rye”) as Bradlee’s wife, Alison Brie (“The Little Hours”) as the daughter of

Graham and David Cross (“Folk Hero & Funny Guy”) as the managing editor of the Post.

Despite the talented cast, however, one of the film’s faults is that not every actor has their own moment to shine. Many of the talented actresses that are featured end up being wasted.

Paulson and Brie especially are limited to roles that turn out to be being nothing more than cameos. To the movie’s credit, the film is not about them but about the drama surrounding the Pentagon Papers and political chaos

that followed.

“The Post” also takes a while to get going. The film begins with a literal bang, but it slows down once viewers are introduced to the main characters.

One third of the film centers around the operations of a newspaper company, which may interest those in journalism careers but will be sure to bore more of the general audience. Once the Pentagon Papers land in The Washington Post’s lap, however, the film picks up and becomes an enthralling and deeply engrossing experience.

Longtime Spielberg collaborator John Williams (“Star Wars: The Last Jedi”) returns to score, and even though it is far from Williams’ best work, the subdued nature of the music really complements the film’s serious tone.

Fans of Spielberg, history and journalism should definitely check out “The Post.”

Everybody else should know what they are getting in to, as the film may bore casual viewers. “The Post” is not Spielberg’s best, but it is definitely worth checking out at least once.

This review is dedicated to Lee Norris. May his memory live on forever.

Del Toro proves his master status once again in ‘Shape of Water’ Francesca Miesner Contributing Writer Laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: Guillermo Del Toro (“Troll Hunters”) wrote the screenplay, directed and produced the film, “The Shape of Water.” As a loyal fan of Del Toro, there were no worries that this film would be anything less than incredible. Many people on the internet, however, were concerned that this would be a weird monster-porn movie. So, if you know nothing about Del Toro, or even if you are his biggest fan, the idea of an eccentric, mute, introverted female falling in love with the creature from the Black Lagoon can be rather shocking.

At first, the film is a light-hearted romance where Elisa Esposito (Sally Hawkins, “Paddington 2”) is a mute woman who lives above a movie theater. The film opens with her daily routine, which consists of showering, boiling eggs, visiting

her neighbor, Giles (Richard Jenkins, “Berlin Station”), and then taking the bus to work. Upon arriving to work, the audience is introduced to Elisa’s friend and polar opposite, the loud, unapologetic Zelda Fuller (Octavia Spencer, “The Goldbergs”).

The contradicting personalities between Giles, Zelda, Elisa and the scientist Dr. Robert Hoffstetler (Michael Stuhlbarg, “The Post”) provide for an atypical group who try to rescue the Amphibian Man (Doug Jones, “Beneath the Leaves”).

Before seeing the film, one could assume that it would be similar to an adult version of “Beauty and the Beast.” This turned out to be true, however, this movie was so emotional and moving that it did not feel like a copy. In “Beauty and the Beast,” the relationship between Belle and the Beast felt forced and similar to Stockholm Syndrome.

In “Shape of Water,” the romantic feelings between the amphibian man and Elisa form a genuine connection, as both are minorities and mute, and she was the first person

to show him love.

Throughout the movie, each of the characters struggle with what made them minorities in American society. Zelda is a black woman, and Giles is a homosexual male. The main antagonist, Richard Strickland (Michael Shannon, “What They Had”), was originally less of a villain and more of a representation of the government, but through his actions, it became more apparent that he was, in fact, a symbol for toxic, white masculinity in the 1960s.

One moment in the film that felt weak and unnecessary was a scene where Elisa was dressed in a beautiful gown and sang a love song to the amphibian man, when in reality she was just signing the song in sign language to him. It was trying to draw a metaphor to the love and the ability to express that love that Elisa wanted, but the scene itself felt corny, too long and unnecessary. The only other weak part of the film was the acting of General Hoyt (Nick Searcy, “Three Billboards Outside Ebbing Missouri”). It felt

fake and not as authoritative as one would expect from a general.

