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The Murray State News TheNews.org

Feb. 14, 2014

Kentucky must now recognize same-sex marriage

Vol. 88, No. 21

SAFETY 2010

2011

Black History Month kicks off

2012

Amanda Grau || Staff writer agrau1@murraystate.edu

but not limited to, student housing, student discipline and campus judicial proceedings.”

Some campus security authorities include University administrators, Student Affairs staff members, college heads, athletic directors and coaches, housing staff members and faculty advisers to student organizations.

Perhaps the largest increase in the report was the number of cases of criminal damage reported, with 50 cases in 2012, compared to three in 2011 and seven in 2010.

Bringhurst said this is due to the increased awareness on the requirements for report-

February has been Black History Month since 1976 when Gerald R. Ford asked Americans to seize the opportunity to honor black history.

The switch took place in the bicentennial year of the U.S., exactly 50 years after Carter G. Woodson, a Harvard graduate and a historian, created the first Negro History Week in February of 1926 - a week chosen because it included the birthdays of both Abraham Lincoln and Frederick Douglass.

According to the government-run African-American History Month website, that week in February became an integral piece of black life by Woodson’s death in 1950.

By that time, significant leaps had been made in the effort to bring awareness and appreciation to all Americans, and cities were claiming that week as Negro History Week.

During what the site calls “The Black Awakening” of the 1960s, black Americans became more aware of the importance of black history and took action, rallying with Americans of all races to bring equality through the Civil Rights movement.

Today, Murray State’s Black Student Council is seizing the chance to share black history with the slogan “Living the Dream: Remembering the Legacy by Inspiring Future Leaders.”

The festivities planned by The Black Student Council were kicked off Jan. 19 with the Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Candlelight Vigil and march, and end April 4 with the 9th Annual Diversity Achievement Awards. The ceremony will recognize Murray State students for academic achievement and contributions to diversity.

Activities include a community potluck and a showing of

see SAFETY, 2A

see HISTORY, 2A

LIQUOR LAW VIOLATIONS

THEFT ON CAMPUS

CRIMINAL DAMAGE

reported by non-law enforcement

reported by law enforcement

reported by law enforcement

Staff report Same-sex couples married outside of Kentucky will now be recognized in the commonwealth.

Although Kentucky still doesn’t allow same-sex marriage in the state, a federal judge ruled Wednesday that Kentucky must recognize those married in other states.

U.S. District Judge John Heyburn II in Louisville, Ky., ruled in favor of four married couples who sued the state last year.

The ruling states: “in the end, the court concludes that Kentucky’s denial of recognition for valid same-sex marriages violates the U.S. Constitution’s guarantee of equal protection under the law, even under the most deferential standard of review.

“Accordingly, Kentucky’s statutes and constitutional amendment that mandate this denial are unconstitutional.”

The ruling struck down a 1998 state law and a 2004 state constitutional amendment, which restricted marriage in the state to one man and one woman.

Jody Cofer Randall, program coordinator of LGBT at Murray State, said the ruling by Heyburn is a positive step for same-sex couples in Kentucky.

“But there’s still a lot of uncertainty,” Cofer Randall said.

“It doesn’t mandate that Kentucky will start marrying same-sex couples, although it does provide a pathway to having a same-sex couple get recognition.”

Nationwide, 17 states and Washington D.C. not only recognize gay marriage as an institution, but they also marry same-sex couples. One of those states is Illinois, directly across from the western border of Kentucky.

Evan Watson/The News

99 50 4

0

reports of theft

reports of criminal

reports of forcible

criminal attempts

on campus reported

damage on campus

sex offenses

reported by officers

by officers

reported by officers

reported on campus

in 2012

Rebecca Walter Staff writer rwalter@murraystate.edu

Increased reports of criminal damage, a decrease in theft and an increase in liquor and drug violations were a few of the figures released in the Murray State Police Department’s Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

Numbers were compared from the 2010, 2011 and 2012 academic years in the report released Feb. 5.

Other universities, such as Western Kentucky University, release safety reports earlier.

Western Kentucky released its annual security report in October 2013 for 2009-12.

Interim President Tim Miller said the report is essential to having a safe campus.

“It is important for students, faculty and staff to be aware of what the reports says so everyone can be informed and know how to respond in a bad situation,” Miller said.

The report is a requirement of the Crime and Awareness and Campus Safety Act of 1990, which is also known as the Clery Act. The act requires all postsecondary institutions participating in the Higher Education Act of 1965 student financial assistance programs to disclose campus crime statistics and security information.

Robert Bringhurst, captain

of operations at Public Safety and Emergency Management, said the annual report contains safety and security policy statements that is released to students and University employees.

He said compiling the data for the report is a campuswide responsibility.

Bringhurst said the Clery Act requires that information be collected from the campus police department, other local law enforcement agencies and campus security authorities as well.

Campus security authorities are defined as “an official of an institution who has significant responsibility for student and campus activities, including,

Inclement weather LGBT athletes question safety in Sochi schedule examined Meghann Anderson News Editor

manderson22@murraystate.edu

Mary Bradley || Staff writer mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Representatives from the Student Government Association, Faculty Senate and Staff Congress met recently to create a new inclement weather schedule.

The new schedule proposed that all classes meeting before 9:30 a.m. will be canceled during inclement weather, and classes meeting after 9:30 a.m. will continue at the regularly scheduled time.

While the changes have not been officially confirmed

by Interim President Tim Miller, the committee has proposed the new schedule, along with resolving communication issues and re-establishing how road conditions will be evaluated.

Vice President of Academic Affairs Jay Morgan said he believes the new schedule will sufficiently resolve any confusion and will be effectively communicated to students, faculty and staff.

“I think we’ve got a pretty

good feel of what all three campus constituencies want, the way they would like to see communications unfold and some of the decision-making processes,” Morgan said.

“While I can’t guarantee that everything in the future will be perfect, I think we’ve got some good changes that we have made.”

The committee also agreed closing campus for the day if classes are not able to meet until n o o n would be ideal in a situation of inclement Morgan weather.

Communication between the administration and students, faculty and staff was also discussed by the committee.

“We would send an all-campus email, post to the Murray State website, send a text if ap-

see WEATHER, 2A

Prior to the 22nd Winter Olympics, national concern was raised over the safety of LGBT athletes in Sochi, Russia. While the games are being held more than 6,000 miles away from Murray, students are still speaking out about the discrimination.

Jody Cofer Randall, LGBT coordinator for Murray State, said he thinks Russia's stance toward the LGBT community is troubling.

“I would have liked to have seen the International Olympic Committee taken a firmer stance for fairness and equality, but leading up to Sochi the last several months the conversation has really been heartening,” Cofer Randall said. “There have been so many people come forward in support of gay athletes as they compete for the honor of being known forever more as an Olympian.”

He said he thinks President Barack Obama made the right decision by naming a pro-equality official delegation to represent the U.S. and cheer on our athletes at Putin's games.

Obama and his wife,

Richard Drew/Associated Press

Demonstrators mark the start of the 2014 Winter Olympic Games with a protest in New York Feb. 6.

Michelle, did not attend the opening ceremonies, but in an interview with NBC, he said, "There is no doubt we wanted to make it very clear that we do not abide by discrimination in anything, including discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation.”

About 40,000 members of the Russian security forces are on duty in and around Sochi during the Games, the most in Olympic history.

Feb. 6, the night before the Olympics’ opening ceremony, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon called for an

end to the attacks and discrimination against gays.

Student Government Association President Jeremiah Johnson said he thinks the U.S. is taking a positive step in the future with Obama supporting the LGBT athletes in the Olympics.

“It shows we are trying not to discriminate against one certain group of people,” Johnson said.

“The Olympics are about skill and athleticism, not sexual orientation or anything else. The games are supposed to unite people together for a common interest – sports.”

Morgan Randall, senior from Murray, said she has mixed feelings about the Sochi Olympics.

“I think it is terrible how Russia treats the LGBT community within their country, but I would like to think and I hope that LGBT persons who are competing in or are part of the Sochi Olympics would have the protection they need,” Randall said.

“I hope that overall, Russia can come to a place where all people are safe in their country.”

“It can also be seen as a good thing the Olympics are there right now because I believe that

see SOCHI, 2A

WHAT’S

OUR VIEW

BUSINESS CONSTRUCTION SECOND PLACE

ZAC BROWN

INSIDE

Students need to be aware of crime on campus, 4A

Building under repairs on first floor until summer, 6A

Concert floods CFSB with sock caps and beards, 5B

Rifle falls to Jacksonville State in OVC Championship, 1B

The News

News

2A

February 14, 2014

WEATHER

SOCHI

From Page 1

From Page 1

propriate, contact Channel 6 and other news outlets and post to Facebook and Twitter,” Morgan said. “We will try to follow that order and at the bare minimum you will get an email.”

Commuter student Tiffany Pederson, junior from Chicago, said she believes the new schedule will help her stay safe during bad weather.

“I like this plan much more,” Pederson said. “It keeps it safe for those traveling with the roads cleaned up and it being warmer, but it doesn’t throw off the entire day or the rest of the schedules students have to follow with practices and jobs.”

Pederson, who lives 30 minutes away from campus, said the roads were so bad where she lives that she couldn’t get in or out. While she chose to stay with a friend in town during the inclement weather, she still had difficulties with the previous schedule.

“I was confused with it and ended up missing a class,” she said. “But my professors were all really understanding about

HISTORY From Page 1 the film “12 Years A Slave,” which has been nominated for Best Picture at the Academy Awards, and a cultural leadership and empowerment conference led by Mark L. McPhail from University of WisconsinWhitewater.

For Chesika Crump, junior from Hopkinsville, Ky., Black History Month is yet another way students on campus can uplift their black peers.

“For me personally, Black History Month is a month of celebration of the achievements of black people as a part of history,” Crump said. “It’s a remembrance of those who have sacrificed time and lives for the freedoms of black peo-

it and helped me out.”

Taylor Grace Suiter, sophomore from Brentwood, Tenn., who lives on campus, said she believes the new plan is better because it does not allow for classes to overlap like the previous schedule.

“On the two hour delay schedule, some class times were not accounted for,” Suiter said. “My boyfriend, who is in graduate school, has classes that don’t match up to the

schedule, so he didn’t know when to go to class.”

Suiter said she believes the previous schedule left many students and professors confused and delaying classes is not ideal.

Said Suiter: “I think if you make it a clean cut off time and then operate as usual on days where we have snow but can still go to school, that it’s better than pushing everything back.”

Benazir Shahid, sophomore from Pakistan, takes advantage of last week’s inclement weather.

a lot of the bad publicity that has come out has a lot to do with all the Olympic focus,” Randall said. “This could become a positive, that activists around the world now know what is going on and can work to change it.”

She said she thinks it is great Obama sent openly LGBT people to represent the U.S. “While the U.S. isn't perfect with our equality of the LGBT community, we are much further along than Russia, so why not show the support there is in our country and send openly LGBT persons to represent,” Randall said.

Along with students, three multi-million sponsors, AT&T, DeVry University and Chobani, have taken public stands against Russia’s anti-gay law. While other official sponsors such as Coca-Cola and McDonald’s have released statements about not discriminating against anyone, other advertisers have remained silent.

