09.29.20 by Reflector Editor

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TUESDAY SEPTEMBER 29, 2020

136th YEAR ISSUE 5

THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884

Second annual climate march features range of speakers JOSHUA STEWART

CONTRIBUTING WRITER

Adam Sullivan | The Reﬂector

Climate protestors march from the MSU campus to downtown Starkville on September 25. Throughout the march, protestors listened to speeches from different campus and city leaders, including Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill.

MSU Space Cowboys launch students to new heights EMMA KING

STAFF WRITER

Over the last 14 years, the Mississippi State University Space Cowboys have launched MSU to the top of competitive highpowered rocketry since its founding in 2006. High-powered rocketry is a type of model rocketry which uses high-impulse propulsion methods, creating bigger-than-average rockets capable of ﬂying much further. The primary mission of the MSU Space Cowboys is to promote interest in high-powered rocketry. Rob Wolz, an instructor in the department of aerospace engineering and advisor to the Space Cowboys, says the team’s purpose is to build on principles taught in the classroom. COWBOYS, 2

STAFF WRITER

Mary Georgia Hamilton | The Reﬂector

MSU students and faculty celebrate culture for Hispanic Heritage month

DANIEL DYE NEWS EDITOR

This month, Mississippi State University is honoring its Hispanic students and faculty with multiple events and initiatives in place for National Hispanic Heritage month. The Holmes Cultural Diversity Center (HCDC) and the Latino Student Association (LSA) along with other partners have organized many different virtual events, in-person exhibitions and social media initiatives for the celebration of Hispanic culture. Starting Sept. 15, the celebration will last a month and focus on various

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aspects of Hispanic culture. According to Soﬁa Alvarez, the LSA president and a senior studying political science, the planning and coordination of the events this month is designed to bring out the different cultures present at MSU. “We have a committee for Hispanic Heritage Month. We are trying to hold a lot of events that feature Hispanic culture. Right now in the Union, we have an art gallery featuring some architecture and artwork from Mississippi State students, and it’s really, really nice,” Alvarez said. “We are holding a culture swap today to compare our culture with the Filipino Student Association and their culture

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to learn about our respective cultures and things like that. That is just two of our events this year.” Due to COVID-19 regulations of social distancing and limited social gatherings, the annual celebration has been forced to adjust accordingly. According to Kei Mamiya, the assistant director at HCDC and member of the planning committee for Hispanic Heritage month, all the normal events have been converted into virtual events via WebEx. “We do have a lot of in-person events usually, including the dance competition which is our main annual event.” HERITAGE, 2

MARCH, 2

MSU professor from Ghana works for advancement of his hometown community MAGGIE ROBERTS

Space Cowboys Eric Malone and Grace Williams work on parts for their competition rocket, the Astraea, in Patterson Engineering Laboratories.

The Mississippi State University Climate Reality’s second annual climate march was held in Starkville on Friday with the stated goal of bringing recycling back to the Starkville city budget and demanding MSU rewrite their climate action plan, as well as make more recycling initiatives in dorm buildings. The march began at 4 p.m in front of Lee Hall on the MSU campus, with student speakers giving speeches along the way. The march ended at Unity Park in downtown Starkville and culminated with three speeches from leaders in the community. The speakers in attendance were Lynn Spruill, mayor of Starkville; Joseph Witt, professor of religion and philosophy at MSU and Reverend Michael Malcolm, founder of a climate organization based in Alabama. The march began around 4:15 p.m, with attendees marching around the Drill Field.

George Awuni, an assistant research professor in the department of plant and soil sciences in Mississippi State University’s College of Agriculture and Life Sciences, works consistently with soybean production and technology to improve food security in Ghana. Since Awuni is from Northern Ghana, he has a personal stake and purposeful grit in his work. Awuni’s day-to-day work looks different with each half of the year. “Between May and December, I spend in Ghana working in a research institute conducting

research trials. The U.S. is far advanced in soybean production: 2.8-3 tons per hector. While in Ghana they only yield 0.6 of a ton per hectare,” Awuni said. Awuni is working on increasing the yield of soybeans in Ghana to help with food security. According to Awuni, an obstacle to this is the acidic soil soybeans are grown in that causes the soybeans to be inedible. “The soils are not very good; they are acidic. Most have a pH between 4.9 to 5.2. We are introducing elements such as phosphorus and potassium to make the soil more basic. Typically, we have been getting soybean yields of 2.0-2.5 tons per hectare,” Awuni said. CROPS, 2

Kaylee Ricchetti | The Reﬂector

A sculpture is displayed as part of the “Art and Architecture in the Americas” exhibition. The exhibition is located on the second ﬂoor of the Union.

FORECAST: Following a chance of rain on Tuesday, expect sunny days for the remainder of the week. Temperatures during the day will be in the low to mid 70s and the high 40s to low 50s at night.

