October 16, 2018
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HOMECOMING 2018
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
UPD’s annual reports show optimistic future Patrick Barry
Staff Writer pjbarry@valdosta.edu The arrival of VSU PD’s Annual Fire and Safety Report brings with it hope for a safer campus and a brighter future for VSU. The numbers are encouraging, showing an overall improvement in the number of cases reported. Overall, 23 crimes were reported, and 54 arrests were made on campus during the 2017 year. Two thousand sixteen received
42 crimes reported and 62 arrests made. This is a 45 percent and six percent decrease in crime, respectively. Over the last three years, there were absolutely zero hate crimes reported on campus or in the surrounding areas. This is not surprising considering the empathetic and inclusive environment VSU strives to maintain. The most prominent crime continues to be burglary, with the numbers decreasing from 22 cases
reported in 2016, to 15 in 2017. It is important, in this instance, to denote burglary from robbery. Robbery “is defined as taking or attempting to take anything of value from the car, custody, or control of a person or persons by force or threat of force or violence and/or by putting the victim in fear,” whereas burglary “is the unlawful entry of a structure to commit a felony or theft”. There have only been two reports of robbery in the last two years.
There was one outlier case of arson reported in 2017, a crime unseen for the last three years. Of the 54 arrests made in 2017, an overwhelming 92 percent were drug and alcohol related. The remaining eight percent accounted for illegal weapons possession. It is important to review campus policy, VSU PD policy and state and local laws before attempting to store a weapon on campus. As we continue well into 2018, it appears that burglary will
remain a preeminent force in the safety of students and campus -goers. However, Valdosta is still home to an extremely safe university. It is one of the safest in the nation, and the path continues to look bright. With an increasingly interactive police force and vigilant safety features throughout campus, the future looks optimistic
Baytree Villa stands tall through weather delays Lenah Allen
Staff Writer lrallen@valdosta.edu Junior Kyle Duke was excited to see his new apartment in August, but he never expected to move into it after school started. “Constructions of the apartments themselves were on time, but it was mother nature that put some things behind,” Duke said. Construction on Baytree Villa apartments began at the beginning of the summer and didn’t get finished until Sept. 8. Due to the high occurrence of rain during the months of July and August, the pavement process got
delayed. Students had no choice but to scramble to find accommodations for the duration of the construction process. VSU Criminal Justice Major Duke was one of the lucky ones that was able to commute from home for the time being. “I live in Adel, Georgia, so it wasn’t too far to commute back and forth,” he said. Students who could not go home were given a choice. They could either let the landlord pay for the hotel and would have to pay their rent in full once they moved in or pay for the hotel themselves and have it prorated once they moved in.
Finance Major and Senior Keimon Jackson chose the prorated part and paid for his hotel.
“I feel safe and secure at all times, and I have no roommates to worry about.” “I chose to stay at the Kinderlou Inn,” he said, “The only difficult part was having to drive from
there to North Campus. I went through a lot of gas.” Senior and Public Relations Major TaMara Tolbert, stayed with her friend while construction was being finished. “I didn’t intend on construction taking that long,” she said. “I don’t have a car, so staying at a hotel on the other side of town would be a bigger inconvenience for me.” Though Tolbert and other students were inconvenienced for a month, they were finally able to move in early September. These students, now residents, are currently enjoying their one bedroom, fully furnished apartments.
Tolbert, for one, is pleased with her apartment. “They are exactly what I wanted,” she said. “The distance from campus is a plus, too.” The Baytree Villa apartments come with stainless-steel appliances and hardwood floors. All of the apartments are one bedroom. Duke said they are a dream come true. “I absolutely love the apartments,” Duke said. “I feel safe and secure at all times, and I have no roommates to worry about.”
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
Controversy at restaurant leads to dismissal of workers
Our point of view... A simple solution to student satisfaction Blocked walkways, caution tape, boarded hallways, fences and loud engines are the results of the constant construction around VSU which, since the beginning of the fall semester, every student has seen and experienced. West Hall, Sustella and Oak Parking Decks, and Odum Library are all visibly under construction; however, this doesn’t scratch the surface of the future development planned at VSU. Ashley Cinemas, Langdale Residence Hall and even Converse Residence Hall—though tentative—are slated for some type of reconstruction in the coming years. So, this begs the question: Is VSU focusing on its future students at the expense of current students? We at The Spectator say yes. VSU’s future is important—it’s very important—but at the moment it appears that the school will lose more students than it can gain, further damaging the ever so important retention rate. Notice the “further damaging” statement? Well, VSU’s retention rate—the rate of which it keeps students enrolled for four or more years—has been trending downward for the past few years. To fix this (and this part is great) VSU focused on the woes of its students and got to work on finding solutions to those issues. Here’s where they messed up: What do students get now? So far, they’ve gotten their mobility and accessibility on campus hindered, and the campus’ beauty quelled (one of VSU’s greatest qualities). Honestly, VSU students have very few good things to say about their school when they return home. The “free” Wild Adventures passes seemed like a quick fix, but what’s the point if all VSU students don’t have access to the “free” option—the good option. So here’s the solution: A student appreciation day. We at The Spectator understand that construction needs to be done for the betterment of the future VSU, but its current students need something to satisfy their dissatisfaction. The student appreciation day could be half and half de-stress fest and appreciation fest. Students could get a day without parking tickets, a concert or comedy show, an inflatable obstacle course and boxing ring, a faculty dunk tank, and have faculty and give out thank you cards with coupon books inside to all students. President Carvajal could even give speech on how much he appreciates us. This is all we ask, so we hope you listen.
On Sep. 30, Conrad Schlegel dressed himself as a mock Ku Klux Klan member as Bryce Ethridge/ THE SPECTATOR a “joke.” Since then, he and those involved in the “joke” have been terminated.
Bryce Ethridge
News Editor bjethridge@valdosta.edu
This editorial was written by a member of the editorial staff and expresses the general opinion of The Spectator.
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Musiteli Mubuso took to Facebook and Twitter on Sept. 30 on a mission to expose the most recent racially charged incident to come out of Valdosta: a Baytree Road Jimmy John’s employee posing as a Ku Klux Klan member for fun. Conrad Schlegel, Jimmy John’s employee, committed the action during his Sept. 29 lunch work shift. This didn’t sit well with some of the employees there, but one in particular chose to do something about it—not publicly, however. Mubuso, a friend of the employee, was chosen as the face in exposing the event. Now, the source, Nathalia Jaimes-Arias, has come forward to protest her former employer’s actions. Jaimes-Arias was cleaning the kitchen area of her workspace alongside her co-worker when Schlegel’s friend/ co-worker, Heath Martin, stepped into the kitchen and dressed him in aprons. She said she chose to ignore their antics, but when Martin came up to her, she couldn’t help but notice their “joke.” “Martin came up to me with the photo [of ‘Klansman Conrad’], said ‘Hey, check this out,’ and showed it to me thinking I would laugh,” she said. “He was cracking up, and I was so disgusted by what I’d seen—so angry I didn’t have words to say.” Jaimes-Arias left soon after (it was the end of her shift), but returned later that day only to find something more enraging: The photo and a video of it, filmed by General Manager Diana Hartman, were posted in the establishment’s group chat. She then took a picture of the group chat and sent it to the franchise’s owner, Brandi Shinkle, regaling her discrepancies, but Shinkle’s reaction was unexpected. “She replied an hour later and said she was going to figure out what was going on,” Jaimes-Arias said. “I’m not sure if she was shocked, but I didn’t feel as if she was going to take this situation to heart.” After telling Shinkle, Hartman messaged Jaimes-Arias stating, “I just wanted to apologize for the stuff that happened at the store today. I realize how it wasn’t okay, and it wasn’t meant to offend anyone or be taken literally. I won’t let any activity like that carry on and just know that I am sincerely sorry.” Jaimes-Arias said she felt it wasn’t a sufficient apology. “I’m just puzzled by the fact that she thought racism wouldn’t offend anyone,” she said. Hartman also apologized in the franchise’s group chat, but for the fact the “joke” was entertained,
Jaimes-Arias put in her twoweek’s notice and sent the images to Mubuso to post on social media. Jimmy John’s responded to Mubuso’s tweets in the name of Shinkle stating, “The incidents referenced in these tweets are horrible and hurtful. We have a zero-tolerance policy for this kind of behavior which is why we took disciplinary action against the people involved immediately upon learning of these incidents, and it’s why we are implementing diversity training for all of our employees immediately. I am also personally sorry as this does not at all reflect our values as a community or the business that I am running.” Shinkle was offered the chance to comment but referred The Spectator to Jimmy John’s previous statement published on Twitter on Sept. 30. Hartman, Martin and Schlegel were suspended at that time but have now been terminated. As of Oct. 5, Jimmy John’s released Shinkle’s statement on the state of those individuals: “Following a thorough investigation of the events that took place at our store, we have terminated the employees involved, including the general manager. All staff are now undergoing diversity training which will become a regular part of our store operations going forward. I apologize for this offensive behavior and will not tolerate it in my store.” The incident wass not reported to VSU’s Student Affairs Department, but Student Diversity and Inclusion Director Sandra Jones doesn’t want students to think the university doesn’t care. “It was a very unfortunate incident but please don’t think we’re sitting on our hands,” she said. The Spectator attempted to reach out to Schlegel but received no response. This isn’t the first instance of racially charged incidents occurring at the Baytree Road Jimmy John’s. This past July, Employee Nicholas Olajos called his CoWorker, Michael Nita, “nigger” and threatened to “shoot him like they did Trayvon Martin,” according to Jaimes-Arias. Kelsey Townsend, a former employee who worked at Jimmy Johns during that time, confirmed this and said he didn’t experience it himself but sympathized with Nita. “The impact that it had on me was one, seeing Nick still working there, and then two, confronting the owner about it and her mentioning that she didn’t mention it to HR and that she wasn’t going to fire him,” he said. Jaimes-Arias said Shinkle was dealing with the death of an employee, regarding why she didn’t handle the situation sooner.
