The Breeze 9.21.23

On the cover

This week's front page highlights Texas Inn's first year of operation on South Main Street in downtown Harrisonburg.

Dave Saunders, owner of the western-style diner, said he's had qualms with the way the city has treated him. Mainly, he said he faced fire inspection and zoning approval difficulties.

Michael Parks, director of communications for the city of Harrisonburg, said in an email that if Texas Inn didn't pass the fire inspection, it would have posed a threat to itself and surrounding businesses.

Texas Inn is still acclimating to its Harrisonburg location, where customers aren't very familiar with what the business has to offer, Saunders said.

He also said he hopes to eventually be open 24/7 to appeal to both the daytime and nighttime crowds.

LEFT: Miguel Perez is a visiting assistant professor of dance for the year at JMU. Perez teaches a jazz musical theatre style and a modern dance class. Prior to coming to JMU, Perez toured with Celine Dion and danced with Taylor Swift during her 2014 MTV Video Music Awards performance of "Shake It Off." He also teaches at Valley Dance Theatre in Staunton, Virginia, and co-directs his dance company, Conflux Dance Theater, in Richmond. For more about Perez, see the story on page 12. Michael Russo / The Breeze

What's inside...

Editorial Staff

EDITOR-IN-CHIEF GRANT JOHNSON breezeeditor@gmail.com

NEWS EDITORS

ELEANOR SHAW & LIZZIE STONE breezenews@gmail.com

COPY EDITORS EMMA JOHNSON & WILLIAM MORAN breezecopy@gmail.com

Advertising Staff

EXECUTIVE EDITOR MICHAEL RUSSO breezepress@gmail.com

CULTURE EDITORS MORGAN BLAIR & EVAN MOODY thebreezeculture@gmail.com

AUDIENCE EDITOR ALI MCCALEB thebreezesocials@gmail.com

MANAGING EDITOR AVERY GOODSTINE thebreezeweb@gmail.com

SPORTS EDITORS

KAIDEN BRIDGES & JACKSON HEPHNER breezesports@gmail.com

PHOTO EDITORS ABI MIDDLETON & RYAN SAUER breezephotography@gmail.com

CREATIVE DIRECTOR AD DESIGNERS

ALEX CANDELIER TRISTAN GAONA & MEGAN GOLINSKY

The Breeze

COVER GRAPHIC BY: BEN MOULSE / THE BREEZE

OPINION EDITOR EVAN WEAVER breezeopinion@gmail.com

ART DIRECTOR BEN MOULSE thebreezeartdirector@gmail.com

JMU’S AWARD-WINNING NEWSPAPER SINCE 1922

1598 S. Main St. Harrisonburg, VA 22801

PHONE: (540) 568-6127

FAX: (540) 568-7889

MISSION

The Breeze, the student-run newspaper of James Madison University, serves student, faculty and staff readership by reporting news involving the campus and local community. The Breeze strives to be impartial and fair in its reporting and firmly believes in First Amendment rights.

Published on Thursday mornings, The Breeze is distributed throughout James Madison University and the local Harrisonburg community. Single copies of The Breeze are distributed free of charge. Additional copies are available for 50 cents by contacting our business office. Comments and complaints should be addressed to Grant Johnson, editor.

KKK group spreads hateful leaflets in Harrisonburg neighborhood

By MICHAEL RUSSO & ELEANOR SHAW The Breeze

Editor’s Note: This story contains references to rhetoric spread by a white nationalist group. The Breeze is not publishing the distributed leaflets we obtained in full because we do not intend to amplify the messaging of the group in our reporting.

“The Loyal White Knights” (LWK), an offshoot of the Klu Klux Klan (KKK), signed and distributed discriminatory leaflets over the weekend in the Old Town neighborhood of Harrisonburg, Police Chief Kelley Warner confirmed with The Breeze on Tuesday, dropping them off at random properties.

The LWK, based in North Carolina, are “best known for their distribution of racist, antisemitic, anti-immigrant, homophobic and Islamophobic propaganda,” according to the Anti-Defamation League (ADL), an anti-hate group combating antisemitism, extremism and bigotry.

Plastic bags contained the leaflets with pebbles weighing them down and were found on the property of residents in Old Town. The neighborhood, as described by Warner, is off South Main and East Market streets and Martin Luther King Jr. Way, and is home to many JMU faculty and staff members, which was reflected in the content of three leaflets sent to The Breeze by a faculty member Monday night.

These leaflets deprecated higher education, labeling professors as “communists” and asking readers, “What happened to free speech?” One other leaflet contained hateful rhetoric toward black student-athletes, claiming they take advantage of white women.

Warner said she “feels pretty strongly” that no one was particularly targeted because of the randomness of the drops, and that the community is by and large safe. Still, Warner said, the leaflets intended to “spark hate and hate rhetoric” in the community.

“[LWK is] trying to create a sense of fear in a community that doesn’t have reason to have it,” Warner said. “They’re just trying to stir up trouble, and there’s no takers here in the ’Burg. No takers here in the ’Burg. Move on.”

Harrisonburg Director of Communications Mike Parks said the city has been investigating the issue since “at least” Monday. Parks said this tactic of spreading information occurred earlier this year in Northern Virginia’s Loudoun County and Baltimore, among other regional areas.

Parks said there’s not enough cause for concern for locals to take action but said they should be aware of what took place.

“There’s no place for this type of thing to occur here in Harrisonburg,” Parks said. “We denounce it 100%.”

Warner said the Harrisonburg community is a supportive one, and that actions like the leaflets spreading do not represent the city’s people.

“There’s nothing behind the smoke and mirrors,” Warner said. “What we do know is that the majority of people are good and that this community is good, and we must stick together.”

Warner said there have been previous instances of similar “white supremacist nonsense” in Harrisonburg, including in the spring from Patriot Front, a group that distributes propaganda like LWK with themes of racism, antisemitism and intolerance tied to European ancestry, according to the ADL.

The Harrisonburg police department tracks reports of “hate literature” and notifies the community as needed, but Warner said such acts, beyond littering, are not against the law, unless somebody was throwing a leaflet on somebody’s porch and the police could see it or the person who threw it. Warner said next steps for the department include continuing to collect information about these incidents and to share findings with law enforcement partners.

She described the White Knights’ rhetoric as “just a bunch of baloney” and said all they’re good for is spreading lies and hate. And to the groups who continue to distribute discriminatory content, Warner said to “move on with your own hateful selves and go somewhere else.”

In an email to The Breeze, Mary-Hope Vass, JMU executive director for communications and university spokesperson, said in an email Tuesday the school is working closely with both JMU and Harrisonburg’s police departments regarding the leaflets.

“We are aware of the leaflets that were placed in Old Town, a neighborhood in close proximity to our campus community,” Vass

said in the email, on behalf of the university and JMU Athletics. “The university denounces any divisive actions and remains a supportive and inclusive place for faculty, staff and students.”

Vass referred to the Employee Assistance Program, TimelyCare, LiveSafe and the University Counseling Center as resources available for members of the JMU community affected by the leaflets. She also said in her email that anyone who has more information about the incident should contact the Harrisonburg Police Department directly — which has primary jurisdiction over Old Town — and the JMU Police Department is available to address campus-specific concerns.

Faculty Senate Speaker Katherine Ott Walter authored a statement on behalf of the senate, denouncing the leaflet distribution that The Breeze received Wednesday.

“The Faculty Senate of James Madison University condemns the recent distribution of hateful flyers on and around our campus and in our local community. These reprehensible acts by external actors are conducted to cause distress and instill fear; they have no place at JMU. We encourage anyone who witnesses or is a victim of such acts to report them to the JMU Police Department or Harrisonburg Police Department.

“The Faculty Senate stands in solidarity with members of our community whose identities are marginalized or targeted by these messages of hate. All must work to foster an atmosphere of respect and dignity for every member of our community. As such, the Senate seeks to center inclusion, safety, and respect in our work as representatives of the faculty.

“The Faculty Senate affirms JMU’s efforts to support a diverse and inclusive community where faculty, staff, and students from various backgrounds, perspectives, and experiences come together to learn and grow and reiterates our firm stance against any form of hatred, bigotry, or discrimination in our community.”

Grant Johnson, Lizzie Stone and Avery Goodstine contributed to this report.

CONTACT Michael Russo at breezepress@gmail.com and Eleanor Shaw at breezenews@gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

The Old Town neighborhood was the target of what was believed to be a random dispersal of leaflets over the weekend promoting white nationalist ideals and deprecating higher education. Harrisonburg Director of Communications Mike Parks said the city has been investigating the incident since “at least” Monday.