Courtesy of National Weather Service

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MARCH

From there, the procession came to a halt near Davis Wade Stadium, where multiple student speakers gave speeches. Among those speaking was Mayukh Datta, president of the MSU Climate Reality Project and senior in chemical engineering, who spoke on assorted issues: the death of Breonna Taylor, the water crisis in Flint, Michigan and his own experience growing up in Jones County. Among the other MSU students giving speeches were Christiana McAtee, president of the MSU NAACP Collegiate Chapter; Georgie Swan, president of College Democrats at MSU; Tyler Melvin, co-founder of the Young Democratic Socialists of America chapter at MSU and Tyler Griffis, an officer in both the Students for a Sustainable Campus and the Climate Reality Project.

Each of these speakers emphasized the need to connect environmental justice with racial and social justice and emphasized how the climate crisis should not be a political issue. After the speeches ended, the march started down University Avenue, flanked by police officers from Starkville and the MSU police department. They stated their presence was to ensure crucial intersections could be briefly closed while marchers crossed. Signs were in almost every hand, some reading messages of peace. “Choose Eco, Not Ego,” one said. “There is no Planet B,” read another. During the trek to the destination, marchers chanted popular chants from previous marches. “The ocean is rising, and so are we,” and “no more coal, no more oil, keep the carbon in the soil” were

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among those chanted on the way. When the march reached its destination, the procession sat down and prepared to hear speeches. First up was Lynn Spruill, the Democratic mayor of Starkville.

with TVA to go green and building a new solar farm to produce 5% of our energy. Mia Robertson, a junior in political science and member of the Student Association, was hopeful about what Spruill had to say.

“It’s impossible for me to tell you that we were going to show up at Unity Park, and climate change will be fixed. It’s an ongoing process. We’re doing our part to make sure we reimagine a sustainable and equitable future.” Mayukh Datta MSU Climate Reality Project Chapter Chair

She spoke about being receptive to the demands and about not doing well with recycling in the past. She also claimed the city would be doing more in the way of going green, including building a new recycling plant, working

“After hearing Lynn Spruill talk about how a lot of these things had not been brought to her attention, I think especially us making those demands is exactly the thing that we needed, just to bring it to their attention in the first place.”

Next came a short speech from Joseph Witt, associate professor of philosophy and religion at MSU. Witt emphasized the need for political will, saying we have the policy and science behind us. Witt believes our hopes and dreams for the future are in the climate. Attendees and organizers alike were ecstatic about the success of the march and were hopeful about events to come. Makayla Smith, a member of College Democrats and freshman in political science, believes the action needs to continue to the state level to have the most effect. “I believe from here, we should go to a state level, ... we have a lot of influence for what happens in other cities and other counties,” Smith said. MSU Climate Reality Project Chapter Chair Datta is hopeful for the future and maintains the movement does

CROPS

not stop here. “I would just like to say that the rally doesn’t stop here. It’s impossible for me to tell you that we were going to show up at Unity Park, and climate change will be fixed. It’s an ongoing process. We’re doing our part to make sure we reimagine a sustainable and equitable future,” Datta said. Kristen Killgore, the president of Students for a Sustainable Campus and a senior in civil engineering, was also hopeful for the present and the future and demanded action of the university. “As students, we need to challenge our university to do better. Mississippi State needs to be a leader among this community,” Killgore said. “This university is a very incredible institution and a leader in the nation in a number of ways, and so I think we need to start here, lead through action.” CONTINUED FROM 1

Awuni is passionate about his work for many reasons, but his main motivation lies in that he came from Ghana and understands the feeling of not knowing if he will go to bed hungry at night. He has the heart to give back to his community. “I have grown from grass to grease. Ghana is a poverty-stricken area, and soybeans provide a high-protein, reliable food source for the community. I want to give back somehow in a little way,” Awuni said. Awuni wants to go further than just providing more for his country; he wants to provide the tools and technology to make it possible for his countrymen to provide for themselves. If money is depleted, he wants the farmers to be able

to produce enough for food as well as be able to make money. “I can use the technology that I have acquired from MSU, back into my country to help people. When the yield goes up, the farmers will use some money to provide nutrition to their kids and also reserve some,” Awuni said. Awuni’s work does come with some hard aspects. He is torn between the U.S. and Ghana. When he is in one country, he misses his family who lives in the other. “Sometimes I miss my family. I have my wife and two girls here in the U.S., but I also have two boys in Ghana. So I’m torn between missing my family for half of the year and missing the other during the other half of the year,” Awuni said.

