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#FindKori LSU freshman Kori Gauthier was last seen Tuesday, April 6, and Baton Rouge community members continue to search for her.
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JALEN HINTON / The Reveille
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Search party volunteers survey the area on April 11, at the Mississippi River bike trail on Skip Bertman Drive.
NEWS
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Louisiana legislators held their third hearing on LSU’s mishandling of Title IX reports Thursday.
ENTERTAINMENT
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These food accounts showcase the best restaurants in Baton Rouge and their musttry menu items.
SPORTS
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Freshman pitcher Will Hellmers looks to step up on the bump for the Tigers after injury bug plaques LSU ace.
OPINION
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“To echo the sentiments of many Instagram users, the University really gave us nothing.”
L SU Re ve i l le.co m @l s u r e ve i l le
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‘We’ll do whatever it takes’
B-16 Hodges Hall Louisiana State University Baton Rouge, La. 70803
Search, community support for missing LSU student continues
BY NICK FREWIN & JADA HEMSLEY @itsnickfrewin & @JadaH_Reports Members of the LSU and Baton Rouge communities joined the family of a missing LSU freshman for a prayer vigil on Sunday evening as local law enforcement and volunteers continue their days-long search. About 250 people attended Sunday’s vigil at Galvez Plaza in downtown Baton Rouge, where they lit candles and prayed for Kori Gauthier’s safe return. Community leaders, including Lieutenant Governor Billy Nungesser, Baton Rouge Mayor-President Sharon Weston Broome and LSU Interim President Thomas Galligan, addressed the crowd and emphasized the importance of hope and faith. “She is loved by many, cherished by many and celebrated by many. One thing we can be assured of is that God is with us on this journey,” Weston Broome said. “To the family — while we might not understand everything, don’t give up hope. I want you to know this community is beside you and praying for you on a consistent basis.” LSU freshman Kori Gauthier was last seen Tuesday before her vehicle was involved in a car accident around 1 a.m. Wednesday on the Mississippi River bridge. The driver of the vehicle that struck her car could not find her after the accident. Police officers only found her phone and wallet inside the vehicle. Baton Rouge Police failed to report the accident to her family before towing the car to a salvage yard in Baton Rouge. The family said they did not know about the accident until they learned on Wednesday afternoon that she had missed class, work and a doctor’s appointment, according to the Advocate. Spencer Gauthier, Kori’s uncle who traveled from Houston to assist in the search, first posted to Facebook about his niece’s disappearance on Thursday. Media coverage and social media posts regarding her disappearance have since circulated the LSU community. LSU Police have been in close contact with Gauthier’s family and have taken the lead in the ongoing missing person’s investigation. The University reported Wednesday that Kori Gauthier’s vehicle was found unoccupied at the scene of the accident. The vehicle had been left abandoned for an hour by the time of the crash, according to an LSU official. Students and volunteers met at the flagpoles near the LSU Veterinary School around 8 a.m. on Friday to assist the United Cajun Navy in searching for Kori alongside the levee on foot, while the Cajun Navy used one of its helicopters to conduct an aerial search of the Mississippi River. A K9 cadaver dog with Mercy
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Editor in Chief BAILEY CHAUVIN Managing Editor LARA NICHOLSON Digital Editor BROCK SANDERS News Editor KATHERINE MANUEL Deputy News Editor NICK FREWIN Sports Editor NATASHA MALONE Deputy Sports Editor REED DARCEY Entertainment Editor ENJANAE’ TAYLOR Opinion Editor GRACE PULLIAM Production Editor JENNIE DELATTE COURTESY OF BRPD
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Kori Gauthier 18 years old
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Weighs between 115 and 120 pounds Dark brown hair and brown eyes
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Anyone with information is asked to call the LSUPD Command Center at 225-578-0807. Search & Rescue alerted twice in the same area of the Mississippi River Saturday, but conditions were too unsafe to deploy divers, according to a University statement. The search continued Sunday as law enforcement agencies and University officials coordinated an extensive search of the Mississippi River. “On Sunday, April 11, Mounted Patrol will be searching the levee in both directions from Farr Park, while EBRSO, LDWF, LSUPD and BRPD will continue boat searching, including with the latest available sonar technology,” LSU Media Relations Director Ernie Ballard said. Law enforcement officials do not believe any criminal activity or foul play took place, according to a University statement released Friday. After media coverage of Kori Gauthier’s disappearance increased Thursday, students organized a meeting at Mike
the Tiger’s Habitat to assist the Gauthier family in hanging up flyers of the missing LSU freshman. Hundreds of flyers were hung up in the Student Union, Nicholson Gateway Apartments and on poles around campus. However, some students were shocked Friday afternoon when they noticed all of the flyers they had hung outside of the Student Union had been taken down. After receiving criticism from students, the University apologized for the removal of the flyers. “We are sorry for the confusion that caused the posters to be initially taken down. An employee was following our Student Union’s policies against hanging flyers on the walls. Obviously, this is a unique situation, and the removal was unwarranted. The flyers have been replaced,” the University said in a statement Friday. Biology freshman Chlo Adams said she witnessed the flyers
being taken down on Friday and was given a reason contrary to what the University’s statement claimed. “At the Student Union, I saw a lady taking the flyers down and I assumed she was some type of administrator,” Adams said. “I asked the guy at the door who checks the symptom tracker, and he told me that they were taking them down because of all the incoming freshman tours that day.” Various LSU and Baton Rouge community members used their social media platforms to bring awareness to the situation on Thursday evening by creating the “#FindKori” hashtag on Twitter, which led to “Kori” trending in Louisiana on Friday. Students organized a prayer circle for Kori Gauthier on Friday evening, which included many student-led gospel songs and prayers. Spencer Gauthier said he appreciated the unity exhibited by the volunteers and supporters.
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 Reveille. If you would like something corrected or clarified, please contact the editor at (225) 578-4811 or email editor@lsureveille.com.
ABOUT THE REVEILLE 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.
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HERE’S WHAT YOU Presidential Search NEED TO KNOW Committee finalizes Five key takeaways from Thursday’s legislative hearing
BY REED DARCEY & KATHERINE MANUEL @byreeddarcey & @kmanuel_2 The Louisiana Senate Select Committee on Women and Children held its third hearing on LSU’s mishandling of Title IX reports Thursday. Here are five key takeaways from Thursday’s hearing: General counsel explains why no one showed up The committee invited nine current and former LSU employees to testify. None of them appeared in person, eight of them submitted letters and one did not respond at all: James Williams of the Board of Supervisors. LSU General Counsel Winston DeCuir testified at the hearing. He said he decided to prevent all current employees from testifying due to the status of athletics administrator Sharon Lewis’ $50 million lawsuit against the school. He said it would be “inappropriate” or “unfair” for the employees to testify because they may be witnesses in the Lewis suit, in which she accuses LSU of gender discrimination, racial prejudice and a failure to follow Title IX policies stemming from the Les Miles era. “In light of [the lawsuit],” he
said, “I have to begin to take steps to defend the school. We owe it to our institution to do everything we can to defend it from claims. That’s my job as a lawyer.” Sen. Beth Mizell asked DeCuir who would have testified, if not for the lawsuit. DeCuir said Williams, Executive Director for the Board Jason Droddy and Board Member Remy Starns would have spoken. DeCuir said he could not speak for athletics department employees and whether they would have testified if not for the lawsuit. Invited to the hearing from athletics were Head Coach Ed Orgeron, Athletic Director Scott Woodward, Executive Deputy AD Verge Ausberry and Senior Associate AD Miriam Segar. Williams, Ronnie Anderson, Droddy and Tom Skinner, former general counsel, were invited from the Board. The committee also invited Jennie Stewart from LSU Human Resources and Vicki Crochet from Taylor Porter law firm. “This is a serious lawsuit,” DeCuir said. “It’s going to be a messy affair.” Committee Chair Regina Barrow said that the committee has
subpoena power to compel individuals to testify. At the previous hearing, the lawmakers wanted Orgeron to address the dispute over his alleged conversation with Gloria Scott, the 74-yearold Superdome worker who said Derrius Guice sexually harassed her. Orgeron told Husch Blackwell that he never spoke to Scott. Then, he told the media that he “truthfully does not remember” speaking to her. In his letter to the committee, Orgeron said he does remember speaking to a representative of Scott. The representative told The Advocate that he never spoke to Orgeron, and Scott and her granddaughter told USA Today that she did speak to the coach. “If it warrants someone being subpoenaed to come speak,” Barrow said, “we have the power to do that.” Governor weighs in, disagrees with women lawmakers Sen. Karen Carter Peterson explicitly called for the University to fire officials found responsible for wrongdoing. A sexual assault survivor herself, she said she wants
