Volume 38, Issue 35 - July, 20 2016

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The Student Voice of MSU Denver

Volume 38, Issue 35

July 20, 2016

Week of violence prompts Denver protests

eferna14@msudenver.edu

Gun violence robbed the lives of two black men and five police officers the past week in Minnesota, Louisiana, and Dallas. Alton Sterling and Philando Castille were killed by police in two separate incidents, sparking condemnation and outrage across the country. At a peaceful

Black Lives Matter march in Dallas, which protested the deaths of the two men, a lone gunman used a high powered sniper rifle to kill five officers who oversaw the march.

In Denver, reaction took varied forms. CU Denver Black Student Services organized a forum between the student community and the Auraria Police Department, which took place Tuesday, July 12.

At the same time, Black Lives Matter 5280, which is the local chapter of the national movement, staged a 135 hour sit-in protest. The sit-in ran from July 7 to July 12. The group picked 135 hours as a way to represent how many black people have been shot by police this year.

Glimmering softly in front of Denver’s City and County Building, lit candles were arranged to spell out

Pokemon Go leaps to smartphones; GPAs threatened

By Esteban Fernandez eferna14@msudenver.edu Sweeping across parks, bars, and college campuses, the Pokemon Go craze arrived on Auraria July 6. Spots around campus turned into Pokestops, which drew dozens of would-be Pokemon trainers. Pidgeys lurked behind bushes and Pikachus hid inside classrooms.

“Honestly, it’s better than Tinder for meeting girls,” said Josh Sheinberg, a CU Denver student. He was out on a warm Thursday night with his brother searching for the creatures. With a grin, he said he’d already scored several numbers.

There isn’t actually an outbreak of pocket monsters with fantastical powers. Pokemon Go is the latest entry in Nintendo’s 20 year old franchise. This latest incarnation of the handheld game still has players capturing and training Pokemon, however the app uses modern smartphone technology to immerse players in the Pokemon world.

The app, developed by Niantic Labs, uses geolocation data to give players spots of interest to walk to.

Labeled Pokestops, these locations can be businesses, buildings, monuments, or public art.

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Features

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By Esteban Fernandez

Tacos, ghosts, and the nature of Denver blues PAGE 5 >> Sports Lacrosse player makes jump from player to coach

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From left to right, Carla Dsorio, Mavris Salazar and Venezulan ethnic Natcha Love light up candles in respect of the black lives lost by gun violence July 12 at the Black Lives Matter protest in Civic Center Park. Photo by Abreham Gebreegziabher • agebreeg@msudenver.edu

“Black Lives Matter.” Some candles, however, were left unlit.

“We have too many kids growing up without any dads in their lives. Either they’re locked up or they’re dead,” said Chris Gantz, an educator. He spoke about the impact police brutality and shootings have on the black community. He said that police brutality impacted him personally, after police tried to shoot his brother during a traffic stop.

Black Lives Matter is a national movement, with a decentralized structure and chapters all over the US. The movement first gained prominence following the 2013 acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of Trayvon Martin. After the police killing of Michael Brown, the movement attracted national attention after organizing a “freedom ride” to Ferguson, Missouri. Out of all the protest groups to march in Ferguson, BLM emerged as the most prominent out of all of them.

Since then, the movement has organized several protests across several cities, and even appeared at presidential campaign events to advocate for their cause.

Violence across the country spurred Brittany Lake, a CU Denver graduate student, to take action on Auraria campus. Working with CU Denver Black Student Services, she invited Auraria Campus Police to meet with students from all three institutions on Auraria. The meeting took place inside the CU Denver Student Commons Building.

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Frustration and grief bring protesters to city hall << Continued from cover

Representing Auraria police was Chief Michael Phibbs and Cmdr. Jason Mollendor.

A common theme that ran between the forum and the sit-in protest was the dehumanization that black people felt at the hands of justice system. Harold Woods, a protester at the sit-in, wore a shirt bearing the words “I am a Man,” which echoed back to the wage disparity protests of the ‘60s. He said he wanted to be respected the same as his white counterparts, and that he shouldn’t have to fear for his life over a simple traffic violations.

At the forum, other students demurred in agreement when Omar Montgomery, director of Black Student Services said there was an entire special training for black teens when it came to getting pulled over. He also said that, whenever he was stopped by police, he wondered, “Is this my last day on the planet?”

“My entire time as a graduate student has been riddled with the constant reminder that I am not the same. That I don’t matter the same as everyone else,” Lake said, addressing the room. “And that has colored my entire experience here. My education has been different from my peers for that very reason.”

The rest of students and faculty gathered expressed similar sentiments of frustration.

One student, a veteran who served in overseas in a warzone, asked the police to talk about their standard operating procedure when it comes to use of force.

Chief Phibbs spoke about the need to train police officers on a variety of different weapons, from hands and fists to batons to guns.

He explained that each officer was different, and that he wouldn’t expect an officer who was physically smaller than an assailant to resort to using hands and feet during what could potentially be a life and death situation. He said that from his perspective, police departments that don’t train officers in intermediate steps when it came to force escalation run the risk of creating tragedies.

However, forum organizers did not let the event turn into a Supporters of Black Lives Matter bow down July 12 at Civic Center in recognition of the black lives lost by Q&A with the police, and instead police across the country. The protest lasted 135 hours. focused on creating a safe space where everyone, including the police Photo by Abreham Gebreegziabher • agebreeg@msudenver.edu officers, could vent their feelings.

