Issue 6 10-16-15

College campus shootings editorial

FINANCIAL AID REFUNDS AVAILABLE OCTOBER 19 n All grant, scholarship and student loan refund money will be available Monday, Oct. 19. n Money will be applied on a student’s Ranger Card and is immediately available for use.

Page 7

n ATM located in the Devall Student Center.

Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE

Kasey Davis and Jessica Hale stretch as they prepare to dance.

Dance movie about female empowerment to be filmed at KC - Story on Page 4

The Flare

Friday, October 16, 2015 Vol. 79 No. 7 Serving Kilgore College since 1936

KISD and KC discuss plans KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor The KC Board of Trustees met with the Kilgore ISD board at Kilgore Middle School so both entities could approve an agreement for KISD to transfer the former Kilgore Heights property to KC for $500,000. They also discussed the remodeling of R. E. St. John Memorial Stadium.

The sale was quickly approved by both boards, with KISD trustees Karl Riley and Jimmy Kinsey making a motion and a second to accept the proposal. KC trustees Brian Nutt and James Walker then made a motion and second to agree with the proposal on behalf of KC. “For almost two years, some of this discussion has been going on between Kilgore ISD and the

college,” said Dr. Bill Holda, KC president. This meeting tonight approves the interlock agreement, but this is not the final step.”

The actual closing for the sale must be done by Sunday, Nov. 15.

A representative from Huckabee Architects, Craig Drone, then held a presentation outlining a long range plan for improvements needed to R. E. St. John Memorial Stadium.

Most of the problems with the stadium include it not being up to ADA standards. The bleachers are not correctly sized to be wheelchair accessible, nor is there enough seating for patrons using wheelchairs. The concessions area is also “a challenge for the ADA act,” said Drone.

See BOARD, Page 3

‘Flare’ talks exclusive with Congressman Louie Gohmert

Tiffany Johnson / THE FLARE

Ginny Davis, who is in the KC band, returned to college to pursue a degree in Elementary Education.

Playing at life’s tempo 29-year-old band member returns to college, rediscovers love of music, appreciation for learning MADELINE GREENE Page Editor

M

any college students look back and say their first semester is the most difficult one. For Ginny Davis, Overton freshman, that difficulty is added upon as she balances work, school, and caring for her 7-year-old son with participating in an extracurricular activity.

“I work and I go to school and that’s pretty much what my life consists of these days,” Davis said. “It’s been an adjustment, but I find that I like school.”

Davis is the “most seasoned” member of the KC Ranger band.

At 29 years old, she also played in her high school band under the instruction of KC band instructor, Glenn Wells.

“That’s probably the main reason I’m even doing band is because he was such an

inspiration and influence in high school,” Davis said. “He created a passion in me for music that has never left.”

After graduating from Overton High School, Davis worked in restaurants.

“I work at the Country Tavern,” Davis said. “I always thought that I would continue to work at restaurants but it hasn’t panned out that way.”

Davis is attending KC to earn a degree in Elementary Education. She hopes to become a teacher after graduation.

“I love my job. I love working with people but now it’ll be with little people,” she said.

Being a single mother is a tough job, but Davis’ son is her biggest fan and her biggest motivation to succeed.

“If I didn’t have the people around me who supported me and encouraged me to make sure that I was doing this, I might not

be where I am now,” she said.

Davis was hesitant about returning to school after life had taken her away. She found the courage to face her fears head on because of her faith.

“Being scared has always kind of held me back from taking the first step into figuring out who I am as an adult.” she said.

“Maybe it’s the fact that I am older. I’m sitting in classes with freshmen who are literally 18 or 19 years old where they’re just exploring their life. I’m on a mission.”

Halfway into her first semester, Davis has realized everyone is in the same boat. She has advice for those who are holding themselves back.

“Don’t be afraid.

Take advantage of anyone who offers to help you,” Davis said. “Don’t be too proud. Don’t let your ego get in the way of accepting others’ handouts.”

LUCY LOPEZ Staff Writer

been there for when they become seniors.”

U.S. Congressman Louie Gohmert, Tyler native, represents the First District of Texas with more than 12 counties, including Gregg. He was on campus last week to discuss constitutional amendments with government students.

What is your favorite thing about East Texas?

“The people. I grew up in Mount Pleasant. Of course, I like our trees and our creeks and our hills. Maybe, it’s because it’s where I grew up. When I’m not in Congress, I am not hanging around Washington. I’m coming back here. I love weeks when we’re not in session. The people here are good down-to-earth people.

What advice would you give to young aspiring politicians?

“Get involved locally. Even if you’re not thinking about running for office yourself, we need more good people that will make a personal investment in the political process. Whichever party you feel strongly about, call them and see how you can help and volunteer. If you don’t feel strongly about one party, get out there and get involved in different projects and campaigns.

You will make a lot of friends that can help you in the future.”

How do you think the younger population can be encouraged to become involved?

“I don’t know if this is more of an encouragement or scare tactic, but if more good people don’t get involved, there’s not going to be enough to help people 40 years from now. I would suggest young people get involved out of selfpreservation, and make sure that the country has not squandered everything that should have

If you could have a superpower, what would it be?

“Well it wouldn’t be x-ray vision or super-hearing because then I would hear things people are saying that I probably don’t want to know. I guess if I had superstrength, I could help people in ways I couldn’t otherwise, but the number one superpower to have would be super-wisdom. That’s really what I yearn for more than anything.”

What is your happiest memory?

“That would be our family Christmas, ever since childhood.

Any number of family Christmases.

The innocence, having the family coming together, and the excitement would be my happiest memories.”

Richard Nguyen / THE FLARE

Congressman Louie Gohmert greets Texas Justice David Bridges, while Donny Seals, social sciences department chair, and Rick Moser, instructor, look on.

Gohmert was on campus to speak to college and area high school students.

Latinos en Accion to help Teaching award with Boys and Girls Club voting underway ALEX JACOBO Staff Writer Latinos en Acción (or Latinos in Action) will have a collaboration with the Boys & Girls Club for their Fall Carnival. It will take place from 4:30 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Boys & Girls Club located on Harris Street. LEA members will be helping with games and supervision of the children.

