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FRIDAY MARCH 9, 2018
132nd YEAR ISSUE 40
THE STUDENT NEWSPAPER OF MISSISSIPPI STATE UNIVERSITY SINCE 1884
BOA approves Pride Parade with mayor’s tiebreaker
TAYLOR RAYBURN
SPORTS EDITOR
When Alderman David Little of Ward 3 announced he would abstain from voting on the reconsideration of the denial of the Starkville Pride Parade, it left Mayor Lynn Spruill to break the tied vote. Spruill voted in favor of permitting the parade which will be held on March 24. Little originally voted to deny the parade proposal along with Alderman Ben Carver, of Ward 1, Vice Mayor Roy A. Perkins, of Ward 6, and Henry Vaughn Sr., of Ward 7. Alderman Sandra Sistrunk, of Ward 2, Jason Walker, of Ward 4, and Patrick Miller, of Ward 5, voted for approving the parade. The votes remained consistent in the second vote except for Little abstaining. In a night where the role of the mayor was heavily discussed by Perkins and Vaughn, Spruill’s role came into play and decided the vote. “You are always ready to do whatever is necessary at the time,” Spruill said after the meeting. “The role of the mayor, until I get to vote, is to run the meeting and oversee the dayto-day activities. I got a chance to weigh in on an issue that was controversial and important to us. I was happy to vote.” Spruill decided to limit the time each side had to argue for the the vote to 15 minutes a piece, a decision Perkins and Vaughn protested. The two Aldermen said it was not her role to make rule changes and every citizen deserved a chance to be heard. “I think you (Spruill) should let every citizen have the right to speak, instead of you (Spruill) control the board,” Vaughn said. “The board controls this, you (Spruill) don’t control this.” There were multiple members of the Starkville community who came forward to argue in support or against the parade in citizen comments. Ryan Handran was among those in support of the parade. Handran said he is originally from Wyoming and served twice in Iraq as a combat medic. He said he is straight and
Taylor Rayburn | The Reflector
At the Starkville Board of Alderman meeting Tuesday night, President of Starkville Pride Bailey McDaniel reacts to Mayor Lynn Spruill breaking the tie, allowing the parade.
used a Bible passage from the book of Acts to describe the sin he felt Starkville committed by denying the parade. He read Acts 10:28 in the meeting. “And he said to them, you yourselves know how unlawful it is for a man that is not a Jew to associate with a foreigner or to visit him,” Handran said quoting Acts. “Yet God has shown me that I should not call any man unholy or unclean.” Handran outlined the sin as bigotry. He said it has become apparent the city he loved is overcome with the sin. “As a veteran I am disgusted by your lack of respect to the freedom given to every person who walks this great countries soil,” Handran said. “I am a straight man, you are not even taking something away from me, but an attack on my peers is an attack on me, you being elected aldermen were not given the power to deny Americans their constitutional rights.”
Johnny Buckner was most prominent among those who spoke against the parade. Buckner, pastor of New Horizons Christian Fellowship said he hoped the Board of Alderman would, “approve the permit in due time.” However, he followed that statement by saying he hoped they would do so without giving “city endorsement or sponsorship from the pride parade, and will caution parade participants against activity which would be clearly illegal.” He felt the aldermen were not made aware of hidden details about the parade. He claimed there was no mention of “LGBT, Gay, Homosexual or Lesbian in the Public Agenda distributed.” Buckner said LGBT was hidden in the small print two times in a list of sponsors. He also said Starkville Pride was mentioned, but is a new organization and may be confused with Civic Pride. The third detail he felt was hidden was the mention of an “Art Market” on the application, but no mention of the “Queer Art Market” being promoted on Twitter by Starkville Pride. “It seems that these details were intentionally hidden by the applicant and city officials that were in the know,” Buckner said. However, despite the initial setback President of Starkville Pride Bailey McDaniel said they can now focus on celebrating their pride instead of potential legal proceedings. “This goes back to what it should be,” McDaniel said after the meeting. “This goes back to an event to be proud of instead of legal adjudication and all of these things.” McDaniel said she saw four years of work pay off and talked about the moment when she knew it would go through. “I did not let myself get excited for this meeting, because I did not want to be disappointed again,” McDaniel said. “So when Little abstained, I was hopeful, I was excited. I felt relief, I am college student. I run a student organization and am just trying to have pride.” The parade is scheduled to be held on March 24 and will start on Russell Street and go up to University Drive over to Main Street and back down Lampkin Street to where it started.
