Issue 17 3-20-15

Votes secure $100k safety grant DAVID MCCARTY Advertising Manager KC has officially won $100,000 through an online voting contest as part of Stanley Security’s grant program, “Together for Safer Schools.”

After almost a month of intense voting, texting, tweeting and re-tweeting, the college finished first in Tier 1: schools with fewer than 8,000 students. KC students and staff called on alumni and friends to push them

past Aquinas College in Grand Rapids, Mich. as the contest came to an end on Friday, Feb. 13. The winners were announced earlier this week.

“This is an enormous win for the college,” said Heath Cariker, KCPD Chief. “These types of security projects are expensive to fund.”

With this grant, KC will be able to update door locking systems and hardware, video security and residence hall security features. An “aging infrastructure” at both

the Longview and Kilgore campuses was one of Cariker’s main reasons for entering the competition.

KC has about 350 on-campus residents and an enrollment of 5,000-plus, so extra security measures will be a huge benefit to the campus and the community surrounding KC, according to Cariker.

“The reason that this victory is so special is because we won solely based on campus and community campaigning and voting,” he said.

The Flare

The grant presentation will take place next month here on the Kilgore Campus. Cariker credits Rick Murphy in maintenance for bringing the opportunity to the department’s attention and suggesting KC compete for it.

Rosemary Owens, KCPD Support Specialist, spearheaded the day-to-day efforts of keeping the contest at the forefront of the college community’s attention.

“I am so thankful that the competition was embraced by the campus as a whole,” Cariker said.

Friday, March 20, 2015 Vol. 78 No. 17

Breathe easy: No asbestos violations

SXSW

AUSTIN COMES ALIVE WITH STARS KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor

T

his past weekend, I had the best three days of my life (so far) at the South by Southwest film festival in Austin.

I went to interesting panels, learned more about the film industry, attended film screenings and met famous people —including my idol, Brian Wilson.

On Friday, the first panel I went to was “Ain’t It Cool” with Harry Knowles.

Knowles runs the “Ain’t It Cool” film review website, which he said, “is not a million dollar business, just people who love film.” The panel discussed Season 2 of PBS’ “Ain’t It Cool” show, about older films and their relation to modern cinema.

Knowles enjoys the show’s home because “you don’t have to fight someone to be educational with PBS. That’s the purpose of it.”

I stopped by a replica of the Bates Motel from the A&E television show. It was a real motel which hosted a sweepstakes every day where SXSW attendees entered to win a chance to stay in the hotel for a night.

The first event of Saturday was a keynote speech by Ava DuVernay, director of the Academy Award nominated film “Selma.”

After the speech, she was crowded by a group of fans. She gave hugs, signed autographs, and seemed genuinely happy to be around the overjoyed attendees.

The next panel I attended was “The Future of Film Criticism: Diversify or Die.” It consisted of RogerEbert. com employees, including his widow Chaz Ebert. They discussed the lack of representation of women, minorities, the disabled, and LGBT in the film industry.

“The world is changing, and we have to evolve and change with it, or we will become stagnant,” Ebert said.

“A Conversation with Jeff Nichols and Michael Shannon” was the next panel I attended. Nichols directed the films “Take Shelter” and “Mud,” and consistently works with Shannon, who played General Zod in “Man of Steel.”

Nichols said his new film, “Midnight Special” was “a tough one. Always trying to make more movie than we have time or money for.” It stars Shannon and Joel Edgerton. A clip was shown featuring a terrifying meteor shower happening at a gas station. It looks like an exciting film, and should be released this fall.

Next, I took some photographs of Jimmy Kimmel at his panel. He was one of the biggest draws at the festival, and the ballroom he was speaking in was extremely crowded. Kimmel was there prior to filming an entire week of his talk show in Austin. Since the room was packed, after photographing him I went to explore more of Austin.

Hungry and exhausted and with a busy night ahead of me, I went to The Hideout Coffee House and got a coffee called The Dark Backward, an overly-caffeinated coffee named for a film featuring Texas native Bill Paxton.

See SXSW on Page 6

KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor The issue of asbestos violations on campus has been officially squelched by a Texas Commission on Environmental Quality report.

The recently released report had no mention of asbestos, as there was no evidence of any asbestos violations on campus.

“To close out this chapter: There was never an asbestosrelated danger to our employees, our students, or the general public,” said DR. BILL HOLDA Dr. Bill Holda, KC president. “I doubt that the Longview News-Journal will print a retraction and/or apologize for unfounded sensationalized reporting that had no basis in fact.”

The report only contains items that were found in violation, none of which resulted in fines. The violations listed concerned proper labeling, storage, disposal and identification of materials. There were five violations cited, four of which have been resolved according to the report.

The remaining unresolved item concerns the trash pile at the Fire Academy facility. Work on this was delayed by the bad weather in late February, but the issue is currently being resolved and will be finished before the TCEQ’s March 31 completion deadline.

Allegations about the college’s asbestos abatement procedures led to the administration calling a firm to test air quality in early December.

See ASBESTOS on Page 3

Tuition to increase in Fall 2015 KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor

THE FLARE

Clockwise from top:

Tuition and fees for attendance at KC will increase starting with the Fall 2015 semester.

The KC Board of Trustees approved to raise the tuition with a 6-2 vote in their March Business Meeting. The increase was recommended by KC administration, who cited the last tuition increase had been in 2013.

According to the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board, KC has one of the lowest costs per credit hour of any college or university in Texas. With the state Core Curriculum, courses successfully completed at KC will transfer to Texas public universities.