Photos by Ryan Sauer / The Breeze

BoV roundup: Bourne retires, state funding debate, alumni outcomes

By GRANT JOHNSON & ELEANOR SHAW The Breeze

Jeff Bourne’s retirement, a spirited conversation about state funding of financial aid, an encouraging graduate career outcomes report and feedback on the opening of an on-campus safespace for people with military ties filled Friday’s Board of Visitors (BoV) meeting, the first of the 2023-24 school year.

Bourne: ‘It’s been a work of love’

At the end of President Jonathan Alger’s President’s Report, he announced what he called “bittersweet” news: Jeff Bourne, JMU’s athletic director, is retiring at the end of this academic year after a quarter-century in the position.

During Bourne’s tenure, JMU won three national championships — football in 2004 and 2016, and lacrosse in 2018 — and pumped hundreds of millions of dollars into facilities renovations. Over the last few years, he’s led JMU’s jump to the Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) and Sun Belt Conference.

“He’s overseen the rise of our athletic program into a national force, not just in one or two sports, but really across the board,” Alger said. “We’ve had some tremendous investments and help and support and a leadership development program that is really a national model, all developed, again, under Jeff’s watch.”

Alger said JMU will begin a national search for Bourne’s replacement, which Bourne will assist with. Bourne said he’s looking forward to aiding in the search and sharing whatever wisdom he can provide.

“There comes a time in everybody’s life where you say, ‘You know, it’s time to turn the reins over to someone new,’” Bourne said. “You always want to feel like you could go out on top, and you went out when you wanted to. Not many athletic administrators get a chance to do that.”

State funding discourse

One of JMU’s biggest goals, which Alger described to The Breeze over the summer, was

reiterated Friday: getting more funding from the Commonwealth so JMU can increase the number of financial aid packages for prospective students. In turn, JMU hopes to attract a more diverse student body from a wider array of socioeconomic backgrounds, who could bring more robust perspectives to campus.

Board members tossed around different ideas that could prove their case to the General Assembly for more funding, such as comparative charts that show JMU has a better “value proposition” compared to other Virginia colleges.

But BoV Rector Meribeth Herod (’82) said there’s nothing in the template document — which JMU needs to complete in its six-year plan — the school receives from the state that allows it to compare its value.

Then, board member Nicole Wood (’96), a recent Gov. Glenn Youngkin appointee, had a suggestion.

“We need to double down on our Richmond presence because that’s where we get to provide that narrative: that we are doing more with less and having better outcomes,” she said.

Board member Jack White, another Youngkin appointee, said JMU also needs to avoid looking for funding percentage increases that match other universities because, over time, equal percentages widen funding disparities — “unintentional disparities,” as White called them — due to JMU’s already-lower starting point for funding. Instead, board members suggested, the state should look at a set dollar amount.

“That is exactly the point we’ve made in every conversation with the legislators,” Alger said. “We always say: ‘Please stop focusing on percentages across the board.’ Look at the dollars, right, because it is a huge disparity when you look at William & Mary, and what a 1% increase does in their tuition compared to say a 1% increase [at JMU].”

Towana Moore, vice president for finance and physical development, presented JMU’s six-year financial plan starting in 2026, which includes $850,125 for 2024-25 and roughly $1.73 million for 2025-26 of nongeneral funds to expand

financial aid. Nongeneral funds are financial resources originating from sources other than the state’s general fund.

BoV applauds post-graduation progress

Director of the University Career Center (UCC)

Libby Westley and Associate Vice President for Student Affairs Myles Surrett presented statistics on the UCC’s impact to the board, which was met with enthusiastic approval.

Westley and Surrett said the UCC annually tracks the percentage of JMU graduates who achieved career outcomes — which Westley defined as either working full or part time, interning, serving in the military or pursuing graduate school.

“Not having an outcome may be a natural part of their growth process after graduation,” Surrett said. “But by and large, we’re hoping to see outcomes.”

Overall, Westley said 96.3% of JMU class of 2022 have career outcomes — making it No. 1 in the Commonwealth. Of bachelor’s degree recipients, Westley said 58.3% are employed in Virginia, while 67.2% are continuing their education within the Commonwealth. Meanwhile, 67% of advanced-degree recipients work in Virginia.

Surrett said JMU’s outcome rate has been on an upward trajectory over the past couple years — increasing over 8% since 2020. He contrasted these percentages with the National Association of Colleges and Employers (NACE)’s averages for the nation, which were 82.4% in 2020 and 83.8% in 2021.

After the pair spoke, board members commended the UCC’s student resources and said it removes a “huge barrier” to students who wouldn’t have had access to career-oriented resources, such as headshot photography sessions and free business attire.

Other attendees agreed the UCC’s data reflects JMU’s desirability as a university.

“[This] illustrates the value that this university provides, not only for every student who comes but also for the Commonwealth,” one board member said, referring to the wide array of

students who are landing jobs in Virginia after graduation.

Military resource impresses

Tim Miller, vice president for student affairs, introduced the recently opened VALOR Resource Center to the board. The center is a 24/7 space in Taylor Down Under open to anyone affiliated with the military. It will serve JMU’s 1,050 dependents, 150 veterans or active military and 55 faculty and staff members.

“We’re doing this because those that are dependents, and as someone who’s a military veteran myself, they serve and they sacrifice alongside their families,” Miller said. “They have families who miss graduations, who miss family events, who miss birthdays. They are serving alongside of them, whether they’re on the field or not.”

Miller, who helps manage the center, said VALOR has been a work in progress for two years, and he’s “just really proud of this ability to really provide something to the local veterans community, not just our campus veterans.” To this end, Miller said VALOR will house the Shenandoah Valley’s branch of the Virginia Department of Veteran Services and Veteran Family Services.

Since its opening, Miller said VALOR has begun increasing awareness for students’ GI Bill eligibility and plans to coordinate sending students to the Student Veterans Association national conference.

“We are the only school in the Commonwealth to do this right now,” Miller said.

Board members and military veterans Richard “Dickie” Bell and Jack White said VALOR will benefit everyone who returns to school after serving.

“This is just overwhelming,” Bell said. “I think I can safely speak for every veteran that will come in contact with me of how grateful we are for this. This is a wonderful resource.”

CONTACT Grant Johnson at breezeeditor@ gmail.com and Eleanor Shaw at breezenews@ gmail.com. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

Director of Athletics Jeff Bourne announced his retirement Friday at the BoV meeting from a position he will have held for 25 years by the time he officially steps down in spring 2024.

Photos by Ryan Sauer / The Breeze

During the meeting, BoV members pitched ideas for how to gather more state funding for JMU, celebrated an increase in graduates obtaining career outcomes and had great praise for the new on-campus spot of the VALOR Resource Center, a safespace for active military and veterans.

SGA to require prior review for social media campaigns

By HANNAH KENNEDY contributing writer

The Student Government Association (SGA) Senate on Tuesday amended its fall election policy to require prior review of election-related social media posts for campaigning members, heard from the Latinx Student Association, passed an amendment to the Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, Justice and Accessibility (DEIJA) requirements of its constitution, and appointed Kieran Fensterwald to serve as the student representative to the Harrisonburg City Council.

Amendment made to fall election policy

The SGA passed an amendment to the policy with just one opposing senator: senior Parker Boggs. The changes, proposed by elections commissioner sophomore Riley Gilbert, stipulated that “all campaign content posted to social media or otherwise must be approved by the commission before posting.”

Once the floor opened for debate, Gilbert argued in favor of the amendment, stating that by adding this clause, it would prevent a violation of SGA policy.

“Changes I have made are to streamline the elections process and make it easier,” Gilbert said. “We just want to be very clear with this process of election policy.”

Boggs objected to this claim, asking to “strike” the section altogether. Boggs explained it was the responsibility of the candidate who posts potentially offensive content to be held accountable for their misconduct, but the preventative measure was not within SGA’s rights.

“This is a major First Amendment violation,” Boggs said. “I just think it is a violation of personal rights by having something submitted beforehand.”

In response to this, Class of 2026 President Reagan Polarek came to the amendement’s defense. She said it would be best revisited later in the semester, rather than at such a contentious time, given that fall elections happen at the end of September.

“As somebody who’s on the commission, it might just make sense to do it this way for now,” Polarek said.

Furthering this viewpoint, junior Legislative Affairs Chair Marcus Rand called for an expedited approval of the amendment.

“The pre-approval bit specified in this document kind of just prevents any further issues,” Rand said. “We need to move into approving this document, just to make sure elections happen on time.”

Boggs spoke to the The Breeze following the meeting, emphasizing his unaffected viewpoint.