Townsend said that doesn’t excuse negligence towards an incident like this. “I guarantee you if anything goes on in her business, she would’ve dropped everything,” he said. “This was one of the situations in which she just didn’t feel like it held the gravity to do anything about.” Olajos was only just fired two weeks ago, but Jaimes-Arias said her work experience with him had been uncomfortable ever since. “He was never going to go through with it, but it was the fact that he could say something like that and be ok with himself,” she said. “It was disgusting to me.” Townsend said he believes the franchise’s atmosphere to be “toxic,” saying that these two issues aren’t just a problem with employees but management as well. “This is a pattern,” he said. “There was literally a group message in which someone randomly put ‘I hate Mexicans.’ It’s fine if the workers do that and then Brandi does something about it, but the problem is the employees are acting up and so is the owner.” Though nothing is set in stone, Townsend is gathering people around VSU who are “disgusted by the situation” to form a boycott and protest Jimmy John’s. This won’t be their only goal, though. “We’re trying to spread love [but] we’ve just seen hate, we haven’t seen people who are remorseful—sorry,” he said. “We’ve seen people who have tried to cover their own butts, and we have seen people with even more lack of respect than before. I don’t want this to become a situation in which we look at every single Jimmy Johns employee and say they’re bad. This isn’t an ‘us against them situation.’ Anybody who tolerates this behavior is a part of the problem.” Jones has a few events in store for this semester up until spring semester; however she doesn’t want students to think these events are in response to the Jimmy John’s incident. In fact, she’s been planning them long before it. The first of these events is “Brave Spaces.” “[It] is a program that we’re doing in order to bring professionals to the stage who specialize in divisive conversations,” she said. “A lot of times, we don’t realize that as a college campus it is our job to address this with critical thinking skills and not just talk amongst ourselves.” By next semester, Jones said she will be implementing “public conversation program” training to make people more comfortable having conversations on topics like race. “The theme of all this is having a conversation [and] real dialogue where people can express themselves and be heard,” she said.
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
Spread breast cancer awareness past October Tylaise Christopher staff writer
techristopher@valdosta.edu October is finally upon us, and on every street corner, we can find simple, pink ribbons adorning the blouses, handbags and nail-art of women worldwide. This pink ribbon marks the beginning of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, a month utilized to spread breast cancer awareness in hopes detecting the tragic disease in its early stages. Breast cancer, next to skin cancer, is one of the most commonly diagnosed cancers in women. One in eight women will develop breast cancer within their lifetime, along with about one in 1000 cases in males. According to the National Breast Cancer Foundation, “Every two minutes a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer, and one woman will die of breast cancer every 13 minutes.” Furthermore, the main causes of breast cancer are gender (i.e. being female) and aging. This is a very sobering and dismal reality that women must wake up and face every day; some women even more than others. As stated in the U.S Breast Cancer Statistics, “In women under 45, breast cancer is more common in African-American
women than white women. Overall, African-American women are more likely to die of breast cancer.” As an African American woman with a history of the silent killer entangled deeply within my family tree, fear of developing this disease remains rooted in the back of my mind. Several women within my family have had to cope with the foreboding pit they would feel in their stomachs upon receiving the diagnosis
from their doctors. Unfortunately, as there is no formal cure for breast cancer, I have lost two great grandmothers along with an aunt to this disease. But as is the theme of National Breast Cancer Awareness Month, the diagnosis of breast cancer does not have to be a death sentence. Whether you have family history of the disease or not, it is still vital to take preventative measures and take the steps necessary to
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Find a Susan G. Komen walk near you.
detect breast cancer early on. You can lower your risk of being diagnosed with breast cancer by simply living a healthier lifestyle. Maintain a healthy weight, lower your alcohol consumption and refrain from smoking. In addition to this, stay active and consume a plethora of fruits and vegetables! Along with these healthy lifestyle choices, the treatment of breast cancer relies heavily on detecting the disease in its
earlier stages when its easiest to treat. “Adult women of all ages are encouraged to perform breast self-exams at least once a month,” NBCF said. “Using the pads of your fingers, move around your entire breast in a circular pattern moving from the outside to the center, checking the entire breast and armpit area. Check both breasts each month feeling for any lump, thickening or hardened knot.” This exam allows you to become familiar with the natural state of your breasts, so when an irregularity arises; you can alert your medical professional immediately. In addition to this, it is essential to have a mammogram performed every two years to detect breast cancer if it is, in fact, present. Many women are unfamiliar with the reality surrounding breast cancer and the steps that can be taken to detect it in its early stages, so simply raising awareness can be the push needed to save an abundance of lives. Do not let this movement to spread breast cancer awareness die in October because the trials faced by women afflicted with this disease is not restricted to a single month. It is faced throughout a lifetime. For more information on breast cancer awareness month or to find a Susan G. Komen walk near you, visit https://
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
Blazers seek recovery at Copperhead Bryant Roche staff writer
bcroche@valdosta.edu Following Tuesday’s last place letdown, Coach Jared Purvis said that the Blazers would “need to keep practicing.” VSU, coming off the long road trip from Palm Beach Gardens and with Kinderlou temporarily being closed due to Hurricane Michael, will not have had much time to regroup before teeing off at their event this Monday and Tuesday on Nov. 15 and 16. Taking place at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Golf Resort, it’ll be their second consecutive tournament at a PGA Tour track. Here were some notes worth taking prior to the Blazers third golf event of the year: Tiger Woods Came Within One Shot of a Playoff Here on March 11th In Woods’ fifth event during his comeback tour following his 4th back surgery, Tiger participated in the Valspar Championship for the first time, and the event received unprecedented coverage and crowd noise. Happening during our spring break and on the same weekend that VSU’s Southeastern Collegiate in Valdosta started, I watched a good portion of Tiger’s final round inside the Kinderlou Clubhouse before heading over to Austin’s Cattle Co. to catch the end of it. Woods gave us several superb ball-striking displays on that day, but had some missed opportunities to gain more ground. Running out of time, Tiger stepped on 17 tee trailing by two. Then, magic happened.
