Volume 38, Issue 34 - June 15, 2016 by Met Media

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The Student Voice of MSU Denver

Volume 38, Issue 34

June 15, 2016

Orlando shooting unites Denver in Cheesman Park “Tonight’s vigil brings us together to acknowledge our loss. Tonight is about your activism which is to follow,” Jean Hodges, PFLAG National President

• Photos of the vigil in Cheesman Park • National and Political implications • Event coverage from Joella Baumann

PAGES 2-3 >>

Denzer Dimatteo and Emma Wallingford stand with the 2,000 supporters who attended the PFLAG Denver candlelight vigil June 13 at Cheesman Park. The vigil was held to support the lives lost at Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Alyson Mcclaran • amcclar@msudenver.edu

On Sunday June 12, authorities arrested a man heading to a pride parade in L.A. with assault rifles and explosives. After both the Orlando incident and the L.A. incident DPD will have increased security during the Pridefest event from previous years. Denver Pridefest will be this weekend from June 18-19 in Civic Center Park. Photo by Michael Ortiz • mortiz26@msudenver.edu

Met

News

June 15, 2016

Candles burn for victims of Orlando massacre “Is there no safe place for us to gather anymore? When will our government take charge?” -Jean Hodges, PFLAG President

Heather Moruzzi holds a candle June 13 at Cheesman Park to support the tragic event at Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Alyson McClaran • amcclara@msudenver.edu

• •

The Aftermath: What we know

Investigators are trying to determine if ISIS was directly responsible or if Mateen was a lone wolf. Reports are circulating that Mateen went to Pulse for at least three years. Users of gay dating aps Grinder and Jack’d claim to recognize him.

•

National Response

Paul Ryan, GOP Speaker of the House, called GOP nominee Donald Trump’s Muslim ban as not reflective of GOP or U.S. values. President Obama called Trump’s mindset “dangerous.” Senate Democrats pushed a bill to stop terror suspects from buying guns.

“I feared for my life as I was a boy. I know what it is to play a good poker hand to save your life. Britt Clark, left, and Adriana Walker embrace each other during the candlelight vigil in Cheesman Park on June 13. Clark and Walker have been friends for six months and were part of the massive crowd who attended the event. Photo by Michael Ortiz • mortiz26@msudenver.edu

More than 2,000 people attended the candlelight vigil in Cheesman Park in remembrance for the vic-tims of the Orlando Shooting. Photo by Michael Ortiz • mortiz26@msudenver.edu

-Robert Merriman

Denise DeNarrias, right, and DJ Janis, center, show support at the candlelight vigil at Cheesman Park June 13 to honor victims of Pulse Night Club in Orlando, Florida. Photo by Alyson McClaran • amcclara@msudenver.edu

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Vigil shines light of hope from one city to another By Joella Baumann jbauma16@msudenver.edu

Just minutes before the sun rose over the Florida coast on Sunday June 12, the carnage Omar Mateen wrought on the Orlando LGBTQ community came to an end. After a prolonged gun battle, the shooter and 49 of his victims lay dead inside Pulse, a gay nightclub. More than 50 others were wounded. This marks the deadliest gun related massacre to occur on U.S. soil in modern times. While the nation mourns the loss of life in another senseless act of violence, the LGBTQ community was rocked to its core by a heinous crime that catapulted them into the limelight. Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays organized a candlelight vigil on June 13 at 8 p.m. in support of the victims, families and friends of those involved in the attack. As dusk fell, the setting sun cast a soft light on the sea of umbrellas that drifted toward the pavilion at the north end of Cheesman Park. Rain drizzled down amid flashes of lightning and cracks of thunder, mirroring the somber mood of the thousands who braved the storms to denounce violence and hate. Bianca Leos, a board member of PFLAG Denver welcomed the crowd. “We are here with all of you, to support you, and to mourn all the victims,” Leos said. The procession of speakers moved slowly, with long moments of silence between them. Some mourners overtaken by emotion, meandered with their dogs around the lush green lawn of the park. Others looked on at the sunset holding one another, some laughing, some crying. While the event was not meant to be political some could not contain their feelings of frustration against the spectre of terrorism.

