The Murray State News

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Page 6 See how the Racers took on 15th ranked Eastern Illinois University and won

THE MUR R AY STATE

NEWS

October 27, 2016 | Vol. 91, No. 9

Bevin releases university funds Alicia Steele || Assistant News Editor asteele5@murraystate.edu

Last Thursday Murray State received the $960,500 that was previously withheld from last year’s fiscal budget, President Bob Davies and Jackie Dudley, vice president of Finance and Administrative Services, confirmed to The Murray State News.

Last week, Franklin Circuit Court Judge Thomas D. Wingate signed an order agreed upon by Gov. Matt Bevin and Attorney General Andy Beshear that said Bevin had three days to release the funds withheld from public universities in Kentucky from the final quarter of the last fiscal year’s budget.

“The Attorney General Office’s diligence in taking the issue to the state’s highest court means that $960,500 has been returned to the campus of Murray State University,” Beshear said. “This was an issue worth my office’s time and energy because of its impact to students and their families.

And it shows how I value education.”

Davies said the money is state appropriations and will go into a general fund where all state appropriations go.

“There are no specific areas that have had fees taken away from nor are there specific areas that they will go to,” Davies said.

In terms of all state appropriations, the funds are used to support student activities and student learning, including upgrading classrooms, improving technology, upgrading facilities and infrastructure needs.

“It goes to a lot of different sources,” Davies said.

He said it’s important to understand that the rescission of the funds from last fiscal year was a one-time action of the governor, which was handled separately from the ongoing budget reallocations.

Davies said Murray State also dealt with $1.1 million in pension increases, $1.3 million in salary increases, $300,000 in other costs including utilities and insurance and $1.3 million in changes in the federal overtime law regulation.

“Those were the big issues that we dealt with last year, and

Homecoming vandalism, Greek team rebuilds Abby Siegel || News Editor asiegel@murraystate.edu

Sigma Pi and Kappa Delta’s Homecoming float was vandalized between 9 p.m. Tuesday and 7 a.m. Wednesday, three days before the annual Homecoming Parade, and a police report was filed with Public Safety and Emergency Management.

Chief of Police James Herring said Public Safety is currently developing suspects and an arrest will likely take place. Her-

ring said vandalism is classified as a felony.

He said discipline of this nature is handled through the student conduct office, led by Mike Young, associate vice president for Student Affairs.

Young said the disciplinary action will depend on multiple factors, one being whether a group or individual committed the crime.

“If you are looking at the range of things that could happen [as a disciplinary action], a student

could be placed on probation,” he said. “They could have to pay restitution depending on the seriousness of vandalism and the type of vandalism.”

He said the worse case scenario is suspension or expulsion but is unlikely unless the perpetrator is a repeat offender.

Michael Mann, senior from Springfield, Kentucky, and president of Sigma Pi, said he received a phone call around 8 a.m.

Wednesday from a fraternity

see SABOTAGE, page 2

For a better look at the extent of the damage, visit TheNews.org to see a video documenting when the vandalism was first discovered.

see BEVIN, page 2

Racers and Russia The story of a Murray State professor and his role in uncovering the Russian doping scandal

Jenny Rohl/The News

Daily menus for Winslow Dining Hall can be found on Murray State’s website at murraystate.edu.

Murray State Dining Services best in Kentucky Sydney Anthony

Contributing writer santhony2@murraystate.edu

Graphic courtesy of Austin Gordon

Lindsey Coleman Staff writer

lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

Michael Kalinski, department chair of Applied Health Sciences, helped expose a Russian Olympic doping scandal by sharing secret documents to several news outlets. He now incorporates his experience into his classes.

Kalinski said his expertise comes from the experience he has gained in his 19-year-position as the Chair of the Sport Biochemistry Department and the Research Vice President of the Kiev State Institute of

FOLLOW US:

Physical Culture in the former Soviet Union.

“Coming to Murray State was an opportunity to utilize my previous distinguished administrative experience as a department chair and as research vice president,” Kalinski said.

He said in his classes his students are studying doping in the 2012 Olympics and the investigation published by the World Anti-Doping Agency that led to the ban of certain Russian athletes from the 2016 Olympics.

Doping is the use of banned performance-enhancing drugs

@TheMurrayStateNews

in competitive sports.

“It’s current. It’s 2016. It’s one of the turning points in the Olympic movement that the entire Russian track and field team was banned from the Rio Games… It is relevant,” Kalinski said.

Emma Boehm, sophomore from Waterloo, Illinois, said she is currently taking Kalinski’s Concepts and Careers in Exercise Science and Athletic Training course.

Boehm said she had the opportunity to read several documents about the doping issue and give a presentation about one of Kalinski’s articles.

@MurrayStateNews

“I think it is very interesting that the government was that into winning sports that they put their athlete’s lives in danger by giving them steroids,” Boehm said.

In interviews with news sources in the past several years, Kalinski said he shared secret documents which were obtained in 1972 as a result of his involvement with the USSR. He said the documents he acquired prove how doping has been a longstanding issue in Russia.

“It reveals that the Soviet

see DOPING, page 2

@TheMurrayStateNews

Murray State was named the best dining program in Kentucky this year by USA Today using Niche Rankings.

Paula Amols, director of Dining Services, said much of Dining Services’ success is because of the chefs’ skills and the ability to change what is being served based on students opinions.

Amols said when she began almost five years ago certain dining options did not have managers overseeing operations. Amols said she now has a manager present any time a dining facility is open -- even during late night -- to ensure quality food is always served.

She said she has worked to ensure all staff is well trained for scratch cooking, which she said makes up 80 percent of the food served to

@MurrayStateNews

students, to ensure that it is appetizing.

Morgan Newell, freshman from Clarksville, Tennessee, was surprised at the 80 percent. She said she thought only about 40 percent was made from scratch.

Amols said student feedback also attributes to the success of Dining Services.

She said students are able to give feedback at the Dinning Forum that meets every other Tuesday in the Hart Cafe.

Amols said through these forums the changes students want are being heard.

She said, supportive administrators allow dinning staff to make decisions regarding the food efficiently and effectively, also allowing the dinning staff to be successful with changes.

Julie Danhauer, senior from Owensboro, Kentucky, was surprised at this ranking

see DINING, page 2

www.TheNews.org

The News

News

Page 2

DINING

October 27, 2016

but she said she enjoys the Thoroughbred Room, as well as the special dinners in Winslow, such as the Lambert’s Cafe dinner.

Amols said in the past Dining Services achieved high Niche ratings and won the President’s Award, Southern Region from The National Association of College and University Food Service.

“Murray set records for sponsorship, and set records for attendance even though Murray has been the smallest school that has hosted The National Association of College and University Food Service,” Amols said.

Amols said there are plans to expand Murray State’s Dining Services but said they have no plans to outsource. She said money has been set aside to expand Fast Track and Winslow, however, no expansion has been done at this time.

From Page 1

Jenny Rohl/The News

DOPING From Page 1 Union was one of the strongest Olympic teams ever,” Kalinski said. “It was winning gold medals… the US was behind.

I am showing that that was all fake, because those athletes were doped, but nobody before me could prove that the Soviet Union had state-sponsored doping research.”

He said since the 2016 Russian Olympic team was caught for their doping practices, and his revealing documents prove Russian doping in the present is not new.

“The difference is I can do it for the past… this director of

the doping lab is proving it for today,” Kalinski said.

He said he interviewed with several news outlets in the past few years, including ones from Germany, Japan, the Netherlands and Moscow, and he was also included in a German documentary.

Most recently, Kalinski said that he had the privilege of speaking with reporters from the Asahi Shimbun, a daily newspaper in Japan.

The article entitled Russia’s Doping Issue as Soviet Legacy was published on Sept. 21 and included a testimony from Kalinski.

On Sept. 29, Ichiro Matsuo of the Asahi Shimbun, thanked President Davies for the opportunity to come to Murray

State and interview Kalinski.

In his letter of appreciation, Matsuo said that after publishing the article, it received good feedback from some of their 7 million paper subscribers and internet viewers.

In 2002, Kalinski published an article in which he explained the effects of doping in athletes and presented original data from secret Soviet research.

According to Kalinski’s article entitled Recommendations for Androgenic-Anabolic Steroid Use by Athletes in the Former Soviet Union: Revelations from a Secret Document, “The importance of this secret document, presented for the first time in the West, is that it provides the first solid evi-

dence of State collusion by the USSR in steroid use by athletes.”

In his article published in 2003 called State-Sponsored Research on Creatine Supplements and Blood Doping in Elite Soviet Sport, Kalinski presents information about creatine supplements and blood doping in the USSR and how it shaped the standard of doping in Russia.

“Blood doping was pervasive in the USSR in the 1970s and 1980s and was used by many Soviet athletes in the 1976 and 1980 Olympic Games,” Kalinski said. “Open publication and discussion may help to prevent the abuses that can come from secret scientific research.”

Curris Center renovations Staff Report

Chalice Kieth /The News

The university said a final cost for the Curris Center renovations is not yet available.

Murray State recently completed renovations on the set of ground level entry doors to the Curris Center.

Shawn Touney, director of communication, said the door renovation was undertaken as part of an effort by the university to enhance the Curris Center as a “first impression” for individuals entering the building, along with the installations of new exterior building banners and entrance window decals.

Touney said work to upgrade the second floor doors completed earlier this year was also a part of this effort.

As to the budget for the project, he said a final cost is not yet available.

“Portions of the project, including structural and electrical rework and flooring in addition to the door installation, are ongoing,” Touney said.

Murray State plans to continue to explore further opportunities to enhance the Curris Center itself along with the services offered within the building, as it is well established as a vital center on campus.

“We recognize that the Curris Center is a hub of student activity, which welcomes numerous visitors, including prospective students and alumni, on a daily basis,” Touney said.