Last Sunday, three more police officers room to contact their representative and help One girl, voice cracking from emotion, were killed in Baton Rouge, Louisiana. With pass legislation that would make it easier to said she had “a hard time looking at white the Party conventions taking place this week, get rid of bad cops. Mollendor said that it people last week.” the issue is sure to be front and center in the was tragic for the police too, as they too are Chief Phibbs called on everyone in the nation’s public discourse for a long time. members of the community.

Catch ‘em all, right here on campus << Continued from cover When a player stumbles across a Pokemon, the app uses the smartphone’s camera to put a Pokemon on the screen. This feature, termed augmented reality, has led to choice screen grabs of Pokemon at work, in school, and in the bedroom.

Players then attempt to catch the creature by tossing a Pokeball at it. There are currently 150 Pokemon to catch, with more rumored to come in future updates. Players can also work in teams to capture gyms with other players by battling Pokemon.

“I have friends who left in the middle of the night to go catch

Pokemon, and one of them got completely lost,” said Nia Travers, a student on Auraria Campus.

Taking advantage of her commute to catch Pokemon, Travers said she played all the games when she was younger.

Nostalgia is another strong reason for the popularity of the game. The core demographic the

MSU student Nick Goedecke plays Pokemon Go while waiting for his next class on Auraria July 19.

Photo by Abreham Gebreegziabher • agebreeg@msudenver.edu

game targets is millennials, aged mid to late 20s. Singing the lyrics to the anime’s theme quickly attracts other people, each one belting out their own off key rendition of the song. Pokestops with lures attached attract people, and the app encourages walking.

The game has even been praised for bringing people who suffer from social anxiety outside.

Officers Theresa Gillian and Troy Ortega patrolled Civic Center Park in an unmarked SUV. Strolling around in the evening were couples and parents with children. There were also plenty of Pokemon hunters roaming in small groups around the park.

“As a parent, I’m concerned about kids interacting with pedophiles,” Officer Gillian said.

She said she worried that people would become too absorbed in the game and forget to take not of their surroundings.

She said she could see how it could be used in muggings, sex assaults, and other crimes. Such incidents have made the headlines but those are the exception rather than the norm. She advised players to go in groups and have one or two people avoid playing and watch for traffic or other danger.

News Briefs » MSU continues quest for Hispanic Serving Institution Status MSU Denver took concrete steps towards becoming a Hispanic Serving Institution when the HSI implementation team held its inaugural meeting on June 27. The team is tasked with following through on the strategies laid out by the HSI Task Force.

When the project launched in 2007, Hispanic full-time enrollment was at 12.5 percent.

As of fall 2015, it has risen to 20.3 percent.

The goal of the implementation team is to reach the required 25 percent by 2018. MSU Denver will be eligible for additional federal grants once it reaches that target.

» Republican National Convention in full swing in Cleveland The GOP will annoint Donald Trump as it’s presidential nominee over a four day convention starting July 18. The Democrats will hold their convention nominating Hillary Clinton between July 25-July 28 in Philadelphia.

» Coup rocks Turkey President Recip Tayyip Erdogan held onto power after members of the military staged a coup to remove him from office on July 15. During the coup, at least 290 people were killed.

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This world we live in...

To those who say that racism is no longer an issue, I say look at the numbers. When black individuals are more than two times more likely to be shot by police than their white counterpart, there is a problem. When black teens need to have special training to learn how to deal with police during a traffic stop there is a problem. Racial biases exist in us all and there is no easy way to dispel them, we must acknowledge that there is a problem.

We cannot fix the problem until we realize that it exists. The road forward isn’t an easy one, there aren’t clear and easy solutions. But until we look at the problem in front of us we are going to continue to unjustly lose our loved ones, on both sides of the line.

reminds us on a daily basis that there is a dangerous divide between our communities and our law enforcement. That same world is one where we are seeing exasperations overflow and explode into violence. In our world men die in videos posted on the web for reasons that we can’t discern and off ficers are gunned down in the street protecting and serving. In this world the land of the free isn’t free from hate or murder.

Here at The Metropolitan, as budding journalists, we have been taught that we are the watch dogs for the community. We hope that our thoughts help you to sort through your own on the state of this world we live in.

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Without a doubt, the negative phenomena experienced by people of color in their daily interactions with the police is real. However, a corollary exists. Police are tense when entering minority communities. Fear on the part of both groups has led to a security dilemma, making it difficult to de-escalate from the current climate.

Groups of historically oppressed people in the United States have reason to be wary of law enforcement, especially after the heinous crimes that were carried out by police in the name of segregation during the mid 20th century.

The corrosive effect racial bias has is insidious.

When a police officer draws on a black person, is he drawing out of pure malice or miscalculation?

Miscalculations are powered by the information available, and in these cases, it’s a misperception of the black community. These misperceptions are fueled by negative interactions between the community and police, which often confirm the worst fears that the black community has.

This disincentivizes cooperation from the black community, which reinforces misperceptions on the part of the police. The cycle is brutal and self reinforcing.

The dilemma can be resolved. Police hold the power of life and death, and accordingly they must be held to a higher standard. Bad cops must be easy to fire, and police who take life must face the consequences. Mistrusting law enforcement is socially corrosive, and holding police accountable would go a long way to restoring that trust amongst minorities.

Overcoming communication barriers would also go a long way to resolving this dilemma.