Latinos en Acción meets at noon

every Friday in Old Main, Room 121. It is a newly revived club sponsored by Manny Almanza.

The club focuses on giving back to the community by creating various service projects throughout the year. LEA’s leadership has also been restructured with a new set of officers and president Nick Gaviria serving this semester. The club has ideas for future projects to raise awareness, educate and to appreciate Hispanic culture on

campus and in the community.

Although the club is aimed to involve Hispanic students in community outreach, the club is open to all students. For more information, contact Gaviria at gavinico5482@go.kilgore.edu or go to one of the meetings.

Meetings are in English. Although members may break out into Spanish, a member will translate.

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The week of Oct. 11 - 17 is National OCD Awareness month. It is held to reduce stigma and bring awareness to the disease which affects 1 in 100 Americans. n

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AJANI MCCOY Staff Writer Voting for the Excellence in Teaching award will continue through Friday, Oct 23. The award is the chance to give back to teachers that demonstrate amazing qualities.

Students determine the awards.

There are four ways to vote.

Vote in person at the voting tables at the KC or Longview campus.

The KC voting table will be at the

ES building Oct. 19-22. Students can vote online at www.Kilgore. edu/excellence-inteaching or by stopping by the offices of Dr. Paul Buchanan or Michele Daniels. Students can also scan the QR code in the bottom left corner of the Excellence in Teaching Award posters located on campus.

Students will need to include the first and last name of the instructor, name, ID number and the reason for voting for them.

THE FLARE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015 Back to the Future Day is Oct. 21, 2015, the date in the future featured in the second installment of the film series. The enitre trilogy will be shown at 5 p.m. this day at Regal Cinemas in Longview. n

1958

n National

Boss’ Day is first observed. It was established to show appreciation in the workplace for bosses and managers. Take today to show your boss that you care!

Check theflareonline.com for a full calendar of activities, or go to twitter.com/theflareonline for live updates.

PTK to hold new member meeting AJANI MCCOY Staff Writer

FACE IN THE CROWD Jessica Easly Green / THE FLARE

Kelly English Where were you born?

I was born in Madison, Wisconsin.

What is your job?

I am an CNA for home health services.

What inspired you to become a Mortician?

I saw a lot of deaths at a very young age and I always felt that I had a special gift to lift a person up even at their most difficult times.

What has been your favorite place to visit?

The ocean in Rocky Point, Mexico because I love learning about different cultures. My number one hobby is traveling. I’m only 28 years old and I’ve almost seen the whole United States.

Do you have any other hobbies?

My daily hobby is swimming. People don’t believe me but I am a plus size professional diver. I call myself a mermaid in the water.

Hometown: Longview Age: 28 Classification: Freshman Who would you say is your biggest role model?

My biggest role model is God and my guardian angels. My sister is the most inspirational person. She will always be honest with me and never sugar coats anything. She is tough. She has always played two different roles in my life; my mother by heart and my sister by nature.

What has been the most difficult part of your life so far?

Life is hard at times. A lot of people don’t understand other’s struggles. People judge me all the time but my humble, happy heart looks past them. I can honestly say living here in Texas has been very difficult for me. The death of my father has not been easy, but I manage to smile through it all. Living in a different state and city and only knowing one person sucks.

Veteran’s Appreciation art contest brings creativity and honor to life KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor The KC Veterans Appreciation art contest is underway. It is open to students K-12 and KC students. The deadline to submit a piece of artwork is noon Friday, Oct. 30, to April

Pettigrew in the Financial Aid Office, Devall Student Center.

Students are to create an art piece meant to show their appreciation towards veterans and current military personnel.

Accepted mediums if art include coloring book page, ceramic, glass and metal art,

craft projects, graphic design, photography, food art, sculpture, paintings, sketches, posters and video.

Contest winners will be announced at the Veterans Day Appreciation Celebration at 1 p.m. Wednesday, Nov. 11, in the Devall Student Center Ballroom.

All entries will be displayed during the Veterans Day Celebration.

Cash prizes will be awarded in the following categories: K-1st grade ($50), 2nd-3rd grade ($50), 4th-6th grade ($50), junior high ($50), high school ($75) and KC students ($125).

Phi Theta Kappa will have an informational meeting for members who have any questions. The meeting will be held 5:15 p.m., Monday, Oct. 23 in the Communication/Automotive Building, Room 104.

The induction ceremony for PTK will be held Friday, Oct. 30, in the Devall Ballroom.

Kilgore Mayor Ronnie Spradlin will be speaking. Anyone who is able to volunteer for setup or help during the ceremony needs to contact Michele Daniels.

Fall scholarships that are still open for PTK students include the Fall Common Scholarship, Scott Wright Essay Scholarship and Jack Kent Cooke Scholarship. If students have any questions, contact co-sponsors Dr. Buchanan or Daniels for more information.

PTK also had an opportunity to attend the Texas Leadership Conference, held last weekend at Texas A&M University.

More than 400 students attended the conference, including 11 KC students. The theme of the conference was The Hunger Games.

The students who attended the conference said they had an amazing time.

“I will always remember this experience,” said Naina Kishore, Henderson sophomore. “I learned the assets of leadership, … and how important it is to be a leader. Texas A&M was mind blowing!”

Color the world on Mole Day ALEX JACOBO Staff Writer KC with help from the chemistry department will celebrate Mole Day from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. Thursday, Oct 22, in the Devall Student Center Ballroom. Mole Day pays homage to the Italian scientist Amedeo Avogadro.

He is credited for the discovery of the number (6.02 x 1023) or mole, which is a basic unit of measurement in chemistry.

National Chemistry Week is an annual event celebrated throughout the nation to raise awareness about the importance of chemistry in everyday life. This year’s theme is “Chemistry Colors Our World!” in which the chemistry of dyes, pigments and light will be explored. National Chemistry Week is celebrated across the country from Oct. 18 – 24.

The event at KC will include interactive experiment demonstrations, a photo booth, free food and baked goods. The event is open to all KC students and faculty. Chemistry students who wish to volunteer for the event have the possibility of earning extra credit.