“I’m tired of Islamic radicalism and I’m not gonna take it anymore!,” screamed one protester during one of the vigil’s pauses. However, this type of outburst was rare. While anger, outrage and cries for action could have set the stage for this gathering, it wasn’t. The LGBTQ community, all too familiar with being the group at the brunt of hate and violence, came together that night and spoke about love. “Tonight’s vigil brings us together to acknowledge our loss. Tonight is about your activism which is to follow,” said PFLAG National President Jean Hodges. Hodges reminded the community of its sweeping legal victory last year making gay marriage legal in all 50 states. “Aren’t we done now?” she asked the crowd rhetorically. She reminded them that less than a year later - on a Sunday morning like any other - that, “No we’re not done yet, far from it.” Hodges conceded that the night was not supposed to be political, but implored our government to take charge. She spoke of the important actions the community would take in the days and months to come. She asked the crowd to show love to LGBTQ friends and family, be kind to Muslim neighbors and rise above the rhetoric. She asked for blood donations by those who are eligible and from those going to Pridefest this weekend. Standing beneath an umbrella, Denver resident Robert Merriman introduced himself as a gay man who was numb with disbelief over so much violence. As a boy growing up in Texas, Merriman spoke of knowing the fear of being a part of a community that didn’t accept “people of his kind” and learning to live his life in a way he compared to playing a poker hand. Yet, Merriman said that he was proud of the great strides the gay community has made, saying that he

Paul Elliot mourns under a tree during the cadlelight vigil at Cheesman Park June 13. Photo by Michael Ortiz • mortiz26@msudenver.edu

didn’t feel the same sense of fear he had as a boy. “This is the world we live in and we have to stand together in it,” Merriman said. Others expressed that same sentiment, stating that stupidity and ignorance would not force them to live in fear. “We feel we do have a strong community and we are not any less safe, we do not need to be any more vigilant,” said Jack K. and Jamie Rochlitz. “He was just one bad apple.” Others were not so sure of their safety. Shoshannah Ebersole and her fiancé Ivy Raptor spoke about getting married this Sunday at the Denver Comic Con event. 100 couples were chosen from a lottery to be married at one of Denver’s most popular annual events. “I was devastated by the news,” Ebersole said tearily. “I am worried about the security at Comic Con. This really struck a chord.” Ebersoles fears manifested from personally experiencing hate driven violence. Her former partner was a transgender female who was attacked behind JR’s bar and grill, a former gay bar. The location is now closed. “She was beaten with a pipe and left for dead,” Ebersole said. Her partner Raptor consoles her and speaks about living better than a life of fear. While they and many others plan to be at this weekend’s upcoming pride festival , many feel fear of attending public events after a tragedy of this nature. Attendance numbers for the festival have reached up to three million in previous years. “We will definitely be increasing security from a normal pride year,” said Denver Police Officer Lt. Michael Wyatt. Dustin Krier, Vice President of PFLAG Denver said he was grateful for the increased communication with the DPD but also believes that Colorado is a state that is no stranger to violent crimes and hate crimes. “I have never seen the community come together like this in Denver,” Krier said. The weather, which had almost cleared, took another stormy turn. Colorful umbrellas popped open and people huddled together to stay warm. Candles were lit and as final moments of silence began. People gathered around the fountain for reflection where tea candles danced hypnotically in the water. Leos ended the event by paying tribute to the 49 victims slain, respectfully reading out each of their names.

Go online to mymetmedia.com for coverage of these campus happenings. » New restaurants coming to Auraria Two new dining options are coming to the Auraria campus for the 2016 fall semester. Taco Bell will be replaced by SONO! which will serve Hawaiian food including barbecue, sushi and breakfast. Einstein’s Bros Bagels will be replaced by Fat Jack’s Supersubs that will serve sandwiches, Rosenberg’s Bagels, Little Man Ice Cream and Cinnaholic Cinnamon Rolls.