“Costs keep rising for the college,” said Dr. Mike Turpin, vice president of instruction. “We face more funding cuts from the state legislature, and the KC Board has not wanted to raise taxes. The only other real source of funding is tuition and fees. At some point, certain programs and See TUITION on Page 3

THEFLAREONLINE.COM

Fire Academy graduation March 25 VICTORIA WHITWELL Managing Editor KC Fire Academy No. 94 is having its graduation ceremony 6:30 p.m.

Wednesday, March 25, at the Bert E. Woodruff Adult Education Center Auditorium in Kilgore.

Six Canadian students make up the total of 13 candidates for graduation.

Joe Yeakley, Lindale firefighter, will be the guest speaker. Yeakley was a recipient of the Star of Texas Award in September by former

Gov. Rick Perry. The award is given annually by the governor to honor peace officers, firefighters and emergency medical first responders who are seriously injured or killed in the line of duty.

In January 2015, Yeakley was burned over half of his body when a roof collapsed on him while on a call with the Lindale Fire Department.

He spent more than 10 months in a Dallas hospital recovering and received a hero’s welcome upon returning home to Lindale in November.

The general public and all area fire departments are invited to the ceremony.

The deadline has passed to register for the fire academy beginning in April, but students can register for Fire Academy No. 96 which will begin Aug. 31. The deadline to register is July 20. For information on how to register, visit www. kilgore.edu/fireacademy.

The KC Fire Academy is certified by the Texas Commission on Fire Protection and the State Firemen and Fire Marshal’s Association

PAGE T WO THIS WEEK

BY THE NUMBERS

3

KC campuses will close Friday, April 3, for Good Friday. Easter is April 5.

Check

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and approved by the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board and the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC). It offers certification schools for NFPA 1001 Basic Structural Firefighter I and II certification, the Texas Volunteer certification, Fire Inspector and Fire and Arson Investigation courses.

The Fire Academy No. 94 candidates for graduation are as listed below:

Travis E. Bauman Brandon J. Ritter Travis L. Hudman Cody J. Atter Brian P. Pittman and Brayden J. Pointer :

Samuel

J.

Thorgeirson Kyle M. Sedola Austin W. Lloyd Ryan R. Scheidt William J. Odhams

Dustin

Micah C. Phillips

M. Johnson

THE FLARE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

classes. This is the last chance to receive a “W” on a transcript instead of a failing grade.

for a full calendar activities, or go to

27

Stations of the Cross, an hours of Jesus Christ, will be at 5:30 p.m., March 27, at the Lee Mall. KC Canterbury and St. Paul’s Episcopal church are sponsors.

for live updates

FACE IN THE CROWD

Revels tickets for sale THAO NGUYEN Staff Writer Rangerette Revels 2015 tickets are now on sale to the public. Revels is an annual two-hour variety show produced by the Rangerettes. The show will open 7 p.m., April 15-18, with a Saturday matinee at 1 p.m in the Dodson Auditorium.

Tickets are $25 and can be bought at the box office in the Rangerette Gymnasium south entrance. Box office hours are 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. Monday through Friday. The box office in the Dodson Auditorium will open an hour before each show.

Students with a current KC ID may attend a Wednesday, Thursday, or Friday night performance free but must pick up a ticket in order to attend. Student tickets may be picked up March 23-April 15. To order tickets by credit card, call 903-983-8179.

Registration opens for summer classes NICK SHELLEY Staff Writer

Emily Gibbs / THE FLARE

Cherry He What is your major?

Advertising and Graphic Design Technology Why did you come to KC? When my sister got married, she moved to Longview. We were really close so I didn’t want to stay in NYC alone. I decided to come to Texas to study art and she recommend KC. Are you in any organizations on campus? If yes, what do they do?

I am the VP of scholarship for Phi Theta Kappa in KC. This is a honors society for community colleges. We participate in service projects, fundraising, offer informations for scholarships and other opportunities. Currently, we are working on a college project call “How to” college.

Also, I am the secretary for the KC Visual Arts Club. We meet every Friday at noon on the second floor of the FA building. We share our knowledge, ideas, and inspirations on arts and artists with each other. Every spring, we have an art trip weekend and this year we are going to visit various museums in the Dallas/ Fort Worth area.

What is your favorite type of art?

Hometown: Queens, New York Sophomore I appreciate a large variation of arts and art styles throughout history. One of my favorite art movements is Surrealism. I have always been fascinated by the works of René Magritte, Salvador Dali, Méret Oppenheim, and Vladimir Kush.

Who is your biggest inspiration?

My sister and my niece, who’s about to be 2 years old this June.

My sister is always there to listen and comment on my thoughts and ideas. My niece shares with me a new way to look at the world all the time. Through her eyes, I recall the dreams and imaginations I lost on the way in becoming an adult.

If you could be any sea creature (real or make believe) what would it be?

A turtle. I would have my home (the shell) with me all the time and I can sleep whenever and wherever I want!

What are you future plans when you leave KC? I plan on going to a four-year university for a bachelor’s degree in this major, and work in this field.

Corrosion technology shoots for new equipment JORDAN BAKER Staff Writer The Corrosion Technology Department is hosting the 4th Annual Sporting Clay Tournament at Prairie Creek Sporting Clays in Gladewater on Saturday, March 28.

The event will feature a challenging sporting clays course, door prizes, and a meet and greet with employees of the oil and gas industry.

KC students are welcome to shoot in the event at a discounted price of $50. Nonstudents can shoot at a registration price of $75. All the proceeds will purchase new

equipment and supplies.

Possible participants can register at http://kcwhoot2015.eventbrite.com or look for flyers with details around campus and at local businesses. For more information, contact Kenya Ray by calling 903-988-7539 or by email kray@kilgore.edu.