Johnson said: “I think it’s important that some of these companies are showing they are in support of people in general.

People are what matter.”

ple today, and reflection on the progress and issues of the black community.”

The activities on campus, put on by the Black Student Council and the Office of Multicultural Affairs have mission statements with a similar goal: to embrace diversity and encourage minority student groups to succeed both personally and academically.

Crump said it is important, however, to remember that black history is not just restricted to February alone.

“It should be noted that celebration of these histories should not be thought of as one month of recognition, but daily recognition,” Crump said. “Every day should be a celebration of black history and women's history, as well for other groups as well. I know it is for me.”

Kadeem Willis, junior from Paris, Tenn., said he knows black

history is important knowledge to have, but more important is to be free of racism. To him, giving black history a month aids racism - it gives preferential treatment to only one group of people who have endured hardship when there are many others who have dealt with worse.

“It’s not all about black people,” Willis said. “History should be about all people. Mexicans, Jews … they don’t have their own month for their history, and more Jews died (in the Holocaust) than black people. There are still people in slavery, but they don’t get a month.”

Morgan Priddy, a senior from Paducah, Ky., said she is glad the month gives people awareness.

“I’m just really glad people are aware,” Priddy said. “It’s important for people to understand and recognize that black Americans have had an impact on U.S. history, but also that they don’t

just see the race.”

According to Priddy, the best way to share black history is not restricted to events put on by the Black Student Council. Word-of-mouth is also good, but Priddy said she worries, as a black woman, about turning people off to black history if she brings it up in conversation. She said another, less invasive way, is through social media.

“Twitter’s used to share opinions about anything and everything, but it can be used also for information and facts,” Priddy said.

The Black Student Council and the Office of Multicultural Affairs both push for the spread of knowledge on campus. Social media, lectures, films and panels are the avenues through which they work to extend that knowledge.

of the danger of leaving their property unattended,” Bringhurst said.

Bringhurst said it is hard to predict why there were such increases and decreases in the crime that was reported.

Miller said it is important for students, parents, Miller faculty and staff to read the annual campus safety report so they know who to contact and the procedures to follow in an unsafe situation on campus.

Said Miller: “If you look at the report and know the services and how to react in certain situations then we can all have a safer campus.”

Lori Allen/The News

A student walks on campus near a fallen tree in last week’s inclement weather.

Jenny Rohl/The News

SAFETY From Page 1 ing these incidents.

Liquor violations on campus reported by non-law enforcement increased as well.

In 2012, 31 cases were reported, compared to seven in 2010 and six in 2010.

Miller said increase in these numbers could be due to alcohol now being sold in Murray.

Residential college staff members report many of these alcohol violations, Bringhurst said.

One statistic that decreased was reports of thefts on campus. There were 99 reports in 2012, compared to more than 130 reports in 2011 and 2010.

“Students are more aware

The News

News

February 14, 2014 News Editor: Meghann Anderson Assistant Editor: Ben Manhanke Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

3A

Student-run tax service ends

Police Beat Feb. 6 9:33 p.m. A fire alarm was activated in White Residential College. Officers and the Murray Fire Department were notified.

A report was taken.

10:53 p.m. A caller in Hart Residential College reported being stuck in an elevator. Officers and Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. The report was referred to another jurisdiction.

Feb. 7 2 : 2 3 p.m . A caller reported a medical emergency at Regents Residential College. Officers and the Murray Ambulance Service were notified. A report was taken.

9: 53 p.m . Racer Patrol reported suspicious people in the Price Doyle Fine Arts Building. Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

Feb. 8 3: 31 a.m . A caller reported a suspicious person in the Quad.

Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

3: 39 p.m . A caller reported a medical emergency in Blackburn Science Building. Officers and the Murray Ambulance Service were notified. A report was taken.

Feb. 9 10:36 p.m. A caller reported a person with suicidal thoughts in Old Richmond Residential College. Officers were notified. An escort of the individual was arranged.

1 1 : 1 7 p.m . A caller from Hart reported a possible suicide attempt. Officers were notified and an escort of the individual was arranged.

Feb. 10 1 0 : 53 a .m . A caller reported a fight in the Wellness Center.

Officers were notified and an information report was taken.

1 1 : 59 p. m . A caller in Franklin Residential College reported receiving harassing messages.

Officers were notified, and a report was taken.

Feb. 11 10 : 27 a. m. A caller in the 1200 block of College Courts reported finding drug paraphernalia. Officers were notified.

The report was referred to another jurisdiction.

4 : 24 p. m . A caller in Franklin reported a sexual offense. Officers were notified and a report was taken.

Feb. 12 6:24 a.m . A caller from Elizabeth Residential College reported a student being harassed.

Officers were notified and a report was taken.

7:0 7 a.m. A fire alarm was activated in Woods Hall. Officers and Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. The report was referred to another jurisdiction.

Call of Fame Feb 9 - 1:10 a.m. The Murray Police Department was advised of an individual on University Drive kicking out cars’ taillights.

The report was referred to another jurisdiction.

Motorists assists – 6 Racer escorts – 4 Arrests – 0

Ben Manhanke, Assistant News Editor, compiles Police Beat with materials provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management. Not all dispatched calls are listed.

Lori Allen/The News

Madison Embry, junior from Morgantown, Ky., and Topaz Prawito, sophomore from Murray, discuss with the new director of Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, Ray Rodriguez.

Program hires new accounting director Lori Allen || Staff writer lallen21@murraystate.edu

The accounting department’s Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program, which has been offered on campus for more than 35 years, will not be offered to students, senior citizens and others in need of service this year.

Don Chamberlain, chair of the Arthur J. Baurenfeind College of Business, said that due to several constraints on the department, the decision to not offer the annual tax service this year had to be made.

“Frankly, we want a tax expert overseeing our program – we want to get it right,” Chamberlain said. “We miss and hate not (offering the program). It’s a good experience for our students.

We thought long and hard before we decided to take this time off. We just don’t want to do anything to jeopardize the quality of our program.”

The retirement of the program director, Floyd Carpenter, and the temporary reassignment of Tim Miller as interim University president, has contributed to a heavier workload on the accounting department.

Ray Rodriguez, accounting professor from San Antonio, Texas, will join Murray State’s faculty

in the fall and will take over running the program in 2015.

“We will be back in full force next year,” Chamberlain said. “We’ve hired an extremely competent tax professor coming in the fall semester. We are very excited about (Rodriguez); he has a wealth of skills and abilities.”

In absence of its tax services, the accounting department has compiled a list of professional organizations still accepting clients. There will, however, be fees involved in utilizing these organizations. Chamberlain said the providers on the list are the local offices that typically hire Murray State graduates.

Senior citizens seeking help filing their taxes can contact the Murray Calloway Senior Citizens Center for assistance. Director of the Murray Calloway Senior Citizens Center, Eric Kelleher, said their program is available by appointment only, on Wednesdays through April 2.

Another local tax assistance program through United Way,will also not be offered this year.

Samantha Haneline, executive assistant at United Way of Murray-Calloway County, said they do not have the volunteer necessary to act as site coordinator of the program.

Murray State’s Volunteer Income Tax Service

program is sponsored by the award-winning Beta Alpha Psi chapter, an honor society for accounting students.

Wayne Tervo, certified public accountant and assistant professor in accounting, said the number of returns processed in a year by VITA has reached more than 700 in the past, but has fell to less than 300 in 2013, with only 290 hours logged.

Usually 150-200 students utilize the program each year, and 35-40 accounting students gain experience processing returns during February, March and April.

Madison Embry, junior accounting student from Morgantown, Ky., said she really enjoyed working for VITA last year.

“The program provides a service to such a broad spectrum of people,” Embry said. “While providing this service to people, the students doing the tax returns are able to gain real-world experience before graduating college.”

Embry said she plans on participating again next year when the program returns.

“I'm excited to be able to help out the Murray community through the program,” said Embry.

“I've witnessed firsthand how valuable this program is to Murray, and I can't wait to be a part of it again.”

University wins service trophy Students Mary Bradley || Staff writer

prepare for FFA Week

mbradley9@murraystate.edu

Murray State has announced the winner of the Challenge for Change competition, a competition not based on points, but the number of hours students collectively volunteered.

Challenge for Change, a competition between Eastern Kentucky University, Morehead State University and Murray State, was held Jan. 11 through Feb. 7.

With 13,500.75 volunteer hours reported, Murray State claimed first place in the fifth annual Challenge for Change. Morehead State followed in second place with 3,654.5 hours with Eastern Kentucky coming in third with a reported zero hours.

Challenge for Change was originally a competition between Eastern Kentucky and Morehead State, and was a way to encourage students to build up volunteer hours and to showcase student service through friendly competition between schools.

The challenge is held every year at the beginning of the spring semester to honor Martin Luther King Jr. and his legacy of community service.

Student Government Association President Jeremiah Johnson said the two schools invited Murray State to participate two years ago, and Morehead State, who initiated the challenge, is looking to possibly extend it to the other OVC schools.

While the challenge is a competition for a trophy, Johnson said it is about more than winning and beating the other universities.

“It’s not something to put emphasis on for competition, but for collecting hours,” he said. “I don’t want it to be an event we are doing just because we are competing with other universities. In my opinion, you do community service to help other people, not to compete and make yourself look better.”

Murray State collected three times as many volunteer hours this year as last year. The 10,000 hour difference is due to a new website called Get Connected at volunteer.murraystate.edu, which helps students find places to volunteer within the community.

Alex Mahrenholz || Staff writer amahrenholz@murraystate.edu

Photo submitted by Elizabeth Tarter

Tanelle Smith, freshman from Henderson, Ky., helps clean tree limbs for service hours.

Johnson said the Get Connected program through United Way helps students find somewhere to volunteer, whether at the animal shelter, hospital or with a Greek organization.

Sophomore Lindsey Powers from Cincinnati, Ohio, is one of the students who spent time earning hours for Challenge for Change.

Powers and 13 of her Kappa Delta sisters went to Weaks Community Center to spend time helping out in various ways.

“We painted office spaces and cleaned their vehicles, which are used to pick up senior citizens and bring them to the center,” Powers said. “We also cleaned the local Red Cross emergency vehicles.”

With a total of five and a half hours of volunteer service at the community center, Powers and the other 12 women contributed approximately 71 hours of work to Challenge for Change.

Powers said she believes the competition is a good way to motivate people to volunteer. However, she said, in the end the lives that are changed through volunteering helps to make the trophy more worthwhile.

“The best part was being able to dance with a few of the older women at the center during one of their classes,” she said. “Being able to laugh with them and make them smile made all the hard work we did worth every minute.”

After holding onto the trophy for four consecutive wins, Morehead State will relinquish the trophy to Murray State, and it will be presented to the student body in late March by Johnson.

With an estimated $12 general volunteer rate and the three universities contributing a total of 17,364.55 volunteer hours, the combined economic impact on Kentucky was estimated to be $208,368.

The Murray State Collegiate FFA chapter will take part in the nationwide celebration of agriculture next week. Since 1947, the week of George Washington’s birthday has been designated as National FFA Week for FFA chapters everywhere to commend agricultural efforts and promote the purposes FFA serves.

Mercedes Smith, junior from Lowes, Ky., serves as president for the CFFA and said she is enthusiastic about the upcoming FFA week.