VSU’s Golf team is set to play at the Copperhead Course at Innisbrook Golf Resort on Nov. 16
After landing his tee shot on the long par 3’s green, Woods, hanging on by a thread, drained a 43-footer for birdie that brought back memories of his old habit of performing in the clutch. He went on to lose the Valspar Championship by a single stroke. He also gave fans the hope that his five year drought of not winning on Tour was soon coming to a close. The Par 3s Average a Long 206.6 yards in Length The Copperhead Course, measured at 7,209 yards isn’t extraordinarily long in general, but it’s par 3s more than make up for it. Discarding the 188-yard 4th hole, the four other holes average
Photo courtesy of Innisbrook Golf Resort
a lengthy 211.25 yards. The longest of the bunch at 232 yards is No. 8, which features an 8,000 square foot downhillsloped green that is guarded by a bunker both short right and short left, requiring an accurate tee shot toward the center of the green. Each of the three found on the back nine contribute to one of the Tour’s best finishes with 13 requiring the players to carry it over water and Nos. 15 and 17 requiring precise tee shots, considering the greens are sloped and surrounded by sand traps. “They are tough,” Purvis said regarding the long par 3s. “The thing is convincing yourself pars are like birdies on those holes.”
“Moccasin,” The 7th Most Difficult Hole on Non-Major Sites At the 2018 Valspar Championship, the par 4 16th had a 4.30 scoring average over the course of all four rounds. Quite unusual, the hole’s 29 doubles or worse were only one short of its birdie count at 30 for the week. With 101 bogeys, players bogeyed the hole nearly 23 percent of the time compared to a slim 6.8 birdie rate. “The Snake Pit” The Copperhead Course’s finishing three, was rated the 4th toughest stretch in golf by Golf Digest’s Joel Beall. No. 16, the toughest of the
three, is best played with a fade (left to right) off the tee. A contributing factor to this shot’s difficulty is the fact that water is positioned in that direction. As the fairway moves along and swings to the right, it narrows, making the hole likely to play longer than its 458-yard length. Tightened by the tree lines, the approach into an elevated green requires precision with front green side bunkers both right and left being in play. The 17th, the one that Tiger birdied, called “The Rattler,” is a 206-yard par 3 whose green is protected by bunkers right, left, and back right. With a downhill slope, most putts on this green will be uphill, making birdie that much more difficult, but a shot placed in the center of the green will hold and should produce a par. No. 18, given the same name as the course, is a fantastic hole to finish a golf tournament. With trees on both sides and several bunkers on both sides of the fairway, driving the ball into the short grass is certainly beneficial. From there, the players will be faced with an uphill approach into a guarded green that is angled to the left. Innisbrook’s Director of Golf Bobby Barnes said that “you’re never going to overpower this course” and, in order to convey the idea that a variety of players can win here, cited the longhitting Gary Woodland and the shorter-hitting but accurate Jim Furyk. It may be difficult to predict the outcome at Copperhead, but given the diversity in champions listed by Barnes, this event could be that much more intriguing to follow.
Lady Blazers open season at No. 2 Prince Robinson
Sports Editor parobinson@valdosta.edu
Photo courtesy of VSU Flickr
DID YOU
The Lady Blazers new season starts Nov. 9
After a long grind and hardfought run to the NCAA Division II Sweet Sixteen in 2017-18, the Valdosta State Women's Basketball team was picked second in the Gulf South Conference in the GSC Preseason Women's Basketball Poll released by the league office on Thursday. The Bulldogs of Union University, who made a run to the Elite Eight, was picked to win the GSC with 142 points and 10 first-place votes while VSU garnered 124 points and two first-place nods. West Florida, VSU’s rival, tabbed the remaining first-place votes and 121 points for third place overall. Head coaches throughout the conference voted on the poll, serving as the point totals. A firstplace vote served as 13 points, a second place vote was worth 12 and so forth. However, coaches were not able to vote for their own teams in the poll. VSU will have to overcome the loss of two All-GSC selections in Madi Mitchell and Kenya
Photo courtesy of VSU Flickr The Lady Blazers are expected to have another winning season.
Samone’ Dixon. Mitchell led the team in scoring with 19 points per game, while Samone’ Dixon grabbed a team-leading 9.4 rebounds per game. VSU Transfers Nari Garner of William and Mary and Shon Kitchens were named to the Top Newcomers team for the 2018-19 season Last season, the Lady Blazers posted a 23-9 record on the season and 15-5 in GSC play, ranking No. 4 in the conference. Also, the Lady Blazers performed at top-tier level—like any good team should. Of their 15 home games, they managed to only lose one at the Complex. Similarly to the VSU men’s squad, three-point shooting is the mantra, as they made 219 last season. They were one of three teams last season to make 200 or more three-pointers. Union led with 356 and Lee followed with 258. The Lady Blazers were also one of the best in the GSC in keeping leads. If the team gets ahead in the point total, it’s usually safe to say that they will bring home a victory. Their point margin ranked No. 1 with 8.8. This season, the Lady Blazers
KNOW?
will be led by a Young Sophomore Guard, Kayla Bonilla. About 23 minutes into a game, Bonilla averaged 6.8 points per contest. Although the numbers are not GSC top-tier worthy, it’s her hustle and motor that gets the job done. Bonilla was second on the team in steals with 30, one behind former-VSU Guard Taylor Buie. Also, with a boost in minutes, Bonilla should be the team leader in assists. Last season, she ranked No. 4 on the team with 2.3. Head Coach Carley Kuhns will be entering her third season at the helm. After winning the GSC championship and being named GSC Coach of the year in her first season, she has solidified herself as one of the league’s best head coaches. With 20-plus wins in Kuhns’ first two seasons, the Lady Blazers are expected to have another winning season following this poll. The Lady Blazers begin practice Oct. 15 and open the 2018-19 season in the GSC/SIAC Crossover at The Complex Nov. 9-10, with games against Fort Valley State and Albany State.
Valdosta State University competes in 12 sports and has a total of 320 student athletes: 216 men and 104 women.
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
Peacock inspires during trials, tribulations Ray Hannah
Staff Writer rehannah@valdosta.edu VSU Football has had an incredible start to the 2018 season, going 6-0 for the first time since 2003. Defeating opponents by large margins and continuing to win games has moved the Blazers to number eight in the Division II AFAC Coaches Poll, just a week after earning a spot in the top ten. This season will be remembered regardless of the remainder of the schedule, where the Blazers will be taking on four tough Gulf South Conference opponents, including rival University of West Georgia. But the team has been driven by a family bond all centered on a student assistant coach who was recently diagnosed with cancer. Back in September, Tight End/ Full Back Coach John Peacock was diagnosed with cancer. When doctors went to remove the tumor, they found that it had spread and an aggressive treatment of chemotherapy would be needed. Coach Peacock has been a student assistant coach at VSU for the past two years and is huge part of the Blazer family. Sophomore TE/FB Travis Taylor, a transfer from Charleston Southern University, is coached by John Peacock and said, “Every time we win, it’s a great time. We usually come back on Sundays to practice, and everyone’s still having a great time. It’s never really, ‘no one wants to be out here. Peacock’s a big part of that, especially for the full backs. He just comes in sometimes if we’re having a bad day. He’s always in a good mood no matter what’s going on, even now that ‘this’ is going on, you’ll never see him walking around moping.” The first year Blazer also added, “That’s just a lot of the coaches, but I think Peacock is the back-
Photo courtesy of VSU Athletics
John Peacock is a student assistant coach for VSU Football who has inspired the team with his health battles.
bone behind that. He’s probably the best coach I've ever had. I went through a rough patch coming down here, and he’s really the only coach that gave me shot to come back and play football. Now that I’m doing it, I wouldn’t trade it for the world.” Players under Coach Peacock, like Travis Taylor, have a close bond with him, but Outside Linebacker Zach Moore had some words to say about his coach’s condition. “It’s just a bump in the road, and we’re going to deal with it like a family,” Moore said. Coach Peacock has had an enormous impact on how the Blazers have performed so far this season and previous ones. Head Coach
Kerwin Bell said, “The program the last two years has been a lot based on his working ability. His dedication to our program has been very special. He’s been behind the scenes doing a lot of work for us, and I hope he understands how valuable he is to us.” The Blazers Head Coach continued to praise Coach Peacock and his accomplishments at VSU. “He’s given so much to this program, and we want to make sure we can give back and do what we can do on our part throughout this year,” he said. VSU’s outstanding 2018 season has been fueled with a desire to, “Do it for Coach Peacock,” and the Blazers have just become more of a family throughout this
tragic event. Coach Peacock still continues to assist the team with weekly meetings and pre/post game wraps as Coach Bell said, “Shoot, if you’re not feeling great that’s fine not being here, but I want you here to sort of get your mind off
everything and come be with us.” The entire team and coaching staff have come together to support Coach Peacock as he endures this long and hard-fought journey, and the VSU family will always be grateful for his dedication and tireless efforts.