Coming to know minority communities as people and not stereotypes would improve the perceptions police act on when making choices.

Minorities would also be incentivized to cooperate with law enforcement.

The opposite is to let the dilemma spiral, go round and round, till where it stops, no one wants to go.

Esteban Fernandez l eferna14@msudenver.edu

In the wake of yet another incident of unnecessary police brutality, opposing rhetorics have reached a boiling point. While horrified minority groups stand with Black Lives Matter, police brutality deniers swarm to drown out the pain of the black community with the infamous “All Lives Matter.”

While the black community begs to be heard, it’s discomforting how quick opposition is to discredit the lives lost to violence. “He had a gun” or “He had a record” are just two of the lazy excuses we hear to validate death.

It’s so easy to validate death isn’t it? It’s so easy to disregard human lives when we coat them with terms like “thug, gangster, or delinquent.”

Rather than belittling the lives taken from us, why not shift our focus from validating the murder of innocent men to validating their right to human dignity? If we never begin acknowledging the lives lost as human beings and not just as “thugs” then we’ll never reach the root of the problem, police brutality. The urgency is clear, we owe it to our black communities to hear their voice.

Luis Bustos l lbustos@msudenver.edu

Let’s pat ourselves on the back everybody. We’re officially living out “an eye for an eye.”

The past few weeks have seen graphic attention given to the deaths of African-American men at the hands of police officers complete with video footage of one man’s death on Facebook. In addition to that though, we’ve also seen a new development in the issue. Individuals are now killing officers in retaliation for this discrimination, with five officers killed in Dallas and four killed in Baton Rouge.

Violence has brought about more violence. Death has brought about more death. Is this finally enough to start real discussion and bring real action in fixing police discrimination?

Yes, there’s been much heavier attention given to the issue. Yes, there’s been higher scrutiny put on holding officers accountable for excessive force or killing a suspect. But when there are still African-American men dying in front of their loved ones, and officers killed in the name of retaliation, it’s not enough. We need to do better. We need to work toward change.

Keenan McCall l kmccall3@msudenver.edu

The recent shootings highlight a new era of the United States that we are entering. The terror that is being created and the blame that is pointed at one another solves nothing. To overcome this, we need to change our mindset.

There is no such thing as race, pigment doesn’t determine who you are as a person or what you will become. We need to believe in one another again, and embrace each other’s cultures and beliefs. We need to believe in law enforcement again, and take pride in them. Viewing them as evil or assuming they mean the worst won’t ever help solve any problems and neither will the violence. My heart goes out to the families that have lost loved ones, whether they are citizens or law enforcement officers.

Michael Ortiz l mortiz26@msudenver.edu

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2016 AugustJuly 21,20,2014

Denver Taco Festival celebrates state craving

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Story by Chris Bjork cbjork1@msudenver.edu

The streets of the 16 Street Mall and Larimer Square are welcoming a new street vendors. Parked on the corners are the rapid growing trend of food trucks.

It’s likely the tantalizing smells have drawn you in their direction while the flavors wafted towards you. The street taco craze in Colorado is real, and it seems that Denver has caught on to the local craving. Between the countless street taco vendors and food trucks emitting smoke that draw lines bending around street corners, its traces are everywhere. Tacos have made a mark in the Denver food scene, and their growing popularity was celebrated this summer with the third annual Denver Taco Festival.

" I guess its just the more hispanic and Mexican influence we have in Denver and the country.

It's people discovering that there is good food in other places."

- Zach Hines The Festival was held outside the Glitter Dome Event Center near the RINO district Saturday, June 25 and Sunday, June 26. The two day event offered a diverse array of tacos and activities for its patrons to

A cook for The Chill truck serves tacos at the Taco Festival Jun 26 on Wynkoop st. Photos by Abreham Gebreegziabher • agebreeg@msudenver.edu

enjoy, including Chihuahua racing, Lucha Libre wrestling and live music.

Complete with about a dozen taco vendors from all around Colorado, the event provided an opportunity for local food truck businesses to get their name out there. Every truck had a slightly different concept from the one next to it, adding variety and appeal to every taco. From the Asian inspired tacos at the Chuey Fu’s truck, to the ones with an American influence at Dude Bro Tacos, no two were the same.

“What I like about Denver is

The festival featured an array of different activities for its attendees to enjoy. Live music took place on both days of the event including a performance from a local mariachi ensemble who lived nearby.

the fact that you have tacos that are traditional and you also have the interesting tacos and the nontraditionals and some of the other crazy tacos that you see,” Festival goer Chad Wise said.

Jason Martinez, owner of The Chili Truck, reflected on how the popularity of tacos in Denver have been made possible.

“It’s southern Colorado and southern California- they brought a lot of influence to it. It has a lot to do with our chili's too. We have a lot of peppers out here and we grow a lot of our own chilies here in Colorado,” Martinez said.

Within hours of opening day, the lot was bustling with hundreds of people of all ages. When looking at the demand that the state has for this type of food, one must consider the Hispanic and Mexican inf luence in the state. Hispanics make up for 31.7 percent of Denver’s ethnic population, outnumbering the African American, Asian and Native American populations combined, according to Denver Colorado Demographics and Population Statistics. This means that Hispanics in our state have a tremendous impact on shaping the

local culinary scene and its future.

Zach Hines, a taco chef at the Dude Bro Taco food truck noted this inf luence in Denver’s evolving food market.

“I guess it’s just the more Hispanic and Mexican influence we have in Denver and the country. Its people discovering that there is good food in other places,” Hines said.

