The Reveille 2-17-22 by Reveille

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T hu r s d ay, Fe b r u a r y 17, 2 022

RISING WATERS Gulf Coast projected to see worst of sea level rise by 2050.

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ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU graduate student Cory Calabria bikes through flooded waters Sept. 15, 2021, during Tropical Depression Nicholas in the Tiger Stadium parking lot on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La.

NEWS

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Friends and family mourn the loss of LSU mechanical engineering senior Justin Fields.

ENTERTAINMENT

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Shareef O’Neal sells NFTs to raise awareness and money for the American Heart Association.

SPORTS

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How, where and what to look out for this opening weekend in LSU baseball as they’re slated to host Maine

OPINION

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“I saw and admittedly plotted on Wade’s imminent downfall while we were still undefeated.”

L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le

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FRONT LINES

B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803

Louisiana projected to see worst of sea level rise in next 30 years BY JOSH ARCHOTE @JArchote In the next 30 years, sea levels along U.S. coastlines are projected to rise by the same amount they did in the last 100 years, a government report released Tuesday warns. Louisiana is projected to see the worst of it given that the state’s coastal land is sinking as waters rise. The updated projections come from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Association’s 2022 Sea Level Rise Technical Report. The 111-page report warns that coastal infrastructure, communities and ecosystems will face significant consequences over the next 30 years and beyond from rising waters. “A little more than a foot of sea level rise might not sound like a lot, but small sea level changes are capable of causing substantial damage to a coastline that is unprepared for them,” said Daniel Gilford, a climate scientist at Climate Central. “Twelve more inches of water is often enough to endanger existing coastal infrastructure,

is going down.” Louisiana is in a uniquely bad position. Man-made levees along the Mississippi prevent the river from replenishing its sediment deposits, leading to land loss known as subsidence. This already gives the state a higher relative sea level rise than the rest of the country. Grand Isle is projected to see 2 feet of sea level rise by 2050. Half of that is due to land loss, the other because of rising seas. “For Louisiana, the stakes are immense,” Gilford said. “Not including areas protected by levees, more than 46,000 people live on land within 2 feet of the high tide line, and those 2 feet of additional water threaten more than 23,000 Louisiana homes with an estimated value exceeding $2 billion. And under-resourced communities inevitably bear a disproportionate share of the risks.” Higher seas will make Louisiana’s coast more vulnerable to high-tide flooding, sometimes called “sunny-day flooding,” and make the state more vulnerable to higher storm surges

Courtesy of Climate Central

Map of coastal communities threatened by one foot and a half of sea level rise. and may require big adaptations.” By mid century, “typically damaging” flooding is expected to occur on average more than 10 times as often as it does today, the report says. The last report released in 2017 had slightly higher projections for sea level rise in the U.S. But the new numbers still paint a grim picture for the country, especially the Gulf Coast, in coming decades. “The new numbers have been dialed down a little bit. That doesn’t change the scenario that Louisiana is probably the most vulnerable state in the nation to climate change,” said Louisiana State Climatologist Berry Keim. “Not only is global sea level going up, but our land

from hurricanes. “We’re the front lines,” said Vincent Brown, LSU assistant professor of research focused on weather and climate. “In every single scenario, if you look at the highest water mark, it’s us.” Southeastern Louisiana, including New Orleans, is especially more vulnerable to hurricane storm surge as sea levels rise, Brown said. Sea level rise will vary regionally along U.S. coasts because of differences in land and ocean height, as well as other local factors. The Gulf Coast is projected to see 14-18 inches of sea level rise by mid century, with Louisiana and Texas seeing the worst of it. Since the industrial revolu-

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Editor-in-Chief LARA NICHOLSON Managing Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Digital Editor JAYDEN NGUYEN News Editor JOSH ARCHOTE Deputy News Editor BELLA DARDANO Sports Editor JOE KEHRLI Deputy Sports Editor PETER RAUTERKUS Entertainment Editor GIDEON FORTUNE Opinion Editor CLAIRE SULLIVAN ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille

LSU student Megan Rodgers checks out her car Sept. 15, 2021 during Tropical Depression Nicholas in the Tiger Stadium parking lot on LSU’s campus in Baton Rouge, La. tion, the burning of fossil fuels – primarily carbon dioxide – has led to global warming via the greenhouse effect. Increases in temperature leads to sea level rise in two ways. Warmer water expands and the melting of ice sheets and glaciers add more water to oceans, Keim explained. Since the effects of global warming lag, the report says, the changes in the coming decades are the product of warming that’s already happened. In other words, if humans stopped burning fossil fuels today, the projections would still hold. Burning greenhouse gasses, Brown explained, is like setting off a freight train. Even if we stop it now, the train will slowly ease to a stop along its track. “We are in essence paying right now for warming we’ve generated in the past,” he said. “What’s happening now is just a taste of probably what will hap-

pen in the future, given what we’ve been doing the last 20 or 30 years.” How quickly economies transition away from burning fossil fuels will impact longer term sea level rise scenarios. About 2 feet of sea level rise along U.S. coasts is “increasingly likely” between 2020 and 2100 because of current emissions. “Failing to curb future emissions could cause an additional 1.5 - 5 feet of rise for a total of 3.5 - 7 feet by the end of this century,” the report warns. Louisiana is one of the few Southern states to have a climate plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Louisiana Gov. John Bel Edwards’ wants to reduce the state’s emissions to net zero by mid century will require a dramatic shift to renewable energy like wind and solar away from oil and gas, which the state’s economy has historically depended on.

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CORRECTIONS & CLARIFICATIONS The Reveille holds accuracy and objectivity at the highest priority and wants to reassure its readers the reporting and content of the paper meets these standards. This space is reserved to recognize and correct any mistakes that may have been printed in The Daily Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsu.edu.

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The Reveille is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. A single issue of The Reveille is free from multiple sites on campus and about 25 sites off campus. To obtain additional copies, please visit the Office of Student Media in B-39 Hodges Hall or email studentmedia@ lsu.edu. The Reveille is published biweekly during the fall, spring and summer semesters, except during holidays and final exams. The Reveille is funded through LSU students’ payments of the Student Media fee.

NEWS

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‘A beautiful mind.’