The film was yet another work of art from the incredible brain of Guillermo Del Toro. He gave up the “Pacific Rim” franchise, which was

guaranteed to succeed, and instead worked on something that he was passionate about. The love he and Sally Hawkins put into the film is incredible, making this movie a must-see.

Image from FOXSearchlight via YouTube.com Del Toro’s latest brings “Beauty and the Beast” into an even darker fantasm.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

Daniel Day-Lewis’ supposed final acting performance Dominic Rizzi Staff Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: “Phantom Thread” is directed by the literal master Paul Thomas Anderson (“Inherent Vice”) and stars Daniel DayLewis (“Lincoln”). The film sees him portray esteemed dressmaking master Reynolds Woodcock, who falls for a waitress, Alma (Vicky Krieps, “A Most Wanted Man”), and soon after, they begin a relationship.

As time progresses, however, Alma begins to see the kind of man that Reynolds is, and their relationship takes a sour, albeit twisted, turn very quickly.

Despite having only made a total of seven films before this one, Anderson has proven time and time again that he truly is a master of his craft. The fact that this film came seemingly out of nowhere, stealing the ninth best picture nomination, as well as the best director nomination that everyone thought

was going to Martin McDonagh, shows how good Anderson is.

When one thinks of a near-perfect movie, the first thing that comes into their head is not necessarily the world of 1950s fashion. Somehow, though, Anderson not only manages to make it interesting, but also entirely enveloping and engaging.

The last time that Anderson collaborated with the great Daniel Day-Lewis, audiences got arguably one of the greatest achievements the world of film had seen at that point: that film of course being “There Will Be Blood.” While their second collaboration is not exactly on par with their first, the two still manage to combine Anderson’s eye for detail with Day-Lewis’ complete immersion into his area of expertise to create a character who is lovably interesting yet so flawed. The thing that makes him so interesting is not that he is a psychopath the way that the trailers made him out to be, but rather that Woodcock is, by all definitions of the word, severely autistic, most likely a mix be-

tween schizophrenia and obsessive compulsive disorder. Considering it is Daniel Day-Lewis in the part, it is already apparent that he is going to completely immerse himself within this character to give viewing audiences so much more than

what they typically get.

But only talking about DayLewis would do a disservice to his co-star, because Vicky Krieps manages to hold her own against this titan of acting and often times ends up stealing the spotlight from him completely.

Image from Focus Features via YouTube.com Thomas Anderson crafts yet another masterpiece, doing so with what seems like ease.

She is absolutely mesmerizing to watch, almost as if she manages to appear not completely human in her scenes. Her backand-forth with Day-Lewis and the relationship that cultivates between the two of them is disturbing and mind bending but not in any sort of a conventional way. Breaking conventions just so happens to be another thing that Paul Thomas Anderson is a master of.

When people talk about looking for something different in movies and they struggle to find that because they are sick of the same old blockbuster schlock they are force-fed week after week. A movie like “Phantom Thread” is the type of movie that breaks that mold.

Masterpiece does not even begin to describe the amount of effort, detail and love that goes into it. Every frame is perfectly shot, every set tells a story of its own, every fiber of every gown is different in some way, and it all flows together to make this film and experience one of the best 2017 has to offer.

2017’s best pop album disguised as Jackman musical Brandon Fallat Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: Every once in a while, a movie-musical comes along that completely shatters our expectations of what a movie about people breaking into song and dance can be. Whether it be the 70s summer hit “Grease” that became the poster child for what musical films could achieve if done right, or even as recent as 2016’s “La La Land,” which took a very grounded and sincere approach that (almost) won it a Best Picture Oscar.

These types of films can range from triumphant to tragic and have the power to give audiences a foot-tapping spectacle. They also provide a very human story with universal themes and fleshed out characters. “The Greatest Showman” is not that kind of movie, and that is exactly why it works so well.