One of Awuni’s daughters is a student at MSU. Urita Agana, a senior biochemistry major, is proud of her father’s work. “I feel good about it. I am happy that he enjoys his work, and he actually has passion for what he is doing. I’m glad he looks forward to doing his work every day. He has helped a lot of people grow soybeans, which is important,” Agana said. Awuni’s hard work has influenced Agana, but she does not want to follow his exact footsteps. “He has influenced me, but not in the way that I would want to go into agriculture or farming. But he did have an impact because when he first started here, I would go into his office and see him work,

and I thought it was cool. I always knew I wanted to go into science. I do want to go into research,” Agana said. Agana is not the only person who has been influenced by Awuni. Daniel Reynolds, executive director of the international institute, said he is grateful he gets to work closely with Awuni developing protocols. “I may give some vision to the work, but he is the heart and feet to the work. He puts action to our ideas. I’ve learned a tremendous amount from him,” Reynolds said. Reynolds not only enjoys working with Awuni because of his goals and work ethic but because of his positive attitude. “He has a can-do attitude,” Reynolds said. “It

doesn’t matter how big the task or how glamorous the project might be, he accepts it with enthusiasm. He

HISPANIC

will go through whatever difficulties we need to go through to achieve the objective.”

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“We have instructors from MSU ballroom dance class, and they teach us how to do some dance forms and Latin dance. We invite a DJ and hold the event on the Drill Field, but those kind of inperson events can’t be done this year, so all of the events are being held virtually on WebEx, as well as in-person galleries available,” Mamiya said. “This year we are also trying to use a lot of social

media, so we created different videos to share experiences of MSU Latinx students and showcase their culture through videos as well.” Other events have included the “Virtual Latinx Career Talk & Social,” an event where students could speak with Latinx professionals and make career connections, as well as the “LSA & FSA Virtual Culture Swap,” where members of the Latino and

Filipino Student Associations met and shared aspects of their respective cultures. Upcoming events include the “Quique Avilés Poetry Performance” at 7 p.m. on Oct. 7 and the aforementioned “iBaile Virtual Latin Dance Competition” at 4 p.m on Oct. 14. In addition to events and social media initiatives, there will be two long-term exhibitions for the month.

“Art and Architecture in the Americas” is located in the second-floor Union art gallery and “Celebrating Hispanic Heritage” is located on the second floor of the library. Anahi Altamirano, the vice president of the LSA and a senior computer science major, is excited to share the Hispanic culture with others and believes this to be the driving force behind the

events and initiatives in place for the month. “I think the main goal is to get other people to see what our culture is like and open the door for more people to understand and share our culture with us. Sharing it with people is a really fun thing to do, especially when it is different than what most people are used to,” Altamirano said. LSA President Alvarez

COWBOYS

wants to showcase the culture of MSU’s Hispanic student population and show others why it is so important to them. “The Hispanic population here is not very large, so I think it is important to showcase who we are and that we are here. We are more than a number; we have a culture and other things that are important to us,” Alvarez said. CONTINUED FROM 1

“Their focus is to design, build and fly high-powered rockets to learn through hands-on activities,” Wolz said. “Their efforts provide a way to apply classroom learning to real-world application to compete against other world-class engineering students.” The rocket-building team has competed in multiple international high-powered rocket competitions, designed, built and flown rockets for the NASA Student Launch Initiative and conducted extensive outreach efforts with

Mississippi students and the local Starkville community. In 2015, the Space Cowboys placed first out of 70 universities in the Intercollegiate Rocket Engineering Competition with Asimov, a high-powered rocket designed to reach 30,000 feet. When the team is not building competitive rockets, it is conducting research projects, such as designing a rocket intended to approach a velocity of four times the speed of sound. Ally Dees, a senior in aerospace engineering, is

STARKVILLE ALDERSGATE

United Methodist Congregation Rev. Jamie Bailey, Pastor 820 Evergreen Street Starkville, MS 39759

Welcomes ALL Students!

Starkville Aldersgate and Reverend Bailey invite you to make us your Church home while at MSU

Sunday Worship 10:00 a.m. Church School 9:00 a.m. E-mail: starkvillealdersgateumc@gmail.com Tel. (662) 323-4657

@starkvilleAUMC @starkvillealdersgateumc

the current president of the Space Cowboys. She has been on the team since her freshman year. “Over my past four years on the team, I have learned so much about what it means to work with a team to accomplish some greater goal,” Dees said. “I have been graced with so many opportunities to develop technically, grow professionally and establish so many great friendships as a part of this team.” Every year, the MSU Space Cowboys build and design a rocket for the

Spaceport America Cup, a competition which typically hosts over 100 rocket design teams from across the globe. This consists of the design and simulation of the rocket, the fabrication of the rocket in Patterson Engineering Laboratories and conducting test launches at MSU’s South Farm. The competition is held at Spaceport America, located in the New Mexico desert. Over the course of a week, competitors demonstrate their technical accomplishments while learning from professional

rocket engineers. This year’s Spaceport America Cup was canceled due to COVID-19, but the Space Cowboys are still preparing their competition rocket, named Astraea, for the 2021 competition. The team is also currently expanding its propulsion research capabilities by designing, fabricating and testing hybrid rocket motors, as well as preparing the theoretical design of a smallscale liquid rocket engine. “Overall, the team strives to develop a high level of technical excellence