to see accountability for a “coverup at a lot of different levels.” “I am confident that the system is going to change,” she said. “Heads need to roll. And we’re not going to just believe people’s written statements. They have to be answerable.” In a Thursday press conference, Gov. John Bel Edwards said he agreed with LSU’s decisions to give Ausberry and Segar suspensions, saying that there were “institutional’’ failures above both employees. “I accept that [Ausberry] didn’t properly report,” he said, “but there’s reason to believe he reported the way he was told to by his supervisor. In the grand scheme of things, do you terminate Mr. Ausberry? The president of LSU indicated to me that he didn’t think that that was warranted.” Edwards said there’s no doubt that former LSU employees were responsible for “some of the most egregious behavior.” Former LSU president F. King Alexander resigned from the same position at Oregon State in March, and Miles
see TAKEAWAYS, page 5
dates for search
BY MADELYN CUTRONE @madelyncutrone The Presidential Search Committee discussed the final steps of the presidential search and to determine a schedule for moving forward at an April 10 meeting at Lod Cook Conference Center. Although it is subject to change based on Parker Executive Search’s response, the committee unanimously agreed to the following schedule: • April 19: Interest period of the search will be concluded • April 21: Presidential Search Committee will meet to vet candidates and determine who they would like to consider • April 26: Presidential Search Committee will conduct interviews with persons of interest • April 30: Presidential Search Committee will decide which applicants it will submit to the Board of Supervisors as a final pool of candidates
see COMMITTEE, page 5
ACADEMICS
LSU Students create a public relations campaign for LOPA BY HENRY WELDON @HankWeldon3 As part of a public relations capstone class, Manship School of Mass Communication students are working with an organization called “Students for LOPA” to raise awareness for donating and debunking myths regarding organ donors. According to its website, LOPA (Louisiana Organ Procurement Agency) is a federally designated, not for profit organ and tissue recovery agency for the state of Louisiana. The student group’s goal is to create a public relations campaign to spread awareness and education about organ donations and to increase the number of donors from college students. Mass communication senior Whitney Hicks said she decided to work on the organ donor project because she felt that it was
an important cause. She served as the writing director for the group. “I think we all kind of have connections to organ donations in some way,” Hicks said. “I had an uncle who chose to donate his body to science after he died, so we all have little things that made us gravitate toward LOPA.” Mass communication senior Jacob McManus, who served as the creative director for the group, said he agreed with Hicks. “We had a chance in class to speak with some professionals at different organizations before we ended up choosing our groups,” McManus said. “I think personally, a lot of us felt connected to LOPA’s mission. They do a really good job of branding themselves. Their slogan is ‘Making Life Happen.’” McManus said that the project had a big impact on him and that he learned a lot from this oppor-
tunity. He said had the chance to work with some unique and interesting people. “I think a lot of the stories they (LOPA) shared with us have kind of helped us grow closer to their overall mission of helping others,” McManus said. “I think it’s been a good process and I definitely connected from the start.” Mass communication senior Ty’Queese Keyes, who served as the social media director, said that working on this project gave her a new perspective. “The biggest thing I learned was realizing that when they say ‘the gift of life,’ it really is the gift of life,” Keyes said. “It made me realize that life is really valuable and that it’s very short for some. Just be grateful for the life that you have.” She said listening to the many
see LOPA, page 5
COURTESY OF STUDENTS FOR LOPA
Monday, April 12, 2021
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LSU COVID-19 COUNTER
ACTIVE CASES* AS OF APRIL 9
30 students
2
32
employees total
TOTAL TESTS ADMINISTERED TOTAL VACCINATED INDIVIDUALS: ON CAMPUS: AS OF APRIL 9
*An active case is an individual considered to be within the timeframe of potential viral spread to others
SINCE JAN. 11
9,067
7,883
TOTAL POSITIVE CASES* SINCE JAN. 11
511
150 661 total
students employees
*Includes self-reported and confirmed on-campus test results
COVID-19
LSU community members continue to receive COVID-19 vaccines BY JADA HEMSLEY @JadaH_Reports According to LSU’s COVID-19 Reporting Dashboard, last updated April 9, 5,810 students and 3,257 professors have reported that they have received their COVID-19 vaccine. There are 32 total active cases of COVID-19 on campus as of April 9. In March, the University partnered with the state to begin providing COVID-19 vaccines to the LSU community. On January 19, the LSU Division of Strategic Communications sent out an email stating that the University had been “working closely with the Louisiana Department of Health (LDH) and other state agencies to procure COVID-19 vaccines for the LSU community.” Students, faculty and staff were asked to complete a pre-registration survey if they were interested in getting the vaccine. Three vaccines have been approved in the U.S. Two doses of the Pfizer and Moderna vaccines are required, 21 and 28 days apart, respectively. The Johnson and Johnson vaccine requires one dose.
Sociology junior Myles Jones said around the time of the email a lot of students were very reluctant to get the vaccine as they were “scared of the outcome.” “My friends and I didn’t want to just sign up for something we had no hard facts about,” Jones said. Graphic design junior Kyron Wilson said when he first saw the email, his first thoughts were that he did not want to get the vaccine because he didn’t know the side effects of it. Another email sent out on March 11 by LSU’s Division of Strategic Communications said the University was partnering with Louisiana to set up a “community-wide mass vaccination site” on campus. The state brought about 800 doses of the Johnson & Johnson vaccine, according to the email. “After seeing so many students my age get the vaccine, I was no longer hesitant to get it,” Wilson said. He said after the last few emails he received from the University, he decided to register to get the vaccine. Wilson received his first dose of the Moderna vaccine April 1 at Tiger Stadium
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
Several people sit in the observation area on March 14 after receiving their COVID-19 vaccine at Tiger Stadium. with the National Guard. “I was skeptical at first because of how fast the vaccine was made, but seeing that a lot of students are doing okay, I was more open to it,” Kinesiology junior Nylah Lowe said. “Now, I just want to be able to freely enjoy myself while feeling and
knowing that I am safe.” Lowe also received her vaccine on April 1 and said she decided to get the vaccine because she wanted to be able to go out and feel safe. “If my friends are okay, I know I’ll be okay. We’ve dealt with COVID for long enough,”
she said. “It’s summer and we all just want to have a good time while knowing that we are safe.” Since Jan. 11, there have been 661 active cases at LSU and 9,800 total tests, according to the COVID-19 Reporting Dashboard website.
NEWS BRIEFS LSU student allegedly assaulted in LSU student stabbed campus parking lot Friday night at Southeastern Louisiana University
REVEILLE STAFF REPORT
A suspect who allegedly assaulted an LSU student in the East Campus Apartments parking lot Friday night was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Parish Prison. The LSU student said he was near his car when he was allegedly assaulted by the suspect and a struggle began between the two. Freddie Peter Washington was arrested and booked into the East Baton Rouge Prison April 10 on charges of armed battery, second degree battery and aggravated battery, according to the East Baton Rouge Sheriff’s Office. A man intervened in the struggle and helped the student subdue the suspect and keep the suspect detained long enough for
REVEILLE STAFF REPORT
COURTESY OF WIKIMEDIA
LSUPD to arrive and apprehend the suspect, the man said The LSU student sustained injuries to both his arm and face as a result of the attack. His arm was bandaged by on-site paramed-
ics, but he said he did not go to the hospital. The LSU student and the man who stepped in went to the LSU police station to give a full report of the incident.
A Southeastern University student was arrested after being accused of stabbing an LSU student multiple times in a Southeastern dorm April 3, according to The Advocate. LSU junior Draven Upchurch is hospitalized and has been listed in critical condition, according to WWL-TV. Elizabeth Grace Johnson was arrested after Southeastern University Police responded to a disturbance in University Hall, a residence hall on campus. There, according to The Advocate, they found a non-student in the dorm with several stab
wounds. Johnson was identified in the police report as the victim’s dating partner. Both students were transported to the hospital for treatment, and Johnson was later booked into Tangipahoa Parish Jail on a charge of aggravated battery. Johnson has since bonded out of jail and was placed on an interim suspension by the University, according to the police report. The Blood Center in Hammond, 1116 McKaskle Drive, is currently collecting blood in Upchurch’s name. According to Southeastern spokesperson Mike Rivault, this was an “isolated incident.”
