CHRONICLE Richland
Vol. XLXI Issue 4 September 29, 2020
A weekly student publication
Falling Stars: no cup for Dallas
Pg. 7
• Want to vote? Register!
Pg. 2
• Battling social anxiety disorder
Pg. 3
• Drive thru now open - Texas State Fair
Pg. 5
RichlandStudentMedia.com
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Richland Student Media
2 NATIONAL
September 29, 2020
Texas voter registration deadline is approaching Angela Ly
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Managing Editor The deadline for voter registration is Oct. 5, but eligible voters can still go to the Dallas County Elections office to register in-person even on the final day of registration. They can also register at an in-person voter registration drive hosted by the League of Women Voters of Dallas at several locations in Dallas County Barbara Larkin, director of voter registration with the LWV of Dallas, says the League will even mail voters’ applications for them. “If people have left it to the bitter end, they can come [register] in person. Then that works because we drive the forms over to the county on Monday [Oct. 5] to turn it in,” she said. “If we had a voter registration drive that Monday, we would drive it over and turn it in and it would work out fine.” Voter registration drives have taken place at public libraries and LWV of Dallas plans to host more events leading up to the voter registration deadline. Two confirmed locations are the Super Mercado supermarkets in Pleasant Grove and Oak Cliff from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. on Oct. 3 and Oct. 4. More locations will be announced on the website at lwvdallas.org and their Facebook page at facebook.com/lwvofdallas in the days ahead. In the age of COVID-19, the LWV of Dallas has limited its in-person drives to minimize the risk of exposure to and spread of the virus. Voters can also register online at Register2vote.org but should be prepared to sign and return paperwork, post marked by Oct. 5. Registering to vote is just the first step before the election. Research is required for voters to be prepared before entering the voting booth. Larkin recommends viewing a sample ballot in advance to find out who is running in the races for their precinct. Dallas county residents can access this information on the Dallas County Elections website at dallascountyvotes.org. A PDF of a sample ballot is available for download by searching Voter Lookup and View Personal Sample Ballot under the Voter Information tab. Through the national website, vote411.org, prospective voters can pull up a sample ballot and research candidates in their district who are running for national, state and local office. By clicking on the candidates in the individual races, voters can read about their positions on specific issues, or lack thereof. “You could click on Donald Trump or Joe Biden and they would be asked the exact same questions. Then they ask senators a different set of questions that are more relevant to senators,” Larkin said. She stresses the importance of doing research on candidates all the way “down the ballot.” In Dallas County, voters will also be voting on a new Dallas College trustee and a special DISD bond election. “I think it’s important to understand who your current representatives are,” Larkin said. ”Go to their websites and read what they’ve done, what they think, and look who’s running against them. I
think it’s important to focus on who you can vote for.” According to Larkin, interests such as the Black Lives Matter movement and the Dallas Police Department budget are addressed by the city council. A candidate for Texas Railroad Commissioner is also on the ballot. The members of this three-member commission oversee oil and gas regulations in Texas. “Your state senator and your state House of Representatives, they’re looking at Texas education funding and how healthcare is funded in Texas. So if you care about those issues, then those are the ones you should be focusing on,” Larkin said. Registered voters in Dallas County can vote at any early voting location in the county, including Guadalupe Hall on the Richland Campus. A new addition among voting locations is the American Airlines Center, which will serve as Dallas’ largest polling place. According to Larkin, the American Airlines Center will operate under the same hours and days like regular polling locations, from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m., Oct. 13-30, as well as 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. on Election Day, Nov. 3. Larkin says voters will be socially distanced throughout the arena and poll workers will be protected by Plexiglas. Hand sanitizers, wipes and clean stylus will also be available for voters to meet all CDC guidelines. There will be one entrance point and one exit point in the arena to direct the flow of traffic. Rideshare companies are providing free and/ or discounted rides to polling locations or ballot drop boxes. According to the Lyft blogpost on Sept. 15, Lyft’s “Ride to Vote” program is offering a 50% discount on rides to the polls by entering the code 2020VOTE. The discount can also be applied to their network of bikes and scooters in select cities. Uber is partnering with TurboVote to get constituents to the polls. They also made their announcement on their website Sept. 15. Uber is offering discounted rides to the polls on Election Day. Those looking to participate more directly in this year’s election can do so as a poll worker. Though Larkin said they may be almost finished gathering individuals for the Oct. 13-30 early voting period, they’re still hiring poll workers for Nov. 3. The process to become a poll worker in Dallas County can be found on the Dallas County Elections website. Visit dallascountyvotes.org and search under the Getting Involved tab. Poll workers must be registered voters, meet the application requirements and background checks for employment within Dallas County. High school students may also be eligible for these paid positions. Poll worker training will begin soon. Larkin encourages those with questions about voter registration, the voting process or the upcoming election to call the League of Women Voters’ Voter Hotline at (214) 688-4125 on Mondays from 2 to 4 p.m. and 6 to 8 p.m. Callers will be prompted to leave a message and will receive a callback from a League of Women Voters volunteer soon afterward.
