January 25, 2019 by The Appalachian

THE APPALACHIAN Jan. 25, 2019

The Bee’s Knees App State’s Beekeeping Club completes requirements to be named a Bee-Friendly Campus PAGE 6

MONTH-LONG GOVERNMENT SHUTDOWN CLOSES BLUE RIDGE PARKWAY

GREENWAY PARK STREAM RESTORATION UNDERWAY

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OPINION: OPIOD EPIDEMIC IN THE US

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News

Jan. 25, 2019

Blue Ridge Parkway volunteers wait for government shutdown to end Christina Beals ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

ffects of the government shutdown on the Blue Ridge Parkway have become visible through uncovered potholes, overflowing trash cans and vandalism. The Blue Ridge Parkway Association asked park visitors to not leave trash in designated trash cans during the government shutdown in a Facebook post. “Do not leave behind trash in designated trash cans while workers are furloughed, as trash collection will not occur!” the post said. President Donald Trump and congressional lawmakers could not reach an agreement on funding for a $5 billion wall on the U.S.-Mexico border, which led to a partial government shutdown on Dec. 22. Among the 12 federal agencies affected by the government shutdown is the U.S. Department of the Interior, which is responsible for national park upkeep and preservation. The National Park Conservation Preservation estimates that over 16,000 national park employees are furloughed. The Blue Ridge Parkway has about 150 employees year-round, and 80 percent of employees are on leave, according to USA Today. Local citizens have offered to volunteer by picking up trash while the parkway is understaffed. Junior sustainable development major Allie Sharpe is the Sustainable and Environmental Education Club president and volunteered to clean up the parkway. Sharpe said parkway upkeep is being neglected during the shutdown due to low employment and wants to communicate the issues national parks are facing as a result of the government shutdown. “(The Sustainable and Environmental Education Club) is hoping to do a mass trash pick up,” Sharpe said. “This includes picking up and collect-

ing litter that has been disposed of or trash cans that are overflowing.” Sharpe said she hopes to show that acting together makes a bigger change than acting alone. Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway is a stewardship partner that coordinates volunteer projects at each of its 11 chapters on the parkway. Executive director Audrey Pearson supervises all Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway chapters and has noticed the parkway still has roads blocked off from before the government shutdown due to weather damage. “The shutdown has stopped crews from clearing the trees downed by weather events,” Pearson said. “This work will be resumed once the park is open.” Though Pearson has seen a recent increase in volunteer applications, the park has asked Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway volunteers to not help the parkway during the shutdown to avoid potential injury from weather damage. Friends of the Blue Ridge Parkway High Country chapter co-chair Ken Carpenter said volunteers are in stand-down mode, but he wants to get out and volunteer as soon as possible. Although parkway employees and volunteers are on leave during the government shutdown, people are still allowed to visit the parkway. Pearson said visitors should be mindful of their trash while on the parkway. “People can be conscious of not littering and if they are on the parkway, they need to practice no trace left behind and take out what you bring into the park,” Pearson said. “That would help keep the park clean.” To help in the Sustainable and Environmental Education Club trash cleanup, Sharpe said people who are interested can email her at sharpeal1@ appstate.edu.

(Top) The southbound road of the Blue Ridge Parkway is closed at the Boone entrance. The parkway will not reopen until the end of the government shutdown. (Bottom) The Blue Ridge Parkway is empty on Jan. 22, the 32nd day of the government shutdown. Freezing temperatures and bad raod conditions left over from mid-December have contributed to road closings. // Photos by Nora Smith

News

Jan. 25, 2019

App State ranked No. 1 again for Rachel Foutz approved as National Board Certified alumni Elections Court Chair Moss Brennan ‫@ ׀‬mosbren ‫ ׀‬News Editor

Emily Broyles ‫@ ׀‬em_broyles ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

The Reich College of Education was established in 1968 and is one of App State’s oldest colleges. // Paola Bula

pp State was founded as a teaching college in 1899. It’s still recognized as one of the top alma maters in the nation for education 120 years later. For the third consecutive year, App State has ranked first in the U.S. for the number of National Board for Professional Teaching Standards Certified alumni, topping the list with 2,090 certified Mountaineers. Eight other North Carolina universities were among the Top 50 Alma Maters, making North Carolina the top state in the certification. The National Board Certification is a voluntary, advanced teaching credential that goes beyond a state license, according to the National Education Association. A person must be a teacher for at least three years to undergo certification, which then takes an extra one to three years. A financial incentive is also included. “Our involvement really is just in preparing the best quality educators that we can,” Reich College of Education communications liaison Heather Brandon said. “We’re trying to get them out into classrooms

early and often.” After declaring their major, education majors apply to RCOE. RCOE provides professional development opportunities throughout a student’s study, along with a beginning teacher support program and partnerships with surrounding public schools that give the student resources while in the field. “They’re going to go out and be great advocates for education in their communities, help sustain education and hopefully inspire the next generation of Appalachian educators,” Brandon said about current education majors. Brandon Moore, a senior secondary English education major and member of Appalachian Community of Education Scholars, hopes to fulfill not only the National Board Certification, but to inspire the next generation of students and educators. “I care a lot about our youth of our country and just seeing them become the best that they can be and to our society,” Moore said. Moore said he finds himself inspired by App State alum’s top-tier performance in the teaching field,

along with having the resource of National Board certified professors. “Just being able to know that Appalachian State has a role in producing teachers who even go on to take that extra step to become certified in National Board is just amazing,” Moore said. “As a future educator myself, I think that it’s very encouraging for me.” Moore said mentorship in RCOE creates familiarity between students and professors, which instills confidence after graduation. “If you’re working on your National Boards and you need help, you can come back, even if you’re teaching across the state,” Moore said. “Everybody on campus is just excited to see everybody else succeed.” Lisa Gross, program director for elementary education, said students in the field are engaged constantly in the classroom—learning and teaching. She said she believes this contributes to the number of NBCTs that have graduated from App State. “They’re motivated. They want to be in the classrooms,” Gross said. “I think one of the advantages of our program in the college is that our students do spend extensive time in the field.” Gross, who prepares students for student teaching, knows many former students who have taken the step for a National Board Certification and enjoys watching them embark on their teaching journeys. “It’s just exciting to see the full cycle,” Gross said. “That’s the whole purpose of our job in this college, is to have that support for them and hope they’re successful.”