»MSU Denver and Detroit music school anounce partnership Following the partnership made between MSU Denver and the Detroit Institute of Music Education in September, both entities have been hard at work establishing new programs and opportunities for students both in Detroit and at MSU. DIME students can currently receive MSU Denver college credits through the Individualized Studies program, with MSU Denver faculty now trained and present on site. MSU Denver students, meanwhile, will soon have access to courses offered at DIME related to commercial music and music industry analysis. DIME has also shown interest in establishing a Denver facility and will be scouting potential locations during their visit for Denver Startup Week.

International Headlines

» Lethal first week of Ramadan in Syria The death toll in Syria added 224 people to its count during the first week of Ramadan. The Britain based Syrian Observatory for Human Rights reported that the majority of the deaths during the week of June 6th to June 12th were due to bombings from Syrian and Russian warplanes. Many women and children were among the dead. The death toll currently stands at 280,000 since the start in 2011.

» NASA’s Juno space probe nears

Jupiter America’s space agency will have one more reason to break out the beer and brats this 4th of July. NASA’s Juno probe, which was launched in 2011, will finally arrive at Jupiter after traveling nearly 1.6 billion miles from Earth. The spacecraft carries nine instruments which will be used to study Jupiter’s magnetic and gravitational field. Scientists hope the probe will help unlock more of the gas giants secrets. Jupiter’s intense radiation will only allow Juno’s intruments to operate for two years before burning out, after which scientists will destroy the probe by deorbiting it into the planet’s atmosphere.

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Player safety in the NFL has become a prevalent issue due in large part to concussions and chronic traumatic encephalopathy, CTE, a progressive brain disease associated with repetitive blows to the head. Eugene Monroe, a Baltimore Ravens offensive tackle, first told the Washington Post in early June that after sustaining multiple concussions throughout his career the final straw was when he suffered one in the first week of the 2016 season in Denver. After experiencing concussionlike symptoms and under-going surgery for a shoulder injury at the end of the season, again the seven-year pro was fed opiates like Vicodin, Percocet, Adderall, Morphine and Codeine to combat the pain. Like many players,

the effect caused Monroe to feel queasy and can cause, for some, players to become addicted to these prescriptions. With as much strain and force that gets put on the pro athlete body, a healthier alternative should be allowed for those who choose so. Or, at least, research into a better option should also be considered. Monroe, along with former Broncos quarterback Jake Plummer and other former NFL players, have helped advocate and fund “When The Bright Lights Fade,” a campaign pushing for cannabidiols to be used as a medical treatment in the league. CBD is one of at least 113 cannabinoids and is a nonpsychoactive compound found in cannabis that also has antiinflammatory and pain-relieving properties. Studies and other empirical evidence found that CBD helps people cope with anxiety, depression, glaucoma, nausea, inflammation and insomnia among other conditions. CBD became more popular after it was used to help treat a child epilepsy patient named Charlotte in Colorado. That particular CBD strain is widely known as Charlotte’s Web.

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The Metropolitan accepts submissions in the form of topic-driven columns and letters to the editor. Column article concepts must be submitted by 1 p.m. Thursdays and the deadline for columns is 9 p.m. Sundays. Columns range from 500 to 600 words. Letters to the editor must be submitted by 5 p.m. Mondays to be printed in that week’s edition. There is a 500-word limit for letters to the editor. The Metropolitan reserves the right to edit letters for formatting and style. All submissions should be sent by email to themetonline@gmail.com. The Metropolitan is produced by and for the students of Metropolitan State University of Denver and serves the Auraria Campus. The Metropolitan is supported by advertising revenue and student fees and is published every Thursday during the academic year and monthly during the summer semester. Opinions expressed within do not necessarily reflect those of MSU Denver or its advertisers.