BR traffic ranked fourth worst in U.S. BY JOSH ARCHOTE @JArchote

builds a race car to outperform other universities’ race cars in worldwide competitions. “Justin was definitely one of the most knowledgeable people [on the team], if not the most knowledgeable,” Cruz said. Once a person got to know Fields, they could see him blossom, Cruz said. Cruz appreci-

Baton Rouge traffic is the fourth worst in the U.S. behind Los Angeles, New York and Miami only, according to a traffic index ranking by TomTom, an electronics company. Congestion levels in Louisiana’s capital were 27% in 2021. That means drivers on average spend 27% more time in traffic during rush hours than they would in freeflow traffic. During the year’s 230 working days, about 62 hours were lost because of traffic. The city’s issues are more surprising given Baton Rouge’s small population compared to the cities in front of it. Jamie Setze, executive director of the Capital Region Planning Commission, said Baton Rouge’s traffic issues stem from decades of a lack of investment in infrastructure to support the city’s growth. “Improvements are generally 20 years behind,” Setze said. “We’re trying to play catch up.” Lydia Bearry, a graphic design

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Friends and family mourn the loss of engineering senior Justin Fields COURTESY OF ADRIANNE BAJON

BY MADDIE SCOTT @madscottyy LSU is mourning the death of mechanical engineering senior Justin Fields after a fatal car accident on Jan. 30 at the intersection of Burbank Drive and Ben Hur Road. He turned 22 the day of the incident. Fields was born and raised in Baton Rouge, where he gradu-

ated from Parkview Baptist High School. Throughout high school, Fields was in the jazz band and robotics team. He played in the Tiger Marching band during his freshman year at LSU and knew how to play the saxophone, clarinet and piano. Mechanical engineering senior Kevin Cruz was best friends with Fields since their freshman year of high school where they

served on the robotics team together. Cruz remembers Fields’ selflessness, joy and energy. “We were really brothers. He was essentially part of my dayto-day life,” Cruz said. Fields was heavily active on the LSU campus. He served as the lead power train engineer on the LSU Tiger Racing Formula Team, an honorable leadership position. Each year, the team

POLITICS

Republican rips ‘lazy’ Legislature for killing Supreme Court bill BY PIPER HUTCHINSON, LURA STABILER & ALEX TIRADO LSU Manship School News Service BATON ROUGE—The only Republican bill that would have increased minority representation through redistricting reached its death on the House floor Wednesday, prompting its author to give his fellow lawmakers a tonguelashing. Rep. Barry Ivey, R-Central, authored HB22, a Supreme Court map that would have created a second majority Black district on the state’s seven-member court. The bill made it out of committee on a bipartisan vote but was involuntarily tabled on the House floor, much to the chagrin of its author. “We’ll just continue to get by here in Louisiana, because we are too stupid to work together,” Ivey said in a no-holds-barred condemnation. Rep. Mark Wright, R-Covington, moved to table the bill after asking whether it would be better to consider Supreme Court maps during the regular session in March.

Every House Democrat present voted in opposition to tabling the bill, but the motion passed 53-43, with a handful of Republicans, including Rep. Tanner Magee, R-Houma and the second ranking legislator in the House, and Rep. John Stefanski, R-Crowley, chair of the House committee that oversees redistricting voting, against the motion. Over the last two weeks, Republicans, who hold roughly two-thirds of the seats in the Legislature, have advanced bills to redraw the maps of the state’s six congressional districts, its 105 House districts and its 39 Senate districts without adding any more majority-minority ones. They have passed bills that maintain the status quo in the racial breakdowns for members of the Public Service Commission and the Louisiana Board of Elementary and Secondary Education, and they had advanced a Supreme Court bill that would leave the current district boundaries largely intact. Ivey is known to be an independent thinker. In a committee hearing last week, Ivey said, “I

kind of march to the beat of my own drum.” Several years ago, Ivey was dubbed by some lawmakers as “Mr. Transparency” for his tendency to say what he thinks. And that is exactly what he did during an eight-minute speech following the vote to table the bill, during which he pledged not to bring any more legislation in the regular session. “The apathy throughout the state is evident in each of you when you fail to act, when you can, when you should,” Ivey said. “I’ve bit my tongue over the last nine years, and I’m not going to do it anymore.” “I tell people this institution is the laziest group of people I’ve ever worked with because it’s true, because we’ve got problems everywhere and we don’t want to solve them,” Ivey said. Rep. Lance Harris, R-Alexandria, took offense at Ivey’s comments. “This is a lesson we all need to learn about,” Harris said. “Life does not give you what you want.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

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The State Capitol sits beyond a lake on Feb. 6 at 900 North Third Street in Baton Rouge, La.

Thursday, February 17, 2022

page 4 FIELDS, from page 3 ates the many memories and mini-adventures he and Fields completed over their eight-year friendship. Biological engineering senior Carley Bajon was Fields’ and said he was good at everything, and there wasn’t anything he couldn’t do. “He was so calm with everybody,” Bajon said. “He never got mad. He was just so sweet and caring and just wanted to see everyone do well in life.” Bajon remembers how Fields would always encourage her

IVEY, from page 3 It gives you what you deserve.” That comment from Harris led to immediate uproar from the floor that caused House Speaker Rep. Clay Schexnayder, R-Gonzales, to step in to calm the chamber down. Several members of the Louisiana Legislative Black Caucus objected to Harris’ sentiment. “I take offense to that because you say it’s what I deserve,” Rep. Kenny Cox, D-Natchitoches, said. Rep. Denise Marcelle, D-Baton Rouge, defended Ivey and thanked him for his comments. “Here’s the deal: if you’re in power and you want to keep power, and somebody calls that out, that’s not an issue. That’s just what it is,” Marcelle said. “I do believe this process is tainted.” While the showdown on the floor was a surprise, it seemed inevitable to many that the Supreme Court proposal would not come to fruition. In fact, some legislators, including Ivey, have commented on the ticking clock. The special session must wrap up by Sunday at 6 p.m., but legislative leaders have indicated a desire to finish by Thursday or Friday, even if that does mean Supreme Court maps may get left at the wayside. Magee thought the maps would be revisited during the regular session, but added, “I’m not sure if it will get anywhere.” Supreme Court maps are a unique beast in the redistricting session. Unlike legislative maps, the Legislature is not required to redraw them. The Supreme Court districts were last reconfigured in 1997, using data from the 1990 census, after a federal court compelled the state to create a