“I didn’t vote for it [because] I’ve been through it before, and I know other kids have been through it before,” Boggs said. “I just believe it’s a blatant violation of someone’s First Amendment right to say what you can and can’t post before getting threatened with campaign suspension. Anything like that, I just think it’s wrong.”

Latinx Student Alliance showcases events

Senior Latinx Student Alliance (LSA) President Anayesica Lopez and Vice President senior Rachel Tapia-Rios presented to the SGA to promote their organization. The alliance upholds their status as “front-end budgeted” by using the funding from the SGA and proceeds collected by other means to act, according to its mission statement.

“The Latinx Student Alliance is a student organization that represents the Latinx community at JMU by living and celebrating our culture and roots, striving to advocate for the Latinx culture and individuals to obtain higher education and achieving better representation and opportunities for Latinx students on campus,” Tapia-Rios said.

Since last year, the alliance has doubled in size, going from roughly 100 students in fall 2022 to now nearly 200. They aim to keep growing both in size and impact at JMU by continuing to host events for current and prospective members.

“The purpose of this is to teach our community, not necessarily just our members, but for you all,” Tapia-Rios said.

From “bigs and littles,” a senior-freshman companionship seen throughout various oranizations, to Arrocito Con Historia, a Latin American history lesson using rice as a medium, the organization strives to create a sense of camaraderie in Harrisonburg. An upcoming event, Celebranción Latina, marks an especially empowering day for the LSA, according to its presentation.

“We celebrate our whole year, accomplishing all of our goals, but, more importantly, who we are,” Lopez said.

Other highlights

The SGA unanimously approved a DEIJA amendment that increases the minimum number of active -member diversity requirements from one to two. For all members of the SGA, this means participating in at least two DEIJA-approved events per semester that promote diversity, equity, inclusion and/or justice, according to the SGA’s constitution.

“It’s not a huge time requirement,” junior DEIJA chair Takiyah Monrose-Richardson said. “We’re really supposed to be representing the student body.”

To facilitate this, junior Faith Forman, student body vice president, said MonroseRichardson has posted “so many” events to the SGA’s Canvas page.

The SGA also unanimously voted to appoint sophomore Kieran Fensterwald to serve as the student representative to the Harrisonburg City Council. This position involves working to integrate JMU into the Harrisonburg community, as well as servicing the two areas.

“I think that he’d do a fantastic job as our representative … He’s super motivated to kind of get into those more local matters — I feel like it’s an understated position,” Rand said. “It is a pretty crucial part of our advocacy to work, specifically with the city, and I think that he’s the best [person] to do that.”

CONTACT Hannah Kennedy at kennedhj@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

Just one senator, senior Parker Boggs, opposed the amendment that calls for the review of campaign posts, saying it’s a “major First Amendment violation.” Daria Ausen / The Breeze

LinkedIn editor promotes soft skills of liberal arts

By ABBY CAMP & JOELLE MCKENZIE contributing writers

George Anders, the senior editor-at-large for LinkedIn, visited JMU on Monday to discuss his recent book, “You Can Do Anything: The Surprising Power of a ‘Useless’ Liberal Arts Education,” which he said was written to aid liberal arts majors in obtaining careers after graduating.

“I think there’s a tremendous amount of talent and ingenuity in the liberal arts community, but when I started the book, I felt a lot of people were beaten down, beginning to feel reinforced by society,” Anders said in a separate interview with Breeze TV on Tuesday. “They felt like they were isolated, and I wanted to bring a message of hope.”

Anders has also written five other books, including a New York Times Bestseller. He previously worked at the Wall Street Journal, where he was a part of a team that won the Pulitzer Prize for national reporting in 1997 for coverage of the AIDS epidemic.

Shannon Wilson, director of professional development and engagement for the College of Arts & Letters, said she organized the event after reading Anders’ book last year and realized its importance for students.

“This is a message that is very relevant to our students and to our faculty and staff who work with our students as we help guide them through what’s after graduation,” Wilson said in an interview with The Breeze after Anders’ lecture.

Anders focused his lecture on the topic of soft skills and the ways they are enriched

through liberal arts classes. He said skills such as communication, leadership, problem solving and perseverance are imperative to gain employment — all obtained through studying liberal arts.

“People in liberal arts are explorers,” Anders said. “You are going to have to build out things that didn’t exist before; that’s why they hired you.”

To prepare themselves in college, students should get to know their professors, Anders said. Professors can be their allies, he said, and they want to engage with their students.

For college students entering the workforce, Anders warned their first job may not be everything they hoped or that it may be stressful. However, he said this stress means they are learning and growing.

“You will always have one week that is just the worst week of the job,” Anders said. “That doesn’t mean you have to quit. It does mean sometimes that you need to call a friend, call home and go, ‘This was really tough.’ Let the stress out.”

When asked about how to move forward when faced with regret regarding a career choice, Anders encouraged detecting the factor hindering success. He said

discovering the best career path means giving many different industries a chance and finding the one that fuels a desire to work.

Anders also touched on the growing importance and prevalence of artificial intelligence (AI). He compared AI to spreadsheets, a digital tool that has progressed human productivity in the past. Although the demand for bookkeepers decreased after spreadsheets’ usage, financial analyst jobs were essentially nonexistent before they came around.

“We’re constantly moving up the ladder of skill and expertise, but that’s not a bad thing,” Anders said. “I’m cautiously optimistic … There’s a lot that I think could be useful.”

Another issue many college students struggle with is student debt. When Anders was asked why he believes the ends justify the means with a liberal arts degree, he introduced the idea of a debt strategy, a process of questions Anders created regarding student loans, alternative payment methods, transferring from community college and creating a graduation plan to finish a degree as quickly as possible. He also touched on institutions cutting

their liberal arts programs. Anders advised students to value their passions over the desire for a higher salary, as there is a “wider dimension” of success when equipped with a broad understanding of the world around them.

At the end of his speech, Anders outlined the value of connections in liberal arts industries and making sure to access resources that each institution has, especially alumni networks.

Audience members stayed behind to meet Anders. JMU mathematics professor Elizabeth Brown said she most resonated with the need to communicate the themes of a liberal arts education to students.

Melinda Adams, associate dean of the College of Arts and Letters, shared a similar sentiment.

“Our majors don’t necessarily have a specific job that they’re trained for, and so, how they can explore what kinds of job opportunities are out there?” Anders said. “I think that was something that was a takeaway.”

Lecture attendee Ciara Brennan (’17) said she found the event to be more applicable than she originally expected.

“I think I probably appreciate it more having graduated and had a few jobs and gone back to get another degree in the liberal arts,” Brennan said. “I think a lot of what he had to say was really spot on, and I found a lot of things that were informative for me in the workforce currently.”

CONTACT Abby Camp at campadj@dukes. jmu.edu and Joelle McKenzie at mckenzjl@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more coverage of JMU and Harrisonburg news, follow the news desk on X @BreezeNewsJMU.

George Anders said liberal arts majors gain valuable communication and problem-solving experience in college. Ryan Sauer / The Breeze

Texas Inn owner says ‘Friendly City’ isn’t too kind

By GRACE REED contributing writer

Texas Inn, a small, retro diner known for its signature cheeseburger, the Cheesy Western, opened Aug. 27, 2022. Now that the South Main Street diner has been open for a year, owner Dave Saunders opened up about what’s been a mostly unpleasant experience bringing the restaurant to the Friendly City.

“Opening in Harrisonburg and working with the city was a nightmare in terms of dealing with every single department,” Saunders said.

Saunders was “stunned” that “this Friendly City and little town in the mountains” was so difficult to work with and get zoning, fire inspection and other city department approval. Saunders said many city departments were rude and seemingly unwilling to cooperate with him opening his business.

He said he found other local small businesses in Harrisonburg had similar experiences. Although Saunders said he wants to emphasize that Harrisonburg should be more “business friendly,” he applauded the Chamber of Commerce for working well with him and Texas Inn.

Mary Yoder, who runs Dart Resale and Trade, a used clothing store in downtown Harrisonburg, said she didn’t experience the same difficulty Saunders had with the city in getting approval, adding that her experience has been “fine.” Yoder also said she didn’t experience any issues with the fire marshal during the interactions she’s had during safety inspections.

Yoder joined a program for new entrepreneurs through Harrisonburg’s Economic Development department called Launch by CoStarters, which she found “beneficial” because she met new entrepreneurs in the program and learned “business basics.”

Michael Parks, director of communications for the city of Harrisonburg, said in an email on Sept. 5 the city will always be supportive and work to accommodate the needs of businesses, but would never sacrifice the safety of the community to do so. Parks said Harrisonburg has to receive “proper notice” if a business wants to be open by a certain date. For example, if Texas Inn lacked a proper hood suppression system, it would be noted as a serious hazard, which could threaten the business as well as others around it. If this was not resolved, Parks said, the lacking of a system likely would have shut Saunders’ business down for an extended period of time.