Other than the current reworks that are still in progress, Touney said there are no other specific plans or renovations in the works for the Curris Center.

SABOTAGE From Page 1 brother saying, “It looked like our float blew up.”

Sigma Pi and Kappa Delta partnered on the Homecoming float this year. Sarah Kelley, junior from Chicago, and president of KD, said significant damage was done to the float, and provided no further comment.

“In my head, I thought, ‘OK, it’s probably not destroyed, somebody probably just tore down a board or something...not a big deal,” Mann said.

When he arrived to the farm where the float is being stored, he said he took a deep breath before approaching to witness the damage for the first time.

He said it looked like the float had been kicked and boards were pushed in. The chicken wire where pomp was applied was torn down and there were boot marks on the paintings the KD sisters did.

“I was trying to be a leader the best that I could so I stayed calm,” he said. “Deep down it aggravates me, of course, but I stayed calm for them and said, ‘OK, let’s get to work.’”

Colin Alexander, senior

Herring said Public Safety encourages anyone who has information on suspects in this crime to contact the Murray State Police Department at 270-809-2222 or through the LiveSafe app.

BEVIN From Page 1 they are being implemented in the impact this year, that in total was around $9.1 million in total reallocation, cost increases, revenue distribution, etc.” Davies said. “That was the big issue.”

Davies said those things were why the discussions to close certain programs and

M November 15

from Crofton, Kentucky, and Homecoming Committee chairman for Sigma Pi, said it seemed like a group did the damage to the float.

“Nothing else in the building was touched,” Alexander said. “They were just there solely to destroy the float.”

Alexander said the barn where the trailer was being stored, on university property, had been unlocked and the barn manager said they wouldn’t need a key.

Sigma Pi and KD members said they have a game plan to move forward by purchasing new supplies and repairing the damage to finish the float by Saturday morning.

“We made the decision with Kappa Delta that we were going to pursue this and keep going and get it fixed,” Mann said. “We may have some sleepless nights, but we will definitely have it in the parade.”

Sigma Pi were awarded best float in 2009 and 2015. Mann said they typically put a float in the parade every year and have never had an issue with vandalism in the past.

Mann said Public Safety, managers in the Agriculture Department, Sigma Pi brothers and KD sisters have been working together to be ready for the parade.

“Everyone has been helpful,” he said. “You can’t ask for more than that.”

eliminate 42 positions on campus were necessary, not because of the one-time action of cutting the $960,500.

Although the money has returned to Murray State, Davies said it has no effect on the tuition model.

“The one-time funding was not part of that calculation because it was one time and does not impact the overall tuition model.” Davies said.

“It does not impact the ongoing operations of the institution.”

THE MUR R AY STATE

NEWS Check out our new website!

@

TheNews.org

The News

News

October 27, 2016 News Editor: Abby Siegel Assistant Editor: Alicia Steele Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

POLICE BEAT Oct. 19

11:34 a.m.

A caller reported a 6:51 a.m.

Racer Patrol advised Murmotor collision with ray Statevehicle Police of an abandoned no cart injuries in the Lowry CurrisCenter.

Cengolf outside ter parking lot. Officers Officers were notified and anwere infornotified and was a collision mation report taken. report was taken.

11:42 p.m An officer conducted p.m.

A caller reported a2:44 traffic stop at 121 North the and smell of natural gas in Price Coldwater Streets. A citation was Doyle to Fine Building.

Offi-to issued theArts driver for failure cers, athe MurrayThe Firepassenger Departwear seatbelt. ment, Murrayon Natural Gas and was arrested an outstanding the Central and to Cooling warrant andHeating was taken CalloPlant were notified.

No natural way County Jail. gas was 8:20 a.m.detected.

A caller reported a res-

Oct. 20

12:47 p.m. A caller reported idential college flag missing.

The a medical emergency at Carr Housing was Officers notified. and Health Office Building.

11:22 p.m.Ambulance A caller reported Murray Service a motor vehicle accident with no were notified.

Patient refused injuries at White Residential Coltransport and a medical report lege.

Officers were notified and a was taken. report was taken.

11:38 p.m.

A caller requested an 7:17 p.m. officer conducted escort to An a residential college a traffic stop at the Business Building from the Carr Health Building. parking lot.

A citation was Racer Patrol was notified. issued for driving on a suspended license.

Oct. 21

11:17 a.m. A caller reported locating counterfeit at 8:51 p.m.

A caller currency reported the the Curris Officers were smell of gas Center. at Hart Residential Colnotified and took custody of the lege.

Officers, Murray Fire Departcurrency. ment, Central Heating and Cooling 10:56Murray p.m. AGas caller an Plant, andreported the State Fire intoxicated person in the White Marshall were notified. A report Residential was taken. College parking lot.

Officers were 12:01 p.m.

A notified. caller reported a

Oct. 22

2:56 p.m. A person reported a sparking outlet in the occurred 300 block sexual assault that of Courts.

Officers, the offCollege campus.

Officers and the Murray Department, CenMurrayFire Police Department tral Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. and State Fire Marshal were 5:59the p.m.

The Murray Police notified.

A report was taken.

Department requested assis4:57 p.m.

Murray PolicecolDetance for The a motor vehicle partment wasno notified of aatmedilision with injuries the cal emergencyofat theStreet Volleyball intersection 16th and Courts.

Officers and Murray AmMain Street.

Officers were nobulance Services were notified. tified and a collision report The waspatient taken. was transported and

Oct. 23

11:02 a.m. An officer conducted aareport trafficwas stoptaken. in front of Pogue 3:46 a.m.AOfficers Library. citation conducted was issued a check of a person on North 12th for expired registration plate Street.

The person was arrested and and receipt and failure to notify transported to Calloway County Jail the Department of Transportafor alcohol intoxication tion of address change.in a public place.

A report taken.

4:35 p.m.

An was officer reported a 9:09 p.m.

A policy caller violation. reported Murray State aPeople smokewere detector activated requested to leaveat Springer College due to Murray Residential State property. a hair dryer. Officers were notified

Oct. 24

10:52 a.m. Public Safety reand no threat of fire was found. An ceived a smoke detector information report was taken. activation on the alarm 4:42 p.m. A caller reportedcenter a theft Residenofcomputer propertyfrom fromWhite a vehicle from tial College.

Officers andwere FaciliAlexander Hall.

Officers noties Management tified and a reportwere was notified. taken for Activation was $500 because steam theft of under by of unlawful taking a vehicle. from afrom shower and no threat of 6:12 p.m.located.

A caller reported the fire was smell marijuana at Hart.

Officers 2:05 of p.m.

An officer conducted were notified an information a traffic stop and on Regents Drive. report was taken.

The Driver was served a warrant of arrest for non-payment of fines.

2:47 p.m. A caller reported an

Oct. 25

3:28 p.m. Public Safety received unauthorized company selling information from the office of products on campus at Winslow Institutional Diversity, Equity Dining Hall. The caller was reand Access in reference to a ferred to Student Affairs. harassment Officers 6:12 p.m. A complaint. caller reported the were notified. smell of natural gas at the Old Fine 3:51 p.m.

PublicOfficers, Safety received Arts Building.

Central a fire alarm activation the Heating and Cooling Plant, at Murray CFSB Center from the Gas alarm Fire department, Murray and center Officers, the Statecomputer.

Fire Marshall wereMurnotified a report was taken. rayand Fire Department and the Central Heating and Cooling Plant were notified. The alarm Motorists assistsby – 8a mechanical was caused Racer escorts – 1 malfunction.

Arrests – 2 Racer assist – 0 Alicia Steele, Assistant News Editor, MotoristPolice assistBeat – 5 with materials compiles Arrests 1 provided by Public Safety and Emergency Management.

Alicia Steele, Assistant News

Page 3

KY Transportation Cabinet says no signs in right-of-way Bella Utley

Contributing writer iutley@murraystate.edu

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet (KYTC) warns residents to refrain from placing signs along the right-of-way in order to protect mowing crews and motorists.

Keith Todd, KYTC District 1 representative, said the right-of-way is the property along the side of the road. He said the rural roads, two-lane roads and older highways generally extend to about 1520 feet off the pavement, but the newer roads generally have more right-of-way area.

“Anything placed in that area is illegal,” Todd said. “We are required by law to keep obstructions and anything that would distract drivers off of the right-of-way. The one exception would be mailboxes.”

He said this becomes a bigger problem closer to Election Day because candidates and their supporters put signs up in the last three weeks of the campaign.

According to a media release, KYTC personnel are removing signs in all 12 counties of Highway District 1 in preparation for upcoming state and federal campaigns.

“This is a problem year-round,” Todd said. “We have organizations and technician places that will put signs out with numbers to call. A lot of businesses are using them.”

On State Route 80, the width of the right-of-way is several hundred feet in some areas. Todd said it is illegal to put signs on the roadway side of a right-of-way fence. He said it is also illegal to put signs on utility poles.

“The biggest confusion is people who think their front yard goes all the way to the edge of the pavement,” Todd said.

For example, he said the KYTC removed signs from a man’s yard and he called Todd concerning

et e F 0 15-2

eet F 0 15-2 Graphic courtesy of Austin Gordon/The News

the removal. Todd said he assured him that the right-of-way extended out about 20 feet, which happened to be about half of the yard space.

Todd said the man grew frustrated and asked to get paid for mowing state property, or at least get the state to mow his lawn for him.

“I am glad he takes some community pride, but we aren’t going to pay him to do that,” Todd said.

“We certainly aren’t going to come around and do that for him.”

David Ramey, candidate for the Kentucky House of Representatives, said people involved in political campaigns are well aware of the right-of-way laws.

“There is a process with the public transportation because they have to protect the public first,”

Professor develops statistics checking program

Michelle Hawks

Contributing writer mhawks@murraystate.edu

Sean Rife, assistant professor of psychology, created a web program that will allow psychologists to check the statistics used in their reports.