when she needed the motivation to finish homework assignments and class projects. She was impacted by how proud he would be of her when they studied together. “When it comes down to him as a person, no one dislikes Justin, and he didn’t dislike anyone,” Bajon said. Physics freshman Adrianne Bajon, Carley’s little sister, was a friend to Justin. Adrianne described how well Fields fit in with the Bajon family. Fields often attended vacations with the family, which allowed him to bond even more with them. majority-minority district in New Orleans. Another hurdle in passing Supreme Court maps is that they require a two-thirds vote in both chambers, while legislative maps require just a simple majority. That’s a tough hurdle to clear in today’s polarized legislature, even for other Republican proposals that maintained a single majority Black district. Meanwhile Wednesday, House Speaker Clay Schexnayder’s state House redistricting bill, HB 14, headed to the Senate floor for final approval after a Senate committee voted 5-2 in favor of it. “I think I accommodated almost every single member to the best of my ability and tried to make this a member-based approach,” House and Governmental Affairs Committee Chairman Rep. John Stefanski, R-Crowley, testified. Stefanski noted that the bill, which redraws the boundaries of many of the state House districts, accounts for the population shift from north Louisiana to south Louisiana and boosts minority representation in District 62. Rep. Daryl Adams, an Independent from Jackson, holds that seat. Sen. Edward Price, D-Gonzales, and Sen. Jimmy Harris, DNew Orleans, objected that the bill would not increase minority representation in the House. Stefanski’s committee on Wednesday deferred–and thus rejected–efforts by Reo. Cedric Glover, D-Shreveport, to make changes in Schexnayder’s maps for the House districts in the Caddo and Bossier areas. Allison Kadlubar and Margaret DeLaney contributed to this story.

MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille

The Sun peaks out from behind the State Capitol on Feb. 6, at 900 North Third Street in Baton Rouge, La.

“LSU definitely lost one of the smartest, most driven and one of the most successful people that would come from LSU,” Adrianne said. Adrianne described his love for space and aerospace engineering. A huge fan of SpaceX and Elon Musk, Fields’ passion fueled him toward landing an internship with a NASA contracting company in the summer of 2021. “His main love was space,” Adrianne said. “He loved it so much. All he wanted to do was go to space.” Adrianne bought a star and

named it “Boy and Girl” to honor the relationship between her sister, Carley, and Justin. She described the star on an Instagram post as: “Girl and Boy always together in space, just where Justin always wished he could go.” Biological engineering senior Victoria Byrd was a friend of Fields and said he was “over the moon” when he got his NASA internship. Even with his achievements, he was never one to brag, Byrd said. “Justin had a beautiful mind,” said Byrd. “He really had the ability to just look at a problem

and know how to answer it in minutes.” Bickering like true brother and sister, Byrd recalls the many bittersweet days when Fields stole her lunchtime snacks during high school. They fought like siblings, but looking back, she cherished the memories. “He was a snacky person, but he’s a boy so you know how boys just always forget to bring snacks? Anytime he would see me, ‘What’s in your lunchbox?’ like every time,” Byrd said. His funeral service was held at the Resthaven Funeral Home on Saturday.

DYLAN BOREL / The Reveille

Traffic comes to a halt Feb. 15 on Highland Road in Baton Rouge, LA.

PARKING, from page 3 senior, lives about 25 minutes from campus, and takes I-12 to and from campus. “Some days I can go roughly 50 through the interstate and other days I’m at a dead stop for several exits,” Bearry said. “Some days it will take one hour and 30 minutes just to come home.” Drivers in Baton Rouge and New Orleans waste more than $1,200 annually because of backups and squander 26 gallons of gasoline annually, according to TRIP, a nonprofit research group that focuses on transportation issues. Meredith Giles, a nutrition and food sciences senior, takes I-10 to and from her home in Prairieville to LSU. “I try to leave early because any time there is an accident the interstate basically shuts down and turns into a parking lot,” Giles said. “It’s definitely exhausting, especially after mentally long days. I liked when classes were online because it did give me the option to stay home or travel during off times to avoid traffic.” Sections of Interstate 10 and 12 in Baton Rouge are chronically congested during rush hours in the morning and evening.

State officials will close one lane of traffic in each direction on a heavily traveled stretch of land on I-10 next year for a widening project meant to improve traffic flow. The three-mile section between Acadian Thruway and just east of the chronically backed up Mississippi River bridge sees over 150,000 cars and trucks daily, according to The Advocate. To ease nightmarish traffic during the widening project, Gov. John Bel Edwards asked lawmakers to set aside money to upgrade a passenger rail link between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, a temporary service for motorists traveling from Ascension Parish into Baton Rouge. Edwards also proposed a $500 million plan for a new Mississippi River bridge as part of his budget plan that will be debated by lawmakers in the state’s Republicancontrolled legislature. Around LSU, roads like Highland, Nicholson, Burbank and more see heavy congestion as students travel to and from campus in the mornings and afternoons. “[LSU] is a school that’s jammed up against the river, so there’s only a couple of ways in and out,” Setze said. “You don’t have a normal grid or circle like other places.”

The lack of bicycle lanes and walking paths outside LSU’s campus means students in many offcampus apartments have to commute to campus. Baton Rouge officials proposed a TRAM line running from downtown Baton Rouge to LSU’s campus in 2016 under Mayor-President Kip Holden, but the plan fell apart two years later. “There are roads on campus that are extremely hard to navigate and are a danger to pedestrians,” Bearry said. “Considering it’s a walking campus, I think more measures should be taken to protect them. Improvements for commuters like better parking would definitely be appreciated.” Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome’s MOVE BR project aims at improving the city’s traffic by upgrading road capacity traffic signals throughout the parish. Setze said synchronizing traffic signals around Baton Rouge could result in major improvements to traffic flow. East Baton Rouge Parish also has a bicycle-pedestrian master plan that would add several hundred miles of bike and walking paths around the parish to give commuters a non-commuting option to navigate the city.

ENTERTAINMENT

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THIS WEEKEND IN BR

Want to see your event in The Reveille? Email information to editor@lsu.edu.

FRIDAY AT 5

BY REVEILLE ENTERTAINMENT STAFF @Reveilleent

FEBRUARY

th Super Smash Bros Tournament Tin Roof Beer Tin Roof Brewing Co. is putting on a 76-player, bring-your-own-switch-controller tournament starting at 5 p.m. A separate freeplay game room will be available, and there will be a double-beer release as well. COURTESY OF BLOOMBERG

Red Stick Farmers Market 501 Main St., Baton Rouge Every Saturday morning from 8 a.m.–noon, local farmers, fishers, food crafters and artisans line the corner of Fifth and Main streets in downtown Baton Rouge. Find fresh fruits and vegetables, baked goods and other local Louisiana products at the Red Stick Farmer’s Market.

SUNDAY AT 1

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Mardi Gras Parades Schedule Friday, February 18th Krewe of Artemis | 7 p.m.