in aerospace engineering,” Dees said. “The MSU Space Cowboys, in my opinion, are one of the department of aerospace engineering’s finest assets to the technical and professional development of undergraduate students.” Over the last two years, the Space Cowboys have almost doubled in size, reaching a total of 54 members. The team is open to all academic disciplines but consists mostly of aerospace engineering majors. Lake Spradling, also a senior aerospace engineering major, is the Space Cowboys’ chief engineer. His role involves him in every part of the rocket-building process, but his main job is to ensure safety while achieving high performance. Spradling says the team has been invaluable to his growth as an engineer since he joined his freshman year. “The rocket team has taught me countless skills I wouldn’t have gotten from school alone,” Spradling said. “I’ve learned about everything, from what goes into the production of aerospace vehicles to leading a design team to making quality products.” Building a rocket requires a considerable amount of teamwork, which Spradling says has helped prepare him for the industry. Many of the Space Cowboys’ alumni, of which there are over 200, have gone on to work and conduct research in the aerospace industry at organizations like NASA, Lockheed Martin and MIT.

The Reflector 9/29/20 Sudoku

THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 @REFLECTORONLINE

BULLETIN BOARD

An In-Class Distraction

Reflector 9/29/20 Crossword

Across

1 1982 World Cup site 6 Not up yet 10 Carte start 13 Tree with pods 14 Indian dress 15 Knave 16 Dracula, for one 17 Free ticket 18 Lettuce type 19 Lennon’s Yoko 20 Moistureless 22 Light beige 24 Auction actions 26 Hit 28 Yorkshire river 30 Scrutinize 31 Socially acceptable behavior 34 Little devil 37 Mangy mutt 38 Sharer’s word 39 Height 43 Area in southwestern Asia 45 Load from a lode 46 Water holder 47 Driving need 48 Tape alternative 52 Property claim 56 Betting group 57 Little piggies 59 Blanched 60 Gangster’s blade 62 Fable 64 Calendar abbr. 65 Young newt 67 Supermarket section 69 Win an auction 71 Cow pasture 72 Exuberance

PuzzleJunction.com

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To solve the Sudoku puzzle, each row, column and box must contain the numbers 1 to 9.

SUDOKU PuzzleJunction.com

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Picturesque Chinese temple Phenom Fleming and Woosnam Lymphatic tissues View Call to Bo-peep Scottish Gaelic Extended communication

42 Send forth 44 “S.O.S.!” 49 Quote from Homer 50 Type of event 51 Door opener 53 Like most sonnets 54 “Seinfeld” regular 55 Social misfit 58 Brown ermine 61 Soft palate 63 Bigger than big 65 Popular street name 66 Invoice amount 68 PC linkup 70 Feather’s partner

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Opinion:

• MSU veteri- • nary professor given excellence award. • • Students voted in homecoming elections. • • Bulldog football returns to top 25 with Dak Prescott.

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Life:

Sports:

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Sudoku Solution

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BAD DAWGS

Lost, found or shortage of property reported in Dorman Hall.

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Friday, September18, 2020

Sudoku Solution

3 1 News: 8 9 6

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Saturday, September 19, 2020 Driving under the influence reported on Bully Blvd. Sexual harrassment reported in the the library. Lost, found or shortage of property reported at Lee Hall. A case of malicious mischief was reported in the Cresswell rear parking lot. Sunday, September 20, 2020

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A car was reported stolen in the Swamp Lot Parking on Herbert Street but the claim was determined to be unfounded. Tuesday, September 22, 2020 Lost, found or shortage of property reported at the National Strategic Planning & Analysis Research Center. Malicious mischief reported in the parking lot east of Critz. Wednesday, September 23, 2020 Property damage reported in the East Commuter gravel parking lot behind Herbert Hall on Herbert Street.

THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY, SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 @REFLECTORONLINE

OPINION

FACE-OFF: Are roundabouts the remedy for traffic in Starkville? B Roundabouts are the right way to go

REFLECTIONS

a C o s f F t o a M t B L

Marcus Aurelius JOHN HAYNES

“You have power over your mind – not outside events. Realize this, and you will find strength.”

Trivia Time! 1. “What a Wonderful World” is a jazz song first recorded by which American singer? 2. When referring to a website’s address, what does the acronym URL stand for? 3. Which marine animal is the only known natural predator of the great white shark? 4. At the 2020 Oscars, which South Korean film took home four awards including Best Picture? 5. What is the most popular breed of dog in the United States? 5. Labrador Retriever Locator 3. Orca (killer whale) 4. “Parasite” Answer: 1. Louis Armstrong 2. Uniform Resource

Source: trivia.fyi

is a senior majoring in history and classics. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.