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150341-1
SGMC-9952 Fam Med/VSU_4x4.9.indd 1
10/4/18 3:51 PM
October 16, 2018
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Taylor Sutherland/The Spectator
Blazer Defensive Lineman Iseoluwapo Jegede, right, and Linebacker Thomas Incoom rest during a recent game against Shorter University. Jegede played basketball and football as a kid growing up in Lagos, Nigeria. He has proven to be a strong asset for the Blazer defense this season.
TRADING PLACES
Jegede crosses continents to anchor Blazers defensive line while averaging 10 points Gerald Thomas, III and 12 assists. staff writer After playing a season gdthomas@valdosta.edu at prep school, Jegede continued his basketball Instead of facilitating career at College of Cenon the basketball court, tral Florida. He played the Nigerian juggernaut 20 games for the Patriots is now orchestrating the and posted 6.5 points per defense on the turf. VSU game and 5.5 rebounds Blazers Senior Defensive per game. End, Iseoluwapo Jegede, When he got to Florida, is the current team sack Jegede said he dabbled leader with 4.5. with the idea of playing Iseoluwapo Jegede hails football but never really from Lagos, Nigeria. The took action to put it in 6’6,” 280 lbs. f arrived in place. the U.S. in 2013 when he “I saw football and was was 19 years old to play like ‘I’ll try it out somecollegiate basketball. day,’ but I never really Jegede explained his knew I would really play rough transition, having football,” he explained. left his family back in “When basketball couldn’t Lagos. work out anymore, I just “I miss them, but I switched to football.” focused on what I had to Jegede only had one do,” he said. “It made it a year of eligibility remainlittle easier. The major dif- ing after finishing prep ference is the cold weath- school and junior college. er and food over here.” He was introduced to Picking up the sport of football in August 2016 basketball in 2010, Jegede when he was connected was able to land a spot to VSU’s Head Football on Victory Rock Prep Coach, Kerwin Bell, by School’s team in 2013. one of his Central Florida Jegede helped Victory coaches. Rock post a 24-8 record Coach Bell’s attention
was captured because he felt that Jegede’s monolithic stature created the ability for him to be a natural at any sport. “Even though he hadn’t played much football, we were going to give him a shot,” Bell said. “We knew we had a lot to work with physically, and now it’s just the matter of him learning the game of football.” Coach Bell credited Jegede’s work ethic on and off the field that has played a huge part of his success. “He has close to a 4.0 GPA and received his high school diploma at 16 back in Nigeria,” Bell said. “He’s always been a kid that has been a great and productive guy, and he puts in that extra work that it takes him to be successful.” Jegede said football is his favorite sport at the time, but sometimes he misses basketball. “When I go to the complex and I see them playing a basketball game, it brings back memories,
and I just wish I could lace up one more time and go play,” he said. Since having to leave his family, Jegede went back to visit Lagos for the first time during the summer of 2017. Jegede generated a new family in every step since coming to the U.S. as past and present coaches and teammates along the way allowed him to live with them.
“Everyone I played with is my family,” he said. “The prep team is my family, CF is my family and the same with VSU. I just move like that.” Jegede has been anchoring the defensive line with his leadership, and he has high expectations for his undefeated Blazers. “I’m expecting nothing less than a championship,” Jegede said.
NCAA Division II Football Rankings Rank School
Record Points Previous
1
Minnesota State (29)
6-0
819
1
2
Grand Valley State
6-0
780
2
3
Ferris State (4)
6-0
770
3
4
West Georgia
6-0
708
5
5
Ouachita Baptist
6-0
665
6
6
Minnesota Deluth
6-0
630
7
5-1
594
9
7 Texas A&M-Commerce 8
Valdosta State
6-0
584
10
9
Colorado School of Mines
6-0
525
12
5-1
496
11
10 West Florida
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
VSU Men’s Basketball favored as GSC’s best Prince Robinson
Sports Writer parobinson@valdosta.edu
The Blazers first game is Nov. 1 at Florida State.
Photo courtesy of VSU
The best team in the GSC last year is not taking a backseat to any team in the GSC; they’re switching to the driver’s seat to start this season. After a stellar overall record of 26-5 on the season and an 18-2 record in GSC play, the VSU Men's Basketball team was predicted to be the last team standing in the GSC, after league offices released the GSC Preseason Men's Basketball Poll on Thursday. As voted on by the league's coaches, the Blazers led the poll in votes with 143 total points and 11 of 13 first-place votes. Rival West Florida followed in second with 118 points, while Delta State was third with 114 points and one nod for a first-place vote. Coaches were not able to vote for their own teams in the poll. VSU Senior and All-American Guard, Beau Justice, was named to the Preseason All-GSC Team as he elevated his level of play last season to solidify himself as one of the top basketball players in Division II. He averaged 20 points per game on 47 percent field goal shooting last season, serving as the viable No. 1 option for the Blazers. Over the last two years, Justice
has helped lead the Blazers to a 37-5 record in conference play and became just the third player in VSU history to eclipse 1,000 career points in two seasons or less, placing him in elite company with Tyrone Curnell and all-time scoring leader and Blazer Athletics Hall of Famer Eddie Brown. Justice racked up a boatload of accolades last season, as he was named GSC Player of the Year, D2CCA South Region Player of the Year and named National Association of Basketball Coaches (NABC) Division II All-American. Along with Justice, Rashaan Benson of West Florida, Adam Dieball of Christian Brothers, Marquill Smith of West Georgia and Brett Warner of Delta State complete the 2018 Preseason AllGSC Team. All five players are seniors and three are repeat first team AllGSC selections. In the backcourt with Justice is VSU Senior Winston Morgan. Morgan found himself in a class of his own last season, becoming the first player in VSU history to eclipse the century mark for three-pointers scored in a season, ending the year with 106. Justice was only 12 three-pointers shy of becoming the second. As a unit, the Blazers shot 39 percent from beyond the arc last season. The Blazers lost four
players due to graduation at last season’s end, but shooting should be on the way as three of those four were big men. Rebounding is anticipated to be a struggle for the Blazers this season. The Blazers ranked No. 2 in rebounds per game with 40, with former-VSU forwards KJ James and Jimmy Kodet leading the way with 7 and 6.4 rebounds per contest, respectively. VSU welcomes two newcomers to the team, Desmond DeRamus and Keshawn Ingram, named Top Newcomers for 2018-19. DeRamus is a senior transfer from Auburn Montgomery and Ingram, also a senior, came to VSU from Eckerd College. Mike Helfer enters his fourteenth season as the Blazers head coach. Last season, he guided his team to the top seed in the GSC and a berth in the Divison 2 NCAA tourney. The Blazers were defeated in an upset loss to Eckerd College in the first round, an early exit to the end of a Cinderella season. The Blazers begin practice Oct. 15 and will play an exhibition game Nov. 1 at Florida State at 7 p.m., before opening the 2018-19 season in the GSC/SIAC Crossover at Albany State Nov. 9, at 7 p.m. in Albany, Ga. VSU then opens the 2018-19 home slate Tuesday, Nov. 13 at 7:30 at The Complex versus Tuskegee.
