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Harry Weinstein should be imprisoned
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132nd YEAR ISSUE 16
TUESDAY OCTOBER 24, 2017
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
MSU gains $3 million Lincoln collection DYLAN BUFKIN STAFF WRITER
Students would be hard pressed to miss the Mitchell Memorial Library’s fourthfloor construction. The construction, which started in June, adds to the fourth floor of the library which houses The Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana and The Ulysses S. Grant library. The Lincoln collection consists of over 17,000 Lincolnian artifacts, ranging from letters and documents to a portrait of Lincoln painted by James Montgomery Flagg, the artist behind the “I Want You” WWI propaganda posters. Collected by former Rhode Island Chief Justice Frank Williams across a 50-year period, the collection spans 150 years of American history and is estimated at over $3 million dollars in worth. “I was already into American history, and by the time I got into sixth grade, I was really into it,” Williams said. “I sat under a portrait of Lincoln and was fascinated by his face, and my sixth-grade teacher help mentor me and directed me towards the study of him[Lincoln] and the Civil War.”
Frank J. Williams | Courtesy Photo
Frank J. Williams and his wife, Virginia Williams, donated a private Lincoln and Civil War collection to the Mitchell Memorial Library. The collection is estimated to be worth nearly $3 million. The collection, along with the Ulysses S. Grant presidential library will open Nov. 30.
He continued to use his lunch money, all 25 cents a day, to buy used Lincoln books. Even his career as a lawyer, Williams added, was influenced by his love of Lincoln and the 16th president’s time as a lawyer. Williams, as acting president of the Ulysses S. Grant Association, is
also the reason the Grant collection is at Mississippi State University, which was moved from its original home at Southern Illinois University in 2009. Williams said his main hope for the collection is that it is, simply put, “used.” “Not just by MSU faculty and students, now
and in the future, but that it is used online,” Williams said. “It’ll be a resource, we hope, for the legacy.” However, Williams is not finished with his passion for Lincolnian history. While his shelves, which at one point lined the walls of his office with Lincoln memorabilia, are
now empty, he said he and his wife still have “the bug.” Unable to name a specific favorite in his collection, Williams said some pieces like the miniaturized Emancipation Proclamations and a clerk desk that Lincoln used in his lawyer days, are particularly interesting. Additionally, The Williams have pledged $500,000 for a research fund to help curate the collection into the future and have pledged to fund an annual lecture series on Lincoln and his era. MSU President Mark Keenum, in a statement at the announcement of the Lincoln addition, said, “Mississippi State University is immensely proud to receive the Frank and Virginia Williams Collection of Lincolniana, a truly unique and comprehensive collection that provides unprecedented insight into the life and times of our 16th president and the Civil War era. With this incredibly generous donation and their guiding hand in bringing what has become the U.S. Grant Presidential Library to our campus, the Williams’ have made MSU one of the nation’s foremost repositories for research into this pivotal period in our nation’s history.” LIBRARY, 2
Carnival, concert highlight weekend JORDAN DARENSBOURG STAFF WRITER
The Mississippi State University campus was brought to life Thursday night with a carnival and live music to kickoff homecoming weekend. The Student Association held its first Homecoming Carnival in the parking lot of the Newell-Grissom Volleyball Arena. The event featured food trucks, face painting and other traditional carnival festivities. Many of the carnival goers waited patiently to ride the Ferris wheel which promised a spectacular view of the MSU campus. However, not all riders were giddy about the heights. Meredith Brock, a senior biological engineering major from Madison, said she was initially apprehensive about the ride due to its height. “We just kept on going higher and higher and higher, and so we were getting a little scared at first,” Brock said. “Once we started going, we got more lax and it was very nice and relaxing to watch everything.” HOMECOMING, 2
District 38 House candidates talk infrastructure, education Three candidates, Lisa Wynn, Cheikh Taylor and Narissa Bradford, participated in a forum hosted by the Stennis Montgomery Foundation
KATIE POE
STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University’s Stennis Montgomery Association hosted a forum for three candidates vying to represent District 38 in the House of Representatives on Thursday. The District 38 seat, which covers parts of Clay, Lowndes and Oktibbeha counties, is currently vacant due to the resignation of Tyrone Ellis (D). The Stennis Montgomery Association is a student-run organization which focuses on government and policy. One of the group’s goals is to enhance civic education. Candidates Narissa Bradford, Cheikh Taylor and Lisa Wynn spoke about infrastructure, education and their individual platforms. Bradford is a former fashion model and entrepreneur. In Italy, she launched a magazine and media company, which partnered with the United Nations, Italy’s Capital and a subsidiary of Exxon Mobil. In regards to
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infrastructure, Bradford said in today’s media-centric environment everyone needs internet access. “I think one of our urgent infrastructure needs in District 38 is to bridge the digital divide between the rural and the urban areas,” Bradford said. “We need internet in all the areas.” Bradford said she believes telecommunication companies can help bridge the gap and bring internet to students everywhere. “If the kids that live in these rural areas do not have the technology, it is hard for them to explore topics and ideas that interest them personally, and these kids are not able to dream,” Bradford said. “As we know, without dreams and vision, we perish.” To Bradford, internet access is not a luxury, but a basic need, like water and electricity. Wynn, a former Starkville alderman, said the state does not have enough personnel to fix the current infrastructure needs. She said she would come up with a comprehensive plan to solve this problem and hire a firm to help.