FEBRUARY

SATURDAY AT 8

FEBRUARY

Saturday, February 19th Krewe of Oshun | 12 p.m. Krewe of Mystique | 2 p.m. Krewe of Orion | 6:30 p.m.

Sunday, February 20th Krewe of Mid City Gras | 1 p.m.

Mardi Gras Parade Downtown BR The Krewe of Mid City Gras promises a “NUTTY two hours of parade magic” starting at 1 p.m.

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Thursday, February 17, 2022

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RECLAIM YOUR RHYTHM

LIFESTYLE

Spreading love and heart health awareness during American Heart Month this February BY KATY-ANN MCDONALD @Katyann0 Heart-shaped chocolates and lollipops aren’t the only hearts that should be on our minds this month. February is National Heart Month, and with Louisiana being fifth in the nation for heart disease-related deaths, LSU basketball star Shareef O’Neal is doing his part to bring awareness to heart health after undergoing open-heart surgery in 2018. He’s releasing an NFT collection later this year, and profits will be donated to the American Heart Association. “I want heart health to be on people’s minds,” O’Neal said. “After I got my surgery, everyone in my family went to check their hearts. It’s something that a lot of people just look past, even though it’s literally what keeps us alive.” While we can’t all bid thousands of dollars in hopes of owning an NFT, there are smaller actions to take. The American Heart Association conducts annual events and fundraisers in

COURTESY OF THE AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION OF BATON ROUGE

the Baton Rouge Area to raise money and awareness for heart health. The annual Capital Area Go Red For Women’s Luncheon took place at The Raising Cane’s River Center on Thursday as part of a nationwide luncheon campaign. The next AHA event, the 2022 Capital Area Heart Walk, will start at 9 a.m. on March 26.

The pandemic has been one of the biggest obstacles to heart health as more people report lower physical and emotional wellness. Many people have delayed or avoided seeking medical care. The unhealthy use of alcohol and other substances has been on the rise — all of which can increase the risk of heart disease.

Kerin Spears, Executive Director of the Capital Area American Heart Association, is committed to ensuring events are taking place in the safest, most enjoyable way possible during our current climate. “We are committed to ensuring our events continue to be safe, fun and centered around saving and improving the lives of all those living in the U.S,” Spears said. Funds raised go toward supporting research and front-line health care workers and helping those in our communities disproportionately impacted by COVID-19, heart disease and stroke. Donations also address social inequities and barriers to health care for Black Americans and other people of color. “We’re making a difference,” Spears said. “The research we’ve funded through the generosity of our donors is helping more and more people survive heart disease and stroke. Our core research programs have launched or furthered the work of many of this country’s brightest research-

ers.” This year, the American Heart Association theme for heart month is to “Reclaim Your Rhythm.” Simply put, AHA is encouraging people to reclaim control of their mental and physical wellbeing after two difficult years of the COVID-19 pandemic. These are some ways you can reclaim your rhythm this month: • Doing at least 150 minutes of moderate-intensity physical activity a week (or just getting started and working your way there) • Eating healthy (the AHA’s Heart-Check mark can guide you in the grocery store) • Not smoking or vaping • Maintaining a healthy weight • Controlling blood sugar, cholesterol and blood pressure • Getting regular checkups • Learning Hands-Only CPR • Following COVID-19 safety protocols • Finding ways to relax and ease your mind, such as meditation.

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Thursday, February 17, 2022

page 7 FOOD & DRINK

FOOD FINDERS

LSU food bloggers create viral content, giving exposure to local eats BY MATILDA SIPP @SippTilly LSU food-blogging twins Kaitlyn and Marigny Lanaux spend most of their time hopping around Baton Rouge and New Orleans, constantly searching for new fun foods to try. When the Lanaux twins first launched their foodie Instagram account @fork.with.us in April 2019, they had no clue they would be creating content as viral multiplatform food bloggers. The duo now has thousands of followers on Instagram and a booming TikTok account with 14,4000 followers and nearly 180,000 views on their most popular video. “I think it’s really good we have two people running the account,” Marigny said, who graduated from LSU last December. “When we first started, it was kind of hard to build momentum. It’s really easy to lose momentum and forget about your food account.” Both sisters agreed that sharing the account helped them get it off the ground. If one sister is busy, the other can post something, so content is put out constantly. Without each other’s help, the busy life of a college student would have gotten in the way of their success. Working with each other has also allowed for easy communication when running their accounts. “As twin sisters, I’ll just sometimes go up to her and say, ‘so are you gonna post today or what?’ It’s easy that way,” digital marketing senior Kaitlyn said. The twins were inspired to start their content-creating journey after a high school group chat, where they would share pictures of all the new food they were trying, faded out of existence once they got to college. They continued to take photos of their food after the downfall of the group chat and felt discouraged when they had no-

COURTESY OF KAITLYN AND MARIGNY LANAUX

where to share them. Social media became their saving grace. “We were sitting in our dorm freshman year, and one of us just said, ‘Wanna make a food Instagram?’” Kaitlyn said. It wasn’t easy at first, and running the account was often a fulltime job that they sacrificed their social time for, but it was well worth it. The twins said they feel the account is finally at a place where it can become monetized. “Monetizing an Instagram account definitely comes with time because you have to establish your audience so the brands you want to work with know you’re credible,” Kaitlyn said. “When we first started we were basically just going out to eat a lot and posting everything that we personally bought. Now we’re at

the point where places have come and reached out to us and been like, ‘We can sponsor you.’” In addition to being viral content creators, the twins are also “Yelp elites.” Being a Yelp elite secures them exclusive invites to local restaurant openings and promotional events, like the opening of Baton Rouge’s Crumbl Cookies location, where they got free treats. To become a Yelp Elite, one must be 21, post frequent Yelp reviews of restaurants with photos attached and then nominate oneself. “I think it’s a really cool way for anyone in the journalism field or in media to boost your resume a little because it shows that you spend your own personal time putting your own experience somewhere in writing,” Marigny said.