They can obtain more information from their respective teachers.

NEWS

THE FLARE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015

Save money for mini-mesters No financial aid will be available for December’s mini-mester, as it is a standalone semester.

“Those who are planning to use financial aid will need to save some of their refund money if they plan to enroll,” said Becky Johnson, dean of liberal and fine arts.

Johnson added that 68

percent of last year’s minimester students were on financial aid.

Financial aid refunds are scheduled to be available on students’ Ranger Cards Monday, Oct. 19.

The following mini-mester courses will be offered as of press time: • GOVT 2305.F01, OM 139,

Keith Rothra • HIST 1301.F01, OM 211, Derek Hunter • HIST 1302.FW1, Web, Terri York • PSYC 2314.FW1, Web, Paul Wills • ENGL 2322.FW1, Web, Jase Graves • SPCH 1315.F01, Michele Daniels

BOARD: Discussion held about sale of Kilgore Heights, renovation of stadium FROM PAGE 1 A plan was displayed for a new, larger concession stand that would be more wheelchair accessible, allowing people in them to be able to work in the building.

A layout for a new press box was also proposed. It would be 2800 square feet with a wheelchair accessible elevator.

The shower and restroom areas for the players were also found to be non compliant with ADA standards. “The shower rooms are kind of dingy,” he said, noting that although players probably had no use for the wheelchair accessible bathrooms and showers, some coaches or other team faculty may.

Plans were discussed for the addition of a halftime house, which Drone said would be “a place for both of the teams to go during halftime,” and would have showers available.

A plan to install four new light poles was also shown. They would be 90 feet tall and

have 18 fixtures per pole. A new black, iron rod perimeter fence was also proposed, at a cost of “60 bucks per foot,” Drone said.

He also said the parking area was “not consistent. It gets quite full very quickly.”

Cost factors are the main reason improvements may be postponed. The cost to build a new stadium is $29.2 million. Costs to remodel are estimated at $13.9 million.

Holda said KC “did not have $13.9 million to do renovations” and the main question the board can ask themselves is “What improvements can we make that may not be as extensive as proposed?”

Holda said focusing on the main problems needing to be fixed was the most important step.

“If modifying seating is critical for compliance and accessibility,” he said, “where do other things line up for other needs? I don’t think within a year and a quarter that we’d be ready to start those kind of renovations.”

Mechanical Turk work designed with college students in mind KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor College students can always use extra money to pay for tuition, books, food and other necessities of campus life. Amazon’s Mechanical Turk service provides a way for people to make money easily from their home taking surveys, entering data, writing reviews, and much more. MTurk was launched on Nov. 2, 2005.

It was named after The Turk, an 18th century chess-playing machine that was later revealed to have a human inside it controlling its actions. Likewise, MTurk provides work for people that machines simply cannot do. These are small, quick tasks called Human Intelligence Tests, or HITs. Some of the HITs require identifying the emotions displayed in pictures of people’s faces. Other work can include transcribing handwriting from doctor’s notes and text from shopping receipts.

There are also simple surveys put forth by universities and companies that need a human response to collect their data. Most of these jobs pay anywhere from a few cents to a couple of dollars for each task. Though it may not seem like a lot of money, the HITs only take a few minutes each to complete so the cash adds up quickly. There are a variety of different jobs to choose from, reducing the tediousness of constantly being on the computer. The highest paying HITs are

transcribing tasks. Transcribing consists of listening to an audio file or watching a video and typing everything said or done accurately. For very long lectures and videos, these tasks can pay about $100.

Many of the tasks can be done by a new MTurk worker, but the better paying jobs require a person to have been working for the site for a while and have built up a good body of work, just like promotion at any other job. Workers must link their bank account or PayPal account in order to get paid through Amazon Payments. The minimum amount that can be transferred is one dollar. Transfers can take from three to seven days to show up in a worker’s account.

The biggest benefit of MTurk is that the worker decides what work to do and when.

This makes it an ideal job for college students, who may have a hard time balancing their school schedule with a full time job. It is a great job for those in the social sciences, who get the opportunity to be a part of research studies. The transcribing jobs are great for English and communications students, who get hands-on experience from home of interpreting different people’s speech behaviors, which will come in handy in teaching and journalism careers.

Amazon’s Mechanical Turk popularity is growing, and it continues to attract new workers worldwide every day. For more information, visit www.mechanicalturk. com.

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Events announced for Homecoming Week Homecoming festivities continue next week with the student body voting on Monday for Homecoming Queen and King in the Devall Student Center. Student ID should be presented at that time.

On Tuesday, Oct. 20, the residents of Nolan Hall will take on the Rangerettes in a Powder Puff Football game, 6 p.m. at R.E. St. John Stadium on Harris St. and Martin St. The annual Homecoming Pep Rally will take place 11 a.m. Wednesday, Oct. 21, at the tennis courts near the Devall Student Center. Teachers are encouraged to dismiss classes, but students should check with their specific instructor.

Saturday, Oct. 24, will start early with the Rangerettes Forever Homecoming Brunch

at 10:30 a.m. in the Devall Ballroom.

The Alumni Association’s Homecoming Brunch will follow in the ballroom at 12:30 p.m. as Alumni Relations honors Mike Ford, KC Print Shop supervisor as Ex-Student; Dr. Gerald Pinson as ExTeacher; Mazie Jameson as Distinguished Alumnae; and Mary Grush and Joan Light as Honored Retirees of the. Admission is free to the brunch, but reservations are appreciated. To reserve a seat or to get more information, call Eloise Ashley at 903-983-8182.

The afternoon will continue with the Homecoming football game kick-off at 3 p.m. as the Rangers take on Tyler Junior College at R.E. St. John Stadium.

— Staff Reports

Children’s Opera to feature ‘Snow White’ The KC Music Department will present the children's opera “Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs” Tuesday, Oct. 27, through Friday, Oct. 30, in Dodson Auditorium on the KC campus.

The production by Seymour Barab is a fun story that uses the traditional fairy tale with original music and lyrics. All of the roles will be performed by KC students.