This film tells the story of P.T. Barnum, the man who created what we know today as show business. Viewers wit-

Image from 20th Century Fox via YouTube.com Jackman’s portrayal of P.T. Barnum and the creation of his circus is a very loose portrayal of the man in an even looser version of the story.

ness a man who started out with nothing, and through a series of very lucky and convenient circumstances, creates the worldwide sensation known as the circus.

Barnum is played by Hugh Jackman (“Logan”), who, despite being almost 50 years old, manages to sing and dance his way through this film like he is 25. He, without a doubt, is the beating heart of the whole production.

Without him leading this parade of catchy tunes, CGI elephants,

and a half-asleep Michelle Williams (“All The Money In The World”), the movie’s lighthearted and flamboyant tone would simply be lost in translation.

Jackman not only brought life to the film, but also gave personality to a non-character. Putting aside how inaccurately the film portrays the real-life P.T. Barnum, who looks nothing like Jackman, there is nothing to him that we can latch onto. He is not particularly optimistic or happy, he has no real vices, and ultimately, he

is portrayed as just some guy who happened to stumble onto this circus thing. The film never made it clear that it was Barnum who was the missing piece in creating the circus.

Aside from Jackman and some other fun performances, specifically from musical veteran Zac Efron (“Baywatch”), the true star of this movie is the music.

All nine original songs are vastly different from each other in tone, yet all have that modern pop music vibe. This means all the songs

have very vague messages so that they can be played on the radio. The songs are all catchy, very well written and performed beautifully, even if the movie’s plot screeches to a halt to showcase each music video. From the roaring “This Is Me,” to the emotional “Never Enough,” to the fulfilling “From Now On,” the songs are what gives the movie its identity and make it worth the price of admission alone.

The movie did not quite earn every emotional beat they were pushing for, but they definitely went for it. The bombastic choreography, glamorous spectacle and themes of accepting our differences and celebrating inclusion are all told through the lense of an old fashioned movie-musical extravaganza, and it absolutely worked.

Will “The Greatest Showman” go down as one of the greatest musicals? Nope. However, it is a family-friendly, Disney-ish music fest with inspiring themes and relentlessly catchy songs to back it all up.

It is a truly entertaining flick that is not one of the year’s best, but sure is a lot of fun.

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

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Rich Brian’s debut album proves he can do more than joke Ian Saunders Asst. Laker Review Editor isaunders@oswegonian.com

Rating: When Brian Immanuel, formerly known as Rich Chigga (currently known as Rich Brian), dropped the music video for his breakout single “Dat $tick” in 2016, it was met with mixed reactions. The 17-year-old Indonesian rapper wearing a Reebok fanny pack and a pink Polo T-shirt was just absurd enough for most of the internet audience to dub him a “meme” rapper. Unlike other rappers that fall under that category, Immanuel was dead serious about what he was doing.

Subsequent releases on the up-and-coming label 88Rising showed that his first single was not a fluke, as Immanuel’s witty wordplay continued to be one of his strongest strengths as an artist. “I’d call the cops on myself if I can,” he bragged on the track “Who That Be.” What began to fascinate people about Immanuel was that, along with writing and

performing each song, he was the one behind all the production, too. As his audience continued to grow, his reputation as a joke slowly began to fade away, and people began to see that there might be some lasting power to what Immanuel was setting in place at such a young age.

“Amen,” Immanuel’s first fulllength album, kicks the door open completely. After refining his style and flow for nearly two years and releasing multiple singles, the Indonesian rapper was eager to drop more material for his fans than ever before.

What had made Immanuel’s music so addictive in the past was how short and easily digestible his songs were, so the question loomed as to whether the 16 tracks that span the album would wear the listener out after a while.

Was he too young to make a complete album, or would it end up holding up just as strong as his singles had?