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Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
The plan, she said, would include seeking grants to fund the projects. Also, she said legislation should be passed mandating the taxation of online purchases. Taylor, the executive director of the nonprofit Brickfire Project, said there are several areas of concern within the state’s infrastructure. He said, according to the American Society of Civil Engineer’s 2017 report, 12.3 percent of Mississippi bridges are rated as failing.
Improvement to the drinking and wastewater infrastructure would cost $10.5 billion. Taylor said delaying investments to the aging infrastructure will further increase the costs and risks. “It’s an obstacle that this country, Mississippi and our families can no longer afford,” Taylor said. Taylor said these problems are significant but solvable through leadership and preparation. Taylor also spoke about education. He said one
FORECAST: Chilly start on Tuesday with lows in the mid 40’s, warming up to the low 70’s. A cold front will push through Tuesday night into Wednesday with lows in the upper 30’s and highs in the low 60’s. Chilly morning Thursday with lows in the upper 30’s and warming to the low 70’s. -Beth Finello, Campus Connect Forecaster
of his goals is supporting public education and making sure “public dollars” are being put into public schools. Taylor said one problem that arises with education, however, is finding highly qualified teachers to employ. He said the current policies in place push teachers away. If elected, he added, he would push for resources to recruit and keep teachers. Wynn said education is one of her top priorities. She said teachers should be paid fair amounts and more
money should be put into the schools. “It is sad that prisoners in the state of Mississippi receive more money than the people in our schools,” Wynn said. Bradford agreed, not having enough funding for schools is counterproductive. “For years, our state leaders have chosen not to fully fund our schools and the lack of adequate funding almost certainly sets them up for failure,” Bradford said. FORUM, 2
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HOMECOMING
FORUM
CONTINUED FROM 1
CONTINUED FROM 1
BAD DAWGS Thursday, September 19 9:30 p.m. Two students issued arrest citations in Starkville for possession of marijuana. Friday, September 20 9:42 a.m. Student reported a Yeti cooler stolen from his truck while parked in Zacharias village. Saturday, September 21 4:11 a.m. Student was arrested in Moseley Hall parking lot for obstructing traffic, expired drivers license and disorderly conduct. Justice court citations and student referral issued. 3:36 p.m. Non-resident/visitor arrested in Junction for disorderly conduct involving juvenile. 4:34 p.m. Student was arrested in Davis Wade Stadium for minor in possession of alcohol and public drunk. 6:55 p.m. Student reported her camera stolen from Davis Wade Stadium. 7:13 p.m. Non-resident/visitor arrested in Allen Hall parking lot for public drunk. 9:43 p.m. Student reported coolers missing from tailgating area at Herzer Building. 10:17 p.m. Student reported a generator stolen from the tailgating area at Herzer Building. Sunday, September 22 12:40 a.m. Student reported her vehicle was burglarized while parked in Zacharias Village.
Bradford also said the state needs to give the schools more flexibility. She said what works in Starkville might not work in West Point. Lastly, the candidates talked about their platforms. Bradford said her focus is on fixing the problems with the criminal justice system and installing mandatory rehab and counseling. Wynn said she wants to put education at the forefront. She also wants to reduce jail time on drug charges. Taylor agreed, saying his concentration is also on education and social justice. Mixing the two topics, he said those in Mississippi prisons should learn skills that will help them in everyday life. The special election for the position of Mississippi House of Representatives District 38 seat will take place on Nov. 7.
LIBRARY CONTINUED FROM 1
The Dean of Libraries Frances Coleman, a MSU alumna and dedicated faculty member since 1969, understands the immense value the new collection brings to the university and research around the world. “Our goal is to display its great treasures on a rotating basis while making the entire archive available to researchers throughout the world by cataloging each piece, digitizing the unique materials, and developing a website for the collection,” Coleman said. Students can look forward to seeing the collection, and all its history, on Nov. 30, along with the following lecture series.