Photo credit Dallas Mavericks
Former Dallas Mavericks player Michael Finley assists with Mavericks’ voter registration drive at the team’s business office across from the American Airlines Center on Sept. 22.
Dallas approves $3.8B budget to increase police spending The Dallas City Council approved a $3.8 billion budget for the 2021 fiscal year that includes increasing police spending by nearly $8 million despite calls to cut the department’s funding. After meeting for more than 12 hours on Sept. 23, the overall budget of about $3.8 billion was passed by a 9-6 vote. By contrast, the budget was approved unanimously last year. The debate was over the general revenue budget, which makes up more than a fourth of the overall budget and represents the discretionary spending that the council can actually change. The fund includes salaries for police, fire and city hall employees and departments. Local activists had brought forth a counterproposal to cut $200 million from the Dallas Police Department budget, but that received no support. The final vote came hours after a grand jury decided to not indict officers for the fatal shooting of Breonna Taylor in Louisville, Kentucky. Amber Brown addressed the council through a video teleconference service and pointed out that the Breonna Taylor decision as the most recent national example justifying moving funding from policing to social programs that will address root causes of crime. “The people have been fighting and you’re not listening to us,” Brown said. “You don’t care about
us and it’s evident.” But many council members said that many residents opposed budget cuts to the police department. Councilmember Lee Kleinman voted against the budget, saying the council missed an opportunity for police reform. “We will never see change in this city if we couldn’t do it this year when we actually had an opportunity,” Kleinman said. “And we just squandered it.” Councilmembers also voted 11-4 to approve an amendment that cut police overtime by $7 million.They chose that over Mayor Eric Johnson’s proposal to cut salaries at City Hall, a move he has called ”defunding the bureaucracy.” He voted against the budget. “Ultimately, in this pandemic, I could not support a budget in which we didn’t touch the bureaucracy and failed to share in the pain with residents in any discernible way," he said in a statement Wednesday. Despite calls to defund their police departments, Houston and San Antonio have also increased police spending by $20 million and $8 million, respectively. - The Associated Press
NATION/CAMPUS 3
September 29, 2020
Social Anxiety after lockdown and how students will be affected
Photos Illustration courtesy Upsplash
Reagan Davis Staff Writer
The coronavirus has completely disrupted students’ physical lives and now the Anxiety and Depression Association of America reports that it’s taking a toll on students’ emotional lives as well. Being a student was already sometimes challenging, but the COVID-19 pandemic has made getting an education, and life in general, even more difficult. Doctors have reported an increase in social anxiety disorder among their patients who are students, and especially among those who are slowly trying to reintroduce themselves into their normal routines, such as returning to campus and attending in-person classes. Social anxiety disorder is sometimes referred to as social phobia. It’s a type of anxiety disorder that causes extreme fear in social settings. Individuals with this disorder have trouble talking to others, meeting new people and attending social gatherings. They fear being
judged or scrutinized by others. Richland professional counselor Karen Cuttill said Dallas College counselors are prepared to help students who might be struggling with social anxiety disorder. “Counselors work with students to develop skills that address issues in their lives. When it is social anxiety, we work with the individual to help them to identify why they are experiencing the anxiety and work to help them overcome it,” Cuttill said. “As a counselor I often use Cognitive Behavioral Emotive Therapy. This is where we help students to think about their thoughts and set a system to challenge the thoughts to help them overcome their distress -- in this case social anxiety. We also help students with changing the ‘behaviors’ that can alter the outcome. Mindfulness, breathing, self-care, etc. It really depends on the person and what they need.” Overcoming social anxiety is something that must be addressed over time. According to Cuttill, it’s a slow process, especially for students who are trying to differentiate
between their lifestyle before and after coronavirus and adapt to an influx of people re-entering their lives. Cuttill offers long-term strategies that students with social anxiety can use to help them be successful in their classes and overcome their social phobia. “Long term strategies would be the action we help the student to discover that impacts the level of anxiety they experience. Counseling- especially when it concerns anxiety, is a process. During this process students learn skills, thinking or doing, that will help them overcome their anxiety,” Cuttill said. “Many people, once they have worked with a counselor and practiced their personal individualized plan, they overcome social anxiety. It is not a problem for them. The most important thing to remember is that counseling is a process that is unique to the individual and it takes time.” For students on the Richland campus who may recognize the symptoms of social anxiety within themselves, Cuttill recommends