All performances are free and open to the public with morning and afternoon performances geared toward area school children. Each performance will last about 50 minutes.

Groups of 10 or more need reservations.

Smaller groups can attend any show.

Performances are scheduled for: 7:30 p.m., Tuesday; 9 a.m. and 1 p.m., Wednesday; 9 a.m. and 1 p.m. Thursday; and 1 p.m. Friday.

No reservations are required for the Tuesday night performance.

For more information, contact Melanie Sullivan at msullivan@kilgore.edu or at 903988-7527. — Staff Reports

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THE FLARE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015

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F E AT U R E

Hooked!

Student hits the surf, shares time with dad TAYLOR STEWART Staff Writer

Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE

Morgan Marshall recently placed first and second in the Ladies Division at the Destin Fish Rodeo deep sea fishing competition with her snag of a 21 lb. tuna and a 10.1 lb. gag grouper. She will know her overall place later this month.

Twelve years ago, Morgan Marshall and her dad started going to Destin, Fla. every year.

Typically they rode jet skis and laid out on the beach. Then, her dad found an advertisement for Deep Sea Fishing in a Florida brochure.

Marshall’s dad began fishing every year. At the time, she was not old enough to fish with him. When she became older, she was hooked.

Earlier this month, Marshall, a Longview freshman, entered the 2015 Destin Fish Rodeo, a deep sea fishing competition.

Marshall said the competition was one day, 12 hours long, with all sight of land lost.

“I enjoy it because it’s a gamble; you never know what you are going to get,” she said.

At the end of this month, she will find out if she placed in the entire competition. For now, she knows she placed first with a 21 lb. black fin tuna fish, and placed second with a 10.1-lb. gag grouper fish in

the ladies division.

As far as the difference between fresh-water fishing and deep-sea fishing, she said she uses, ”regular fishing equipment, like reels, tackles and weights; but just heavy duty, like on steroids.”

Marshall is a self-proclaimed daddy’s girl so she loves going fishing with him. Typically though, when they do go deepsea fishing, she has six or seven dads. Because Marshall’s dad is a Battalion Chief with the Longview Fire Department, he often brings some of his firemen “brothers” along. Even though she is surrounded by a bunch of guys for 12 hours on one boat, she said she wouldn’t change it for the world.

“Me and my dad do almost everything together,” she said.

“He’s my best friend”.

Marshall says the only downfall to fishing is hooking yourself, “I’ve hooked myself, many times…” but that doesn’t seem to stop her.

Deep-sea fishing has taught her a lot of patience. Marshall said it’s a tradition she hopes to continue with her family for years to come.

Female empowerment dance movie filming at KC MEAGHAN MORTON Features Editor Filming for a dance movie on female empowerment began this week when guest dance instructor Jessica Hale came to teach dance classes at KC. Hale works in New York City doing various film and dance jobs.

KC dance instructor Angela Falcone said having a guest teacher is a wonderful opportunity for the students to learn from people out in the dance field.

“Jessica has vast amounts

of knowledge and experience performing and teaching improvisation so it is great to see her share her knowledge and new methods with the students here at KC,” Falcone said. “It is a nice freshness to the classes because she notices and teaches in different ways than I do.”

The guest instructors will be making a presence in the KC dance department this week and next. Filming will begin Friday and will feature KC dance students.

“It will be filmed in various areas in downtown Kilgore and will

showcase some of the wrestling and contact improvisation methods she has taught [students] throughout the week,” Falcone said.

Arriving to KC next week will be former Kilgore High School HiStepper Captain, Lexi Johnston.

Johnston now performs with Charlotte Ballet in Charlotte, N.C. “I am so excited to return to my hometown of Kilgore to teach,” Johnston said. “I have always had a deep passion for teaching dance, and coming back to Kilgore to do it is like a dream come true.”

Tina Marie Reed / THE FLARE

KC dance students watch as the instructors show stretching techniques.

SPORTS

THE FLARE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015

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Blast From The Past

Hall Of Fame weekend capped off with the return of former KC athletes

Tiffany Johnson/ THE FLARE

Members of the 2001 undefeated KC Ranger football team assembles at mid-field around each other and does their team breakdown one last time for the KC fans to see. The 2001 Rangers went 12-0 winning the conference and defeating rival Tyler Junior College in the Red River Bowl 14-7. They were inducted into the 2015 KC Ranger Sports Hall of Fame along with their rowdy coach and current athletic director Jimmy Rieves. Rieves was inducted into the Ranger Hall of Fame along with his team in a surprising fashion.

KC looks to stay alive in hunt for playoff ELIJAH BANKS Page Editor

Tina Marie Reed/ THE FLARE

Running back Damion Collins looks to turn up the field for a productive gain while wide receiver Garrett Barton, New Diana sophomore, blocks a Cisco defender in the process.

The Rangers are coming off a 20-12 loss to the Cisco Wranglers.

This was only the third time CC has defeated the Rangers since 1997, and their first victory over KC in eight seasons.

This week the Rangers are shifting their attention to their long time rivals, the Blinn College Buccaneers.

At the last meeting between the two teams KC came out on top in a high scoring affair 49-40,the two teams combined for more than 1,300 yards offensively. The Buccaneers will be looking for revenge against the Rangers when they play host to them in Brenham this weekend.

Both teams enter the matchup looking to secure a playoff spot.

Blinn needs one more win to clinch a playoff berth, KC will have to win out and look for some help from the Navarro College Bulldogs.

In last year’s meeting KC’s cornerback Jerrell Sykes had an all around performance accounting for 5 tackles, a forced fumble and a blocked kicked.

This year the Rangers will lean heavily on their defense to slow down the Buccaneers’ up-tempo offense.

KC will look to their pass rushing combo of Dante Lovilotte and Ricci Simmons who have combined for seven sacks on the season.

Blinn is coming off a narrow 39-28 loss to the Trinity Valley Community College Cardinals, holding the Cardinals to a season low in points.

The Rangers will have to find a way to contain Blinn’s dual threat quarterback in Robert Mitchell.