Dark Thirty Films brings economic lift to community EMMA MOFFETT STAFF WRITER
Dark Thirty Films, a film production company from Los Angeles, started filming “The Craving” in the Golden Triangle with the assistance of both locals and the Mississippi State University community. Dark Thirty Films and their sister company, 13 South Productions, named after Hwy 13 South in Mississippi, predominantly make horror and thriller films. Director Bryan W. Carpenter said “The Craving” is going to be a frightening suspense horror full of engaging and beautiful imagery. “We like to make smart movies that utilize suspense horror,” Carpenter said. “We want our films to give you that good creeping feeling up your spine.” “The Craving” is expected to finish filming at the end of the month and will take approximately two months to edit. Carpenter said the company will then decide whether they want to take the film to a festival or take it straight to a network like Netflix. Carpenter, originally from Carthage, said he is the only member of the original crew who is Mississippian by birth. He is a veteran private military contractor currently working in the film industry as an armorer,
FRIDAY
trainer, stunt performer and producer. Bryan spent 20 plus years immersed in strategic operations and has undergone extensive training during his time there. As a Mississippi native, Carpenter said he hopes to bring the benefits of the film industry into the state in order to create an economic boom. “I have been trying to push for sometime to bring film into Mississippi,” Carpenter said. “I know there have been films hit and miss over a wide range of time, but we are wanting to film for a substantial time. I think Mississippi truly has an amazing amount of untapped resources.” Carpenter said the problem with bringing film to Mississippi is the state tax incentives are not great enough for most movie companies to bring larger films into the state. Carpenter said currently, Mississippi only gives rebates back to money spent inside the state – this includes the crew, actors, directors and producers. However, there is not enough direct talent for film crews at certain levels to pick from, so actors and directors must be brought in from outside the state. Carpenter said these limited support and minimal tax rebates forced a smaller scale film studio in Canton was forced to shut down. MOVIE, 2
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SA Recap: VP Little accused of misuse of lawful authority
Lindsay Pace | The Reflector
Pro-life activist Christina Marie Bennett encouraged students to consider taking a stance against abortion during her presentation Tuesday night.
Bennet presents pro-life argument to students TORI BOATNER STAFF WRITER
As a follow-up to Dr. Willie Parker’s speech on abortion from a Christian Pro-Life point of view, Students for Life and the Catholic Campus Ministry hosted Christina Bennet who presented “Abortion, Idolatry, and Christ’s Call to Compassion” Tuesday. Bennet is a Connecticut native, a licensed minister and prides herself on speaking from a Christian perspective. In Bennet’s speech, she stated one can idolize things such as money and sports, but in this instance, she was
speaking on the topic of the idolization of abortion. “There is a massive demand and extreme acceptance of abortion,” Bennet said. From Bennet’s hands-on experience as the current communications director for the Family Institute of Connecticut, she deals with women of all ages daily, and feels as if this acceptance of abortion is harmful. She describes the attitudes of Pro-Choice activists as “radical.” “They say things like ‘reproductive rights are women’s justice and freedom,’” Bennet said. Bennet said she
FORECAST: The first day of spring break will be sunny and cool. However, rain clouds will quickly move into the area bringing isolated thunderstorms Saturday and Sunday. The temperatures will remain consistent with highs in the 60s and lows in the 40s. -Accuweather
DYLAN BUFKIN STAFF WRITER
The Mississippi State University Student Association Senate’s first meeting in March was dominated by talks of impeachment of current Vice President Layton Little, but multiple pieces of legislation were also passed on the Senate floor. First, three resolutions passed. Resolution 53 showed student support for the restructuring of Engineering Mechanics courses to help alleviate pressure on professors. Resolution 54 showed student support for the Stoneman Douglass High School students, who are now advocating for stronger gun control after the recent mass shooting occurred at their school, and their ability to contest current gun laws.