When it comes to the success California has seen with tacos and the entrepreneurial food truck businesses that has taken off in the West Coast, Colorado has learned a thing or two.

“With everywhere else, California has been at it for so long we’re just kind of catching up to their Mexican scene I think,” Hines said.

The variety among the taco vendors and the number of attendees on Saturday provided plenty of evidence that Colorado’s taco scene is prospering. The number of taco themed festivals in our city reveals the appeal of Hispanic cuisine. The Denver Taco festival is only one of several taco themed events that have or will be transpiring this summer.

The Top Taco in Denver contest kicked the summer off while the Taco Tequila Cerveza festival happening in August is providing further incentive for food lovers to hit the streets.

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July 20, 2016

Depictions of DENVER

Blues jammin’ at Denver’s oldest jazz club Story by Chris Bjork cbjork1@msudenver.edu

Since 1933, the noises of Market Street have echoed into a musical soundscape, originating from the nightly live band performances at El Chapultepec. The venue continues to retain its live musical legacy today against the blare of disc jockeys blasting songs from the rows of chain bars and restaurants surrounding the venue. It’s likely the only place in the city to enjoy a cold cocktail and hot Mexican food in the presence of live jazz, with no cover charge, seven days a week. El Chapultepec is one of the oldest jazz clubs in Denver and has a long history that is felt within the walls of the venue. Fortunately, it is a history that is still being made today in a city where the music scene is thriving.

El Chapultepec is an outlet for the local scene to continue to gain traction through different kinds of music showcased at the weekly jam sessions. Blues guitarist David Booker has been performing at El Chapultepec and hosting the weekly jam sessions for years. Jerry Krantz was the owner of the nightclub, who operated the venue until his passing in 2012. After Jerry’s passing, his children began watching over El Chapultepec. Today, Jerry’s daughter, Angela Guerrero runs the business.

“I’ve been in Denver for many, many years since 1981, and when I first came here this was a straight ahead jazz club when Jerry was alive,” Booker said. “I saw some of the Jazz greats pass through here and it was always pure jazz. When Jerry passed away, Angela took over and she’s making it more of a viable, commercial place and on Mondays it’s the blues night.”

The sessions provide an opportunity for musicians visiting the nightclub to sit

David Booker performs Jazz music at El Chapultepec, one of the oldest Jazz club in Denver on July 11.

Photo by Abreham Gebreegziabher • agebreeg@msudenver.edu

in and perform with the accompaniment of Booker and his band band. The entertainment session on Monday July 11, featured performances from people of all ages and skill levels, who all jammed around classic blues melodies. Booker explained how his weekly performances with his blues band and the jam sessions themselves have even caught attention from local media.

“The Monday night blues jam is great.

“The Monday night Blues jam is great. We got the Best of Westword in 2012 and here we are.

This October will be our seventh year doing the Blues jam. I don’t know where the time went.“ - David Booker

Lloyd Raven is a bartender at El Chapultepec. Raven has been employed there for 12 years.

Photo by Chris Bjork • cbjork1@msudenver.eduww

We got the Best of Westword in 2012 and here we are. This October will be our seventh year doing the Blues jam. I don’t know where the time went.”

While the blues jam sessions have gradually grown in popularity over the years, the venue continues to honor its jazz tradition with jazz performances the majority of the week. Local jazz legend Freddy Rodriguez, Jazz Nickelson and The Diana Castro band are just a few of several notable artists one could see on a regular night. The Monday night jam sessions, however, offer something unique. Lloyd Raven, a bartender at El Chapultepec, has worked at the

nightclub for 12 years and is a fan of the jam sessions.

“I like it because it lets the guys come out and show their talent and let them play,” Raven explained. “The music is different. A lot of the bands we have here play every night. Here it’s different guys and you never know who’s going to come in and play. I really like Monday nights.”

Raven is hopeful for the future and the continuation of jam sessions at El Chapultepec. He has seen the benefits that come with musicians who decide to participate on Monday nights.

“I think it should keep going on here at the Pec because a lot of guys come in, they meet one another, and they get bands together. Some guys meet and get numbers and fill in for one another. I think it’s a great thing,” Raven said.

New faces who try the stage often come back to engage with other musicians and experience the chemistry of performing with strangers to a crowded bar. Every improvisation has its own character and no two jam sessions are the same. The same can be said about each new visit to the jazz club itself.

Every night bears a different crowd and a fresh stage with new musicians under the roof of a Denver landmark delivering good tunes and hot eats for over 80 years.

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July 20, 2016

Dr. Osborn sheds light on native plant life

Story and photos by Keenan Mccall kmccall3@msudenver.edu

Colorado residents greeted the early morning sun June 25 for The Pueblo Raptor Center’s first nature walk of the year.

Led by retired Botany professor Dr. Neal Osborn, Colorado residents took part in a nature walk to learn more about local plants and wildlife in Colorado.

The walk led participants to several points of interest in the area, with Dr. Osborn providing in depth information on a range of plants like Milkweed, Poison Ivy and Catnip as well as how they impact the local ecosystem.

“Basically, we try to get people out in nature to develop an appreciation for it,” said Pueblo Raptor Center program director Sue Hardesty, who oversaw the walk.