“We are really excited to celebrate National FFA Week on campus this year with students and faculty members,” Smith said. “We’re doing an FFA attire day and a scavenger hunt for students around campus to participate in as well as forming a team for the laser tag tournament at the Expo Center that weekend.”

Because the week revolves around Washington’s birthday, Smith and other CFFA officers wanted to do something to commemorate that event for people on campus.

“We are taking a piece of cherry pie to as many faculty members around campus as we can reach to celebrate Washington’s birthday because he was a big part in helping agriculture take its place in the United States.”

Erin Underwood, junior from Taylor County, Ky., played an active role in planning for National FFA Week and serves as secretary for the CFFA. “FFA Week is a time for our members and other people around us to get together and realize the impact that the FFA has on agricultural activities that take place inside and outside of the classroom,” Underwood said.

She said she is excited to see everyone get into the activities provided and promote FFA and the agriculture industry on campus.

Underwood said students and faculty who are not involved with CFFA or the Hutson School of Agriculture are welcome to participate in the activities of National FFA Week.

“I hope we see a lot of participation,” said Smith. I think it’s important for students and faculty both to recognize the importance of FFA and agriculture on campus and throughout the country.”

4A

February 14, 2014

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Carly Besser Phone: 270-809-5873

Our View

Campus safety should also be our responsibility The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

The News 2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 msu.thenews@murraystate.edu Fax: 270-809-3175

TheNews.org Lexy Gross Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 cgross2@murraystate.edu Me g h a n n A n d e rs o n News Editor • 270-809-4468 manderson22@murraystate.edu Ca r l y B e s s e r Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 cbesser@murraystate.edu H u n ter H arrell Features Editor • 270-809-5871 hharrell@murraystate.edu R y a n R i c h a rd s o n Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 mrichardson5@murraystate.edu K a y la Ma c A ll is te r Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 kmacallister@murraystate.edu Jared Jeseo Online Editor • 270-809-5877 jjeseo@murraystate.edu J a n i e S t e n b e rg Advertising Manager • 270-809-4478 jstenberg1@murraystate.edu

Evan Watson/The News

The publication of the Annual Campus Security Report and Fire Safety Report signifies a positive change in how Murray State keeps students informed on crime in their area.

Transparency is important for feeling connected with the University and it creates a sense of trust between students and who is protecting them.

We know what is going on at our school and we are not kept in the dark.

However, this relationship between Public Safety and Emergency Management and students is not solely defined by the Murray State Police Department.

There are responsibilities that we, as students, have in order to keep this line of communication running smoothly.

Multiple University policies are highlighted in the report, which stress our responsibility to know them and follow them.

Knowing the policies that are given to us routinely is the first step to ensure that we follow them. We cannot pretend we don’t know the Drug-Free Campus/Drug-Free Workplace Policy. It is given to us and is stated clearly.

We cannot complain about the parking policy if the details and stipulations are a couple of clicks away.

The published report shows us the wave of

Sarah B eitel -Stark s Advertising Production • 270-809-5874 sbeitel@murraystate.edu Ka te Ru sse ll Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 krussell13@murraystate.edu J o e H e d ge s Adviser • 809-3937 jhedges@murraystate.edu

Write to us!

The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. Letters should be 300 words or less. Contributors should include phone numbers for verification.

Please include hometown, classification and title or relationship to the University. Commentaries should be between 600 to 800 words. The News reserves the right to edit for style, length and content. No anonymous contributions will be accepted. All contributions should be turned in by noon on Tuesday of each week via email at letters@thenews.org. Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News.

The News strives to be the University community’s source for information. Our goal is to present that information in a fair and unbiased manner and provide a free and open forum for expression and debate.

The News is a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The paper offers a hands-on learning environment for students interested in journalism. The campus press should be free from censorship and advance approval of copy, and its editors should develop their editorial and news policies.

The News is prepared and edited by students and is an official publication of Murray State University. The first copy is free. Additional copies are available for 25 cents at 111 Wilson Hall.

alcohol-related crime that comes with Murray’s changed social and legal attitudes towards packaged liquor.

The amount of reported liquor violations quintupled in 2012, but this may be for two different reasons.

We are either more comfortable with calling the police to report deviant behavior or we are simply taking advantage of the city’s relaxed liquor laws.

Either way, crime tables and published reports are providing students with a strong sense of insight and gives us a point to draw conclusions from our behaviors.

This mutualistic relationship with Public Safety is not a new idea and it is not exclusive to Murray State.

The role of law enforcement has changed.

Police now see regular citizens as helpful informants. We are an extra set of eyes and ears.

The routine information provided to Murray State students by Public Safety can be largely attributed to the Michael Minger Act, which requires postsecondary institutions to make certain disclosures concerning policies, crime on campus and campus fires.

Since Minger’s death in the 1998 Hester Residential College fire, the Murray State Police Department redefined its relationship

with the student body, wanting to keep us aware of the crime and fire incidents going on around us.

This is why we received emails regarding the notorious “Murray Strangler” and why we were kept updated on the possible gun violence committed in the Regents Residential College parking lot last year.

Our emergency services have evolved from a policy that required silence amidst times of emergency to a policy that insists students know what is going on at all times.

Now that we are being kept informed about happenings on campus, we should take advantage of that right.

We should keep calling the police when it is necessary or an emergency.

Just because students don’t have a duty or obligation to report crimes or fire, it should be a way of keeping the Murray State community and campus law enforcement in sync with each other.

Police departments have a limited amount of eyes on the streets.

As the primary inhabitants of Murray State’s campus, we should do everything we can to keep our school safe and provide the assistance we are capable of. Our Public Safety may depend on it.

I’ve got a Story for You

The lang uage virus is totally infectious Slowly but surely, a language virus of the most virulent kind has worked its way east from the valleys of California, carried on the air by television and radio, until almost no one under 40 years of age is able to express any sentiment that is less than Robert Valentine “total.”

Senior lecturer in I noticed it a few years ago when my Advertising and Mass semi-Californian Communications niece expressed her approval of a contemporary music artist by saying, “I totally, totally love him.”

The concept of total love is not unknown to me, because I have read Shakespeare, seen “Love Story” and been married. But the prospect of total, total love is kind of intimidating.

I expected that the girl would either run off with the tattooed, hirsute musician, or hurl herself from a tall building in a fit of unrequited frenzy.

Instead, within a single week, she was so totally, totally in love with, of all people, Troy Aikman.

You’ll be pleased to know that she is now well, has graduated college and “totally loves her new job.”

But she is one of the lucky ones. I notice now that people in high public position, such as commentators, actors and standup comedians, have taken to expressing themselves with the dreaded, “totally.”

Just tune into CNN and see if anyone can

say much of anything without being “totally sure” or “totally committed.”

In response to the question, “Do you expect your new film to be a hit?” one rocket science school dropout of an actor responded, “Totally.”

And that’s the problem. I still don’t know what the guy meant.

Does he expect the film to be a hit? Or does he expect it to be a “total” hit? Are there certain degrees of “hitness” of which I am unaware?

I asked a college student if she understood that there was a test Thursday.

Communication is something we need to do well and our words are the tools we have to use.

- Robert Valentine, senior lecturer in Advertising and Mass Communications “Totally,” she responded. She had total understanding of the question? Why couldn’t she just say, “Yes?” “Total” is an absolute adjective, is it not?

So there is no need to put it with other absolutes, like “dead.” Is there a point to saying, “He is totally dead?”

Are there degrees of dead, outside of hospital-based soap operas?

This tendency to equivocate everything has even spread to the National Public Radio whereon a well-known interviewer pointed

out to her celebrity guest the extent to which he had become very famous.

She said, “So you became, like, totally a sort-of icon.”

Are you kidding me? In the first place, can anyone or anything be a “sort-of icon?” Isn’t iconism either a state of being or not?

If you can be “sort-of an icon,” how can that be a state of totality?

And what, by the way, is the word “like” doing? What is like a total sort-of icon?

For that matter, what is unlike it?

I suspect the Millennial Generation’s favorite word, “like,” is just put there to take up space in the place of the more appropriate, “duh.”

We might expect more of NPR, and we should expect more of each other.

Communication is something we need to do well and our words are the tools we have to use.

Good tools deserve respect and care.

Because if all the words, like “commitment” and “dead” and “credible” and “love” have to be modified with some form of “total,” it won’t be long before those words themselves have lost most, if not all, of their original meanings.

And, maybe because I am about to celebrate an anniversary, I am aware of the fact that, sometimes, the absence of an absolute makes the meaning stronger.

Somehow, I can’t hear myself saying, “Honey, I totally, totally love you,” without also hearing my wife say, “What in the world have you done now?”

Sometimes, “I love you” is enough; “we are committed” is sufficient; and “this is the truth” will do nicely, thank you.

Well, that’s my story, and I’m totally sticking to it. Completely. Really. Like, totally.

The News

Opinion

February 14, 2014

5A Did she really say that?

Letters to the Editor The spirit of John Scopes recently descended upon our beloved Bluegrass in the form of debate between Creation Museum Founder Ken Ham and Bill Nye the Science Guy. Nothing like a good debate to rouse the troops comfortably entrenched in their intellectual foxholes .

Verbal barbs between camps have been traded since the famous “Monkey Trial” sparked by Scopes- a native Kentuckian, by the way.

Nye's participation interestingly drew the ire of evolutionary scientists who likened it to intellectual condescension on par with debating CroMagnon.

Nye raised several objections to the creationist model, but when he implicated creationists for dragging the nation behind in science and holding up progress, he failed to give a reason why the country should go ahead with science.

“What keeps the United States ahead, what makes the United States a world leader, is our technology," Nye said. "If we continue to eschew science, and try to divide science between observational science and 'historical science,' we are not going to move forward, we will not embrace natural laws, we will not make discoveries, we will not invent.”

In other words, Nye contends that adherence to evolution is integral if not foundational to good science.

Undermining Nye's certainty is that scientific understanding does indeed change as new information is gathered. For example, spontaneous generation, a widely held view in scientific circles until the 19th Century, posited that living things come from nonliving things: maggots from rotting meat, mold from stale bread, etc.

Application to this current debate?

Beware all ye evolution doubters, lest you end up in the cesspool of ignorance that shall relegate your intellect and future to the Pleistocene Era. Before you can say “I'm over that,” realize that Albert Einstein's long-respected theory of relativity recently underwent intense scrutiny and appeared to be on the brink of revision in 2011 when neutrinos were thought to be faster than the speed of light.

There is no doubt in Nye's mind that the universe is really old and began with a big bang, yet he couldn't answer where the consciousness that allows him to think that thought comes from in the first place.

To exalt science as the arbiter of all truth is to coronate the scientific man as more powerful than he his.

Tipping is more than a statement Scientists are people. People are finite. By definition, a finite creature is limited in his knowing. Even his observations are limited by the constraints of the human condition and subject to change with the gathering of new information.

This is not an excuse to be ignorant. It is instead a challenge to temper humanity with a good dose of humility -the kind on par needed by the afflicted Job when indignant with God over his suffering.

God responded, "Where were you when I laid the foundation of the earth? Tell me, if you have understanding. Who determined its measurements-surely you know!" (Job 38:4-5) The Biblical worldview doesn't eschew science as Nye contends.