understands the struggle for rights and justice because she is an African-American woman. She argued against the idea of viewing abortion as “reproductive justice and freedom” by stating abortion does not bring women justice. Bennet said her experience with women who have considered or experienced abortion, allows her to understand how many are mentally and emotionally unstable after the fact. “I know what it’s like to see a woman look at her pregnancy test and exclaiming that this is the worst day of her life,” Bennet said. PRO-LIFE, 2
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SENATE Senator Alivia Roberts, the author of the bill, emphasized the resolution did not advocate the gun control measures the student are fighting for, but the resolution shows appreciation for the students’ attempts to change their government. Some senators asked how one can separate the advocation for the students and the advocation of their cause, but the bill passed with 30 passes and 16 fails. Resolution 55 expressed student disapproval for the Starkville Board of Aldermen for their original refusal to allow a Starkville LGBTQ+ Pride Parade and passed 46-0. The Pride Parade is now allowed to occur after a 3-3 vote with
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Alderman David Little abstaining, and Starkville Mayor Lynn Spruill breaking the tie in favor of the event. Act 13, an appropriations bill, gained funds for groups around campus, including such groups as Campus Crusade for Christ, LGBTQ Union and the Residence Hall Association. Finally, Bill 13 struck an outdated clause in the SA Constitution which only required the Governmental Relations committee to attend meetings with the Board of Aldermen, but the clause now requires an hour-long workshop to occur. Following the end of legislation on the floor, Senator Peyton Parker brought impeachment
PRO-LIFE Based on Bennet’s Christian beliefs, she stated she “believes life begins at conception.” In a personal story, Bennet stated her mother highly considered abortion. This option stemmed from Bennet’s father threatening her mother to leave if she had the baby. “Child birth is so much more than a choice; I would have been dismissed and thrown in the trash,” Bennet said. Bennet continued to challenge Dr. Willie Parker’s notion “the word abortion is not in The Bible.” Bennet gave several biblical verses to counter this idea. “The Bible talks about God as a father to the fatherless, loving, kind and the creator of life,” Bennet said. Bennet continued by stating society “allows guys to wash their hands of the issue.” “This idea continues to enable men to treat women
charges against VP Layton Little for alleged misuse of authority, which the SA constitution qualifies as an impeachable offense. Little recused himself, and President Pro Tempore Jake Manning began residing over the meeting. Little is accused of using administrative access to election records to view the campaign platforms for his opponent in the presidential race, Mayah Emerson, and Jake Manning, who is running for Vice President. Little is then accused of sharing this information with another preliminary VP candidate, in order to give this person an advantage against Manning. David Quevos, Little’s roommate, was present
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like objects,” Bennet said. Bennet also placed emphasis on the ideals of abortion in the African-American community. She described some women’s experience in abortion clinics as life changing. “There was forced sterilization of women of color,” Bennet said. She describes these injustices as an “agenda” and societal notions of African-American children and disabled children would not benefit society. As a result of these continued marketing plans and propaganda from industries such as Planned Parenthood, Bennet strives to show compassion toward women who are interested or have considered abortion. Joseph Kerstiens, president of Mississippi State University’s Catholic Campus Ministry, said the talk from Bennet completes the value of the debate on
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abortion. “I appreciate the fact that we can have an academic debate on this issue,” Kerstiens said. Being of the Catholic faith, Kerstiens said he “values life from conception to natural death and the Catholic Church is a strong proponent of the sanity of human life.” President of MSU’s Students for Life Annaliese Gill describes the debate of Pro-Life or Pro-Choice as “a dynamic subject.” “With any argument, knowing both perspectives before making influenced decisions is important,” Gill said. A student advocate who is Pro-Life, Gill and additional members of Students for Life “support freedom of speech and other viewpoints,” and offer many resources to help students and mothers to be.
for the meeting and gave his testimony, saying he overheard Little speaking with someone about the campaign points on the phone, but he could not verify who was the person on the phone. Following Quevos’s testimony, the Senate began to debate whether the charges should be brought against Little. Little himself claimed the accusations are based on embellishments, but he does admit to viewing the records out of curiosity. However, he denies sharing the information with anyone beside his campaign managers. After much debate, the Senate voted to bring the charges against Little and to have an impeachment
Since being in Mississippi, Carpenter and his crew have worked closely with the Golden Triangle community and MSU. Melanie Harris, instructor for the Department of Communication at MSU, said she is working as a member of the film crew, so next time she will be able to find students who can fit the roles needed by the production company. In her time on set, Harris has found this film to be a major economic benefit to the community since the crew is staying in hotels, renting equipment, buying supplies and costumes and eating out. Harris said they are basically temporary residents who end up boosting the local economy. “The crew is very cognizant of supporting local businesses,” Harris said. “Even if it is easier to Amazon it, they would prefer to buy it from
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it would be unfair to the students who elected me to ignore the fact that Layton blatantly abused his power in an attempt to gain more.” Additionally, Adam Sabes, Political/Special Interest Organizations seat senator, commented on the situation.
“The fact that we have to go through an impeachment process is saddening, and something that nobody expected to happen,” Sabes said. “I think that Layton is a great person and has done a great deal for this Student Association, but given the evidence we were presented in Tuesday night’s Senate meeting, we did not have a choice but to proceed with the impeachment hearings.”