The Pueblo Raptor Center’s main focus is teaching people about predatory birds and and their role in nature with interactive classes featuring live raptors from hawks to owls. At the same time though, Hardesty explained that the center is interested in finding ways to stoke people’s curiosity about other aspects of Colorado’s ecosystem. The walk did just that for attendee Angela Kowzan, providing information she found useful and interesting.

“I really enjoyed the teacher’s style,” Kowzan said. “He doesn’t just say ‘this is this.’ They really have a way of making it personally interesting. You get a whole big picture that is usable.”

Attendee Sharyn Inzunza, who came with her son Felix, swhared the same sentiment.

“My son’s really into plants, so I thought it would be perfect for him,” Inzunza said. “My son enjoyed it, we enjoyed it. It was great.”

For Hardesty, it’s this enjoyment that makes the programs worthwhile.

“I think just watching people’s reactions, the oohs and ahs,” Hardesty said. “That’s just got to be my favorite part.”

The Pueblo Raptor Center offers programs every weekend ranging from classes with live Raptors to nature walks.

Osborn provided information on plants both naturally part of Colorado’s ecosystem and those implanted from other states over the years.

Raptor Center Hours Tuesdays- Sunday 11:30am- 4pm Grounds Hours 6:30am- 10pm Upcoming Events Friday July 22: Summer Nature Stroll @9am Explore a guided hike alongside the Arkansas River.

Saturday July 23: Scales & Tails @10am Stop by to learn about the many reptiles found here in Colorado!

For scheduling or any additional questions: 719-549-2458

Dr. Neal Osborn explains the role of local plant life in Colorado’s ecosystem to participants during a nature walk held by the Puebo Raptor Center June 25.

“Ghostbusters: Answer the Call” Movie Review Story by Khaleel Herbert kherbert1@msudenver.edu

Four friends, proton blasters, a car and ghosts terrorizing the Big Apple. Who ya gonna call?

“Ghostbusters: Answer the Call,” that’s who!

“Ghostbusters: Answer the Call” follows the ghostly adventures of friends Erin, Abby, Patty and Jillian (Kristen Wiig, Melissa McCarthy, Leslie Jones and Kate McKinnon).

They suit up to catch some ghosts and stop Rowan North (Neil Casey), an evil scientist who wants to unleash a ghost apocalypse.

Th is fi lm had its similarities to the classic 1984 “Ghostbusters” fi lm.

Erin, Abby and Jillian get kicked out of their respected colleges because

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the schools didn’t support their pursuits of ghosts, just like Doctors Venkman, Stantz and Spengler.

Similarly to when Dr. Venkman came face-to-face with the ghost at the library, Erin gets sprayed with slime when seeing the ghost of Gertrude Alridge at the Alridge Museum. Some of the ghosts from the 1984 fi lm make a returned appearance, such as the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man and Slimer, the fat green ghost.

“Answer the Call” was visually stunning and a joy to see in 3D. The ghosts hovered and jumped off the screen, making them seem so real that you could “touch” them. The orange blasts from the proton rays looked like they were coming right at you!

McCarthy, Wiig, Jones and McKinnon had great chemistry with each other. Their different

personalities welded harmoniously together like Bill Murray, Ernie Hudson, Dan Aykroyd and Harold Ramis. Patty and Jillian weremore entertaining because Patty told everyone what she really thought, especially when a giant flying ghost sat on her shoulders at a concert and people started taking selfies with her. Jillian was cool and funny because she created different gadgets and was always looking forward to making things explode.

“Ghostbusters: Answer the Call” is more than just a reboot. It’s a classic for the new generation of Ghostbusters fans while also paying homage to the original with a great cast, plot and visual effects worth watching in 3D.

A+

photo from www.joblo.com

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July 20, 2016

By Mike Tolbert mtolber3@msudenver.edu

Whether you’re nearing retirement or graduating from college, hanging up your cleats for good can be tough. Stepping away from the game you love coldturkey doesn’t seem fair. That’s why for some, like senior Forrest Lambert, it only seems fit to exchange his cleats for a clipboard.

After coming off a successful 2016 club lacrosse season, Lambert will take his talents to the sideline as the teams’ defensive coordinator for the upcoming year. He was the Roadrunners’ team captain last season also earning second team AllAmerican honors and Defensive Player of the Year in the Men’s Collegiate Lacrosse Association.

“I think it will be a really awesome transition since I’m staying with a program that I have lots of great relationships already,” Lambert said. “I don’t have to do anything crazy to get the teams’ respect, and that’s going to make the whole thing a lot easier.”

Although Lambert is going into his senior year at MSU Denver, he has already had four years of eligibility making him ineligible to be a player. The six-foot-three former defensive middle spent two seasons with the Roadrunners after transferring from Wells College in Aurora, New York. He and a few other players transferred to MSU Denver at the same time as what Lambert called “NCAA refugees.”

“Me and a couple other transfers all showed up as sort of NCAA refugees from different programs and was the perfect storm,” Lambert said. “We all showed up on the same day and

Senior theater major Forrest Lambert poses for a shot at Washington Park in Downtwon Denver July 18. He will join the MSU Denver lacrosse coaching staff as a defensive coordinator for the upcoming season. During the 2016 season, Lambert won second team All-American honors and Defensive Player of the Year.

Photos by Alyson McClaran • amcclara@msudenver.edu

Forrest fired up for coaching opportunity Making the jump from player to coach has its challenges

to Montana State in their final tournament game.