Rife said the program the site is based on began in the Netherlands and was created by Sacha Epskamp and Michèle B. Nuijten.

Epskamp is an assistant professor in psychological methods and psychometrics at the University of Amsterdam.

Nuijten is a Ph.D. student at Tilburg University.

According to her personal website, her research focuses on meta-science, which includes topics like replication, publication bias, statistical errors and questionable research practices.

Rife said the program comes as part of a big movement within psychology.

“We are becoming increasingly concerned about errors and trying to make sure we report everything accurately,” Rife said.

He said the program identifies the appropri-

Photo courtesy of Sean Rife

Sean Rife developed the statistic checking web program. ate p-value for a reported t-value, given a certain number of degrees of freedom, and verifies that it is correct.

However, he said it cannot verify if the correct test was used or if any of the conditions had failed to be met, which he said was still up to the researcher to decide.

Book collection for Belize Bella Utley

Contributing writer iutley@murraystate.edu

The College of Education and Human Services is developing a Books for Belize project to supply children’s literature to schools in Belize.

The program is an outgrowth of the Belize Teaching Experience that began in 2007 and allows students seeking teacher certification to teach for three weeks in Belize during the student teaching semester.

“Students who teach in the primary schools have been dismayed by the lack of children’s literature available to teachers and students,” said Bonnie Higginson, regents professor emeritus in the College of Education and Human Services.

She said the situation was amplified when she traveled to Belize to conduct literacy workshops for 200 teachers who were excited to learn about the innovative teaching strategies, but she said the strategies would be ineffective without the proper resources.

“We want to begin to make classroom libraries a reality for teachers and children in Belize,” Higginson said.

However, she said shipping costs can be prohibitive because one 50pound box costs $1,000 to ship via UPS. However, she said there is an overseas shipping company out of Memphis that costs about $500 for seven boxes.

Local organizations helping with this project include Murray Elementary School, Murray Magazine Club, Murray Area Council of the International Literacy Association, Alpha Upsilon Alpha Honor Society and Calloway County Public Library.

Diandra Burgos, a post baccalaureate student from Belize, said this will help the children become conditioned to focus and achieve a standard of literacy. She said she thinks it will be beneficial for the teachers to have new resources and materials for the students.

“I think giving a child a book anywhere would be awesome,” Burgos said.

Editor, compiles Police Beat

Not allmaterials dispatchedprovided calls are listed. with

by Pub-

lic Safety and Emergency Management.

Not all dispatched calls are listed.

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You can check it out every week online, too, on TheNews.org.

Ramey said. “If the signs are in the right-of-way, they take them down and notify the campaigns.

There is an opportunity for them to pick up the signs at the state highway garage.”

Ramey said he tries very hard to abide by all the rules given. Generally, the signs are placed where the public has asked for them with the owner’s permission.

Ramey said he served on the planning committee of Murray for six years, and he said the city of Murray takes actions to guarantee that the community has a certain standard concerning sign placement.

“Sometimes emotions run high during campaigns, and people need to remember to do what benefits our community,” Ramey said.

Contributed by Kelli O’Toole/The News

The Books for Belize project works to collect children’s books for students in Belize.

“This is just one tool in the toolbox of making sure we’re reporting things accurately,” Rife said.

He said he began to contact Epskamp and Nuijten over the summer and after getting their permission, they began to collaborate over Skype and email.

“I think it speaks for what can be accomplished with technology and how effective collaboration can be,” Rife said.

He said while the program was created for use within the psychology field, it can be used by anyone if the paper is written in APA format.

“The advantage of this program is that prior to submitting a paper, they can run it through the web app and see if they made any mistakes,” Rife said.

“The idea is that the app will catch the errors before they enter into the scientific record.”

He said he spoke to a several colleagues who have already found the program useful, which he said he finds encouraging.

Rife said he is implementing the program into his classes and he encourages his students to use it in their research.

He said in the future, the program will be improved and new features will be added.

Inspire to Educate coming to Paducah Ashley Traylor || Staff writer atraylor@murraystate.edu

The Faculty Development Center will hold an “Inspire to Educate” training conference on Nov. 18 at the Paducah campus to educate professors about how to more effectively teach international students.

The conference is free to faculty members but will cost $25 for anyone who does not teach at Murray State.

The keynote speaker of the conference is Bridget Fletcher. Fletcher is the associate director of Academic and Student Services and course developer for the English communications program for Pratt Professional Master’s Program at Duke University, according to Murray State Digital Commons website.

Mike Kemp, professor of engineering, said Fletcher will speak about international education.

Kemp said he has a high number of international students in his engineering classes, and he has faced classroom management problems, including getting international students to visit his office hours.

“A lot of international students tend not to want to discuss things,” Kemp said. “They don’t want to bother the teacher because they feel like they are insulting a teacher if they ask a question.”

He said these issues occur because education is different in each country and international students do not understand the style of an American classroom.

“Our own teachers were starting to get frustrated because it was difficult,” Kemp said.

He said at the conference instructors will have a chance to discuss broad subjects like classroom management and more narrow topics such as student interactions, cheating, importance of homework and gender issues.

Kemp said he hopes the conference is educational and it reduces frustrations in the classroom.

“We might be able to modify our own techniques, our own behaviors or how we run a class so that people who are not native English speakers can at least be successful in the classroom,” Kemp said.

Sid Martin, lecturer of engineering, said he was facing difficulties with international students in his classes so he asked Kemp for advice.

“I would be asking for his feedback because some of my international students had different understandings of plagiarism than what we have here in the United States,” Martin said.

Martin said he wants his international students to participate in class, but he said many do not.

“I want students to ask questions, particularly in the grad class, because that’s how I grow too,” Martin said.

Arthur Boston, site administrator of Murray State’s Digital Commons, said the conference will be an engaging event with presentations to help instructors better the classroom for international students. He said those students make up the majority of classes.

“It seems there is the potential for all students, international or not, to benefit from teachers who get inspired this Nov. 18,” Boston said.

Page 4

October 27, 2016

The News

Opinion

Opinion Editor: Hallie Beard Phone: 270-809-5873

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Our View

Connor Jaschen Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 cjaschen@murraystate.edu

Abby Siegel News Editor • 270-809-4468 asiegel@murraystate.edu

Hallie Beard Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 hbeard2@murraystate.edu

Gisselle Hernandez Features Editor • 270-809-5871 ghernandez1@murraystate.edu

Ranked best at lagging behind

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Kelsey Watznauer Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 kwatznauer@murraystate.edu

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The News 2609 University Station Murray State University Murray, Kentucky 42071-3301 murraystatenews@icloud.com Fax: 270-809-3175

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Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News.

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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.

The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.

It’s no secret that Murray State is the epicenter of glamour, wealth and sophistication – if our sparkling, state-of-the-art architecture doesn’t draw students, it’s our gourmet dining.

Murray State’s dining was recently ranked the top program in Kentucky through Niche rankings. You thought Winslow Dining Hall or Fast Track had room for improvement? Nope, not here – our Boom Boom Burgers and Pizza Casseroles are the finest Kentucky can buy.

That’s #OpportunityAfforded, y’all.

All jokes aside, we are proud of our university for garnering such a high ranking. The food really isn’t that bad every once in a while, and the chefs definitely try to spice things up and offer diverse meals sometimes.

With the Pony Express always searching for new ways to experiment with classic eats – not to mention students having several locations to spend their

Flex fortunes – our dining has become more innovative and is undoubtedly one of the most convenient set ups.

Did we really beat out every other university in the state of Kentucky, though? Forgive us for doubting, but something smells a bit fishy.

In gathering data, the Niche crew based their rankings on student satisfaction surveys and financial value. Every university dining hall is guaranteed to be fairly similar, but there’s one pretty big factor these rankings fail to mention. And – spoiler alert - it kind of dulls the shine of our award.

Larger, urban universities like the University of Louisville and the University of Kentucky have traditional dining halls, too, but they also have many corporate dining options we don’t have.

We’re talking Panda Express, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, etc. – established chain restaurants that students can use their “flex” or

meal plan for.

While those greasy fast food options aren’t any healthier than traditional dining food, they’re certainly more appealing to the majority of students. So, at a school like the University of Louisville where many of these options exist alongside the freshman-centered dining hall, are their numbers going to reflect well on that dining hall?

If you guessed, “of course not,” you get a gold star.

It’s not that Winslow Dining Hall is of a drastically higher quality than other dining halls, then, but it’s one of the only options for a majority of our students. Considering how many of our freshmen and sophomores live on campus and use required meal plans, it makes sense that our rating for our dining hall would be higher. Without the bait of a flex-friendly McDonald’s, Winslow starts to sound pretty delicious on a groggy Sunday afternoon.

We’re not out to break the hearts of die-hard Winslow fans or employees of Murray State Dining and Hospitality.

We think our folks do a fine job considering our resources and funds, and we’re in love with the Pony Express’s presence on Twitter. In fact, let’s take a moment to shout out our pure adoration for the Pony – those 9 p.m. visits to Wilson Hall while we’re assembling the newspaper are golden and so, so appreciated.

That being said, it wouldn’t hurt if Murray State followed in the footsteps of other Kentucky universities and decided to implement branded restaurants. It could potentially attract more students, increase desires for upperclassmen to buy meal plans and create more student jobs.

For now, though, we’ll be patiently awaiting the Arby’s/Rally’s combo while we enjoy our Faculty Flatbreads and Rogue Pogue wraps.

Making Headway

Be spooky, not racist Dylan Doyle || Contributing writer ddoyle2@murraystate.edu

“

You all know the drill: there is always that one guy that comes to the Halloween party sporting a cheap sombrero and a penciled-in mustache. Someone will inevitably put on a war bonnet and smear red paint under their eyes. A white girl will dress up as a “gypsy” complete with a bindi (which is from another culture altogether,) unaware that the word is actually a racial slur.