Photo courtesy of VSU Archives Photo courtesy of VSU Archives
Alumni coming home to a new homecoming? Payton Fletcher
Sports Writer pdfletcher@valdosta.edu It’s October and the Alumni of VSU are coming home once more! For over 50 years, students have experienced the Blazer spirit shining from within each and every one of them. Yet, we didn’t always celebrate it in the same way, and there was even a time in VSU’s history that it wasn’t celebrated at all! Originally, Valdosta State University was Georgia State Women’s College (GSWC), and they celebrated May Day in the spring instead of Homecoming in the fall. A time of athletic contests and drills, freshmen woke up at an early 5 a.m. in the morning to adorn the fields with greens and colored paper flowers, all in the name of the May Queen, who came at an appointed time to be crowned. What followed was a day of dances and games performed in her honor, the festivities concluding with a maypole winding game, the winner being rewarded with a box of candy.
As WWII shortages came around, however, May Day was put on hold, and as guys arrived at VSU with the ending of WWII, so too did the eventual end of May Day after a few more years of celebrating the time-honored position. This, of course, is when homecoming became the big event of the year. The way VSU celebrates homecoming, of course, has changed as well. While homecoming and football may go hand-in-hand today, it was only in the 1980s that VSU finally established a football program. Before then, Alumni would show up for the basketball game and the half-time festivities. And the week leading up to homecoming? I’d say VSU still has parades and festivities to wake up for, but there were some years where VSU’s current line up pales in comparison. While we look forward to Annual Homecoming Golf Tournament and the Blazer Nation Tailgate Competition, in 1995 there were casino nights, jousting and homecoming carnivals. You could find yourself in the middle of a sumo wrestling event in VSU’s
very own University Union lobby. In 1985, when VSU’s Homecoming theme was “Burn ‘em up blazers!”, you could even enter the Yell-Like-Hell Competition, an entire event dedicated to how well you could show off your school spirit with an original cheer, judged by how well you moved and jumped and tumbled while doing so. And of course, how could you forget about the streaking seen in some of parades over the years. It’s not something seen all too often these days, but VSU’s students couldn’t seem to get enough of it back in the day. The VSU students know today may not be the VSU of yesteryear, and Homecoming may not appeal to some, but it’s as VSU takes a look back to what brought this institution to our current celebrations that you are able to see the foundation of all of these events. Homecoming is a time of inviting the old back to greet the new and celebrate the success of both. VSU has always done its best to be a home for someone to come back to, no matter how much it has changed in the years.
Photo courtesy of VSU Archives
Photo courtesy of VSU Archives
Who’s got spirit? VSYOU!
October 16, 2018
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Photo courtesy of VSU Flickr
The Spectator encourages everyone to show up and show out this homecoming! Oct. 15 - 20 Photo courtesy of VSU Flickr
Photo courtesy of VSU Flickr Photo courtesy of VSU Flickr
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October 16, 2018
Chic and the city: Fashion month in review Story by Jacorey X Moon, Special Projects Manager
F
ashion month. A time where we as humans shed our old skins for newer, more fashionably acceptable ones. That being said, September was nothing short of a fashion miracle. From New York to Paris, trends were everywhere and prominent
this season. Some more impactful than others. One important fact: Diversity has been a big issue for the fashion industry. For years, the typical woman and model that brands designed for were tall, slender and pale. Unless your name was Naomi
Campbell, Iman, Tyra Banks, Beverly Johnson or Kimora Lee Simmons, being a successful model of color was difficult back in the day. With models like Slick Woods, Naomi Campbell and Adwoa Aboah calling out the blatant discrimination in the industry in recent
years, it was refreshing to see the demographics of the models this fashion month. According to The Fashion Spot, this was one of the most diverse fashion months ever on the runway. But, with more diversity appearing on the runway, there was a lack of diversity off the
New York Fashion Week: New York Fashion Week is the beginning of fashion month. This season, an emphasis was placed on trying to revamp and bring more buzz and clientele to NYFW. According to Now Fashion, for years, NYFW has been undergoing an identity crisis. Several brands are leaving NYFW for more hopeful, fruitful grounds like Paris Fashion Week, London Fashion Week and even Milan Fashion Week. Industry giants like Michael Kors, Tory Burch and Ralph Lauren continue to dominate NYFW, but without the sponsorship and participation of other brands, NYFW will certainly crumble. Other than that, some of my favorite shows from NYFW are Savage x Fenty, Christian Cowan and Marc Jacobs. Savage x Fenty is Rihanna’s lingerie collection
that’s in partnership with Savage, California’s techstyle fashion group. This collection was all the things that people associate with Rihanna: ethereal, breathtaking and functional. Featuring lingerie, what some may call “club wear” and sleep attire, Rihanna shows why the lingerie industry isn’t dead. The collection was inclusive to people of different shapes and sizes and shows the fashion industry how to hire diversity when it comes to models. Christian Cowan has been climbing the ladder of the fashion industry, slowly and steadily. First gaining traction because of a fur jacket with an embroidered light-up heart, worn by Nicki Minaj in her video for her song “Chun-Li” earlier this year, Cowan has a natural quirkiness when it comes to his designs, and it is something that celebrities
runway. The runway may be the starting point to show people how “multicultural and diversified” the fashion industry is, but if the people in power are not diverse as well, then what’s the point? Now into the nitty gritty. Here are some of the best shows of fashion month:
My pick: Marc Jacobs have taken notice of. Recently, he worked with Cardi B to create a purple featured suit for her appearances during Paris Fashion Week. His collection for Spring/Summer 19 demonstrated his eye for impeccable tailoring, his knowledge of silhouettes and his humor. With each of these factors, Cowan put on one of my favorite shows of NYFW. Marc Jacobs is now regarded as a fashion industry icon. In the 90s, he helped change the fashion industry into what it is today. For S/S19, Jacobs used the 60s and 80s to his advantage, while trying to breathe life into the untapped regions of these two decades. Slip dresses, feathers and Pierrot collars were used in his collection. Jacobs is an important piece to New York and fashion. New York Fashion Week needs to be rehabilitated. Photo courtesy of Indigital.tv
My pick: Gareth Pugh
Why: This is a look exemplifying his twist on the 80’s. I love it because it shows a sophisticated take on the era, something we don’t typically see in the industry.
London Fashion Week:
Photo courtesy of Indigital.tv
Why: This look breaks gender norms, and I love the juxtaposition of metalics and structured silhouette.
DID YOU
London Fashion Week follows NYFW and set the tone for trends that people could see in the upcoming year. Richard Quinn, one of the up and coming designers being watched by the industry, exemplifies what being creative means in London. Quinn’s Spring/Summer 19 collection featured statement making florals, geometric animal prints and effervescent feathers. The innovative yet sleek channeling of the 50s makes this collection a fashion marvel. Victoria Beckham, formerly known as Posh Spice of
the Spice Girls, has been carving her own lane in the fashion industry for the past decade with her eponymous brand, Victoria Beckham. Typically servicing the chicer, more sophisticated business woman that also dabbles in streetwear on the weekends, Beckham continues to push the envelope for sophisticated streetwear. Showing long elegant lines, oversized trousers and interesting knits, Beckham defines who her ideal client is. Gareth Pugh, a designer born inn Sunderland, England has been working in
KNOW?
the industry for the past 15 plus years. He is known for completing groundbreaking, angsty collections that showcase his talent and ability to do something that has never been seen before. For his S/S19 show, Pugh was inspired by the “outsider society of London,” and his collection was filled with club-ready one pieces, height-defying platforms and gender-fluid models. LFW continues to show the fashion industry why it’s such a vital fragment of the fashion industry.
Each of the Big Four is known for championing different styles - New York for sportswear; London for edgy, avant-garde design; Milan for its over-the-top yet stylish looks; and Paris for haute couture.