Mitchell accounted for 410 of Blinn’s 462 yards against TVCC, passing for 258 yards and tossing a touchdown pass to his number one receiver Garrison Mitchell and rushing for 152 yards and two rushing touchdowns.

The Buccaneers have a deep receiving corps this year with five receivers with at least 10 receptions.

This will be a challenge for the experienced Rangers’ secondary which have six interceptions in conference play, 11 total on the season. Cornerback J’Marcus Rhodes will look to continue his hot streak of interceptions tallying three picks in just two games this year.

Kick off is set for 3 p.m. Saturday Oct. 17 at Cub Stadium in Brenham. The game can be heard live on KDOK 105.3 FM in Kilgore and 101.9 FM in Longview.

Rangers upset by Cisco at home KC is in danger of missing the playoffs for the second time in three years DEVIN BROOKS Sports Editor On a day the undefeated 2001 KC Ranger football team was honored along with many others Hall of Fame inductees, the current KC Rangers dropped a 20-12 decision to a 1-4 Cisco College Wrangler team in their annual Hall of Fame game at R.E. St. John Memorial Stadium. KC needed to win this game to help them stay in striking distance of a playoff berth, but with this loss a playoff berth looks very dark indeed. KC (3-4) overall, (1-3) has struggled mightily on offense all year long and this game was proof.

The KC defense rallied on the first possession of the game when linebacker Ricci Simmons sacked CC quarterback Richard Lagow forcing CC to punt on fourth down.

The KC offense went three-and-out quickly giving CC the ball back.

Lagow was sacked by a host of Rangers at mid-field causing him to fumble the ball, and Demontrai Lewis recovered the ball at Cisco’s 41 yard-line. Four plays later KC quarterback Cameron Martin was sacked by CC’s lineman TK Rickardson causing a fumble in the process leading to the ball being recovered by lineman Greg Hardaway. CC got the ball in good field positon and after a 13-yard pass from Lagow to receiver Devon Richardson, Lagow connected with Nate Phillips for Cisco touchdown making the score 7-0 with 6:35 left in the first quarter after kicker Oscar Murguia made the extra point.

Both teams traded possessions leading up to KC’s next offensive possession. Numerous runs by

Martin set up KC inside the 20.

KC was unable to complete a third down play, so Spring Hill freshman Troy Duran attempted and made a 37-yard field goal cutting the Kilgore deficit to 7-3 with 10:29 left in the first half.

After three mishaps on both teams that could’ve led to some points including two botched 34 yard field goals by Duran, and an interception by KC’s J’Marcus Rhodes the score stayed the same at 7-3 going into halftime.

KC wasted no time changing that in the third quarter. After a 45-yard kickoff return by Markell Sprigner, two plays later running back Martinez Syria ran the ball right up main street and took it 21 yards to the end zone for a KC touchdown giving KC its first lead of the game, 10-7 with 14:19 left in the third quarter. The KC defense

went to work again, cornerback Jerrell Sykes picked off Lagow for his sixth interception of the year and first of the game giving KC the ball back on their own 14 yard line. Five plays later Martin gave the ball right back. He threw a bad pass that was picked off by Chris Gordon and he returned it for a 37 yard CC touchdown making the score 13-10 in favor of Cisco. On the extra point a host of Rangers blocked the kick and Rhodes scooped it up and took it back for a two-point conversion cutting the Cisco lead to 13-12 with 8:53 left in the third quarter.

Late in the fourth both teams were getting physical. KC couldn’t get any offense going on the fourth letting numerous penalties take them out of the game. After a three-and-out KC had a chance to stop Cisco but an unsportsmanlike

conduct penalty gave them some life and two plays later Lagow hooked up with Marcus Daggs for a 31 yard go-ahead touchdown making the score 20-12 with 4:16 left in the game. KC had one last possession to get into the end zone and possibly tie the game up. Fails went in as quarterback, but didn’t do any good. KC went four-andout after a unsuccessful pass over the middle from Fails to receiver Cameron Fisher. CC kneeled and sealed the deal 20-12.

KC had a lackluster day on offense. Martin went 11-26 with 102 yards and two interceptions while Syria had 18 carries for 89 yards and one touchdown. KC had 43 rushes for 157 yards. Lagow went 17-33 for 227 yards with two touchdowns and two interceptions.

KC will travel to Brenham to battle Blinn College Buccaneers.

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THE FLARE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015

E N T E R TA I N M E N T The Beach Boys bring classic hits to UT Tyler KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor

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Photo from Dallas Comic-Con

Dallas Comic-Con Fan Days celebrates pop culture love KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor Fans of pop culture from all over Texas will unite to celebrate their different fandoms this weekend.

Dallas Comic-Con Fan Days, presented by FAN EXPO, will be held Fri., Oct. 16 to Sun., Oct. 18 at the Irving Convention Center in Irving, Texas.

Fan Days is an annual convention for fans of comics, sci-fi, horror, anime and gaming. It hosts family friendly activities, workshops and seminars, exhibits and cosplayers.

Celebrities will be hosting Q&A sessions, selling autographs and hosting photo op sessions. Photo sessions with The 501st Legion from Star Wars, the Lone Star Rangers, and the Jurassic Park Jeep will be available. Expected

attendance for this year’s event is 20,000 people.

Celebrity guests will include Lucy Lawless, Renee O’Connor, Shawn Ashmore, Jason Momoa, James Marsters, Aaron Ashmore, Ralph Macchio, Martin Cove, William Zabka, Anna Silk, Zoie Palmer, Chris Claremont and more.

Comic book artists in attendance will include Paul Ryan, Howard Mackie and Val Mayerik. They have worked on such titles as “Spider-Man,” “Ghost Rider,” “Conan,” “Fantastic Four,” “The Avengers” and “Howard the Duck.”

The Irving Convention Center is located at 500 W. Las Colinas Blvd. in Irving, TX. Convention hours will be Fri. from 4 p.m. to 8 p.m., Sat. from

10 a.m. to 7 p.m. and Sun. from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

A Gold VIP three day pass is $159 and a regular three day pass is $60. A Friday pass is $20, a Saturday pass is $40 and a Sunday pass is $30. Passes for children ages 6 to 12 are $5. Children under 5 are admitted for free. Multiple day passes must be purchased in advance online. Single day tickets are available at the convention or online at www.dallascomiccon. com/tickets.