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CBD strains are typically low in THC, the active ingredient allowing users to get ‘high’ and is made from hemp plants testing below 0.3 percent THC. The strain can also be extracted into an oil which would be the preferred method for ill children and athletes using for medicinal purposes. In May, Monroe became the first active player to advocate that marijuana be removed from the NFL banned substance list, likely because others have fear of ruining their careers. The campaign doesn’t just push the approval of cannabis in the NFL, but that researchers study football players’ use of CBD and the body’s tolerance of them long term. If we continue to deem marijuana as a negative in society or even treat it as just a recreational drug, we will miss out on an opportunity to preserve life. The more research that is done on medical properties in cannabis the faster we can apply it to those needed. A 2015 study from Boston University and the Department of Veterans Affairs revealed that 87 of the 91 deceased NFL players tested were found to have CTE. First published by PBS Frontline, they

also reported that forty percent of those who tested positive were offensive and defensive linemen, players who come into contact with one another on every play of a game. The stigma of marijuana, however, is changing. There are now 25 states including Washington D.C. that have laws allowing the sale of medicinal marijuana and four states that allow recreational use as well. The more society begins to accept this as a medicine, the more pressure will be placed upon the NFL to consider this a viable treatment for its players. With the rise in overdoses related to prescription pain medication this is something we can no longer overlook. The NFL has changed its policy and raised the THC threshold from 15 nanograms/ml to 35 ng/ml in 2014. The hypocrisy that still exists with marijuana use in the NFL has prevented it from being removed from the substance abuse list. Until more current players are brave enough to push this initiative, painkillers will continue to be the prescribed choice for the league and its players.

Don’t erase the LGBTQIA community

Elizabeth Norberg • enorbert@msudenver.edu

What we do

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Can Cannabinoids help tackle CTE in NFL?

Editor-in-Chief Michael Ortiz mortiz26@msudenver.edu

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srhodes8@msudenver.edu The events in Orlando are horrible, but I can’t actually say they’re surprising. As we were processing the events, several politicians and friends on my Facebook couldn’t help but voice their thoughts about guns and hatred. A lot of my friends were acting like the politicians, engaging in political grandstanding rather than taking the time to process the events of what happened, and to whom they happened to. The most disappointing thing about these posts is that they’re being done at the expense of the LGBTQIA community instead of in support of the LGBTQIA community and beyond. As if the idea that it happened at a gay club during Pride month, just a week after Magical Weekend in Orlando, will cease to be a factor even after the father of the shooter mentioned specifically that his son harbored a lot of anti-gay sentiments.

The fact that it was the LGBTQIA community matters... and I’m tired of people trying so very hard to remove that aspect and pretend it doesn’t mean anything. It’s terrorism. It’s hatred. But look at where that hatred was directed. It wasn’t a random act. The place he chose didn’t “just-so-happen,” to be a gay club. Terrorism is plotted with the intent to be a political message. It means the target of the attack matters. Politicians and several people on Facebook are trying to suggest that the LGBTQIA factor is not important at all by omitting that fact entirely. Suggesting we should be concerned at the fact that they are human lives above anything else. Yes, these are human lives, but they were targeted for being a specific kind of human life. And no amount of refusing to acknowledge this aspect is going to change that. To acknowledge the LGBTQIA is to acknowledge the homophobia present in our society. This isn’t just about one man committing one massive act of violence, it’s also about recognizing why this community was a target of that violence and what made the shooter believe he was justified in his actions. So please, friends, don’t erase the LGBTQIA community. It’s already a community that gets little to no support from the outside facing this kind of hatred as it is.

And if you’re among those who are “shocked” and “surprised,” well imagine what it must be like for those who fear something like this may happen everyday of their lives. The fact that you can be shocked by these events is something the majority of us can’t really say for ourselves and maybe it’s time to ask yourself, “Why am I surprised?” There’s also a big picture lesson that goes beyond the LGBTQIA community. The idea of terrorism is to incite fear. And fear runs rampant and gets misdirected all the time. Terrorists incite the fear... but the ones subject to the terror are the ones who decide what to do with it. Our job is to be able to overcome that fear, come together and work together to see what can be done to hopefully reduce the amount of times these events occur. Instead of immediately attacking each other or feeling we need to defend our stances on guns, or any other political issue, we could actually come together and figure out what happened, how it happened and what we can do to either prevent it or lessen the impact in the future. These are helpful things to do when we’re done mourning. We can come together and talk prevention instead of just waiting for the next one. If we can’t come together for a solution then we turn our backs on the victims of the past, present and future.