Registration for the May mini-mester, Summer I and Summer II will begin March 23.

Classes will be about the same size as they would be during either of the large semesters.

“We always have a lot of students who take Summer I and Summer II [classes],” said Pam Gatton, counseling and advising director.

Registration for the May mini-mester must be done at least 24 hours in advance of the first class day. Registration can also be done online by students as long as they have had at least 12 hours of college credit. Core classes are offered in the May mini-mester. The 12-day mini-mester will require students to attend class for four hours a day, five days a week.

Most Summer I and II classes are two hours a day, four days a week, for five weeks. Evening classes will be taught two nights a week for eight weeks.

Online and hybrid classes are also offered over the summer.

Hybrid classes can be taught in-class with the online element for five weeks before the instructor has students complete the rest of their class online by themselves.

Since mini-mester classes only last four to five weeks, tests will occur more frequently, and students will have to do more homework in a shorter amount of time.

Students can either contact a faculty advisor in their major or Kilgore Advisement and Counseling at 903-983-8206.

Longview Advisement and Counseling can be reached at 903-753-2642.

PTK orientation meeting noon today VICTORIA WHITWELL Managing Editor Phi Theta Kappa will host a new member orientation meeting at noon today in the Communications-Automotive Building, Room 104.

It is important to attend this meeting, especially if you are interested in being inducted into the service organization during its spring ceremony, beginning at 6:30 p.m. Friday, March 27. Family and friends are welcome to attend.

PTK will also be voting on new officers for the 2015-16 academic year on Monday, March 30. Anyone interested in having his or her name added to the ballot should contact Michele Daniels at 903-983-8621 or e-mail at mdaniels@kilgore.edu. Officers must be available to serve the entire academic year and are awarded free regalia for their participation.

NEWS

THE FLARE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

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ASBESTOS: Report clears FROM PAGE 1

E’Lexus Hodge / THE FLARE

Leddy Ansanay, Kilgore sophomore, takes a turn around the course while texting in order to

Simulator offers crash-course in dangerous driving habits LEAH BRYCE Features Editor

A

young teen drives with the windows down, trees whipping past, music roaring and friends laughing in the back seat. Above the concoction of sounds a pure ding rings out and the driver glances down for a moment to read the text message. As his head is bowed, his arm drifts to the left and the car follows swerving off the road and hitting a building.

The rambunctious noises that had filled the car only moments before stop and sirens fill the void they left.

This past Tuesday KC students got the opportunity to experience distracted driving without the reality of consequences through the Save A Life Tour’s simulators.

“We go all over the country.

This program has been to seven different countries as far as Japan, Korea, France and the Netherlands,” said. Anthony Lawrence, simulator instructor.

“We go to different high schools, colleges, military installations, pretty much anywhere and just bring the information of distracted driving.”

From the moment people are old enough to understand ‘being under the influence,’ they are told by at least one person of the dangers of driving under the influence of alcohol or drugs. However, texting while driving has only been around for about

a decade. In 2011 it was estimated by the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention that 69 percent of drivers in the US use their cellphone while driving and that 3,360 motor vehicle deaths were caused by distracted driving.

“It was terrifying watching people (drive the simulators) and made me not want to do it,” said Emily Gibbs, Overton sophomore. “You could die in the simulation.

I don’t text and drive, but I do press that microphone button and tell it what to text and it sends it.”

Before each student began driving the simulator the instructors explained the dangers of the two different situations.

They pull statistics as well as personal experience to educate all attendees of the threat of distracting driving.

“A lot of the time we get a really positive feedback,” Lawrence said. “Even from the people who come in saying ‘oh I’m really good at texting and driving,’ after they sit down and listen to us explain everything they have a different outlook.”

Studies from the CDC have also shown that people ranging from 18-20 are most likely to text and drive.

According to Lawrence, the simulators combined with the information seem to have a positive effect on the 77 percent of drivers who are confident in their ability to text and drive.

“It only took a few minutes for the person to crash during

TUITION: Rate previous unchanged since 2013 hike FROM PAGE 1 services may need to be cut.”

President Bill Holda believes the increase will be tolerable for most. “About 50 percent of our students are part-time, taking less than 12 hours; almost 60 percent of our students are on some form of Title IV aid (federal Pell grants and loans).

Consequently, I don’t think the increases will present a significant burden on the student,” he said.

Tuition will increase 6.67 percent, from $30 per credit hour to $32. General education fees will raise 3.57 percent, from $28 to $29.

In-district students will end up paying $61 per semester hour, and out-of-district students will pay $130 per semester hour. Both of these include tuition and fees.

Out-of-state students’ tuition will increase from $80 to $82. In total, non-Texans will pay $180 per hour.

Health science and other more expensive courses will be increasing fees to help cover some of the costs necessary to be able to offer the classes. A $125 deferential

tuition registration fee will be required for all students enrolling in the health science program. The additional $125 fee could potentially bring the college an additional $153,750 based on 2014’s registration numbers.

Additionally, room and board costs will increase by about 8 percent.

“Rarely does anyone like to see expenses rise; however, KC tuition remains very competitive,” Turpin said.

“At very few other Texas community colleges do indistrict students pay less than at KC.” Holda praised the move.

“In the long run, the tuition increases will allow us to continue to upgrade technology, and provide good instruction and up-to-date instructional materials,” he said.

For a complete list of tuition and miscellaneous fees broken down by type, visit www.kilgore.edu/ about/tuition-and-fees. For more information, contact the Office of Admissions and Registrar at 903-983-8209 or via e-mail to aknox@kilgore. edu.

the simulations,” Gibbs said. “You could tell a major difference when they started texting because they started speeding and swerving.