Rachel Foutz was unanimously approved by the Senate as the elections court chair. Her nomination was tabled at the Dec. 4 meeting after questions over campaign involvement.

achel Foutz, chair of student conduct and senior accounting major, was unanimously approved as the Student Government Association election court chair on Jan. 22. One senator abstained from voting. The nomination was tabled during the Dec. 4 Senate meeting after questions of her involvement in the Milbourne.Kelly campaign arose. DeJon Milbourne and Brigitte Kelly are the current SGA president and vice president. DeJon Milbourne, junior accounting major, previously said Foutz was not part of their campaign and was on a Facebook page for supporters. Milbourne was called to the floor to answer senators’ questions by freshman class senator and political science major Emily Hogan. Senators asked Milbourne about his relationship with Foutz, when he added her to the campaign, if he had talked to Foutz about run-

ning for president again and if she saw herself running the Elections Court without bias. Foutz was called to the floor after Milbourne. Foutz said in her opening statement that she liked the Facebook page because Milbourne had asked the Walker Fellows, an outreach group for the Walker College of Business, to like it. She also said she would not report to anyone but the student body and Chris Hinton, who is the director of elections. “I view this as my opportunity to just give back to the community,” Foutz said. During the Senate confirmation hearing, senators asked Foutz if she knew she was a member of the Facebook group before last meeting and if she considered herself as a volunteer or part of the campaign. Foutz said she assumed that it was just in support of Milbourne and not any part of the campaign. The Senate moved to vote as soon as Foutz was escorted from the room. “I am glad that they were able to reaffirm that she was the best person for this job,” junior political science major Kelly said. “I am excited to see the work that she does in the upcoming spring election.” Elections Court Chair responsibilities include: • Updating the Senate, cabinet or advisers “to uphold the rule of law in the Elections process.” • Taking actions that are “necessary to ensure adherence to all Elections related Rules and Policy.” • Giving “appropriate, impartial, and objective advice relating strictly to elections procedure and pending or potential cases upon request.”

News

New director of Public School Partnership brings love of teaching to Reich College of Education Jackie Park ‫@ ׀‬jackiempark ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

Trisha Caviness-Bliss was announced the new director of Reich College of Education in January. The PSP is an initiative to link public schools in the area with App State to help improve local education. // Courtesy of Appalachian State

risha Caviness-Bliss smiled ear-to-ear as she sat in her new office at her alma mater surrounded by photos of all the elementary school classes she has taught. Caviness-Bliss was named director of the Public School Partnership for the Reich College of Education beginning in January. “I’m humbled by this position because I’m always going to be a teacher at heart, but I also understand the valuable roles of our administrators, our superintendents, our families and the community,” Caviness-Bliss said. In her new role, Caviness-Bliss will serve as the link between App State’s RCOE and public schools in the 10 counties where App State students work and gain experience for their future careers. More than 100 schools in Watauga County and surrounding counties participate in the RCOE Public School Partnership, according to the RCOE website. Caviness-Bliss said she wants to teach when possible and will continue teaching the CI 1010 course, titled So You Think You Want to Teach. Caviness-Bliss said her true love is in the classroom and has been teaching since graduating from App State in 2003. In her interview for the position, Caviness-Bliss described the job as a tree rooted in the strategic plans of RCOE and growing through many different partnerships represented by

the branches. Previously, Caviness-Bliss served as director of professional development and outreach at the James Center for Student Success and Advising, RCOE’s advising center. “She can just make things happen,” director of the James Center Jan Stanley said. Stanley said she thinks Caviness-Bliss inspires people to teach because of who she is and how good of a teacher she is. “Everything she does is to make herself a better teacher, (help) our students or help teachers in the classroom,” Stanley said. Caviness-Bliss said she has always told students that their lives will come “full-circle.” As a student at App State, Caviness-Bliss was a Teaching Fellow and worked at the desk outside her current office, where she ran mail to the woman who was director before her, Linda McCalister. “There’s something about App State and Boone that brings people back,” Caviness-Bliss said. “You just bleed black and gold once you finish this institution.” Caviness-Bliss said she always encourages her future teachers to begin networking early because she believes it’s the reason for her success. “I’m on the shoulders of lots of amazing people,” Caviness-Bliss said. Stanley said Caviness-Bliss uses her statewide connections with other educators for good. For example,

Jan. 25, 2019

Stanley said Caviness-Bliss invites the North Carolina Teacher of the Year to App State every year to answer questions from future teachers and spend time with them. “Even when (our students) are in the classroom, they’ll contact her for advice about teaching,” Stanley said. Caviness-Bliss said she credits App State helping her establish herself as a teacher and as an individual. Caviness-Bliss also said she is thankful for her parents, who always supported her desire to become a teacher. “That’s what always breaks my heart: parents and families telling students not to become teachers,” Caviness-Bliss said. Caviness-Bliss said she thinks it’s surreal she is in this position because she gets to combine three of her loves: her love for future teachers, her love for App State and her love for the profession as a whole. “I think the challenges are what make (teaching) more meaningful,” Caviness-Bliss said. Caviness-Bliss said students and their families have truly enhanced her life. “I’ve always told my future teachers, ‘Yes, you are the ones creating the knowledge for these students, but you will learn so much more from them than they will ever learn from you,’” Caviness-Bliss said. One of Caviness-Bliss’ daughters, Emma Reese, now wants to go to App State and become a teacher, just like her mom.