Instead, it embraces it as a tool to carry out what is known as the Dominion Mandate - God's direction to mankind to govern and subdue the natural world.

However, since Darwin published his Origins of Species theory, science has evolved into a worldview called scientism with evolution being a sacred tenet.

Evolution has yet to explain where matter and energy come from and

how living things spring from nonliving matter. It has not answered where intelligence or morality come from.

And it is completely silent in explaining how "survival of the fittest" comports with compassion and care for the sick and dying of total strangers.

These conundrums are evolving the debate and raise questions of who and what makes us human.

Science has helped us greatly understand our physical world. Coupled with technology, it has helped to make life better and more livable.

It has fought disease and hunger and eliminated many toilsome burdens.

It can measure the chemical makeup of our bodies but it cannot tell us what comprises the soul. Science is good but it is not God.

Richard Nelson Executive Director Commonwealth Policy Center

Dispatches from the New Enlightenment

Zing rone: We are outg rowing religion We are outgrowing religion: it’s a beautiful thing.

What if someone living in Germany, France or England in the mid 1600s roughly 400 years ago, at the height of the witch trials, the plague and the great fire of London (both assumed to be due to God’s wrath due to an individual’s William heresy, blasphemy, witchcraft or a general lack of Zingrone Associate professor piety among the populace), following 100 years of reliof psychology gious wars raging across Europe, and the equally religiously infused English Civil War, prophesized that by the 2000s northern Europe would be 80 percent godless with England pushing 30 percent non-believers and even the pervasively Xian U.S. following not far behind with 20 percent identifying as non religious and growing.

It would be nearly certain you would be routinely tortured unmercifully until you recanted your heresy and were then beheaded (if you were lucky) or burned at the stake.

Yet despite the cruel religiosity of those postMedieval times, here we are with religion thankfully in steep decline.

Imagine living back then, when religion ruled our thinking like that. Even in highly religious countries life proceeds daily in a predominantly secular fashion with religion relegated to one or two days per week observance and only in Saudi Arabia and a few other countries does beheading

Cheers and Jeers Cheers & Je e rs i s w ri tte n by t he O p i ni o n Ed itor.

Questions, concerns or comments should be addressed to cbesser@murraystate.edu.

Comics

for religious reasons still occur.

Michael Shermer’s answer to the annual www.edge.org question “What Scientific Idea Needs to be Retired?” suggests religion and belief in God is not innate.

Poll after poll in country after country shows the young to be the least religious. The dialogue is everywhere; the questioning of religious beliefs and practices; a week after the Ham vs. Nye debate, people are still talking about it.

Some may seek spiritual understanding of some kind, but it’s often a mild form like the pacifism and mindfulness of Buddhism minus the reincarnation part.

I raised four children and didn’t tell them about religion and didn’t wail against it in front of them, either. In fact, I encouraged them to check out different religions once they were older. I even admonished one at age 13 or so for claiming with a buddy from school they were atheists like many kids in his class who thought religion stupid.

I told him he was too young to know and to check it all out when he got older and then decide. He might like one of the religions one day for all he knew and he might not.

I respect my kid so much to make up his own mind. I refused to push my disbelief upon him, upon any of them, the exact opposite of what the Xians and Muslims and Buddhists and others do.

Coercing your kid under threat of disobedience and ostracization is the norm, especially in the “Big Two” Xianity and Islam.

Child indoctrination is one of the most accepted yet sleazy practices of religions. Youth ministry preying on the cognitively immature and emotionally vulnerable adolescent is the worst.

Conning some defenseless 13-year-old into the monastery, the madrassa, the church or the temple, often with the spectre of hell dangled in front of them, is the most reprehensible of acts.

Shermer points out that but a few centuries ago people unquestionably assumed witchcraft and blasphemy, not pleasing God in some way was the cause of all misfortune in the world.

Fire, famine, plague, must be visited upon us by God because somebody sinned somewhere, someone must be to blame, their heresy and dancing with the devil must have brought God’s wrath upon us.

Somebody was evil. We all needed to pray more and the heretics and witches must be rooted out and destroyed.

And they were, in droves. Nowadays we don’t burn witches and heretics by the hundreds or thousands if there is a mass flu epidemic or a huge earthquake.

Remnants of this primitive medieval thinking are instead laughed off as hopelessly deluded each time some conservative Xian blames the abominable gays for bringing on hurricanes or 9/11, and the Ham vs. Nye debate highlighted the absurdity of attempting to maintain a medieval level of belief in the primacy of Scripture.

We have become incomparably and undeniably less religious and thereby more reasonable and tolerant in the past 400 years. And the young, sans indoctrination and even in spite of it, are becoming more secular every year.

Nobody gets tortured by a fellow believer any more. The worst one hears is, “You’re not a real Christian.” It’s a beautiful thing. Maybe we can lose that, too.

Cheers to ... The ice melting.

After wrecking our cars, slipping on sidewalks and taking hours to defrost our windows, we are glad to see that the ice around here is reducing to sludge. We don’t feel so obligated to boycott our classes now.

Jeers to ... Sochi’s accomodations for the Olympics Athletes were welcomed to Sochi with dilapidated hotel buildings and dirty drinking water. If the lobby worker tells you not to wash your face with the water, she is probably speaking from personal experience.

Jeers to ... Flappy Bird being taken off app stores.

Creator Dong Nguyen made the decision to pull the game, saying his product interfered with his “simple life.” Last we heard, addictive games are a good thing. Just ask the developers of Temple Run.

Cheers to ... The new The Station Burger Co. restaurant.

We love burgers, local produce and firefighters are pretty cool, too. It’s nice to see some variety in food choices springing up in Murray.

I'm sure because it's Valentine's Day, many of you will feel obligated to take your special someone on a date. Most likely a dinner date.

Some of you will feel really Carly Besser genuine for takOpinion Editor ing your boyfriend or girlfriend out for dinner. This is the best idea you have ever had. You are the true love genius.

You, among the majority of the student body and Murray residents, will make a reservation to a decent restaurant.

Waiters and waitresses will be stretched so thin between tables, making sure that every order is at the right table at the right time.

They will refill your drinks, hopefully be courteous and, most likely, do their job.

However, many of them will be cheated out of the tips that make waiting tables worth it.

As someone who used to wait tables, it frustrates me to see a hardworking server get cheated out of a tip. It's their primary income, which justifies why they make $2.13 an hour.

I can understand not tipping a server who was rude, but if food comes out on time, as expected with a smiling face, there should be an obligation to tip.

I once went out to lunch with a friend who didn't tip after receiving decent service.

When I asked him why, he said he was short on money and couldn’t afford to provide a tip. If someone can afford to eat, they can afford to tip. It's that simple. If you can't afford to fork over 15 percent of what your meal costs, you can't possibly justify paying for an expensive meal to begin with.

The Kentucky Restaurant Association is currently fighting against two bills that will raise the minimum wage and reduce tip credit.

They justify this by saying that tips more than compensate for the ridiculously low wages that servers are subjected to.

This debate on the wages of servers should have us feeling like we should support servers more.

The two bills would affect 191,000 servers in Kentucky.

If we do not tip our servers, the push for a rise in minimum wage will affect the prices of food and ultimately inflate them.

By tipping, we are decreasing the sense of urgency to compensate for lost tips and keeping the food service economy stable.

Tipping is much more than a statement about how we appreciated our service - it is what servers live on.

I find it sad that I would even have to write a column about how we should tip, but it seems that people don't see it as an obligation, but a courtesy.

I wouldn't be far off to say many college students have waited or bussed tables before. Some of you probably still do. We should use this as a method of understanding and sympathizing with our underpaid servers.

Before playing the "I'm too broke to tip" card, we should really consider that it's the tips that keep the restaurant business thriving.

When we cheat food service employees, we're not only frustrating them, but we're also showing our true colors as inconsiderate and stingy customers. cbesser@murraystate.edu

True Stories I

Made Up

By Carly Besser

The News

News

6A

February 14, 2014

CONSTRUCTION WORK Repairs disrupt students, teachers Alex McLaughlin || Staff writer cmclaughlin@murraystate.edu

Kate Russell/The News

A construction worker climbs a ladder to do construction in Business Building South Wednesday afternoon.

Students in the Business Building are having to make adjustments this semester due to construction on the first floor of the building.

Business students have found a new force to contend with - giant wooden walls that block access to parts of the building.

Construction inside the Business Building started in January and has complicated life for students and faculty.

Glynn Mangold, distinguished professor of marketing, said construction in Business Building South has been a troublesome experience.

“I moved two of my classes to the north building to avoid the noise,” Mangold said. “The students complained it was especially difficult to finish quizzes with the noise. I contacted the dean’s office and they found another room for us.

Fortunately, it meets our needs nicely.”

Tim Todd, dean of the College of Business, said the repairs should be done by the summer and the accounting department will be moved in and ready for class in the fall.

Lori Allen/The News

Two workers examine their work while renovating the first floor of Business Building South.

Students and faculty look forward to the day that construction in the Business Building is behind them.

Senior Ashlee Campbell said she has two classes on the south side of the Business Building and both of her classes deal with constant noise.

“There are constant interruptions,”

Campbell said. “In my first class we often had to take breaks because the noise coming up from the vents was so distracting and we could not focus on our quizzes or what the teacher was lecturing about.”

She said while she knows the construction is necessary

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The News

Sports

Sports Editor: Ryan Richardson Assistant Editor: Nick Dolan Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Rifle wins individual medals, take second overall as team Nick Dolan || Assistant Sports Editor ndolan@murraystate.edu

Lori Allen/The News

Sophomore Tessa Howald prepares to shoot during the OVC Championships.

Softball splits season opener

Despite producing the individual winners in air rifle and smallbore, the rifle team finished second at the OVC Championships behind No. 4 Jacksonville State.

The Gamecocks finished as the OVC’s top team for the third straight season, outlasting the No. 11 Racers 4,650-4,638.

“I think we had our chances, but Jacksonville State is a good team and you have to do your best to beat the No. 4 team in the country,” Head Coach Alan Lollar said. “It was a close match and a competitive match and that’s all you can really ask for. It went down to the last day, the last relay and that’s what you hope for.”

Sophomore Tessa Howald was the standout of the tournament for Murray State, taking the individual championship in smallbore with a 582 and finishing second overall in air rifle.

“I feel like I’ve come along from the beginning of the year,” Howald said. “I’ve gotten through a lot of struggles. I was glad to shoot as well as I did throughout the weekend. I did struggle in air rifle a little bit, but I made up for it with what I shot in smallbore.”

Junior Kelsey Emme and freshman Katarina Bisercic were also key pieces to the

Mallory Tucker|| Staff writer mtucker11@murraystate.edu

The softball team opened its season with a victory at Louisiana State’s Tiger Classic over the weekend, where it finished with two wins and two losses.

The Racers split games Friday, beating Central Arkansas 8-4 before falling to Minnesota 8-2. Saturday, the team came out strong once again with a 10-6 win over Oklahoma State, but lost to No. 17 Louisiana State 13-2.

After four games of impressive hitting, freshman Jessica Twaddle was named to the Tiger Classic’s All-Tour-

Sochi Olympics

4

# of athletes on the rifle team named to at least one All-OVC team

Murray State All-OVC awards OVC Air Rifle Athlete of the Year Katarina Bisercic

Racers’ success.