They seem more powerful than the information. They show the danger instead of just listening to what ‘could’ happen.”

Although, the students experience the difficulty of driving while being distracted by both texting and alcohol the program also offers two 50-minute presentations. During the simulations, a video is played at each station in order that students waiting to try the simulators can obtain information from another source. These videos interview different victims of distracted driving.

“If you don’t think that either of these things are a big deal think about those that you care about,” Lawrence said. “I personally have seen both of these things and they’ve impacted my life more than I’d wish on my worst enemy.

We are trying to get it to where something doesn’t have to happen to a loved one for people to realize the dangers of it.”

“We had the tests done on all the buildings that were cited. We had a physical inspection and had air monitoring,” Holda said.

The tests were spurred by an article published in the Longview NewsJournal in November 2014 quoting KC physical plant coordinator, Dalton Smith. He alleged there was an on-going cover-up of mishandling asbestos, as well as other violations.

Dr. Mike Turpin, vice president of instruction, reaffirmed the campus is safe and protocol has been followed.

“As soon as President Holda heard about the allegations regarding asbestos violations, he asked a consulting company to come to campus to check out the areas in question,” Turpin said. “KC had a campus-wide inspection a number of years ago to identify asbestos issues on campus. Since that time, the college has been involved with regular asbestos abatement projects.

There was no reason to believe that anyone was in any danger, given our history of handling asbestos issues appropriately.”

KC has spent the past four years preparing for a one-week review, approved by the

Environmental Protection Agency. A team visited in early October and created a PowerPoint laying out what was found during the report.

“The EPA said they would send a complete report in about six months. We then would have to document how we were going to respond to any problems,” Holda said. “We had a very good visit. We had a minimal number of citations.”

Violations primarily covered minor infractions, such as boxes of light bulb fixtures being taped and labeled improperly.

However, one of the PowerPoint slides showed a pipe with a piece of duct tape and the word “asbestos” written on it.

Seeing this, Smith “was very concerned that we had asbestos on campus,” Holda said. “He kept bringing the issue up.”

Holda assured the KC Board of Trustees that Smith’s fears were unfounded.

“Back in 1996 we had done a very thorough study of the whole campus,” Holda said. “Over the years, we’ve spent millions of dollars getting rid of asbestos.”

Holda said he’s not sure what Smith’s motivation was for talking to the media.

“To this day, other than saying he was concerned for his employees, he never once came to me to say he was concerned about the situation,” Holda said. “It just seems odd that you

would start off by going to the press to voice this as opposed to appropriate administration and telling them there’s something that needs to be fixed.”

In the end, Holda cited the college’s public image was tarnished, two months of productivity were lost in addressing this issue, “and the Longview NewsJournal and the reporter displayed unprofessional behavior.”

Turpin also questioned Smith’s actions, and faulted the News-Journal.

“The Longview NewsJournal printed incorrect information on multiple occasions and made what was apparently a deliberate attempt to mislead its readers in a desperate effort to sell newspapers,” Turpin said.

“Unfortunately, the damage done to the institution’s reputation is something over which we have little control.”

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THE FLARE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

SPORTS

Rangers hit ground running from break LOGAN HOLLOWAY Staff Writer The Ranger softball team had a busy return from Spring Break, facing double headers on Monday and Tuesday. Monday saw the Rangers travel to Bossier City,, La., where they split with Bossier Parish, and Tuesday again yielded a split for the day, this time against Trinity Valley in Athens.

Kilgore got off to a slow start on Monday, dropping the opener against Bossier 2-1. Kelsey Ancelot , Mallory Ford, Renee Jones, Hannah Tomme and Mariah Goguen all provided hits for the Rangers, with Ancelot earning two and Goguen driving in the lone run.

The late game brought with it a fresh flurry of offense for Kilgore, who followed Lexi Lopez’s homer and three RBIs to cruise to a 7-4 advantage. Jones, Tomme and Ancelot earned two hits apiece and each drove in a run, and Goguen and Ford both doubled. Jones earned the pitching win, striking out five on three hits and allowing only one run in 5 2/3 innings.

The strong offense carried over into Tuesday’s first matchup against Trinity Valley, and the defense followed suit on the way to a 6-0 victory. Bianca Van Vlerah had three hits, including a double, and Tomme had a double and an RBI in the contest while Ancelot went 3-5 from the plate. Ford had two hits and Jones, Goguen, Lopez, Ryanne Lunceford and Hayley McCullers each drove in runs as well. Jordyn Rogers earned the shutout for the Rangers, walking three and striking out one while allowing no

O, Rufus Lovett / SPECIAL TO THE FLARE

Jordyn Rogers chants from the dugout during a recent game at Stream-Flo Field. KC hosts Navarro in a double-header 1 p.m. Sunday. runs on six hits.

TVCC had a strong finish in the second game, scoring three

unanswered runs to hand the Rangers a 4-1 defeat. Goguen had a double and drove in the lone run,

and Van Vlerah and McCullers added two hits apiece.

KC will host Navarro in a

conference double-header beginning at 1 p.m. Sunday, March 22, at Stream-Flo Field.

5 SPORTS Trio of Rangers receive All-Region honors THE FLARE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

RICHARD NGUYEN Assistant Sports Editor The 2014-2015 All Region XIV Men’s Basketball Teams were announced with two KC players gaining First Team honors and one Honorable Mention.

Forward Bakari Copeland and guard Jonathan Milligan were voted on to the first team. Milligan led KC in minutes played averaging

34.8 minutes a game. He played all 40 minutes of the last four games of KC’s season. Copeland led his team from the charity stripe shooting 82.9 percent through the season.