COURTESY OF KAITLYN AND MARIGNY LANAUX

Not only do these events allow them to enjoy some free food, but it also helps them to expand their circle of food blogger friends and network. The foodie community in Baton Rouge and New Orleans is tight-knit, and the twins have made many great friends and contacts, such as the New Orleans foodies Karen Phan and Lynn Wesley Coleman. “The community is probably one of the greatest things about it because it is a way to market yourself for future jobs and networking,” Marigny said. “It’s the

relatability that I think is cool. There’s not that many people that can relate to owning a food blog, so it’s fun to discuss our past experiences.” Talking and relating with other creators about the sometimes embarrassing nature of their job has helped the twins feel better about doing things like taking flash pictures of their food in the dark at crowded restaurants. The awkwardness is also softened because they have each other instead of flying solo. “One thing that is good is when we get invited somewhere, we always have someone to go with,” Kaitlyn said. “When we get invited somewhere, the most awkward part is being like, ‘Hi, so ya’ll invited us here,’” Marigny added. “Usually the person that messaged us on Instagram is a social media manager, whereas the person at the restaurant is a hostess. So sometimes, almost always, they’re like, ‘Wait, what are you talking about?’ It’s the worst part because I feel bad, but I usually just pull out my phone and show them just so they don’t think we’re crazy.” From invites to private events with a personal sushi chef to tours at a local Baton Rouge rum distillery, the Lanaux twins are building a foodie empire. Through persistence and dedication, they were able to translate their love of food and the community surrounding it into a profoundly unique passion project. “The food community is definitely not something that I would have ever guessed I would have been a part of until we started getting invited places and meeting people,” said Kaitlyn “It’s just so special because we go places now and everyone is happy to be there, we’re all going to enjoy the food we’re about to get, and we’re all so excited to be there.”

MOVIES & TV

New Disney+ Series ‘National Treasure’ begins film production BY EDDY HAGE @hage_eddy A spinoff series of the hit film franchise “National Treasure” is currently filming at Celtic Studios and locations around Baton Rouge. The series revolves around a historical mystery in Baton Rouge and will feature sights and landmarks around the city--camera crews have already been spotted in south Baton Rouge outside Ideal Market on Burbank. “Our community is honored to welcome this production to the City of Baton Rouge,” said Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome. “Our arts sector and creative economy is a key component of the foundation of our city and parish. This

production is not only supporting our local economy, it is bringing our Capital City to the screen and showcasing all we have to offer.” The series stars Lisette Alexis as an inquisitive, puzzle-solving teen named Jess Morales, who sets off on an adventure to save a PanAmerican treasure. Catherine ZetaJones also stars in the series as a black market antiquities expert, stylish treasure hunter and shrewd billionaire in search of the treasure. “If the story lends itself to characters following a historical mystery all through the town, so I feel like you can kind of deduce what sights would be used,” said Katie Pryor, Executive Director of the Baton Rouge Film Commission. “Let’s

just throw out some ideas, I’m not saying this is where they will be. We’ve got the Capitol, the U.S.S. Kidd, the old Governor’s Mansion, the Old State Capitol.” In a statement, executive producer Jerry Bruckheimer said, “Bruckheimer Television is thrilled to film the ‘National Treasure’ television series in the rich, cinematic community of Baton Rouge.” Local casting agency Caballero Casting posted a casting call to their Instagram asking for collegeaged extras in a club scene. Production on the film is expected to bring in millions of dollars to the local economy and create hundreds of jobs for the local film industry. Representation of Baton Rouge on Disney+ could also bring in new

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tourists and projects from different studios. “This project will create hundreds of jobs for Louisiana’s film industry professionals and utilize local vendors and services,” said Pryor. “The marketing and tour-

ism value from the representation of our city on a major streaming platform is immeasurable. Furthermore, every project that films here helps further the opportunities for the existing and developing workforce.”

SPORTS PLAY BALL

page 8 GYMNASTICS

The traveler’s guide to LSU Baseball opening weekend

LSU vs. Maine Alex Box Stadium

BY MORGAN ROGERS @morgan_rogers

Game one: Friday, 6:30 p.m. Game two: Saturday, 1:30 p.m. Game three: Sunday, 1 p.m. How to watch All three games will be available via ESPN streaming on SECN+. LSU will be featured on network television 12 times this season: seven on SECN, one on ESPN2, one on ESPNU and three on AT&T Sportsnet (Shriners’ Hospital for Children College Classic in Houston). Single game tickets may be purchased via the LSU ticket office. Student admission to any home game is free throughout the regular season. March 31 vs. Maine April 5 at Louisiana Tech April 8 vs. Towson April 12 vs. Southern April 14 vs. UNO April 19 vs. Oklahoma April 21 vs. No. 1 Texas April 26 at Baylor April 29 vs. McNeese State May 3 vs. Bethune-Cookman May 6 vs. Tulane May 10 vs. Texas A&M May 13 vs. Louisiana Tech May 17 BY JARED BRODTMANN at No. 9 Florida May 19 vs. ULM

Feb. 18 Feb. 23 Feb. 25 Feb. 26 March 2 March 4 March 5 March 6 March 8 March 11 March 15 March 18 March 22 March 25 March 29

What to watch for 1. How will the pitching perform? Johnson finally revealed on Wednesday who will be taking the mound to start Friday and Saturday. Sophomore Blake Money will be the Tigers’ first pitcher of the season, as he earns the start for Friday, and fifth-year graduate Ma’Khail Hilliard gets the call for Saturday. The Sunday starter is yet to be decided upon. However, Johnson has stressed the pitching performance is going to be a group effort from the staff, so Tiger fans might be wise to expect starters to go four to five innings instead of the usual seven. Who stands out could be the setup of who the key contributors will be

The undefeated Florida gymnastics team handed LSU its first loss of the season on Friday. It consisted of scores that were uncharacteristic of leading contenders Kiya Johnson, Haleigh Bryant and Alyona Schennikova amongst some other veterans. Johnson finished on floor with a 9.85 while Bryant failed to complete her final pass and received a 9.775. “It’s something we’ve come to expect,” leading Florida gymnast Nya Reed said. “LSU is an amazing team. It’s been neck-and-neck each of my four years. It wasn’t a shocker.” However, the Tigers losing to Florida certainly doesn’t reflect this year’s outcome for the team, who still sit at the No. 5 spot in the nation after scoring their highest road score of the season at 197.825. To top things off, the score is also the second-highest road score of any team so far this season. Defeating a team like the Gators isn’t an easy feat, especially when they’re scoring over 198 at home. Not to mention they have the top-two floor competitors in the nation right now. On floor, Trinity Thomas and Reed boast an average 9.975 and 9.97, respectively. “Florida is the team that is year in and year out a top program,” Head Coach Jay Clark said. “We have generally competed well in Gainesville, and I do not expect anything different this week. I know our team is excited and we have momentum after a great meet against Auburn. It will be a challenge, but I feel confident in this team and their ability to compete. It should be another really exciting meet.” Despite atypical performances from leading scorers, the team still managed the fourth-highest score in the country in 2022, thanks to aid from their freshmen. KJ Johnson did not disappoint, scoring 9.90 on floor and an explosive 9.95 on vault. Aleah Finnegan made her debut on floor, earning a 9.90 off the bat. Finnegan is also ranked 24th overall on beam according to national rankings. Their team average (197.400) trails Michigan, Oklahoma, Utah and Florida. The Tigers are expected to face harsher challenges ahead from these foes but are up for the challenge. LSU ranks third collectively on vault, bars and beam while sitting at No. 8

see BASEBALL, page 9

see LOSS, page 9

2022 schedule April-May

2022 schedule February-March

@_therealjarbear

vs. Auburn vs. Grambling at No. 4 Mississippi State vs. Lamar at No. 2 Arkansas vs. ULL vs. Missouri at UNO vs. No. 16 Georgia vs. Nicholls State at Alabama vs. Southeastern LA vs. No. 5 Ole Miss vs. Northwestern State at No. 3 Vanderbilt