For more information, visit Dallas Comic-con’s website at w w w. d a l l a s c o m i c c o n . c o m / , their Facebook page at www. facebook.com/DallasComicCon and on Twitter at www.twitter. com/DallasComicCon (@ DallasComicCon, #FanDays).

FAN DAYS CELEBRITY HIGHLIGHTS n JASON MOMOA - Actor who is playing the title character in 2018’s superhero film “Aquaman”. He is known for his role as Khal Drogo on the acclaimed HBO series Game of Thrones. He has also appeared in Conan the Barbarian, Bullet to the Head and The Red Road.

n RALPH MACCHIO - Actor best known as

Daniel LaRusso in the Karate Kid series. He also had roles in the movies Crossroads, My Cousin Vinny and The Outsiders. He is also known for his television roles on Eight Is Enough, Ugly Betty, Dancing with the Stars and Psych.

n JAMES MARSTERS - Actor who famously

played Spike in the television series Buffy the Vampire Slayer and its spin-off series Angel. from 1997 to 2004. He has also played Brainiac in Smallville, Captain John Hart in Torchwood and Barnabas Greeley in Syfy’s Caprica.

n JOHN RHYS-DAVIES - Actor well known for

his roles as the dwarf Gimli in the Lord of the Rings trilogy and Sallah in the Indiana Jones films. He has also starred in The Untouchables, Shōgun, Sliders, Robin of Sherwood, The Living Daylights and I, Claudius.

n MICHAEL ROOKER - Actor best known for

playing Henry in Henry: Portrait of a Serial Killer, Merle Dixon in The Walking Dead and Yondu Udonta in Guardians of the Galaxy.

n EDWARD JAMES OLMOS - Actor who

played William Adama in the re-imagined “Battlestar Galactica”. He has had roles in “Miami Vice”, “Stand and Deliver”, “Selena” and “Blade Runner”.

n BONNIE WRIGHT - Actress best known for her role as Ginny Weasley in the Harry Potter film series.

n LUCY LAWLESS - Actress known for playing

the title character in the television series “Xena: Warrior Princess”, which is celebrating its 20th anniversary this year. She had recurring roles in the television series “Spartacus”, “Parks and Recreation” and “Salem”. She will appear in the upcoming Starz series “Ash vs. Evil Dead”.

n RENEE O’CONNOR - Actress known for her

role of Gabrielle, Xena’s sidekick in “Xena: Warrior Princess”. She is currently starring in the independent film “Beyond The Farthest Star”.

n WILLIAM ZABKA - Actor known for his

his summer, I got the chance to see my favorite musician, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys, along with band member Al Jardine in concert.

When I heard The Beach Boys, sans Wilson and Jardine but with members Mike Love and KATHRYN AGEE Bruce Johnson Executive and their band, I Editor couldn’t pass up the opportunity to be able to see both touring groups in the same year.

The Beach Boys were set to perform at 7:30 p.m. Wed., Oct. 7 at the Cowan Center at UT Tyler.

Since my fiance Bryan and I both love them, I took him to the show for his birthday.

It was quickly apparent that we were among the youngest people at the show, aside from some couples who brought their children. As we entered the large auditorium, I heard an older man remark, “It’s so strange seeing young people at this show. How do they even know about The Beach Boys?” I laughed to myself and thought about how much I prefer older music to anything released nowadays.

The show began with their first hit, “Surfin’.” Although Love encouraged the audience to dance and sing, the crowd was pretty quiet, apart from Bryan and I, who belted our hearts out. The only time the crowd got engaged was during “Surfer Girl,” when Love asked everyone to turn on their cell phone flashlights and sway to the music.

The first half of the show consisted of mainly their oldest hits about cars, girls, and surfing, including “Little Honda,” “Little Deuce Coupe” and “409.” I sang every word along with every song that I love and had memorized by heart. A giant screen behind the band showed clips of people surfing, the beach and old clips of the band.

A hilarious moment came before the song “Be True to Your School,” when Love got the entire crowd to unanimously boo the Aggies.

There was an intermission, so we browsed the merchandise booth that sold shirts, hats, a program and a photo book.

The second half of the show started strong with hits from their acclaimed album “Pet Sounds,”

such as “Wouldn’t It Be Nice” and “Sloop John B.” A tribute to deceased Beach Boys guitarist Carl Wilson was played. Old video footage of him singing “God Only Knows” played as the band performed live. Love performed his tribute song to his kindred spirit, late Beatles guitarist George Harrison, called“Pisces Brother.” The song “Do You Wanna Dance?” was played in honor of The Beach Boys’ late drummer, Dennis Wilson.

The crowd finally started to get up and dance during the final songs.

“Barbara Ann” and “Surfin’ USA.” As soon as they ended, Bryan and I rushed to the front of the stage for the inevitable encore.

Sure enough, the band came back out to perform their hit song “Kokomo.” Love serenaded the first verse directly to me, pointing at me and smiling. I giggled embarrassingly. It was one of the coolest concert moments I’ve ever had.

The band ended the show with the song “Fun, Fun, Fun,” and took a bow at the stage. Love came over and shook our hands as we thanked him for the aweome show.

Bryan managed to get a set list of the songs played during the show from one of the stagehands as the crowd began to leave the auditorium.

As the stagehands cleaned up, we saw the lighting director who we had met during intermission.

“Are you looking for anything?,” he asked us knowingly.

“Well, yes actually....” I replied. I had brought along my first press edition LP of The Beach Boys’ amazing 1972 album Surf ’s Up just in case this exact opportunity arose. “We were looking to have this album I have signed.”

“Go on around to the back where the tour bus is,” he told us.

We immediately ran outside. We waited patiently by the bus for 45 minutes. I started feeling hopeless.