Despite the moderately successful season, issues that plague club sports still exist. Each player is required to meet a certain criteria to play including taking a specific amount of classes. Because a bench player dropped a class, he technically was below eligibility causing the team to forfeit two games. Even though the Roadrunners won those games, because they had to forfeit MSU Denver was disqualified from going to playoffs ending their season with the tournament games.

Once the season was over, head coach Aaron Meyers stepped down and the team then hired former Roadrunner lacrosse player Daniel Hunter. The 38-year old has an Lambert will oversee the defensive side of the ball while completing his senior year at MSU Denver. After extensive coaching graduation, he plans to continue his coaching career while pursuing comedy and theater. record and also is the said ‘hey, let’s try Metro’ and now it’s crazy how far we’ve come.”

In 2014 the Roadrunners were ranked at the bottom of their conference. In just two years, with the lead of Lambert and sophomore attacker Logan Russ, they closed out the 2016 season ranked No. 18 in MCLA Division II. MSU Denver finished with a 10-3 regular season record losing

one who decided to put Lambert on the coaching staff.

“Lambert was excellent on the defensive side of the ball and contributed on offense as well,” Coach Hunter said. “He is a multisport athlete with an excellent lacrosse IQ. On top of all that he has a great personality and he’s a natural leader on and off the field. I’m looking to him to bring a quiet confidence to the defensive half of the field.”

That silent confidence is something that Lambert’s teammates took notice of as well.

To be a team captain, not only is it voted on by coaches but players also. The spring season votes for their team captain entirely by the players so Lambert’s leadership, although not blatant is still very prominent.

“That gave me an awesome feeling that all the guys supported me but also put a lot of pressure on me to make tough calls,” Lambert said. “It was good for me though, because part of growing up is learning how to advocate for a bigger group.”

With a good coaching staff in order and the MCLA field

Me and a couple other transfers all showed up as sort of NCAA refugees from different programs and was the perfect storm.

-- Forrest Lambert

wide open for someone to make a statement, the Roadrunners are primed to lead the conference.

“My mantra for each senior class is to leave the program better than you found it. Be the first class to accomplish something not accomplished prior by being first class,” Hunter said. “That said, my hope is that as a result of our efforts we will win our first ever conference championship and compete in the national tournament next May in southern California.”

In order to make it to the national tournament, it always helps to have the support of your school and community. Usually, teams who have an obvious following are more successful.

“This next year one thing I want to help out with as part of the coaching staff is better promotion,” Lambert said. “I just want us to get more recognized.”

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July 20, 2016

Met Sports

Fall sports underway at MSU Denver » Men’s & Women’s soccer

By David Schaut dschaut@msudenver.edu The 2016 men’s and women’s soccer season is rapidly approaching, and expectations are once again high for the Roadrunners.

Coming off a stellar 13-win regular season a year ago, the men’s team and second year coach Jeremy Tittle are looking to maintain their regular season dominance and improve upon their postseason performance.

After a great regular season run in 2015, the 4th-seeded Roadrunners lost in the first round of the Rocky Mountain Athletic tournament to 5th seeded Fort Lewis, costing them a chance at obtaining an automatic bid for the Division II NCAA tournament. Colorado School of Mines won the tournament and advanced to within two games of the NCAA Division II Championship.

The Roadrunners will roll out an experienced squad for the 2016 season, including 2015 South Central Region AllRegion Second Team player and leading scorer Josh Belfrage, as well as senior and second leading scorer Dustin Berg.

The return of Berg has been much anticipated, as the talented forward is coming back from a serious injury suffered during a 0-1 OT loss against the Colorado School of Mines that sidelined him for the remainder of the season after playing in only eight games.

With a healthy and talented roster primed for the upcoming season, MSU Denver looks to challenge for the RMAC title. The biggest regular season test comes on Sunday, September 25th, in Golden, at the reigning RMAC champion Colorado School of Mines Orediggers. The game will be a difficult matchup, and playing in a hostile environment will be a challenge for the Roadrunner players. However, it could be a season defining game that could shape the rest of the year. If the Roadrunners can emerge victorious in Golden, the RMAC Championship will be within reach.

As for the women, they are coming off a 8-7-5 overall record losing to Colorado Mines, 2-1 in the RMAC tournament. The Lady Runners 2016 schedule was recently released having their first four games at home.

9

» Women’s Volleyball

By Earl Grant egrant7@msudenver.edu The Roadrunners volleyball team finished the 2015 season going 20-12 overall and 14-4 in the RMAC to lead the Rocky division. They advanced to the NCAA tournament losing in the first round to the University of Arkansas Fort Smith.

Just as the MSU Denver’s soccer teams, there is immense expectations for the volleyball squad.

New head coach Jenny Glenn joins the team to help lead the Roadrunners back to the NCAA tournament.

Senior middle blocker Vasati Fiatoa returns to build upon her 2015 first Team All-Conference RMAC selection. Senior setter Brandi Torr was also a member of the 2015 first team All-Conference team. Junior Ryan Hoerdemann, played right side and was the third Roadrunner selected to the first team RMAC All-Conference.

The MSU Denver volleyball schedule was also released set to open the regular season Sept. 2 against Florida Southern. They will

play their first four games on the road. The Roadrunners will also host the Colorado Premier Challenge beginning Sept. 9 at The Regency Athletic Complex to open home play.

One match to look out for is on Oct. 21 against Colorado School of Mines at the RAC. Last season the Roadrunners beat the then No. 18 Orediggers in two regular season games and a playoff match. Colorado Mines led the Mountain division going 16-2 with the two losses coming at the hands of MSU Denver. Colorado Mines will look to get their revenge come October.