Do not be the person who shows up wearing a racist caricature of a culture that isn’t yours to represent.

Halloween is not an excuse for you to wear blackface, it’s just that simple. However, let’s ignore the racist thing for a second: the last day of October is the most magical and fantastical of the year, and you’re better than a tacky Indian costume.

Surely you can come up with something a little more creative than that, right?

We can all do better than costumes which will offend and hurt others - that’s

Do not be the person who shows up wearing a racist caricature of a culture that isn’t yours to represent.

”

the opposite of the spirit of Halloween.

Make no mistake, I’m not saying you have to go out and spend hundreds of dollars on a costume; if you are stuck on what to be, stick with the classics (you will find that a lot of them are inexpensive - if all else fails, you can be a bedsheet ghost!)

If you are really that committed to face paint, you can always be the green-skinned Wicked Witch of the West (or the orange-skinned Republican presidential nom-

inee.)

Just make sure you avoid the browner tones that appear on actual human beings with feelings.

Dress up as something you are passionate about, something sexy, something purposefully not sexy - whatever catches your eye.

There are no rules to Halloween costumes except the golden one: treat others with respect. Ask yourself this question: is my costume racially or culturally based?

If so, it’s probably racist - and you, being a smart cookie, will probably be able to recognize it right away if you are honest with yourself.

There are many serious and controversial issues surrounding Halloween, including childhood obesity and diabetes, candy-apple razors and predator concerns. Let’s focus on these and not have to spend time worrying about someone wearing an offensive costume.

That said, someone will do it, and look ignorant and rude in the process. Make sure that person isn’t you.

OUR CONTRIBUTORS

Hallie Beard Opinion Editor

Dylan Doyle Junior from Marion, KY

John Muenzberg Lecturer of philosophy

Robert Valentine Senior lecturer of advertising

Rachel Wood Junior from Birmingham, AL

The News

Opinion

October 27, 2016

Page 5

Letter to the editor Contrasting political ideologies between Democrat Sam Gaskins, from Hopkinsville, Kentucky, and Republican James Comer, from Tompkinsville, Kentucky candidates for Kentucky’s First vacant Congressional district seat were never greater than in their interviews with Evansville, Indiana, television channel WEVV in September.

Gaskins, an 11-year veteran who works in construction, spoke in self-assured, measured tones about issues in the District. His answers were well thought out reminiscence of Davey Crockett who said, “Be always sure you are right—then go ahead.” Comer, a former legislator and Agriculture Commissioner, bragged about being the fourth generation of his family to sit on the board of a Tompkinsville bank but appeared uncomfortable in the interview and often gave disjointed answers.

Gaskins talked about creating jobs for veterans and others by using public bonding to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure as President Dwight Eisenhower did in creating the Interstate highway system in the 1950s. Comer, aside from claiming he single-handedly was respon-

sible for legalizing hemp in the commonwealth, failed to address generating jobs in a district that has double digit unemployment and where many industries are closing.

Comer maintained coal was his No. 1 priority, but he’s waiting to see what position Sens.

Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul want him to take on the federal government’s 1946 Krug Lewis agreement to fund miners’ pension and health care.

Gaskins not only blamed McConnell and Paul for holding the UMWA funds hostage but advocated using available clearer-burning coal technology to save what is left of the industry.

Comer, after he and his family took $200,000 in crop and livestock subsidies from the federal government, said farmers would have to find new markets for their crops since subsidies are no longer available but failed to elaborate on how to create those markets. Gaskins said that migrant labor helped farmers in the First District and that existing immigration laws, such as e-verify, should be enforced.

On the subject of special interests, Comer vowed he would not be influenced by lobbyists

Some Things Considered

New best friend and PACs who have given him $200,000 in donations. Gaskins advocated the repeal of the Supreme Court’s decision on Citizens United, which held that the government cannot keep corporations or unions from spending money in political campaigns.

Gaskins’ experience in dealing with bureaucracies, such as the Veterans Administration, clearly gave him the advantage on health care, a subject Comer failed to address. “The fault with the VA,” Gaskins said, “isn’t the medical staff but the vast bureaucracy that is collapsing under its own weight.” He said the Affordable Care Act doesn’t need to be repealed but does need to be fixed.

“When I ask for your vote,” Gaskins said, “I’m asking you to hire me to represent you in Congress simply as a man of the people, just like you.”

By Hallie Beard, Opinion Editor

It never fails to amaze me how utterly strange and peculiar the depths of YouTube are.

A few days ago, I discovered my new favorite YouTube channel, and it’s the weirdest one in existence: “peperonie babie.”

Now, if you’re a normal human being, you’re probably a bit confused and possibly frightened by that intentionally-misspelled, uncapitalized title. If you’re like me, you’re already rolling on the floor laughing just from the sheer stupidity of the name.

Just what, you ask, is peperonie babie?

Well, it’s a lizard. Or, some kind of pet reptile. The lizard’s name is “peperonie,” though the owner calls him a variety of other names – pup, John Williams pep, man, my son, etc. The list is endSenior less and completely ridiculous. The owner almost always refers to Pep (can I call him Pep?) as a dog, and even the commenters on the user’s videos talk about the cuteness of the “dog.”

It’s a strange situation, but an inter... Monday ... Homecoming esting one.

The channel has hundreds of videos that mainly consist of Pep doing This isn’t just any regular Monday There’s just so much to be excitlizard – or, uh, “dog” – activities while jeer. Halloween happens to fall on ed about. The parade, Tent City, his owner narrates and makes jokes a Monday this year, which is the alumni visits, football and food. about the pet’s actions. One viewing of a video makes it clear that when the worst reminder that the weekNot to mention the NPHC Step owner – a transgender woman often end is over. Sure, festivities on Show and getting to enjoy tradireferred to as “Mom” in descriptions a weekday can be fun, but we’re tion with friends and family. It’s or comments – calls the lizard her son, she’s not kidding. The excitement and not kindergarteners – the days of going to be a beautiful weekend, adoration Mom shows to Pep is the dressing up in costume for class Racers. Let’s go! purest, most adorable and infectious are over. thing I’ve ever witnessed.

On top of that, the videos are comedy gold, in my opinion. Granted, my sense of humor is often a bit unconventional – as my laughing fit over simply seeing the words “peperonie babie” exhibits – but the owner’s abilDouble fun ... Flames of hell ity to come up with songs, narratives and nicknames for the lizard during narration are hilarious and bizarre.

Maybe Monday isn’t the best Don’t worry, nothing spooky’s While any of the hundreds of vidday for Halloween, but that just happening – we’re talking about eos are mildly entertaining and give a decent glimpse into the life of Pep means we get to have a Hallowthe temperature in the academic and Mom, one video surpasses all een/Homecoming combo weekbuildings. Maybe it’s because others: “HAPPY FIRST BIRTHDAY end – hello double trouble. It’s the good old Mother Nature of BIG DOG PEPERONIE!!!!” This video is two minutes and thirty-three secgoing to get hectic and spooky Kentucky can’t get her seasons onds of pure cuteness, and it’s totally this weekend, so be safe and right, but lately, a trip to Facmeme-worthy. Basically, the owner don’t let the madness get to you. ulty Hall has been like a trip to makes a special dinner just for Pep, and the video captures all the glory There’s so much potential...

Hades. Can we *literally* chill? of the pet’s eating while the owner sings birthday songs and proclaims her love for her lizard. Maybe it’s not everyone’s cup of tea, but it’s quite enjoyable, and made me smile and Cheers & Jeers is written by The Murray State News’ Opinion Editor. Questions, comments or concerns should be addressed to hbeard2@murraystate.edu laugh. Isn’t that what YouTube videos are for?

What’s interesting is that, through The Fine Print poking around on the channel and watching more videos, I noticed the user had a significant community of commenters. I don’t know the deal with this account – is this all intentional for comedic purposes, or does

In the intervening years, in state after state, Kentuckians chose not to exercise their constituRobert Valentine || Contributing writer the owner truly spend hours simply appropriations for higher education remained tional right to select their representatives. rvalentine@murraystate.edu narrating her inner thoughts about One year ago (2014), nationwide, only 36 perstable or declined, resulting in tuition being the cuteness of her lizard, who she cent of eligible voters went to the polls to elect increased beyond inflation. In Washington, Less than one year ago, Murray State awarded calls dog? I don’t know. Either way, their senators and representatives. That was Pell Grants and other scholarship funding efan honorary doctorate to Constantine W. Curris though, it’s prime grounds for horthe lowest turnout in congressional election in forts were reduced and in their place, Congress at the December Commencement ceremony. The rible comment-section bullying, es70 years. (In contrast, I trust you noted that 74 expanded loan programs, with the result that Curris Center bears his name, and many people pecially when it comes to gender percent of eligible Venezuelans went to the polls student borrowing became the primary way mark a upward turn in Murray State’s growth and idenitity. this past week [November 2015].) Even more disstudents paid for their college education – and fame from his presidency. He served as the pres Surprisingly, though, the commentturbing is the pathetic turnout of voting age citstudent debt has increased every year since. ident of the Northern Iowa University, Clemson ers on the videos use the comments izens under the age of 30.

In national elections, Students are the big losers.