Monday, April 12, 2021
page 5 TAKEAWAYS, from page 3 was fired from his job as Kansas’ head football coach. The governor said that lawmakers deserve to hear from LSU officials, such as Orgeron and Woodward. “I think it would be very helpful and instructive to hear from them,” he said. However, Edwards said the Lewis suit complicates the situation, and that Woodward said he would testify at the Thursday hearing, but that was before he had heard of the lawsuit. He said he doesn’t think it’s fair to say that LSU officials were unwilling to testify. “I want members of the legislature, and I want members of the public to have as much information as possible directly from those who were involved,” Edwards said, “but whether that’s even now possible with the pending litigation, I’m just not sure.” Did Ausberry and/or Segar violate their suspension? Rep. Aimee Freeman said she heard from a University employee that one of the two LSU employees suspended after the Husch Blackwell report was released was doing LSU business while suspended. She said the person told her they did not want to speak at the hearing for fear of losing their job. Executive Deputy Athletic Director Verge Ausberry was suspended for 30 days without pay and Senior Associate Athletic Director Miriam Segar was suspended for 21 days without pay. Both were supposed to undergo sexual violence training during their suspensions. LSU suspended Ausberry after the Husch Blackwell report confirmed that a football player texted Ausberry, acknowledging that he punched his girlfriend in the stomach. Ausberry sat on
LOPA, from page 3 volunteers talk showed how grateful they are to the donors. Mass communication senior Donovan Suggs, who served as the creative and strategy member for the team, said he liked the organization’s mission. When he heard about the work that LOPA does, he said he felt inclined to get involved and help contribute. “I just liked their goal of always trying to save a life,” Suggs said. “I feel personally connected because when I was little, I lost a family member because they couldn’t be saved in time. It was the fact that people were trying to donate their organs, I just really appreciate them.” Mass communication senior Hope Quigley, who served as promotions director, said she was inspired to work on the project when she first heard a representative from LOPA explain the organizations mission and goals. “The person in contact who we talked to was named Lori,” Quigley said. “When she had first come and talked to us, hearing
the confession for months, while the player continued to abuse the woman. LSU suspended Segar after Husch Blackwell found that she kept Derrius Guice’s name off a report of rape. USA Today reported that former Athletic Director Joe Alleva instructed his department to funnel all sexual violence complaints through Segar, a Title IX violation. “While they were suspended, they were not supposed to be working, but we did expect them to send us any messages they did receive,” DeCuir said. Freeman said LSU students asked her why other public universities let employees go in response to mishandling of sexual assault reports and LSU did not. Former LSU President F. King Alexander resigned from Oregon State university after being put on probation amid investigations into his role in the University’s mishandling of sexual assault reports. Former LSU football coach Les Miles was fired from the University of Kansas for sexual assault allegations during his time at LSU. No current LSU employee has been dismissed from the University in light of allegations. “For the students, that feels very unacceptable. And I understand why they feel that way,” Freeman said. In a later response to a similar question, DeCuir noted that this situation isn’t about one person doing something wrong and dismissing them, but instead that it is about “changing an entire system.”
previously worked on with STAR (Sexual Trauma Awareness and Response). This bill would allow for victims of sexual assault to get out of a lease agreement if they need to. “It’s really to protect students,” Freeman said. Morgan Lamandre, the legal director at STAR, said victims typically want to go home after they have an experience with sexual assault, but sometimes they are unable to get out of a lease. Freeman also spoke about House Bill 409, which involves training on mandatory reporting. Lamandre said that this bill makes it so that the sexual assault perpetrator is reported in the sexual assault reports. This would help to prevent repeat offenders. Barrow spoke about a Senate bill that would create a Louisiana power-based violence review panel. She said one of the roles of this panel would be to serve as an advisory board to the legislature, governor and Board of Regents about power-based violence. Barrow said she would include college students on this board. White spoke about a bill that would allow individuals to make financial contributions to STAR when they are filing their taxes.
COMMITTEE, from page 3
Committee members discuss legislation The committee members discussed several pieces of legislation they plan to present during the upcoming legislative session. Freeman spoke about House Bill 375, a bill that she said she
Students not satisfied The first student to give testimony at the hearing was Kimsey Stewart, a second-year mass communication student. “I’m here because the school that I love has chosen the athletic department over me,” she said. Stewart grew emotional while she read a prepared statement. She told of a time just before the pandemic closed campus in 2020 where she witnessed a man peering in dorm room windows. She called LSUPD, she said, and the officer on the other end of the line told her that an officer could not come unless she stayed put in
her room. No officers ultimately responded to the incident. “I have thrived despite an institution that sees students as dollar signs and nothing more,” Stewart said. Mass communications junior Mia LeJeune also testified. She echoed Stewart’s sentiment and called for more students involved in University decision making. “I feel powerless,” she said. “What about us? Where is the fairness when it comes to students?” LeJeune said LSU used to have blue-lit boxes around campus where students could report potential stalking crimes. In an effort to save money, she said, the school took down the boxes and created the “LSU Shield” app, which LeJeune and others called unreliable and dysfunctional. LeJeune urged the lawmakers to continue to fund higher education despite the shortcomings of those tasked with running it. Cutting funds would hurt the students, she said, sapping financial support from departments that need it, like Title IX. Mia Macaluso, secretary and social media manager of Tigers Against Sexual Assault (TASA), said she does not feel safe walking through campus, even during the day. She said a few of her friends reported being stalked by a man, who LSU found guilty. The only punishment the perpetrator received, she said, was a ban from the UREC. Macaluso said it’s humiliating that her parents have to pay tuition to a school that won’t protect their daughter. “The fact that a university this large could cover up something this large,” she said, “it is humiliating.” Macaluso, Stewart and LeJeune said they were committed to changing that fact. “The ultimate boss is the students,” Macaluso said. “We pay to be here.”
her explain everything and just listening to how passionate she was about organ donations just really inspired me to want to work with them.” Hicks said that the main purpose of the class is constructing a public relations campaign for an organization that students are passionate about. The group was inspired to try and create a campaign for a man named Mark Scotch, who is from Wisconsin. Scotch was in Natchitoches, a city located roughly 180 miles northwest of Baton Rouge, where he met an individual who was in need of a new kidney, according to Hicks. “What happened was, Scotch donated his kidney and he wasn’t an exact match with the individual who he met,” McManus said. “So instead, a person in New York got Mark’s kidney. That was a better match.” The individual from Natchitoches received his new kidney in March from someone in California, according to McManus. McManus said this was able to happen because of something called the “voucher program.” If
a donor donates an organ with an intended recipient but doesn’t match, that recipient will still get an organ from someone else through the program. “I had the opportunity to speak with both of them after their procedures,” McManus said. “It’s a really cool story. Scotch is actually cycling from Madison, Wisconsin to Natchitoches as a big endurance ride to raise awareness. Our whole idea behind this campaign was going the extra mile to make life happen.” The roughly 1,500 mile ride is scheduled to take place from April 24 to May 21. The current plan is for Scotch’s ride to culminate at the Cane River Brewing Company in Natchitoches, which is where he and the person in need of the kidney first met. Scotch helped lead the charge when it came to creative thinking for the entire campaign, McManus said. “It’s definitely a unique opportunity, I’ll say that,” McManus said. “[Scotch is] so passionate about it. I think he personally sees the change it can make.” McManus said it’s instanc-
es like this make the project fulfilling. “It really just goes to show how much change one person can make in another person’s life,” he said. “I think it’s stories like that, which we have had such a privilege to learn about this semester. That has really pushed us forward and has given us a lot of opportunities to work with from a public relations perspective.” Hicks said that as she did more research, she was shocked at all the myths circulating regarding donating organs. “We really found out that there are a lot of myths about organ donations that some people still believe today,” she said. “People think that if you’re an organ donor, the doctors won’t work to save you. It’s myths like that which people still think about today.” The group wanted to make social media posts to help get the word out that old myths like that are not true anymore, according to Hicks. “We have spoken with people that have donated and have got-
ten donations from people,” she said. “That was a big thing that they were saying, that so many people believe these myths. I have always been an organ donor and I never questioned it, but it’s really widespread how many people believe in these myths.” The group hopes to encourage more people to become organ donors by tackling these myths, she said. While the students have been busy working on their project throughout the semester, they have faced some difficulties. McManus said that event planning and campaign implementation were tough due to the pandemic. “We weren’t sure what we were actually going to be able to do,” McManus said. “I’d say it limited us a lot.” Despite this, he, along with the rest of the group, said that they are happy with the way things went and hope to do more work in the future. As the end of the semester slowly approaches, the group is working especially hard to do as much promoting as it can.
“I am confident these dates are dates [Parker Executive Search] would be comfortable with,” Committee Chair James Williams said. Vice President of Strategic Communications Jim Sabourin told the Reveille that the applicant list received by the Presidential Search Committee will not be made public, and the interview process will be private as well. The final pool of candidates sent to the Board will be released to the public. The University hired Parker Executive Search on Nov. 13, 2020 to conduct the background search for potential presidential candidates across the nation. Since then, the search firm has created a rubric for who would be a proper presidential candidate, finalized the position description and formed a website where members of the LSU community can suggest candidates for consideration. At a Jan. 14 Presidential Search Committee meeting, President of Parker Executive Search Laurie Wilder said the firm was in the “aggressive outreach and recruiting of candidates stage.” At that time, 34 individuals had been nominated for consideration. Although the committee chairs have been in close contact with Parker Executive throughout the search, it does not yet have details on the number of applicants on the list or who they may be. “Other than to know that there are persons who have expressed interest, Parker has not submitted to us any quantity,” Williams said. “In the very limited discussions I’ve had with them, I do know they are actively recruiting and that folks are expressing interest.”