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
Milan Fashion Week: Next stop during fashion month: Milan Fashion Week. Milan is one of the places that most consumers think about when they think “fashion capital,” and this season proved that Milan hasn’t lost its magic. Fendi, founded by Adele and Edoardo Fendi in 1925, has been the pinnacle of luxury Milan fashion. Karl Lagerfeld has been the creative director for the Italian atelier for 50 plus years and has helped make the brand the powerhouse that it is today. With the resurgence of the 80s running rampant in the industry, I personally love that Fendi brought back its iconic logo with the double “F.” The collection also featured exquisite leathers in the forms of dresses, jackets and tops, the signature Fendi mustard yellow and cropped leather utility jackets. Most of the pieces seem to be
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My pick: Gucci
trendier than others, and that’s Fendi’s appeal with the new demographic of consumers. Prada’s collection featured a more retro, 60s spin on modern fashion. Featuring baby doll dresses, cycling shorts, A-line tunics and vintage prints, Miuccia Prada exemplified why the classic should be revamped. Alessandro Michele, the creative director of Gucci, has taken Gucci to new heights in relevancy and fashion credibility. Although the S/S 19 collection was shown in Paris this season, it will return to its Milan stomping grounds next season. The S/S 19 collection highlighted the 80s, metallic fabrics, intricate shoulder details, ruching, animal skins of all sorts and lots of eyewear. This show was my favorite from MFW. The overall atmosphere and setting of the show com-
pared to the actual clothing proves that Michele knows his stuff. He continues to further the fashion industry by challenging his counterparts and his consumers to think outside of what’s “normal” when it comes to dress. Although every piece isn’t “wearable” outside of a fashion setting, every piece is a piece of art that should be acknowledged as such. MSGM only started a mere nine years ago and has already become a fashion staple. Known for mixing patterns and impeccable color blocking, MSGM continues to make its mark on and off the runway. For the collection this year, MSGM showed its signature color blocking, 90s tie dye and gleeful florals. MFW is a fashion capital and showed exactly why it is here to stay. Photo courtesy of Indigital.tv
Why: Gucci has a more demure take on the 80’s rather than its counterparts. I love the dramatic effect of the ruching on the shoulders.
My pick: Chanel Paris Fashion Week:
Photo courtesy of Indigital.tv
Why: This is a reinvention of a classic. The bishop sleeves make this look innovative and stand out from the rest.
Last stop for the month is Paris Fashion Week. PFW is my favorite week of fashion month. Paris is where fashion has been created, reinvented and propelled for decades. Karl Lagerfeld not only is the creative director for Fendi, but he is the creative director for Chanel, too. Every season Chanel has an over-the-top set design for the show whether it’s at a Chanel-themed grocery story, rocket ship launchpad or fairy garden, it’s sure to take everybody’s breath away. This year, the show was set at a realistic beach, with real sand and an ocean. Models walked across the “beach” to get to the dock where they would put on their shoes and finish their walk. Simply brilliant. The signature Chanel suit was shown, as well as raw-edge straw hats, A-line dresses and Chanel waist bags. New twists on the signatures was a key tactic for this season, and it worked. Virgil Abloh founded Off-White in 2012, and it has taken off ever since. Off-White specializes in
luxury street-wear and has been wore by many celebrities and consumers alike. For S/S 19, Abloh focused on blurring the lines of ready-to-wear with sportswear. Electric yellow, the Nike logo and snake prints helped his vision come true. What I think makes this show original would be the versatility of the looks. Whether it’s working out or going to a high fashion event, these looks stand the test of the everlasting question, “What should I wear?” Saint Laurent has been going through a complete creative overhaul for the past few years, but now it seems to have its feet on solid ground, again. Anthony Vaccarello, the creative director for Saint Laurent, created short dresses, short shorts, sheer pussy bow blouses and a lot of black items for the collection. Overall, this collection seems to say that women can be sexy and sophisticated, while not having to worry about how other people will perceive them. With the #MeToo movement and the rise of
sexual abuse awareness happening at every corner of the globe, this collection seems to empower women and silence their fears. Vivienne Westwood, the eponymous brand and designer, has been breaking the norms of society and pushing fashion culture forward for decades. From pirate boots to platform heels, Vivienne Westwood sets the standard for the“new normal.” This season, Andreas Kronthaler, Westwood’s husband, completed the collection. The gender-bending models and the ideas portrayed on the runway helped the clothes tell a story, and that’s one of the most important things that Westwood tries to personify through her clothing. This collection features oversized coats, platform heels and out-of-the-box detailing. Also, this was one of the most diverse shows that I saw during PFW. Another reason why Vivienne Westwood’s position in the fashion industry is cemented forever.
In conclusion: With all the changes happening in the fashion industry, one thinks to ask, “Is anything changing?” It’s a tough question, but one that needs to be discussed. This was a great first effort to strive for diversity, but a greater effort needs to be put forth. Until there is diversity in every sector of the fashion industry, those on and off the runway, true diversity will not be achieved.
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Scorpio Oct. 23 - Nov. 22 Symbol: Scorpion Element: Water Best Match: Taurus Spirit Color: Red Ruling Planet: Mars
Strengths
October 16, 2018
Weaknesses
• Resourceful • Brave • Passionate • Stubborn • True friend
• Distrusting • Jealous • Secretive • Violent • Clingy
Monthly Horoscope:
If September was about reaping what we’ve sown, then October is about sharing everything we’ve earned with our loved ones. Although, in the midst of a relationship-driven astrological season, it’s important to also take our values into consideration. Which brings me to my next point, your October 2018 horoscope is here, and it’s reminding you to set some much-needed boundaries, stargazers. Let’s face it: Scorpio season is already upon us, and Venus, Libra’s planetary ruler, turns retrograde on Oct. 5, in the sign of Scorpio. Needless to say, the eeriness of Scorpio season is already lurking in the shadows. Just days after the new moon in charming Libra, Mercury, planet of communication and thought process, joins Venus in smoldering Scorpio. The sun doesn’t stay too far behind either, as Scorpio season starts on Oct. 23, right before the full moon in Taurus on Oct. 24. Granted, aside from the fact that it’s almost Halloween, there’s something about this mysterious season, and I can’t seem to put my finger on it just yet. Who knows, maybe I’m being biased about Scorpio energy, but then again, why else would we celebrate All Hallows’ Eve during this astrological season? My point exactly. Information courtesy of Elite Daily & Labrinthos.co
Weird Halloween Facts
1. Candy Corn was originally known as "chicken feed."
2. Trick-or-treating, as we know, was re-popularized by cartoons. 3. Halloween is the second-most commercial American holiday of the year, behind Christmas. 4. Turnips were used in place of pumpkins. 5. There's a $1,000 fine for using or selling silly string in Hollywood on Halloween.
Spooky Trivia Which character killed people in their dreams?
a. Michael Myers b. Freddy Kruegar c. Jason Voorhees d. Predator
6. Halloween originated from an ancient Celtic festival
Answer: b. Freddy Kruegar
7. Michael Myers' mask is actually a William Shatner mask
The Staff’s Favorite Candy
8. Some animal shelters won’t let people adopt black cats around Hallow-
Julie - Kit Kats
een time, in fear they’ll be sacrificed. 9. Salem, Massachusetts, and Anoka, Minnesota are the self-proclaimed
Juston - Nerds Preyah - Twix
Halloween capitals of the world. 10. Dressing up in costumes was once a way to hide from ghosts
Jacorey- Haribo
Robert - Peach Rings Savannah Tootsie Rolls
Bryce - Sour Patch
11. The "bon" in bonfire is a reference to bones.
Prince- Kit Kats
Bethany- Everything
12. Originally, you had to dance for your “treat.”
Josh - Reese’s
Taylor - Haribo
 Games
DID YOU
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2017
KNOW?
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During WWII, the Nazis let Allied prisoners of war play board games.
Popular Halloween Movies
Grab a friend!
Scream Halloweentown Jeepers Creepers Twitches Halloween Chucky Casper
START
FINISH
Hocus Pocus The Conjuring Carrie Beetlejuice Practical Magic The Exorcist
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The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
October 16, 2018
What’s the craziest thing you’ve done in the name of homecoming? All photos and interviews taken by Tylaise Christopher
“I ran back and forth between different parties homecoming night.” Briana Todd - junior, pre-nursing major
“I just partied ‘really hard.’”
Emiya Miller - sophomore, psychology major
“I woke up at five in the morning to catch a spot for chalk walk.” Kateri Eichler - junior, psychology major
“I worried about my friend who so happen to be taken to jail the night before homecoming.” Tyler Gibbs - junior, mass media major
October 16, 2018
The Spectator | www.vsuspectator.com
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What’s your favorite Halloween movie? All photos and interviews taken by Lenah Allen
“ I love ‘The Conjuring’ because even though I have seen it a lot, it still scares me every time.”