News

Jan. 25, 2019

Boone grants New River Conservancy money to fix Greenway Park erosion Anna Muckenfuss ‫@ ׀‬noel1122 ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

he New River Conservancy has partnered with the town of Boone and Watauga County to restore eroded river beds along Greenway Park. NRC president George Santucci said the erosion in Greenway Park has greatly damaged the water quality of the South Fork New River. “The mud that is coming off of the banks is probably one of the greatest water quality threats in the United States,” Santucci said. “The sedimentation seals in spaces between the rocks where a lot of animals live. If that is all filled in with mud they have no habitat.” Santucci said erosion along the riverbank causes plants to fall into the river, which destroys habitats for terrestrial species and eliminates food sources for fish in the river. “In the case of the county, this erosion has been at such a great rate that it could cause the actual surface of the Greenway or footpath to fall into the river,” Santucci said. The NRC is located in West Jefferson and is dedicated to protecting and serving the New River Watershed. Boone and Watauga County have been significant partners in this area, Santucci said. “All projects that we do require funding from multiple sources,” Santucci said. “They require some match to the grant that we submit to them. It’s best that the match is from local sources because it shows that the project is supported locally.” The funds for the restoration project come from a government grant called the Clean Water Trust Fund said Rennie Brantz, mayor of Boone.

“We all benefit so much from the rivers,” said Lynne Mason, Boone town councilor. “It’s the town’s water supply so we have an interest in maintaining water quality.” Brantz said the restoration project was also important because of flooding in Boone. “The town drains into the river and its capacity isn’t big enough to deal with the flood waters that come from the town,” Brantz said. “The restoration will not only restore stream banks, but will look at the floodplain just in case there is a heavy rain. It’s an important part of our water system.” The NRC has expanded the project to restore riverbeds along Brookshire Park. Phase one of the project covers the path along the Greenway walking trail. Santucci said the methods used to restore the riverbeds will last at least 30 to 50 years. “We use a technique called natural channel design,” Santucci said. “We do an engineering survey of the river to determine a natural structure and we use plants or rock structures.” Phase one of the project is still under construction, but will be finished by the end of the summer, Santucci said. The NRC is still seeking funding for phase two from the Clean Water Trust Fund. Santucci said he hopes construction will start in 2020. “We are seeing a positive impact already, but the assessment will be better once the plant material is mature and grown,” Santucci said. “From a stabilization point of view, it is no longer eroding or damaging the river.”

Erosion in Greenway Park has damaged the water quality of the South Fork New River. The town of Boone and Watauga County each granted the New River Conservancy approximately $100,00 to restore the stream. // Photo by Halle Keighton

WHERE THE MONEY IS COMING FROM

$485,000

PROPOSED FOR STREAM RESTORATION approx. $280,000 GOVERNMENT

approx. $100,000 WATAGUA COUNTY

approx. $100,000 TOWN OF BOONE

News

Jan. 25, 2019

What’s all the buzz about? Beekeeping club working with Bee Campus USA to help the bees

Olivia Bouzigard ‫@ ׀‬oliviabouzi ‫ ׀‬News Reporter

y working with Bee Campus USA, the App State Beekeeping Club aims to support black and yellow pollinators for years to come in Boone. As of January, App State is one of 61 Bee Campuses across the U.S. Katie Payne and Hallie Graves, alumnae who graduated in May, started the beekeeping club in 2016 and wanted to leave a parting gift before they left App State. Both completed the seven commitments required by Bee Campus USA to become a Bee Campus. Payne and Graves have received their wish because App State is one of the six universities in North Carolina to receive the title. Phyllis Stiles, founder of Bee Campus USA, has awarded campuses across the country for their commitments to pollinators. Stiles said after she started to work with bees she became angered that they were not being protected, so she started the program to provide education and create public awareness. App State landscapers plant pollinator-friendly plants on campus as a source of pollen and nectar for bees. The beekeeping club continues to provide educational workshops and awareness across campus and in Boone. App State’s beekeeping club is dedicated to maintaining this title in the upcoming years. One of the seven commitments is to report back to the society every year to share how the campus remains bee-friendly. Myra Solis, sophomore interior

design major, is going to take on this initiative as a leader in the beekeeping club. “The torch has been passed onto us to keep this up,” Solis said. Solis gave a few things students can do to help support bees as a campus: • Support local beekeepers by attending the farmers market and purchasing honey. • If you have an apartment off campus you can plant pollinatorfriendly plants. • Be kind to the environment.

Solis touched on the importance of being kind to the environment as a way to support bees and other pollinators because they pollinate over 90 percent of fruits and vegetables. Without bees, there is no food. As one of the 61 bee campuses, the beekeeping club is committed to taking initiative in protecting these pollinators. If you are interested in joining the beekeeping club it meets every other Monday in Plemmons Student Union. Questions can be directed to the App State Beekeeping Club Facebook page.

James Wilkes tends to the beehive located on top of Roses Dining Hall. App State was named one of 61 "Bee Campuses" by Bee Campus USA in January. // Courtesy of Marie Freeman Appalachian State University Communications

MLK Challenge celebrates 20 years at App State Brooke Bryant ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬Reporter

pp State and Appalachian and The Community Together celebrated the 20th anniversary of the MLK Challenge with participants gathering to honor his legacy through a day of service and reflection on Jan. 21. Associate Director of Cental Operations in Student Affairs Jennifer Koehn adopted the MLK Challenge and started it at App State. The committee for this year’s event consisted of students, graduate students and the faculty adviser, Macki Snyder. “It’s well known around the community and campus so it’s able to benefit both students and nonprofits around the community,” committee chair for the MLK Challenge junior management major Rachael Beller said. Volunteers served at sites around Boone including Hospitality House, F.A.R.M. Cafe and elementary schools. Forms of service included deep cleaning, organizing, painting and landscaping. “We always say it is all part of the challenge. If we get there and something is wrong or we have to change plans, we say to go with it,” Beller said. “We’re there to serve and help in whatever capacity we can.” University Highlands gives ACT a $2,000 grant each year. One-thousand dollars of it went toward giving a free gift bag to those who participate. The remaining money went toward what ACT calls the “bonus challenge.” The bonus challenge this year was a school supply drive for Blowing Rock School. Each group was given $40 to buy school supplies. The groups had to find deals and get the most supplies for their money. “In today’s society, it is making that connection of the work that’s been done in the past with civil rights

Madison Moyer providing a helping hand. Moyer volunteered her time at Horse Helpers of the High Country for the MLK Challenge on Martin Luther King Jr. Day. // Photo by Anna Dollar.

engagement, and taking that in today’s society and letting students know that there are still needs in the community that need to be met,” Beller said. Legislation signed in 1983 made it so Martin Luther King Jr.’s birthday was recognized as a federal holiday. In 1984, Congress designated the holiday as a national day of service. Congress’ overall mission was: “The intention was for a day on, not a day off. As well as empowering individuals, strengthening communities, bridging barriers, and creating solutions to social problems.” The last event will be a silent auction on Jan. 31. The auction benefits App Builds A Home, which is part of the Watauga Habitat for Humanity Organization. App Builds A Home is a mission to build an extra home for a family in Watauga County. The silent auction will be in the Outreach Center in the ACT office.