Emme finished the tournament with an individual championship by shooting a 591 in air rifle, and she placed seventh overall in smallbore.

Bisercic finished third overall in air rifle and 16th in smallbore.

Lollar said even though the team did not finish the way it wanted, having two individual champions and quality outings from the whole team is a good sign. “(Having two top finishers) says a lot about how close it was,” he said. “We had the top two shooters in each gun and the top three in air rifle. We had people that performed really well in the spotlight of the championships.”

The Racers welcome the No. 12 Rebels of Ole Miss to the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range Saturday before hosting the NCAA Qualifier round Feb. 22.

Lollar said the upcoming match against Ole Miss will be a good chance for the team to get on the same page before entering the final tournaments of the year.

“I think this week with Ole Miss coming in here is important for a couple reasons,” he said. “We’re still trying to come together and have our best day as a team on the same day, and I think this gives us another chance to get tuned up and get where we need to be mentally and emotionally.”

nament Team. Twaddle led the team on opening weekend with a .444 batting average and only struck out once during the first four games of her college career.

“This team is really awesome about not pushing underclassmen to the side or anything like that,” Twaddle said.

“Any given person can lead the team on any given weekend. So I’m just grateful for that, for my teammates and how awesome they are. They’re always pushing everybody to get better.”

Though the team had to face power conference schools in its first collegiate tournament, Twaddle said she and the

Section B

OVC All-Conference First Team Smallbore Bill Harvey, Tessa Howald OVC All-Conference Second Team Smallbore Kelsey Emme All-OVC Smallbore Newcomer Team Katarina Bisercic OVC All-Conference First Team Air Rifle Katarina Bisercic, Tessa Howald, Kelsey Emme All-OVC Air Rifle Newcomer Team Katarina Bisercic

OVC Championships Results 1. Jacksonville State 2. Murray State 3. UT Martin Mixed 4. Columbus State 5. Morehead State 6. UT Martin Women

rest of the team handled the pressure by keeping everything in perspective.

“We came into the game ready to go,” Twaddle said. “We put to the side that they were a big school and we were Murray State, and we came out with a big win. I was more nervous last week, and I really just prayed about it for the nerves to pass.”

She said she thought her first plate appearance would be more intimidating than it was, but she was not nervous when she stepped into the batter’s box.

With one tournament under its belt, Head Coach Kara Amundson said the team has a bigger goal in mind for the re-

4,650 4,638 4,597 4,557 4,517 4,485

mainder of its season.

“One of the team goals this year that our players implemented was ‘Ring in the Spring,’ which means they want to win the OVC, and that’s kind of what their big picture goal is,” she said. “We’ve still got to make sure we stay focused moving forward and clean some things up, and we’re getting better every weekend.”

This weekend the Racers travel to Woodstock, Ga., to face Akron, Kennesaw State, Southeastern Louisiana and Northern Kentucky in the Phyllis Rafter

see SPLIT, 2B

Racers extract revenge on SIUE Jonathan Ferris || Staff writer jferris2@murraystate.edu

By the numbers 51 billion dollars spent on the games, more than all other 21 Winter Games combined

8.7

billion dollars spent on railroad from Sochi to mountain cluster in Krasnaya Polyana

2

billion dollars spent for security at Games

775

million dollars NBC paid for broadcast rights in the U.S.

1.05

billion dollars expected in ad sale revenue (previous record: $851 million)

85

hours of daily TV coverage over 18 days of Games

When Murray State and Southern Illinois University Edwardsville met nearly a month ago, the Racers were cruising through the OVC. Unfortunately for Head Coach Steve Prohm’s team, the Cougars earned a tough 6760 victory – throwing a wrench into the Racers’ perfect 5-0 conference record.

Prohm’s team took advantage of a chance for revenge Thursday night, however, as the Racers earned their second consecutive victory with an 82-72 win over the Cougars.

The storylines from the Jan. 16 game were SIUE forward Rozell Nunn’s 20 points and the Cougars’ 50 percent 3-point shooting percentage. Prohm’s team reversed those trends Thursday night, however, limiting the Cougars to 38 percent shooting from long range, and holding Nunn to 10 points.

“We just stayed in front of them and made them work for their shots,” sophomore guard Jeffery Moss said. “Last game we weren’t really being our normal selves, but tonight we pushed up on them more and made it more difficult on them.”

It wasn’t all smooth sailing for the Racers, however, as SIUE kicked off the game with three consecutive 3-pointers.

With his team trailing early 12-6, Prohm called a timeout to regroup his players.

“It was definitely a wakeup call,” Moss said.

“All of us came out kind of sluggish – we weren’t really moving too fast on defense.

After the first timeout we knew we had to pick it up and that’s what we did.”

The Racers took over the game after the early timeout, immediately going on a quick 13-1 run. Murray State took an 11 point lead into halftime and never looked back.

SIUE only got as close as nine in the second half as the Racers established a dominant presence in the post. Murray State won the rebounding battle 39-30 and outscored SIUE in the paint 48-30.

Murray State’s 82-point performance against the Cougars continued the Racers’ recent highscoring trend.

Murray State has scored more than 80 points in four of the last six games, and the Racers currently rank as the conference’s topscoring team.

Prohm said he cautioned his team, however, to

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Sophomore guard Jeffery Moss drives prepares to pull up for a short jumper in the Racer’s win. not lose focus on the defensive side of the ball.

“We’ve proven we can score,” Prohm said.

“We want to be great offensively, but you’ve always got to play defense.”

The Racers’ victory moves them to 15-9 on the season and 10-2 in OVC play – good for a four-game lead in the OVC West and the second overall spot in the conference.

With four games left on the regular season schedule, a victory Saturday against Eastern Illinois would clinch the OVC West title and an automatic two-round bye into the semifinals of the OVC Tournament.

Prohm said he isn’t too concerned with the standings at this point.

“The (OVC) West will play itself out,” Prohm said. “We’ve got four games left. We need to win all four and see where that puts us at the end.”

Since the teams’ last meeting, Eastern Illinois has gone 4-4 and sits in third place in the OVC West.

After playing Eastern Illinois, the Racers turn their sights to the final home game of the season Feb. 22 against Morehead State.

The next-to-last home game of the 2013-14 season tips off Saturday at 7:30 p.m.

WHAT’S

SOCCER COACH

TENNIS LOSES

INSIDE

Questions and answers with Jeremy Groves, 3B

Women come up short against Counseling Center begins group program for students, 5B Memphis, Chattanooga, 3B

RACER REVOLUTION

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Freshman guard Cameron Payne drives to the lane looking for an open teammate.

APP REVIEW Flappy Bird takes over lives, destroys self-esteem, 7B

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2B

February 14, 2014

Women struggle to f ind wins

SPLIT From Page 1

Tom Via || Staff writer Memorial Tournament.

Amundson said the team has the ability to come out with a good record as long as the players focus on their own game.

“I don’t really talk about who we’re playing so much,” she said. “I don’t think that’s something we need to do, because if we are worrying about making the routine plays, executing pitches and focusing on the game one pitch at a time, with the talent that we have, we will be just fine.”

She said that is the focus of practices – making sure the team tightens things up it has control over.

Said Amundson: “Then when we step on the field we’re ready to play Racer softball, regardless of who’s on the other side.”

tvia@murraystate.edu

The two teams exchanged the lead six times in the first half, but Tennessee State used a late run to build a halftime lead the Racers couldn’t overcome. “(Tennessee State) went on a 9-0 run to end the first half and we missed six free throws,” Head Coach Rob Cross said. “That let it go from a one possession game to an 11-point game, and the game opened up.”

The Racers rallied in the second half but could not convert on key plays in the final minutes of the game. While the Racers shot 50 percent from the field, other aspects of the game weren’t as positive.

“You can’t shoot 56 percent from the free throw line when you are shorthanded, and you can’t give up 19 offensive rebounds,” Cross said.

Senior forward Jessica Winfrey said the poor free throw shooting was due to mental problems, not the long break between games.

“It seemed to be a mental thing and we just couldn’t hit (free throws) when we needed to,” Winfrey said.

While this season has not measured up to what the lone senior had planned, she said she is still trying to keep the team positive as the season continues.

“As a team we have to accept things and keep being positive and play hard,” Winfrey said. “I try to tell them that things will be OK and everything happens for a reason.”

The Racers now return home for a key stretch of games that will test the team.

While the Racers are 1-9 in conference play, Cross said he believes his team still has an opportunity to make the conference tournament if the Racers can end the streak Saturday.

“If we win all our home games and then split on the road, then maybe we could get there,” Cross said.

The Racers look to end the streak when they host Eastern Illinois at 5:15 p.m. Saturday.

Inside the loss: Lack of depth causes problems

Shaw, team s e t re co rd s

Staff Report

Staff Report

Kate RussellThe News

Freshman point guard Janssen Starks (right) drives to the lane against Austin Peay earlier this season.

At the beginning of the season, the biggest challenge for women’s basketball was a lack of experience.

Now Head Coach Rob Cross faces a new problem. After opening the season with 12 players, the Racers are down to eight.

The latest injury came two weeks ago when freshman guard Julia Fox became the second guard out for the season with a

Women’s OVC Basketball Standings East Eastern Kentucky Belmont Tennessee State Tennessee Tech Jacksonville State Morehead State

West 7-3 8-4 7-4 6-5 6-6 4-7

UT Martin Austin Peay Eastern Illinois Southeast Missouri SIUE Murray State

knee surgery. With only three guards available to play, Cross has had to make major adjustments.

The adjustments for the Racers have led to unique lineups to help the coaching staff manage their players’ fatigue.

With five of the eight players on the roster listed as forwards, the change to a slower offense will allow the Racers to work from inside the paint.

Being listed as a forward does-

Men’s OVC Basketball Standings East

10-1 6-6 5-6 4-7 3-9 1-9

n’t limit the chance to make a 3pointer, though.

Sophomore forward Bianca Babic has scored 25 3’s this season while sophomore guard Jashae Lee has scored 10 from behind the arc.

With the majority of the team as forwards, Cross said he had to tell his guards the team could not afford for them to take breaks.

With no time for rest, the guards will have to slow the pace of the games from now on.

Belmont Morehead State Eastern Kentucky Tennessee Tech Jacksonville State Tennessee State

West 10-3 8-3 7-5 6-5 4-8 2-11

Murray State SIUE Eastern Illinois Austin Peay Southeast Missouri UT Martin

10-2 6-6 6-7 5-6 4-8 3-9

The track and field team continued its impressive season at the Southern Illinois Invitational and set more personal records.

Junior LaShea Shaw started things off for the Racers when she set a personal record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.62.

Shaw later won the 60-meter hurdles with another personal best time of 8.52. Both runs marked the secondfastest times in school history.

In distance events, junior Brittany Bohn took third in the mile with her fastest time ever, 5:04.43. She also set her new record in the 3,000-meter run, taking fourth in the event.

Sophomores Emma Gilmore and Alicyn Hester followed closely behind Bohn in the mile, and they each set personal bests.

Junior Tonia Pratt also competed well for the Racers in the throws.

Pratt took fourth in both the weight throw and shot put.