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T A DATE E T A G THE Special March Date and Destination: Friday, March 16th A Touch of Home Bakery
trial on the next Senate meeting on March 20. To clarify, Little is not currently impeached, as the vote on March 6 only stated the issue is worthy of a trial. If Layton is found guilty during the upcoming trial, he will face impeachment. After discussing he and Layton’s long friendship, Alex Bedwell, current College of Business and Industry seat senator, expressed his feelings toward the hearing. “I would hate to see Layton impeached and removed from office,” Bedwell said. “I truly believe he came into the Office of Vice President with the best intentions and that he has made a genuine effort to improve campus. However,
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somewhere in town. They want to spend money in and support the community they are filming in.” Assistant Professor of Theatre Performance Tim Matheny said the theatre department was notified about the “The Craving” at the early part of last week, and was hopeful the MSU theatre department would connect with and learn from this film crew, since these productions bring different skillsets and cultural backgrounds into Mississippi. “While there are differences in film and theatre, the two are close cousins and able to work together in many ways,” Matheny said. Since their arrival, Dark Thirty Films had their nationally acclaimed costume designer, Alina German, speak at Harris’ costume design class. Carpenter said they are
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thankful to everyone in Starkville and West Point, especially Keith and Christie Heard and the housing at old Waverly golf course, for opening their community to this production. Based on the currently filming success, Carpenter said he hopes the production team can be back to Mississippi in the next few months in order to start filming on other projects at the start of summer. In regards to future films, Carpenter said he hopes this film can show all of the possibilities filming in Mississippi has to offer. Dark Thirty Films has contributed to many sucessful movies such as: The Expendables, Curious Case of Benjamin Button and Magnificent 7. The company is composed of 12 highly trained individuals with various backgrounds in the military, videography and computer engineering.
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BAD DAWGS Saturday, March 3, 2018 12:35 a.m. Student was arrested in Starkville for careless driving and a DUI. Monday, March 5, 2018 11:33 a.m. Student reported her car was keyed while parked in lot A6. Tuesday, March 6, 2018 9:54 p.m. Student was having chest pains in Hurst Hall. Subject transported to OCH by ambulance. Notable traffic violations: 5 MSU citations issued for speeding. Justice Court citations issued for speeding 45/30, and for no driver’s license on Blackjack Road. Justice Court citation issued for expired tag on President’s Circle.
ON THIS DAY IN HISTORY... ... in 1959, the first Barbie doll went on display at the American Toy Fair in New York City. Standing 11 inches tall with long blonde hair, Barbie was the first mass-produced toy with adult features in the U.S. Ruth Handler founded Mattel, Inc. with her husband in 1945, when she saw her daughter ignoring her baby dolls to play with paper dolls of adult women. ... in 1985, the first Adopt-a-Highway sign is put up on Texas’ Highway 69. This highway would be adopted by the Tyler Civitan Club, which committed to picking up trash along a designated two-mile stretch of the highway. history.com
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Publicize your club! Email managing@reflector.msstate.edu CLASSIFIEDS 4 BEDROOMS AVAILABLE FOR RENT IN A LARGE HOUSE. sunroom, dining room and a laundry room. 2 Full baths, large living area with fireplace. hardwood and ceramic tile flooring, garage, fenced in yard, Pet friendly environment for a fee. Only seven minutes from campus. Affordable room prices range from $325.00 per month to $425.00 per month. If interested call 662-312-5630. For MSU students only. Furniture manufacturer from Norway seeks qualified candidates for US sales territory. Immediate opening available with stable 6-figure income on commission. Knowledge of home furnishings industry and/or brand
Submit resumes to hunter. bigham@ekornes.com. CLUB INFO The deadline for Tuesday’s paper is 3 p.m. Thursday. The deadline for Friday’s paper is 3 p.m. Tuesday. MSU student organizations may place free announcements in Club Info. Information may be submitted by email to club_info@ reflector.msstate.edu with the subject heading “CLUB INFO,” or a form may be completed The Reflector at office in the Student Media Center. A contact name, phone number and requested run dates must be included for club info to appear in The Reflector. All submissions are subject to exemption according to space
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OPINION
Millennials have more potential than they are credited
CHRIS LOWE
is a junior majoring in business information systems. Contact him at opinion@reflector.msstate.edu.