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Met 6

Features

June 15, 2016

Depictions of DENVER

Local ‘80s lovers share their nostalgia By Chris Bjork cbjork1@msudenver.edu Located on one of Denver’s most historic streets, surrounded by odd antique shops, abstract art exhibits and off-beat thrift stores, Fifty Two 80’s A Totally Awesome Shop, is home to a particular type of nostalgia. Unlike the other stores along Broadway, every single item within the walls of Fifty Two 80s revolves around the colorful decade of the 80s. Founded by Tony Vecchio and his partner Dede Thompson, the couple started building their collection of ‘80s themed merchandise over two years ago. The result is a colorful and wide array of toys, dolls and other fun accessories. From Godzilla action figures, to Gremlin dolls and an original Atari 5200, Fift y Two 80’s harbors a collection many millennial geeks could admire. The concept originated from the couple’s love of perusing different stores to search for items from their childhood that brought back fond memories. “One of the things that appealed to us was that people our age could bring their kids in and show them what kinds of things we had growing up. It was kind of just a crazy concept,” Thompson said. The two year collection has resulted in a store brimming with over 5,000 pieces of 1980s memorabilia. Every item in the store has the power to create an interaction between the clientele and the owners. Tony and Dede agreed that the most enjoyable quality of owning the store is hearing other people’s stories and memories the objects bring. “The reality of coming into a place like this, is people haven’t seen this stuff since they were eight, nine, ten years old and for them to walk in and see a Teddy Ruxpin for the first time in 25- 30 years really takes people back,” Vecchio said. “It really does have an affect on people and that’s probably what we love the most. We tell people all the time we don’t get tired of the reactions.” Thompson shared a similar outlook on the store’s capability of bringing out those unique interactions and stories from the visitors who walk through the doors. “That’s our favorite part of the store is the stories, the memories that people have. It’s a small store

Dede Thompson and Tony Vecchio are the proud owners of Fifty Two 80’s, a cozy shop located on South Broadway filled with an assortment of vintage toys, accessories and collectables. Although the store attracts many customers nostalgic for the 80’s, it is a mecca of all decades, and a place for all ages to get lost in the past. Photo by Teresa Diaz-Soriano

so we talk to everybody that comes in, we greet everyone and we create a relationship,” Thompson said. The toys, dolls and video games that fi ll the store are available for visitors to play with as much as their heart desires. It was apparent after watching many of the customers playing with the toys, that the owners intended an inviting atmosphere for the shop. Even the oldest pieces of merchandise were available for people of all ages to enjoy in the store. “We want to make sure that this stuff is in really good shape for being 30-35 years old. That’s one of the reasons why we came up with this store. We wanted to come up with some place where you could find everything that you might ever look for in one space,”

Vecchio said. “We’re not antiques, we’re just pop culture and we’re just fun. We’re steadily adding and we get stuff in almost every day.” Fift y Two 80’s is continually expanding its collection and Vecchio and Thompson have future plans to possibly include ‘90s themed memorabilia into their stores collection. As entertainment for kids today moves forward with more technological advancements, Vecchio and Thompson aim to keep the 80s alive and well for years to come.