Olivia Zeringue | The Reflector
Student Association host their first Homecoming Carnival complete with Ferris wheel, face painting, food trucks and other carnival festivities.
In partnership with SA, Dance Marathon hosted a Dunk Tank in order to raise money for the children of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee. The Le Bonheur Children’s hospital is responsible for seeing over 80,000 emergency department visits per year ranging from the ordinary bumps and sniffles of childhood to its most lifealtering extremes. Savanna Boyd, a junior psychology major from Meridian, and one of the morale co-directors for Dance Marathon, said thinking of the children they were helping made the cold plunge worthwhile. “After I dipped my little toe in, it was extremely cold,” Boyd said. “But we are doing it for the kids, so it made everything better, but I am getting a little bit of hypothermia.” In addition to the dunk tank, Boyd said Dance Marathon was also able to raise roughly $7,000 for the children of Le Bonheur Children’s Hospital. She also said there will be more events coming up including a fundraising event at McAllister’s. As for the overall carnival experience, Boyd said that it was awesome. “My four years here, I’ve never seen anything like it, or been to one like this in Starkville,” Boyd said. “I think it’s a really fun atmosphere, a fun thing that [the Student Association] put on.” As the festivities of the carnival died down the crowd in front of the MSU amphitheater began to grow in anticipation for Beta Upsilon Chi’s annual Island Party concert. The Island Party concert benefits the Palmer Home for Children
located in Columbus, which helps underprivileged youth succeed in academics and life. The Palmer Home utilizes a comprehensive approach when it comes to mentoring children from lower socioeconomic situations. The “Whole Child Initiative” focuses on four main characteristics:
Will Maxwell, a junior mechanical engineering major from Franklin, Tennessee, and a member of BYX, said that BYX was very excited to bring in the group. “They’ve been really big outside of the area, so it’s great for us to expose everybody around here to them,” Maxwell said.
“It was awesome. We love playing in Starkville. It’s really one of our favorite places to play. We try to come here several times a year if we can to do shows and they’re always a great crowd.” -Sam Mooney, Island Party opener from Brookhaven physical development, emotional healing, educational support and spiritual growth. According to the Palmer Home website this approach allows caregivers to support vulnerable children through a trauma-sensitive approach. The Island Party’s opening act Sam Mooney is a local artist from Brookhaven, who is a senior civil engineering major at the University of Mississippi. Mooney said he enjoys performing at BYX’s Island Party for MSU students and Starkville locals. “It was awesome. We love playing in Starkville,” Mooney said. “It’s really one of our favorite places to play. We try to come here several times a year if we can to do shows and they’re always a great crowd.” After Mooney’s performance, the stage at the outdoor amphitheater was electrified by popalternative band COIN.
“They’ve got great music.” All concessions sold at the free concert directly benefited the Palmer Home. Mooney said he finds immense value in helping raise awareness for a great cause which has a direct impact on the local area. “One of the most rewarding things is being part of benefit concerts,” Mooney said. “Letting people get in on that, and bringing awareness to it, it’s awesome and it’s great to see everything and full with people who are going to hear about what the Palmer Home is doing.” Maxwell believed the event was a win for everyone involved. Maxwell said he was excited not only for the exposure of Sam Mooney and COIN to those in attendance, but also to help the Palmer Home. “We’re really excited to be able to bring this exposure to them and donate the money to them,” Maxwell said.
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ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY... ...in 1901, a 63-year-old schoolteacher named Annie Edson Taylor became the first person to take the plunge over Niagara Falls in a barrel. With the help of two assistants, Taylor strapped herself into a leather harness inside an old wooden pickle barrel. With cushions lining the barrel to break her fall, Taylor was towed by a small boat into the middle of the fast-flowing Niagara River and cut loose. Knocked violently from side to side by the rapids and then propelled over the edge of Horseshoe Falls, Taylor reached the shore alive, if a bit battered, around 20 minutes after her journey began.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY OCTOBER 24, 2017 @REFLECTORONLINE
OPINION
Silicon Valley fails innovation in politics
Harvey Weinstein belongs in jail
CE FA is a senior majoring in economics. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Since its inception in the mid-20th century, Silicon Valley has consistently set the bar for innovation and entrepreneurship for the entire world. The companies created there and the products they have designed are instantly recognizable and have become integral parts of our daily lives. However, there has been clear evidence in recent years of one area in which Silicon Valley deeply struggles. For all their innovation and technical brilliance, they have shown they are often incapable of handling political scenarios. Examples of their political struggles are not difficult to find. Facebook has come under fire for running massive amounts of political ads during the election cycle, often containing inaccurate information. There has also been evidence these ads were purchased by foreign entities, who may have been trying to influence the election. According to Patricia Zengerle and Dustin Volz of Reuters, several U.S. senators have drafted a bill to try to combat this issue. Senators McCain, Klobuchar and Warner have introduced a bill called the “Honest Ads Act,” which would extend current U.S. laws covering radio and television ads to cover social media sites, such as Facebook and Twitter. It would require the companies to make a serious effort to ensure foreign entities or individuals are not buying ads to attempt to influence on any type of American election. In my view, leaders of these social media companies have been slow to recognize the threat and now the U.S. Congress is on the path to take serious action against them. Of course, suspicious political ads are far from the only instance of political naiveté on the part of Silicon
MIA RODRIGUEZ
OK BO
STEVEN WEIRICH
is a sophmore majoring in English. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.