The opening track has the rapper showing off his rapid-fire flow over a spacious instrumental filled with bouncing 808 drums,

as his dead-serious delivery set a different tone for the album from what most fans were probably expecting. “Cold” follows that up as a surprisingly emotionally charged song from Immanuel, who writes about issues in his own life like relationships and his isolation from other people. Tons of energy is loaded into “Occupied,” an

absolute banger with bubbly bell synths chiming over a tightly produced trap beat. Immanuel’s tone of voice remains unchanged, but his hooks and relentless flow are more than enough to keep the songs interesting.

“Introvert (feat. Joji)” is easily the best song on the album, with a slick groove reminiscent

Image from 88Rising via YouTube.com Rich Brian was on “weird Twitter,” then a Vine star, and now, he’s a bonafide rapper.

of something the band Gorillaz would release. Joji’s vocals sound incredibly smooth over the beat, and the hook lodges itself into the listener’s head after only a few plays. “Attention (feat.

Offset)” is a certified hit, playing out the same way as “Chaos,” one of the singles released leading up to the album. He continues to release music with driving beats and solid hooks like it is just part of some regular process, showing no cracks along the way.

Immanuel’s flow throughout “Amen” is charming at first, especially if the listener has been a fan of his music for a while.

However, it does start to lose traction about halfway through the album. Songs like “Glow Like Dat” and “See Me” repeat themselves too much and do not have nearly as many change-ups as they could. Immanuel is versatile with his flow, but his serious tone of voice can feel like it is holding a song back sometimes.

Besides the few issues, though, “Amen” is incredible for a first project. It is easy to see Immanuel expanding much farther in the future.

‘Man of the Woods’ attempts reinvention of Justin Timberlake Imani Simpson Contributing Writer laker@oswegonian.com

Rating: This album is weird. Released on Feb. 2, Justin Timberlake’s 5th studio album, “Man of the Woods,” what is described as a pop album, is actually a music fever dream. Listening to this album is like taking a trip through time if the time machine malfunctioned and was stuck between the 1970s and 2016.

T he a l b u m h a s p ro d u c tion credits from Pharrell and Timbaland, over 10 writers and features Alicia Keys and Chris Stapleton. It includes themes of romance, hometown pride and the hardships of life. JT tries to remind us that he is from the South, for reasons that only he understands.

“Midnight Summer Jam” reminds listeners a lot of “He’s The Greatest Dancer” by Sister Sledge, but with a modern twist.

There is a funky bass line that makes the song danceable and makes it obvious that it is cowritten by Pharrell. The most

Photo provided by justintimberlakeVEVO via YouTube.com Timberlake is exploring the themes of country music after two decades working in music.

contemporary part of the song is in the refrain: “Y’all can’t do better than this, act like the South ain’t the s***.” Then there is a harmonica solo that appears in the last quarter of the track that

just cements how eclectic the whole thing is.

“Supplies” seems as if he wants to make sure listeners do not forget his history of profiting from urban culture. The song is

a textbook rap record. He even has the requisite “BRR” every eight bars and incomprehensible adlibs. There is nothing interesting about the song except for the painfully obvious pandering. His voice is discordant with this musical trend and makes the whole song seem insincere. The melody line is nice but a little too involved for a trap record, so by all accounts, this misses the mark.

A favorite song is “Morning Light,” arguably the most sincere track on the album. It has a slow-dance, reggae-romance feel with a feature from Keys that makes it viable for a “Top 10 Wedding Songs” list. Gunfire hi-hats snap over violins, and an electric guitar backs JT up as he croons about how he just wants to lie with his love.

There is no place in pop for this album. All of the songs are too long for radio with the exception of “The Hard Stuff,” and it does not really call out as the kind of song that would catch on.

There are few traces of the Justin Timberlake listeners have come to know, with “Higher Higher” and “Breeze Off the Pond” repre-

senting the last remnants of his old R&B persona.

“Man of the Woods” is very pandering. Bringing in bigticket producers and songwriters makes it too intentional to just be an organized identity crisis, but the discordant combination of genres and musical styles makes it seem as though they are just trying to check off boxes. “Living Off the Land” is the most comical example of this, as Justin Timberlake, who has been raking in millions since his teenage years, tries to mournfully sing the struggles of living hand to mouth. There is a song tacked on at the end for his son, but it is filled with proverbial advice that any adult would give a 2-year-old and a weird line where JT tells his toddler that he wants to impregnate his mother.