Projected rotation & lineup Friday: Blake Money Saturday: Ma’Khail Hilliard Sunday: Will Hellmers 1B Tre’ Morgan CF Dylan Crews 3B Jacob Berry 2B Cade Doughty DH Cade Beloso LF Gavin Dugas RF Brayden Jobert SS Jordan Thompson C Alex Milazzo

Nothing beats the feeling of opening week. There is a new energy resonating from Alex Box Stadium across campus this season, due in large part to the arrival of first year Head Coach Jay Johnson. LSU is hosting Maine in a three game series this weekend to kick off his era as the Tigers’ manager, so let’s walk through the what, when, how, and who to watch for the weekend and beyond. Schedule wise, there is good news and bad news. The bad news is LSU will play all preseason top-5 teams at some point this season (Texas, Arkansas, Vanderbilt, Mississippi State, Ole Miss) and only one of those matchups will be in the Box (Ole Miss). That’s without mentioning

another tough road trip to Florida, the team’s first true road series of the campaign, and hosting a gritty Georgia team. The good news is LSU will have every opportunity to prove themselves to the selection committee come time for the SEC Tournament. Winning any four of those six SEC series should put LSU in a solid position for a national seed and a super regional at home. While the non-conference slate could be a bit stronger, participating in the Shriners’ Classic this season will give them a good barometer for where the team is at when it plays solid Big 12 teams in Oklahoma and Baylor and powerhouse Texas, while giving the team adequate time to get acclimated to the season be-

Florida hands LSU Gym its first loss

fore the SEC gauntlet begins. As far as Maine this weekend, the Black Bears did not make the NCAA tournament last season, bowing out of the America East tournament to LSU’s favorite mid-major northeastern program, Stony Brook. They ranked T-183rd in runs last season with 256 (LSU had 414) and T-100th in ERA with a team 4.76 (LSU had a team 4.53). Maine’s star was ace pitcher Nicholas Sinacola, who posted a staggering 2.04 ERA in 79.1 IP, but he was drafted by the San Francisco Giants in the seventh round of the 2021 MLB Draft. They now replace him and their other two most effective pitchers. With the talent LSU has, anything other than wins over this team would look bad on their resume.

Thursday, February 17, 2022 LOSS, from page 8 on floor. The Purple and Gold are looking ahead rather than grieving their loss right now. Additionally, the performances of Johnson and Bryant shouldn’t lower expectations of the power. The sophomore is fourth in the nation in the all-around category, while also holding the No. 7 spot on vault and No. 12 on bars. Johnson is currently in the 10th spot for both the All-Around and Floor events.

page 9 “We know how hard it is to win at Florida, but we [left] with a really strong road score,” Clark said. “We’ll take a couple days off and get back in the gym before a tough stretch next weekend with two meets.” The Tigers have a double weekend ahead of them. For their next meet, the team will return to Baton Rouge to face No. 8 Alabama on Friday at 7:45 p.m. The competition will televise on ESPN. LSU will then turn around for a tri-meet on Sunday against Missouri and Arkansas at 12 p.m.

SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille

LSU gymnastics freshman all-around Olivia Dunne looks at the scoreboard to see her results Feb. 5, during LSU’s 197.975-197.750 win over Auburn in the Pete Maravich Assembly Center.

man Drew Bianco can cover a lot of ground and has experience in the outfield, although maybe not for opening day due to a tweak in his hamstring two weeks ago. Johnson may opt for transfer Brayden Jobert in right field, who has shown some good range as well. With Alex Milazzo’s cannon of an arm behind the plate, hopefully LSU will show its ability to play good defense throughout the weekend.

BASEBALL, from page 8 on a team with so many arms. “He has a lot of traits that you need to win,” Johnson said of Money. “He’s throwing a lot of strikes, competing at a high level. And for me, it’s more about the reliability of the person in terms of I think he’ll go handle the game well and get us off to a good start.” 2. Can the team find some defensive consistency? One of the hallmarks of good teams is consistent defensive play. Throughout the fall and spring, LSU has seen ups and downs in the field, but Johnson was complimentary of the team’s defensive play ahead of the first weekend. “We’ve played defense at a really high level,” Johnson said. “I think the last four scrimmages, neither team has made an error, and that is a really good sign, because that’s something that can come to the park every day.” On the infield, it should be a lot of Jordan Thompson and Cade Doughty in the middle at shortstop and second base, respectively. Jacob Berry should get a lot of time at third base, while Tre’ Morgan is a rock at first base, picking any throw out of the dirt. “We always take ground balls together and making sure that me and him are lined up together,”

PETER NGUYEN / The Reveille

LSU baseball sophomore infield Will Safford gets back on first base to avoid an out Jan. 28, in Alex Box Stadium. Thompson said about their combo. “Whenever we’re doing stuff, we have a good feel. The chemistry is definitely there, and I think that’ll help a lot.” The outfield should include Gavin Dugas and Dylan Crews in left and center field on a very frequent basis. The last spot is up for grabs. Giovanni DiGiacomo has great speed, and do-it-all utility

3. How will Johnson organize his first batting lineups? Johnson was still holding his lineup card close to his chest Wednesday. It’s been talked about at length how flexible it could be the season, but no one quite knows what Johnson will run out with on Friday. With four potential left-handed bats in the top of the lineup (Morgan, Berry switch-hitting, Jobert and Beloso), I think it’s likely Johnson opts for this versatility. This hinges a lot on the success of Cade Beloso, who’s struggled the past two seasons but has hit the ball well throughout the preseason. Having Dugas, the team’s home run leader last season, in the six hole is a testament to how talented this LSU offense may prove to be. I would figure DiGiacomo, Bianco, Safford and McManus to be other potential names to crack this lineup over the weekend.