Today the team competes in the Grand Valley State Big Meet, its last event before the OVC Indoor Championships in Nashville, Tenn.

The News

Sports

February 14, 2014

3B

Women fall to .500 with two losses Tom Via || Staff writer tvia@murraystate.edu

Lori Allen/The News

Junior Andrea Eskauriatza passes a ball back over the net during practice.

In the first two-match weekend of the season, women’s tennis suffered its first losses of the spring to No. 33 Memphis and Chattanooga.

While the Racers’ spring season record fell to 2-2, Head Coach Olga Elkins believes these matches show how good her team can be. “The girls did well and we lost a couple of close matches, but it was great to see that we can compete with ranked teams,� Elkin said.

The week began with the Racers selected as the preseason No. 2 in the OVC based on votes by the conference’s head coaches. Murray State earned one firstplace vote and was behind defending champion Eastern Kentucky. “It’s great to get the recognition and place higher than we finished last season,� Elkin said. “We are excited that the coaches can see that we are improving.�

The Racers had two players earn the preseason top 10 list. Senior Carla Suga was voted No. 2 after finishing last season 9-1 in OVC play, while junior Andrea Eskauriatza, in her first spring, was voted No. 9. Eskauriatza was the only newcomer in the preseason voting. “Being the only newcomer on the list shows that Andrea has done well in her matches so far,� Elkin said.

Eskauriatza said she was glad to receive the honor from the coaches, but

she said she knows it is before conference play has begun. “It is nice to know they recognized me before they have even seen me play,� Eskauriatza said. “It’s not that important to me because I haven’t gotten the results in conference to back that up yet.�

Elkin said the team knew about the preseason poll when it was announced and will use it for motivation.

While the team may have used motivation from the ranking in the Feb. 7 match against Memphis, it didn’t win a single match against the Tigers.

After dropping the doubles point to Memphis, the Racers got great play in the matches from Eskauriatza and freshman Eleonore Tchakarova.

Eskauriatza said it was the best match she has played in her career, even though it came in a losing effort. The match began with Eskauriatza battling and falling in the first set 6-3. “She was playing really fast and at a different speed and it was hard for me to keep up,� Eskauriatza said.

After winning the second set 6-4, Eskauriatza jumped out to a 7-3 lead in the tiebreaker. However, her opponent rallied and won the match with seven straight points. “I was up huge and normally when you are up that big, your opponent gets nervous and I was expecting that,� Eskauriatza said. “She didn’t and she seemed to just not miss again.�

In Tchakarova’s match, she faced the

Q & A w i t h H e a d C o a c h J e re my G ro ve s Murray State Sports Editor Ryan Richardson sat down with new Racer soccer Head Coach Jeremy Groves.

The two talked about his days growing up in Leeds, England, and how he made it to the friendliest small town in America.

Groves takes over for Beth Acreman who coached Murray State for nine seasons. He is the third head coach in Racer history.

RR: What was it like playing in England?

JG: It’s similar to basketball being a huge sport here. In England, it’s soccer as the main thing. You see every kid playing it on the street. It’s a way of life. It’s massive. It’s starting to grow like that over here, though, with the younger kids especially.

RR: So how did you end up over here if soccer isn’t as popular?

JG: I was released from the club at Leeds United. I played for college and it was a similar structure. We actually won the British Colleges Cup and I was seen by the coach at Virginia Intermont and that’s how I kind of got recruited.

RR: Is it diff icult not having support like in England?

JG: The hardest thing is people actually coming out to the games. Over there, it’s the be all

and end all. It’s the main things where you’ll get big attendance every week.

nity for myself and for my family. I’ve always wanted to test myself.

RR: Why did you transition from playing to coaching?

JG: I wanted to stay attached to the game. I had an option to try to keep playing, but I didn’t necessarily want to do that. I stayed at Kentucky to finish my degree and that’s when I fell into coaching. I helped out with summer camps then got asked to be on staff.

RR: Are there any big games you’re looking forward to next season?

JG: We’re actually going to go to Louisville and open up their new soccer stadium. They’re expecting about 5,000 people, so that will be really good experience for the girls.

RR: Will that be tough on the players?

JG: A little bit, yeah. That’s one thing I’ve found in my time coaching women’s soccer, is they get overawed by the whole experience. That’s going to be a pretty tough environment to play, but hopefully we can grasp it and get a good result.

Jeremy Groves

RR: What can you bring from your experience to help coach this team?

JG: You have to take each game as it comes. Our nonconference schedule is going to be set up where we have some testing games and some challenging things. If we can come out of that OK, then going into conference it should give us a springboard.

RR: Why did you come to Murray?

JG: Being a head coach is what I’ve always wanted to do. I feel like this is a great opportu-

RR: Do you have any motto you coach by?

Maybe “defense wins championships?�

JG: I was a defender when I played, so that’s a good motto. I heard it when I was a player in England. I believe you have to work harder than the other team.

RR: Where does your love of soccer come from?

JG: I just always liked it. I was just this kid who watched it on TV and played. You see people on TV and you try to emulate what they do. It’s just a fun thing to do.

toughest competition of the season.

While she lost 6-4, 6-2, Elkin said it is important for her freshman to gain confidence against the tough opposition.

After the losses, Elkin spoke with her team and told them to focus on the matches ahead. “I sat them down and told them to focus on what we had accomplished against Memphis and all the good things,�

Elkin said. “We were able to use that and be ready to go and take on Chattanooga.�

The Racers opened strong against Chattanooga, winning the doubles point as Eskauriatza and sophomore Erin Patton won 6-0.

The Racers’ only singles victory came from Eskauriatza in a 6-3, 6-4 win. “It was good to get back onto the courts after losing to erase what had happened,� Eskauriatza said. “I had played a great match and just continued to play great the following day.�

The Racers continue with two matches in two days as the conference portion of the schedule draws near. Elkin said the schedule is set up so the team is physically prepared for four matches in a short period of time. “There could be a day where a girl could go the full three sets in two days and we need to be prepared for that,�

Elkin said.

The Racers return to action Saturday against Central Arkansas at Kenlake State Park before traveling Sunday to Southern Illinois.

Groves Fast Facts Coaching Career: Morehead State Assistant Coach - 2010, 2013 OVC Tournament Championships - 2010 OVC Regular Season Championship Kentucky Women’s Team Assistant Coach - 2006 SEC Tournament Champions

Playing Career: - 2005 United Kingdom World University Games Team - 2003, 2004 MAC Champion with Kentucky men’s team - Virginia Intermont - York City F.C - Rotherham United - Leeds United A.F.C.

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THE NEWS .ORG

The News

Sports

4B

February 14, 2014

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION AWARDS The Murray State University Student Government Association is now accepting applications for the following Awards:

Jim Baurer Outstanding Staff Service Award

Ralph H. Woods Memorial Award

Established to honor and recognize a staff member who has gone above and beyond the call of prescribed duty and shown exceptional dedication with regard to the students of Murray State University.

Application deadline Noon, February 21, 2014.

Established to honor and recognize a student or students who have made an outstanding contribution in service and leadership to Murray State University. Application deadline Noon, March 3, 2014.

Applications are available in the CSI office, MSU News and www.murraystate.edu/sga.

Please contact the SGA in the Center for Student Involvement office for additional information 270-809-6951.

Max Carman Outstanding Teacher Award This award is given in recognition of the recipientâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s teaching excellence as evidenced by his/her effectiveness and ability to motivate and inspire students in the classroom and outside the classroom. Application deadline Noon, February 21, 2014.

NOMINATION FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION'S MAX CARMAN OUTSTANDING TEACHER AWARD I,

, would like to (your name)

nominate (professor)

4. What qualities do you feel this professor has that would qualify him/her for this award for outstanding classroom performance?

for the award. *REQUIREMENT FOR AWARD: FOUR (4) YEARS FULL TIME TEACHING EXPERIENCE AT MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY

Please complete the following information: 1.

2.

Student's signature

Date__________

Major

Phone_________

What department does the faculty member teach in?

Have you had the professor in class? If so, what classes?

Email address________________________________________________

3.

Is the professor available for assistance outside the classroom?

DEADLINE - NOON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION RALPH H. WOODS MEMORIAL AWARD APPLICATION Form to be filled out by nominee or person making nomination and submitted to Jeanie Morgan, Student Government Association, Center for Student Involvement office, with three (3) letters of recommendation, no later than NOON, MONDAY, MARCH 3, 2014.

NOMINEE ________________________________________________________ Campus Address__________________________________________________ Email Address___________________________________________________ NAME OF NOMINATING ORGANIZATION OR INDIVIDUAL _________________________________________________________________ ADDITONAL COMMENTS ACTIVITIES

NOMINATION FOR STUDENT GOVERNMENT ASSOCIATION'S JIM BAURER OUTSTANDING STAFF SERVICE AWARD I,

2. What qualities do you feel this staff person has that would qualify him/her for this award?

, would like to (your name)

nominate (staff )

for the award.

Nominee name______________________________________________ Campus address____________________________________________ Campus telephone number___________________________________ Email address_____________________________________________ Please complete the following information: 1.

What area does the staff member work in?

*REQUIREMENT FOR AWARD: FIVE (5) YEARS FULL TIME EMPLOYMENT AT MURRAY STATE UNIVERSITY

Student's signature

Date_____

Major

Phone_________

Email address________________________________________________ DEADLINE - NOON, FRIDAY, FEBRUARY 21, 2014

February 14, 2014

5B

The News

Features

Features Editor: Hunter Harrell Assistant Features Editor: Breanna Sill Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

Expo Center hosts laser tag event

Racer Life Revolution Group sessions provide students with outlet for everyday stresses

McKenzie Willett || Staff writer mwillet2@murraystate.edu

Brandon Cash || Staff writer bcash1@murraystate.edu

Students face a variety of challenges in day-to-day life that can be hard to handle on their own.

The goal of “Racer Life Revolution: Learn, Change, Thrive” is to provide an informal group setting in which students can talk about the challenges they face in everyday life, especially in college.

The group is facilitated by counselors that provide new information to students so they can make changes to benefit their lives.

Instead of being a lecture-style meeting, it allows students to talk to other students who struggle with similar issues.

“Even though the event is sponsored by the Counseling Center, it's not a therapy group,” said Allyson Taylor, counselor at Murray State. “It’s a way for students to get valuable information while connecting with other students and getting to express their thoughts, opinions and struggles. Yet, just like all services provided by the Counseling Center, the group’s discussions are confidential.”

Last week’s sessions focused on basic stress management skills, such as diet, sleep, exercise and time management.

The session helped students find the areas they needed to change and gave them the tools to change them.

Doing this in a group setting also helps students feel more connected, and provides opportunities for students to give other students helpful feedback, Taylor said.

“When you don't feel alone in the challenges you face, you usually feel more hopeful about your ability to change,” Taylor said.

Each week a new set of topics is covered in two sessions. The first session is from 5-5:45 p.m., and the second session is from 6-6:45 p.m., with snacks provided between sessions.

The first session this week addressed destructive thinking.

The students looked at the relationship between thoughts, feelings and behaviors associated with destructive thinking patterns.

Using the tools provided in the session, students learned how to cope with destructive thought patterns in more healthy ways and change them.