Because students University and of the American Association of for such an innocent purpose: complias a general rule, only 20 to 30 percent of voters and others under 30 rarely vote, there were few State Colleges and Universities. menting Mom and Pep, and gushing your age go to the polls – that is the lowest turnconstituent pressures on policy makers, and the Now, some 43 years after he assumed his office about how much they, too, love the out of any age group, and makes you the least political process wreaked damage on its least inat Murray State as the youngest college president animal. I’ve never seen such positive, influential voting bloc. fluential voters – the young. in Kentucky history, it is a good time to recall part content-based comments before on In contrast, we seniors (65 years and older) go In contrast, look at the fortunes of my generof the message he delivered to the graduating class a YouTube video. Typically, I steer to the polls more than any other age group. In ation – those of us 65 and older. The Congress of December 2015. Because it happened 11 months clear of comment sections all tonational elections, between 60 and 75 percent of has never ventured to lower Medicare benefits ago, some of the references to dates and current gether to avoid seeing the petty, hurtor even to reduce the cost of living adjustment eligible seniors go to the polls. Because we vote, events will be a bit out of phase, but his message ful comments of what the internet we are the most influential voting bloc. Rememfor Social Security. The Congress will not offend about what students should do to improve the calls “comment trolls.” ber that between 80 and 90 percent of elected us seniors.

They dare not risk the electoral wrath world in which they live remains as well-put and I’ve yet to launch into the depths of officials run for re-election. They fear the wrath of that age group that votes. pertinent as ever.

Reddit to find out more about peperof unhappy voters. They fear us – they don’t fear For your good and for the good of the country, “Now . . .what should you — what must you onie babie, but until I do, I’m going you. this has to change. And you can make change — change? Everyone needs to fulfill his or her to keep Pep’s first year birthday video Let me bring this home. Last year, the average happen. Register and vote – and persuade your responsibilities as a citizen in this democracy, queued on my phone for when I need graduate of a public university walked across neighbors to do likewise. The fundamental lesand that includes participating in local, state cheering up. Check it out. the stage with over $28,000 in educational debt. son of Political Science 101 is that even if your and national elections. In last month’s statewide When I graduated from college, hardly anyone preferred candidate loses, when you vote, you elections in Kentucky, only 30 percent of elihad any debt. What happened? win!” gible voters went to the polls. Seven out of 10 hbeard2@murraystate.edu

Jeers to

Cheers to

CHEERS & JEERS

Cheers to ...

Jeers to

Make a change

Comic Halloween by Selena Mcpherson

Page 6

October 27, 2016

The News

Sports

Sports Editor: Sarah Combs Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews ­­

Racers top No. 15 ranked Panthers 40 38 Murray State Collin Morris

Contributing writer cmorris29@murraystate.edu

Jenny Rohl/The News

Murray State football upset No. 15 Eastern Illinois Saturday with a final score of 40-38, earning the Racers their second-straight win and a 2-5 record on the year.

The game began with an early lead for the Panthers, finishing the first quarter with a 21-3 lead behind two touchdowns from their senior running back Devin Church. The Racers went on to shutout Eastern Illinois in the second quarter with score 13 points of their own, setting the score 21-16 (Panthers up) going into the half.

Coming out of halftime, the Racers didn’t land in the end zone but racked up two field goals in the third quarter and held the Panthers to only one.

Connor Mitchell, redshirt senior

Eastern Illinois

kicker, scored three field goals in the second half - one from the 49yard line - while Eastern Illinois’ junior kicker Nick Bruno hit one from 40 yards out. The Panthers were up 24-22 going into the fourth quarter.

After an early Eastern Illinois rushing touchdown, senior receiver Jesse Blackburn began a fourth quarter drive of three straight scores for the Racers with his 87-yard run off a pass from redshirt senior quarterback KD Humphries breaking two tackles on his way to the end zone and putting them down by two points. The pass marks the longest pass and reception in the senior tandem’s four-year career together.

In his postgame interview, Blackburn praised his teammate Malik Golson, redshirt senior receiver from San Diego for making his touchdown possible.

“Malik got a great block,” Blackburn said. “He blocked a dude almost 10 yards up field and I saw straight grass and one defender so I just lowered my shoulder down and I looked up and all I saw was green, but I wouldn’t have been there without Malik.”

Murray State won the game after a defensive stop led to freshman receiver Mareio McGraw following up with his own 77-yard touchdown run. Mitchell then scored a 29-yard field goal with 2:31 remaining to put the Racers up 40-31. The Panthers followed up with a touchdown of their own with less than a minute remaining to bring the game to its final score of 40-38.

Head Coach Mitch Stewart said in his postgame interview that the game was worthy of being recognized on the team’s wall of notable wins.

“We’ll put a horseshoe on the wall for this one and I’ll gladly pay for it,” Stewart said. “There was a lot of yelling and screaming [after the game] and a lot of tears of joy. I can’t say enough about this staff and the job that they did in preparing these guys. That’s why you do it right there.”

In addition to the team’s win, Humphries also moved into third All Time for OVC career passing yards – reaching 9,068 against Eastern Illinois. Humphries now sits only behind current New England Patriots quarterback Jimmy Garoppolo and Murray State alumnus Casey Brockman.

Connor Mitchell also finished the game with a total of six made field goals.

The Racers’ next game will take place at 3 p.m. on Oct. 29 at Roy Stewart Stadium as they face OVC opponent Tennessee State for Homecoming.

Soccer extends OVC streak to 20, sets sights on Austin Peay Quinnen Taylor

Contributing writer qtaylor1@murraystate.edu

The Murray State Soccer program recorded two wins this weekend, beating both the Jacksonville State Gamecocks and the Belmont Bruins with a 1-0 win.

JACKSONVILLE STATE GAMECOCKS

The Murray State women’s soccer team rallied in a 94-minute contest to defeat the Jacksonville State Gamecocks 1-0.

With the win, Murray State increased its overall record to 7-4-3 and extended its OVC unbeaten streak to 19.

The victory also helped to keep the Racers at the top of the conference with a 6-0-2 OVC record. Head Coach Jeremy Groves said the team playing big down the stretch was crucial.

“We needed somebody to step up and score for us,” Groves said. “I think our play, especially in the second half and everything up until the final shot, was very good. We just kind of lacked that quality today in the final third. It just felt like one of those days where you could play for five hours and not score a goal.

The first half featured back-andforth momentum shifts from both teams.

The Racers failed to convert with shots on goal by senior midfielder Taylor Richerson and junior forward Harriet Withers.

The squads ended the half scoreless with Murray State taking seven shots with five shots on goal while Jacksonville State attempted three shots with all of its shots on goal.

During the second half, the Racers were given eight corner kicks, taking only three shots out of them.

Murray State’s Withers and junior midfielder Aaron Lankster attempted shots, but their kicks went either right or left of the net.

At the 94:09 mark in overtime, Richerson converted a goal from near the top of the box to give Murray State the 1-0 win.

Richerson said the team found momentum down the stretch despite the shot attempts.

“Second half, we had a lot more quality,” Richerson said. “We had a lot of opportunities but none were finding the back of the net. I think the quality was there - we just have to finish.”

The Racers concluded the contest with 10 of their 16 shots on goal. The Gamecocks finished with five shots, in which four of its shots were on goal.

Goalkeeper Alex Steigerwald, who had four saves in the contest, achieved her third shutout in the last four games.

Kelli O’Toole/The News

Murray State’s Alex Steigerwald jumps to block a Belmont goal kick.

BELMONT BRUINS

The Murray State women’s soccer team held off the Belmont Bruins in the waning minutes to win 1-0 and extend its unbeaten OVC streak to 20.

Despite the low scoring game, Groves said he was pleased with the opportunities the team had.

“I think it’s good that we’re getting these opportunities,” Groves said. “I think in the first half, we played very well. We created a bunch of really good stuff, but in soccer, if you don’t put people away when you have the chances, they can come back to bite you. Fortunately in the second half, it didn’t but I’m happy we are creating the chances.

They’ll come.”

During the first half, the Racers took an early lead with a goal by Richerson off an assist by sophomore forward

Cori Cain at the 29:13 mark to make it 1-0.

Murray State kept the Bruins scoreless in the first, ending the half with seven of its eight shots on goal while Belmont finished the first half having taken two shots with none on goal.

The second half featured numerous momentum swings from both teams.

The Racers failed to convert on shots by senior midfielder Ali Critcher and Richerson, both of which missed the net.

Belmont was unable to capitalize in the final minutes after several opportunities, making it the fifth shutout of six games for sophomore goalkeeper Alex Steigerwald, who completed the game with six saves.

Richerson, who scored both game-winning goals in the past two contests, said to get the win and re-

main the top seed has been crucial for the team.

“I think as a team we’re all pretty excited,” Richerson said. “We’re going into our last game on top of the league.

Today and the last game, I think we had a lot of chances. I had three in front of the goal that I should have finished, but we just have to put away our chances.”

Murray State finished the match with 14 shots and 10 shots on goal. Belmont concluded the contest with six of its 10 shots on goal.

The Racers pushed their record to 8-4-3 with a 7-0-2 conference record, which keeps them in first in the OVC standings with a chance to host the OVC Tournament.

The Racers’ last bout of the regular season will be against the Austin Peay State Governors at 7 p.m. Thursday in Clarksville, Tennessee.

Rifle tied for 3rd in nation Racer cheer squad talks spirit

Blake Sandlin

Contributing writer

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

Third-ranked Murray State welcomed top-ranked Texas Christian University (TCU) as well as Jacksonville State to Murray this weekend, competing in their second tri-match of the season.

The Racers came in second behind TCU, finishing with a total aggregated score of 4696.

TCU put up a score of 4720 to lead, while Jacksonville State finished in third with a score of 4649.

The top performers on the

day were Salli Li, Texas Christian sophomore, and Mindy Miles, Texas Christian senior.

They both put up an aggregated score of 1182 to lead all shooters.

Ivan Roe, Murray State junior shooter from Manhattan, Montana, followed those scores with an aggregated score of 1178.