Symphonie Kelley sophomore, biology major
“My favorite movie is ‘Jeepers Creepers.’ My sister forced me to watch it as a child.” Messiah Taylor - freshman, nursing major
“My favorite movie has to be ‘Friday the 13th’ because it’s a classic. I watched it when I was small, and it scared the crap about me. I feel like that’s what Halloween is all about.” Quartney Groves - junior, mass media major
“‘Halloween’ is my favorite movie because the Michael Myers mask scares me. I love scary stuff like that.” Maliyah Hughes freshman, dental hygiene major
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October 16, 2018
October 16, 2018
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Scariest Halloween movies ranked
glad I’m not any of the kids in the film because I wouldn’t be able to handle seeing a clown shapeshift into my worst nightmares right in front of me. He constantly goes cross-eyed, roars like an animal, manifests a plethora of fanged teeth, laughs even more maniacally than the Joker from Batman and is pretty much unkillable. If this is your cup of tea, then definitely check this out this Halloween. It’ll easily set the mood.
Tristen Petty staff writer
tjpetty@valdosta.edu Pumpkins are available, costumes are on sale and aisles are flooding with candy and decorations in anticipation for the end of the month. But what’s Halloween without some great horror films? If you plan to watch them, take Deadpool’s advice and make sure to wear your brown pants just in case. 5. “Alien” (1979) It would be a shame to not include the film that introduced one of the most iconic creatures on screen: the xenomorph. The film takes full advantage of its confined setting and effectively gets viewers to try and figure out the position of the alien as it goes on its killing spree. On my first viewing, I had prior knowledge to what was going to happen when I reached the famous chest burst scene, yet seeing the man’s convulsions and hearing his desperate screams was still unsettling. It’s not just the movie that’s scary, but the whole concept of the alien. The entire birthing process is so horrific to think about that it can honestly lead to having nightmares. Overall, this film still reigns as one of the best scary movies of all time, and it would be awesome if I could wipe my memory of it in order to experience it all over again.
Don’t be this girl. Grab some friends before watching.
4. “28 Weeks Later” Before “The Walking Dead” introduced the walkers, there was this universe that introduced the infected. The first film titled, “28 Days Later” is a classic, but the sequel is even more intense. There’s a constant level of tension because of how ridiculously insane the zombies are. For example, I love the first scene because of how fast it escalates. Just like the previous film, it demonstrates how much terror is caused from Olympic-runner zombies. There’s no known cure for the virus, so once you’re infected, you’re done for. That adds tons of pressure which makes it a thrilling but
daunting experience to watch. Realistically, I think we’re good as long as no sudden pandemic happens. But if the zombies are like the ones in this film, we all need to start hitting the track. 3. “The Conjuring” Demon possession. That’s probably the most horrifying thing: losing control of your mind, will and emotions and yielding to a spirit that just wants to wreak havoc. This film is similar to “Insidious” with all the supernatural spirits causing mayhem, but this film is based on a true story. That knowledge added an immense weight because of how the events
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
of this film could realistically happen to anyone. The pure silence from some scenes tremendously added to the jump scares. It gave off an eerie feeling that sometimes made me not really want to know what would happen next. The spine-chilling screams and the tension caused by the demon’s gradual possession of the mother also left me unsettled. Ultimately, this is a great film to check out, but be on alert for that hide and clap scene. 2. “IT” (2017) I’m not afraid of clowns, but Pennywise is a different story. He is the definition of disturbing. I’m
1. “The Exorcist” You can’t have Halloween without this film. This film is the perfect example of how terrifying demon possession can be, even worse than “The Conjuring.” For a film made in the 1970s, everything about this film is incredibly creepy. The body horror was ahead of its time: the girl turning her head around like an owl, having a lizard-like tongue and the progression to her deteriorated state. Some of the scenes made me sick to my stomach, such as any instance where substances came out of her mouth. The film manages to make everything creepy and sickening, rightfully deserving its spot as number one. Excuse me as I go grab a cross necklace and my Bible. If you haven’t seen any of these yet, I highly recommend them. They’ll definitely put you in the Halloween mood. Just remember to watch it with a friend or two just, so you’re not the only one feeling tense.
How to stay safe this Halloween Malia Thomas staff writer
malithomas@valdosta.edu Let’s creep it real: Between the candy, costumes and parties, people do not give their general safety too much thought on Halloween. After all, it’s the norm to scare yourself to death by witnessing acts of diabolical brutality and totally wicked sorcery in the form of horror movies. Dumb teenagers getting mutilated by Freddy Kruger or Jason Voorhees and random spirit dolls like Annabelle possessing people into becoming killers wouldn’t be considering light entertainment if that much weren’t true. In the real world, however, your safety is deadly serious. While there is not a huge spike in the overall crime rate like the hype would have you believe, there is an upsurge in alcohol and drug related crimes which can also lead to violent incidents. A study published by the National Criminal Justice Reference Service concluded that college students are more likely to show an increase in alcohol and drug consumption while going to parties where costumes are worn, such as to a Halloween party. Not only does that increase your likelihood of going to jail, it also lowers your inhibitions and make you much more likely to be the target of an attack. However, it doesn’t have to be that way. There are a few easy steps to ensure you don’t fall victim to a haunting crime. If you can’t handle your boos,
Never leave somewhere without a buddy or group of friends.
keep the alcohol to a minimum. Overconsumption of alcohol removes your self-awareness and kills whatever defenses you have. You also don’t make the best decisions either because of that. You are much more likely to be robbed, taken advantage of or possibly killed if you’re drunk. It’s the same thing if you’re dabbling in drugs like marijuana. Always have a designated driver and trustful friend to accompany you to any party or bar and make sure they are within your reach for most of the night. This should be common sense, but if the NCJRS study is any indication, all logic in that regard goes out the window by the time Halloween rolls around. It’s no wonder horror movies have a plot
at all. Speaking of that… To some degree, horror movies are actually educational. Yes, you read that right. Horror movies teach you what not to do, not just on Halloween, but in general. When has splitting up from your friends ever worked out in those movies? If you are in an unfamiliar area, like a party at a place you don’t regularly go to, it’s best to stay with your group of friends. This is especially true if said area has a bad cell reception. If something does happen, like you’re lost, drunk or god forbid attacked, there will be multiple people that can come to your aid. Also, if you notice something unusual or even a crime taking place, don’t investigate it. It’s a
Photo courtesy of Pixabay
classic and fatal horror movie mistake. Don’t get yourself killed trying to be a hero. Call the police and let them handle the situation. Also, beware. Be very aware. There are so many deaths that could have been avoided in those movies if the victim was actually paying attention to their surroundings. Keep your guard up, and if something feels suspicious, stay on the defensive. Here’s a few situational safety tips: if someone is trying to snatch your wallet or purse, throw it in the opposite direction and run away (also, keep your important cards and cash in your pocket so loss can be prevented). If someone is choking you from behind, claw at or near their eyes. The kneejerk reaction is to tend
to remove their hands and tend to the injury. If you’re walking to your car, especially at night, don’t sit in your seat and check your phone or start cleaning around your seat. As soon as you’re in, lock the doors and drive off. Speaking of cell phones... It’s the 21st century, utilize your phone. Having an app just for safety is not paranoid, it’s smart. One popular app is Circle of 6, winning the White House Award for “Apps Against Abuse” Technology Challenge. It’s quite popular for its feature of choosing 6 of your closest friends and family to be alerted if your need help in an emergency. It also has a danger button that can reach sexual and domestic abuse hotlines. There’s also Watch Over Me, which can activate an alarm and video camera footage of your harasser simply by shaking it, even if its locked. Then an alert is sent to your emergency contacts. In the NCJRS report, it was noted that one woman had no ride and decided to trek home alone. This is an incredibly dangerous move as it can leave you completely vulnerable. There are too many transportation apps not to utilize them. Get Lyft or die trying. Not to mention, all these apps are totally free. There is no reason you should not be safe on Halloween. Death is a part of life, but if you follow these tips, it should be a long, happy one.