Valley companies. Back in 2016, Uber, under the leadership of then-CEO Travis Kalanick, went charging into the Chinese marketplace intent on conquering it like a capitalist crusader. As one may have already guessed, this did not turn out well for the ride-sharing firm, as noted by Robert Salomon in Fortune. Salomon said Uber was losing $1 billion a year and fighting a well-connected competitor in the form of Didi Chuxing. Interestingly, Uber ended up selling their market share to Didi Chuxing for a 20 percent minority stake in the Chinese company. As confident as Kalanick was in his brand, he did not grasp how truly different the Chinese market was from the American. The configuration of China’s unique political and legal system makes it difficult for foreign companies to achieve great success there. As Salomon explains, this has been the case for other
American tech companies as well, including Amazon, Facebook, Yahoo and Google. A final example of Silicon Valley’s struggles can be seen in areas where their idea of “disruption” is inappropriate. According to Ross Baird of Medium, entrepreneurs in Silicon Valley often do not understand the world’s problems are more complicated than the ones they encounter in running their businesses— especially when it comes to venturing into industries such as energy, agriculture and financial services. “It’s important to remember that startups in these industries will be more successful by understanding and partnering with entrenched institutions than by setting out to ‘disrupt the world’s problems,’” Baird said. Basically, Silicon Valley has a hard time grasping issues for which they cannot engineer a solution or deliver a product for a keen consumer. The
question is: what can they do to combat this problem? To start, it would be helpful if the heads of some Silicon Valley companies would take the time to get a better grasp on the political arena. It can be tough to understand why foreign individuals or entities would want to target Americans via slanted and untruthful political ads. Likewise, understanding the more personalist nature of the Chinese political economy might have been out of step for executives at firms like Uber, but it would have likely helped them to more effectively navigate their Chinese expansion. Politics are fickle and filled with intangibles, and it is unlikely Silicon Valley will be able to “disrupt” their way out these conundrums. Until they embrace the fact they have some learning to do, Silicon Valley will continue to trip over themselves as they try to handle political matters.
At what point will affluent men learn everything, especially women, are not theirs for the taking? As if Brock Turner’s six-month sentence for sexual assault, which was not even fully served, was not frustrating enough, movie director Harvey Weinstein has sexually assaulted women for quite possibly the duration of his career, and his crimes have flown under the radar until now. Even more disgustingly, many in Hollywood knew about his transgressions and said nothing. Quentin Tarantino, director of “Pulp Fiction,” heard much about Weinstein’s sexual misconduct but did nothing about it. According to Jodi Kantor of The New York Times, Tarantino’s ex-girlfriend told him all about Weinstein’s unwanted advances and Tarantino still did nothing. “Though he continued to hear alarming stories over the years, he proceeded to make film after film with Mr. Weinstein, his greatest champion—a decision he now regrets,” Kantor said. Of course, a man whose reputation has been compromised now chooses to regret his past decisions. However, if Weinstein’s scandal had not unfolded, it would be highly unlikely for Tarantino to assume the position of a whistleblower. According to Yohana Desta and Hillary Busis of Vanity Fair, 50 actresses have told their tales of the horrific and demeaning actions Weinstein forced upon them, threatening to ruin their careers if they did not follow through. One of the actresses who came forward is Lupita Nyong’o. “The Oscar winner says she endured meetings in hotel rooms, requests for massages, complicity from Weinstein’s female accomplices/assistants and the promise of career advancement as quid pro quo,” Desta and Busis said. Many who possess incriminating accounts of
According to PascalEmmanuel Gobry for The Week, more and more Americans have similar religious views as mine. They are leaving affiliations and gravitating toward a “DIY” religion. The reasons for this vary, but there seems to be a repeating pattern. Pastors and elders of churches are hypocritical and judgmental, which not only baffles me but saddens me. In the same breath, they preach about tolerance and love, then turn away anyone who is not their idea of a perfect Christian. They then use the word of God to try to justify their hate. However, Christianity is not now, nor has it ever been, about hating anyone. Christianity is supposed to be about love and any judgment should be reserved for God to pass. Pastors cannot choose who is or is not worthy according to the