In smallbore, TCU’s team dominated the standings, with five of their shooters in the top five. Ariana Grabowski, Texas Christian junior, led all shooters with a score of 587. For the Racers, Ben Estes, junior from Ozark, Missouri, along with Mackenzie Martin, sophomore from Fairhaven,

Massachusetts, and Roe all scored a 583 to lead their team.

In air rifle, Miles and Li led the way, both scoring a 596. Roe followed their performance with a score of 595.

Meike Drewell, freshman from Austin, Texas, put in a high-scoring effort for the Racers as she finished behind Roe with a 593.

The Racers will compete in their third tri-match of the year when UT Martin’s men’s and women’s teams both come to Murray starting at 9 a.m. Sunday at the Pat Spurgin Rifle Range.

Tierra Reese

Contributing writer treese1@murraystate.edu

Pom poms and hair bows are the least of worries for the Racer’s cheer squad. Head Coach Coco Boone along with two cheerleaders provide an inside view of what it takes to be a Murray State cheerleader.

HEAD COACH COCO BOONE

Q: What do the cheerleaders do around the community?

A: We just worked a fall festival.

We helped do bouncy houses, paint faces, work the cafeteria line. There are different things

that we do to give back to the community because we feel like it’s important to get out.

Q: What do cheerleaders do to get ready for games?

A: We condition three to four times a week with strength and conditioning coaches with athletics. We’re just like any other athletic team, we just can’t offer scholarships. We’re hoping to build this team, take it to the next level.

Q: Why does Murray State need cheerleaders?

A: Behind any good athletic program, you’ve got cheerleaders to

boost school spirit, moral and to get people here at all the sporting events.

DANNIS SEAY

senior from Murray Q: What is so important about cheerleading?

A: It’s being a role model on campus, off campus and around the town that you’re in. It’s being that face that’s pushing positivity, being a role model for kids to look up to and for adults to want their kids to look up to.

A positive image and energy, on and off campus.

see CHEER, page 7

The News

Sports

October 27, 2016

Page 7

Kelli O’Toole/The News

Annual Bull Blowout boasts ‘American tradition’

Quinnen Taylor

Contributing writer

qtaylor1@murraystate.edu

As the bulls entered the stalls at the William “Bill” Cherry Agricultural Exposition Center for the 2016 Bull Blowout, the physical challenge turned mental for the bull riders.

The Bull Blowout is a weekend spectacle that started in 1994 and since then has been an annual staple for Murray.

The event features mutton busting, calf scramble, barrel racing and bull riding.

Penny Parsons, coordinator of the Bull Blowout, said

the rodeo isn’t just an event, but an American tradition.

“Everyone likes to see fast horses and ranked bulls,” Parsons said. “It’s America’s roughest sport. We’re keeping American heritage going.

We bring in a lot of cowboys all over from different states.

It’s just exciting to see these guys come in and want to ride some good bulls.”

The first event of the night was mutton busting, an activity featuring kids riding sheep.

Once the sheep were back in the stalls, the bulls entered center stage for the second event: bull riding.

In bull riding, the competitors attempt to stay on the bull for eight seconds. If the competitor remains on the bull for the allotted time, they are awarded points.

If more than one person stays on for the eight second period, they go by “style points.”

The participant who is awarded the most points is the victor; however, if no one is awarded points, then the winner is based on who stayed on the longest.

The maximum number of points possible for a ride is 100 points. Fifty points are possible for each the rider

and the bull.

At the end of Friday night, two riders were awarded.

Jonesboro, Arkansas native Tyler Lewis, received 75 points and Cross Plains, Tennessee native Riley Bibee earned 80 points.

Bibee said bull riding requires a courageous effort.

“As far as your mental training, your main key is confidence,” Bibee said.

“You always have to believe in yourself before you can ever accomplish anything.

You don’t really have time to think when you’re on the back of the bull; you just have to have that muscle reaction

that puts you where you need to be.”

Along with confidence, Bibee also mentioned bull riding requires a physical toll to the body.

“There’s always going to be bumps and bruises,” Bibee said. “What may seem major in another sport, a bull rider will compete with. I broke my right tibula and fibula last June and had a rod put in my leg, but it’s all part of the fun.”

Jerald Reynolds, bull rider from Anna, Illinois, said he’s endured similar consequences.

“I’ve been knocked out several times,” Reynolds said. “I broke my jaw and broke my

nose. I broke my right shoulder. You got to take the pain – it’s part of it.”

Bull Blowout then staged another event: barrel racing.

During barrel racing, horses have to run specific patterns around barrels and the horse and rider that finish the pattern the fastest wins.

The fastest ride for Friday clocked in at 14.26 seconds by a contestant from Jackson, Georgia; Summer Conley with her horse, Fly By Sizzlin’.

At the end of the contest, the contestants lived to fight another day and compete in yet another rodeo.

Softball wraps up fall season, prepares for February start Collin Morris Contributing writer cmorris29@murraystate.edu

Friday night marked the eighth and final game of the Murray State softball team’s fall season; picking up two wins against Dyersburg State Community College.

The Racers put up double digit runs for the first time this fall, defeating Dyersburg with a score of 10-1 in the first game and 12-1 in the second game.

Head Coach Kara Amundson said she was pleased with her team’s performance on Friday, as well as throughout the exhibition games.

“Our most competitive game was probably the game against Carbondale,” Amundson said.

“But I’m just really proud of how these guys have stood to different challenges I’ve given them, either offensively or de-

fensively. They’re working really hard every day in practice and it’s showing on the field.”

With a young team, containing nine underclassmen (more than half of which are freshmen), Amundson has said she will work to put together adequate lineups to form the best fitting “puzzle,” according to a previous interview, and she now feels that puzzle is coming together as she learns more about her freshman.

“My freshman across the board have stood out,” Amundson said. “They’ve shown me things over time that have really let me know they’re going to be a good group of players. I’m proud with how they’ve gotten in here and worked as hard as they can and we’ve already seen growth out of them.”

Offensively, the two games contrasted one another for the Racers on Friday. A sixth inning

rally carried the team to nine runs, breaking a five inning-long stalemate of 1-1 in the team’s first game. In the latter half of the doubleheader, eight of the team’s 12 runs came in the first inning. Haven Campbell, junior pitcher, then shutout the Eagles with three strikeouts. “[Haven] has grown a ton in her time here,” Amundson said.

“You can see the maturity in her and she really busts her butt.

And we’re starting to see that a lot as she’s getting up there and approaching the batters and attacking the zone.”

The Racers’ doubleheader concluded their series of fall exhibition games. Their next game will be their spring season opener.

Murray State ended the fall season 7-1 with its lone loss coming against Southern Illinois University Carbondale in its second game.

Caetano has ‘high hopes’ for spring Blake Sandlin

Contributing writer bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

The Intercollegiate Tennis Association’s Ohio Valley Regional took place last weekend, as Murray State’s women’s tennis team traveled to Murfreesboro, Tennessee, to participate in the regional tournament hosted by Middle Tennessee State.

The qualifying matches of singles kicked off on Thursday as Alina Schibol, senior from Hamburg, Germany, and Amina Hadzic, sophomore from Esbjerg, Denmark, both took the court. Schibol won her first match against Jaclyn Findlay, sophomore from Lipscomb, winning 6-2, 6-1. She then went on to play Anzhelika Shapovalova, sophomore from Miami University, losing 6-0, 6-3.

Hadzic played Cindy Oest, freshman from Western Kentucky. Hadzic won her first

round of the qualifier in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 6-4. She went on to face Ani Popiashvili, freshman from Tennessee State.

Hadzic won again in three sets, 6-4, 2-6, 6-3.

On Thursday in Flight B singles, Jeanne Masson, sophomore from Dinard, France, received a bye in her first round match because of her opponent’s injury. In the next round, she faced Lauren von Eeckhoudt, senior from Belmont.

Masson fell in two sets, 6-3, 6-2.

Sara Bjork, freshman from Malmo, Sweden, went up against fifth-seeded Gaby Paul, junior from Memphis, in her Flight B first round match. Paul won the match in two sets, scoring 6-2, 6-1.

The main draw of singles play took place on Friday and Saturday, where Hadzic tried to continue her run, and freshman Claire Chang, from Kaohsiung, Taiwan, competed in her first match. Hadzic played

ninth-seeded Emily Fanning, junior from Kentucky, losing in two sets, 6-0, 6-1.

Chang faced the No. 2 seed in the tournament, Aidila Sutjiadi, junior from the University of Kentucky. Sutjiadi won the match 7-6, 6-3, knocking Chang to the consolation bracket.

The Racers had only one pair of players compete in doubles on Friday, as Chang and Schibol teamed up to face Tennessee State’s doubles team.

Chang and Schibol got the win, claiming an 8-1 victory against Tennessee State.

This tournament was the last of the Racers’ fall season. Racer’s Head Coach Jorge Caetano seemed to have high hopes for the upcoming spring season.

“The best thing about this group is their work ethic and how much they want to work to improve,” Caetano said.

“Now we go into our off-season workouts with lots of energy and positive thoughts.”

Jenny Rohl/The News

Senior infielder Maggie Glass throws to first during a game last spring for the Racers. Glass was a preseason All-OVC pick this season.

CHEER

From Page 6

Q: What makes a great cheerleader?

A: We invested more time this year getting to know the sport.

Outside of practice, I do a lot of team bonding activities.

I try to make sure everyone knows what everyone’s doing.

It’s not well known the amount of hours we put in to what we do.

Q: What is your motivation on game days?

A: Even when they’re down, it’s

our job to make sure that everyone stays positive. It’s motivational for me to know that what I do and my energy can change someone else’s. That’s the biggest thing.

RACHEL WILLIAMS

senior from Bloomington, Illinois Q: What is your favorite thing about cheerleading?

A: I think if there is someone not smiling, I try to make direct eye contact, because then usually they respond to that.

I think that’s my favorite part about cheerleading, is seeing them smile.