Millennials get a bad rep. The name for the generation encompassing those born between the early 80’s and mid 90’s carries with it severe negative connotations, and most of the time, they are not based in reality. In fact, many of the traits exclusive to our generation are common complaints from any older generation about the ones after them: laziness, disrespect and entitlement to name a few. To quote Socrates in the 4th century AD, “Children now love luxury. They have bad manners, contempt for authority, disrespect their elders and love talking instead of exercise.” Now, ask yourself how eerily similar the phrasing is to what Baby Boomers and Gen Xers say about millennials. Not only do these attributes not define the millennial generation, but they actually work as polar opposites to what we can really bring to the
proverbial table. Let us begin by twisting the biggest stereotype about millennials to our favor: social justice warriors. While I do agree there is a rather vocal minority who takes their activism far beyond the realm of annoyance, the fact we consistently stand up for what we believe in, even if our efforts become a nuisance to whatever opponent may face us shows the level of commitment we have to change. The LGBTQ and African American communities, in particular, have been brought to life with the help of millennials, paving the way for both groups to finally shed their disenfranchisement one day and achieve true equality in this country. Millennials from all backgrounds have begun to champion the mental health awareness cause. Based on the small amount of information people have already uncovered, the world will be a happier and more forgiving place for it. We face our problems headon, regardless of how many people we have to step over to do so. This is the mentality of people who can change the world, unrivaled since the 1960’s in America. Then, of course, there is the classic individualist
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
argument. According to some, millennials are the “Me Me Me” generation, citing our collective love of selfies and self-reflection. A few even tend to think this focus on oneself is indicative of narcissism. The selfie trend is hardly worth calling a generational trait, but individualism is absolutely one of the hallmarks of those who closed out the 1900s.Just as with the example of activism, the truth of the matter is a far cry from
what others would lead America to think. The individualist approach to life leads to a de-emphasis on rushed marriages and childbirth for one, increasing the stability and overall content of families. It also yields higher self-esteem, a more accurate sense of self and a heightened drive to succeed. Those who feel this is too egocentric a mindset to have should read BBC’s Christian Jarrett, “It seems
it may well be true that young people today are more self-assured than in previous generations. Whether you see that as a healthy sign of confidence or a worrying signal of narcissism may well say more about you than it does about them.” Millennials are creative. We are passionate, and we are go-getters. People can dress those up to mean whatever they wish, but it does not change the fact this generation will change
the world in an untold number of ways due to its personality and mastery of technology. We may not have brought down the Nazis, and we certainly did not stand with MLK Jr. in his heyday, but I truly believe we will be remembered as one of the most influential and change-bearing generations in American history. I believe a few duck faces and Facebook rants are a small price to pay for such potential.
Toxic masculinity is harmful to male mental health
MIA RODRIGUEZ
is a sophmore majoring in English. Contact her at opinion@reflector.msstate. edu
There are many preconceived notions formed about feminism. Some hate it, many see its value, but many miss the key goal of the belief: equality for all genders. Feminism is not about females rising above men, it is about equality in all areas. While women are still fighting to obtain equal legal rights, it is important to remember in many ways men are confined to stereotypes surrounding masculinity just as much as women are limited to traditional ideas about femininity. I understand how it is easy to believe men lead full and happy lives with their male privilege to ride on, but what we do not see is the emotional vulnerability and anxiety arising from the misconceptions of
what it truly means to be “masculine.” Jessica Lovejoy of the Huffington Post explains how men are not encouraged to practice self-love and embrace their differences in the media as their female counterparts. “We have our own plussize models and clothing stores that cater from size 14 upward, and even chain stores carry plus-size clothing. The fuller-figured gentleman does not have this luxury. You will almost never see a heavyset lumberjackesque man gracing the cover of a clothing catalogue. Or a fashion magazine. Or an instore poster,” Lovejoy stated. I can say from personal experience, seeing all body types in advertisements can positively impact how you view yourself. Just as most women are not thin, busty and long-legged, not all men resemble Michelangelo’s chiseled-to-perfection David. To make matters worse, if men have any worries about topics such as this, they will not speak out. While women are encouraged to embrace their uniqueness through marketing like Dove’s “Real Beauty,” “Always” and “#likeagirl” campaigns, this leaves out many men who
were taught being emotional and talking about their feelings means they are weak and voiceless. Michael Ian Black of The New York Times believes some men who bottle up their feelings for fear of seeming weak are prompted to engage in acts of violence, both on a small and large scale. “And so the man who feels lost but wishes to preserve his fully masculine self has only two choices: withdrawal or rage. We’ve seen what withdrawal and rage have the potential to do. School shootings are only the most public of tragedies. Others, on a smaller scale, take place across the country daily; another commonality among shooters is a history of abuse toward women,” Black says. Furthermore, according to the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention, men are 3.53 times more likely to commit suicide. Whether a reason for this phenomenon is a feeling of inability to express feelings or not, it would seem to be a sound cause. As long as there are issues surrounding freedom of expression, feminism is still relevant. One must first love
Jennifer McFadden, The Reflector
themselves to love others, so it is crucial to advocate bodypositivity for all. Strength, regardless of gender, should not be weighed in how well one can withhold their feelings; and antiquated gender stereotypes of men as the emotionless and women as overly-so should
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REFLECTIONS Henry Ford
“When everything seems to be going against you, remember that the airplane takes off against the wind, not with it.”
LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
Life Editor/Will Wells
Managing Editor/Kristina Domitrovich News Editor/Josh Beck
world where they feel as if they do not belong or feel as if they should not express themselves, so why would I adhere to or compel another to cling to close-minded and archaic ideas of gender? Be a feminist and stand for equality and the freedom to be yourself.
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be forgotten. If our society focuses more on acceptance rather than dividing for reasons of political or religious beliefs, the world may be a less violent and cynical atmosphere. I do not want my children growing up in a
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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
5
Mitchell Memorial Library hosts ragtime and jazz festival
LEAH WORLEY
StAff WRitER
The Mitchell Memorial Library will kick off this year’s 12th annual Charles H. Templeton: Ragtime and Jazz Festival with the 5th annual Gatsby Gala March 22. Charles H. Templeton Sr. Music Museum, which can be found on the top floor of the library, and by the Mitchell Memorial Library, will sponsor the festival. The festival is a major project with many moving and delicate parts. Templeton Music Museum Events Coordinator Lynda Graham said every year, program coordinators rethink and sculpt the project into an ornate masterpiece. “It’s a lot of work, making sure things get where they need to go,” Graham said. “It’s a year-long process.” Though the Gatsby
Gala is a recent addition to the festival, it is one of the most intricate events of the weekend. On March 22, the Mitchell Memorial Library Atrium will be transformed into a beautiful interpretation of the Gatsby Mansion from F. Scott Fitzgerald’s famous literary work. During the gala, there will be a fashion show inspired by clothing styles from the “roaring” 1920s, featuring models from MSU’s Fashion Board. Graham said many attendees will dress up “to feel like they’re part of the gala.” The throwback creates a reality bubble where the age of jazz is still swinging to the trumpet rhythm. On March 23 and 24, the library will host a variety of activities, including interactive tours of the music museum and educational seminars. Other activities in which
E M I T G RA Z Z A & J STIVAL ton
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Jenn McFadden, The Reflector
festival-goers are invited to participate in include “talks at the piano,” where this year’s performing artists will have informal conversations
to express their love of music and showcase their skills of the genres of blues, jazz and ragtime on the ivory. This year, the program
will also show two classic silent films, one of which is “A Night in the Show” starring Charlie Chaplin Friday. To close out Friday and Saturday, there will be concerts featuring this year’s artist: Steve Cheseborough, Ivory&Gold® with Eddie Erickson, and Kris Tokarski in McComas Hall Theater. A selected student from MSU’s department of music will give a special performance at Friday evening’s concert. This program will also include the presentation of the Keyone Docher Student Achievement award to the student performer. Keyone Docher was an MSU Music Education major who suffered from cancer from a very young age. This illness affected his vocal chords, but Docher still pursued his passion for music and became an
accomplished pianist. Docher’s story captured the hearts of the Ragtime and Jazz Festival’s coordinators, and they asked him to play at the festival. A mere two weeks after his touching performance, Docher passed away. The student achievement award was created to honor Docher’s memory, and every year it is given to a student the music department believes exemplifies not only Docher’s talent for the musical arts, but his passion as well. Stephen Cunetto, associate dean of the library, said he considers the festival a “celebration of America’s music.” “We really hope students come out and take in the history and art as part of the education experience,” Cunetto said. All the festival’s events are free for all MSU students with their ID.