words of Jesus. The fact of the matter is we live with a very Americanized version of Christianity, used for people’s personal gain and as a justification of their hatred. The most basic explanation of Christianity is this: Jesus died on the cross to pay for humanity’s sins. This happens in the New Testament—which means all the sins in the Old Testament are forgiven in the eyes of the Lord. In the New Testament, Jesus welcomes foreigners, children, the uneducated, prostitutes, the disabled and many more imperfect people. If we are supposed to live Christ-like as Christians, are we not supposed to love these people in the same way Jesus did? We are not the people to decide whether someone is unworthy of love or life. However, many Americans love to put
their own ideals into what Christianity is supposed to be. An example of an argument many have is, “God hates gays.” However, people will say this just a few sentences before they say, “God makes no mistakes.” I believe only one of these statements is true: God makes no mistakes. God does not hate. Americans twist God into what they want His words to say in order to fit their own agenda. Many politicians use God as backing for their policies and beliefs, which end up being hateful and hurtful toward certain groups of people. President Donald Trump claims to be a Christian. However, he has lied, falsely accused, taken the Lord’s name in vain, and hurt and sexually assaulted people. This does not stop people from believing he is a good, Christian president simply
because he has policies against the LGBT community, immigrants and abortion. Dallas First Baptist Church’s choir wrote a song idolizing Trump called “Make America Great Again.” They are so blind by this sense of American Christianity they believe Trump stands for they do not see this as idolization.
JM, The Reflector
Weinstein stayed silent in fear of facing malicious and careerdamaging repercussions from his studio. According to Ronan Farrow for the New Yorker, Weinstein assaulted Italian actress Asia Argento multiple times and she accepted it solely to protect her blossoming career. “She believed that Weinstein would ruin her career if she didn’t comply,” Farrow said. “Years later, when she was a single mother dealing with childcare, Weinstein offered to pay for a nanny. She said that she felt ‘obliged’ to submit to his sexual advances.” To make matters worse, upon coming clean about Weinstein, Argento had to flee Italy to escape criticism directed toward her character. Meanwhile, Weinstein is simply dodging blame in his high tower surrounded by “yes” men and women who are no doubt paid an ungodly amount to be his public relations champions. In response to coverage about his being a rapist, he is suing news sources for “defacing” his name. Weinstein has even entered rehab for his nymphomaniac tendencies. In Claire Vampen’s article for Vogue, she calls sex rehabilitation a “get out of jail free card.” “By crying sex addiction, bad actors can blame their behavior on what sounds like a mental disorder,” Vampen said. “By zipping off to a rehab center, Weinstein is trying to avoid the real problem.” I will never understand the reasoning behind victim shaming or denial of wrongdoings, especially in a case where 50 women and counting have encountered similar occurrences. This is not simply a group of women who have an unjustified vendetta against Weinstein. These women were not only subjected to sexual abuse, but emotional abuse, threatening their potential development of trusting and healthy relationships with worthy men. Saying sorry, or having a handler issue a statement of remorse, will not even come close to the years’ worth of psychological damage Weinstein caused these women. There must be justice for these women, which can only be achieved by placing the animal that is Harvey Weinstein behind bars.
How we have Americanized Christianity to justify our hate JESSICA LINDSEY
is a senior majoring in communication. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu.
Mississippi is in the Bible Belt, and it is well known most people identify as Christian, even if they do not attend church, read the Bible or take part in any religious ceremonies other than major Christian holidays like Christmas and Easter. I identify as Christian. I read my Bible, but I do not go to church anymore. I have gotten to a point in my life where I have stepped back and realized church has become more of a social gathering place than a place of solace and worship.
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It is fine to use God as a source to back yourself and your beliefs, but twisting God’s words into words of hate and bigotry is the opposite of how God intended his word to be used. Christianity is about loving and accepting people, and knowing judgment will be left to God.