Q: What is so important that

cheerleaders do on game days?

A: I love the feeling of getting loud at games. I like getting the fans on their feet. I think this year, the crowd has responded really well to that. I think it’s our job to get them out of their box, to get them motivated.

Q: Why are cheerleaders important for Murray State?

A: We’re the school’s number one fan.

The Racer cheerleaders will be cheering on the football team this Homecoming at 3 p.m. Saturday at Roy Stewart Stadium against Tennessee State.

The News

Sports

Page 8

October 27, 2016

Racer basketball rocks the CFSB Center

Staff report

The Murray State basketball program introduced the 2016-17 season Oct. 20th in the CSFB Center.

The night consisted of fire exploding from the goals, intrasquad competition and a dunk contest that left the arena in an uproar.

The night began with pyrotechnics flaming from the tops of the backboards. Smoke machines and spotlights set the mood as the Racers ­— introduced by Aaron Clayton — exited from a lofty stage to greet the fans.

The Racerettes took the floor for a pre-game routine, followed by members from each team and ‘Tan The Man’ as the emcee to entertain the crowd.

The women’s team took the court first with a two-minute warm up and an eight-minute quarter. Senior guard LeAsia Wright scored the first two points of the 20-14 intrasquad game. Despite the intrasquad structure of the night, the players maintained a competitive spirit throughout the eight minutes. Junior guard Ke’Shunan James said the competitive spirit within the team is what pushes them to

improve every day.

“At the end of the day we are teammates, but you’re gold and I’m blue so we aren’t teammates right now,” James said about the competitive energy. “We are rivals right now so let’s just play.”

James also commented on cultivating the familiarity between player and community.

“I think the community likes it because they get to come out and actually see our personalities and they get to meet us as people rather than say ‘player number 20,’” James said. “I think it means a lot to our community and we have a lot fun with it every year.”

The Racer Girls and Murray State Cheerleaders took the floor before the men’s team began their two-minute warmup. Taking the floor for their eight minute quarter, the men put on a show for the crowd and ended the intrasquad night with a 24-26 score.

After the intrasquad game wrapped up, both teams competed in a 3-point contest.

Junior guard Jasmine Borders and senior guard Krystal James had 45 seconds to make as many 3-pointers as possible. James won the contest and advanced to the next

round against the winner of the men’s contest. Senior guard Bryce Jones advanced past fellow senior guard Gee McGee 16-11 within the 45-second allotment. James and Jones then faced off, resulting in a 16-14 score and James’ bragging rights for the year.

Finally, the dunk contest. In the first round, junior guard Jonathan Stark made a jump that earned him a 27-point response from the judges. He was followed by senior guard Demarcus Croaker, who edged a 28-point score from the panel. Freshman guard Jachai Taylor surpassed the earlier two with 35-point net score and freshman forward Gilbert Thomas, Jr. logged a no score after three failed attempts.

In the final round, after several adjustments, Taylor jumped over a team manager for a reverse dunk that cleared every seat in the arena.

Croaker responded though, changing the pace after attempt number two and reverting to a Vince Carter tomahawk throw down.

Both teams wrapped up the night signing autographs for the community.

Jenny Rohl/The News

The Murray Bank President Bob Hargrove and Dunker pump up the crowd during the annual Racer Mania at the CFSB Center.

Jenny Rohl/The News

Jenny Rohl/The News

Sophomore forward Abria Gulledge, junior forward Ke’Shunan James and senior forward Kyra Gulledge sign autographs during Racer Mania.

Senior guard Bryce Jones poses with fans during Racer Mania Oct. 20 at the CFSB Center.

U.S. 641 N. Murray 270-753-9622 Circus Skate Murray, KY

M

THE MUR R AY STATE

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October 27, 2016

Page 9

The News

Features Editor: Gisselle Hernandez Assistant Features Editor: Brianna Willis Phone: 270-809-5871 Twitter: MSUNewsFeatures

Hold onto your kilts

The Highland Games May the clans be ever in your favor

Da’Sha Tuck Staff writer

dtuck@murraystate. edu

Beginning as a secret way to train young Scottish men as warriors, the Highland Games still holds true to tradition through a three-day festival: Murray Highland Festival.

This event is planned and funded by the West Kentucky Highland Society.

“It is a form of, what is in Scotland, a summer and early fall entertainment,” said Robert Valentine, Master of Ceremonies and senior lecturer of advertising. “It’s like a county fair in a way.”

The Murray Highland Festival began on Friday, Oct., 21, with a free concert held at the Murray city park’s amphitheater.

Highland Reign, a Scottish

band, took the stage and played Celtic tunes as a kickoff for the festival.

West Kentucky Highland Society President Molly Canter said this event was not as well attended as Saturday’s events.

ATHLETIC COMPETITIONS

Saturday events began at 9 a.m. with the athletic games.

Sports that were included were: sheaf toss, the hammer throw, the stone throw, weight toss for distance and for height and cabre toss.

The stone throw, Valentine said, is comparable to the shot put, a steel ball that is thrown for distance in track and field competitions. The only difference being that the stone used weighs around 56 pounds, which is significantly more than a shot put.

“I just bought 50 pounds of dog food the other night,” Valentine said. “I couldn’t throw it very far.

These athletes throw it as far as 40 feet.”

Valentine said there is an interesting spirit of competition and cooperation involved with the athletic events.

He said the athletes watch out for each other by letting everyone know of holes in the ground or slippery spots. They also coach each other.

The caber (log) toss, Valentine said, is the must see event. A small pine tree is stood upright with the smallest end on the ground.

The athlete puts his hands under the tree and attempts to flip it The “perfect turn of the caber” is when the smallest end is as far away from the athlete as possible.

The sheaf toss, which Valentine said, imitated an old agricultural training was another sport. Athletes, using a pitchfork,

see HIGHLAND, Page 10

Graphic courtesy of Austin Gordon/The News

Students strive to end polio Public Safety hosts first fun day Sydni Anderson

Contributing writer sanderson33@murraystate.edu

Students and Murray State police officers gathered in front of Carr Health Building, playing corn hole and eating hot dogs and hamburgers for the first Public Safety Fun Day last Friday.

Public Safety Fun Day is a demonstration of the Murray State Police Department’s appreciation of the community. This three-hour long affair featured food and games, as well as a challenge for students to walk in a straight line while wearing “drunk goggles” which simulated the impairment people face while intoxicated. Some students tested themselves aby attempting corn hole while sporting the goggles. John Morris, senior from Nashville, Tennessee, said his favorite part of the event was watching the students try the drunk goggles test. “[The goggles] showed us how hard it is to function,”

Sydney Anthony

Contributing writer

santhony2@murraystate.edu

he said. “It will hopefully show people not to try and operate cars while under the influence,” Morris said. He described the event as fun, and eye-opening for students.

Police vehicles were parked near the sidewalk and free cookies and brownies were available for passing students. Murray State administration visited and even Dunker, Racers athletics’ mascot, showed up.

Jeff Gentry, assistant police chief for the Murray State Police, said about 850900 students stopped by.

Gentry said he couldn’t be happier with the turnout and said it was, “a way to give back.”

Public Safety Day had been an idea of Jeff Gentry’s for years and was turned into a reality when the new Murray State police chief, James Herring, told him to “run with it.” Planning took place a month ago and the idea turned into a reality with the support of the community.

Local businesses and organizations, such as the University Store, Dining Services and the Student Government Association, contributed to the event to make it a success. Other sponsors included Kroger, Food Giant, Murray State Athletics, Student Affairs and Branding, Marketing and Communications.

“We had a lot of donations and couldn’t have done it without them,” Gentry said.

He said he wants to make it into an annual event and plans on expanding it and including more student involvement. This includes meeting with students and seeing what could be done to improve the event. Herring said to expect more activities and more food.

“The Murray State community has been very supportive of the Murray State Police Department,” Herring said. “This is our way of saying, ‘thank you.’”

Photos of the event can be found on TheNews.org.

The Rotaract Club held an End Polio Fair in front of the Carr Health Building Monday, Oct. 24, from 11 a.m. to 3 p.m.

Anna Vasquez, president of the Rotaract Club and senior from Orange Walk, Belize, said polio is a disease that affects children and causes them to be crippled for the rest of their lives.

However, she said children can be protected with one vaccine for the entire time they are susceptible to the disease.

She said many people in America have forgotten how devastating polio is because the disease no longer affects Americans.

Vasquez said the Rotaract Club’s main focus is raising awareness and money

She said she hopes that students will donate money because Unicef is matching donations dollar for dollar.

Mansi Hukmani, sophomore from Belize City, Belize, said she was excited to interact with people at the fair and raise awareness for the crippling disease. She said this is her second time participating in an event and she was excited to see everyone who stops by.

Vasquez said students who stopped by participated in Twister, “candy pong,” entered a raffle and painted their pinkies purple.

She said the purple pinkies are used to indicate who has been vaccinated when doctors travel.

Murray State students are stamping their pinkies on a sign which Vasquez said will hang in the Curris Center once World Polio Day is over.

Kelli O’Toole/The News

Kelli O’Toole/The News

Public Safety’s fun day event featured activities and food to show appreciation for community. For full gallery on “drunken” students, see page 10.

for polio vaccines. She said the fair is one of the many projects the Rotaract Club has done in the fight against polio.

She said she hopes many students stop by the fair to participate in activities.

Twinkle Bhojwani, senior from Belize City, Belize, said polio affects millions of people worldwide, mainly in southern Afghanistan and Pakistan.

She said although polio is 99.9 percent eradicated, a lot of work will need to be done to reach the 0.01 percent of people affected by polio.

Bhojwani said the Rotaract Club hopes to promote awareness of polio at the fair but also allows students time to relax and play games with the Rotaract Club members.