Forward Michael Thomas received an honorable mention for the Region XIV North team.

Thomas shot 60 percent from the field, second highest for the Rangers. He received four votes Milligan played a tremendous

PAGE

role in KC’s success this season.

He led KC with 14 points per game along with 3.7 assists. Milligan scored 20 points or more in three of the final four games of the season for the Rangers. He had his biggest showing in a thriller against Navarro College late in the season, scoring a team-high 29 points to lift the Rangers to an 88-87 victory.

Copeland’s play in the paint set the bar forward across the region.

On top of his success at the free throw line he averaged 10.3 PPG. Copeland added 4.6 rebounds per game, second highest for the Rangers. His biggest showing was against Paris Junior College where he had 27 points. Copeland was lights out from behind the arc in this game, going 5-6, leading the Rangers to a 77-72 victory. This victory would spark their four-game win streak late in

the season.

Thomas’ season came from his dominance on the defensive end.

His play on both sides of the ball went beyond statistics. Thomas had his biggest game in the Rangers’ most important game of the year against Coastal Bend College in the Region XIV playoffs in Jacksonville, where he pulled down 13 rebounds, scored nine points, and blocked two shots.

Moody Madness Former KC standout leads Ole Miss to upset DEVIN BROOKS Sports Editor Former KC Ranger basketball player Stefan Moody and the Ole Miss Rebels stormed back from a 17-point deficit in the second half to edge 11th seed Brigham Young University Cougars 94-90, securing a spot in the National Collegiate Athletic Association March Madness Basketball Tournament. Ole Miss had to win this game to be in the highly noted postseason tournament, and win they did. They faced off against six-seeded Xavier in the Round of 64 at 3:10 p.m. Thursday in Jacksonville, Fla. Moody played a huge role in this win for the Rebels. He scored 26 points in 32 minutes of play while dishing out five assists and shooting over 50 percent from the threepoint line. Ole Miss found themselves down and out early in the game, but Moody kept Ole Miss in striking distance in the first half scoring 11 straight points for the Rebels. Unfortunately BYU’s Tyler Haws was outdueling Moody in the first half.

Haws is BYU’s all-time leading scorer and Tuesday night he showed why. He dropped 33 points in the loss and scored 19 in the first half with the majority of his points coming from downtown. With BYU making 10 three-pointers on the first half they built a comfortable 49-32 point lead going into halftime. But in the second half, Ole Miss grabbed another gear and rode it all the way to victory. Moody led Ole Miss on a 15-2 run that eventually gave them the lead late in the game. He scored 15 huge points in the second half putting the team on his back. Moody made a 30-foot bomb to give Ole Miss a 70-68 lead with seven minutes

left in the game. Afterward, with the game in its waning moments, Moody casually dribbled down the court in transition and swished a three-pointer from China giving Ole Miss a five-point lead. Ole Miss was able to hang on for the 94-90 victory despite a late barrage of threes from Haws.

Earlier this season, Moody made the ESPN Sports Center Top 10 plays panel when he made the game winning threepointer against the Louisiana State University Tigers. That game was broadcast live on ESPN2. Moody averaged 16.6 points per game this season for Ole Miss along with 3.4 rebounds and 2.3 assists. He shot 90 percent from the freethrow line and 40 percent from the field for the entire season. The 5’10 junior was also named to the Southeastern Conference First Team.

KC Head Coach Brian Hoberecht, who coached Moody last season, was pleased to see his former player thriving on the big stage.

“I thought Stefan’s performance was well rounded. Most people see his athleticism that he uses to score, but I also saw a great teammate, a leader who stayed positive when his team was behind and he made plays to help his team win,” said Hoberecht.

“I saw him create for others, play defense, and communicate every time that he could.

I believe he had great leadership from the staff at Ole Miss and he continues to improve his game.”

Moody averaged 17.7 points per game along with 3.4 rebounds and 4.4 assists during his one season at KC. He led to the team to a 25-6 record and a national ranking of 20 overall.

Former Ranger basketball player ‘Shocking’ world DEVIN BROOKS Sports Editor

O. Rufus Lovett / SPECIAL TO THE FLARE

Former KC Ranger standout Stefan Moody, seen here in action for the Rangers in 2013, recently led the Ole Miss Rebels in an upset win against Brigham Young University that secured a place in the NCAA Tournament. Moody scored 26 points in 32 minutes.

Former KC Ranger basketball player Tom “Bush” Wamukota will participate in the National Collegiate Athletic Association March Madness Tournament this year as his Wichita State University Shockers look to make a push for college basketball’s biggest prize. Wamukota has been a solid role player for the Shockers this season who have a 28-4 overall record going into the postseason tournament.

He played in 29 of 32 games for the Shockers this season. In 32 games he scored 34 points and ripped down 45

rebounds. He averages six minutes per game, and he makes the best of it.

Wamukota hails from Bungoma, Kenya and he played for KC last season. He was one of the key reasons for KC’s success. He averaged six points and secured seven rebounds in his 31 games played as a KC Ranger.

He also blocked a team-high 29 shots along the way.

Wamukota and the Shockers played their first game in the Round of 64 when they take the underdog Indiana Hoosiers. That game will be at 1:45 p.m. Thursday, March 19, at the CenturyLink Center Omaha in Omaha, Neb.