Anyone who drives in Starkville knows the familiar drudgery of waiting at the stoplights. No one likes waiting for the light to turn green, especially here in Oktibbeha County, where it sometimes seems a misanthrope programmed the traffic lights. Certain intersections let one way go for a long time while the other way has around 20 seconds to rush through before the light turns red again. I know I have had many more occasions where I have hit several red lights in a row than I have hit a string of greens. Four-way stops in Starkville are just as dreadful. No one knows the rules of the road. Time after time I see people blow on through thinking they somehow deserve to go first, despite getting there last. I will admit four-way stops do not bother me as much as stoplights, but I do think there are intersections which could stand to be improved. What can be done to combat our tedious commutes? I propose the city of Starkville replace the stoplights and some four-way stops with more roundabouts, like the one on Blackjack Road. This would lessen the travel time, increase safety and cut down on electric costs for the city and gas costs for drivers. A 2005 study funded

by the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety found roundabouts reduce travel delays as much as 74%. Common sense also would suggest roundabouts save time. Cars going through it will get in and get out as fast as they can. While traffic jams can happen, they are more likely to be resolved because no one is stuck behind an arbitrary red light. The Federal Highway Administration’s roundabout guide notes in the U.S, the mean reduction in crashes with injuries was 51%. That means the number of car accidents where people get hurt is cut in half, just by having roundabouts installed! From a public safety standpoint, roundabouts come out far ahead of their peers. Another advantage of roundabouts is their relative cheapness. The only maintenance they require

Roundabouts pose more risks than benefits

HALLIE GREEN

is a senior majoring in philosophy and religion. Contact her at opinion@reflector. msstate.edu.

Starkville has very few roundabouts, and it should stay that way. Adding more roundabouts in Starkville would simply require even more roadwork around the city. Although roundabouts do have their benefits, there are definitely some drawbacks. Many of us who attend Mississippi State University did not come from cities or towns where roundabouts are a prominent part of traffic. So, on top of students having to learn their way around a new town, they would also have to learn new driving skills. As reported by John Metcalfe from Bloomberg CityLab, studies show intersections replaced with roundabouts had a 38% decrease in fatal wrecks but a 12% increase in non-fatal wrecks, a consequence of “confused or unprepared drivers trying to navigate the unfamiliar roadway design.” While it is fantastic

roundabouts help drop the percentage of fatal car crashes, non-fatal car wrecks still have their costs. Fixing one’s car can be really expensive, and not all college students have the funds to deal with these avoidable expenses. Also, “non-fatal” does not necessarily mean there were no injuries, so health costs must be taken into consideration as well. In a college town, it is important to consider extra financial burdens which could be unnecessarily placed on students. In addition to the potentially preventable fees roundabouts create for students, the safety of pedestrians and cyclists must also be considered when implementing roundabouts. Many students ride their bikes to campus, and it would be best for both the students as well as the university to make Starkville as safe as possible. As stated by Steve Wallace from the Times Colonist, drivers at roundabouts tend to check only the left side and ignore any dangers to the right, which makes pedestrian crossing at roundabouts extremely difficult and dangerous. Not only will roundabouts affect the safety of day-to-day pedestrians but it will also affect the safety of pedestrians on game days and during other large events hosted by the university.

MAZE

h a n r h i M e Ensuring the safety of the residents of Starkville, as well as those who visit, should be top priority. While pedestrians’ safety is to be considered, cyclists’ safety is also an important factor as they present even larger safety risks when it comes to roundabouts. According to BrightHub Engineering, traffic rules for roundabouts in America deem vehicles in the innermost roundabout lane may turn right to exit, but this subsequently places any bicyclists following behind the car at an unexpected angle in the driver’s blind spot. Because of the bicyclist’s disadvantaged placement,

cyclists are often one of the most afflicted victims in roundabouts. Drivers already lack awareness of cyclists without roundabouts; it is not likely drivers will suddenly change this due to roundabouts being added. The safety of all who use the roads should be considered when making these decisions. It is important fatal car crashes decrease. However, that does not make roundabouts the perfect solution. Overall, the potential costs and safety problems presented by roundabouts indicate roundabouts are not the best solution for solving traffic issues.

“ i p d a a n A R ( M n c s

Source: mazegenerator.net

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is the same which all roads require, that of paving potholes as they arise and generally keeping the asphalt in a state of good repair. However, stop lights are pricey to erect and maintain a continuous 24/7 drain on electricity, a cost which comes out of the taxpayers’ pockets. The Washington Department of Transportation estimates these costs run as much as $10,000 per traffic light annually. Starkville is a great place, but why not make it even better? This could be the Southeastern Conference town everyone wants to come to since game day traffic is so easy with all the roundabouts — besides Columbia, Missouri which has 29 roundabouts. Roundabouts have a certain je ne sais quoi which adds a charm unavailable in Knoxville, Tennessee or College Station, Texas.

c t f B o in t c B o s t p The common refrain of c Mayor Lynn Spruill when students complained about Blackjack Road was, “It is not in the City of Starkville, so our hands are tied.” b However, the most egregious traffic lights are within k the Starkville city limits. b I understand budgetary concerns are always pressing, c especially right now with the coronavirus hurting everyone w economically. Starkville especially will miss the influx a of game day traffic. It would a be unrealistic for me to call for the total renovation of t the town to be roundabouta oriented. I think a better alternative is identify the worst stoplight u offenders and set aside the beginnings of a fund for replacing them. This might not get done tomorrow, but if the town makes a plan and works toward it, Starkville can become a better place to live. m a M E

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Letters to the editor should be sent to the Meyer Student Media Center or mailed to The Reflector, PO Box 5407, Mississippi State, MS. Letters may also be emailed to editor@reflector. msstate.edu. Letters must include name and telephone number for verification purposes. The editor reserves the right to edit or refuse to publish a letter.