1874 S Broadway Store Hours Monday-Friday 12:00 - 6:00pm Saturday 12:00 - 5:00pm Sunday 12:00 - 4:00pm

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No Thieves Hurt in the Making

Good Thieves Press offers art with robotics, technology By Pacific Obidiah pobidiah@msudenver.edu Off of 20th and Downing there is a small brick building where you can hear the sounds of a buzz saw coming from a garage as someone tinkers away on their art. Good Thieves Press is a small gallery and workshop for Denver artists. Away from the hustle and bustle of the Santa Fe Arts district, this particular location helps make them stand out. Composed of submissions from members and local artists, currently GTP is exhibiting its fourth Robot/Glitch Art showcase. Corrina Espinosa, GTP’s PR Manager talked about her first encounter with Tyler Christopherson, GTP’s founder. The two had art classes together, and after hitting it off they got to thinking about hosting an art show, and together they came to the idea of holding a robot art show. Coming up on their sixth anniversary, Good Thieves Press has grown a lot. “A couple of us Metro graduates, we all had art degrees, we decided to get together and see if we could form a really small artist co-op in Denver,” said Christopherson, “Back then, 6 years ago, it was pretty affordable to do it. So we just kinda got together and rented a space, and we’ve been throwing shows once a month ever since.” After the founding of GTP, Christopherson thought back to Corrina, whom he’d met in college, he contacted her and asked if she would like to be a part of a robot art show. “ I just had this great idea that a robot art show would be something that a lot of people identify with, and something that a lot of people would want to get involved in,” said Christopherson. When GTP first hosted their robot show four years ago, they called for entries and it was a success. It is GTP’s goal to create a dialogue with the artistic community of Denver and to connect with other like-minded artists. This inclusive outlook is what draws in so many local artists and patrons. But being full time artists isn’t all candy and cake. Everyone in GTP is working on making this passion into a career. “It’s definitely a full time job, whether you call it a full time job or not. And this is something you got to devote your life, time and energy to, or it just doesn’t work. It’s a constant struggle to make sure that happens,” Christopherson said. One thing that stands out about this year’s Malfunction: Robot/Glitch Art Show in particular is the juror, Jon Satron, a Chicago based glitch artist. “I met Jon Satron when he was a guest teacher at CU Boulder, where I’m a grad student and he had, so far, the best class I’ve ever taken at CU. It was all about the beauty of the malfunction, glitch art, glitch aesthetic, retail poisoning, throwing a kink into the gears and even though it’s not working anymore, it’s still ‘working’, maybe even better than before.” said Espinosa One member, Stuart Denhartoy said, “It’s nice being around like minded people. It’s great to get opinions from other artists.” Denhartoy had two pieces in the showcase, a glitched photograph and the other a looped video of various glitches.

Photo courtesy of Good Thieves Press.

Though Good Thieves Press isn’t just for members. Local artist Duncan Parks submitted two pieces, 3D printed rocks he made in Blender and that ended up being the ‘winning’ piece. “It’s a digital life drawing, it’s drawing what it knows, and what it knows is this showcase.” Parks took photos and uploaded them into his creations ‘brain’, from here it is drawn. While Christopherson and Espinosa make sure that their members have fi rst priority for exhibited showcases,

Didn’t make it to the exhibit? To find out more information on Art and Up andcoming events log onto https://www.facebook.com/goodthieves.press

they still take part. Espinosa had a small robot that waddled around while holding a beer. Espinosa’s recent creations have had two things in mind, kinetics and giving items sentience.

Denver Comic Con 2016 will be held this weekend from the 16th to the 18th. Experience one of Colorado’s most renowned conventioins. Don’t miss an opportunity to meet celebreties from your favorite video games, fi lm, animation, and of course, commic books. Don’t forget the Cosplay! Tickets are availible as low as $38.50 on http://popcultureclassroom.org/dcc/tickets/ Check out mymetmedia.com for coverage and interviews straight from the show floor and stay tuned for a complete coverage piece in next month’s issue.

June 15, 2016

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Coloradans get creative with chalk

August 21, 2014

Spectators crowded Laramie Square for the 14th annual Denver Chalk Art Festival on 05 June, 2016.