ENTERTAINMENT The Duke of Goodbyes
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Rege-Jean Page departs Netflix’s ‘Bridgerton’
BY EMMA JACKIMOWICZ @emmajackimowicz Lady Whistledown strikes again with the latest tea on RegeJean Page’s departure from playing Simon, Duke of Hastings, on season two of the romance/drama series “Bridgerton.” On April 2, the official “Bridgerton” Twitter page shared a photo revealing that the show will be bidding adieu to the British actor for the next part of Lady Daphne (Phoebe Dyvenor) and Lord Anthony’s (Jonathan Bailey) journey in the show. The show gained popularity partly due to the Duke of Hastings and the sex appeal that came
with his character, particularly attracting women to the Shondaland series. Page claims that he knew what he was getting himself into when he signed the contract and that his character would not appear in the forthcoming seasons. As per the “Bridgerton” book series written by Julia Quill from which the show is inspired, each novel follows a different Bridgerton child and their quest for marriage. Daphne was the first of the siblings to go, hence the first season being mostly based around her and Simon’s budding chemistry that led to marriage. Sources told The Hollywood
Reporter that Page was offered $50,000 to guest star in three episodes in season two but declined the offer. Apparently, the actor turned this down for a slew of reasons, one being that the seasons were not focused on his character anymore. In an interview with Variety Magazine, Page stated, “It felt like a limited series. I get to come in, I get to contribute my bit and then the Bridgerton family rolls on.” While fans are upset about the Duke of Hastings not being a member of the cast anymore, many are excited for the following season that centers around Anthony Bridgerton, which is based off of Quinn’s “The Viscount Who
Loved Me.” The novel centers around the eldest Bridgerton brother as he decides to settle down and sire an heir and ensure himself the family inheritance. The show’s writers claim that their plan for the second season did not even include Rege-Jean’s Simon in the first place. Sources claim that another reason Page is not returning is so that he could focus on his now thriving movie career. However, it is known that “Bridgerton” was a huge catalyst for the actor’s career taking off following its December 2020 release. His next big project is his upcoming starring role in Paramount’s “Dun-
geons and Dragons” alongside Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez and Justice Smith (set to be released May 2022). The show also influenced his first ever breakout role as a host on NBC’s “Saturday Night Live” in February. As a result of Page’s film career taking off and the show no longer focusing on the Duke’s character, we must say goodbye to the show’s main eye candy and undoubted fan favorite. Production for season two of “Bridgerton” is currently underway in London, with the cast having its first table read on March 29. The release date for the upcoming season is still to be determined.
FOOD & DRINK
Finding food finders: some of the best foodstagrams in BR BY GIDEON FORTUNE @asapfortune Finding good food is not an easy task. As a person whose job is to find food, I often have to utilize social media to find new restaurants. There are instagram pages devoted to sharing their food finds with the masses. Here is a list of my favorite food pages on Instagram that cover restaurants here in Baton Rouge. @foodiestoforkwith If I ever say “the food page on Instagram,” I am talking about foodiestoforkwith. LSU alumna Victoria Hines runs this immensely vibrant page that displays every kind of food there is. I am such a fan, I collaborated with her on an edition of Fortune’s Food Finds about the new restaurant SoLou. Foodiestoforkwith is always quick to visit new restaurants, so I am frequently checking in to make sure I do not miss anything. This is easily one of the most well-run food pages that I have ever seen, not just in Baton Rouge but overall. @redstickblackeats This page is a must-follow. LSU alumnus Nicholas Robert highlights Black-owned restaurants in Baton Rouge. Robert eats at all places but noticed that Blackowned joints were not mentioned as much on the news and other media outlets so he took matters into his own hands — and did
so brilliantly. Redstickblackeats has nearly one thousand followers now. Robert mentioned how summer 2020 changed the recognition that his page received. “After the events of last summer, Black-owned businesses, especially Black-owned restaurants, received attention,” said Robert, “and almost instantly, the amount of followers and engagement on my Instagram page noticeably increased. I for one am glad that people have supported many of the places I have posted about.” @tooforkedup LSU architecture senior Caroline Scheuermann runs this page and comes up with some fire comments. “And in the mornin’, I’m makin waffles,” is about as good of a caption as anyone can post. Tooforkedup is about the dishes and not much else, besides perks of course. “I find new places to try out from other users’ posts and I love interacting with small local restaurants through my account! The best part is that I’ll sometimes get promotional offers in exchange for posting about new businesses trying to grow a social media following,” Scheuermann said. @fork.with.us Fork.with.us is run by communication studies junior Marigny Lanaux and her twin sister, digital marketing junior Kaitlyn Lanaux. The twins are based primarily in New Orleans but feature many Baton Rouge restaurants while they are here at LSU. The Lanaux
twins have built quite a fanbase with almost five thousand followers but are still extremely invested in the foodie community. “We started our food blog as a way to share what we eat to our friends and family. We love meeting other local food bloggers and trying new places to eat around NOLA and BR,” they said. @getupchowdown I have always believed that family bonding does not count unless food is involved, and the three Lakvold sisters do plenty of quality bonding. Getupchowdown is run by LSU alumnae Amanda and Claire. Along with mass communication freshman Ryn. The sisters were always taking pictures of their food and decided that sharing them would be a neat idea. I appreciate the job they do to celebrate holidays such as Pi day and important weekly occurrences such as treat yo self Tuesday. “Although we started the page a few years ago, we started consistently posting on it at the end of 2020,” said one of the sisters. “We love trying new foods, but our favorite part that we didn’t realize when we started is all the foodie friends we’ve made and the whole foodie community that is so welcoming, friendly and supportive.” @gimmethewheel Gimmethewheel is so much more than a food page. It is an entire show. The show has one full
season already on Youtube. Chefs are interviewed and kitchens are toured in the 30-minute episodes. Gimmethewheel gives you the rare opportunity to see how the food is made at local restaurants. A personal experience with food is provided in these episodes. “‘The Wheel’ showcases the charming atmospheres, mesmerizing tastes, and winning hospitality that so many of our area restaurants boast,” the account owners said. A second season will be filmed soon, and I cannot wait to learn more about some local spots. @boozeyfoodiez LSU alumnus Jeanne Marie Hidalgo knows that quenching thirst is just as important as satisfying hunger. “I use my page as a creative space. Of course, what peaks my creative interest the most is the colorful and savory food and drinks of Baton Rouge,” Hidalgo said. Boozeyfoodiez displays foods like bacon-wrapped alligators and veal sorrentino, but also mango mojitos and spiked hot chocolate. If you are over 21 and looking to get a little buzz on after treating your taste buds, look no further. @mitchs_meals Accounting graduate student Victoria Mitchell covers plenty of places in LSU’s backyard like The Chimes, Inga’s and Louie’s so LSU students can definitely benefit from following. The account also
includes fast food dishes and repeat restaurants, making the page super real in terms of how we eat. Mitchell’s photography skills are also second to none, which comes from experience. “I have always taken pictures of my food ever since I can remember,” Mitchell said. “Around March 2016, I created an Instagram page to share the pictures on, but it wasn’t until the summer of 2020 that I decided to up my food game and become a part of the ‘foodie’ community. I love being a part of the Baton Rouge food community and inspiring people to try different restaurants!” @shebeeatin As a vegetable lover, the amount of green on Jaime Patrice’s page is inspiring. I like that this page has multiple posts from one restaurant, giving in-depth looks at specific places. Menu pictures are also an ingenious feature of shebeeatin. The page has over 600 posts which further confirms that shebeeatin definitely be eatin. @lilfoodiezla Two kids crushing their cravings in the capital of Louisiana. The duo has over 1,000 followers and was recently featured in the 225’s The Kids issue. A hand is the closest you get to see of the content creator on most food pages, but the lil foodiez exhibit a different reaction face to every meal that is featured on their page.