Classifieds

page 10

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THE Daily Commuter Puzzle ACROSS 1 Used to be 4 Tranquility 9 Plays a role 13 On the __ with; not speaking to 15 Not rural 16 Book jacket part 17 Make a sweater 18 Dried fruit 19 Do a fall chore 20 Louis Armstrong or Al Hirt 22 Open-__; observant 23 Landowner’s paper 24 Chevron’s product 26 Pour oil over, in a ceremony 29 Moves like a snake 34 Two-__; was disloyal to 35 Item in a first aid kit 36 One not to be trusted 37 Worked on a birthday cake 38 Adhesive 39 Good cheese with fruit 40 Drumstick 41 Self-confidence 42 Bullwinkle, for one 43 __ of justice; bad court ruling 45 Combined, as funds 46 “__ Now or Never” 47 “Peter Pan” captain 48 Moreover 51 About to happen 56 Bona fide 57 “Homeward __”; Simon & Garfunkel hit 58 Close 60 Royal gift-bearers 61 Medieval weapon 62 “__ move on!”; cry to a slowpoke 63 C-__; nonprofit cable channel 64 Word of welcome 65 Dawn dampness

by Jacqueline E. Mathews

Created by Jacqueline E. Mathews

DOWN 1 Bowl-shaped pan 2 Meghan, to Prince George 3 Mix in a bowl 4 Howdy Doody or Lamb Chop 5 Goofed 6 Lie next to 7 Walking stick 8 Put some zip into 9 Once more 10 Potter’s material 11 __ apart; disassemble 12 Drove too fast 14 Prepared for an exam 21 Fix 25 Got full 26 Slanted 27 More pleasant 28 End of the Greek alphabet 29 Smart-alecky 30 Old guitar 31 Actor Flynn 32 Employee’s delight 33 Spirited horse 35 Trot or gallop 38 Feasible

2/17/22

Wednesday’s Puzzle Solved

39 Hotel reservation 41 Chia __; terra-cotta fad gift 42 Frame of mind 44 Orchestra instrument 45 Think about deeply

2/17/22

47 Consequently 48 Up in __; irate 49 Jump 50 Lengthy tale 52 __ and groan; complain 53 Football kick 54 Have to have 55 Backyard access 59 Like sushi fish

OPINION

page 11

Can hate save Will Wade from ruining LSU basketball? GOOD FORTUNES GIDEON FORTUNE

@gidfortune

Everyone is plotting someone’s downfall, but no one wants to be called a hater. I’m a hater who owns the title anytime, anywhere. When my friends pursue a new venture not suited to them, I am there to shelter them from embarrassment preemptively. When a mediocre restaurant has a competitor, I will promote their rival to see if they can handle the competition. Both are skillful hater moves that serve the betterment of society. To clarify further, skillful hatred is rational hatred. If you’re attempting to justify your hatred of something unjustifiable, I probably hate you, and The Reveille opinion section is the last place you should be. Rational hatred requires refined timing. One cannot constantly hate and call it reasonable. Skillful hatred is the hatred society attempts to breed out of us while they should be teaching the craft of hating instead. We have all heard the phrase, “If you don’t have anything nice

COURTESY OF LSU BASKETBALL

to say, don’t say anything at all.” Words that aren’t nice need to be said sometimes. If a business produces an average product, it

should adapt or get replaced by a better company. Unfortunately, consumers cannot be relied on to make sure this happens. People

get into a rhythm, and the standards become mid. Locally, look no further than the LSU men’s basketball Head Coach Will Wade. As an extraordinary recruiter and hype-man, his impact on the basketball program is tangible. His coaching flaws are also apparent when the team faces a challenge. Wade got off to a 12-0 start before falling to Auburn in the SEC opener this 2021-2022 season. Since then, the team has become average, losing to far inferior teams, injury considerations included. I saw and admittedly plotted on Wade’s imminent downfall while we were still undefeated. LSU fans rewarded a coach whose team made its deepest tournament run when he was suspended for the post-season. The person who started calling him “The General” is why these talented squads have never won any postseason hardware. Fans not only settled for a mid-season merchant, a coach who only shows up before trophies are on the line, but they started calling themselves the “Wade Brigade” with foam hats, costumes and goat masks to boot. So lost in the hype, people forgot that haters are the big-

gest motivators. After two different three-game losing streaks, Twitter was littered with Wade hate—hate that came far too late. Enough haters during the undefeated streak would have kept the team and a mediocre coach on their toes. Nearly everyone has haters, but those haters separate the average from the greats. “Rise above the hate,” wrestler John Cena said. Without hate, what is there to rise above? While I was a wise day-one Joe Burrow fan, he would not have had the best college football season ever without the 2018 29-0 home loss to Alabama and the ensuing slander. I am a hater and I do my best to punish mediocrity when necessary and give the greats constant motivation. I get hated on—quite frequently, I must admit—and use it to soar to new heights. I am an adamant founding fathers hater, but Ben Franklin was not lying when he said, “Love your enemies, for they tell you your faults.” Gideon Fortune is a 21-year-old mass communication senior from New York, NY, and entertainment editor for The Reveille.

Similar political views important for quality relationships CHARLIE’S ANGLES CHARLIE STEPHENS

@charliestephns Politics and love can sometimes have a complicated relationship. Whenever you agree with your partner politically, things are great. When you disagree, not so much—at least, most of the time. According to a 2017 research survey, 29% of Americans in relationships said that the political climate was causing tension between them and their partner. The importance of political preference has become more important in dating since 2016 due to the ever-increasing polarization and demonization of the parties. Personally, I find it hard to relate deeply and have a sense of togetherness with people that I vehemently disagree with—Republicans. In my mind, Republicans represent the antithesis of a person

that I would want as part of my life. From their disregard for funding higher education institutions like LSU, to their insistence for criminalizing abortion and continuing to lock people up for marijuana offenses, Republicans hold beliefs I find abhorrent. Besides values, another sticking point in my mind is the Republican Party’s new favorite pastime of praising former President Donald Trump. Anyone who bases their political views around the rantings of a man who can’t admit he lost an election is a nonstarter to me. According to the same 2017 survey, more than 1 in 5 Americans, including 35% of Millennials, know a couple whose marriage or relationship has been negatively impacted specifically due to Trump’s election in 2016. In short, Trump has screwed up a lot of relationships, y’all. Obviously, some people have found a way to accept wildly differing political views, with Democratic strategist James Car-

ville and Republican consultant Mary Matalin instantly coming to mind. I’m not sure I could do it myself, especially considering how involved each of them is in politics, but I commend them for their strength. In a perfect world, differing political views would not be a deciding factor in love. But we don’t live in a perfect world. After all, your political beliefs say a lot about your perspective on not just contemporary politics but also guiding values and life choices. So maybe it’s not an awful thing that intense partisanship is bringing relationships with differing political values to an end. I am wishing you all well in your love-finding adventure, but if you are anything like me, you are going to want to stick to people who share your political views. Charlie Stephens is a 21-year-old political communication junior from Baton Rouge.