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JM, The Reflector
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LIFE & ENTERTAINMENT
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Homeward Bound helps pets find forever homes WILL WELLS
LIFE AND ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR
In 2007, three Mississippi State University College of Veterinary Medicine students from the Northeast noticed a problem. Megan Caulfield, Krista Gazzola and Amy White realized many animal shelters, both locally and throughout the Southeast, are overpopulated. The shelters have great difficulty finding enough people interested in adopting pets or fostering for the shelters. Meanwhile, shelters in the Northeast faced the opposite problem. There, many shelters have long wait lists for those interested in adopting a dog. In response to these issues, the three students founded Homeward Bound, an organization that transports dogs from local shelters to shelters in the Northeast, where they will be more adoptable. Terri Snead, the director of operations for Homeward Bound, said she became involved with the group in 2008, when she received an email from the students about fostering.
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
“As I interacted with them, I realized they needed a bit more structure,” Snead said, “I thought, ‘Instead of just fostering, why don’t I help with that?’” While Homeward Bound works with animal shelters within a three-hour radius to find dogs to send to the Northeast, some animals become a part of the program through the group’s connections to the veterinary college. “Vet students get calls all the time,” Snead said. “Somebody found a kitten or
someone down the road had a litter of dogs.” Snead said she believes several factors cause the disparity between the number of stray dogs in the Southeast and the Northeast, but the largest is likely residents in urban areas in the Northeast have embraced spaying and neutering pets. Snead said she thinks the fact affordable spay and neuter clinics are more common in the Northeast plays a big part in this, while other factors include geography and population density.
“The shelters we send to are about an hour from New York City,” Snead said. “Whenever you have that dense of a population, there is going to be more demand for animals from the animal shelter.” While dogs cared for by the program are transported to Northeastern Shelters, the discrepancy between supply and demand for cats in the Northeast is not as large. So, the cats cared for by Homeward Bound are available for adoption locally. Brandie Amos, the
feline medical coordinator for Homeward Bound, said the program is focused on matching cats with families the group believes they will mesh well with long term. “We try to adopt them out to the best home possible,” Amos said. Cats available for adoption through Homeward Bound can be seen at Petsense in Starkville and Petco in Meridian. Individuals interested in adopting a cat through Homeward Bound must fill out a three-page written application, which the adoption coordinator will then review. After reviewing applications, the adoption coordinator conducts phone interviews with applicants and begins placing each cat with a home. The positions of feline medical coordinator and medical records keeper where added to Homeward Bound this year to relieve the foster and adoption coordinators of some of a heavy workload. Amos said the creation of the new positions has also made it possible to care for more animals at once. She said
the largest number of cats the group was able to handle at one time last year was around 40, while this year the group has been able to handle closer to 60 cats at one time. While the increase in officer positions allows the group to care for a larger number of animals, the largest factor in determining the number of animals the group can care for is the number of people who volunteer to foster for the group. “Fostering is one of the most important things people can do for us,” Snead said. Carley Pierson, the foster coordinator for puppies, and Amos became involved with the group as a foster during their first year of veterinary school. Pierson said a large portion of volunteers become involved because of Homeward Bound’s connections at MSU, while others are community members and undergraduates. Pierson said she would encourage anyone interested to become involved with the organization. “With Homeward Bound, I feel like I am doing something important,” Pierson said.
Campus and community connect at costume carnival
LEAH WORLEY STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State’s Student Association and Office of Fraternity and Sorority Life will host the annual Costume Carnival from 5 to 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Junction. The event will also include Trickor-Treating on fraternity and sorority rows from 4 to 6 p.m. Every year, MSU campus organizers try to find a way to blend the community of Starkville with its college student population.