Bring it Inn

The Saunders family owns three Texas Inn locations: two in Lynchburg and one in Harrisonburg. In October, Texas Inn will be celebrating its 88th anniversary since the first location in Lynchburg opened.

A great deal of Saunders’ time has been spent in Harrisonburg over the last six years because of his daughter and son attending JMU. He first realized the potential of expanding to Harrisonburg when he visited for his daughter’s graduation at JMU. This initial interest in the community led him to later purchase a property in downtown Harrisonburg that was previously a Mexican restaurant. About 90 days later, Texas Inn opened to the public.

Saunders described the Texas Inns in Lynchburg as known commodities. Going from a town where most people know what a Cheesy Western is to a town where the burger would have to be introduced was a challenge for Saunders, Saunders said. In Lynchburg, the top-selling menu item is the Cheesy Western, which isn’t as popular of a choice in Harrisonburg because of the unfamiliarity, he said.

“We know that if someone comes in and orders a hamburger,

Texas Inn owner Dave Saunders said getting fire inspections and zoning approval, among other safety checks, from the city was difficult. Kailey Garner / The Breeze

that’s a customer for a day,” Saunder said. “If someone comes in and orders a Cheesy Western, that’s a customer for life.”

In Harrisonburg, Saunders discovered he has to explain more of what Texas Inn is and isn’t. The diner only seats 18 people, yet Texas Inn continues to get “angry phone calls” when customers aren’t able to make reservations, Saunders said. The diner is also known to use the same recipes and have the same menu as they did 80 years ago, but new customers sometimes complain of a lack of vegan and vegetarian options, Saunders said.

To bridge the unfamiliarity gap, Saunders said getting involved in the Harrisonburg community has been important. Some of his in the Harrisonburg community has been important. Some of his engagement with the community includes partnerships with Blue Ridge Food Bank at Christmas time, Pi Day on March 14 with slices of pie priced at $3.14 — the proceeds going to the Harrisonburg Education Foundation — as well as joining the Chamber of Commerce.

“Things like this help explain who we are and who we’re not,” Saunders said.

Finding space

Saunders said he believes there is one misconception about downtown Harrisonburg that has never been clarified or advertised — the free parking — which would help businesses thrive.

“There are more than 700 free parking spaces within one block of my restaurant with 18 stools, but the biggest complaint is that there’s nowhere to park,” Saunders said. He said he noticed a bank behind Texas Inn that customers can park at when the bank closes on weekdays after 5 p.m. and all day on weekends. Harrisonburg has “recently made changes to parking Downtown to better utilize spaces,” Parks said in the email, adding that these changes include 10-minute parking spots for take-out locations.

Parking can be difficult to find around Yoder’s shop too — she said she would love more parking around Dart Resale and Trade. Most of her customers park at Turner Pavilion or the Water Street parking deck, but Yoder typically parks on Liberty Street.

Emily Winter, director of marketing for Harrisonburg Downtown Renaissance (HDR), said HDR is involved in creating parking maps and facilitates the use of private parking lots for large community events. HDR also develops web and social media content to

let patrons know when additional parking is available, Winter said. A parking map has also been launched by HDR to help patrons with limited mobility find spaces downtown.

A place in the ’Burg

Texas Inn has two different audiences, a daytime and nighttime crowd, Saunders said. He said the two audiences are different, and he encourages customers who have been during the day to visit at night and vice versa,to get a full understanding of the atmospheres the diner has to offer. His daytime audience is family friendly, he said, while his nighttime crowds are typically party goers.

“Ultimately, I would love to get to the point where we’re open 24 hours a day; that’s my No. 1 goal,” Saunders said. The way that will happen is if more customers visit regularly.

He said he thinks Harrisonburg is the perfect place for what Texas Inn offers because its “small town vibe” pairs perfectly with the diner — “a place where the server knows your name and your order.”

Sophomore Osiah Dosamantes first visited Texas Inn in August, he said. The diner had been too busy for Dosamantes to stay and eat, but he still applauded the staff for their warm greetings. Dosamantes said he later Doordashed Texas Inn and was impressed.

“Their prices are great, their descriptions of items are pretty funny and the food is fantastic,” Dosamantes said, adding that Texas Inn is perfect for late-night trips while exploring downtown with friends.

Being open for 88 years shows Texas Inn knows exactly what customers want, Saunders said: “good food, served fast, at a reasonable price.”

“Most brands will give you good and fast or fast and cheap, but we’ll give you all three,” Saunders said. “That’s our promise.”

Saunders said he wants to let the Harrisonburg and JMU communities know “we love you all and want to thank you for welcoming us with open arms.” He said he looks forward to celebrating more milestones in the future of Texas Inn in Harrisonburg.

CONTACT Grace Reed at reedlg@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @ Breeze_Culture.

Limited menu options and seating have been at the center of complaints from customers about Texas Inn. Saunders said the diner has received angry phone calls when reservations aren’t accepted. Texas Inn, which also is in Lynchburg, Virginia, uses the same menu as it did 80 years ago. Photo by Evan Moody / The Breeze

Saunders said he would love for Texas Inn to eventually operate 24 hours a day. Kailey Garner / The Breeze

Texas Inn owner Dave Saunders said a misconception about downtown Harrisonburg is that free parking has never been clarified or advertised. Kailey Garner / The Breeze

After performing with Celine Dion and Taylor Swift, visiting professor of dance now inspires students

By MALLORY EVANS contributing writer

Miguel Perez has quite literally danced with the stars.

Now, Perez is adding visiting assistant dance professor to his extensive resume. From performing in front of sold-out crowds alongside names like Celine Dion, Taylor Swift and Shania Twain to choreographing dance companies across the country, Perez has covered a spectrum of arts experiences throughout his 22 years in the industry.

“What helped my career was that I was very versatile,” Perez said. “When I was learning dances, I started with country line dancing, to hip-hop, to jazz, to ballet. I could pretty much jump from different jobs and different types of styles.”

His multifaceted career began when he was a senior in high school. Then he recieved a fouryear scholarship to the University of Arizona to study dance. And even though Perez just began to cultivate his passion after high school, this never hindered him from soaring to new heights.

After working with the River North Dance Chicago company, Perez moved to Las Vegas, where he danced for 4 1/2 in Dion’s world tour.

The mental and physical training processes for live performances are extremely vigorous, Perez said; however, a hectic back-and-forth routine is what keeps the business exhilarating.

“You don’t realize all the hours you’re putting into the rehearsals — sometimes you’re doing a performance and then you’re flying out and doing another show,” Perez said. “You have to make sure you’re eating right, you’re exercising, you’re doing everything to be ready for the show.”

Even through all the required preparation, it’s rewarding to see a finished piece and how it affects so many audiences, Perez said.

“My first performance with Celine Dion was in front of 60,000 people — there are so many people that you can’t even see the heads of who’s watching — but the energy that they give you, you feed off of it, and then you just give it your all,” Perez said. “It’s amazing.”

Perez also danced alongside Swift in a performance of her hit song “Shake It Off” during the 2014 MTV Video Music Awards, which he described as “an amazing experience.”

“We got to meet [Swift,] and she’s actually very sweet,” Perez said. “Her and her mom are really nice; she made us cookies.”

The choreographer who worked on Perez’s performance with Swift, which featured him flying through the air among a group of 20 men, also choreographed a show for Shania Twain, which Perez danced in as well.

Perez retired a few years ago from stage performance. He said dancers are just like football players or gymnasts, whose bodies start to hurt and aren’t able to do the same things as they get older.

“When you get to your 30s, people are like, ‘You need to retire,’” Perez said.

“If you still have a passion for the arts, maybe you can’t do your biggest jump or all these things, but there are other things that you can find. I feel like I gravitate more to older dancers because they’ve lived their life and they can bring that to the stage.”

Even though Perez maintains a busy travel schedule to pursue his various teaching positions, his work at JMU is in full operation. He’s becoming an integral component of The School of Theatre and Dance.

“I am teaching jazz musical theatre style, a modern class as well, and then I’m also setting a piece this semester that will be performed sometime in December,” Perez said.

Associate professor of dance and friend Matt Pardo encouraged Perez to pursue work at the university. After discussions with department faculty, Perez accepted the position, saying he’s “loving” his experience so far.

Senior musical theatre major Maleek Hill is in Perez’s musical theater styles course. He said Perez creates an explorative environment with an organized and innovative class structure, with transparency at the forefront.