contacting the Richland Counseling Center. “Students can make an appointment with a counselor by emailing the counseling center at Counseling-RLC@dcccd.edu or calling 972-238-3771. If you call you will need to leave your name and phone number and your student ID. We do not have caller ID so you must leave a call back number,” Cuttill said. She added that messages are checked several times throughout the day, Monday thru Friday from 8 a.m.to 5 p.m. Counseling services are available by appointment in the evening. They are not open weekends or after 5 p.m. “The fastest way to reach a counselor is to email the above information to the above address,” she said. Cuttill said Dallas College is working to bring awareness to the issue of society anxiety through workshops and classroom presentations designed to help students learn about resources available to them. Information about counseling services is available on the Dallas College website at dcccd.edu/resources/counseling/pages/ counseling-resources.aspx. The TAO (Therapy Assistance Online) link offers selfhelp videos on a variety of topics, including modules on social anxiety. Cuttill notes that the self-help modules “might be enough for some students. Others will need to meet with a counselor.” For those feeling any of the social anxiety symptoms listed above, your campus counselors are there to help. Remember all services are confidential and will not be on your educational record. The only people aware of your situation are you and your counselor. Counseling is free for students currently enrolled at Dallas College as are any of the Dallas College online workshops.
Richland Briefs Gov. Greg Abbott, who has refused calls to expand mail-in voting in Texas during the coronavirus pandemic, was sued Sept. 23 by prominent members of his own party who now want to halt the change he ordered for November’s election — extending early voting by a week. The lawsuit escalates an extraordinary backlash Abbott is facing from the Texas GOP’s right wing that has criticized his handling of the pandemic as being overbearing and even unlawful. As Texas is on the verge of surpassing 15,000 deaths from COID-19, anger among conservative activists has simmered for months over a statewide mask mandate and lockdown orders, including bars, which have been closed since June. Previous challenges to Abbott’s orders were largely mounted by conservative activists,
but the latest one filed straight to the Texas Supreme Court widens the list to seven GOP lawmakers as well as Allen West, a former Florida congressman who is the new chairman of the Texas Republican Party. They argue Abbott did not have the power to put in place six additional days of early voting without input from the state Legislature, which is out of session this year and won’t meet again until January. “Abbott’s Executive Orders are unprecedented and have had life and death implications, destroyed small businesses and family’s livelihoods, have had a crippling effect on every single community, and now have the ability to impact local, state and national elections,” the lawsuit stated. An Abbott spokesman did not immediately return a request for comment. Early in-person voting in Texas begins Oct. 13.
Software provider acknowledges hack A major U.S. provider of software services to state and local governments acknowledged Sept. 25 that it was hit by a ransomware attack two days after telling clients an unknown intruder had compromised its phone and information technology systems.Tyler Technologies said in a statement that it confirmed the intruder used ransomware but did not provide further details on its response, citing an ongoing investigation. A spokesperson for the Dallas-area company did not directly answer a question about whether it had paid to have its systems unlocked. Ransomware purveyors are increasingly breaking into company and government networks and siphoning out valuable data before scrambling them and demanding payouts. They threaten to make the stolen data public if the victim doesn’t pay up. Tyler, which is a publicly traded S&P 500
company, had informed clients across the country that use its software of the data breach Sept. 23, but said the impact appeared limited and that there is no reason to believe its customers were affected. The company said it brought in outside information technology experts and informed law enforcement. The FBI has declined to comment on the breach. Tyler provides software services for everything from jail and court management systems to payroll, human resources, tax and bill collection and land records to local and state governments across the country. Some governments also use one of its platforms to post election data online, although that use appears limited and Tyler has said data for that software is hosted on Amazon Web Services, not on the network that was hacked. –The Associated Press
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Republicans sue Texas governor
4 MOVIES/VIDEO GAMES
September 29, 2020
‘Fall Guys’ fun but repetitive Fernanda Pargas Staff Writer