Then, the lighting director walked by, “You still haven’t seen anybody yet?,” he asked. “Wait here,” he said, as he grabbed my precious album from my hands. He walked off and I worried that my album may be gone forever.

After more waiting, he returned from inside the bus with my album freshly signed by Love and Johnston. I was ecstatic. The album is now the most valuable one I have in my collection.

Overall, it was an awesome concert that I will never forget and has added to my ever-growing list of Beach Boys fandom experiences.

villainous role as Johnny Lawrence in “The Karate Kid”. In 2004, he was nominated for an Academy Award for co-writing and producing the film “Most”.

n MARTIN COVE - Actor known for his role as evil karate sensei John Kreese in “The Karate Kid” trilogy.

He has had roles in “Rambo II”, “Cagney and Lacey”, “Walker: Texas Ranger”, “Kung Fu”, “Chips” and “Charlie’s Angels”.

n AARON ASHMORE - actor known for playing Jimmy Olsen in the televesion series Smallville.

n SHAWN ASHMORE - Actor known for his role as Booby Drake/Iceman in the X-Men films.

n C. THOMAS HOWELL - Actor best known for playing Ponyboy Curtis in Francis Ford Coppola’s “The Outsiders”. He currently stars on the television shows “Southland” and “Criminal Minds”.

Photo from The Beach Boys

OCTOBER SHOWS AT THE BACK PORCH n ANCHOR DOWN - 8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 16

n TEAZUR - 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 17

n DANIEL SMALLEY- 7 p.m.

Look for coverage from Dallas Comic-Con Fan Days on The Flare Online next week!

Wednesday, Oct. 21

n SWEET PAIN -8 p.m.

Friday, Oct. 23

n TODD FREEMAN & THE BULLETPROOF BAND - 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 24

n THE $37 TRIO - 7 p.m., Wednesday, Oct. 28

n DARRIN MORRIS BAND - 8 p.m. Friday, Oct. 30

n DOCTOR DOCTOR - 8 p.m. Saturday, Oct. 31

OPINION

THE FLARE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015

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7

...another shooting?

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here was another school shooting last week. That marks the 47th school shooting in 2015. In fact, there were two just last Friday, making three in an eight-day span.

According to ABC news, 26 of these shootings were classified as attacks that had some result in injury or death.

In a study conducted from 2000 to 2014 by two researchers from the State University of New York in Oswego and Texas State University that looked at 11 “advanced” countries the U.S. has had a 133 mass shootings with 992 victims. The next closest country was Germany.

They had six. Combining the other 10 countries, there were a total of 23 mass shootings with a total of 133 victims.

Being desensitized to school shootings has become a common thing among us now.

“Here’s another shooting. Don’t mention the shooter’s name.

Glorify the ones whose lives were lost.”

This has become so routine for us that we’re just ready for the next one to happen. There’s no more true feeling for the lost ones. We try to hide the name of the person who committed these awful acts of violence. Never once do people think about what that person was going through to lead them to such extreme actions.

Shooters typically have ties to the schools that they shoot.

These ties are usually not positive.

The people who have committed these shootings do it because it is the only way for them to get noticed. To them, there is no other option. They are the

people that didn’t fit in and no one took the time to know why.

Many people who commit acts of violence suffer from mental illness and do not have people around them to help them through the many struggles life inevitably throws at them.

Imagine if these people had a strong support system around them, a sense of belonging.

These individuals believe they don’t belong and feel so insecure that the only way they feel they can be recognized is through committing a violent crime.

It’s a shame that some of these incidents could be avoided by simply getting to know the people around you. Getting to know people may seem like a crazy thought in today’s world, but this could change everything.

What is so hard about being a good person? Everyone has their struggles that they go through in life. It’s a lot harder when people fight battles alone.

These shootings in the U.S. are a people issue. We as people have made another human being feel like they don’t belong so much that they are willing to lash out that anger against unknowing victims.

There’s a way to prevent future college campus shootings. It doesn’t start in Washington D.C. It starts right here in the classroom.

Be a better person to those around you and make a fellow student feel more welcome at KC. Notice the people around you who you think may be struggling with life’s hardships.

It will make a difference not only in their lives, but yours as well.

YOUR VIEW What actions do you believe should be taken to help reduce the increasing amount of violence on college campuses across America?

“More police on campus.”

“Have metal detectors at every entrance ”

“More security on campus at all times.”

“Having more counselors on campus for those struggling with depression.”

Salvador Lamas Longveiw Sophomore

Alissa McClain Daingerfield freshman

Savannah Mays Liberty City freshman

Alex Pollick Kilgore freshman

Photographs by Lacey Bunn / THE FLARE

Kaelie Wike/ THE FLARE

Focus brings college success

I

Sarah Hooten/ THE FLARE

The Flare

n 2007, I graduated from Longview High School and enrolled at KC. I had a plan, but I failed to follow through.

My plan was to get my associate’s in journalism in two years, go off to the University of North Texas to get my bachelor’s and by 2011 head off to Japan.

U n f o r t u n a t e l y, I’m not the most DUSTIN TAYLOR focused student. Staff Writer After spending over two years at KC, I dropped out and decided take a few years off to try and figure myself out.

After doing nothing but working for about half a decade, I realized that I was doing nothing with my life.

I considered coming back to KC and trying to finish what I had started. The idea of going to college can be daunting, but not nearly as much as returning to college years later.

You have the fear of how well you’ll do being in class again after so long a time away, and how to handle studying when you haven’t opened a textbook in what feels like forever.

VOL. 79, NO.7 n Friday, October 16, 2015 Copyright 2015, The Flare. All rights reserved.

