The Murray State News by The Murray State News

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Falling in love in Org Com

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February 15, 2018 | Vol. 92, No. 18

‘There’s a new normal now’ Lindsey Coleman News Editor

lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

Photo courtesy of Project Linus Facebook page

Project Linus delivered 1,400 blankets to Marshall County High School. Every student at the school received a blanket.

“I never thought it would happen in Marshall, or in Kentucky, really,” she said. “You assume it’s never going to be you.” Monica, a sophomore at Marshall County High School, said prior to the Jan. 23 shooting that killed two students and injured 21 others, security at the school was limited. Now, she said students are only allowed to enter the school through one of four doors. Once inside, students have their backpacks and bags searched, and they are “wanded” with metal detector wands similar to those used in airports to search for weapons.

“Personally I think that if someone wanted to do something again, there would be no stopping it,” Monica said. “Quite frankly, I feel just as safe as I did before, which now, is next to nothing. I think that the people who have gone to this school and knew the boy have realized that this takes a big toll on people, so I think that most kids are really frightened by this idea.” To help faculty, staff and students grieve together and attempt to diminish those feelings of fear Monica described, school officials said it was best to get school back in session as quickly as possible. Therefore, school resumed just three days after the shooting. “I think it was too soon personally,” Monica said.

“I know I was still really shaken.” The school held an assembly on the Friday following the shooting when students returned. They were greeted by local church members holding signs providing words of encouragement. The true first day back in school was on Monday, Jan. 29. Monica said the first few days were mainly just a time to be around each other, to play games in classes and to use pet therapy as part of the grieving process. She said the pet therapy was one of the best things they could have done. “I think that it really helped students a lot, just because it was a scary place at that point,” Monica said.

see MONICA, page 2

Graduation changes: No tickets, 2 ceremonies James Turner

Contributing writer jturner34@murraystate.edu

Graduation will be split into two ceremonies for graduates and undergraduates this May, and limitations on family attendance will be lifted. The undergraduate ceremony will be at 9 a.m. and the graduate ceremony will be held at 2 p.m. on May 12. Mark Arant, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said the change was made out of respect for the community. “Murray State has 51 percent first generation students,” Arant said. “An opportunity to be a part of that student’s graduation commencement for the first time in a family is an immense accomplishment.” Arant said the university administration wants as many family members as possible to share in these kinds of moments, so there will be no tickets limiting how many family and friends can be invited. “It’s about the students and about the families more than it is about us,” Arant said. The other reason for the change was length of ceremony. At the ceremony last spring, Arant said it lasted for nearly four hours, and very few people were left by the ceremonies end. Now, he hopes the ceremonies will last no longer than two hours each. The changes were welcomed by Caprisse Johnson, a senior graduating in May. She was grateful for the potential time reduction. “I don’t have to sit in a chair for four hours while I’m waiting for everyone to graduate, which is always good,” Johnson said. Arant said these changes were

talked about for two years before he accepted his current position. “When I started in July, the commencement ceremony was one of the first things that people brought to my attention that needed some review and some adjustment,” Arant said. Arant said by limiting how many could come, Murray State would be losing families and the opportunity for retaining current students and recruiting new students. Changes won’t be needed for the December ceremony though, as the pressure on the CFSB Center will be significantly less. However, Arant said with more people graduating and walking in December, they will consider two ceremonies. For now, December commencement will be combined into one ceremony for undergraduate, graduate and doctoral students. Many students are still unaware of the changes, but steps are being taken to ensure students will know what to do. Arant said they are preparing information packets that will be included with student’s regalia upon purchase, so they’ll know which ceremony they need to attend and what they need to do. Director of Communications, Shawn Touney said faculty are not required to attend both ceremonies, but will be encouraged to attend one or the other. The deans of each college will be working with faculty to make sure they are informed of the changes. “During this process, we hope to address things that have been unclear in the past,” Arant said. “This is not just simply a split of ceremonies, but it’s a look at process, and trying to get everything as smoothly operated as we can.”

TICKETS NO TICKETS

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9 a.m. 2 p.m.