“Fall Guys” is a colorful, energetic battle royale game that has been taking over home game systems since August. It was developed by Mediatonic and released for Microsoft Windows and PlayStation 4. The game is simple. Players enter a race with 59 other online contestants and race to the end of the course until there is only one contestant left. The randomly selected stages of competition vary in their objectives. Some stages are designed like an obstacle course from the early 2000s game-show era, while others are designed like puzzle games that test memory. The stages are easy to navigate, even for those who may have never have picked up a video game before. The mechanics are designed to make the game user-friendly. The player is limited to jumping, grabbing and running during the game. After all, that is all that’s needed to win the game. Whether players are in an obstacle course or a puzzle, they will find themselves competitively running through all the stages of the game to reach the finish line. The more rounds players win the more they can customize their characters using the in-game currency, Kudos. Customization is also another objective for the player, making the game that much more addictive. Recently released games have increasingly added this feature as a way of personalizing the gaming experience. Players can select different
patterns and colors for their characters to wear as they blast through each round. They can even get cool hats for their little guy to wear. The game’s visual style is unique to the battle royale genre. Every stage uses bright, lively colors, and most surfaces have a fun corresponding patterns. The style can be seen as a playground with its use of interesting shapes and colors. The energetic music that plays during each stage helps the player become fully immersed in the game. The “Fall Guys’” design makes it a game that demands the attention of all your senses. While the novelty of the game can be intriguing, it can become repetitive at times. The game relies on the player’s motivation to win and earn more Kudos. When players grow tired of the same stages and game theories, “Fall Guys” becomes so dull that success might be at risk. In the future, any updates to the game should include new stages for players as well as more customization features. Even new playing modes could keep the game relevant. “Fall Guys” is a simple video game that anyone, regardless of their gaming expertise, can pick up a controller and become obsessed. This game is also perfect for those who love the battle royale format also found in “Fortnite,” but do not care for the guns and crafting mechanics in that game. “Fall Guys” feels like a party game that is as fun to play as it is to watch. A-
Photo courtesy IMDb.com
RichlandStudentMedia.com
A scene from the video game, “Fall Guys.”
“Dora and the Lost City of Gold” (2019 – This live-action version of the famed animated cartoon series finds the adventurer Dora encountering mishaps aplenty in the real world. Stars Isabela Merced, Michael Peña and Eva Longoria round out the family.
B-
Megan Fox, Sisanda Henna, and Greg Kriek star in “Rogue.”
Photo courtesy IMDB.com
‘Rogue’ OK but misses the mark Ricky Miller
Entertainment Editor “Rogue” is a Megan Fox-headlined actionsuspense tale from the accomplished director M.J. Bassett who helmed various TV shows before delving into feature films. Bassett also directed “Solomon Kane,” a 2009 entry that dealt with unsavory entities hundreds of years ago, and the intriguing sequel “Silent Hill: Revelation” in 2012. Now, with “Rogue,” Bassett enters the action phase of Fox’s solo career. Fox brought in the male teen crowd with her turn as Shia LeBeouf’s girlfriend in the Michael Bay-directed “Transformers” in 2007. She then went on to do the “meh” live action Michael Bay-produced “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles” (2014) and, a couple of years later, “Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles: Out of the Shadows,” once again teaming her up with Bay as producer. In a system that currently has nothing but male headliners in most stories and franchises, it is nice to see a change. America embraced Jennifer Lawrence’s Katniss Everdeen in “The Hunger Games” tales a few years ago, but the studios can’t seem to find that niche for wellwritten tales and stories featuring women. Earlier this summer, I was looking forward
“Scarface” (1983) – Brian De Palma directs this Al Pacino-led gangster drama that’s violent as all get out. Pacino is a Cuban refugee rising to power in this remake. Tony Montana (Pacino) is despicable, but he has strong feelings when a hitman threatens to dispose of a mother and her daughter. B-
“Stand and Deliver” (1988) – Edward James Olmos is math teacher Jaime Escalante, who motivates a group of underprivileged students through calculus.
B
to “Black Widow” with Scarlett Johansson returning as Natasha Romanoff, one of the members of The Avengers, but all this COVID stuff has put a giant monkey wrench into the film production grinder. But I digress. Since we’re here to talk about “Rogue,” a Lionsgate title that has essentially replaced the small studios in the effort to give the American public a wider viewing library. The plot essentially deals with a group of baddies who kidnap girls traveling abroad and uses said girls as bargaining chips for ransom. Fox, like James Franco a few years back, was part of a system that I felt America should embrace. Sure, she is talented and easy on the eyes, but one just has to ask why I should invest my time with a star who has had more misses than hits in recent years. “Jonah Hex” (2010) with Josh Brolin comes to mind when discussing her career path. Even the star power of Brolin could not even save that tale. I would recommend “Rogue” as a fun timewaster, but there are many other titles I could recommend. Among them, “The Old Guard,” “6 Underground” and “Enola Holmes,” recently added to the Netflix line-up of fun, family flicks. “Rogue” is worth a watch, but as I recently pointed out there are others I would recommend over this so-so flick. Grade: C+
“Selena” (1997) – Jennifer Lopez catapults to stardom as the famed Texas-born Tejano singer whose career and life are cut short just when her star was on the rise. With Edward James Olmos and Jon Seda.