She said, in addition to fun lawn games, students can take photos with props promoting polio awareness.

Rotaract Club held the End Polio Fair on Monday.

The News

Features

Page 10

Pimp your pumpkin

October 27, 2016

SAFETY From Page 9

Photos by Chalice KeithThe News

The Arboretum hosted its inaugural Pumpkin Daze last Thursday with demonstrations by professional pumpkin carvers and award-winning gourd artists. Steve Still, Murray State floral design professor, was also present. The Murray State percussion ensemble gave a performance and people were invited to bring their own pumpkin to decorate.

HIGHLAND From Page 9 toss a burlap bag full of rope, to simulate the weight of a bail of wheat, and see how high they can throw it. Valentine said this is how wheat was put into barns.

Valentine said he always gets excited to see the hammer throw. A 12 pound ball of steel mounted on a 32 inch rod is considered a “wee hammer” in the Scottish games.

For this sport, the contestant takes the hammer and swings it around his head, to gain momentum, and then he/ she releases it. The winner is judged by whose hammer goes the farthest.

The other event is the weight toss for height and the weight toss for distance. Both events use a steel weight, that weighs anywhere from 25 to 56 pounds.

HONORING THE CLANS

Families in the Scottish culture are referred to as clans.

Each clan has its own, very distinct, tartan which common people would call plaid.

Valentine said these clans are very organized. He said they send representatives to highland festivals all over the country.

The clans are there to represent their family name, he said.

“In this part of the country 70 percent of the people who live here can trace their ancestry back to Scotland and Ireland,” Valentine said.

“The Scots don’t care; heritage can pass through the woman’s side of the family as well as the man’s.”

Some of the clans that were present this year were: Donald, McKintosh, MacGregor, Napier, Shaw, McLaren, Davidson, McKinnon, Pollock, Cochran and McTavish.

FOOD FUN AND CRAFTS

Various vendors were selling food, clothing, jewelry and other trinkets during the festival.

Those who were present included: Got Kilt, The Keg, Keeney Scottish Tinkerer, Tokens of Antiquity, Peace, Love and Barnwood, Aire Castle Stained Glass and West Kentucky Highland Society.

Read more at TheNews.org.

Kelli O’Toole/The News

Students attempting to walk while wearing the “drunken” goggles, which simulates the impairment of coordination when intoxicated.

Agriculture Appreciation Week 2016 Schedule

Hutson School of Agriculture

Race AGainst Hunger

28 31 01 02 03

OCTOBER FRIDAY

OCTOBER MONDAY

NOVEMBER TUESDAY

NOVEMBER WEDNESDAY

NOVEMBER THURSDAY

Peterson Farm Brothers Concert at Bill Cherry Expo | 7:30 pm Free event | Doors open at 7:15 pm

Club Booths & Farm Animal Meet and Greet at Carr Health Lawn | 10:00 am - 2:00 pm Grill Out: Oakley Applied Science Lawn | 11:00 am - 1:00 pm Halloween Fun Run: Start & Finish in front of Oakley Applied Science Building | 3:30 pm $15 all ages | Registration starts at 3:00 pm | Halloween costumes encouraged Troy and Stacy Hadrick Advocates for Agriculture Open Forum: Curris Center Theatre | 7:00 pm Free event

Hutson School of Agriculture Internship and Career Fair: Curris Center Small Ballroom | 9:00 am - 12:30 pm

Murray's Kids Care for Hunger Meal Packaging: CFSB Center Gate C | 3:00 pm

The News

Features

October 27, 2016

Page 11 Just So You Know

Picking up the Pieces

Horror Halloween season is here, and with it comes spooky, scary fun. From films about the human condition, to aliens, to demons, the top five grossing horror films cover a wide array of what is truly horrifying.

Here are the top grossing “horror” films according to Forbes.com of all time.

The domestic gross number has not been adjusted for inflation.

Photo courtesy of crankycritic.com

No. 1

No. 2

“The Sixth Sense” (1999) $293.5 million

“Jaws” (1975) $260 million

Photo courtesy of goliath.com

Photo courtesy of zanda.com

No. 3

nerickson@murraystate.edu

Now and then a movie hits theaters that, while not offering a plot that is terribly innovative, provides unexpected takes on a rehashed plot. The new thriller “The Accountant” is essentially a “superhero” movie, but without the capes and superpowers. That being said, it features the action sought out for as most “superhero” films, but with main character development rather unorthodox, utilizing mental disorders as an aid, in a sense, rather than a handicap, all while making the plot more interesting.

Ben Affleck plays Christian Wolff, an accountant who specializes in seeing the patterns within sequences of numbers. Suffering from a form of Asperger’s Syndrome, his condition has given him an ability to easily trace and manipulate numbers.

It’s revealed that as a child, he dealt with his parents’ divorce and an overbearing military father, who didn’t believed in conventional autism therapy. Instead, Wolff went through many training sessions where his father would continuously order the trainer to beat him more viciously.

“Zayn”

by Zayn Malik

No. 5

“Signs” (2002) $227 million

Nick Erickson || Staff writer

Read It

Photo courtesy of filmaffinity.com

No. 4

“The Exorcist” (1973) $232.9 million

Photo courtesy of time.com

Photo courtesy of impawards.com

“Hannibal” (2001) $165 million

All of this training has led Wolff to be highly-skilled in combat, and under the cover of a small Chicago strip-mall office, he leads a second-life cooking the books for large crime organizations. Living under the radar for a long while, his activities eventually attract the attention of the United States Treasury Department, and agent Ray King (J.K. Simmons) and his associate assigns Marybeth Medina (Cynthia Addai-Robinson) to try and track Wolff down to learn about his secretive nature. As they do, Wolff takes on a new client, a robotics company in which accounting clerk Dana Cummings (Anna Kendrick) has discovered a financial discrepancy involving millions of dollars. As Wolff works to unravel the mystery, his endeavors place both him and Cummings in danger, and it’s up to him to break out his inner mercenary and bone-cracking fighting skills.

Affleck’s portrayal of Wolff crafts a very believable account of someone who actually suffers from autism. He has difficulties socializing with others even though he wants to, and his stagnant, emotionless relationship with Cummings adds to this realism. Along with this, the scenes where

Photo courtesy of eurweb.com

See It

“Tyler Perry’s Boo! A Madea Halloween”

the audience can watch Wolff’s daily routine, and how he manages with his heightened sensitivity levels, is believable and invokes sympathetic thoughts. Dubuque makes effective use of flashbacks to illustrate the moments of Wolff’s youth, including the scenes containing Wolff’s father and his harsh, self-deemed important life lessons, all while trying to manage his son’s disorder.

This troubling backstory of regret, family issues and relevant social commentary on mental health is only one half of the equation. There’s the inevitable action movie sequences that are entertaining. Their abundance is likely fueled by the notion that it’s “market-friendly”, but honestly, the scenes of intensity and bloodshed make the film far more exciting.

“The Accountant” is odd, but still nothing too remarkable. Besides the eye-pleasing display of brawling action, one could argue that in an unconventional sense, this film allows Ben Affleck to display that mental disorders do not have to set limitations for oneself, and anyone can be a hero. However positive this message may be, it’s probably easiest to appreciate the moments where tensions are high and guns are blazing.

I have been blessed enough in this life to be able to experience dipping my feet in the waters of Rio de Janeiro, see Gisselle Hernandez the sun set Features Editor over Hollywood Hills, witness the sky explode into a burst of color near the Brooklyn Bridge on the Fourth of July and poise over the edge of the Grand Canyon. These are some of the life-changing experiences I will forever be grateful for and am humbled each time I think back to what my parents have been able to give me.

As with many breathtaking things in life, I did not experience some of these events alone. Along the way, I’ve strung friendships that span across countries and break the confines of time passing by.

However, a lot of those friendships have ended because of those same factors as well.

Eventually, sharing an emotionally-charged moment in front of Christ the Redeemer or having someone snap a candid of you losing yourself to your favorite band’s music at their concert is not enough.

Throughout my life, I’ve always had the habit of wondering why my friend turnover rate had been so high (it’s getting real in here). I had always blamed myself for pushing them away, searching for one of the many flaws in myself that might have scared them away. Because of this, I am always wary of developing new friendships, putting up walls or taking a long time to get comfortable with someone.

Fear of losing people had me paranoid, and maybe I really did push them away, but then again, maybe I didn’t.

As I approach the big 2-1, I’ve noticed I’ve grown a lot since 17-year-old me went to Brazil, since I moved to the U.S. to begin college two years ago, since I started working at The News. This entire time I’ve been trying to be cautious with new friends to make sure I don’t “mess up,” but in a non-fiction workshop in one my classes, I noticed many people experience this: losing best/close friends.

Then, I started thinking of these “losses” as gaining something in return.

I remember reading somewhere that whenever someone in your life leaves, it doesn’t mean it didn’t work out, it means their contribution in your life has served its purpose. This is obviously much more comforting than thinking you’re the one who’s in the wrong, but I’ll take what I can get. I apologize for this column sounding like a diary entry – I tend to do that – but I’m just saying don’t be too saddened when someone has served their purpose in your life, which is, ultimately, to grow.

Drifting apart from a friend might seem like the ‘end of an era’ as Monica from “Friends” might say, or you might try looking for that person in other people.

But every person who has crossed your path, shared an unforgettable moment with you or changed you in any way, no matter how minuscule, that change stays with you, even when they leave. Instead of looking at the broken shards of glass they left behind, appreciate the stainedglass window they made you into today. ghernandez1@murraystate.edu

Photo courtesy of kornrow.com

Hear It

“The Serenity of Suffering”

by KoRn

Photo courtesy of movienewsplus.com

Rent It

“Lights Out”

Photo courtesy of meplay.com

Play It

“Titanfall 2”

Page 12

The News

October 27, 2016