The songs are varied enough to make listening to the album interesting, and the production is pretty good. If listeners like the music of the 1940s, the music of the 1980s, the music of 2017, or Justin Timberlake, then there is something in this album for them.

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LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

Crossword Puzzle

Sudoku Fill in the grid so that each row, column and 3x3 block contains 1-9 exactly once.

Difficulty: Easy

Puzzle provided by boatloadpuzzles.com

Across 1. Peruvian home 5. Dazzled 9. Cry loudly 12. Thanks ___! (2 wds.)

13. Raise 14. Summer drink 15. Provisional 17. Acquired 18. Playful bite 19. Begin again 21. Built 24. ___ of humor 25. Wrestling pad 26. "M*A*S*H" locale 28. Risky 31. Trip to the post office, e.g.

35. Undue speed 37. Flower wreath 38. Root for 41. Modified 44. Mutton, e.g. (2 wds.)

46. Live 47. Terminate 48. Take turns 52. Biology, e.g.

53. Perform alone 54. False god 55. Golf prop 56. Young adult 57. Peepers

Down 1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

6.

7.

8.

9.

Jaguar, e.g.

Tavern order 14-line poems Garret Picasso's field Oddball Roof projection Bureau Astronomer Carl ___

10.

11.

16.

20.

21.

22.

23.

27.

29.

Aromas Midler of Davis Prone Eye drop Aussie creature Moved swiftly Squeaks by Rod and ___ Throat-clearing

30. China, Japan, etc. (2 wds.)

32. By this time 33. Once called 34. Accomplished 36. Tell secrets 38. Wave top 39. From this place 40. ___ Murphy of "Shrek"

For this week’s crossword answers go to:

Oswegonian.com/lreview

Difficulty: Hard

42. Paving goo 43. Bert's friend 45. ___ vera 49. Long period 50. Foot part 51. City trains

LAKER REVIEW

FRIDAY, Feb. 9, 2018

creative writing

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More Art...

Rachel Futterman | The Oswegonian

On a bone-chilling February 1st, I looked at the calendar. It spit at me. It was just that time of year, and that day would soon be approaching.It wasn’t just that I had no relationship prospects, as had been the case my whole life.

My problems ran much deeper than that, but that was the day that was a bitter reminder of all that I lacked in life.

I started to reminisce about a (slightly) happier time. An old teen center from back home had helped me get through my teenage years. Many of the people there felt like outcasts at their schools, and in some cases, their own homes. But there they had something.

There, they meant something. That gave me

To put it simply, I had an idea. Why not have a get trouble making friends, and together for all the people who the friends I did have would have nowhere else to go on eventually drift apart, and since Valentine’s Day? Think about it, I feared badgering them, I didn’t getting all those single people keep in touch. To make matters together might be good for not worse, I had recently transferred only me, but for many others as to a new college, so I really was well. And in theory the pressure in a sea of unfamiliarity. Then wouldn’t be as high since most

people who will be there are in a similar situation as well.

In truth, it is a benefit to the whole campus. There was much planning that needed to be done, and to be honest, it’s a wonder it was even completed in time. When the day finally arrived, I felt good, knowing I had not only taken an active role in dealing with my own loneliness, but also the positive impact it could have on others.

Shea McCarthy | The Oswegonian

As I entered the event’s room, I felt as if I had entered a new chapter of my life, and it seemed like it could be a good one.

February 10th: 1976: Actor Charlie Day is born 1997: Fox cartoon series "The Simpsons" becomes longest running animated series in history

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JUMANJI: WELCOME TO THE JUNGLE

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MAZE RUNNER: THE DEATH CURE

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PETER RABBIT

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THE SHAPE OF WATER

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