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October 16, 2018
Former VSU students make music Maria Sellers staff writer
mlsellers@valdosta.edu
Photo courtesy of Zach and Zane Edmonson Zach and Zane Edmonson attended VSU for one year before moving to Atlanta to pursue thier music dreams.
Photo courtesy of Zach and Zane Edmonson All of the Edmonson twins’ music can be found on Sound Cloud, Apple Music and Spotify.
Former VSU students and Quitman natives, who have lived there for nearly 21 years, are music producers all alternative music fans should be listening to. Mostly self- taught music producers and twin brothers, Zach and Zane Edmondson, “promised [their] parents [they] would do a year of college” but then they discovered their passion lied within the creative world, and that’s when they decided to head to Atlanta to pursue a serious music career. Even though Zach and Zane did not seriously start pursuing music until after their freshman year of college, they have been doing it for much longer. Zach explained that they actually started doing music for fun their junior year of high school by using the app “Garage Band’ and beats they found on YouTube. But for the sake of keeping their music authentic and original, they went to Atlanta and entered a program, where they learned a few basics but had to teach themselves a majority of what they know and do now. While Zach and Zane strive for originality they take inspiration from modern musicians and bands. The “non-traditional beat sequencing,” as Zane described it, and fact that no two songs sound exactly the same as each, other or other songs on the chart, is very reminiscent of the unique music style of alternative band “The 1975.” The lyrics, flow and beat sequences of the way Zach and Zane rap are inspired by alternative band “21 Pilots” as well as other traditional rappers like Drake and T.I. Zane described
their music as alternative rap or “All Rap, no trap.” When asked about which artists they draw the most inspiration from Zane said, “T.I. inspires my flow when I’m writing because of the way his sound made me feel growing up.” Zach said his lyrical and stylistic inspiration comes from popular rapper, Drake. “Drake was the first guy to rap and disregard the tough guy image,” he said. “His original in his prime was very mellow, and that’s what inspires me most when I rap.” While their music style and the rhythms they produce are inspired by other bands and artists, they draw most of their lyrical inspiration from many different events in their personal lives. But their biggest inspiration comes from their goal to “stay true to themselves,” as Zane described it. Zane went on to explain one way they do this is by thinking of their songs as stories. “We write stories,” he said. “I keep that in mind when we write. We want to rap about what we know and tell stories. We always want to be honest and true to ourselves because that’s what people relate to”. This desire to be relatable is something Zach also strives to do when drawing up inspiration for his lyrics. Zach said, “I always get inspired to write after I process how I’m feeling. If I’m down about something I write about it so people can relate. It can make people feel like they’re not alone.” While their desire to be relatable and true to themselves are not the only ways Zach and Zane find inspiration. Zach also draws inspiration from social experiences, time spent hanging out with friends, as well as inspirational people. Zach described his writing pro-
cess best by stating “I’m just trying to convey my daily thoughts, emotions and experiences through some verses and beats.” While they find inspiration in many places, one of the key pieces to the song writing puzzle is “not being afraid of the what people think of the lyrics.” Another key piece of the puzzle is the production, which they do themselves. This is the step where those unique beat sequences come together with the healt-felt, deep, emotional lyrics. There is not a set process to how they do this. Sometimes a beat will be made, then the lyrics get written. Other times lyrics will be written and a beat will be made. Whichever way they go about production, they always take their time to make sure it is perfect. This can sometimes they will work on a single for months before releasing it, as is the case with their upcoming single titled “Sophie” which is expected to launch really soon. No matter how they decide to go about producing a song, the deep lyrics and unique beat patterns always come together to form a product that sets their music apart from the chart topping songs, as well as the songs made by stereotypical Sound Cloud rappers. To experience their music for yourselves, their debut single, “Lovely,” is available to stream on Sound Cloud, Apple Music and Spotify. It is also available to purchase on iTunes. For fans who want even more of their music, you can check out Zach and Zane on Sound Cloud at @Zach/Zane to listen to their older worksas well as follow them on Instagram @Zach_Zane and Twitter @ZachSlashZane for updates about their upcoming single titled “Sophie.”
Sexy kitten or witch
Julie Jernigan/THE SPECTATOR
The problem with women’s Halloween costumes Savannah Oliver
Campus Life Editor snoliver@valdosta.edu For horror fanatics such as myself, Halloween is the best time of the year. It is a time of tricks, treats, and costumes. However, for women, costumes seem to have one constant - being “sexy”. Let it be known that this is by no means an article on “slut-shaming”, but simply on why people expect females to be dressed a certain way for this holiday. Without divulging into the history of Halloween, there are certain aspects that the Western world considers tradition. These include activities such as dressing up in costumes, throwing parties, carving pumpkins, eating an enormous amount of sugar, and trick-or-treating. Costumes range dramatically from professions such as firefighters or policemen to fantasies such as snow bunnies or witches. However, over the past few years, an odd tradition has appeared in female costumes.. It appears to be that women are supposed to dress as provocatively as possible on Halloween. Let me make it clear that I have no problem with a woman dressing how she wants. However, I
feel it should be a choice. When I walk into the costume store, I shouldn’t have to choose between something so low that it shows cleavage, something that bares my midriff, or something so short I wouldn’t dare to bend over or sit down. I believe this is a societal problem. The issue isn't that women choose to dress provocatively; it is that it seems to be the only option. Are there exceptions to this? Of course. However, exceptions in this instance seem to be rare. It is a known fact that costumes must be made differently for women than for men. However, most female costumes seem to include low cut shirts, tight fitting clothing, and high heels. I understand wanting to add a feminine touch, but why should everything be revealing in some way? Perhaps the most concerning issue here is how early sexualization arises. Costumes geared for girls 13-17 are shown with short skirts, low cut shirts, and stockings. These costumes are geared towards girls who can’t vote or even legally watch R-rated movies. I can hear the argument now of “Men are objectified too!”. Yes, that is true. There are tight fitting and short costumes for men
as well. However, after walking through the local Spirit Halloween store, I can count on my fingers how many “sexualized” male costumes there were. Most of them were supposed to be considered funny, unlike women. Unfortunately, this problem will most likely continue as long as we continue to dish out money on them. VSU students have a lot to say about this matter as well. Maggie Harper, a sophomore psychology major, said, “I do think that a lot of costumes for girls show too much skin, but at the same time, I don’t think we should be teaching girls to think negatively of their bodies. There needs to be a healthy balance between body positivity and modesty. I think that a lot of costumes need to cover up more than they do.” Gabby Powell, a junior interior design major, said, “I definitely think it’s an issue. I could go online and search for women’s halloween costumes and the first thing that pops up are ridiculous, flashly and revealing outfits. Now it’s the same even for the younger girls, and I think it puts a lot of pressure on them. It’s part of the reason why these little girls seem to be growing up way too fast.”
RK Candy Corn Ingredients: 1.
Yellow layer: 2¼ c. rice krispies cereal 2. 1¾ c. mini marshmallows 2 tsp unsalted butter 12 drops yellow food coloring Orange layer: 1¼ c. rice krispies cereal 1 c. mini marshmallows 1½ tsp unsalted butter 10 drops yellow food coloring 3 drops red food coloring White layer: 1 c. rice krispies cereal 1 tsp unsalted butter ¾ c. mini marshmallows IMPORTANT: Spray down every pan or bowl before use
3. 4.
5.
Coat an 8” round cake pan with nonstick cooking spray. For the yellow layer: In a medium pot, melt the butter over low heat. Add in the marshmallows, and stir with a spatula until melted and a gooey blob. Stir in the food coloring, and pour the yellow sugar mixture into a bowl. Add in the rice krispies, and stir until well coated. Pour the mixture into the prepared pan, spray your hands with nonstick spray, and mold the mixture into a ring. For the orange layer: Repeat above. Mold into a ring inside of the yellow ring of rice krispies. For the white layer: Repeat above, skipping the food coloring step, and press the mixture into the hole left in the center of the prepared pan. Cool the rice krispie treats completely, at least 30 min. Invert the cake pan onto a cutting board to remove the treats. Cut into 8 equal triangular slices and serve.
October 16, 2018
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October 16, 2018
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