Monday, April 12, 2021
page 7
REV R ANKS DOCUMENTARY
AUDREY: MORE THAN AN ICON
Salon Pictures
The documentary followed a timeline that was just linear enough to serve its biographical purpose, but not so linear that it felt like a retelling, rather than a story. It didn’t feel like you were watching a documentary with an encyclopedia or a Wikipedia page for a script. Sure, the details and facts of Hepburn’s life and career were there, but their delivery and inclusion were so intricately weaved throughout that you never felt bogged down by information. Ava Borskey @iamavab SINGLE
MONTERO (CALL ME BY YOUR NAME)
R E T S U B K C O L B
Lil Nas X
It’s creative, and there is a lot of Lil Nas X. He is basically every character in the music video, but that is the point. The song is about his experience, and he is showing us into his world (or underworld). Lil Nas X is not hiding anymore. He is venturing out of the “Old Town Road” era and moving more to pop than a mix of hip hop and country. He is also singing and not rapping. His voice is good enough for the song, but you can tell it is not his strong suit. Britney Young @byoun99
EP
REVELACIÓN Selena Gomez
Gomez experiments with a slew of different genres in comparison to her previous albums, with “Revelación” having a series of sultry Latin trap and reggaeton beats. In the first track, “De Una Vez,” (translated as “At Once” in English), the singer belts out a bittersweet melody describing a sense of healing and empowerment after a breakup, which I have to assume is about her tumultuous relationship with Justin Bieber that ended in 2012. Emma Jackimowicz @emmajackimowicz ALBUM
JUSTICE Justin Bieber
The album’s shift regresses to Bieber’s “popstar” roots with songs that clearly identify with the American pop genre to the core. It was very obvious that the featuring artists really carried the majority of this album. It was a good attempt tactic on Bieber’s part considering his experimentation with genres throughout. I think Bieber himself could not pull off some of these songs without the added flavor, but overall it was afun listen. Ashley Latcha @ashleylatcha
Read the full reviews online at lsunow.com/entertainment
‘The Last Blockbuster’ reminds moviegoers that the franchise is still standing BY EMMA JACKIMOWICZ @emmajackimowicz Remember the days where you would fight with your family at Blockbuster about which movie you were going to watch that night? Netflix’s “The Last Blockbuster” documentary allows you to revisit those days while getting to see how the last Blockbuster location in the world is faring amidst the rising popularity of streaming services. The documentary was originally released on December 15, but just recently aired on Netflix on March 16 with rave reviews from critics and former Blockbuster-goers alike. The film delves into the status of the last existing Blockbuster location in Bend, Oregon, managed alone by Bend’s hometown hero, Sandi Harding. Filmmakers Taylor Morden and Zeke Kamm are from Bend themselves and started this documentary back in 2017 when they saw how impactful the world’s last Blockbuster location was to their community and the world. Throughout the film, viewers get to see the economic downfall of the franchise and other video stores, as well as the corporate greed and management that added to Blockbuster’s demise. One of my favorite parts of this documentary was the reallife accounts from celebrities talking about their experiences
at Blockbuster during its heyday, proving how this franchise is able to leave a lasting impression even now. Morden and Kamm even gave these celebrities/interviewees old Blockbuster DVD boxes and allowed them to reminisce on the days where you could hold the movie you wanted to watch in your hands as opposed to clicking it with your TV remote. These interviewees included Adam Brody, Samm Levine, Ron Funches, Paul Scheer, Doug Benson and Brian Poeshn. The film also dives into one of the biggest controversies surrounding Blockbuster: why it didn’t buy Netflix before it basically ran Blockbuster out of business. Blockbuster CEO John Antioco quickly denied buying Netflix for almost $50 million back in 2000, claiming that it seemed like a “great big joke.” At the time, Netflix was just a DVD-by-mail rental service with a grim-looking future that soon turned around following the expansion of streaming services online. While we all could wonder what life would have been like for Blockbuster had it taken this opportunity, there is no denying that it easily trumps Netflix in terms of the nostalgic feel that comes with going to a video store and picking out a movie in person. The Facebook page for “The Last Blockbuster” even referred
to the irony of the film being aired on Netflix when it announced its upcoming release on the streaming service on March 8. The Bend location’s manager, however, continues to attract people from all over the world to the last standing Blockbuster despite the hardships it faces. Harding discusses how the business became very family-oriented for herself and the Bend community as she is responsible for employing a large number of citizens from the town, including her own family. At one point in the documentary, I found myself tearing up from watching Harding and her family talk about the impact the franchise has had on their lives. It is hard not to be touched by the nostalgic feel Harding has managed to maintain in the store throughout her struggle to keep the business afloat over the past two decades. Harding is undoubtedly the star of the film, as viewers get to watch the consistent effort that one woman puts in to keep the Blockbuster name alive. “The Last Blockbuster” is bound to make you feel like you are back in the good old days where going to the video store was a fun experience to have with friends and family. With heartwarming anecdotes that seem like a blast from the past, the documentary was able to make me want to buy a DVD player again.
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SPORTS
page 11 OPINION
‘WE WANT YOU.’ New Orleans native Will Hellmers always knew he’d be a Tiger.
man.’” “Okay, I’m not going to mess with you,” Hellmers recalled thinking. Bregman, a former two-time All-American shortstop at LSU turned World Series champion third baseman with the Houston Astros, keeps tabs on his alma mater. He frequently talks with Mainieri over the phone after games, going over things he
see HELLMERS, page 12
see WADE, page 12
KRISTEN YOUNG / The Reveille
Two weeks before the start of his freshman season, Will Hellmers was approached by Head Coach Paul Mainieri about a possible position change. Concerned with the defense on the left side of the infield, Mainieri was willing to try anything to fix the issue, including moving someone he recruited as a pitcher to play in the infield.
He noticed Hellmers fielding ground balls that day at practice and asked him what position he played in high school when he wasn’t pitching. When Hellmers responded with third base, Mainieri thought he found the solution to his troubles. Instead, Hellmers’ struggles at the hot corner were a dark cloud that dangled over a rough opening weekend. LSU split a twogame series with Air Force, and
Hellmers totaled four errors and went hitless in six at-bats in the two games. The night after the second game, Hellmers received a phone call. Unable to recognize the phone number, he answered cautiously. “I got this Facetime audio call from a random number and thought, ‘I guess I’ll answer this and mess with this guy,’” Hellmers said. “I picked it up and he goes, ‘hey Will, this is Alex Breg-
HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_ LSU men’s hoops (19-10) concluded its season with a hardfought loss against one-seed Michigan, narrowly missing out on advancing to the Sweet 16. Many LSU fans would consider this a successful season when looking back on the last decade, but when your team features some of the best collective talent in recent memory, expectations tend to be a little bit higher. On multiple occasions, LSU flashed its true potential, especially heading into the tournament. It had key wins against a ranked Tennessee and tournament-bound Missouri down the stretch, followed by wins against Ole Miss and No. 8 Arkansas in the SEC Tournament to advance to the championship game. The team would ultimately suffer its third, and closest, loss of the season to Alabama. Many would argue that a win there
LSU baseball freshman right-handed pitcher Will Hellmers (48) pitches the ball March 30 during LSU’s 11-1 win against South Alabama. BY TAYLOR LYONS @taylorjlyons
Column: Is Will Wade’s time at LSU ending?
WOMEN’S TENNIS
LSU women’s tennis caps regular season with 4-1 win
BY HENRY HUBER @HenryHuber_ LSU women’s tennis (14-4, 9-4 SEC) completed the regular season with a solid victory over Missouri (15-15, 1-12 SEC), only dropping one point in singles and dominating everywhere else. With that victory, the Tigers completed their SEC schedule with nine conference wins for the first time in program history. With LSU entering the match with a three-match win streak against strong SEC competition, another conference win to close out the regular season would maximize the team’s momentum entering the SEC tournament. LSU previously defeated No. 40 Alabama, No. 17 Auburn and No. 29 Arkansas by a combined score of 12-3 and was looking to add Missouri as a fourth straight victory. Missouri came out of the gate with a lot of energy, giving LSU more trouble than expected during doubles. But despite dropping the first doubles point
on Court One, the Bayou Bengals were able to take the other two points and ultimately the doubles point. No. 73 Taylor Bridges and Paris Corley were able to effectively control their entire match on Court Three, winning 6-3. On the other hand, the deciding match on Court Five was more of a struggle. Eden Richardson and Anna Loughlan had to bounce back from a 1-3 deficit to clinch the match and managed to do so, taking five of the last six points. Missouri’s energy seemed to run out after that on most courts in singles, with every match being lopsided in LSU’s favor except one. Nina Geissler was the first Bayou Bengal to strike, only dropping a total of two games in a 6-1 victory. And though the opposite was the case on Court One, LSU continued to dominate until the match was over. No. 40 Paris Corley earned a solid 6-3, 6-1 win on her Senior Day to cap off her regular
season singles record at 16-4. That was quickly followed by one last dominant performance by LSU, as Samantha Buyckx finished an impressive debut regular season with a 6-2 victory. Despite arguably the most successful season in LSU women’s tennis history, the Tigers are predicted to be fourth seed in the conference tournament, with Georgia, Florida and Texas A&M all being expected to hold the top three spots. That’s still very impressive, as the team will finish over strong SEC teams like Vanderbilt, South Carolina and Ole Miss. The program has been on the rise over the last few years and could poke its head into the top-10 after sweeping Arkansas and defeating Missouri this week. The road ahead of them is a challenging one, as the SEC Tournament will be filled with close matches, but an SEC title is not out of the question. It’ll be interesting to see how far this Tiger team can go and where it’ll ultimately finish.
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
LSU women’s tennis senior Paris Corley gets ready to hit the ball Jan. 31 during LSU’s 4-0 win over Rice at the LSU Tennis Complex.
page 12 HELLMERS, from page 11 liked, things he didn’t or sometimes simply wanting to gush over Dylan Crews. After that Sunday’s loss against Air Force, Bregman asked Mainieri for Hellmers’ phone number, wanting to give the freshman words of encouragement after his shaky start to his college career. What followed was a 30-minute chat that Hellmers called, “the greatest conversation I’ve ever had with anybody.” “He told me about all the times he failed where he made a crucial, fatal error in the College World Series when he was a freshman,” Hellmers said. “He told me about all these times where you fail, but you’re going to come out on the other side, and that you just got to keep working, be humble and keep your head up.” It wasn’t the debut Hellmers dreamed of, by any stretch. He never thought he’d be playing third base or in the lineup. “I thought I was just going to pitch,” he said. The debut he did dream of first took shape when he was just six years old. He and his family made the trip to Baton Rouge for a weekend series against Auburn. He couldn’t remember the exact score, but what he did remember was the feeling he had watching players. From that point forward, he knew he’d someday be in their shoes. “It was the first time where I was really thinking hard that this is what I want to do,” he said. “I want to be at LSU doing what these guys are doing right now. That’s always been the driving
WADE, from page 11 would have propelled LSU’s tournament seeding to seven or even six, providing the Tigers with a much more realistic chance of making it to the Sweet 16 or further, given that an eight-seed’s path to the championship is arguably the toughest. With the Tigers playing the way they were in the games leading up to the tourney, it isn’t difficult to imagine them taking down a two or three-seed (or in this tournament’s case, 14 or 15-seed) in the second round, as the Tigers had just lost to a two-seed (Alabama) by a single point. But as the saying goes, “Would’ve, could’ve, should’ve.” It’s arguable that LSU had three to six-seed talent, so how did it end up being an eightseed? How did it lose by double digits to a Kentucky team that went 9-16? And how did it lose its regular-season matchups versus Alabama by a combined 48 points? The main factor that isn’t hard to analyze is team defense. It was something that fans hoped would be improved upon after last season, where the Tigers finished 230th in defensive scoring efficiency (DSE). They did improve, but that improvement was minuscule.