Savannah Hatfield/The News

U.S. 68/KY 80 bridge opens

Lindsey Coleman

News Editor

lcoleman7@murraystate.edu

Faculty, staff and students heading east of Murray through Land Between the Lakes will notice a few changes along their route. The new U.S. 68/KY 80 Lake Barkley Bridge opened on Monday, Feb. 12 to two lanes of traffic as part of the Lake Bridges project. The first phase of the bridge project, the new U.S. 68/KY 80 Eggners Ferry Bridge over Kentucky Lake at Aurora, Kentucky opened to traffic in August 2016. Since then, crews have been working to construct the next phase of the project, the new Lake Barkley Bridge. The bridge is a popular thoroughfare for students like Ethan Chester, senior

from Trenton, Kentucky. “Since I travel the bridges that are over Kentucky and Barkley Lakes 2 to 3 times per week I feel that it is going to make my commute to and from Murray a much safer one,” Chester said. On Monday, two-way traffic was moved to what will eventually become the eastbound lanes of the new bridge. Crews will continue to construct a multi-use path, painting on the main arch steel and other work through the end of the year when the project is expected to be completed. Director of Alumni Relations, Carrie McGinnis said she crosses the bridge twice a day and is most excited about the functionality for recreation. “Now that both the Barkley Bridge and the

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Kentucky Bridge will have bike and walking paths, I can safely ride from my house in the Canton area of Trigg County, all the way through Land Between the Lakes and over to Aurora, or even to Murray,” McGinnis said. McGinnis said her maiden voyage will be to Belew’s Dairy Bar when the weather gets warmer. The bridge, which serves as the eastern entrance to Land Between the Lakes, originally opened to traffic in 1932 as a toll bridge, according to a press release from the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet. The toll was removed in August 1945. “This will be the only spot on the planet where two basket handle arch bridges are within 9 miles of each other,” according to a KYTC press release.

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Photo courtesy of the Kentucky Transportation Cabinet

The new Lake Barkley Bridge opened to two lanes of traffic on Monday, Feb. 12. The rest of the bridge is expected to be complete by year’s end.

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The News

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February 15, 2018

News Editor: Ashley Traylor Assistant News Editor: Lindsey Coleman Page Designer: Savanna Hatfield Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews

News

Career Services offers professional attire Destinee Marking Staff writer

dmarking@murraystate.edu

Students in need of professional clothing can now utilize Career Services’ Career Closet located in the Oakley Applied Science Building. Students can look through a variety of business professional and business casual clothing items and may obtain one outfit per semester to permanently keep. Matthew Purdy, director of Career Services, said the office began gathering clothing nearly two years ago and stored it away. Purdy said he and a Career Services intern set out to see what they could do with these resources, so they decided to set up the Career Closet. “It’s a really great service for all kinds of students,” Purdy said. “It gives them an opportunity to not only come in and check clothing out, but also in a very low

cost way. It’s a good way for them to just start their own professional clothing wardrobe.” Hiring managers can make their decisions within the first couple seconds of an interview, so Purdy said how individuals dress is critical. “We even recommend, for phone interviews, students dress up because you will perform better if you are dressed professionally,” Purdy said. To donate, Purdy said community members, faculty, staff, employers and students can contact Career Services. “I never dreamed I would have students asking to donate things,” Purdy said. “That’s so gratifying. It just shows the nature of our students.” Caroline Wells, senior from Gilbertsville, Kentucky and a Career Services intern, said the main goal is to offer an opportunity to students

who cannot easily acquire appropriate clothing for interviews, career fairs and other major events for a variety of reasons. “It’s here for students who may not be able to afford professional clothing, and we also help recommend what is professional,” Wells said. Clothing guidelines and tips for different situations can be found on the Career Services’ webpage. Although they have about 500 items of clothing currently, Wells said the Career Closet is in need of shoes and clothing in a variety of sizes. On Feb. 21, the Kindness Committee will be accepting clothing donations from 10 a.m. until 1 p.m. in the Curris Center. Students may visit Career Services between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. Monday through Friday to browse the Career Closet.

Photo Courtesy of Project Linus’ Facebook page

Project Linus made special blankets for Bailey Holt and Preston Cope, who died in the Marshall County High School shooting.

Monica

From Page 1

Rhiannon Branch/The News

Career Services has about 500 clothing items for students who are in need of professional attire. Their office is located in Oakley Applied Science Building, and students can get one outfit per semester.

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“School was scary.” On Monday, Feb. 13, Project Linus delivered blankets to the high school for all 1,400 students. The blankets were handmade by volunteers from all over the country. Students and parents quickly took to social media to show off the kindness they had received and to thank Project Linus. One parent posted on Project Linus’ Facebook page: “My daughter loves her blanket and has been curled up in it since she got home.” Dozens of others shared similar stories and pictures of students with their blankets, including Monica. “It came as a really big surprise to me,” Monica said. “I thought it was very sweet. I love mine.” The blankets were not the only act of kindness she has seen since the shooting. One of her classmates raised money to buy the whole school donuts, not once, but twice. Faculty, staff and students have seen an outpouring of support from the community, the state and the nation. In the face of such a tragedy, Monica said the most encouraging thing has been the community’s response. “It’s not only our community, but other communities,” she said. “People that you’ve never gotten along with or there’s something between you – that all went away. The community really has become like one big family.” Monica said teachers have slowly returned to instruction in the classroom, but it is not exactly back to business as usual. “I think it is as normal as