Saying goodbye to a great: the Kobe Bryant edition LOGAN HOLLOWAY Staff Writer

COMMENTARY

he prime of any athlete’s career, especially that of one who reached the pinnacle of fame and dominance in their sport, is something that should always be treasured but is too often taken for granted. And all too often this happens for the pettiest of reasons. They didn’t have an agreeable personality, they were sponsored by the wrong brand of car or pizza (cut to Peyton Manning nodding sadly as he forces down the last slice of a Papa Johns Frito… I actually don’t know what to call it, but it sure isn’t pizza. Shame on you, Peyton). Sometimes, for whatever reason, we just don’t like certain people. And the thing is, that’s fine.

They’re entertainers, their whole career is based on being liked or disliked. To not appreciate or respect, however, the indisputable greatness of a superstar’s legacy when it’s as plain as the nose on Helen Hunt’s face is absolutely inexcusable (Sorry, I like forcing bad similes and metaphors. And also parentheses). There is nothing to subject and nothing to like or dislike about someone being really, really, good at what they do.

Unfortunately, it seems that these

two labels, unlikable and great, are too often used to describe the same people. There is probably nobody who better exemplifies this notion than the longtime star of the Los Angeles Lakers, Kobe Bryant.

One of the most polarizing players of all time in any sport, Bryant has spent his entire career under the microscopic eye of the public. When he entered the NBA in the mid-’90s, the league was already thirsting for that next player who could captivate the world as the aging Michael Jordan had done for over a decade. They quickly turned their salivating sights to a young, talented player who was entering their game straight out of high school. As the heir apparent to the G.O.A.T., expectations were set impossibly high for Bryant, but for almost 20 years now, he has been one of the few stars ever to meet them, much less leave them staring hopelessly back at him in his rearview mirror like a broken hearted 8-year-old watching his father leave to “go buy cigarettes” again (Sorry, it couldn’t be helped).

Around the midway point in his illustrious career, however, signs

T

of serious issues began to creep into Bryant’s life. He had already become a world champion, become one of the most famous people alive, and made Shaq so angry that he had to rap about it.

But splitting up the Laker dynasty is no big deal; super teams with super divas fall apart every day.

The legal issues regarding a domestic altercation that anyone who knows who Kobe Bryant is will be familiar with were the start of what many believed to be the unraveling of a once so promising career (Shh. Did you hear that? That was me tiptoeing around that subject). Now, almost all of our super famous star athletes carry around some sort of serious personal baggage; it’s the cost of being really rich and powerful and having millions of people checking up on you all the time. I mean, MJ was a notorious gambler, an alleged womanizer, and may or may not have reduced Scottie Pippen to a sad, sobbing sack, curled up in the fetal position with a bag of onion rings in the shower, letting the warm water and Arby’s sauce rain down on him for comfort after feeling MJ’s wrath for not setting a screen correctly that day in practice .

Tom Brady who knocked a girl

up and then abandoned her and then started deflating footballs for a living is just too freaking handsome.

Peyton Manning is related to Eli Manning and, well you know, the Frito thingy. And Brett Favre, well, let’s just say Brett Favre needed Snap Chat to catch on a few years earlier than it did and leave it at that.. The point is that all of these guys had problems, but we loved and forgave them anyways because they were great. However, there may have never been a player as famous as Kobe Bryant face such serious accusations in the middle of a superstar career. It is the type of thing that usually either ends a career entirely or at least makes the subject so unpopular that they are never able to reach superstar status again. Bryant was able to get past it all, and did remain one of the most famous players in the game, but his reputation was never the less now tarnished.

I don’t know what really happened between Bryant and his alleged victim, and while I’m definitely not the most knowledgeable person about the subject, I don’t believe anyone truly knows except those who were directly involved in the case. All I know for sure is that

Kobe Bryant was an amazing basketball player. He was the guy who scored 81 points in a single game, would make three-pointers with his left hand if you were fouling his right, and would either out play you or out will you until he broke you every night. He was the guy who won five championships for the city of LA, and he was the guy who would do whatever it took to win. He undisputedly had one of the greatest careers a professional athlete can have, but sadly it may have now ended. After years of shoving Father Time out of his way as he’d done so many hopeless defenders over the years, injuries and a limited body seem to have finally taken away the Kobe we knew. There are still records to chase, and he’s been by no means worthless on the court even at this advanced stage, so there is a chance we see 24 on the court again. But Kobe Bryant, the superstar, the controversy, the champion, has left the game for good, just like a baby bird leaving the nest except for the exact opposite (ok, ok. That one was forced. But I’m not sorry and you can’t make me!).

Logan Holloway is a Mass Communication major from Longview.

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THE FLARE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

F E AT U R E

SXSW: Beach Boy encounter FROM PAGE 1

Kathryn Agee / THE FLARE

on the importance of intention in life.

‘Serve this story’ ‘Selma’ director discusses path to screen success KATHRYN AGEE Executive Editor

A

USTIN – Film director Ava DuVernay gave a powerful keynote speech at SXSW on “the intention of our attention.”

She wrote the speech after arriving in Austin at 2 a.m. “I had to force myself to write,” she said, “so I wrote it like a journal entry.”

“Each decision we make is motivated by intention,” she said. Her first film was made with $50,000 in savings, and her intention was to distribute it through her firm.

Her second was made with $200,000.

“Sundance, that’s all I wanted,” she said.

DuVernay became the first AfricanAmerican woman to win the Best Director prize at the festival for the film.

She still felt that something was off in her life. “The error was my intention because I wasn’t making good strides as an artist and person,” she said. “My worth was outside of myself. My heart wasn’t enlarged and my balance was broken.”

She said her problem was “my dreams were too small. If they only include you, it’s too small. If you don’t know why you’re doing it, the cause and effect will be off.”