The exhibition Alumni game will be held August 27 at the RAC. Former roadrunners will compete against the current team making it the first opportunity to see the volleyball team in action this season.

Be sure to keep up with all things volleyball at roadrunnersathletics.com

Mile High contract for a mile high player With new deal, Miller becomes highest paid defensive player in NFL history

By Earl Grant egrant7@msudenver.edu Offense sells tickets, defense wins’ championships. These are the words of the late great Bear Bryant. The crown of the NFL currently rests on the World Champion Denver Broncos. The Broncos offseason has been unstable due to a contract dispute with Super Bowl 50 MVP Von Miller. The Broncos made history yet again, and Miller was again the culprit. He and the Broncos agreed to a six-year deal, $114.5 million contract. The Broncos organization believes that Miller has the keys to the franchise success. The new deal includes $70 million dollars in guaranteed money.

Miller is now the highest paid defensive player in football. More importantly the Denver Broncos front office continues to set the standard of operating a successful

recently inked a deal with The New York winning NFL franchise. The Broncos Giants that includes $52.5 million. Vernon is ownership is one of the world class not in the same class of gladiators as Miller. professional organization. There would The NFL market had forced Denver to beef be no excuse plausible that would have up their offer. justified the Broncos losing Miller over a The Broncos built this team with the contract dispute. Miller’s transcendent skill hopes that Peyton Manning would lead his set combined with his uncanny consistent dynamic offense with the young budding playmaking ability is the first of its brand.

At one point the Broncos and Von Miller stars at the time such as Eric Decker and Demaryius had a significant gap to close in There would be no excuse plausible Thomas. In fact, the 2013 Broncos the contract that would have justified the offense set an NFL negotiations.

Denver offered Broncos losing Miller over a contract record for the most points scored in a Miller $40 million dispute. Miller’s transcendent skill single season. The in guaranteed Super 50 victory, money back in set combined with his uncanny vindicated The June. Miller’s consistent playmaking ability is the Broncos and their representatives legion of fans. The and the Broncos first of its brand.

Seattle Seahawks agreed that the stuffed the Broncos new deal would be offense into a blackhole. Denver closed the for six years. Recent free agent deals helped 2013 season as the AFC champions and establish a market that was more in favor of entered Super Bowl XLVII as the favorite. a significant increase of guaranteed money Seattle embarrassed the Broncos 43-8. in this equation.

The Broncos brain trust decided that The Eagles recently cashed out defensive the team could still win a championship. lineman Fletcher Cox to the tune of $55 However, the emphasis shifted to allow the million. Cox has zero Super Bowl MVPs team be defense driven. Miller was the cog nor has he graced the stage of Dancing with in the blueprint moving forward breaking the Stars. Oliver Vernon is an outstanding the Broncos single season sack record (18.5). defensive lineman in his own right. He

In 2014, Miller returned from an ACL injury. In 2015, he led Denver’s Orange Rush defense. The same defense that had NFL MVP Cam Newton and the Carolina Panthers offense purring for warm milk and shell shocked in Super Bowl 50.

The Broncos have rewarded their loyal fan base. The Broncos organization have once again demonstrated their dedication to winning championships.

Photo from flickr

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July 20, 2016 July

Mile High Events July/Aug

20-26 27-02 Remember the victims

August

10 August

03-09 10-16

Summer of Dance!

Defending the Caveman

Jonathan Blunk, age 26, Alexander J. Boik, age 18 Jesse Childress, age 29, Gordon Cowden, age 51 Jessica Ghawi, age 24 John Larimer, age 27 Matt McQuinn, age 27 Micayla Medek, age 23 Veronica Moser-Sullivan, age 6 Alex Sullivan, age 27 Alexander C. Teves, age 24 Rebecca Wingo, age 31

Summer of Dance exhibit and interactive #dancelab.

Starting WednesDAY Aug 3 @ The Garner Galleria Theatre

art exhibit @ History colorado center general admission

When: Every Tues Sun until September 30.

Where: Denver Art Museum Cost included in admission.

FREE ice cream give-away!

Center for Visual Arts Summer Celebration When: Friday, August 5, 2016, 5 – 9pm Where: Santa Fe Arts District, Denver

For each scoop served, Denali Flavors will donate $1 to The Salvation Army of Denver in an effort to raise $10,000.

When: Wednesday July 20, 2016 Where: Skyline Park - 16th Street, Denver, CO 80202 Time: 11 a.m. - 3 p.m.

Movie in the park

All Day @ National Western Complex 4655 Humboldt St. Denver, CO 80216

Join students, staff, faculty, alumni and community members for an outdoor party featuring food, music, art and more!

Santa Fe Drive will be closed to traffic, join us for this fun, festive, summer evening celebration!

Volunteer Day When: Friday, August 12, 2016, 10am – 2pm Where: 10000 E. 52 Avenue, Commerce City Volunteers are needed to remove invasive plant species, collect native plant seeds, protect trees from beaver damage and cleaning trash/litter along the greenway.

Volunteers should be prepared with a sack lunch for this project.

Find out more at groundworkcolorado. org… or RSVP with Dele at dele@ groundworkcolorado.org

In case you missed it...

Summer is almost over! Fall semseter classes begin August 22.

Melania Trump delivers a speech on July 18 at the Republican National Convention and is later accused of plagarism for eerily similar language to a speech Michelle Obama delivered in 2008.