B+
“Roma” (2018) – This stylish, black-and-white gem about a middle-class Mexican family and their maid won a Best Director Oscar for Alfonso Cuarón as well as Best Foreign Language Film Oscar (Mexico) and cinematography. -Ricky Miller
B-
FOOD/ 5
September 29, 2020
Drive-thru event brings flavor of the fair to fans Richie Manalastas/Angela Ly Staff Writer/Managing Editor
The State Fair of Texas won’t be the same this year, but it will go on. Back in July, the State Fair Board of Directors announced the cancellation of the annual event due to the pandemic, but in late August plans for the Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru were unveiled. It’s the first drive-thru event in the State Fair’s 134-year history. “I think at a time when we’re going through this COVID-19 pandemic that people need it now more than ever,” said Karissa Consoianis, the senior vice president of public relations for the State Fair of Texas. “Our goal is to bring some happiness to everyone right now. Give them something they can safely enjoy with the fair and instill that State Fair pride.” The drive-thru event will include many of the things fair goers enjoy, but on a smaller scale. There will even be a chance to get a photo with Big Tex. “You start out with a mini auto show, then you’ll pick up beverages and you’ll make your way to Fletcher’s and cotton candy, eventually
making your way to Big Tex where we have live music from Texas artists. You get to have your photo with Big Tex. He’s wearing a mask just like all of our Texans are right now. A photographer will take your photo and text it to you right there,” she said. The Big Tex Fair Food Drive-Thru takes place weekends, Friday through Sunday, through Oct. 8. To ensure safety, tickets are limited and presold in time slots for entry: from 10 a.m. to 1 p.m., 1 to 5 p.m. and 5 to 6 p.m. The experience should take no about an hour and a half entering the gate. “People need to plan their trip in advance at bigtex.com/drivethru. Select the date they want to come and a time. That helps us to prepare the concessionaires so we can make sure we move people efficiently through the traffic,” she said. “There’s a package that’s 65 dollars, which includes your admission, food and drink and your photo with Big Tex. There’s another package for $99, which feeds 3-4 people. You can have up to 8 people per vehicle.” After confirming the date and time, customers are given the options of Package A (at the cost of $65 feeding 1-2 People) and Package B (at the cost of $99 which feeds 3-4 people). All
Right, cars line up for fair food. Left, Big Tex socially distances.
guests are required to remain in their vehicles and wear protective face masks. Hand sanitizing stations are present throughout the line. Safety protocols for members include face masks, temperature checks, frequent hand washing and wearing gloves when handling food and changing them frequently. One of the biggest things fair goers look forward to each year are the new foods available to try at the fair and, while new foods won’t be offered, some of the fair’s most popular and iconic vendors will participate in the drive-thru event. “I do feel like it’s not fair in the sense that
Photos courtesy The State Fair of Texas
this is something Texas is used to every year, but at the same time everybody knows that it’s for the only good,” said Emmanuela Bozer, a Richland nursing student. “For someone who has attended the State Fair numerous times, I’m aware of how popular and crowded the event can be. And with COVID, the event is an extremely high-risk place for the virus to spread,” said Kayla Nguyen, a TWU student and nursing major. More information about the Big Texas Food Drive-Thru are available at bigtex.com/ big-tex-fair-food-drive-thru/
in the sauce and gently place it into the hot oil to soften, turning with a spatula midway through. There’s an art to this. If the oil isn’t hot enough, the tortillas may tear. If the oil is too hot, they may become tough. Experiment with your heat settings. I suggest getting a large package of tortillas so you have extras as you get the hang of it. The intention is to infuse the sauce into the tortilla as it softens without letting it become crispy. Add oil if it runs low. Remove the softened tortillas and place them on a plate. Keep paper towels handy to soak up the excess oil. Then start rolling them with the grated cheese chopped onion mixture. At this point, they are finished. Serve with your favorite salsa, guacamole or sour cream. They are great to make in advance for the week and heat up easily in the microwave. Alternate fillings: ground beef, guacamole, cooked spinach and onions, shredded chicken, or shredded pork. Easy refried beans recipe online at richlandstudentmedia.com/recipe Esther’s enchiladas and my easy refried beans make great leftovers.