The second session was about relaxation skills and understanding how the body is feeling can help calm the mind.

The next session, Feb. 18, will include lessons on mindfulness and staying emotionally grounded.

Oh, Sweet Murray Megan Godby/The News

Zac Brown performs “Southern Wind” to open the show at the CFSB Center Saturday night.

Zac Brown Band energizes CFSB Madison Wepfer || Staff writer mwepfer@murraystate.edu

Mother Nature decided to cooperate Saturday night for the Zac Brown Band concert. Several students broke out their cowboy boots for the occasion, while others were rocking the Zac Brown beard and sock hat.

Around 6 p.m. the CFSB Center began to fill up. Although the show was not sold out, children, college students, high school students and community members filled seats all the way up to the nosebleed section.

Promptly at 7 p.m. the A.J. Ghent Band from Atlanta, Ga., took the stage.

“I enjoyed the A.J. Ghent Band because it was energetic and up-

beat,” said Stephanie Tapia, sophomore from Danville, Ky. The band also did covers of “Purple Rain” by Prince and “Boondocks” by Little Big Town.

Levi Lowrey followed the A.J. Ghent Band. The atmosphere of the concert shifted from soul and intricate guitar solos to classic countrybluegrass with an edge.

Lowery started slowly with “December Thirty-One” and picked it up with his second song, “The Problem with Freedom,” during which he had a unique electric violin solo.

After Levi Lowrey and his band cleared the stage, the audience waited in anticipation for the Zac Brown Band.

Finally, the lights dimmed and a translucent curtain that covered the

stage lit up, revealing the silhouette of a band member.

Static came through the sound system with the occasional fragment of a song, much like an old radio tuner. The static cleared and the seats buzzed with the reverb of the bass.

Zac came out from underneath the curtain with his guitar and played “Southern Winds.” After his solo, the curtain dropped and the entire band was revealed.

The next set of songs went back to country roots. The curtain behind the stage lit up to look like stars as the band performed “The Wind,” followed by “As She’s Walking Away” featuring A.J. Ghent on guitar, “All Alright” and “Whiskey’s Gone”

see CONCERT, 6B

Students can sometimes have difficulties finding entertainment on the weekends in such a small town, where there are not many places to go.

The William “Bill” Cherry Agriculture Exposition Center will host the first Laser Tag Games Feb. 20-22 from 2-5 p.m.

The event will be open to all ages for the general public and Murray State students.

“We want more student event involvement like this in the future,” said Becky Ballard, director of the Expo Center.

In order to find ways of increasing involvement from both the community and students, the Expo Center held a meeting.

“The Expo Center staff meets on a regular basis to discuss new ideas and brainstorm,” Ballard said. “At one of our particular meetings, someone suggested paintball, which we thought was too messy and dangerous. When we thought of laser tag for the kids, we made it happen.”

For a single game the cost is $5 per person. For an all-night pass, students are able to purchase a wristband which costs $30.

Teams consisting of a maximum of five people may join for $40.

Each game is timed, lasting 10 minutes each.

There are two open arenas, one of which will be reserved as a Kids Zone on Feb. 22 from 2-4 p.m.

Concessions will be open during all games and will include refreshments, candy and nachos.

•Feb. 21-22 Tournament sign ups ending at 5 p.m.

•Feb. 21-22 Prizes will be given to tournament winners •Feb. 22 Kid Zone (12 and under) from 2-4 p.m.

•Feb. 23 Church group sign ups will receive a 50 percent discount for 20 minute games

F aces&Places

Men’s clothing store focuses on brands, trends Faces & Places is a weekly series that profiles the people and places of Murray and the surrounding areas.

Every person and every place has a story. Let us tell it.

Breanna Sill || Staff writer bsill@murraystate.edu

Seeing men around Murray State dressed to the nines wearing brands like Vineyard Vines, Southern Tide and Southern Marsh is a common sight.

With only one clothing store in Murray catering exclusively to men, Dan Foster, owner of Dan’s, has a large market at his fingertips.

Dan’s has been a part of the community for 25 years and continues to gain new customers, while still pleasing returning patrons.

“I was in retail before we opened this store and I decided I wanted to go out on my own and open my own high-end men’s store with the top brands in men’s fashion,” Foster said. “There’s nowhere else you can go besides out of town to find the brands I carry.”

College fashion changes from year to year and keeping up with the newest trends can be difficult, but not for Foster. He attends at least four different markets a year that provide him with knowledge of styles and what is trendy.

“Used to, the college kids wanted brands like Abercrombie and things like that, but now they have gotten away from all that and they want things like Ralph Lauren Polo and it’s been incredible,” he said.

In fact, Foster even claimed 2013 as the store’s highest grossing year-to-date.

Foster describes the men of Murray as being very fashion-forward. Not only are college students visiting the store, but also doctors and lawyers from the area come in to find clothing for business trips or weekend vacations.

“I think people in Murray are just like their homes,” Foster said. “They’re concerned about the way their homes and their landscaping look, and they are very much concerned about the way they dress and look.

Whether they’re going to church or going out, they prefer to look their best.”

People also travel from surrounding cities such as Nashville, Tenn., and Evansville, Ind., to spend time shopping at Dan’s.

Foster prides himself in knowing that the customers who come to shop in his store are people who pride themselves in the way they look and the way they dress.

He enjoys letting his customers know they are getting the very best out of his products.

“We’ve had so many guys come in already this year and stock up pajama pants, boxers or sweatshirts for their girlfriends for Valentine’s Day,” Foster said.

Dan’s also likes to give students an opportunity to see its new merchandise before anyone else by inviting the entire student body to parties where they offer discounts and prizes.

“We did it back in the fall and we had 400 kids in the store from 4-8 p.m.,” he said. “We did it right before Christmas again and we also plan to do it again this spring. It helps them and it also gives them a chance to see all the new stuff and we can give them a good discount.”

Last semester, the store’s hottest sellers among college students were the Vineyard Vines shep shirts. Foster said his staff had a rough time keeping them on the shelves in all sizes. Not only were men scooping them up, but women also took a liking to the fleece or cotton quarter-zip pullovers.

For spring, he foresees the hottest trend coming from Vineyard Vines in its spring T-shirt collection. He also expects South Point, Southern Tide and Southern Marsh T-shirts to be a big hit again in the coming months.

Fumi Nakamura/The News

Dylan Baker, sophomore from Madisonville, Ky., shops for a new long-sleeve shirt at Dan’s.

Features Features

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by Breanna Sill Compiled by Savannah Sawyer

CONCERT

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The News The February News 14, 2014

September 13, 2013

Compiled by Madison Wepfer

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5B want people to listen to it and enjoy it for an From on-stage The faculty and staff are probably the biggest resource he said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I that willperformance, continue to each writeband newmember songs sat what it is â&#x20AC;&#x201C; an ambitious album coming from Following in directing students to the appropriate places.â&#x20AC;? life continues to inspire me the andnext I will inas a semi-circle.

Zac Brown dedicated song to some do-it-yourself musicians with hopes Students have approached Counseling Services with a and dreams. We are still growing; this album to play with these awesome dudes a continue friend of theirs who died in a car accident. new idea for a support group on campus. The Survivors who make this possible.â&#x20AC;? â&#x20AC;&#x153;He was one of band the best souls and musicians weâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve is just our first real indicator that we are of Suicide Support Group, led by Sarah Kerrick, is a Overall, the group is hoping thehim,â&#x20AC;? album ever known, so we wrote this song for Brown making progress and not just standing still.â&#x20AC;? group for people who are dealing with loss of a family said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;This is called â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;Lanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Song.â&#x20AC;&#x2122;â&#x20AC;? member, friend or classmates to suicide.

According to Kerrick, the group intends to meet twice â&#x20AC;&#x153;Lanceâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s Songâ&#x20AC;? transitioned into a cover of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Piano a month to provide a safe place for survivors to share Manâ&#x20AC;? by Billy Joel. Cellphones were up, friends swung their thoughts and feelings, as well as learn coping mechtheir arms around each othersâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; shoulders, swayed to anisms. the beat and sang along. Finally, to close the concert, In order to prevent students from becoming overthey performed â&#x20AC;&#x153;Chicken Fried.â&#x20AC;?

River City Poetry Society. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I Katrina Yarbrough whelmed, possible changes on campus include reâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Raise the roof off this bitch,â&#x20AC;? Brown said as he sang couldnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t convey my other words Staff writer kyarbrough2@murraystate.edu forming the Transitions 099 classes. The career guidance the first chorus. through conversation anymore. arerugged required for all freshmen and transfer stuThe band said its goodbyes and walked off stage.

The words I classes write are Inspiring words of locals redentsthat to graduate.

As people exited the CFSB, monotonous music began and raw emotion Iâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ve noverberated through Lovett Auwe have a lot of students that come in who to play. ticed save lives â&#x20AC;&#x153;I onthink occasion. ditorium Thursday as Phi Beta have never Suddenly, a skeleton face appeared on the screen â&#x20AC;&#x153;Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s not only about thefaced enter-so much responsibility before,â&#x20AC;? French It's time to dressout yourwearing best Murray State!

The University has talked about reforming the Sigma fraternity hosted the and the band walked neon skeleton suits tainment. Itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;ssaid. aboutâ&#x20AC;&#x153;The the hope.â&#x20AC;?

Features section is looking the blacklights. best dressed Even to be more Blue Valentine Poetry Slam. and masks which lit up underforthe For both classes Hawkins and of a life skills class rather than career person on campus.

Each day we will be posting â&#x20AC;&#x201C; oriented to help Students, faculty and the their instruments lit up.

Green, the process of slam po- students talk about issues and respona new photo of aatdifferent fashionista camhave never had before. I think it is a really public gathered to listen to â&#x20AC;&#x153;The skeleton part the end was myonfavorite,â&#x20AC;? said etry requiressibilities openingthey up and pus on Facebook Twitter. Vote by likingallor the fireway to get information out to every student that other students and the River Kaitlyn Walker, from and Murray. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I loved the ambitiongreat to make a confavoriting the photo and pick up a paper Friday comes onto campus.â&#x20AC;?

City Poetry Society of Paduworks in the background.â&#x20AC;? nection to the audience. to see who the most votes. of â&#x20AC;&#x153;Cashmereâ&#x20AC;? to be Peggy Whaley, coordinator of advising in cah, Ky., perform slam poetry.

Zac Brown alsoreceived performed covers The audienceAccording seemed to office of Academic Affairs, the proposal for the idea Chairs were set up on the

by Led Zeppelin and â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Devil Went from Down to GeorThe basics: Breannan Handley, sophomore Springfield, Ill. entranced inthe the words that be brought to attention in the spring. stage and a single spotlight fogiaâ&#x20AC;? by Charlie Daniels during their eerie encore.

Twitter: @Brenhandley were spokenwill by the way they â&#x20AC;&#x153;Weorare stillthe in the preliminary stages of the class,â&#x20AC;? cused on each speaker. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Overall, it had a good musical texture,â&#x20AC;? said Alex would either clap snap, Whaley â&#x20AC;&#x153;One of the key aspects of the class is we â&#x20AC;&#x153;It was my first time on that Q: Who isfrom your style icon? â&#x20AC;&#x153;Many genres were played Brumley, Murray. most common form ofsaid. admirawant tothe addpoems a student success lab.â&#x20AC;?