“In our first conversation, he talked a lot

about how he’s going to be our teacher,” Hill said, “but he also wants to be our casting agent, our director, our choreographer.”

Perez embodies different roles to impart the best advice he can to his students, Hill said. Each class is interactive, which can translate to students’ own auditions and dance work.

“He is just phenomenal within his teaching technique as far as the way he implements something,” Hill said. “He doesn’t just say it, he shows it.”

Hill mentioned how advantageous it is for the course’s design to promote activeness and teamwork, and he said Perez has created a constructive atmosphere for students to thrive.

In addition to his role at JMU, Perez teaches at Valley Dance Theatre in Staunton, Virginia, and commutes from Richmond, where he co-founded Conflux Dance Theater, a contemporary dance company. The organization showcased its first performance in May 2022 to a sold-out audience and recently formed a board to discuss next steps for the company.

“We came up with the name ‘Conflux’ because it’s like two rivers merging as one, which gives a nod to Richmond being known as a ‘river city,’” Perez said. “And also it’s an assemblage of people; with the arts, we wanted to bring people together from different backgrounds.”

With an already diverse company, Perez and his team hope to hire additional choreographers, specifically providing voices to women and people of color, he said.

Perez is also employed at West End Academy of Dance in Henrico County, Virginia, where he works as a jazz and contemporary instructor. In an email to The Breeze on Sept. 10, Madison Ellington, the studio director and owner, described the invaluable contributions Perez has made to the business.

“Miguel brings his vast knowledge of the commercial and concert dance space,” Ellington said in the email. “[He] brings out the best in all of our dancers because he pushes them individually to be the best version of themselves.”

Ellington highlighted how Perez draws on his personal experiences to convey stories and lessons to his students, inspiring them to reach their full potential and experiment with different styles and techniques.

“We remind the dancers that we are not striving for perfection; we are striving for their best effort. If they give us their all, the teachers will give them their all in return,” Ellington said.

Perez reflected on his introduction to the dance world, noting inspirations such as Michael Jackson, Janet Jackson and Paula Abdul. “I come from a Catholic background. My dad is very macho, and I was [originally] like, ‘Boys don’t dance,’” Perez said. “But later on, without knowing, I would lock the door in my bedroom, and I would learn all the music videos.”

Throughout his career, Perez credits his teachers for providing a supportive and creative platform for his skills to shine through, particularly professors from Arizona who encouraged him to reach new heights.

Now as a teacher himself, Perez stressed a valuable lesson he relays to his students and colleagues: “I tell people in dance [that] it’s great to be talented, but the most important thing is to be nice to everyone. You never know when people are going to hire you or recommend you,” Perez said.

From operating in classroom settings to performing with some of music’s most coveted artists, Perez said he has gained life-changing experiences and is excited for those still to come.

“I’ve told myself now to just say ‘Yes’ to everything — there’ll be time to sleep and rest later, but I’m doing something that I love,” Perez said. “If I can give [my students] some sort of little purpose in their studies, I want to instill that in [them] and guide them along in their career.”

Perez said he’s always searching for new ways to perform and collaborate in the dance world. Even after working seven days a week last year and his commute between various dance companies, he said he didn’t want to pass up his opportunity at JMU.

“I’m having a great time teaching at JMU. I feel very blessed,” Perez said. “The faculty has welcomed me in, and the dancers are incredible. I love teaching at a place [where] people are eager, and they have a passion. I’ve been here a month, and I can’t wait to see how the dancers grow this whole year.”

Avery Goodstine and Michael Russo contributed to this report.

CONTACT Mallory Evans at evans4mr@ dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @ Breeze_Culture.

Perez, a visiting assistant dance professor at JMU, has worked with Celine Dion, Shania Twain and Taylor Swift.

Miguel Perez is teaching dance classes on jazz musical theatre style, as well as a modern class, and is working on a piece that will be staged in December. Photos by Michael Russo / The Breeze

JMU alumna to open glutenfree bakery

By ASHLEE THOMPSON The Breeze

Sarah Baker-McEvilly (’19) was diagnosed with a gluten intolerance ten years ago. As a lover of pastries and cakes, she said she was “devastated” and in denial that she would never taste her favorite glutenous delicacies ever again.

That was until she realized she could learn to bake gluten-free treats she enjoys that would taste the same —if not better — than the gluten-filled food she ate growing up.

Baker-McEvilly is looking to open BMC Bakes, an allergy-friendly bakery in October, she said. The idea for a storefront was sparked after Baker-McEvilly had a successful year at the Harrisonburg Farmers Market and her bakery’s growing demand. BMC Bakes will have a menu of only gluten-free pastries, cakes, cookies and more, and will be located on North Main Street, two doors down from The Golden Pony.

“I think there is a stigma around gluten-free or allergy-friendly foods that they don’t taste as good,” Baker-McEvilly said. “If I thought there was a difference, I wouldn’t think it was a marketable business strategy.”

Baker-McEvilly said although her two majors — religion and justice studies — were not

business related, they were still instrumental in building the skills necessary to get her to where she is today.

“In college, I was directionless. I got these two majors because I thought they would give me a lot to work with,” Baker-McEvilly said. “I thought JMU was great because I had the freedom to go in different directions, and any program I picked would be good for me.”

After declaring as a biology major and quickly dropping it, she found a home in the religion and justice studies majors. BakerMcEvilly said the professional preparation she did in her justice studies courses taught her how to create resumes and cover letters and present herself in front of others — something she said came in handy when she began her business journey.

“I double majored, so I worked really hard to pull that off in four years,” Baker-McEvilly said. “It taught me lots of time management and how to pace myself. It’s been really important at this time in knowing how much I can handle.”

Baker-McEvilly recently finalized her menu, which features the tagline, “Always gluten free, occasionally dairy free and sometimes vegan.” Baker-McEvilly said she hopes to offer at least one dairy-free and/or vegan option every week, saying her rotating macaron-flavor menu will

always have a dairy-free alternative.

“I don’t think I’d open a business anywhere other than Harrisonburg,” she said. “There’s not really any catty competition where restaurants and bakeries are upset that there’s another one coming in. The business owners are really happy to help you and talk to you.”

Hayley Hawk, a freshman hospitality management major, was diagnosed with Celiac Disease when she was 10 years old. It’s an autoimmune disease that leads to damage in the small intestine when gluten is ingested, meaning Hawk — and the 2 million people nationwide with the disease — cannot consume wheat, rye, barley and malt, among other glutenous items.

“I think it is important to have a bakery like this because it is so much easier going out, with friends and family and not having to ask 1 million questions and feel like a burden,” Hawk said of BMC Bakes. “Having an all-gluten-free bakery is going to settle a lot of nerves and open a bunch of doors.”

Frances Flannery was Baker-McEvilly’s professor for all of her four years at JMU. Being diagnosed on and off with celiac disease all

her life, Flannery said she’s excited to have a gluten-free bakery in town, especially operated and owned by one of her former students.

“My guess is it will be a place we’ll want to linger and read in while we nosh on a baked good,” Flannery said. “Sarah is such a bibliophile that it is probably going to have that kind of book-lovers, peaceful vibe.”

Flannery is also appreciative of the bakery being created by someone who understands gluten intolerances, a subject she said she feels many food service workers aren’t fully educated on.

“I really appreciate food menus that mark gluten-free for me, and I have noticed more of these over the past few years,” Flannery said. “However, I also find food service people who don’t know what ‘GF’ is and give me the wrong advice and the wrong food, so there is still a learning curve that is needed.”

CONTACT Contact Ashlee Thompson at thomp6ab@dukes.jmu.edu. For more on the culture, arts and lifestyle of the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the culture desk on X and Instagram @Breeze_Culture.

JMU alumna Sarah Baker-McEvilly (‘19) began plans to open her gluten-free bakery after seeing need for allergy-friendly options in Harrisonburg. Courtesy of Sarah Baker-McEvilly

EDITORS Kaiden Bridges & Jackson Hephner EMAIL breezesports@gmail.com

Sophomore makes comeback after first-year injury

Outside hitter Brenya Reid finds groove in second season

By SARABETH ELLIS contributing writer

Sophomore outside hitter Brenya Reid, a former foursport athlete, is using her athleticism and versatility to make a name for herself on JMU volleyball’s veteran-laden offense. The former Gatorade Delaware Volleyball Player of the Year has the third-most points on the team this season, behind senior outside hitter Miette Veldman and fifth-year middle blocker Sophie Davis.

Coming from her home state of Delaware to play volleyball at JMU was a major transition for Reid, she said. Originating from a place where volleyball isn’t very big, she said when she arrived at JMU, she focused primarily on hitting, passing and receiving serves. However, she’s risen to the occasion and is now a key player for the Dukes. Reid credits her performance this season to more experience and growing confidence.