Dara Jones
Editor-in-Chief Tortillas are the star of the show in this authentic Mexican dish, courtesy of our family friend Esther. I was surprised how good they are and easy to make. Messy perhaps, but definitely well worth it. Cover the chiles with water and bring to boil. Lower heat to medium low and simmer
covered for about 30 minutes until tender. About halfway through the process, turn the chilies over to make sure they soften on both sides. Let them cool and reserve the water. Remove the seeds and stems and put chilies in a blender or food processor with the garlic and some of the cooking water. Blend until smooth, adding reserved liquid to make it fairly runny. Salt to taste and put in a large bowl. The mixture will taste slightly
Staff Photo Dara Jones
bitter at this point but don’t worry. Cooking the mixture changes everything. If the sauce thickens as you use it, add reserved liquid or water occasionally to thin it. It doesn’t seem to change the taste. Chop the onion and mix into the grated cheese and set aside. Put two or so inches of oil in a deep skillet. I prefer an electric skillet. Heat oil to around medium to medium high. Dunk the tortilla
Esther’s Stovetop Enchiladas •3-4 dried chili anchos or pasillas (available at Mexican groceries and Kroger under Fiesta Brand) •3-4 cloves garlic •salt to taste •2 packages 16 oz. grated Mexican •medium onion finely chopped •36 corn tortillas •1 bottle vegetable oil •Makes around 24+ enchiladas
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Add menu variety with Esther’s stove top enchiladas
6 COLUMN
September 29, 2020
‘It’s not about us,’ reflections on the death of RBG
CHRONICLE Richland
STUDENT MEDIA LEADERS
Editor-in-Chief Managing Editor Design Editor Entertainment Editor Online/Special Projects
Dara Jones Angela Ly Barbara Gandica Martinez Ricky Miller Damon Craig
ON THE COVER New furniture in El Paso Hall awaits students’ return to campus. Photo Courtesy: Meg Fullwood.
BACK COVER Canada geese enjoy the change of seasons on Thunderduck Lake. Photo Courtesy: Lloyd Roberts
COVER AND FONTS Certain cover fonts are provided by the following www.nymfont.com – www.bvfonts.com
STUDENT MEDIA STAFF David Acosta Ryan Bingham Duff Dave Freeman Nabeela Iqbal Jalen Jordan Isjina Luckett Reagan Davis
Ritchie Manalastas Fernanda Pargas Bryan Pham Thinh Pham Glen Pierre Adina Ramirez Orlando Silva
STUDENT MEDIA ADVISERS Erica Edwards
Tim Jones
Jack Fletcher
James Ragland
Meg Fullwood
Larry Ratliff
ISSUE DATES
Photo The Associated Press
Members of Congress and guests pay their respects to Justice Ruth Bader Ginsburg as her casket lies in state at the U.S. Capitol on Sept. 25.
Dara Jones
RichlandStudentMedia.com
Editor-in-Chief The announcement that Ruth Bader Ginsburg died pinged my phone on Sept. 18 just as we were about ready to finish up layout of the Richland Chronicle for the week. Suddenly my computer started lighting up with notices from the Chronicle team. How this was going to affect what we were doing for the cover as well as other pages? I groaned. “Why did she have to die now?” I questioned. I was tired, ready to be finished with the paper and her dying was just plain inconvenient. About an hour after that announcement, I became aware that Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ken) said he was going to move forward with replacing her on the Supreme Court right away, according to The Associated Press. I groaned again for another reason altogether. I realized her death would soon be overshadowed by the political implications of filling or not filling her vacant seat on the Supreme Court in an already contentious election season. Couldn’t we just wait a little while before going to what conference speaker and Christian author Joyce Meyers calls “What about me? What about me? What about me?” Cindy McCain, wife of the late Republican Sen. John McCain, endorsed Joe Biden for president on Sept. 24. In so doing she said something larger that captured my thoughts. “My husband, John, lived by a code: country first. We are Republicans, yes, but Americans
foremost,” she said. Have we lost our way so deeply that we can’t honor a fellow human being’s life before looking to how it might help our political advantage? Must we run over RBG’s dead body as we rush to fill her seat on the Supreme Court? In 2016, McConnell refused for months to hold a hearing on President Barack Obama’s pick to replace Justice Antonin Scalia, who died Feb. 13, 2016, nine months before the election. McConnell said the next president needed to pick the next Supreme Court justice in an election year so that the will of the people would be done. Yet, as of Sept. 24, just six days after Ginsburg’s death, McConnell said he intends to rush President Donald Trump’s pick through in the six weeks before the election. What happened