Review: Drum Tao modernizes Japanese traditions MiA ROdRiguEz StAff WRitER
Mississippi State University wrapped up the annual Lyceum Series with a performance from the Japanese drum troupe Drum Tao Wednesday night at Lee Hall’s Bettersworth Auditorium. The performers have global recognition, having been featured at the Vancouver Olympics and on The Late Show with Stephen Colbert. The name of the group can be misleading, but the players have far more to offer than solely drum
talent, leaving audience members like Lauren Cody pleasantly surprised at the diversity of their talents exhibited. “I was expecting for it to be a drum show, but it was like dance, music, singing, other performances,” Cody said. “I was in for a treat. It felt like going to an all-Asian version of Magic Mike.” The performance features instruments ranging from drums to flutes and a three-stringed instrument called a shamisen. In addition to the impressive range of instruments utilized, the performers were incredibly athletic and never missed
a beat in the entirety of the extremely strenuous routine. At one point, the male performers drummed as they sat reclined with no back support and did so for a duration which would make even the most inshape individuals cringe. It was moments like these among many others which showed the audience the sheer talent and dedication required to be in the company. Although the production showcased Japanese tradition, there were also some modern elements which provided both a harmonious contrast with
traditional elements and even comedy. Hoverboards were used as props to wheel out larger drums, and performers in costumes outlined in lights danced around the stage to the beat of the unseen drummers. The musicians also possessed incredible showmanship. The crowd was constantly engaged by the performers, and there was never a lull in activity. Even during changes of scenery, performers equipped with drums would tap out a beat and encourage the crowd to clap along with them. The crowd was left smiling, and the performers had smiles to match. The
performers are incredibly talented and appear to love to enthrall their audiences. Among all else, the performers share and help keep alive traditions and the history of Japanese culture. Graduate Students Logan Johnson and Casey Baumgartner loved the show and enjoyed the cultural elements of the performance. Casey Baumgartner, who was raised in Okinawa, Japan, said the show gave her “chills.” She said shows like Drum Tao are quite common in Japan and are as common as the American community theatre. The intricate costuming
of both men and women also gave insight into the traditional dress of the Japanese. The simplicity of the stone-like props and backdrop accentuated the brilliance of the martial style costuming of the men and the flowy, elaborate dresses of the women. This performance marks the second time Drum Tao visited and performed at MSU, and the performers expressed their desire to visit once again. Drum Tao tours in the U.S. every two years and will hopefully make the rounds again to showcase their talent for those who missed it this year.
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THE REFLECTOR FRIDAY, MARCH 9, 2018 @SPORTSREFLECTOR
SPORTS
Baseball opens new Dude
Alayna Stevens | The Reflector
Freshman Rowdey Jordan hit a grand slam in the sixth inning of MSUʼs 6-1 win over NMSU.
pitcher Cole Marsh. “After the three hits in the first, I thought he would waiver a little bit, I thought he kept his poise,” Henderson said. “Overall for his first outing he was really impressed. I thought he did a decent job of throwing his fastball down and mixing his breaking balls enough.” Marsh, who transferred to MSU from Mississippi Delta Community College, talked about playing in front of the 7,179 fans in attendance who joined him in breaking in the new stadium. “I felt great, first guy came in and you obviously got those jitters, people filling up the stands,” Marsh said. “Great fans, and you just do not have that at Delta, and growing up in baseball, you are lucky to have more than 30 people come.” The offense also made history by scoring the most runs in the new Dude’s history, scoring nine runs and getting 12 hits. Jake Mangum, a junior outfielder from Pearl, had three hits in three at bats, scored twice and batted in one runner.
HUNTER CLOUD AND LUCAS BARRETT STAFF WRITERS
Bulldogs christen new Dude with blowout win
Twenty years from now, when the trivia question, “What pitcher was awarded the first win in the new Dudy Noble Field?” is asked, the answer will be Mississippi State University sophomore Cole Marsh. No. 21 MSU (8-5) christened the new Dudy Noble Field in dominant fashion after taking a 9-1 win over New Mexico State University (8-6). Marsh, a right handed pitcher from Monroe, Louisiana, pitched five innings, gave up one run and four hits, and struck out three batters in his outing. “I did not have nerves in my stomach, it was more like I was excited to get out there and finally play,” Marsh said. “In front of my fans, teammates and staff. I was really excited and after my first pitch, I really calmed down.” The game was one for the record books, and will show Marsh as the first pitcher to win a game in the new stadium. Marsh said he was reminded of this by people going into the game. “I had so many people texting, call me about it like, ‘Hey, you are going in history as the first pitch in the Dude,’” Marsh said. “That was great. It is a good feeling knowing that history was made tonight and not just me.” MSU head coach Gary Henderson shared his thoughts on the performance of starting
Jordanʼs grand slam carries MSU over NMSU
On Wednesday night, Zach Neff, Keegan James and Riley Self combined to pitch a three-hit shutout in route to a 6-0 Diamond Dawgs win. Neff (1-2) matched a career-high with six innings, allowing one hit and striking out eight batters. James threw two innings, while Self closed the game out in the ninth with each one allowing a single hit. The pitching trio struck out 10 and walked one.