Her opportunity to direct “Selma” came “when I started to set aside my ego for something larger. I went through the whole thing with bewilderment and wonder. I went into the film with one thought, singular and clear: serve this story. The fact that it was made with these artists about these activists

was the achievement.”

She was overwhelmed by the experience directing. “This time last year, we weren’t even greenlit,” she said. DuVernay was the seventh choice to direct “Selma.” Since they couldn’t afford the rights to Martin Luther King Jr.’s actual speeches, she gave up a screenwriting credit.

“Selma” got near-perfect scores in test screenings, and got a standing ovation at the AFI festival.

On Christmas Day when “Selma” opened, she and star David Oyelowo “went full on nerd” and went to every screening of the film to watch people watch their movie. “It brought me more joy than anything on all the other films.”

When DuVernay attended the Oscars, she realized that it was “just a big room in LA. My work’s worth is not about what happens in or around that room.” She knew “if I had put a cap on my dreams, I would have limited what happens.” She pushed the controversy about not receiving a nomination for Best Director aside because her goal was “to serve the story.”

She is currently working on two television shows, one to be broadcast in the summer on Oprah Winfrey’s network, OWN, and one for CBS called “For Justice,” about modern day freedom fighters.

DuVernay urged her fans and fellow filmmakers to rethink and evaluate why they are in the industry. “Why do you want that praise? What is it giving you?,” she said. “All you have to do is do your work, and it just comes.”

After recharging my body and my phone, I began my trek from Sixth Street to The Alamo Drafthouse movie theater.

It was about a 40 minute walk. One thing I love to do in big cities is walk to places an hour within walking distance. It allows me to truly experience the sights and sounds of the city and discover local shops and restaurants.

At the Alamo, the premiere of “Raiders!

The Story of the Greatest Fan Film Ever Made” was held. The documentary tells the story of Eric Zala and Chris Strompolos who, in 1982 as pre-teens, took seven years filming their own version of the movie Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark shot-for-shot. Their film, Raiders of the Lost Ark: The Adaptation, has become a cult favorite and is screened at film festivals.

“Raiders!” follows Zala and Strompolos’ adult goal to finish one complex scene they never filmed.

It contains footage of the kids filming scenes on intricate sets they made in their parents’ basements and backyards. The best word to describe the documentary is heartwarming. It reminded me of the first film I directed when I was 11, which had scenes that were homages to the Indiana Jones movies.

After the documentary, the full version of “The Adaptation” was shown with the new scene. It was cool to see how the kids used their limited

resources and budget, such as recasting a monkey in the original film with Strompolos’ pet dog, Snickers. It was amazing to get to see the boys’, who are now in their ’40s, childhood dream completed.

On Sunday, I arrived two hours early to the premiere of the film I’d most been looking forward to at the festival, “Love and Mercy.”

“Love and Mercy” is the biopic of the leader of the band The Beach Boys, Brian Wilson. He is considered one of the best pop song composers and producers of the century.

The film chronicles his life in the 1960s, creating the classic albums Pet Sounds and SMiLE while also spiraling into mental illness, and in the 1980s, trying to escape the overbearing abuse of his psychiatrist and gain control of his own life and sanity again. Actor Paul Dano portrays Wilson in the ‘60s, and John Cusack plays Wilson in the ‘80s. It also stars Elizabeth Banks as Wilson’s wife Melinda, and Paul Giamatti as his psychiatrist Eugene Landy.

I got to take pictures on the red carpet of Wilson, Cusack, and film director Bill Pohlad before everyone flooded into the theatre. They played tracks from SMiLE before beginning the movie.

Watching the amazing movie with Wilson and his fans in attendance was a once in a lifetime experience I will never forget. I don’t cry easily at movies, and this film had me in tears of both

ONLINE Read The Flare’s review of “Love and Mercy” at

sadness and joy at many times.

The best moment of my life came when, after the movie, a Q&A was held. I knew this might be my only chance to talk to my all-time favorite musician. I told him his music has saved my life so many times, and asked him what his favorite scene was in the film.

His favorite was the final scene featuring the song, “Wouldn’t it Be Nice.”

He added, “When John (Cusack) and Elizabeth (Banks) were getting off on each other.” This caused everyone in the room, including the stars, to burst out in laughter and cheer. It was awesome that a question I asked caused such a funny and memorable moment to happen. I am now lucky enough to say I have met the person who is the biggest creative inspiration in my life. I can now brag to music buffs that I met the creator of Pet Sounds.

I don’t know if I could have covered all two weeks of SXSW. The three days I spent there, though, were life changing. I got to meet so many interesting people, experience things I’d never dreamed of, and use my skills as a journalist to cover the other thing I love most in the world — film. It was a blast, and I can’t wait to see what will be featured next year at SXSW.

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OPINION

THE FLARE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

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THE FLARE

How do you plan to help yourself stay focused through the rest of the semester?

OUR VIEW

Just do it

THE FLARE

YOUR VIEW

“Thinking about my semester of college & my achievements.”

Stay motivated for the rest of the semester

“Wake-up every morning that the end of this semester is near)”

Sylvia Olajide

S

pring Break has passed, leaving the student body with only seven weeks of school remaining. To most students, seven weeks can either seem like forever or not enough time to finish all of the all-important semester projects that were meant to have been started in January.

For the exam-minded student, there’s only six weeks left until finals. For the transferring students, universities are impatiently waiting for their requirements to be met, atop of the schoolwork KC instructors have assigned.

Spring Break just didn’t seem long enough.

Words of wisdom to students: hike up the spiraled bridge and get over it.