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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT

Battle of the Bands brings live music back

SARAH MORGAN JOHNSON

LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR

As September comes to a chilly end, class loads and COVID-19 fears weigh heavy on Mississippi State University students, prompting the desire for an escape of some sort. For many MSU students, this escape came in the form of Battle of the Bands, an annual concert hosted by Music Maker Productions that took place Friday in the Bettersworth auditorium in Lee Hall. In a typical year, bands compete in Battle of the Bands to win the honor of opening for the headlining artist at Bulldog Bash, a large, free outdoor concert typically held in the fall semester. However, this year the likelihood of a crowded event like Bulldog Bash is slim to none. Instead of competing for the opening slot in the coming concert, this year the competing bands played in hopes of winning a cash prize.

“ We do bring wellknown acts, but we also love c o l l ab o r a t i n g with smaller artists, because at the end of the day, they are who make up Starkville. ” Madeline Emery Senior Kinesiology Major.

Madeline Emery, a senior majoring in kinesiology, serves as this year’s director for Music Maker Productions (MMP). Emery gave insight into what

the selection process was like this year. Bands submitted an application along with a video performance. The number of bands varies year to year, and this year four bands were selected to play at the event. They included the bands Beat House Live, Catfish Caviar, Celery Teeth and a rapper by the name of Millennial. Emery explained MMP appreciates Battle of the Bands for the unique opportunity it presents to showcase smaller, local bands. “We do bring wellknown acts, but we also love collaborating with smaller artists because, at the end of the day, they are who make up Starkville,” Emery said. Each act succeeded in capturing the audience with their 20-minute time slot, socially-distanced and all. With genres ranging from punk-rock to jazz to rap, there was something for everyone in attendance. The four judges evaluated the artists based on their sound, lyrics, transitions and stage presence. The results were the first-ever tie in Battle of the Bands history, with Millennial and Beat House Live splitting the cash prize. With much of last semester’s concerts being canceled, it has been a long time since most students have experienced live music. Emery expressed her enthusiasm for MSU’s first safe live music event in nearly a year. “For us here I think people need something to look forward to. While there is usually a lot to do in Starkville, much of it falls into big social gatherings that might not be the safest to do right now. Being able to go and enjoy live music is really important,” Emery said. Jay Warren, a senior majoring in biomedical engineering, competed in Battle of the Bands with his band Beat House Live. Warren echoed Emery’s excitement as he was looking forward to the community aspect of the event.

Bethany Crane | The Reflector

Beat House Live members Jay Warren, Daniel Powell and Gibbs Bedenbaugh play their winning set at Music Maker Productions’ Battle of the Bands, hosted on Sept. 25 in Lee Hall.

“COVID has caused a certain degree of separation among the student body, and I feel like especially for us, Battle of the Bands represents a way to bring people together and connect people through music. Having the opportunity to at least listen to live music, and from our end perform live music, of course, is pretty special,” Warren said. Joy Cariño, a 2020 graduate from MSU, plays the keys for Celery Teeth. While the band has played together for over a year, it has been a long time since

their last live performance. At first, being back in a concert environment, especially a competitive one, was slightly overwhelming. “It was a wild night. I hadn’t been in a space like that in so long, and it’s really weird to be in a space like that during COVID times. I was pretty nervous because in other gigs you’re just having fun, but with Battle of the Bands the stakes are a little higher because it’s a competition. Once we got up there it was lots of fun though,” Cariño said.

MMP went to extensive lengths to make sure the concert was not only an enjoyable music experience but a safe event for all students. In order to attend, students were required to register on Cowbell Connect. Upon arrival, everyone scanned in with their net identification. Seats in the auditorium were marked off in order to enforce social distancing guidelines, and audience members sat separately with their masks on for the duration of the event. For MMP, safety is a prerequisite for the privilege

that is live music. Emery expressed the organization is doing all they can to safely promote live music. She is optimistic for the rest of the year in regards to bringing music to campus. “We are trying very hard to make sure everyone is safe. We are going to try as hard as we can, whether that be virtually, at limited capacity or outside, to bring live music in some capacity to campus. Live music is what people need right now, so we are trying very hard to make that happen,” Emery said.