To minimize separation of the community and the college, the Student Association and Greek organizations put on Costume Carnival as a familyfriendly event to entertain the little ones and allow MSU students to get involved in Starkville. Erin O’Quinn a member of the Delta Gamma sorority and student at MSU, said she looks forward to the event and the experiences it offers. “I really like getting to see all the smiles on the kids’ faces and getting to see all their cute
costumes,” O’Quinn said, “I like just getting to know Starkville a little bit better because I am from out of state.” Sororities and other student organizations will run game booths allowing kids to win free prizes at the Carnival portion of the event. Jennifer Ware, the organizer of the Delta Gamma booth, said each booth will be run by students in costumes. “Our booth will have three games: mummy bowling, pin
Harris to tell ‘The History of Beekeeping’ in Mississippi EMMA KING
STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University will host a presentation on the history of beekeeping in Mississippi by Assistant Extension Research Professor Jeff Harris at 7 p.m. on Thursday in the Clay Lyle Entomology Building. The Mississippi State Bug Zoo, which is housed in the entomology building, will open for everyone ages four and up beforehand, beginning at 5:30 p.m. Harris said he will begin the talk by telling of the early European colonists arriving in America, with honeybees in tow, and lead into the modern beekeeping industry in Mississippi. In the 1920s, Harris said, Mississippi had perhaps the largest beekeeping industry in the world. Harris will also cover a few important families involved in the industry. The Stover family brought fame to Mayhew, Mississippi, when they bought an existing beekeeping operation nearby. The business became one of the nation’s largest suppliers of live honeybees, and the family even started their own post office to ship them. Harris said bees are essential to our environment’s history and its future. He said the species’ continued health is critical in preserving agriculture in Mississippi and elsewhere. Harris said everyone needs an education in protecting honeybees because they are so often ignored. Before Harris came to MSU, he worked 15 years as a bee breeder for the USDA Agricultural Research Services Honey Bee Breeding Lab in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. There, he was involved in developing lines of bees with high levels of Varroa Sensitive Hygienic, or VSH, behavior. He earned his doctoral degree
in insect physiology and a Master’s degree in entomology at Louisiana State University. Harris’ interest in bees began when his uncle, who was a beekeeper, took him to visit one of his hives. “We wore no veils, and he cut me a sliver of honeycomb to chew,” Harris said. “From that moment onward, I fell in love with honey and bees.”
JM, The Reflector
Harris said a variety of actions can be taken to improve the health of Mississippi’s bee population, including reducing pesticide use, which would benefit of all pollinators. When it comes to plants with long blooming periods requiring insecticide, applying pesticides at night can help reduce the risk of harming honeybees. Harris said neem oil and safe soap are better possible alternatives to traditional, harmful insecticides. “The History of Beekeeping” is the most recent event in a series celebrating Mississippi’s bicentennial. To honor 200 years of statehood, a number of presentations on state art, music and culture have been held on and offcampus. The official date of Mississippi’s bicentennial is Dec. 10. Leading up to this day, prominent galleries can be found in the Old Main Academic Center, featuring many easily recognizable state artifacts. There is a dolphin skeleton, Mississippi’s state water mammal, a live bee colony, Mississippi’s state
insect, and a recording of “Go, Mis-sis-sippi” the official state song. The galleries also include “Symbols of our State: A Walk Through Mississippi Industry and Culture” which provides insight into Mississippi’s more mechanical side, with historic cotton clothing, woodworking tools and even the original edam cheese mold used here at MSU. “We really made an effort to address as many aspects of Mississippi history as possible because part of our reason for planning the events was to highlight the diversity of our collections,” event organizer Amy Moe-Hoffman said. The on-campus museum will be open until Nov. 29. Every event that is part of the bicentennial celebration is free. The bicentennial celebration was brought to life with a grant from the Mississippi Humanities Council, through support from the Mississippi Department Authority. The private nonprofit corporation specializes in serving other nonprofit and educational programs with funding it receives from Congress, through the National Endowment for the Humanities. Hoffman said the council’s goal is to teach Mississippians more about their history, culture and selves. When the MSU Museums and Galleries Committee learned the Humanities Council was giving grants for public programs about the bicentennial, the group felt it was in a special position to develop a celebration for a diverse audience. “The History of Beekeeping,” like many of the events in the bicentennial programming, will provide insight into an industry many do not know helped shape our state.
the spider on the web and pumpkin ring toss,” Ware said. Ware said booths are designed to accommodate varying ages groups. This event is designed to be an allinclusive family experience. “Our organization loves the chance to interact with the community of Starkville,” Ware said. “Oftentimes, we feel that we are only surrounded by people our age and this event, and those like it, is a unique opportunity to interact with families.” In conjunction with the
carnival, families can take their prizes from the booths and Trick-or-Treat on the Row. Trick-or-Treat on the Row provides a safe environment for children to get their candy. “It is just another opportunity our chapter loves to have to dress up and interact with the kids,” Ware said. “It is also a fun way for members to get involved if they only have a small amount of time on that particular day.” Candy will be distributed outside the entrances of all participating houses by active
members of Greek life. Tri Delta President Juliette King said she is excited to work with other sororities for both events. “Tri Delta is so excited to be able to work with Zeta Phi Beta and Sigma Phi Epsilon to bring the MSU and Starkville families a night full of candy, games and fun,” King said. “We are honored to be able to attend a university that emphasizes the importance of participation and community involvement.” Both events are free.