News

Jan. 25, 2019

Students and faculty take charge with Appalachian Climate Action Collaborative Hayley Canal ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬Reporter

movement addressing the urgency of climate change is prepared to leap into action this semester. In October, more than 200 faculty, staff, students and community members attended a brainstorming session to lay the groundwork for local responsive actions. The discussions that began that day never ended. Those involved aligned themselves under a new name: the Appalachian Climate Action Collaborative. The movement actively set about outlining its goals, designing an inclusive, sustainable leadership structure and reviving the university Sustainability Council. Large general assembly meetings and small focus groups met on a near-weekly basis to reimagine previous university climate neutrality efforts. “This movement can complement, strengthen and expand efforts, by making it clear to the university that we, as a body of concerned students, faculty, staff and community members, call upon Appalachian State to commit to more vigorous action,” sustainable development professor Jacqueline Ignatov said to kick off the November general assembly meeting. December saw further progress toward a finalized climate action proposal to present to the Student Government Association, Faculty Senate and Staff Senate for approval. The action proposal addresses existing pathways through which the university could achieve the movement’s three central goals: reaching carbon neutrality by 2025, incorporating climate change and resiliency dialogue into curriculum and connecting with community groups in Watauga

County through outreach. The goals build on obligations made by the university in its Statement of Sustainability and through its commitment to the University of North Carolina Sustainability Policy, which states that “the university shall develop a plan to become carbon neutral as soon as practicable and by 2050 at the latest, with an ultimate goal of climate neutrality.” Three action teams have sprung to life. The Climate Neutrality Team prioritized a reanalysis of the university’s climate commitments in light of recent scientific breakthroughs, released in the report and the second half of the Fourth National Climate Assessment. These reports indicate that only 12 years remain to prevent catastrophic global warming beyond 1.5 degrees Celsius. The team recently drafted a commitment for their goal. “2050 represents the minimum under University of North Carolina System policy,” the Appalachian Climate Action Collaborative website said. “We cannot call ourselves a leader in sustainability if we are not at least meeting the standards set by the international scientific community, nor can we call ourselves a leader if we are aiming only for the minimum goal of the UNC System.” In 2010, the Office of Sustainability published Toward Climate Neutrality, a document displaying ideal projections of campus greenhouse gas emissions for the years 2009, 2015, 2025 and 2050. The office intended to routinely revise the Climate Action Plan, but so far has not. At a Sustainability Council meet-

Jim Dees, data and assessment specialist for the Office of Sustainability, examines a handout displaying university energy usage at a general assembly meeting. // Photo by Hayley Canal

ing, data and assessment specialist Jim Dees revealed that the Office of Sustainability is crafting an updated strategic climate action plan. The plan will include new data sets regarding what Dees called, “the 8,000-pound monster in the room.” In other words, the reported emissions for the university from baseline year 2009 to 2018 will soon be publicly available on the App State Office of Sustainability’s website. Organizers seeking to achieve early carbon neutrality intend to use this new information to solicit feedback and rally support in favor of reducing the university’s carbon footprint in its largest three sinks: energy production, transportation and space heating. In the fall, the Curriculum Team organized new sustainability advocacy courses for the semester. Several movement-aligned sustainable development courses are in session, including Climate Action at ASU, Transforming the Energy Sector and Practicum in

Energy Advocacy. While presenting for the Curriculum Team, sustainable development faculty Ignatov and Susan Reed discussed integrating climate and resiliency discussions within the general education tract. “It’s not a formulaic issue we’re dealing with. We need to change people’s hearts and attitudes too,” Reed said. While the Curriculum Team focused on creating the foundation for an interdisciplinary movement, the Connections Team focused on intersectionality. “Climate disruption consequences are disproportionately suffered by low-income communities, communities of color and other traditionally marginalized groups,” the collaborative’s website said. The Connections Team wants to combat this injustice by creating a database aggregating all organizations, resources, recurring events, key people

and community groups in Watauga County. “We created goals with the understanding that this affects all of us. That in order to transform we need to include everyone, and that the systems that oppress people are the same ones that are causing climate change,” sophomore biology major Rachel Milkereit said while presenting for the Connections Team. “We’re looking for a dialogue rather than polarization,” Blume said. “For this movement to be successful and for this movement to continue, we need to have something beyond what we’re against.” Organizers encourage students and faculty to find their place in the collaborative. Student and faculty pledges have been published online to encourage involvement across disciplines. On Jan. 26, the day of the U.S. Extinction Rebellion, the collaborative will host its public kickoff.

Sports

Jan. 25, 2019 Junior Milo Bargeron serving against Georgia Southern's Diego Finkelstein during the 2017 season. // Photo by Lindsay Vaughn

MEN’S TENNIS STARTS FIRST SPRING WITH NEW COACH Franklin Bogle ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬Sports Reporter

en’s tennis looks forward to a new era as its spring season begins under first-year head coach Craig Schwartz. Schwartz was hired in June, making this his first season at App State. With an impressive resume under his belt, including a 14-6 stint at St. John’s University, Schwartz knows how to build a winning program. “I think we are heading into a good direction,” Schwartz said. “We have only had four days of practice so far, but it’s good to throw guys into the fire so we can analyze those matches and figure out all we need to work on.” The team will begin its season at Clemson University on Jan. 26. It will be a test for a young team that includes four freshmen, including top recruit Zion Heaven, Schwartz’s first recruit and a top 200 player coming out of high school. “I have some nerves but it’s exciting to be part of the team and to be here with coach (Schwartz),” Heaven said. “I feel I can be a leader even as a freshman and help us move forward.” Heaven stands at 6 feet 5 inches tall and is an aggressive offensive player, Schwartz said. Heaven said he and his fellow freshmen are excited to be a part of the program and look to help build it up. “Zion coming in the fall helped him. It will be great for his transition to the spring. The other guys are just starting now, but they are ready to be thrown in the fire and learn,”