Editorial Policies and Procedures EDITORIAL BOARD Lara Nicholson Enjanae’ Taylor Josh Archote

Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor

Bella Dardano

Deputy News Editor

Claire Sullivan

Opinion Editor

The Reveille (USPS 145-800) is written, edited and produced solely by students of Louisiana State University. The Reveille is an independent entity of the Office of Student Media within the Manship School of Mass Communication. Signed opinions are those of the author and do not necessarily represent the views of the editor, The Reveille or the university. Letters submitted for publication should be sent via e-mail to editor@lsu.edu or delivered to B-39 Hodges Hall. They must be 400 words or less. Letters must provide a contact phone number for verification purposes, which will not be printed. The Reveille reserves the right to edit letters and guest columns for space consideration while preserving the original intent. The Reveille also reserves the right to reject any letter without notification of the author. Writers must include their full names and phone numbers. The Reveille’s editor in chief, hired every semester by the LSU Student Media Board, has final authority on all editorial decisions.

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

Quote of the Week “In the future, we will all be famous for 15 minutes.”

Andy Warhol American artist 1928 — 1987

Thursday, February 17, 2022

page 12

Legislators missed chance to unify voting precints DRAKE’S TAKES DRAKE BRIGNAC @drakebrignac With the legislature’s redistricting session ending, there is much discussion about whether redrawn voting maps properly represent Louisiana’s communities. This discussion is far from over, but legislators playing politics ignored an opportunity to unify one particular community: LSU. The majority of LSU rests within two voting precincts: 1-46 and 1-44. While students, faculty and the average person may consider the university’s campus as one distinct area in Baton Rouge, legislative maps do not. If you’re registered to vote at LSU, your relation to Highland Road determines your legislators. Seriously. If a student lives east of Highland Road, they vote in a different precinct and in different state house and state senate elections than a student living west of Highland Road. Altogether, four legislators represent university residents: two state representatives—Democrat Larry Selders and Republican Scott McKnight—and two state senators—Democrat Cleo

THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES

A voting sign sits on Tuesday, Nov. 3, 2020 at University Laboratory School polling location on 45 Dalrymple Dr. Fields and Republican Franklin Foil. “LSU is a community of interest—we’re a community of students,” Mia LeJeune, president of Geaux Vote, said. “We have a lot of the same values, same demographics, so having us in one group [would be] more fair, more

accurate and more reflective of the community.” Dividing the university between legislative districts gives legislators political victories at the expense of student engagement and voting power, especially from those who live on campus. More legislators can

claim that they “represent LSU” even though the students those same legislators claim to represent become dissatisfied or disillusioned. “Having to give one group of students two separate directions gets confusing,” LeJeune said. “It can lead to a lot of people feel-

ing that they’re not being treated as favorably or as importantly.” Even larger issues still are holding legislators accountable and ensuring that they actually represent student interests. Imagine if, at the regular session next month, one legislator representing half of campus amends capital outlay to increase the university’s budget, but the legislator representing the other half votes against it. Would such a split accurately represent the feelings of the university’s voters or of someone’s commitment to the university’s interests? Considering the funding issues the university faced in the past and continues to face today, hypothetical scenarios like these explain why unifying the district provides a critical tool where “students know who they need to hold accountable if, and when, the time comes,” LeJeune said. Unfortunately, the odds of redrawn maps eliminating the university’s division are slim, so it may be 10 years before students have another chance to improve their representation. Drake Brignac is a 21-year-old political communication and political science senior from Baton Rouge.

Support animals a healthy tool to help navigate college KACEYING THE STORY KACEY BUERCKLIN

@0kacey1

College is complicated; it can be a lonely, stressful and depressive time for many students. A study by the American College Health Association found that 48% of college students have experienced moderate or severe psychological stress, and one in four said they had considered suicide. So, I adopted the most strangelooking cat at the Humane Society to improve my college experience. Her name is Lola, and she is a domestic shorthair cat that I rescued from a pound for $40. Within my first week of having Lola, my life changed dramatically. She helps distract me from stress, get up in the mornings and maintain a schedule. Lola gives me more sense of purpose. Unfortunately, it was challenging to get her approved as an emotional support animal. There are multiple steps at the university to have an emotional support animal approved. I live on campus, so it was a lengthy process. I had to register with the Office of Disability Services, have an interview with a counselor, get approved by the disability office, have my doctor fill out a form, have the disability office approve that form and, finally, have Residential Life approve my pet. It makes sense why it is such a process to get an animal ap-

CARTOON BY EMILY TRAN

proved. The university wants to ensure students can properly take care of their pets and not bring dangerous animals onto campus. The main problem was not so much the university; it was finding a doctor who would help me. Unfortunately, there is a lack of mental health services in Loui-

siana, and if there are mental health professionals, they are usually backed up for months with appointments. Luckily, I was able to find a doctor who was willing to help me because he recognized that there was a legitimate need for an emotional support animal. Still, it

took months to get everything sorted out. Emotional support animal rights are being slowly stripped away as skepticism about their legitimacy grows. People trying to abuse the system, like one woman who wanted to board a flight with a “comfort peacock,” brew

further doubt. Recently, the U.S. Department of Transportation announced that airlines could legally deny an emotional support animal, and bringing a pet on a flight has become a difficult process. Popular airlines like Delta, Southwest and American airlines have all banned emotional support animals. Emotional support animals provide legitimate, important assistance. Graduating college would have felt impossible without Lola. Emotional support animals should become more normalized, as they have been scientifically proven to help with physical and mental health. Public relations senior Veronica Diaz said that her emotional support dog Duchy changed the trajectory of her college career. Before having Duchy, it was a challenge to complete daily tasks and get out of bed in the morning. Now, she’s getting high grades in school and is set to graduate in May. “I love my dog. I really don’t know what my college career would have been like if I didn’t rescue her,” Diaz said. “She’s really changed my life for the better.” Rescuing an animal can help give someone a sense of purpose. Every college student who needs that purpose should be able to experience the benefits of an emotional support animal. Kacey Buercklin is a 20-year-old political communications major from Gainesville, GA.