Mississippi Today: education in the Magnolia State

MARY CAITLYN WRIGHT

STAFF WRITER

While Mississippi has traditionally claimed a bottom-rung spot in nationwide education rankings, recent reports have indicated massive improvement in the Magnolia state’s public education. A WJTV article titled, “Mississippi leads nation in K-12 progress, college persistence in the South” details the ways Mississippi as a state has successfully adapted to the educational needs of students in the state. According to the Southern Regional Education Board (SREB) 2020 report, Mississippi leads the nation in K-12 growth and college persistence amongst southern states. “The 2020 SREB report shows how Mississippi’s research-based education policies are improving student achievement from pre-K through college,” Carey Wright, state superintendent of education, said to WJTV. “I am incredibly proud of all the hardworking students, educators and school leaders who have made Mississippi a national leader for advancing public education.” An article for WLOX titled, “Mississippi ranks #2 for the most improved education, report finds” references the latest Quality Counts report. The report, published in Education Week, ranks the state of Mississippi second for its educational improvement, putting the state only

2.3 points away from the national average. Wright also spoke with WLOX, praising Mississippi’s teachers and educational administrators. “This is outstanding national recognition for our teachers and leaders in the state. We have challenged students to meet higher standards of learning, and they are succeeding. This is validation that over time, we can change the trajectory of public education in Mississippi and raise expectations for what our students can do,” Wright said. Kelli Adams is teaching her first year at Starkville High School as a tenthtwelfth grade social education inclusion teacher. Adams has seen a few things

which she thinks have contributed to the rise in the education system. “I think that it is our teachers being more wellversed in our curriculums and materials,” Adams said. “They are able to transform what students have to know on the tests into engaging lessons that the students actually relate to in the real world.” Erin Grant-Butler, instructor and exercise science internship coordinator for Mississippi State University, has been involved in education for over 20 years. Grant-Butler has witnessed the growth of Mississippi’s education system first-hand. “We have gone through a transition through the years with the education

process,” Grant-Butler said. “We have been pushing for standardized testing, and what the government is wanting to see is increased numbers. When we are teaching them now, we are teaching how to take tests. Not only trying to get the information to them, but we are teaching them how to look at questions and choose the best answer. Students can kind of analyze things a little better. I do believe, with the test scores, there have been some that have been taken away from the content, so students might not get the information over and over where it really sticks with them. I do see that with the transition through the years.” With that being said, the SREB report for Mississippi

also shows Mississippi is the only state in the region in which the first-year persistence rate of firsttime, full-time students at public, four-year colleges and universities increased from 2012 to 2017. This indicates more first-time, full-time college students returned to college for a second year. Even though Mississippi education has continued to improve, COVID-19 is affecting more than just the physical health of Mississippians. It has also greatly impacted the way students learn. Natalie Whitehead is a senior at MSU majoring in human development and family science with a concentration in child life. Whitehead has not only

noticed an effect on her schooling but those around her as well. “I see a lot of schools went to being online which I think is detrimental to a child’s development, not only social but academic too,” Whitehead said. “My little sister was lucky enough that her school went back to being in person, but that has its negative effects. I feel like children now are not getting a proper education, and it will show in the years to come.” Even as outside forces, such as COVID-19, continue to tamper with the education system, students, educators and school leaders are not giving up. GrantButler suggested the idea that it is not just students, educators and school leaders who make up the education system, it is everyone. “The field of education is so important. I don’t think that it is valued like it should be, especially at high levels,” Grant-Butler said. “We are doing our best to give you all everything you need in order to help you get to your career. Always remember when you get out into your field, think about those teachers, and how they made an impact on you. Think about the whole system, if you are going into any field. Think about how you can improve and give back, so our field of education can continue to grow. It is not that we just want to put people out into the world; we want to be able to learn because we need feedback. We need help in other ways as well. Everyone will make the whole system better.”

SPORTS

THE REFLECTOR SEPTEMBER 29, 2020 @SPORTSREFLECTOR

Osirus Mitchell seals the win against LSU HUNTER CLOUD STAFF WRITER

It was a fade route to the right corner of the north end zone as KJ Costello released a spiraling football through the air. Mitchell just had to put his arms out to catch the inch perfect pass, stayed in bounds and caught the winning touchdown for MSU. “He wanted to take the shot knowing the DB wouldn’t expect it on 3rd and 10,” Mitchell said. “So it was a perfect ball, and I ran a great route.” Catch after catch, Osirus Mitchell stepped up multiple times for the Bulldogs to make plays as the senior from Sarasota, Florida shed the past two years of inconsistent play to have one of the biggest games of his career. Meanwhile, KJ Costello, a graduate transfer quarterback from Rancho Santa Margarita, California, stole the show by slinging the football around to his teammates in shining maroon helmets, reminiscent of their 2014 win over LSU where Dak Prescott so famously stiffarmed an LSU defender to the turf and proceeded to score a touchdown. Mitchell was the one who led the receiving corp from the kickoff to the final interception of the game. He said before the game he felt it was going to be special with the Air Raid system. “I knew this was the type of offense we were going to have just from the practices,” Mitchell said. “All the workouts we had, everyone bought in, so we knew it was going to be something special. KJ is one of the biggest leaders I have ever seen. Even when he fumbled that ball he was still laughing and happy, cheering everybody up. It was like he knew we were going to get the outcome we wanted.” This season is the first football season since Da’Runnya “Bear” Wilson