Monday, April 12, 2021 thought in my head after that series.” From an even younger age, LSU and baseball constantly surrounded him. He always had a baseball in his hand, whether ihewas playing with it himself or throwing it at people, and LSU was all anyone wanted to talk about in the Hellmers’ household. “LSU’s always been a part of my life,” he said. “Whether it was baseball, football, basketball, LSU was always the talk going around my house. I’ve loved LSU since I was a kid.” Hellmers said he hadn’t played third base since his junior year at Jesuit High School in New Orleans, and even then it was rare. His junior year was when his number of innings on the mound took off. It’s also when LSU, the school Hellmers grew up dreaming of playing for, began to take notice of the arm that was blossoming right in its own backyard. LSU’s recruiting coordinator, Nolan Cain, made the trips to New Orleans for the biannual matchups between Hellmers’ Jesuit and Brother Martin High School, one of the biggest rivalries in the area. Another future Tiger played at Brother Martin: Tre’ Morgan. Cain would go to the games between the two New Orleans powerhouses to see Morgan at first, but took notice to the opposing pitcher who often shut down the Morgan-led Brother Martin offense. “Usually I’d be the one pitching,” Hellmers said of the matchups. “Nolan watched me pitching in those games, and I performed pretty well.” Morgan remembers his clash-
es with Hellmers pretty well. “That was the one time I had to go up there and compete every time I stepped in the box,” Morgan said. “I knew every at-bat was going to be a battle against him.” Hellmers knew he needed to be at his best in those battles, too. “Those were always the hardest ones,” he said. “Tre’ has always been great competition for me, and I always looked forward to that. He always brought his best.” “I don’t remember him ever getting a hit off me,” he said with a smile. Later in Hellmers’ junior year, LSU hosted a tournament at Alex Box Stadium. Hellmers’ Jesuit team was invited. “We want you to pitch,” Hellmers recalled Cain telling him prior to the tournament. In his future home and in front of his future coaches, Hellmers pitched well. Well enough to catch the attention — if he hadn’t already — of Cain and pitching coach Alan Dunn. After his showing, Cain called Hellmers into his office with Dunn. “We want you,” Cain told Hellmers. “So that was the unofficial offer at that point,” Hellmers said. “Things went on that summer, and I came on an unofficial visit, and I committed as soon as I got the official offer. My decision was made.” Having not committed until the summer going into his senior year of high school, Hellmers’ path to LSU vastly differed from most of the other signees in the class. Hellmers calls himself a
late bloomer in that sense. “It happens differently for kids along the way,” Cain said. After the first two games of the season, Hellmers was moved back to pitching full time. Looking back at the third base experiment, he says it made him a stronger person both physically and mentally as he prepared for the transition back to the mound. “I’ll always remember that as something that made me a stronger person and a stronger player,” he said. “I was confident in it, but things happen. Life’s a dance. You learn as you go.” He made his debut on the mound on Feb. 24, a Wednesday night game in Lafayette against ULL just three days after his last appearance at third base. He struck out two batters and didn’t allow a single hitter to reach base safely in two innings of work. He tossed another two innings the following weekend against Youngstown State. He got his first start the following Wednesday against Southern, striking out six and allowing just two hits in five innings. Hellmers showed that he had not only overcome the mental hurdle of an unfortunate LSU debut but could pitch successfully out of the bullpen or as a starter. In his first four outings — three in relief and one start — Hellmers pitched a combined 9.2 innings with 11 strikeouts and allowed only two earned runs. Next up on LSU’s schedule was the University of New Orleans, whose campus sat just 15 minutes from Hellmers’ high school. The game was on a Wednesday. Mainieri told Hellmers that he’d be the starting pitcher that Sunday.
The Tigers ranked 229th in DSE this season and were even lower in other defensive categories like opponent points per game (280th) and opponent 2nd half points per game (307th). They nearly gave up 40 points per game in the second half alone, which is where strong defense is most vital. Since Will Wade started coaching LSU in 2017, the Tigers have only ranked above 200th in DSE once to finish a season. It’s disappointing, not just because that’s abysmal, but because the opposite is the case when it comes to offense. The Tigers have ranked in the top-15 in points per game in every year under Wade except for his debut and have ranked sixth or above in the last two. Usually, if a team is ranked that high offensively in a Power five conference, you expect that team to be a contender or around that level. But balance is incredibly important in basketball, and when a team isn’t balanced, it tends to fall. In the 2018-19 season (Wade’s most successful season), LSU ranked in the top-150 in DSE, which isn’t amazing, but with a top-15 scoring offense, it was enough to earn it an SEC regular season title and a spot in the Sweet 16. If they’re able to crack the top-100 or higher
while maintaining their incredible success on offense, the Tigers will be an extremely dangerous team. This leads one final question: will they even get another chance under Wade? For one, it’s expected that LSU’s big four (Cameron Thomas, Javonte Smart, Trendon Watford and Darius Days) are all heading to the NBA, which will leave the roster borderline unrecognizable come next year. But more importantly, Will Wade’s remaining time with the program could be limited. Though his current contract doesn’t expire until 2023, the allegations regarding paying recruits to come to LSU remain relevant. Arizona fired its coach Wednesday for the same allegations, so it’s definitely a possibility. With Wade’s controversy, his immaturity when dealing with these allegations and his inability to get the Tigers to the next level, it is believable that his time with the Tigers could be running out. If he were fired before the start of next season, he will have left behind an impressive yet disappointing legacy with the LSU men’s basketball program. That legacy will be on the mind of LSU fans everywhere for the years to come as they ask themselves what could have been.
LSU men’s basketball Head Coach Will Wade discusses with his team Dec. 6, 2020 during LSU’s 86-55 win over LA Tech.
“I was pumped for it,” Hellmers said. “To go back home and pitch against a team that recruited me in the past in my hometown, it was a great feeling to be out there.” Hellmers had plenty of family and old friends at the game to watch him pitch. He could hear close friends from his high school days yelling at him from the crowd. “There were a lot of people there that were rooting for me,” he said. “It was great to be back. It was a little bit more special. I felt it more in my heart.” He pitched five scoreless innings and added seven strikeouts that night, the town where he grew up with a baseball always in his hand, surrounded by LSU superfans. With another successful outing and many more since then, Hellmers proved he belonged on that field that he said he would play on one day when he was six. More importantly, he reached his dream by overcoming the initial adversity of a debut unlike any other. He always imagined his first time taking the field as a Tiger would be on the mound, not at third base or in the batter’s box, but he wouldn’t go back and change it if he could. Still, he came out on the other side. He worked through his failures. He kept his head up and kept working to get where he always knew he’d be. Just like Bregman told him to do. “Baseball is a humbling sport,” Hellmers said. “You have to fail to succeed. That’s always got to be in the back of your head. You have to grind through it to succeed.”
ABBY KIBLER / The Reveille
Monday, April 12, 2021
page 13
BEACH VOLLEYBALL
LSU volleyball celebrates senior weekend with five wins BY LILLIAN O’CONNELL @lillyoconnell1
who they are and what they mean to our program, they’ll be more impressed by their character, they’ll be more impressed by the way they’ve cared for each other, by the way they’ve cared for this team, this program and university.” During the senior presentation, Nuss was recognized for having 130 wins and counting. Claire Coppola is just a few behind Nuss with 120. Nuss passed UCLA’s Izzy Carry, who had 123 in her career. Nuss is the most successful player in the history of college beach volleyball. For the New Orleans game, Seits and York took home the win on Court Five, 21-15 and 21-8. Kloth and Nuss, the nation’s best pair, brought home another win on Court One, 21-10 and 2114. Coppola and Greene-Agnew won on Court Two in straightsets, 21-14 and 21-12. During the Texas A&M University Kingsville game, Seits and York finished with another win on Court Five with scores of 21-7 and 21-8. Kloth and Nuss continued their winning streak with scores of 21-9 and 21-15 on Court One. Coppola and Greene-Agnew fell on Court Two with scores of 21-18
and 21-18. To finish off the night with the ULM match, York paired up with Ordonez on Court Five and won with scores of 21-5 and 21-17. Ordonez was recognized Saturday night for becoming the fourth player in program history to reach her 80th career victory. Kloth and Nuss won on court
one with scores of 21-10 and 21-8. Greene-Agnew and Coppola rebounded on Court Two and won with scores of 21-11 and 21-8. “Today as a whole was really, really good,” Brock said, “and it sets us up well for another week of training and another big tournament next weekend.”
SAVANNA ORGERON / The Reveille
LSU beach volleyball senior Claire Coppola (14) and junior Kelli GreeneAgnew (1) celebrate a point on April 9 during LSU’s win over Spring Hill.