to waiting to let the will of the people be done? If we waited to fill a Supreme Court seat in 2016, we should wait now. It’s not about political advantage, it’s about doing the right thing. According to the National Constitution Center, in Abraham Lincoln’s March 4, 1861 inauguration speech to a nation on the brink of civil war, he encouraged his fellow countrymen not to think of the other side as enemies but invited them to look for the day when the country could be unified again. “We are not enemies, but friends. We must not be enemies. Though passion may have strained it must not break our bonds of affection. The mystic chords of memory, stretching from every battlefield and patriot grave to every living heart and hearthstone all over
this broad land, will yet swell the chorus of the Union, when again touched, as surely they will be, by the better angels of our nature.” The Civil War began a month later, with Jefferson Davis giving a second inaugural address as president of the Confederacy. I hope the citizens of this great nation will reflect on the “the better angels of our nature.” We desperately need some of that in America today. We need to be Americans first, Republicans or Democrats second. I’d like to invite us to put partisan politics aside, respectfully pause and consider Ginsburg’s family and the loss they are mourning. I invite us to consider a woman who, agree with her Constitutional decisions or not, courageously stood up for women and the disenfranchised. I invite us to remember that she was a person of character, had a great sense of humor and that even those who disagreed with her decisions based on the rule of law, such as Justice Scalia, considered her a friend, according to AP. I invite us to appreciate that someone great has passed, but that even if she had been an ordinary citizen, human dignity demands we give pause for her passing with respect. It’s not about us. In the words of Reverend Sykes to Scout, the daughter of attorney Atticus Finch as he left the courtroom in the film “To Kill a Mockingbird,” “Stand up, Jean Louise. Your father’s passing.” Stand up, America, Ruth Bader Ginsburg’s passing.
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STUDENT MEDIA AWARDS Student Organization Community Service Award, 2019 Student Organization of the Year, 2019 CMA Pinnacle Two-Year TV Station Award, 2018 CMA Two-Year Radio Station Award, 2018 ACP Newspaper Pacemaker Winner Award, 2016 ACP Best of Show Award, 2015 ACP Photo Excellence Award, 2015 CMA Newspaper of the Year Finalist, 2014 1st Place – TCCJA Overall General Excellence, 2014 2nd Place – Pinnacle College Media Award, 2014 1st Place – TIPA Sweepstakes, 2005 3rd Place – TIPA Online, 2005 & 2006 Over 270 Texas college journalism awards since 2000
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September 29, 2020
All those wily, old veterans couldn’t get the Dallas Stars another Stanley Cup championship. Instead of a title for the ages, and despite their best efforts, the Stars’ season ended with a 2-0 loss to Tampa Bay in Game 6 of the Stanley Cup Final in Edmonton on Sept. 28. “Anyone who’s ever won a Stanley Cup will tell you that to win the Cup, you’ve got to be lucky and you’ve got to be healthy,” Stars Coach Rick Bowness said. “I’m proud of our players. They gave us everything they could. Was there enough in the tank tonight. No, there wasn’t.” Dallas was undone by mounting injuries and the failure of primary front-liners Jamie Benn, Tyler Seguin and Alexander Radulov to score even a single goal in the final series. Corey Perry and Joe Pavelski combined for the last six goals scored by the Stars in this most unusual season. “Emotions are tough right now,” Seguin said.
Dallas finished the season with several injured key regulars, including forwards Radek Faksa, Blake Comeau and Roope Hintz. Ben Bishop, their primary goaltender most of the regular season, appeared in only three postseason games, the last one Aug. 31 in a secondround game. Goals from Tampa Bay’s Braydon Point and Blake Coleman and a 22-save shutout by Andrei Vasilevskiy in Game 6 were enough to power the Lightning to their second championship after winning it in 2004. Point scored his playoff-best 14th goal to finish off the most unusual NHL postseason in history, staged nearly entirely in quarantine because of the pandemic. “It takes a lot to be in a bubble for 80 days or whatever long it was,” said Tampa Bay defenseman Victor Hedman, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP. “But it’s all worth it now. We’re coming home with the Cup.” Before giving that trophy to Hedman,
UPCOMING EVENTS All events are free and open to the public unless otherwise indicated.
September 29 10 a.m. to noon i Flu shot clinic Yegua Hall, Room Y105 By appointment only
Pat Maroon, left, and Anton Khudobin.