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THE REFLECTOR TUESDAY OCTOBER 24, 2017 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
Men’s basketball gain valuable experience in special exhibition against Nebraska HUNTER CLOUD STAFF WRITER
The final seconds ticked off the clock as Mississippi State University men’s basketball failed to complete a 20-point comeback. The Nebraska Cornhuskers won the exhibition 76-72. Their ability to shoot threes in the first half, coupled with nine missed free throws by MSU, made a major Noah Siano | The Reflector difference in the game. Coming into Saturdayʼs game, Kentuckyʼs offense was averaging 27.5 points a game. MSUʼs defense held Kentuckyʼs offense to just seven points. Coach Ben Howland said condition led to the loss but said the bright spot up 331 yards on six plays. defense has been much better of the day was 6 feet 4 inch, TAYLOR RAYBURN 190-pound sophomore Against Georgia, they gave at home than on the road. SPORTS EDITOR guard Eli Wright. The up a 59-yard touchdown pass At home, MSU has only Owensboro, Kentucky, Mississippi State to open up the game. given up 24 points across University defense (5-2, 2-2 However, against four games, but on the road native had 10 points and SEC) walked off the field on Kentucky, the defense played they have given up 101 points four rebounds. “Our conditioning has homecoming night looking with discipline. Kentucky to their opponents. to get better as a team going sharp once again, after a took shots down the field Part of this is the comfort forward,” Howland said. dominant performance over repeatedly but came up short, of being at home, and part of “Eli Wright was the best the University of Kentucky never completing a pass it is the level of the opponents conditioned on the team— (5-2, 2-2 SEC). longer than 20 yards. they are playing. played great defense, great Going into the bye Kentucky saw only one However, junior week two weeks ago, MSU’s play go longer than 20 yards. linebacker Gerri Green said decision making and shot defense was coming off of It was a 23-yard scramble another major part of this the ball well.” See more: Men’s two abysmal performances. by Kentucky quarterback success comes from having basketball to host exhibition They gave up 31 points and Stephen Johnson, who found the crowd on your side. 404 total yards of offense a hole in the defense after he “This crowd, just hearing for charity The game against to the University of Georgia was unable to find an open them and having them Nebraska was one of two and 49 points and 511 yards receiver downfield. behind us, it makes a big, big exhibition games before the of total offense to Auburn Head coach Dan Mullen difference,” Green said. season opener on Nov. 10. University. said the difference was not Beyond the motivation to Howland said these games However, since the bye only in the defensive backs but play well at home, the MSU week, MSU held BYU to 10 in some of the linebackers, coaches have given the team are vital to help the team in points and UK to seven. like Willie Gay, winning their some extra push to win in practice because they are so young. The team does not Junior defensive lineman one on one match-ups. Davis Wade stadium. Braxton Hoyett said the bye “There were some times For every loss at home have a single senior. “I felt like it was a really was a good mental break for they took some shots, and it this season, the MSU football good opportunity for us the defense. was one on one and 50-50 team has to run the entire “After those games balls,” Mullen said after the stadium, and, so far, MSU has to play against a power [Georgia and Auburn], we game. “We won the 50-50 avoided running those stairs. five conference team,” just came together,” Hoyett balls today and that is a big “Every home game we Howland said. “This will said. “I feel like that bye week deal in a game.” have to protect our house,” make our practices better, really helped us get our minds Part of the difference is Green said. “Every loss in because our guys will be back together.” being at home compared to this stadium means another able to say, ‘This is what I Big plays have consistently on the road. Both Auburn run and we don’t want to got to do better.’” Howland said the game killed MSU this season. and Georgia were road games, run that stadium too many allowed him to get a look Against Auburn, MSU gave and, this season, MSU’s times.” at KeyShawn Feazell, a 6 feet 8 inch, 230-pound freshman forward from New Hebron. Feazell had 10 points in the first 15 minutes of his first college basketball game. “It was great. Of course I was nervous in the
Defense refocuses at home, put up solid showing
Noah Siano | The Reflector
Head coach Ben Howland (left) saw Sundayʼs exhibition as a learning experience for the team.
beginning, but I got out there and started feeling it,” Feazell said. “I got my feet wet and I think I did alright, but there is always room for improvement.” Howland expressed his thanks to Nebraska for playing the fundraiser game to help Hurricane victims. He said he was also really appreciative of the fans who came out and filled more than half of the lower bowl. “I was so thankful to the crowd for being here today on such quick notice,” Howland said. “They had people give and raise money for their cause. It was really nice.”
The game was scheduled in less than a week according to Howland at a press conference earlier in the week. He called his friend in the Nebraska atheltic department to set up the game. There were two organizations taking donations. The MSU Student Relief Fund and the Salvation Army were at the game taking donations from people who wished to give. “To have people give and raise money for this cause was really nice,” Howland said. “I am just so appreciative of everyone that was here today.”
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