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The LSU beach volleyball team is ranked No. 4. It competed Friday and Saturday against Spring Hill College, Central Arkansas, New Orleans, Texas A&M-Kingsville and ULM at the Battle on the Bayou in the LSU Beach Volleyball Stadium. The Tigers played Spring Hill College and Central Arkansas on Friday. LSU went 5-0 against Spring Hill College. It also went 5-0 against Central Arkansas, leading the team to finish off the night with two wins at home. “Anytime you come out and feel like you’re the better team,” Head Coach Russell Brock said, “there can be a tendency to let down. You see it all the time in sports, and I think there is a genuine excitement for our team to be in the sand right now and play great ball.” LSU started Friday off against Spring Hill College. Claire Coppola and Kelli Greene-Agnew took home the win on Court Two with scores of 21-4 and 21-5. Ashlyn Rasnick-Pope and Toni Rodriguez played quick on the sand and won on Court Three with scores of 21-5 and 21-10. Taryn Kloth and Kristen Nuss
remained undefeated as the nation’s best pair on Court One. They won with scores of 21-11 and 21-15. Grace Seits and Kahlee York took home the win on Court Five with scores of 21-18 and 21-13. Ellie Shank and Jess Lansman won in straight sets on Court Four with scores of 21-15 and 23-21. Later on Friday, LSU spiked around with Central Arkansas. Lansman and Shank took home the win on Court Four again with scores of 21-12 and 21-12. Seits and York also won on Court Five with scores of 21-11 and 21-12. Nuss and Kloth once again dominated with wins on Court One with scores of 21-9 and 21-10. Coppola and Reilly Allred were paired on Court Two and won with scores of 21-17 and 2114. Rasnick-Pope and Rodriguez won in straight sets on Court Three with scores of 21-15 and 21-16. LSU started off Saturday against New Orleans and ended the night honoring 11 senior Tigers following the win over ULM. “To have a group that big with so many accolades,” Brock said, “statistically, they’ve just meant so much to our program. That’s just scratching the surface. My hope is that as people understand
OPINION
page 14
Teal lights in Tiger Stadium performative, insensitive SPILL THE TEA WITH MARIE MARIE PLUNKETT
@MarieC_214
On April 6, Tiger Stadium lit up with bright teal lights. On April 7, the University got roasted on social media for it. April is Sexual Assault Awareness Month, and teal is its official color, according to the National Sexual Violence Resource Center. The University posted to Instagram about its performative activism with the short and emotionless caption, “Last night, Tiger Stadium went teal to honor Sexual Assault Awareness Month.” It didn’t take long for students, alumni, fans and others within the community to take to social media to express their anger and frustration with the University. Some Instagram users remarked on the University’s hypocrisy and performative activism — one user commented, “Yes flagship university give us nothing!!!” or another wrote, “We want consequences, not performative crap like this’ [But the most recent surge of comments have
been ridiculing the University for posting about its colored lights after freshman Kori Gauthier has been missing since April 6.] The University’s social media presence would seem to suggest that it cares deeply about the problems facing its students, but its actions reveal that the opposite is true. In the wake of the Husch Blackwell report, students expected to see real change, but the University chose simply to suspend two athletic officials instead — no one was fired, no justice was received and our University remains as dangerous and unsympathetic as before. Showing support for a cause, whether it’s pink lights for Breast Cancer Awareness Month or teal lights for Sexual Assault Awareness Month, is not inherently performative or insensitive — but directly following the University’s inaction regarding administrators who covered up rape allegations, the teal stadium lights were tone-deaf and frankly hypocritical. To echo the sentiments of many Instagram users, the University really gave us nothing. It decided to add some color
to the lights it already leaves on every night (really, how could you put less effort into something?) and then post it to social media as a PR stunt. It was a completely empty, useless move on its part. The University has 238 thousand followers on Instagram, not including all of the other official accounts for specific academic departments, athletic teams, clubs, campus resources, etc. That’s a massive social media presenceand it chose to post meaningless PR pictures instead of real information. The University should have done more in the wake of the Husch Blackwell report but it didn’t. It now needs to make up for it. It needs to be using its platform to make a difference, to spread awareness to the real problems plaguing students, to recommend students to resources on and off campus and overall to do better. The administration apparently listened to concerned student voices and posted about missing freshman Kori Gauthier to its Instagram story on April 9, but like that Instagram story, its concern
JALEN HINTON / The Reveille
Agriculture business senior Daniel Garbr holds a sign while blockading exit on March 8, during the Tigers Against Sexual Assault sit-in at the Football Operations Center on Skip Bertman Drive. seemed to disappear after 24 hours. Kori Gauthier is still missing, and the University can’t do more than post a temporary flyer to its Instagram account. Where’s the concern, LSU? Where’s the justice? Do better. Kori Gauthier is 18 years old, five-foot-five and 115-120 pounds
with dark brown hair and brown eyes. If you have any information about the disappearance of Kori Gauthier, contact LSUPD at 225578-3231 or BRPD at 225-3892000. Marie Plunkett is a 22-year-old classical studies senior from New Orleans.
May we all behold the mighty tree and its many lessons SAUCE BOSS CÉCILE
CÉCILE GIRARD @_cegi_
This University loves its trees, and so do I. It’s right there in the first line of the alma mater — “where stately oaks and broad magnolias
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
A tree sprouts new leaves on March 21, outside of Audubon Hall in Baton Rouge.
shade inspiring halls.” As spring turns these famous live oaks greener and more resplendent than ever, I’m struck once again with awe and utter respect for the magnificence of trees. I say “once again” because my first reckoning with this reality came in September 2020. I had just returned home to Lake Charles for the first time since Hurricane Laura. I walked along familiar blocks that would have been unrecognizable out of context — I was finding myself getting lost on streets I had navigated daily for 16 years of my life. I initially blamed my disorientation on the downed power lines, debris piles and heaps that had once been houses. Yet even as clean-up crews repaired some structures and removed the biggest debris in the following months, I still mourned the town’s bleak and seemingly irreparable desolation. It was because the trees were missing. So many had been toppled by the 150 mph winds, and those that survived were pointy shards; long, graceful
branches lying scattered at their feet. The trees were as disoriented by the change as I had been. Stripped of their leaves and believing they had experienced winter overnight, the town’s remaining trees erupted green in a September spring. Why was I so upset about some trees? Why did I become so overwhelmed by the oaklined streets of the Baton Rouge Garden District every time I returned after a weekend back home? Green spaces reassure me that life prospers, and so shall I. I’ve only experienced aridity a few times in my life, but it always renders me deeply wary and sorrowful. The desert is beautiful, but in the same distant way a fragile artifact under glass in a museum is beautiful. Trees are beautiful while also inviting you to touch their bark, climb their limbs, sit under their shade, enjoy their company. They are unbreakable — at least in times without hurricanes. Buddha reached enlighten-
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Editor in Chief Managing Editor News Editor Deputy News Editor 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 opinion@lsureveille.com 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.
ment under his Bodhi tree; a growing boy found sustenance in the sacrifices of a Giving Tree. Trees have long inspired comfort, devotion and contemplation in humans, prompting us to think about those we miss “more than anything,” as Mitski does on a “tree-lined street” in her song “Francis Forever.” Wary of sounding like too much of a kooky tree hugger, I hesitate to personify trees too intensely. Yet the live oak, that most iconic of Southern trees, unmistakably mirrors the very people it represents, with its deep roots and wide, welcoming arms. It is hardy and thrives despite centuries of adversity. The tree inspires others to embody its best traits: resilience, support, the slow enjoyment of life. My flesh and bones will likely be gone long before most of the trees on campus die, but I hope my life’s actions breathe the oxygen into my environment that my peers and descendants need to prosper. Cécile Girard is a 21-year-old psychology junior from Lake Charles.
Quote of the Week “I believe a leaf of grass is no less than the journey-work of the stars.”
Walt Whitman Poet 1819 — 1892
Monday, April 12, 2021
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Letter to the editor: Students need advocacy at all levels BY CHARLIE STEPHENS The It’s Time campaign manager, Charlie Stephens, responds to an April 4 column titled “Opinion: Gov. Edwards’ SG endorsement was inappropriate, sets poor precedent.” Claiming that Student Government is nothing more than a mock government is a disservice to the students at this great university. SG makes real decisions that affect real students every day. It also holds a real seat on the Board of Supervisors. The principle responsibility of the student body president is to be an advocate who not only works with the University president but with the governor and state legislators. This is a line I have riddled off hundreds of times in the last six months as campaign manager for the It’s Time ticket. This statement was the core of what we believed as a campaign and what we hoped to see SG embody moving forward. The student body president and vice president have ignored what goes on in the capitol for far too long. This has had disastrous results for students at the University. A recent Reveille article noted that Louisiana has cut support to higher education institutions more than almost any other state — a whopping 37.7%, or $4,340
less spent per student today than in 2008. We all see how budget cuts have materially affected the University and our experiences here. Yet, SG leaders and writers at this paper alike are quick to attack candidates who reach out to the only people that can fix the predicament our University finds itself in — state government leaders. Maintaining an open dialogue with the leaders of our state is crucial to the future of our University. The fact that the It’s Time ticket was the only campaign in recent memory to do so is disheartening. Our graduate students, international students, students of color, female students, LGBTQ students and more deserve an advocate who is not afraid to challenge the status quo so they can see brighter days at the University. That is the core of public service at all levels — challenging what is good so we can achieve what is great. Working with other politicians does not mean you will always agree with them. You can watch Mia LeJeune and Angelina Cantelli’s testimony to the Senate Select Committee on Women and Children for an example of our displeasure with current law makers, including Edwards. After our testimonies, several members of that very com-
mittee agreed that the students shaded by these stately oaks need representatives who are willing to talk to state leaders about policy and the issues, especially those who are critical of their legislators’ decisions. For Mia LeJeune and the It’s Time ticket to receive an endorsement from Edwards
should be an honor to other students. He recognized that SG could take its leadership to the next level. Instead, SG leaders chose to mock and ridicule the new goals LeJeune set for student Government and missed an opportunity to tackle real issues at the University.