Schwartz said. Though the team is young, it isn’t without veteran leadership. Redshirt senior Campbell Stone is entering his final season embracing his role as the team’s most experienced member. “I am looking forward to getting back out there, bringing in some upsets here and there,” Stone said. “I have my offensive game working for me, so I have really been working on defense.” Stone added that he thinks the team will fare well this season because of the young players. Despite the team’s confidence, an early season injury has set it back already. Schwartz said top returner Ben Webster will be out for the spring calendar. Webster found out Jan. 16 that he has to have surgery to repair a broken wrist. Webster had 10 singles wins and 10 doubles wins last season. “We’re missing Ben, but we are all going to keep working and staying strong and doing our best everyday,” Stone said. This year marks the first year that men’s tennis will play a conference schedule, as the Sun Belt has laid out a spring schedule for all of its teams, including a three-day Sun Belt Conference championship from April 19-21. “This year we have a mandated schedule and that will help us see where we are at by that portion of the season. It will be interesting to see where all our guys are at mid-March,” Schwartz said.

Sports

Jan. 25, 2019

BASEBALL RELIES ON EXPERIENCE IN 2019 Chase Frick ‫@ ׀‬Frickchase ‫ ׀‬Sports Reporter

(Left) A player begins to run to first base during the 2016 season. (Right) App State baseball players from the 2016 season coming into the dugout after finishing an inning.

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oming off a disappointing 2018 season that resulted in a 18-36 record and a last place finish in the Sun Belt Conference, the App State baseball team looks to reboot in 2019. Leading the ship is third-year head coach Kermit Smith who said he looks to use the experience from 2018 as a building block for the coming season. “I think experience is the biggest attribute we have from last year to this year,” Smith said. “Anytime you come into a season where three of your better players are freshmen, I think the maturity aspect will play a big role.” The Mountaineers received major contributions in 2018 from freshman pitcher Will Sprinkle who threw 48.2 innings and maintained the second lowest ERA on the team at 2.96 and held opposing batters to a .226 batting average. As he heads into his second season, Sprinkle said what he learned in 2018 will make 2019 better. “(I just know) what it takes to be successful in preparation and trust what coach Aspegren tells me to do,” Sprinkle said.

Besides experience, the Mountaineers will have a home field boost this year. The team has a total of 28 home games compared to 20 last season. In 2018 the team started the season with 25 of its first 28 games scheduled on the road. “Traveling really put a toll on a lot of the older guys and even some of the younger guys who weren’t used to traveling that much, so having a lot more home games is going to be a big advantage for us,” junior pitcher Andrew Papp said. “Sitting on a bus for six to seven hour drives and not having your own bed, it’s just different.” During long road trips and the challenges that come with them the team developed comradery, which can be a big advantage in the 2019 campaign. “My favorite aspect is I think how close we are as a team,” Papp said. “There’s not a guy that doesn’t get along with another guy. It’s just something special we have here that not a lot of other places have.”

Arts and Culture

Jan. 25, 2019

Foxy Moron's lead singer, Elora Dash, takes center-stage during Saturday's show at TApp Room while guitarist Lucas Triba shreds alongside her. The band's next show is on February 9 at Ransom. // Photo by Brendan Hoekstra

Ilyssa Pachao

App State students explore R&B sound with band Foxy MoroN

Mericlaire Williams

@meri.claire

Marbeth Salinas ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬A&C Reporter

Foxy Moron, a rhythm and blues and hip-hop infused band, not only delivers a unique sound and approach to R&B, but also background and variety. The band was founded by students of App State, where folk, indie and country music dominate. The groups played several shows in Boone, and most recently Raleigh. The band consists of four members: senior music industries major Elora Dash on lead vocals and keyboard, Aaron Collins on bass guitar and vocals, senior music theory and composition major Brady Kennedy on drums and senior guitar performance major Lucas Triba on guitar. The name Foxy Moron was inspired by a friend and former band member who suggested it. “We all really liked the name, so he was cool with us keeping it,” Dash said. The band plays covers, but is also working on original material. “We just learned a lot of covers together and we made all of them our own,” Kennedy said. Foxy Moron’s covers range from pop music to classic rock. However, by absorbing and listening to similar artists during the early stages of the band, the group soon realized the R&B sound suited them best. One of the members said despite the lack of R&B sound surrounding Boone, its environment and music

scene have influenced their music. “I’ve spent a lot of time busking on King Street playing to the environment and the people that walked by. Somehow, I’ve always played in folky country style when I try to play what’s coming out of my heart, even though I don’t really like country music too much,” Triba said. Triba said the Hayes School of Music, Boone and its population have inspired him. “(The Hayes School of Music) relates to what we do, and it’s just more practice for school-related things,” Dash said. Although the Hayes School of Music has a classical approach to music, Foxy Moron said it has given them a well-rounded knowledge of music. “I have played a lot of different percussion styles, really (the band) has just helped me play with people and be a sensitive musician,” Kennedy said. The music school also allowed them to connect with like-minded musicians who share their music tastes and who are also in bands, Dash said. Although the band is made up of mostly students, the members said they do not feel that juggling school, work, personal life and the band have been too much of a hassle. The group has a unique approach to R&B by adding guitar-driven solos to its music and live shows, Triba said.