Commissioner Gary Bettman gave all the players credit for enduring a quarantine largely on their own for so long. “To be in this place at this time under these circumstances is remarkable and frankly overwhelming,” Bettman said. “Frankly, all of the players who participated should feel like MVPs.” – The Associated Press
2020 brings sports into 20/20 Jalen Jordan
Staff Writer The year 2020 has been a year of extraordinary events, from one of the deadliest viruses in recent history to daily protests for social justice and wearing a mask wherever you go. There have been murder hornets, aliens, wildfires and a woman who allegedly fed her husband to her tigers and is now on the television show “Dancing with the Stars.” I could go on for days, but one of the biggest topics of the year has been four months without sports due to COVID-19 safety precautions. July 31st and Aug. 1 marked the first games back since the cancelation of the NBA and NHL. It felt like a national holiday for sports fans. With the two respective organizations implementing their own safety protocols to keep their athletes safe, sports was officially back. But remember, it’s 2020. The Dallas Stars are battling the Tampa Bay Lightning for the Stanley Cup. It’s the first time the Stars have been in the finals since their 1999 win. At press time, Tampa Bay leads Dallas 2 games to 1 and, according to The Associated Press, this “most unusual Stanley Cup” is moving towards back-to-back nights for the first time since 2009. If the Lightning wins the Sept. 25 game, it will put them within one game of the winning their second Stanley Cup championship Sept.26. After rumors surfed, and were confirmed, that Utah Jazz center Rudy Gobert tested positive for COVID-19, the NBA season was canceled. More Players begin to test positive including big names like Kevin Durant, Russel Westbrook, Donavon Mitchell and Nikola Jokic and NBA players began speaking out about social justice. Chances of the NBA resuming the season were slim until June 16 when NBA Commissioner Adam Silver came up with an idea that
would keep the players safe to continue the season and allow them to use their platform for social change. Silver called it “the bubble” which allowed up to four family members or close friends inside the Disney resorts where the games were played. COVID testing took place daily. Silver also allowed players to have a personal message on the back of their jersey’s to participate in the social justice movement. The concept appears to have been a success. The Miami Heat are taking on the Boston Celtics in the Eastern Conference Finals. The Heat leads the conference 3 game to 1 at press time. Before entering “the bubble,” the Boston Celtics were 43-21 and sitting comfortably in a playoff spot. After a few seeding games to set up the playoff bracket in the bubble they finished the regular season 48-24. The Miami Heat are one of the two teams that are underdogs and even Cinderella stories. The Heat have become fan favorites. In the Western Conference, the Los Angeles Lakers are taking on the Denver Nuggets. This series is history because the Nuggets are
Noon to 1 p.m.
Photo The Associated Press
the first team to come back from two 3-1 series deficits. If the Lakers win, it will be the first time in more than a decade they will reach the NBA Finals, according to AP. The Lakers have 16 championships, one behind Boston for the most in NBA history. The Nuggets are the underdogs in the Western Conference. Unlike the Heat the Nuggets have been on everything but cruise control. Although up for the challenge, the Nuggets are currently down 3-1 against one of the best teams in the playoffs: the Los Angeles Lakers. The Lakers are the only #1 seed in the final four and has had no problems so far on their road to the Finals. After losing one of the best Lakers’ players of all time, Kobe Bryant, the team has dedicated the season to him and are working to bring the Larry O’Brian Trophy back to L.A. too. I predict Miami and Los Angeles will finish business and head into the NBA Finals, with the Lakers taking home the trophy. The Finals MVP will be LeBron James after an amazing playoff run and dedicating the Finals victory to the late Black Mamba.
i COVID, Race and the Census TEAMS, bit.ly/DallasCollegeHLM 8 to 9:30 p.m. i First Presidential Debate President Trump and Former Vice President Joe Biden Moderator: Chris Wallace (Fox News) C-SPAN, ABC, CBS, FOX, and NBC live streams and on YouTube and Twitter
September 30 8 to 11 a.m. i Employee Town Hall Sharepoint Noon to 1 p.m. i How to make different salsas 2 to 3:30 p.m i
Education Pathway Career development Career development bit.ly/EduPathwayTownHall
i U.S. Census deadline www.2020census.gov
October 1
8 to 11 a.m.
i North Texas Food Brookhaven Campus
October 2
Noon to 1 p.m.
i Let’s talk immigration/DACA TEAMS: bit.ly/DallasCollegeHLM Photo The Associated Press
LeBron James drives against Jerami Grant during a NBA basketball game Sept. 24.
Links for the events are available at richlandstudentmedia.com
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Falling stars come up short
SPORTS/COLUMN 7
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September 29, 2020
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n m u t Au o t s n r u t e R d n a l Rich
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eclectically themed events
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mythology, spooky stories and folk lore
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