It may sound harsh, but school is so close to being over. Unlike the fall semester, it is easier to stay motivated in the spring. A big contributing factor is the weather. What better way to brighten one’s day than to have the sun shining and the weather warming up? The

Ryan Forshee Kilgore Sophomore

Sophomore

“Actually do my and get more involved in my classes.”

“Mainly keeping to myself.”

Madison O’Dell Kilgore Freshman

Caleb Warren Gladewater Sophomore

days are longer, so the body’s instinct to sleep is delayed as well, which means it’s easier to stay up to get assignments done.

In addition, more than 50 percent of the semester has been completed. If a student hasn’t been dropped from a class yet, that most likely means there is still hope to finish with a passing grade. Some students think about dropping out mid-semester to retake the class in the summer, but who would really want his or her summer plans ruined because of a class that needs to be retaken? It’s not worth the money, and it’s definitely not worth the time.

Runners don’t enter the race only to quit 100 meters short of the finish line. Basketball players don’t leave the court with a minute left to play.

Commitment is the key.

Just stick the semester out.

Commitment is the key.

Cultural experiences give more spice to life E

xperiencing a different culture opens your eyes to a whole new world, changing your perspective on different cultures around the world.

Last weekend, Samrawit Gebrehiowt, originally from Ethiopa, invited me and six other friends into her home for a traditional Ethiopian cooked meal. Samrawit’s grandmother, Aster, a Garland native, made a dish called Doro Wat. Dora Wat is a spicy Ethiopian stew, and is Ethiopia’s national and most famous dish. While we were eating the Doro Wat, Aster assured us that she usually makes the dish extra spicy. Since it was our first go round she decided to take it easy on us. She also made some Ethiopian rice, beef, and a

salad, which were all served upon a delicious spongy bread called injera. Injera takes the place of eating utensils and is used to pick up all of the food.

“The injera is like tortillas/ pancakes that ELIJAH BANKS you can eat with anything and their food is much healthier than American food”, said Leandra Gilbert, Bryan sophomore.

Leandra wasn’t able to attend the dinner, but Samrawit brought her a plate. All of the food was finger-licking good. But while I was attempting to do just that, everyone started giving me

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the look of disgust. I still don’t understand how they weren’t thinking about doing the same thing, because the sauces and flavor was too hard to pass on a finger licking.

After everyone finished eating their meal, Samrawit introduced us to her favorite Ethiopian dances and songs, which called for an old-fashioned dance off and a mini concert.

“The dance competition was really fun because we had less than five minutes to learn a new dance, and it was pretty intense because we had to use our necks and shoulders” said Chidinma Nwadialo, who is originally from Nigeria.

The dance was different, but a lot of fun to do, especially since everyone participated. Me

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ADVISER Rachel Stallard

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“... We were all able to come together as one and operate out of love” was an amazing thing to think about because I never would’ve imagined being able to connect with other cultures in such a way. Although we have a lot of differences, we are still able to be a big happy family.

Elijah Banks is a freshman mass communication major from Mesquite.

LETTERS

Thursday, March 20, 2015 Copyright 2015, The Flare. All rights reserved.

ADVERTISING MANAGER David McCarty CARTOONIST

personally, I felt like I looked a chicken doing the dance because of my long neck. After the dance contest was over, the mini concert took place.

The song Samrawit kept on replay was “Abebayehosh” an Ethiopian New Year song by Teddy Afro. The theme of the song is in this New Year let’s stop the violence and thrive off of peace instead. That song held a lot of significance to us, because there were four different ethicities in the house that day; Ethiopian, Nigerian, Caucasian, and African American, yet we were all able to come together as one and operate out of love. The very exact thing the song was preaching about, we were all doing without realizing it.

When I had a chance to step back and gather all of my thoughts, it

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

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.

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THE FLARE FRIDAY, MARCH 20, 2015

E N T E R TA I N M E N T

Business in front,

party in back

major overhaul includes new outdoor area HUNTER LOHR • Entertainment Editor

A

fter months of banging hammers, whirring saws and loud construction

workers remodeling the inside, installing new bathrooms and building a new patio and stage area, renovations are finally coming to a close at The Back Porch.

Many people already know The Back Porch and have been coming for years and now, generations. What some people may not know, though, is that the Back Porch was not always a restaurant.

The Back Porch was originally a pool hall that opened in the 1960s and was active until the mid ’70s. It was then changed to a restaurant called Burgers and Fries, which existed until the ’80s, when the Holbrookes bought the place and turned it into The Back Porch, which current owner Jackie Clayton bought in January 1990.

People come from all around East Texas to get their fill of burgers, beer, live music and karaoke. Now these same people and many more will get to experience the new Back Porch.

Most people in Kilgore can tell you that The Back Porch was originally just the dining area that everyone knows so well, a small area outside to eat, a sand volleyball court, built in 1992, for those who felt the need to play and karaoke on Saturday nights.

Just recently, The Back Porch has gotten rid of the volleyball court, added an enclosed patio with a stage in one corner and an outdoor bar, and now, the whole place has a plethora of changes.

“We have 15 TVs and a projection screen outside, and a new bar that seats up to 20 people comfortably,” said Back Porch employee Lindsey Hammontree. “The outside area also has garage doors between the patio and the bar to open the place up when we have a large crowd for bands.”

The long-awaited new changes to The Back Porch were premiered to the public last week.

Emily Gibbs / THE FLARE

Back Porch Renovations include: large roof over outside area 15 new TVs projection screen outdoor bar that seats 20 people comfortably outdoor heaters and mister system new, grassy seating area new bathrooms garage doors to add capacity for patio area

Crystal Charles / THE FLARE

Crystal Charles / THE FLARE

Denise Macon / THE FLARE