“I usually play a more rockheavy kind of style, especially when I hit my solos,” Triba said. All of the members find ways to weave their backgrounds into their music. The group hopes to eventually integrate a nonwestern sound into their music while sticking to their R&B roots. “I would really like to incorporate some Indian classical music. It uses some elements of music I’m not familiar with,” Dash said. “I guess it’s hard to say whether or not we want to create a different style of music. I think we would stick with the same roots,” Collins said. However, Dash said the band will evolve with them in relation to their life experiences and events. Foxy Moron will play at Femme Fest on March 16. Femme Fest is a mini music festival hosted at Legends that will feature femaleled bands and artists. There will be a $5 donation fee. All proceeds will go to OASIS, a nonprofit that serves victims of sexual and domestic abuse. The event is coordinated by Dash.

A&C Columnist

Ilyssa Pachao, in her favorite faux-fur black coat. Pachao has a keen eye for one-of-a-kind items from thrift stores. // Photo by Midavi Nulan

Ilyssa Pachao represents the individuality of ‘70s eclectic fashion, which influences her style. Pachao, a sophomore pre-nursing student, has a collection of clothes that has been compared to an art gallery. Pachao hosts pop-up shops in her residence hall, where she sells unique clothes she finds at thrift stores. She encourages people to wear clothes they never thought they could wear. In high school, Pachao would wear lingerie tops to school and classmates would respond by saying they could never wear that. She said she would always ask why, and her classmates never had an answer. Pachao hates the idea of people not wearing something they like out of fear. Although she struggles with caring too much about how people perceive her based on her clothes, she tries to emphasize on what she finds beautiful. “The way you dress is supposed to be a supplement of your personality, it doesn’t define you,” Pachao said. In the ‘70s, it was normal to take different trends and combine them. It was common to combine earth tones with bold patterns and colors. Pachao combines clothes from different decades to create her unique looks. “There doesn’t need to be this constant nostalgia of longing for a different time. We can still have it and make it our own,” Pachao said. “My friend told me we can make this decade just as groovy.” Pachao shops at thrift stores to help create her own aesthetic, opposed to retail stores picking trends for her. “Composition, color and texture all matter when it comes to creating outfits,” Pachao said. “Clothing is art.”

Arts and Culture

Dec. 25, Nov. Jan. 16, 7, 2018 2018 2019

BOONE

PEOPLE OF

Christine Dudley | @TheAppalachian | A&C Reporter

Nonconventional first-year seminars explore exciting topics to prepare students for college Savannah Nguyen ‫@ ׀‬savanna24221176 ‫ ׀‬A&C Reporter Director of the First-Year Seminar program Martha McCaughey insists that no matter which class an incoming student takes, it will prepare them for their college career with necessary research skills, whether the topic is Dr. Seuss or SoulSustaining Arts. “The faculty also help students make the transition to academic life at Appalachian by introducing students to a variety of library research tools, making connections with faculty and other students, sharing the wide range of resources Appalachian provides its students and showing students how to get engaged on campus and in the local community,” McCaughey said.

Courtesy of Kat Dolan

kat dolan I want to help other people find a way to not have to go through half the horribleness that I went through as a teenager. I’ve had anxiety and panic attacks since I can remember. One of my first memories is having a panic attack. I’ve had depression ever since I was 12 or 13, and I just thought, ‘This is no way to live.’ I want to help other people realize that they are lightning bolts, that the energy comes from underneath the feet and rises up your body and there’s a way for you to light up the sky. I genuinely don’t want to die. I’m a writer. I’m a poet. I’ve worked so hard to write this story up until now. To hell if I’m going to write the ending. Let someone else do all that work. I’d rather (death) be a mystery like how it’s supposed to be.

Back to the Land

History of Rock

Myth Busting in Archaeology

If living off the land, cultivating a lifestyle of selfsufficiency and possibly living in a hand-made yurt sounds like the dream, taking Charles Smith’s class, Back to the Land, may interest you. The seminar focuses on the social movement, homesteading, that took place in the 1970s, and compares the cultural movement to its recent revival. Homesteading skills prioritize organic farming, cooking from scratch, reducing waste and knowing how to tend to animals. The class covers topics such as the varied conceptions of homesteading in the ‘70s compared to what they look like today and how sustainable initiatives are changing what modern homesteading looks like.

Elvis Presley, Kendrick Lamar and Slayer are all taught in History of Rock by Anderson Page. Page is a seasoned international performer with 30 years under his guitar strap, who—in addition to teaching college students—plays for jazz and rock groups in his spare time. The class focuses on musical analysis and history from the mid20th century to the present, while incorporating culturally significant themes such as race relations and how they impact lyrics. Page will even bring his guitar to class to demonstrate musical concepts. “We will sometimes have inclass performances from singers and songwriters, even bring in eye-witness accounts from older rock fans that attended historically important events such as Woodstock, Newport Folk Festivals and more,” Page said.

Myth Busting in Archaeology takes legendary myths like the end of days or ancient aliens and completely ruins them. Archaeology professor Rachel Horowitz debunks misconceptions created by falsely interpreted archaeological facts, also called pseudoscience. “We’re going to be talking about everything from Bigfoot to Atlantis and even look into how archaeology was used by the Nazis to try and show a particular point of view,” Horowitz said. Horowitz’s background is in Maya culture and she looks specifically at the myth of 2012, how that myth was established and why it spread into popular perception.

Magic, Witchcraft and Religion Possession, healing and magic. Words such as these may not be used in everyday conversation. However, in Diane Mines’ class, Magic, Witchcraft and Religion, they are commonplace. “Human beings reside in cultural worlds that are often also inhabited by gods, spirits, ghosts, powers and mysterious phenomena,” Mines said. The course takes how people interpret the supernatural and translates those interpretations into perceptions of the world around them. These realizations are then applied to topics so students can interpret the cultural ties they have to themes like nationalism, materialism, politics and language. For 30 years, Mines has researched the relationship between people from South India and their gods and how that relationship influences political action, caste hierarchy, migration and political nationalism. Unfortunately, Mines confesses that students will not make potions in the class. Rather, those who enlist will “work to understand how the ‘religious’ operates in meaningful worlds,” Mines said.

App News

Jan. 25, 2019

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calling all creators!

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Friday, Jan. 25

Saturday, Jan. 26

Sunday, Jan. 27

Monday, jan. 28

Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets Greenbriar Theatre 7-9 p.m.