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Neff, left-handed fifthyear senior from Belleville, Illinois, spoke about his outing. “Everything was pretty much working, starting off with breaking balls the first couple innings and move to change-ups to keep them really off balanced, I feel like, moved the ball in and out,” said Neff, who had a 24-pitch first inning, but was efficient and kept his pitch count down throughout the game. “(I) started to find a way to get under barrels, got a few more ground balls and that lead to more efficient innings,” Neff said. Neff, a graduate transfer from Austin Peay State University, is looking to earn his spot in this rotation, knowing he has to be sharp every single day. “The competition is more fun than stressful, battling for spots, you know you have to come out and pitch your rear end off every day,” Neff said. “It makes for a lot (of) battle between everybody, just makes it fun for the whole team.” The Bulldogs’ head coach Gary Henderson talked briefly about Neff ’s outing. “Zach had a nice night and this should give him some confidence based on that outing,” Henderson said. Freshman Rowdey Jordan made his mark in MSU history with a sixth-inning grand slam to blow the game open. It broke a 0-0 tie which lasted the first five and a half innings of the game. The Bulldogs finished the game with 10 hits, and Jake Mangum, Luke Alexander and Josh Hatcher had multiple hits each. Jordan, from Auburn, Alabama, talked about his home run, how it felt being the first to do this at the new stadium, as well as the team’s hitting approach in the midinnings. “It takes a second to realize it, but it’s pretty cool to be able to experience that,” Jordan said. “That was our approach, we were struggling a little bit, trying to get momentum, we got momentum and it took off from there.” The Diamond Dawgs look to extend their fivegame win streak at 6:30 p.m. Friday in a three-game weekend home stand against Utah Valley University.
Courtesy Photo | MSU Athletic Communications
MSUʼs Logan Boss, a senior from OʼBrien, Florida, won the gold medal in the high jump competition at the SEC Indoor Championships.
Track set for Indoor Championships HUNTER CLOUD STAFF WRITER
Mississippi State University will send its track team to College Station, Texas, to compete in the NCAA Indoor Championships Friday through Saturday. For Dejon Devore, a junior middle distance runner from Oak Harbor, Washington, this is an opportunity to showcase his abilities. “This is a blessing, I honestly did not really think I would be here,” Devore said. “This is really a great opportunity to show my talents, and exceed even my own beliefs in what I can achieve.” Long distance Rhianwedd Price-Weimer, a senior from Llandrindod, Wales, United Kingdom, said it is a great accomplishment to reach this level. Price-Weimer won a national championship in outdoors. “It is always a great achievement to know that you have reached that level and you can go and race indoors,” said Price-Weimar. “It just opens the doors to opportunities, you get to race the best people in the NCAAs.” Price-Weimer said she hopes the competition goes better than one race she had. Her distance coach, Houston Franks, said she was disqualified in prelims for stepping on the line at the start of the race, despite her running well that day. “I have learned from all different experiences, just learning different race tactics, just learning different ways people race,” PriceWeimer said. “It makes you more excited than nervous because you know the great opportunity you are having.”
Head coach Steve Dudley spoke about his freshman runner Marco Arop, who is currently 10th in the nation with a 1:47.62 time in the 800m. “Hopefully the freshman mistake were made two weeks ago at SEC championships, once you make an NCAA championship you are not a freshman anymore,” Dudley said. “We are not going to look at Marco as a freshman, but the fact he knows now that I am good enough, I can take control of the race, and run a strong place and that can make sure I am in the finals.” Steve Thomas coaches Logan Boss, a senior from O’Brien, Florida, who won gold at the SEC Indoor Championships. Thomas said Boss is getting stronger and this will help her ability. “One of the things we always think about when training jumpers is how strong can we get an athlete,” Thomas said. “As her strength levels go up, her jumping ability will go up. Our goal has always been 1.94 meters, because that is the standard to make the world championships.” Boss said she spent a lot of time on her technique and wants to go into the meet giving it the respect it deserves. “We’ve worked a lot
Getting in
on technique, and built off of last year,” Boss said. “Last year was a really great foundation we kind of built from then. We have worked on little things and continued to improve.” Franks believes Rhianwedd is going to run well in the meet. She missed a year of running with pneumonia and pleurisy just a year after winning a national championship. He said the senior was hitting all of her marks. “She is back, and is starting to hit the checkpoints she hit when she won the national championship,” Franks said. “So that is exciting, she is going to do well. I am not sure if she can win or not, but I think by outdoors we can have a more serious conversation about that.” The meet is the last meet before the team transitions into the spring season. Dudley said any championship like the one this weekend would be a stepping stone for the outdoor national championships. “We are disappointed if we are not in the top 20 of the nation,” Dudley said. “We want to springboard into outdoor season, if both teams left there in the top 15 or 20, it would be fantastic because we are built a little bit more for outdoors. The Olympics are outdoors, not indoors.”
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