“Everyone makes mistakes — you just have to learn from it and keep pushing and leave it all on the court,” Reid said. “That’s what’s really been motivating me the past couple of weeks, just like you know you can do it. Just go out there and leave it on the floor.”

Reid’s freshman year was one for the record books as the Dukes finished as Sun Belt champions, remaining undefeated on their home court and 15-1 in the conference. As a freshman on a collegiate team, Reid said she was nervous. However, she did not back down from the pressure and competed in 24 matches, racking up a career-high 18 kills against Marshall on Nov. 4.

While Reid had an impressive start to her JMU career, not

everything about her freshman season was positive. She suffered a meniscus tear and had to get surgery at the end of the season. Despite the setback, Reid used her recovery as motivation to get even better. Veldman, a fellow outside hitter, said she was impressed with Reid’s ability to bounce back.

“She came back, it felt like so quickly and just, like, immediately picked up where she left off, so it shows a lot about her resilience and her toughness,” Veldman said. “I think that speaks a lot about her.”

Reid hasn’t slowed down coming into her second season, helping facilitate the Dukes’ offense. She’s played in 10 of the 11 matches through Sept. 21 and has tallied 74 kills, the third most on the team behind Davis and Veldman.

Reid has racked up 15 blocks in her 10 games this fall and has proved herself to be a threat to opposing hitters, which she said didn’t come naturally to her in the beginning.

“I have more training under my belt,” Reid said. “This year, my biggest focus is blocking because that was something that I never really worked on before.”

In the Erie Insurance Invitational from Sept. 8-10, Reid led JMU in kills against VCU with 13. Head coach Lauren Steinbrecher attributes much of Reids’ offensive success to how she’s able to generate plays that most defenders aren’t used to seeing.

“She just brings a level of physicality, and she has such a high contact point that she is really tough to defend,” Steinbrecher said. “She can hit some pretty intense angles and shots that you just don’t see a lot.”

Part of the physicality and athleticism that Reid exhibits comes from her time as a multi-sport athlete in high school.

Along with volleyball, she played basketball, softball, and track and field, where she was a long jump state champion. Reid said sports have always been important to her family, and growing up as a multi-sport athlete has not only helped her to become a better volleyball player physically but also mentally.

“I have that standard of ‘You know what you can do, like, go out there and do it,’” Reid said. “So I guess that’s really helped me.”

While Reid has worked hard in the offseason to rehab her knee and improve her game, Steinbrecher said she thinks there is still more to come for Reid, especially as she gains more experience.

“Even offensively, I think she still has a huge ceiling, let alone all the other parts of her game,” Steinbrecher said. “I think she will really come into one of the best players to play at JMU with hard work and focus.”

With 11 juniors, seniors and fifth-years graduating over the next two years, Reid has put herself in the position to become a leader and generate even more success for the Dukes. Steinbrecher said she’s optimistic about Reid’s future and believes she will continue to exceed expectations.

“I think it is so promising, she still has so much potential that she hasn’t amassed yet,” Steinbrecher said. “So it’s exciting to think, with more and more training and development, how great she can be in all aspects of the game.”

CONTACT Sarabeth Ellis at ellis2sp@dukes.jmu.edu. For more volleyball coverage, follow the sports desk on X at @TheBreezeSports

JMU volleyball head coach Lauren Steinbrecher said sophomore outside hitter Brenya Reid will turn into “one of the best players to play at JMU with hard work and focus.” Courtesy of JMU Athletics

‘He’s a stud’: LB Fisher makes impact on defense, special teams

By KAIDEN BRIDGES The Breeze

Scott Stadium in Charlottesville fills to the brim as JMU and U.Va. football go head to head for the first time in 40 years.

Purple and gold streamers soar as the Dukes pull ahead 7-0 on the Cavaliers after their first drive. Cheers from JMU fans grow louder on the next drive as U.Va. freshman quarterback Anthony Colandrea and the Cavaliers fail to convert on third down.

Cavaliers’ senior punter Daniel Sparks takes the field, ready to send the football back to the Dukes. Boom.

JMU sophomore linebacker Aiden Fisher comes around the corner, untouched, and gets a hand on the ball, blocking Sparks’ punt.

Fisher’s teammate, freshman cornerback D’Angelo Ponds, pounces on the loose ball in the end zone, putting the Dukes up 14-0 early over the Cavaliers.

Ponds, Fisher and the rest of the special teams unit crowd in the end zone below JMU fans. More streamers fly as JMU continue to celebrate.

The Dukes went up 14-0 on the Cavaliers with still over half of the first quarter to play — en route to a thrilling 36-35 win two weeks ago.

Fisher was named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week after his performance against the Cavaliers. Not only had Fisher been credited with the blocked punt, but he also led the team in tackles after recording one solo and eight assisted.

“He’s a stud. He’s going to be really special for us,” redshirt senior defensive tackle James Carpenter said postgame after Fisher’s performance against U.Va. “A young guy, but

he flies around and he’s a really good linebacker for us. He’s obviously got a lot to learn, but man, he’s been really good for us.”

Fisher said he’s learning by playing alongside who he believes are the “best linebackers in the Sun Belt,” redshirt junior linebacker Taurus Jones and junior linebacker Jailin Walker, who didn’t play Saturday night against Troy due to respective injuries.

“I’m really just trying to be a sponge and learn off those to take advantage of every opportunity I’m given,” Fisher said.

After JMU’s win 38-3 over Bucknell, when Fisher finished with four tackles—three solo and one assisted— Jones, who Fisher has been learning under, said Fisher put in a lot of work during the offseason, adding that he had a great August camp going into the year.

“His body has changed, his mind has changed from that year-one-to-year-two jump,” Jones said. “He does a great job on special teams as well. So him getting snaps now … it’s amazing because he deserves it.”

In JMU’s first Sun Belt win of the season over Troy, Fisher played the entire game with Walker and Jones sidelined with injuries, something Fisher had never done before in his JMU career.

On Tuesday, JMU head coach Curt Cignetti said he was pleased to have “good depth” within sections of the roster, especially at linebacker when Jones and Walker are out, saying Fisher has been “playing real well for a while.”

Fisher finished the Dukes’ 16-14 victory over the Trojans with six tackles — four solo and two assisted — and said afterwards he felt “awesome” in the increased role.

“I’m ready to do it again next week if the opportunity arises,” Fisher said.

After Troy, Cignetti emphasized that the team had plenty

of young players, Fisher included, who were improving and making an impact on the field. But Fisher plays linebacker, a position that Cignetti said includes two of JMU’s best 10 players: Walker and Jones.

“We went in and they didn’t even play, and we got this done,” Cignetti said after the Troy win; Trent Hendricks played alongside Fisher at linebacker in the game. “I can’t say enough about Fisher — we’ve always viewed him as a starter.”

As the Dukes went back to the locker room after beating Troy, preparing to fly back to Harrisonburg late Saturday night, the Dukes carried on their tradition of singing the JMU fight song after the win, normally led by players who played strong roles in the game. Fisher led Saturday night’s melody alongside redshirt sophomore defensive lineman Mikail Kamara, who had three solo tackles and two sacks against the Trojans.

“Aiden’s a hard-working guy,” Kamara said. “I was happy to do it with him.”

As a freshman last season, Fisher played in 10 of 11 games, recording his only five tackles — one solo and four assisted — in JMU’s 37-3 win over Old Dominion on Nov. 12. Since the start of spring practice this season, Cignetti has been praising Fisher for his work and growth.

“He’s a reactive, instinctive player that plays fast, very dependable, smart player and he’s in the right place,” Cignetti said after a spring practice on April 18. “He’s where he’s supposed to be, which is what playing football is all about.”

CONTACT Kaiden Bridges at breezesports@gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X at @ TheBreezeSports.

Fisher was named the Sun Belt Special Teams Player of the Week after his blocked punt against U.Va.

Sophomore linebacker Aiden Fisher has a total of 19 tackles — eight solo and 11 assisted — through the first three games season. Photos by Ryan Sauer / The Breeze

Head coach Curt Cignetti said he’s always viewed Fisher as a starter for the Dukes.

Why does JMU have three straight road games? Sun Belt office explains

By JACKSON HEPHNER The Breeze

JMU is preparing to face Utah State on Saturday for its third straight road game. It’s the first time the Dukes have had three straight games away from Bridgeforth Stadium without a bye week since 2019.

“How we ended up with three away games in a row without a bye week, I don't know. I guess maybe as part of our transition penalty,” Cignetti joked with the media after practice on Tuesday.