Worely’s Caving Day Trip ($45) SRC All Day

Frozen Waterfall Exploration Hike ($35) SRC All Day

Bike App! Rivers Street Skywalk 1-4:30 p.m.

The Grinch ($2) I.G. Greer 7-9 p.m. & 9:30-11:30 p.m.

App State Wrestling vs. Appalachian Open Varsity Gym 10 a.m.-1 p.m.

Momentum Dance Club Concert Varsity Gym 7-9 p.m.

The Grinch ($2) I.G. Greer 7-9 p.m. & 9:30-11:30 p.m.

Tuesday, Jan. 29

Wednesday, Jan. 30

Thursday, Jan. 31

Friday, FEb. 1

Bike App! Rivers Street Skywalk 1-4:30 p.m.

Internship Expo Plemmons Student Union 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Spring Education Abraod Info Fair Plemmons Student Union 11 a.m.-2 p.m.

Stress-Fighting Hacks Plemmons Student Union 5:30-8:30 p.m.

Taste of Dialouge: Immigration and American Identities Plemmons Student Union 6-8 p.m.

App State Men’s Basketball vs. Louisiana Holmes Convocation Center 7-9 p.m.

Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban Greenbriar Theatre 7-9 p.m.

Fantastic Beasts: The Crimes of Grindelwald ($2) I.G. Greer 7-9 p.m. & 9:30-11:30 p.m.

Opinion

Jan. 25, 2019

Right to Repair SEPARATION OF CHURCH AND STATE Q Russell । @Q_M_Russell । Opinion Editor In 2018, the North Carolina legislature got away with violating the Constitution. Senate Bill 99, or SL 2018-5, was a budget proposed in May and passed by the legislature in June after Gov. Roy Cooper vetoed the bill. The bill was vetoed for a number of reasons, but a big one is that it violates the separation of church and state by allocating $250,000 to an explicitly Christian organization. The organization, Cross Trail Outfitters, was given this money “for the purposes of promoting wellness and physical activity for youth ages seven to 20 years of age.” This seems all well and good, but according to Cross Trail’s website, its purpose is “guiding the next generation to Christ through the outdoors.” The website also says the organization is about providing an environment “in which participants can grow in knowledge and reverence of God.” There’s a separation of church and state for a reason. The government showing favor to any religious group potentially opens the door to discrimination or unfair treatment of other religions. Cross Trail Outfitters, as an organization, seems to be doing something good for kids. Whether you are Christian or not, the organization’s heart is in the right place. However, the organization should not be receiving taxpayer dollars. What the North Carolina State Legislature did is illegal. The Constitution is the highest law of the U.S. This willful subversion sets a dangerous precedent going forward that so long as it’s for the right reason, it’s fine. But the “right reason” is subjective, and everyone has their own version of what is right. That’s why holding to the law is so important, and that’s why the North Carolina State Legislature is utterly in the wrong. Any good that comes out of the use of this money will be tainted. The ends don’t justify the means, and the way something is executed is just as important as the intention and the outcome.

Q Russell । @Q_M_Russell । Opinion Editor

’m never buying another Apple product again and you shouldn’t either. In December, I went to an Apple Store to replace my battery because my iPhone 6s’ charge wasn’t lasting as long. This was going to be the second time I replaced my battery, with the first replacement coming from a third-party shop. When I got there, I waited for 45 minutes, despite having an appointment, only to be told they wouldn’t replace my battery. The store clerk told me that Apple has a policy of not replacing third-party batteries because they “don’t know how their tools will interact with it.” After this, he told me that I should get a new phone, preferably the latest model of iPhone. This situation is a minor example of a major issue facing society nowadays. Electronic companies use arbitrary rules and underhanded methods to prevent people from repairing the devices they buy. Apple’s refusal to touch third-party batteries is justified with the flimsiest of reasons. They don’t know how their tools will interact with third-party batteries? Their tools will probably interact with them about the same as the tools of the roughly 15,000 other repair stores in the U.S. Alone, this situation could just be seen as Apple attempting to protect itself from liability, but Apple’s heavy restrictions, when contextualized with its other actions, are primarily about preventing phone repair. In 2009, Apple switched to using a five-point security screw on all of its devices. This screw is proprietary and unique to Apple. There was no reason for Apple to do this, and this

decision did nothing but increase the difficulty of repairing phones. In December 2017, Apple admitted that it deliberately slowed older models of iPhones down with software updates. The company claims it did this to improve performance, but it just so happened that the slowdowns coincided with the releases of newer iPhone models and IOS software. Apple deliberately inducing slowdowns in older phones is an example of planned obsolescence. Apple is a particularly egregious practitioner of it, but isn’t the only cell phone company to do it. In October, both Samsung and Apple were fined for planned obsolescence by an Italian court. Apple was fined for its slowdowns, and Samsung was fined for not adequately warning consumers that a software update would cause undue stress on older phones. Why do cell phone companies and electronics companies get to arbitrarily reduce your ability to enjoy

your property? Smart phones can cost between $500 and $1,000, so the idea that that’s only supposed to last two years is ridiculous. That’s why it’s important to support the electronics right to repair movement. This movement, spearheaded by the Repair Association, is dedicated to enacting legislation to protect people’s right to repair the products they buy. As of 2018, there are 18 states with right to repair legislation pending, including North Carolina, Tennessee and Virginia. This legislation would require companies to provide information and parts necessary to maintain products to owners. Unfortunately, companies like Apple and Verizon are fighting against this, by lobbying against these laws in several states. Not only are these companies deciding when you should have to spend more money, they’re actively fighting against your ability to extend the life of your property.

In an age of widespread smarthphone ownage, it should not be up to tech companies to determine when our devices need to be replaced. They should be made easier to repair, and not harder. // Photo illustration by Brendan Hoekstra.