A: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Jennifer She song has herifown sensebe of played style, veryinunique.â&#x20AC;?stage,â&#x20AC;? said Samantha Green, which provesLawerence. itâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s a good it can tion for poetry, once So, as Suicide Prevention Week comes to a close, one freshman from Grayson, Ky. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I any genre.â&#x20AC;? were finished. message needed an outlet for life and Q: What are some of your favorite stores Band to shop?

According to students, Zac Brown kept up the â&#x20AC;&#x153;I was invited (by remains the fra-for people across the nation: do not be afraid to speak up and change the way people think of after I would write the first A: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Francescaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s, Vonshow Mar and H&Mâ&#x20AC;? energy the entire and never let the audience ternity,)â&#x20AC;? said Mary Owens, depression and suicide.

These issues are common, espesentence, the following words down. The band played favorites and threw in a cousenior from Cadiz, Ky. â&#x20AC;&#x153;I cially to in the would just come out one after Why did you to wear this today? ple Q: shockers to choose keep the audience on their toes. found the event be lives trulyof stressed college students. There are multiple free services available on campus as well as peoanother until I was finished.â&#x20AC;?

A: â&#x20AC;&#x153;The bright colors helpbought attract attention.â&#x20AC;?

Also, attendees who tickets donated a dolentertaining.â&#x20AC;? ple willing to talk.

Nine performers read origilar to Zac Brownâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new camp called Camp Southern With a collection of $101, a â&#x20AC;&#x153;I think in we have a really stressed out culQ: Whatfor arechildren some of your favorite/least favorite trends this year? nal slam poetry in front of Ground with special needs. portion of the proceeds general, will French A: Worst: â&#x20AC;&#x153;Crop tops with high waisted jeans.â&#x20AC;? rang true in about 30 attendees.

The universal theme of the concert go to March ture,â&#x20AC;? of Dimes, ansaid. or- â&#x20AC;&#x153;We are really overloaded, all trying to do a littletobitassist of everything and spread entirely too thin. color maroon.

Maroon colored sweaters and jeans. Theyâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;reâ&#x20AC;&#x153;Ia actually good started writing poevery Best: songâ&#x20AC;&#x153;The as stated

by Zac himself. ganization formed Compiled by I think students learning to manage stress and mix between girly and comfortable. etry for a girl,â&#x20AC;? said Samuel Anaprioritize Bundy/The News â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let it rain,â&#x20AC;? Brown said. â&#x20AC;&#x153;Let all the bullshit come pregnant women through McKenzie Willett things would help toMprevent Hawkins, performer from the and go.â&#x20AC;? healthy pregnancy. auricio Innfurther iss perforissues.â&#x20AC;? ms â&#x20AC;&#x153;Not rachet, but classic.â&#x20AC;?

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EXPECTING tingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s new Singer-songwriter It was confirmedSWednesday musical â&#x20AC;&#x153;The Last Shipâ&#x20AC;? has found that actors John Krasinski and a Emily home on Broadway.

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The News

Features

February 14, 2014

WHAT’S HAPPENIN’?

TODAY • 12:30 p.m.

Sociology Student Club Meeting, Faculty Hall, room 107 • 7:30 p.m.

Cinema International: "A Touch of Sin," Curris Center Theater

S A T U R D A Y

• All day Bull Blowout, William “Bill” Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center • 9 a.m.

Western Kentucky Polar Plunge, Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park

SUNDAY • 7 p.m.

Monty Python’s “Spamalot,” Playhouse in the Park

MONDAY

Advice You Didn’t Ask For

• 10 a.m.

• 5 p.m.

W Origami E shop withWorkICALA JSA, Faculty D and rooms 400 N Hall, and 405 E • 6:30 p.m.

1 Beginner S Yoga with Therese St. D Paul, Wellness A Center Y

THURSDAY • 7 p.m.

Kentucky Climate Change Panel, Jesse D. Jones Hall, room 1212 • 7:30 p.m.

Cinema International: “Spirit of the Beehive,” Curris Center Theater

Game Review

Photo courtesy of gameskinny.com

Creator of Flappy Bird, Dong Nguyen, launched the application for the iPhone in May 2013. It took Nguyen only two days to create the game.

Popular app ruins self-esteem Hunter Harrell Features Editor hharrell@murraystate.edu It was a cold Jan. 27, another dreary Monday after classes curled up in bed when I made the worst decision of my short life.

Scrolling through Twitter, I saw an update on my timeline indicating Apple’s most downloaded app of the day. I decided to give it a try and see what the hype was all about.

The name of the game: Flappy Bird. The object: guide a small fishlooking bird through the air without so much as grazing the pipes that come from both the top and the bottom of the screen.

I downloaded the app and immediately began playing.

My first few attempts at the game were sad and seemingly hopeless.

However, as a moderate gamer, I understood learning to maneuver this bird correctly might take a few tries.

self-esteem and the quality of life of those around me with my anger.

I am one of the few who got out in time, so I guess my bad decision could have been much worse.

In the end, Flappy Bird became a sensation and people were actually earning scores higher than five. I saw posts of screenshots on Facebook as high as 153.

Maybe I’m a little bitter, but my first thought was, “Where them cheat codes at?”

Anyways, the game is a rip off of Mario World with a difficulty level that tests your patience. It is amazing to me how Dong Nguyen, the creator, didn’t face copyright infringement charges.

Despite that, the game has been removed from the app store because the creator said it interferred with his “simple life.”

Whatever the reason, Flappy Bird may be gone, but it is definitely not forgotten just yet.

I kept tapping away, each time almost making it through that first pipe, but not quite.

On my fourth or fifth attempt, I made it through the first pipe. I was so overjoyed, I almost forgot I had to keep going. Within a matter of seconds my flappy bird fell and I became instantly frustrated with myself.

What better thing was there to do on a Monday evening? I kept playing and the frustration of such a simpleminded game took over every sense in my body.

My roommate can attest to the profanity that echoed through the hallways of Elizabeth Residential College that evening. For those of you who need an example, it was reminiscent of a Lil Wayne song.

Even worse is that this escapade lasted close to two hours, drained my phone battery and my highest score remained at five. That’s all.

Shortly after, I deleted Flappy Bird because I realized it was ruining my

Playhouse in the Park produces a “Holy Grail” of a spoof

Love (v.)

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T Nonprofit ConCurris U nections, Center Dance E Lounge • 6 p.m.

S Power Hour Cirwith Kaleb, D cuit A Wellness Center Y

• All day Presidents Day

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Those who downloaded the game before the app was pulled from the store are still able to play the game.

Some people are even selling their phones for more than $90,000 on eBay. It gets worse. People are actually buying them.

I find this ridiculous, but like I said I am bitter. The game is challenging. It requires patience and determination.

Consider this a Public Service Announcement. Though the game may be gone for good, I encourage every person not to try Flappy Bird.

However, I should probably tell you the opposite. After all, the only reason I downloaded the game was because someone else told me it would be a bad idea.

Listen to the reviews. If you are already addicted, there is still hope.

Check into Flappy Bird rehab now.

Otherwise, enjoy the other games created after the Flappy Bird sensation such as Splashy Fish, Flappy Fish, Flappy Unicorn and Flappy Plane.

For those of you who do not know what to do with your Valentine’s Day, this column is for you.

Whether you are taken or single on this glorious Friday, I Hunter have a few words Harrell of advice. Don’t Features Editor sweat it.

It’s just another day, except full of pink and red hearts, fluffy teddy bears and lots of girls cuddling in bed with a box of heart-shaped chocolates they bought for themselves and watching Netflix.

OK, the latter may just be me.

However, I mean it when I say that Valentine’s Day is just another day.

Don’t get me wrong, I am a huge believer in love and even have the word tattooed on my shoulder. But I think people get the idea of love all wrong.

In general, they fall into the cliches of a romantic commitment. However, there is more than one kind of love.

Growing up, I learned about and was fascinated by the Greeks’ four kinds of love and their separate meanings.

Phileo love is platonic, friendship type of love, while Storge love is more of a family-oriented type of love.

Eros love is the passionate, romantic love that most people think of when Valentine’s Day rolls around. It often accompanies the feeling of being “in love” with another person, or infatuated, if you will. All these types of love can coexist and form stronger relationships.

Agape love is described as the unconditional type of love, where the person accepts someone for who he or she is without question. This is the kind of love that is chosen, instead of a reaction and for that reason it is my favorite.

With all these forms love can take on, spending Valentine’s Day alone shouldn’t be an option. It’s just another day, where you are thankful for those around you that care about you in any fashion, whether it be a friend, family member or significant other.

Instead of wallowing in the selfpity of Single’s Awareness Day, turn your attention toward the people with whom you spend the most time - the people who don’t need a sappy Hallmark card to remind them you care. Decide to be with people you show agape love.

Valentine’s Day is ordinary and cliche, but love is all around every single day whether you see it or not.

In the wise words of John Mayer, “Love ain’t a drug, despite what you’ve heard. Yeah, love ain’t a thing.

Love is a verb.” hharrell@murraystate.edu

Brandon Cash || Staff writer bcash1@murraystate.edu

“Are you suggesting coconuts migrate?”

“Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!” “Huge tracts of land.” and “It's just a flesh wound.” These are some of the most quoted lines in the play “Monty Python’s Spamalot” presented this month by Playhouse in the Park.

The play is based on the Monty Python movie, “Monty Python and The Holy Grail,” a parody of King Arthur and the Round Table.

It is co-directed by Lisa Cope and William Jones and has approximately 27 people in the cast.

“We describe it as absolute lunacy,” Cope said. “The characters are way over the top ... It just seemed to fit nicely into this season, which is titled ‘Something For Everyone.’”

The musical premiered on Broadway in 2005, directed by Mike Nichols, and won three Tony Awards, including the Tony Award for Best Musical of the 2004–2005 season.

“Anyone who is a fan of the 1975 cult-classic ‘Holy Grail’ film who comes to see the musical at Playhouse in the Park will not be disappointed,” Jones said. “Everything you expect to find is there: coconut-clacking servants, piles of

Fumi Nakaruma / The News

The Playhouse in the Park cast rehearses for its upcoming performance of “Spamalot.” ‘not-quite-dead’ people on carts, to name a few.”

The rights to the play were made available in 2013, and Playhouse in the Park bought the rights and had “Spamalot” as part of last season's shows.

“Spamalot,” however, was bumped to this season when the rights to “Shrek, The Musical” became available.

Still, Playhouse in the Park is one of the first com-

munity theaters in this region to put on “Spamalot.”

Though the movie only has two songs, the play incorporates several silly, upbeat songs.

A few new characters are introduced as well, for example, The Lady of the Lake, which is played in the production by Joanne Robertson.

“The musical is great fun for Python fans,” Jones said. “But you don't have to know the film to enjoy this silly, raucous, hilarious show.”

See It

Rent It

Hear It

Read It

Play It

“About Last Night”

“Afternoon Delight”

“Weird Kids” We Are The In Crowd

“Locke and Key”

by Joe Hill

“Assassin’s Creed: Freedom Cry”

Photos courtesy of amazon.com

Out This Week

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Features

The News February 14, 2014