2013 Sweepstakes Winner, Texas Intercollegiate Press Association • 2014 Sweepstakes Winner, Texas Community College Journalism Association Spring 2012 Gold Crown, Columbia Scholastic Press Association • 2012 First Place, Texas Associated Press Managing Editors

EXECUTIVE EDITOR PAGE EDITORS Kathryn Agee Elijah Banks, Max MANAGING EDITOR Cervantes, Madeline Greene, Nick Shelley Richard Nguyen ENTERTAINMENT EDITOR Hunter Lohr

SPORTS EDITOR Devin Brooks

FEATURES EDITOR Meaghan Morton

CARTOONIST Sarah Hooten

PHOTO ADVISER O. Rufus Lovett ADVISER Rachel Stallard

ADVERTISING MANAGER Taylor Stewart STAFF WRITERS Alex Jacobo, Lucy Lopez, Ajani McCoy, Taylor Stewart, Dustin Taylor, Kayla Terrazas PHOTOGRAPHERS Tiffani Branch, Michael Brown, Lacey Bunn, Jessica Carrington, E’Lexus Hodge, Tiffany Johnson, Hunter Lohr, Richard Nguyen, Tina Marie Reed, Lonnie Ross, Kaelie Wike

It was a scary proposition, but I was faced with an even scarier one, and I was already living it.

Living the rest of my life with no goal, no aim and the fear of never having a career. The fear of this allowed me to overcome my lesser fear of returning to college.

Coming back, I started slow. I took just one class. the hardest class for a journalist, which is math. When I started at KC, I was placed in the second remedial math class. It took me several tries to get it out of the way, which left me with the last remedial class to take. When I dropped out of KC, I was still in that remedial class. So, when I came back to KC, I focused on that one class.

Thankfully, I managed to pass it on my first go around thanks to Brandon Walker, a great math teacher, and more focus this time on my part. Next up, I took statistics which I also managed to pass on my first try.

Once I had math out of the way, I started taking full course loads again. I worked on improving my grades in classes that I hadn’t done so well in the first time around as well as taking classes that I had yet to take.

Now, nearly a decade after graduating from high school, I’ve almost earned my associate’s

degree.

Part of me feels shame. If I had kept my act together initially, I could already have my bachelor’s and be in my fourth year of living in Japan or working for the Associated Press. But the bigger part of me feels pride. To always succeed is amazing, but to stumble and fall but still manage to get back up? That is amazing in its own right.

While I wish that I had managed to stick with it when I initially started college, there are reasons to be happy about the way things unfolded. If I had managed to go through with my initial plan, I probably wouldn’t be with my amazing girlfriend whom I have been dating for two and a half years now, nor would I have the good memories that I’ve shared with my friends and family over these years while I’ve remained in East Texas.

To all the students who just recently graduated from high school, I encourage you to focus on your goals and stick it out. It’ll only get harder over time, not easier.

To anyone who is returning to college or has never been but is considering it, I encourage you to overcome your fears. They may be substantial, but the reward is well worth overcoming those fears.

LETTERS THE FLARE welcomes any letter to the editor and encourages all readers to use this as a sounding board to express thoughts and opinions on current campus-related topics.

We also welcome news or feature ideas. Due to space limitations, letters should be as concise as possible and may still be edited for space. Letters must be signed and include an address and telephone number so that we can verify their authenticity. Letters should be delivered to the newsroom in Communications-Automotive Building, Room 125, mailed to The Flare, 1100 Broadway, Kilgore TX 75662 or emailed to: kc_flare@yahoo.com

DISCLAIMER THE FLARE is the student newspaper of Kilgore College and is published every Friday by the journalism department, except during examination periods and vacations. First copy is free, subsequent copies are available for 50 cents. THE FLARE is a member of the Texas Community College Journalism Association and the Texas Intercollegiate Press Association.

All people holding editorial staff positions are Kilgore College journalism students.

Comments and views expressed in THE FLARE reflect the thoughts of the individual writers, and do not necessarily reflect the beliefs or opinions of other students, staff members, faculty members, administrative officers or the Board of Trustees.

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THE FLARE FRIDAY, OCTOBER 16, 2015

8

F E AT U R E

Chunk-a-palooza

Richard Nguyen / THE FLARE

Students and community members participate in Chunk-a-palooza activities by building trebuchets to launch pumpkins through the air, face painting and a pumpkin decorating contest. Agriculture students volunteered to work the event that took place at the KC Ag farm.

Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE Richard Nguyen / THE FLARE

Sydny Boyd, Avinger freshman, paints Makayla Gurley’s face

Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE

Student from Grand Saline, James Prick, loads the trebuchet and sends his pumpkin flying through the air.

Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE

Connor Raif, Brooklyn Raif, and Ayden Raif listen to a lecture about bees.

Jessica Carrington / THE FLARE

Faith Stowe, winner of Pumpkin Frankenstein pumkin.

Decorating Contest with a

Richard Nguyen / THE FLARE

Texas A&M student, Brittni Littlejohn, explains her PH.D research programs.

Pumpkin spice and everything nice Pumpkin spice trend shakes up Fall season for consumers MEAGHAN MORTON Features Editor Pumpkin. Spice. The two words that can bring together a group of friends and send them racing down the road for a trip to Starbucks for a Pumpkin Spice Latte, pumpkin scone or pumpkin cookie.

According to Delish. com Americans spent $361 million on this spice

last year. But why is it so popular?

Because of the scarcity of pumpkin-flavored products during the rest of the year, consumers will flock anywhere there might be anything that smells, looks or tastes like a pumpkin. It all comes down to supply and demand. The lack of a product in circulation will drive consumers to

want what they cannot have. When it finally becomes available again, consumers will go out of their way to have it.

The love of pumpkin spice is so strong for Starbucks customers that in 2011 Starbucks announced a competition against cities. The object was to advertise the return of the Pumpkin Spice Latte. Whichever city had

the most participation and got the most points earned the right to their Starbucks selling the sought after latte early.

But it is not just Starbucks profiting from this spice.

There are many other things that are pumpkinflavored, such as hummus, chips, candies, cookies, ice cream and tea. Other companies are falling into the trend by producing

things that just smell like the spice, such as candles, body wash, sprays, and other products.

The pumpkin spice bandwagon gains more members every year and the industry gains more money, but only for the flavor. The actual gourd itself has been losing money since the popularity of the spice began to grow.

Since 2011, the purchase of

actual pumpkins has gone down.

Despite this, consumers will continue to buy their Pumpkin Spice Lattes and other pumpkin flavored products. Take advantage of the season while you can and try something pumpkin-flavored.

You might find a new favorite.