Opinion

Jan. 25, 2019

Purdue Pharma and the Opioid Epidemic Tommy Mozier ‫@ ׀‬TheAppalachian ‫ ׀‬Opinion Writer

n today’s pop culture, there is no shortage of shows and movies about drug cartels in foreign countries, addicting the U.S. to their drugs and becoming filthy rich in the process. However, the 1990s are over, and today’s opioid epidemic is made in the U.S. Its chief architect is the Sackler family and their drug company, Purdue Pharma. Should Netflix’s popular show “Narcos” continue its northward journey from Colombia and Mexico to create “Narcos: U.S.,” our cartel equivalent, albeit non-violent, will be the Sackler family. The drug is not cocaine; it’s OxyContin. Founded in 1952 by brothers

Arthur, Mortimer and Raymond Sackler in Yonkers, New York, and currently headquartered in Stamford, Connecticut, Purdue Pharma brings in $3 billion annually in revenue. The Sackler family is worth $14 billion, according to Forbes. Purdue Pharma released its new form of the painkiller oxycodone, branded OxyContin, in 1996. Purdue salesmen began pitching and cozying up to doctors around the country, particularly in rural and blue-collar areas where chronic pain is common. The salesman told doctors the drug would not be addictive and had low potential for abuse because it was designed to slowly re-

lease throughout the day. Patients would not get high, but still experience relief. The “wonder drug” would not have the “peaks and valleys” of other painkillers. However, the drug’s effect dissipated quicker than expected, leading to increased prescriptions. People still experienced peaks and valleys. The pill could be crushed and snorted for an immediate high. Mass addiction quickly followed. From 1995-96, the number of painkiller prescriptions jumped by 8 million — the “blizzard of prescriptions” the Sacklers hoped for. The Drug Enforcement Administration described the campaign as the most

O P I O I D AD D I CI TONS IN T H E U.S.

APPROXIMATELY 80% of people who use heroin were addicted to prescription opioids first

Number of opioid deaths

INCREA SED

from 1999-2017

More than

4 0% of all opioid overdose deaths in the U.S. are from prescriptions

42, 249 people died of an opioid overdose in 2016-2017 alone Sources: National Institute for Drug Abuse, CDC, and Department of Health and Human Services

aggressive marketing campaign for an opioid in U.S. history. Its pioneer was Arthur Sackler. Opioid deaths more than doubled from 1999 to 2010, the vast majority coming from prescription non-synthetic painkillers, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In Pennington Gap, Virginia, which “Dopesick” author and journalist Beth Macy called the “ground zero” of the opioid epidemic, one pharmacist knew immediately what was happening when Purdue salesmen arrived in the small Appalachian town about 85 miles northeast of Boone to market the new drug. “They are marketing this as non-addicting, and it’s going to be one of the most addictive drugs we have on the market,” the pharmacist said, according to “Dopesick.” “It’s going to destroy us.” In 2007, Purdue and three top executives pleaded guilty to misrepresenting the dangers of OxyContin and paid a $635.6 million fine, the largest ever by a pharmaceutical company. However, the Sacklers were not accused of any wrongdoing and have not faced any personal consequences. But, a recent court filing stated that Purdue Pharma failed to alert authorities after reports of the drugs’ addictive nature and rampant abuse. The filing states that Richard Sackler, Purdue president from 1999 to 2003, oversaw the strategy to shift all blame to the addicts. “We need to hammer on the abusers in every way possible,” Sackler wrote in an email in 2001, according to the court documents. “This is not too bad, it could

have been far worse,” Sackler wrote to company officials after finding out 59 people had died in a single state in 2001. The CDC has found that on average 130 Americans die every day from an opioid overdose. Estimates vary, but anywhere between 200,000 and 400,000 people have died from opioid overdose since 1996. Only in 2015 did illegal synthetic opioids overtake prescription opioids as the lead killer. Prescription opioids still kill more than heroin, even after heroin deaths spiked in 2010. It was in 2010, 15 years after OxyContin’s release, that Purdue Pharma reformulated the drug to be more resistant to abuse and less addictive. Abuse rates dropped and overdose deaths from prescription opioids leveled out, but opioid addiction rates and deaths have continued to skyrocket. Those addicted to OxyContin and other prescription drugs switched to cheaper, more powerful alternatives like heroin and fentanyl to stave off dope sickness. In 2017, almost 20 years and countless deaths after OxyContin’s first release, Purdue Pharma stated that it would stop marketing the drug to doctors in the U.S. The Sackler family is rightfully receiving a torrent of bad press and lawsuits. As the opioid epidemic continues its spread from rural Appalachian towns to suburbs to inner-cities, do not blame the addicts. They are victims of a morally corrupt, much richer, much higher power, which used their well-being to get rich. The Sackler family represents capitalism in its worst form, where profits are put over people’s lives, and they can not be let off the hook.

Et cetera

Jan. 25, 2019

“RIGHTEOUS!” BY NEIL AGNEW

Across

Down

1. Dirty drink?* 6. Sports follower, in women’s apparel 9. ”That smells gross!” 10. Workplace hiring abbr. 11. Cuddles and kisses, affectionately 13. The Cardinals, on scoreboards 14. Business address ending, often 15. Protestant Christianity off-shoot whose German founder shares a name with this puzzle’s theme* 17. Cooking in an oven, simply put* 20. Vagabond 22. Rikki Tikki ____ (short story by Rudyard Kipling) 23. Sopping wet 27. GPS pathway: Abbr. 28. Ogle 29. Start of an iconic speech at the Lincoln Memorial ... and whose orator’s name is hidden in all the starred clues

2. Phone download 3. Come home to ____ (bite back) 4. 1 of 32 in the mouth, for most 5. Illmatic rapper 6. Being more than a match for 7. What many seniors are, for short 8. Email option of old 12. Born as 15. Back muscle, in brief 16. Playboys 17. Meas. using a person’s mass and height 18. Environmentally conscious Ralph 19. We revolve around it, with “the” 20. Shower alternative 21. Eye area below the sclera 22. Three: Prefix 24. Not young 25. Grade for one who barely passed 26. Baseball pitcher’s stat

T H E C OV E R : James Wilkes attending to the beehive located on top of Roses Dining Hall. App State was named one of 61 “Bee Campuses” by Bee Campus USA in January. // Courtesy of Marie Freeman, University Communications

ALWAYS BE IN THE FRONT ROW

MEETINGS THURDAY AND SUNDAY AT 7 P.M. PSU RM. 217

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