Politicians endorse each other all the time. It is nothing new. After all, where was the outrage when a national rightwing organization with ties to the RNC endorsed 2017 Student Body President candidate Jason Badeaux? Different rules for “angry women,” I guess.
MATTHEW PERSCHALL / The Reveille
LSU’s Memorial Tower rises above the tree line on March 3, from its location near the Parade Ground.
Energy-efficient homes would benefit BR community GOING SOUTH TAMIA SOUTHALL @tamiabrem_ Stress about rent prices has become a growing concern for East Baton Rouge Parish residents and students at the University as rent increases while the minimum wage is at a standstill. LSU industrial engineering professor Isabelina Nahmens recently received a grant from the U.S Department of Energy to make energy-efficient modular homes. To complete this project, Nahmens has partnered with Vermont Energy Investment Corporation and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory in Colorado. Modular homes are cheaper because their construction costs are lower than regular houses. They’re faster, easier to build and, because they’re designed to be energy-efficient, produce cheaper utility bills for occupants. Louisiana ranks fifth in the nation in regards to rent-stress. Housing costs in the state have been rising since 2010, even though the minimum wage has not changed since 2009. The University has worked closely with state departments to study and combat the rising costs of housing.
Nahmens’ plan will ultimately make housing in our community much more affordable and help reduce rent-stress for University students and lowincome households, making this project a novel and highly-anticipated idea. In the midst of a statewide foreclosure crisis, the development of cheaper homes would significantly benefit our community and economy. Although the project is not specifically targeted to assist students, we still face a lack of affordable housing. Since there is not enough on-campus housing for every University student, off-campus apartments are popular options for upperclassmen — but rent prices are increasing. Meanwhile, the quality of these apartments is going down. Off-campus apartments try to advertise themselves as luxury apartments, but they are far from luxury. Luxury apartments are actually cleaned regularly and provide an exceptional living experience for residents. Many of the apartments near campus are not maintained as well. The pictures on the website are quite different from the actual buildings. Most apartments near campus only care about the money and not the living experience they offer residents because they know students need some-
where to stay and will sign leases regardless. Residents are crowded into small units with little breathing room. Typically, units are fully furnished with cheap, uncomfortable furniture, including rockhard beds and couches. Many apartment complexes also have limited security to protect their residents, and the offices and
common areas are the only areas that are somewhat cleaned and maintained. For the price we pay, units should be spacious with fully working appliances and hallways that are at least clean. The price of these modular homes will be more doable for many students and allow them to focus more on their studies than on overpriced
rent. Energy-efficient homes in our community will give students more housing options, enabling less dependency on these overpriced apartments for offcampus housing. Tamia Southall is a 19-year-old mass communication sophomore from New Orleans.
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES
LSU students move in on Monday, Aug. 17, 2020 at the West Campus Apartments on LSU’s campus.
Monday, April 12, 2021
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It is important to follow what is happening in the state FROM THE CRO’S NEST ELIZABETH CROCHET @elizabethcro_ When I first started getting into politics, I was really focused on national discourse. I knew that state and local politics played a role, but it always seemed that the federal level mattered most. Not to mention, I also found it entirely more interesting. Although I still take much interest in federal politics, I have since learned to not turn a blind eye to what happens on the state level. Recently, we have seen how big of an effect local and state officials can have on certain issues. For instance, many COVID-19 restrictions are monitored on the state level. Some states still have mask mandates, and some do not. Plus, just a few weeks ago, we saw state legislation passed in Georgia dealing with election integrity. The state legislature is far from irrelevant, and it is my hope that more people will take interest in it. In fact, the Louisiana State Legislature is starting its 2021 session this Monday, April 12. For those
interested, this is the perfect opportunity to learn more about issues that directly affect the people of Louisiana. State officials will convene at the Louisiana Capitol for nearly two months to discuss and vote on several important bills. It is vital for Louisiana residents to be aware of what type of legislation is being pushed through. Unsurprisingly, Louisiana’s budget will be on the agenda. There will likely be proposals to cut income tax rates and possibly a bill to increase the gas tax. Apparently, some feel that the 20 cents per gallon Louisiana residents currently pay in gas taxes is not enough to fix our infrastructure. Another thing to look for: a push for closed primaries. Later in the session, expect discussions about redistricting. That debate is projected to lead to an intense special session wherein both state and congressional districts will be redrawn. It will be entertaining to see what type of legislation gets passed, seeing as both the House and Senate are controlled by Republicans, but Gov. John Bel Edwards is a Democrat. Rest assured, this will be an
THE REVEILLE ARCHIVES
The Huey P. Long statue sits on Sept. 29 in the center of the Capitol Gardens in Downtown Baton Rouge. interesting and important time for our state and its people. Even for those who are not as involved in politics, or do not care as much, I would encourage you to actively watch everything that takes place. Everything that goes on could have a direct impact
on you, so it is crucial to be educated on what is being implemented. Believe me, I know policies and people on the federal level often get more news coverage, which in turn makes it easier to follow and care about.
However, let’s try to have that same interest in the things going on in the very state in which we live. It matters. Elizabeth Crochet is a 19-year-old political communication sophomore from New Orleans.
Evidence suggests texting expands our language skills HOUSE OF HARD KNOX NATALIE KNOX @natalieknox444 Those of us who are millennials and Gen Z’ers are constantly being told that texting is representative of an overall decline in language and writing ability among young people today. However, there are actually compelling and credible arguments that claim the exact opposite is true. If you enjoy TED talks, I highly recommend listening to John McWhorter’s talk, “Txting is killing language, JK!!!” In this 13-minute speech, McWhorter manages to deconstruct the myth that texting signifies a decline in language and writing ability among young people, and offers some great coun terarguments which may come in handy for the next time someone tries to tell you that texting is killing your brain cells or destroying communication. One thing that he points out, which may seem strange at first, is that texting is not really writing at all. Speech came first; only much later did writing come about. Writing is less natural, but it does afford us more creativity with language. That is why, in most formal or academic speeches, we seem to engage in something McWhorter terms “talking like you write.” In comparison, texting al-
lows us to “write like we speak.” Casual speech is usually comprised of packets of about eight to 12 words and is looser and less reflective than writing. Even though this is often seen as and associated with a decline in language, he claims that it is actually evident of an emerging complexity in language skills. He goes as far as to suggest that being proficient in texting makes us “bidialectical.” This is not quite the same as being bilingual, but it shares similar characteristics. It signifies a whole new way of writing alongside our regular writing skills. As McWhorter puts it, texting
is actually an expansion of our linguistic repertoire; not limiting us, but inspiring us to create all-new structures of communication and language. He refers to this phenomenon as a “linguistic miracle happening right under our noses.” To combat the notion that texting represents a decline due to its loose structure, he points out the fact that in the process and evolution of texting, we actually can see new structures of language emerging. This idea is shared by others, including Susan Herring and Jannis Androutsopoulos, who, in their chapter in “The Handbook of Discourse Analysis,”
discuss this issue as well. They also coin an interesting term related to texting and other forms of new media: “Discourse 2.0.” Similar to the idea of becoming “bidialectical,” the phrase “Discourse 2.0” is used to point out the new environments, contexts and usage patterns that evolve out of new forms of text and technology-based discourse. They also go into the idea that texting creates a new platform for multi-authorship and joint discourse production that didn’t exist before. Like McWhorter, they also bring up the idea that texting creates new linguistic structures. In his TED Talk, McWhort-
CARTOON BY MADISON CARLSON
er brings up the convention of “LOL” being used in text-based conversations. He points out its evolution, as it doesn’t necessarily mean “laughing out loud” anymore, but has instead developed more subtlety in use. It has now become a marker of accommodation or empathy, and can also be used as a kind of “pragmatic particle.” Herring and Androutsopoulos focus on how emoticons in texting represent new linguistic structures. They explain how emoticons can be used to express meaning iconically in texting, but can also be used to shift a negative statement’s pragmatic meaning to an ironic observation. Similarly, they discuss how memes and images combined with text constitute another emerging format of multimodal communication. Now, I realize some of this is a little hard to unpack, but the main takeaway is that there is real, respectable evidence that texting is not, in fact, corrupting our linguistic or writing abilities. It’s always nice to have facts and legitimate data on your side when combating the pres umptuous, superior attitudes of people who didn’t grow up with cell phones when they try to make blanket statements about how no one really communicates anymore. Good luck, and happy texting. Natalie Knox is a 23-yearold English senior from Lake Charles.