was found dead in his residence by Birmingham police. Wilson was a part of that 2014 team that led the Bulldogs to wins over LSU and Auburn as they reached the top of the college football world and held the rank of No.1 before losses to Alabama and Ole Miss. The team did not think much about that 2014 win, however. Mitchell said they were focused on winning the task at hand— a mission accomplished in part because of their conditioning regimen. “Those guys on the field were saying ‘Oh, I’m so tired. I’m so tired,’” Mitchell said. “We were just laughing it off. So that definitely played a huge part in the win.” Wilson had four catches and 91 yards in that 2014 victory. The game also put Dak Prescott onto the national radar as he was in the Heisman race from that moment until the Alabama game. Costello stepped up in a similar moment recovering from four fumbles and two interceptions to lead the Bulldogs to victory in Baton Rouge. Leach said the way Costello handled that adversity was one of the best he has seen. “He just came out swinging and was composed. He didn’t force things,” Leach said. “It wasn’t perfect, but these guys are a little challenging. These guys that play at LSU, they get invited to play everywhere.” Both Costello and Mitchell had big games with Costello throwing for 623 yards, a SEC record, and Mitchell catching for 183 yards. “I’m speechless about everything today,” Costello said. “If you had told me a year ago I would be sitting here today, it is crazy. A year ago I couldn’t even throw the football.” Costello had been hurt in his 2019 season at Stanford. Now a year later, he is being mentioned in the same sentence as Dak

Chris Parent | LSU Athletics

Osirus Mitchell, a senior wide receiver from Sarasota, Florida, receives the ball during Saturday’s game at Louisiana State University, where the Bulldogs beat the Tigers 44-34.

Prescott for breaking his passing yards record. An obvious turnaround from when MSU last played at LSU in 2018, Mitchell

said the win over the Tigers was huge for the team’s confidence, especially after their passing woes in the past few seasons.

“It was very soothing to me,” Mitchell said. “This was by far one of the hardest offseasons that we have had. KJ is a great leader and is

good at bringing everyone together. I think this offseason is going to put us ahead of a lot of other players and teams.”

MSU soccer ties with Tide in double overtime

LYDIA PALMER SPORTS EDITOR

The Bulldogs faced the University of Alabama on Friday night in Starkville where they tied the Crimson Tide in double overtime with a final score of 1-1. Alabama’s Crimson Tide kicked off to start the night, which also held the distinction of being the first athletic event on Mississippi State University’s campus since March 8. The first goal of the night was scored by Alabama’s #18, Felicia Knox, a freshman midfielder from Shawnee, Kansas. Both defenses came out strong in the first half, making it a very back-and-forth start to the night. The second score

of the night did not take place until the very end of the second half. MSU Head Coach James Armstrong said the last-minute score shows the faith the team members have in each other. “We were down tonight, but we created numerous chances. And, listen, even though it was just one second left on the clock, that just shows the belief that they have in one another,” Armstrong said. “They’re willing to give 100% all the way even with one second left with the belief that we were going to score a goal.” The shot was by Hailey Farrington-Bentil, a junior forward from Milwaukee,

Wisconsin. She talked about what that moment was like for her during the press conference after the game. “She went into a tackle, and the ball came out. And I took the plunge and kind of blacked out after that, but just chipped it to the side of her and that’s pretty much it,” Farrington-Bentil said about the shot that tied the game, sending them into overtime. Neither team scored during the first overtime, taking the Bulldogs into the second overtime with the same tied 1-1 score with the Crimson Tide. The second overtime was no more eventful than the first, resulting in a tied first game for MSU.

Maddy Anderson, freshman goalkeeper from Seabrook, Texas, played the entire match for the Bulldogs, making two saves in the first half. She helped hold a strong defense throughout both halves and overtimes and said there was a lot of pressure, but she felt supported by her teammates. “It was a bit stressful, I’m not gonna lie,” Anderson said about holding Alabama to one point throughout the game from early on in the night. “Our defense held their own and definitely supported me which made my job a lot easier. When it comes to me, I just have to do my job because I know I have the skills to do it. I just

have to execute.” One of the team captains, Alyssa D’Aloise, a junior midfielder from Dallas, Texas, transferred to MSU from Texas Tech. She took two shots during the game against Alabama this weekend and totaled 108 playing minutes during the match. This was her first game at home because she was injured in the spring. “Being able to step out on the field and be in a conference game is probably one of the best feelings I’ve ever had,” D’Aloise shared after the game. “It was a really prideful moment, and I’m very thankful for the opportunity that I’ve been given.” The MSU soccer team

will play their next match against Ole Miss in Oxford on Friday. The last time the Bulldogs faced their rival in soccer was during the SEC tournament last season, where the University of Mississippi won 2-1. Coach Armstrong said his team was going to start correcting mistakes from the Alabama game next week, as well as watching Ole Miss play. “Last year was heartbreaking at the SEC tournament, but they’re just the next opponent right now with a little bit of extra bite added to it,” Armstrong said. “We’re looking forward to going there and performing just like we want to do every week.”