@ houston lake Park Starting 6 p.m. free!

Awkward Family Photos

According to Turkey’s Foreign Ministry, 290 died and more than 1,400 were wounded, in an attempted coup on Friday, July 18. Around 6,000 people have been detained so far, yet officals are unable to say who was responsible for the coup.

Extreme Community Makeover

When: Saturday, August 13, 2016, 9am – 4pm Where: 3501 West 1st Ave, Denver 80219 Help Extreme Community Makeover with neighborhood to improve the community. Volunteers are needed for graffiti removal, painting, etc.

Sign up at www.extremecommunitymakeover. org…

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Horoscopes

Overheard this week

Capricorn

You may not be openly passionate by nature but something will get under your skin to such an extent today that you may well go over the top about it. That’s good.

“So, Donald Trump.”

Cancer

June 21 -July 22 Someone will feel the sharp edge of your tongue today, and no doubt they deserve it, but later on you may have second thoughts and wish you had not been quite so aggressive.

Leo

Aquarius

“Don’t tell me to calm down when

January 20 -February 18

theirs a charmander on this pier!”

Always have a backup plan and always have an escape route planned.

For quite some time someone you have dealings with has been trying to tell you that you mean more to them than just a friend or colleague. Maybe it’s time to let them know.

why no one remembers him.”

You may be inspired to get things done but don’t expect partners and colleagues to be as motivated as you.

Drastic decisions will have to be made but, having made them, your life will never be the same again – better but not the same.

Aries

Whatever you turn your hand to over the next 24 hours will work out better than you expected.

released a new album and a Clinton is running for president. Is

Libra

September 23 -October 22

Scorpio

Keep your eyes and ears open today – something or someone will give you the guidance you seek.

Sagittarius

Gemini

Across 1. Girl or mule of song 4. 2002 Al Pacino flick 10. Skip over 14. Old NBA rival 15. Camera steadier 16. ___ of the above 17. Mystification 19. Biblical book 20. Eye sore 21. It helps keep one focused 22. Catnaps 23. Agnes and Genevieve, for short 25. Bergman’s ‘’___ and Her Men’’ 27. Some vodka bottles 30. Ready for anything 32. Burdens 33. ‘’Saving Private Ryan’’ ships 34. Prior to, in rhyme 36. Curved carpenter’s tool 37. Friend’s counterpart 38. Spill guard 39. Designer Claiborne 40. Roseanne, before Tom 42. Like movie houses and churches 45. Cut short, NASA-style 47. Frequent witness 48. Practical 49. Late afternoon 50. ‘’___ been that long?’’

52. Yank crabgrass

It would appear that in some way or other you have failed to live up to the impossibly high standards you think you must live by.

54. Vicinity 58. Hep 59. Period of instability, perhaps 61. Lyric poems 62. Seeker of services 63. ___ ‘’King’’ Cole 64. Funeral fire 65. ‘’Sincerely,’’ and others 66. Genetic ID

— Sterling Stowe “Making pictures.”

— Alyson McClaran “Sports.”

— Mike Tolbert “Telling a good story and cooking.”

—Joella Baumann “Making better pictures.”

— Michael Ortiz

November 22 -December 21

May 21 -June 20 Hear or see something that makes you laugh?

Shake your head? Roll your eyes or say WTF? Tweet it to @themetonline with the hashtag #overheardoncampus

“Music and playing instruments.”

October 23 -November 21

April 20 -May 20 According to the planets there is a danger that you will take on too much and harm yourself physically or emotionally.

— Keenan McCall

Nothing is impossible for you Libra.

Taurus

it 1996?”

“Physical fitness.”

August 23 -September 22

March 21 -April 19

“Pokemon is a thing, Blink 182

— Esteban Fernandez

Virgo

February 19 -March 20

“He took five months to die. That’s

“X-Com.”

July 23 -August 22

Pisces

“Can I just eat my waffle?”

checking account!”

Met Picks: What is your passion?

December 22 -January 19

“Woo-hoo! Triple digits in the

July 20, 2016

You must be open and honest in your communications today. If you leave things vague no one will know what it is you are trying to communicate and, as a consequence, nothing much of importance will

Down 1. Chumps 2. Come up against 3. Slothful 4. Letters on a Cardinal’s cap 5. Without rancor 6. Charades players 7. Start the business day 8. ‘’Tommyrot!’’

9. N.Y.C. summer hrs.

10. Extra-inning score, perhaps 11. Rubbery cheese 12. About, in legalese 13. Iced drinks 18. Lemon rinds 22. Shannon and Monte 24. Not just any 26. Back muscle, in gym-speak 27. Stable newborn 28. Number two in population 29. Certain radar detector 30. ‘’___ my God, thou art very great’’ (Psalm 104:1) 31. A judge, for one 35. Whirlpool 37. Discretion to choose 40. Londoner, for short 41. Home of the Braves, briefly 42. Soothing pill 43. Losing gambler’s marker 44. Football helmet feature 46. At leisure 49. Shriners’ hats (Var.) 50. LeBron’s target 51. ‘’Toy Story’’ boy 53. Basso Pinza 55. Tear apart 56. Spirit 57. Utah ski spot 59. Roman 700 60. Main, Hollywood and Vine (Abbr.)

Source: OnlineCrosswords.net

Sudoku

Difficulty: Easy

Difficulty: Hard

Answers:

@themetonline

11

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