Photos by Brandon Sanchez bsanchez@msudenver.edu

Denver Chalk Art Festival: The 14th annual Denver Chalk Art Festival took place on the streets of Larimer Square on Saturday and Sunday June 4 and 5. The competition was scaled with murals, local refreshments, and live music. The festival showcased 250 artists from a local and national level, the two day festival kicked off at noon on Saturday. Some artists began their work as early as ten in the morning. Check out the full story at mymetmedia.com

Irvine Valley College professor Julie Kirk-Prucell traveled all the way from Southern California to participate in Denverâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s 14 annual chalk art festival as one of the featured artist on 04 June, 2016.

Chalk Artist Devon Lawrence rubs the green chalk. This allows the brighter colors to pop for the three dimensional art work section at the 14th annual Denver Chalk Art Festival on 04 June, 2016.

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Roadrunners baseball season review

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Garcia goes pro, team earns RMAC and academic honors By Mike Tolbert mtolber3@msudenver.edu

» Women’s basketball adds four in 16-17 Head coach Tanya Haave announced the signing of four student athletes June 8 for the upcoming 2016-17 season. The Roadrunners have added Lakin Koski, Daron Mainville, Danielle Palmer and Bree Wellington who will all likely see playing time. With the new additions, Haave brings much needed height and speed to the Lady Runners. MSU Denver finished last season 13-15 overall and 11-11 in Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference play.

» Roadrunners finish 5th in 2015-16 All RMAC Sports Cup MSU Denver finished fift h in the Rocky Mountain Conference All-Sports Competition Cup standings. The RMAC All-Sports Competition Cup is awarded to the school with the most points over the year based on the results from the four core sports which includes football or men’s soccer, men’s and women’s basketball and volleyball. The Roadrunners placed in the top five for the 15th consecutive year with 725 total points.

The MSU Denver baseball team completed its regular season with a 17-23 overall record and 13-17 in the Rocky Mountain Athletic Conference. The Roadrunners closed out the season earning a 2-1 series win against Colorado Christian University. Although MSU Denver finished out the season on a high note, they narrowly missed the RMAC tournament finishing fifth in the conference. Sophomore pitcher Julian Garcia was an ace on the mound for the Roadrunners starting in 12 games with a record of 5-7 and two complete games (one complete shutout). He had a 2.90 earned run average and a school record 95 strikeouts this season surpassing Kris Lalk’s 89 set in 2015. Garcia set another school record with four games with at least 10 strikeouts in a game. Garcia won RMAC pitcher of the week on four different occasions throughout the season and was named to the first team

Ali’s legacy still burns brightly

» Golf season wrap-up

The Roadrunners ended their season with a RMAC championship making them repeat champs. Head coach Ben Portie was named RMAC coach of the year.

» Former Roadrunner wins Bolder Boulder

MSU Denver alumnus Brandon Johnson won the 2016 Bolder Boulder citizens race on Monday, May 30. Johnson finished the 10K race in 30 minutes, 34 seconds to earn his first Bolder Boulder title in his first time back since last running in four years. He contributed to the Roadrunners track & field and cross country teams from 2008 to 2011 under then head coach John Supsic.

all-RMAC. After a successful sophomore campaign, he was selected 287th overall in the 10th round by the Philadelphia Phillies. He became the highest pick in schoolhistory previously set by former pitcher Todd Goergen in 1988 also to the Phillies in the 20th round. Junior first baseman Andrew Paust Sophomore right-handed pitcher Julian Garcia set a school record 95 strikeouts in the 2015-16 season. He led the team in was drafted 287th overall by the Philadelphia Phillies in the 10th round making him the highest pick in school batting average history. Photo courtesy of Roadrunners Athletics (.394), on-base Feb. 16 and second team All-RMAC. all-RMAC honor rolls in their percentage (.460), respective major. To be considered, In the classroom, there were and tied for first in home runs (7). student-athletes must carry a 3.30 five players that earned academic He also led the team in RBIs (35), cumulative grade point average all-RMAC honors. Junior catcher runs (29), hits (54), doubles (17), and have been an active student Marcus Bean, sophomore and multi-hit games (16). at the institution for at least two Paust notched only three errors outfielder Hunter Donaldson, junior outfielder Reilly Mau, senior consecutive semesters or three in the field on the season posting pitcher Cameron Stroup and junior consecutive quarters. a .992 fielding average. He earned infielder Jake Thurston all received a RMAC player of the week award