In reality, the answer has nothing to do with the transition directly. Rather, this stretch in JMU’s schedule resulted from the randomness of the Sun Belt Conference’s scheduling process — and ultimately came down to luck.

Every year, the Sun Belt puts together the final schedule for all 14 teams in the conference, adding in one game for each divisional opponent, as well as two crossdivisional matchups, according to a Sun Belt spokesperson. The latter is why the Dukes haven’t been home since Week 1. Going into the year, JMU had scheduled non-conference matchups in Weeks 2 (U.Va.) and 4 (Utah State), with an open Week 3. The Dukes then went to Troy in Week 3, except the conference wasn’t the one who made that decision.

According to the Sun Belt spokesperson, the conference doesn’t directly pick the crossdivisional matchups. Instead, it uses an outside company to create a computer program that randomly selects the cross-divisional matchups based off this set of parameters:

• Every team plays every team in the opposite division once every four years.

• Every team plays every team in the opposite division at home and on the road once every seven years.

This scheduling process took place back in January 2022, the spokesperson said, six months before JMU, Old Dominion, Marshall and Southern Miss officially joined the conference. The matchups JMU generated extend through 2028, so it’s been set to play Troy and South Alabama for almost two years — JMU began planning Sun Belt games before July 2022 — and almost a year before all three of those teams finished either first (JMU, Troy) or second (South Alabama) in their respective divisions.

But the randomness doesn’t stop there. The Sun Belt also uses a computer program to randomly generate each team’s full schedule. The conference enters in each team’s conference opponents, factors in any non-conference matchups that have already been scheduled and produces a schedule most ideal for its members.

The schedule that’s generated is never perfect, though, and sometimes teams don’t help themselves. The Sun Belt recommends that teams schedule nonconference matchups in Weeks 1-4.

But in August of last year, JMU didn’t follow this recommendation, scheduling UConn for Nov. 11. Assistant Athletic Director for Communications Kevin Warner said the decision to schedule the Huskies was because the transition from FCS to FBS left JMU with multiple open scheduling spots that needed to be filled quickly. He added that only four of the 14 Sun Belt schools have all of their nonconference games in Weeks 1-4.

Troy also scheduled a nonconference opponent later in the season, scheduling a fourgame series with Army in May 2020. That gave both teams an open Week 3 this season, leading to the computer program scheduling the JMU-Troy matchup. Cignetti confirmed that this was the reason the game was so early in the season, saying “it was what it was.”

Scheduling nonconference matchups later in the schedule can also lead to earlier bye weeks. ULM, who will face Ole Miss on Nov. 18, is having its bye this week, while Marshall, which will face NC State in Week 6, had its last week.

“I’d love to have my off weeks a little later in the season after you get a little more need for rest,” ULM head coach Terry Bowden said Monday on the Sun Belt’s Weekly Coaches’ Call.

Regardless of how they happen, Cignetti said these road trips can be hard for players and coaches. He mentioned how the team didn’t get back from Troy until 4 a.m. Sunday, and probably won’t get back from Utah State until 7 or 8 a.m., then the coaching staff will be back in the office later on Sunday.

It will be difficult, and the Sun Belt’s scheduling system doesn’t make it better, but Cignetti said it’s “part of the J-O-B.”

CONTACT Jackson Hephner at breezesports@gmail.com. For more football coverage, follow the sports desk on X at @TheBreezeSports.

JMU football head coach Curt Cignetti said road trips can be difficult for both coaches and players, explaining how the Dukes didn't get home until 4 a.m. after their win against Troy. Ryan Sauer / The Breeze

Ben Moulse / The Breeze

Hephner Sports Editor Colby Reece BTV Sports Director William Moran Copy Editor Avery Goodstine Managing Editor Grant Johnson Editor-in-Chief

Kaiden Bridges Sports Editor

OPINION

Evan Weaver EDITOR EMAIL breezeopinion@gmail.com

More students should take law classes before they graduate

Want to praise someone or get something off your chest? Darts & Pats is the place to do it. Submit your own at breezejmu.org.

The American legal system is what shapes every facet of civic life. Without law, there would be no structure — starting with the First Amendment of the U.S. Constitution.

A “watch-where-you'regoing” dart to the girl who almost hit me while riding an e-bike.

From someone who'd like to walk in peace.

A “you're-so-kind” pat to the facilities worker who asked me if I was OK.

From someone who had a mental breakdown outside of Hotel Madison.

“Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion, or prohibiting the free exercise thereof; or abridging the freedom of speech, or of the press; or the right of the people peaceably to assemble, and to petition the government for a redress of grievances.”

Those are the rights granted by the First Amendment. The first words, “Congress shall make no law,” hold great significance to the people of this country, as everyone should know what U.S. lawmakers are granted permission to do. Laws create the foundation of this country, and it’s imperative that people know what they entail to avoid getting in a legal dispute.

However, many people aren’t truly educated on law basics. According to the Annenberg Constitution Day Civics Survey, out of the 1,013 adults surveyed, 37% can’t name the rights granted by the First Amendment, and only 26% can identify all three branches of government. Every U.S. citizen should have a formal understanding of the rights they have and the logistics of the system.

A “where's-the-fire” dart to the person who pulled the fire alarm in Weaver Hall last night.

From someone who desperately needed sleep.

A “movie-night” dart to my professor who made our class watch a movie together outside of class time.

From someone who has better things to do.

More than 200 years ago, a series of 85 essays known as the Federalist Papers were written by U.S. leaders Alexander Hamilton, James Madison and John Jay. The papers outlined reasons why the U.S. Constitution should be ratified. In Federalist Paper 78, these founding fathers suggested that the federal courts were designed to be the formal body between the legislative branch and the public. It also says that if any law conflicts with the Constitution, the Constitution should be favored.

Once the document was ratified, rule of law became an integral part of how the U.S. has and continues to run. Rule of law is the principle that all people must follow laws under the circumstances that they’re publicly promulgated, enforced equally, independently adjudicated and consistent with international human rights principles. The U.S. courts review and determine the consistency of these principles.

The American democratic system has run on these ideals for hundreds of years. As culture evolves, so do the laws. This is a large reason why people, especially young adults, should be educated on the history of laws and what has changed.

JMU political science professor Robin Leiter-White, who also teaches at the U.Va.

School of Law, said she’s had clients who don’t understand their basic rights, which has led to complications.

“It’s important to understand the world we live in and our government because I don’t know how much your average citizen really understands what things mean,” Leiter-White said. “Thinking of my clients legally, people come in saying ‘My rights are violated’ without actually knowing them. I’ve seen so many people have bad credit, which affects your entire life and can cause serious legal issues.”

Along with gaining knowledge about individual rights to stave off potential litigation, learning the foundations of law can increase abstract thinking and problem-solving skills, according to the Trinity College at the University of Cambridge. Learning law benefits a variety of fields, including journalism, movie production, politics, police work and more. If the job requires any type of intellectual strength, studying law can help. Leiter-White said being able to create and defend an argument is important in every field and can benefit society overall.

“Just to be able to analyze something you’re reading and put it together into a coherent argument to back up your opinion is crucial,” Leiter-White said. “If people can look at something objectively and have intelligent conversations based on their actual analysis of law or policy, it could be helpful in our society.”

As a Media Arts and Design major at JMU, I didn’t understand the significance of law. It's required to take Mass Communication Law as a SMAD major to graduate, and my initial reaction was, “Why?” Though, after being in the class for a few weeks, I’ve learned more about the judicial system than I have in any government class. I’m able to contribute in political conversations more now that I have a better understanding of my rights and how they were formed.

This is also crucial in a media field as all forms of them can be easily litigated if not practiced correctly. Though, regardless of the field a student plans to enter after school, a law class would be exponentially beneficial for their learning, and JMU should emphasize this more by making it either a general-education requirement or adding electives throughout different majors.

“It's really exciting for me to teach law to undergraduates who have a fresher perspective than those who have been to law school,” Leiter-White said. “I hope that JMU will be able to grow the program and certainly within other majors as well.”

CONTACT Oriana Lukas at lukasok@dukes. jmu.edu. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and X @ Breeze_Opinion.

ORIANA LUKAS Breeze columnist

Kaleb Nute / The Breeze

JMU should communicate with railways to better inform students about train crossings

JMU students are no strangers to the inconveniences posed by railroad crossings near campus. Trains cross without any forewarning and always seem to do so at the wrong time — minutes before a class starts. Saying you got stuck behind a railroad crossing is a common excuse for being late to class and is almost universally accepted by professors at JMU.

When the safety gates at a railroad crossing lower, clusters of antsy students accumulate as they watch trains with no end in sight creep along the tracks at an agonizing 10 mph. As busy as students are, getting stuck at a railroad crossing can throw off their whole schedule. Considering this, JMU students should have the resources to be better prepared for train crossings near campus when they happen.