By Earl Grant egrant7@msudenver.edu An athlete’s legacy is normally defined by their career wins, losses and championships. The legend of Muhammad Ali converged from his wins in the ring, spilled over into the culture of the United States as well as the world. At the age of 74, the former Olympian and 3-time boxing heavyweight champion passed away June 3rd. A family spokesperson cited septic shock as the cause of death. Ali’s legacy can perhaps be

described by one of his personal classic quotes. “Don’t count the days; make the days count.” Ali made his days count. His days inspired his generation and those to follow. Ali’s glow of greatness shined early during his early amateur boxing career. He became the national amateur light heavyweight champion in 1956. In 1960, Ali represented the United States in the Rome Olympics. He then won the Gold Medal as a light heavyweight. I was four years old when I first learned of the giant known as Muhammed Ali. My father told me stories of Ali’s uncanny foot speed and quickness. The legend of Ali became a story I admired. My father made it known that Ali, unlike other great fighters, fought against all the great heavyweights of his era. He carved a place in the hearts

of boxing enthusiast by facilitating the most electric super fights in history. When Ali fought it was not just another fight, rather an international mega event that captivated audiences all across the globe. According to Sports Illustrated Top 25 Greatest Super Fights, Ali participated in four of these fights, including No. 1 and 3. We live in an era in which athletes hide behind endorsements and their public image. We rarely hear them speak their personal principles and almost never see them in their true light. Perhaps Ali’s biggest fight early in his career was not in the boxing ring. On June 20th, 1967, Ali was sentenced to five years of prison. He was drafted into the military and refused to enlist and participate in the Vietnam War. Ali cited that his religious beliefs and the state of the US racially forbid him in participating in

the war. Ali was stripped of his heavyweight titles and all the boxing commissions banded his license for three years. Ali bobbed, weaved and fought his conviction until the US Supreme Court overruled his conviction on June 28th, 1971. Masses of US citizens did not support America in the Vietnam War, Ali gained the support of his fellow countrymen through his absence from boxing. Ali stood up to the government in the prime of his career. His beliefs were bigger than boxing, and his principles carried more weight than potential profit. Muhammed Ali made an impact on the social landscape of America as well as the world. The champ taught me to stand up to adversity, and never compromise my morals or values. Ali floated like a butterfly into my life at the age of four. At 31, I pursue my education and journalistic goals with the sting of a bee. A man remembered in such a positive light can never truly be forgotten.

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Mile High Events June

15-21

June

22-28

Food Bank Fridays

Jun/July

29-05 YOGA

Jun 24 9 a.m. - 12 p.m.

Food Bank of the Rockies 10700 E 45th Ave, Denver, CO

LINK WHEN WHERE

June 15, 2016 10 July

06-12

vfwpost1.org Tuesday, June 28, 2016, 7 – 8pm VFW Post 1 841 Santa Fe Drive

Pique Caffine Queens July 6 at 6 PM - 8 PM @ fluid coffee bar

The CON IS on!

Come get your #buzz on for some fun #gay #banter and help plan our August month of events!

Starting FRIDAY Jun 17

@ Colorado Convention Center Join Roadrunners Give Back in our monthly Food Bank Service event! For every volunteer who serves 3 hours for MSU Denver, 20 pounds of food credit is awarded to the MSU Denver Food Bank. Free coffee! Email volunteer@msudenver.edu to sign up or go directly to vmx.me…

Renaissance Festival

Sat night stand up @ 8 p.m. Jake’s Sports and Spirits

$3 entry

Each weekend Jun 11-Aug 7

Blacklight Slide - Denver

Adult $20 child (over 5)$9

Dick's Sporting Goods Park July 9 @ 7 PM Blacklight Slide™

JAzz in the park @ city park 6 p.m.

A unique night experience focused on UV Neon Glowing fun! blacklightslide.com