There are two sets of railroad tracks that cross JMU’s campus: one between Chesapeake parking deck and the Apartments on Grace and the University Services Building, and another that runs past Warsaw parking deck and in front of buildings like Bridgeforth Stadium, Godwin Hall and the JMU Bookstore. These tracks are owned and operated by Norfolk Southern, a railroad company headquartered in Norfolk until 2021 and the railway involved in the train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, earlier this year.

Norfolk Southern is one of six Class I freight railways in the U.S., operating in 22 states along the East Coast, in the Midwest and the South. The company primarily transports industrial and agricultural products as well as chemicals — which is what the company was transporting during the East Palestine derailment, causing contamination and concern over the health of local residents and the environment.

Train accidents aren’t as uncommon as you might think. In Harrisonburg alone, there have been two train derailments in the past six years: one in 2017 near JMU’s campus and another in 2019. Both of these trains were operated by Norfolk Southern but were only carrying agricultural products, and no injuries were reported. In another accident in 2019, a boy in Elkton was struck and killed by a Norfolk Southern train while walking along the tracks and wearing headphones.

It’s important to the economy that these trains make it to their destinations, though.

In 2022, Norfolk Southern reported $12.7 billion in operating revenues, and Class I freight railways constituted approximately 94% of all freight-rail revenue in 2021, according to the American Association of Railroads. It’s clear Norfolk Southern has much larger concerns than students being a few minutes late to class; however, students should be made aware of when trains will cross campus nonetheless.

While the rest of the world doesn’t have the privilege of knowing when trains will pass through railroad crossings, JMU students should, as the railroad crossings on campus experience a large amount of foot traffic. Additionally, since not all students cross the railroads at the appropriate intersections by taking shortcuts to class — something I’m guilty of myself — and the widespread use of headphones and earbuds that may deaden the sound of an approaching train, not knowing when

one is are scheduled to cross campus can jeopardize students’ safety.

Communicating specific train schedules could be problematic, however, as 187 people died by suicide on railroads in the U.S. in 2022, according to the Federal Railroad Administration. Though this is a small portion of the 49,449 suicides that occurred last year, publicizing trains’ schedules could cause that number to increase.

see TRAINS , page 20

EVAN WEAVER Breeze columnist

Train crossings on campus can be disruptive to traffic and cause students to be late to class. While JMU doesn’t receive communication from Norfolk Southern, the railway that owns and operates the train tracks on campus, about when trains will cross campus, they do receive communication about when there will be work done on the tracks Daria Ausen / The Breeze

from TRAINS, page 19

Mary-Hope Vass, executive director of JMU communications and university spokesperson, acknowledged the risks associated with sharing the schedules of trains and discussed the communication that does occur between Norfolk Southern and JMU.

“From JMU’s perspective, we do receive communication if there is work being done to the railroad tracks or there is an unforeseen situation that will significantly impact traffic in and around campus,” Vass said in an email on Sept. 11.

While it isn’t possible for train schedules to be adjusted to accommodate college students’ class schedules, students can be proactive in combating the challenges of potential train crossings on campus. One way is by giving more time to get to class when schedules allow for such. Vass recommended students be aware of train traffic on campus when preparing for their days in general.

“Given our location with tracks going through campus, this is something students should be mindful of when planning their routes to and from classes,” Vass said.

To help students avoid the frustrations of being delayed by a train crossing without risking intentional train accidents, local offices of Norfolk Southern could

communicate with JMU the days of any given week that trains are scheduled to cross campus. JMU could then relay this information to students in advance without specific information regarding what time of day the train is scheduled to cross or what tracks the train will be on. This would help students plan to arrive early for all classes and be more cognizant when crossing railroad intersections on those days, without having to do so every day, which could be too time-consuming for some students. This method would also best account for the possibility of suicidal students using the train schedules while still addressing the problem of trains being disruptive.

Ultimately, students bear the responsibility of getting to class on time. There are instances where no amount of planning ahead will prevent the inconvenience of getting stuck behind a train crossing, such as a student who has back-to-back classes on different sides of a railroad track for example. However, by sharing some information about train schedules to students, JMU can enable them to avoid the stress caused by many of the train crossings.

CONTACT Evan Weaver at breezeopinion@ gmail.com. For more editorials regarding the JMU and Harrisonburg communities, follow the opinion desk on Instagram and X @Breeze_Opinion.

Norfolk Southern was the railway involved in the East Palestine, Ohio, train derailment in February. It was located in Norfolk until 2021 but has since relocated to Atlanta. Daria Ausen / The Breeze

DownwarD DownwarD Goat Goat

THIS Week on BREEZE TV

TOP STORIES

Stroll to the Polls: The first day of early voting arrives

Dance for Parkinson's disease helps community get moving

In-studio interview with JMU's Center for Civic Engagement in honor of Constitution Day

Live from Staunton's Harry Potterthemed Mischief and Magic Festival Weekend weather forecast

The University Program Board (UPB) hosted sunset goat yoga on Festival Lawn on Sept. 12, the first event of its kind. Over 350 students were led in a yoga routine meant to ease stress. The animal-assisted therapy program is run by Goat Yoga RVA, a family farm based in Richmond.

Photos by Daria Ausen & Grace Reed / The Breeze

Grace Reed / The Breeze

Grace Reed / The Breeze

Grace Reed / The Breeze

Grace Reed / The Breeze

Daria Ausen / The Breeze

1

FOR RELEASE SEPTEMBER 20, 2023

Los Angeles Times Daily Crossword Puzzle

ACROSS

Edited by Patti Varol and Joyce Lewis

By Rebecca Goldstein

3

4 Bedroom 2 Bathroom Apartment

4 bedroom 2 bathroom apartment available 9/30 1321 Mount Clinton Pike https://www.zillow.com/homedetails/1321Mount-Clinton-Pike-HarrisonburgVA-22802/85868542_zpid/

MADISON MARKETPLACE

Madison Marketplace is open for business, and all text-only listings are FREE ! Post job listings, announcements, rentals and more using our online placement tool. Ads run two weeks online and in two print editions.

Career Opportunity - Technician I (Grounds)

Immediate Positions Available

Urgent! Massanutten Resort Inhouse Marketing Call Center has 2 immediate part-time positions available!

Saturday-Tuesday 4pm-9pm Use of resort amenities.

Hourly pay + Commission Paid Weekly Contact us for more information.

540-289-4006 Ask for Mandy or Debe

Career Opportunity - Computer-Aided Dispatch (CAD) and 911 Specialist (HRECC)

Do you want a career that allows you to utilize your IT experience in an industry where your daily work will make a direct impact on public safety? If so, consider applying to the CAD and 911 Specialist position with the Harrisonburg-Rockingham Emergency Communications Center (HRECC)! Visit https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Career Opportunity - Emergency Communications Shift Supervisor

Are you seeking a rewarding career in a CALEA-Accredited agency that allows you the opportunity to use your prior public safety communications experience to work with a variety of public agencies in the Harrisonburg/ Rockingham area? If so, consider applying to the HRECC Shift Supervisor career opportunity! Visit https://www.harrisonburgva.gov/ employment. EOE.

Career Opportunity - Software Portfolio Specialist

(HRECC)

Are you searching for your next career move within the IT field? Do you also want a rewarding career where you know your work makes a difference? If so, consider applying to the Software Portfolio Specialist position with the HRECC. Find out more: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Are you seeking a rewarding position that allows you the opportunity to use your experience in general maintenance, groundskeeping, and/or parks maintenance? If so, the City of Harrisonburg’s Technician I - Grounds position may be the right career for you! Find out more/ apply online: https://www.harrisonburgva. gov/employment. EOE.

Career Opportunity - Customer Care Representative

Do you want to utilize your customer service skills and knowledge to help ensure that citizens and local businesses receive quality water and sewer services? If so, the City of Harrisonburg Public Utilities Department’s Customer Care Representative position may be the right career for you! Visit https://www. harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Construction Program Inspector

Do you want to make a difference in the community by utilizing your construction/ inspection skills to enhance the quality of life for citizens and protect the public interest? If so, the City of Harrisonburg’s Public Works’ Construction Program Inspector position may be right for you! Find out more/apply: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

Police Officer (Testing & Employment Opportunities)

The City of Harrisonburg is currently accepting applications for non-certified individuals interested in joining HPD, which offers a rewarding career plus an excellent benefits package, including enhanced hazardous duty through the Virginia Retirement System (VRS). Find out more/apply online: https:// www.harrisonburgva.gov/employment. EOE.

JOBS