we can get,” she said. “There is a new normal now.” That sense of normalcy was stripped from the students at Marshall County High School Jan. 23. “I normally sit in the Commons area with my friends, but the night before, I had forgotten to do my homework,” Monica said. At around 7:50 a.m., she arrived at the school and went to a classroom upstairs to complete her homework with her best friend and their teacher, but at 7:57 a.m., she heard a commotion downstairs. Initially, she said she heard what sounded like someone hitting on a locker, so she assumed students were fighting. Monica, her friend and their teacher ran to the hallway to see what was happening. “When I got out there, one of my teachers was trying to unlock a door,” Monica said. “She was in a really big hurry, and I thought maybe she had something going on, maybe she was having a heart attack – that was my next thought.” The teacher told them shots had been fired and an active shooter was downstairs. “We hid in the classroom, and we really weren’t sure of what was going on, because they never came over the intercom,” Monica said. Everything happened so quickly that she said school officials did not have time to make an announcement over the intercom. Despite the uncertainty of what was really happening, she said they did what they had been taught to do. “We just got in the far corner of the classroom and barricaded the door and just hid,” Monica said. A horrific scene unfolded

downstairs, as two students were fatally shot: Bailey Nicole Holt and Preston Ryan Cope. Twenty-one other students were injured as well, including 15 who sustained gunshot wounds. Monica said the majority of those shot were in her grade. She had known Holt and Cope since middle school and recently had class with Bailey. She did not know the suspected shooter, but said he was in her grade. The News has not released the name or other identifying information about the alleged suspect. At press time, the male 15-year-old student was still being held at a juvenile detention center and charged with two counts of murder and 12 counts of assault. The grand jury convened on Tuesday, Feb. 13 to review the case and decide whether to transfer the juvenile to circuit court as a youthful offender and try him as an adult. Kentucky State Police spokesperson Jody Cash issued a statement to the media ahead of the grand jury meeting confirming that no information would be made available to the public. “If the grand jury returns an indictment, the defendant will be arraigned in Marshall County Circuit Court at a date and time to be determined by Circuit Judge Jamie Jameson,” Cash said. Monica said she believes the suspect should be charged as an adult. “I understand he could have possibly been hurting,” she said. “If I had known, I would have been willing to talk to him or reach out to him.” At the request of Monica and her family, The News changed her name in this story to protect her anonymity.

The News

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February 15, 2018

Sports

Sports Editor: Bryan Edwards Assistant Sports Editor: Blake Sandlin Page Designer: Rosalyn Churchman Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews

Football signs 2018 class Zach Scott

Contributing writer zscott1@murraystate.edu

Murray State football Head Coach Mitch Stewart and his staff worked hard this offseason by hauling in 25 commitments for his program on National Signing Day. Following a disappointing 3-8 campaign this year, Stewart made recruiting a priority to try and get this program where he wants it to be. “Recruiting is a lifeline; it’s what we love to do,” Stewart said. Stewart wanted to emphasize improvements to the offensive line this offseason, signing nine offensive linemen in this recruiting class. The offensive line recruits included: Nick Courinos, from Phoenix, Arizona, Oistin Jones, from Fort Myers, Florida, E.J Rheinecker, from Belleville, Illinois, Dallas Danner, from Tunica, Mississippi, Michael Gause, from Byhalia, Mississippi, Jacob Frye, from Murfreesboro, Tennessee, Cole Williamson, from Sharpsburg, Georgia, Ty McCaskill from Mishawaka, Indiana and Christopher Georgia, from Warner Robins, Georgia. Stewart also concentrated on improvements to the defensive side of the ball, especially at the cornerback and safety positions. Murray State’s new defensive backs included: Bobby Jackson, from Clarksville, Tennessee, Dior Johnson, from Detroit, Michigan, Edmond McGhee, from Champaign, Illinois, Jarad McCray, from Nashville, Tennessee, Marcis Floyd, from Louisville, Kentucky, Glenn Adams, from Montgomery, Alabama, Brantley Seadrow, from Sarasota, Florida and Davonta Wilson, from Miami, Florida. Stewart also added eight athletic

playmakers on offense, five wide receivers and three running backs. The Racers struggled running the ball last season, being held to under 100 yards rushing in nine of their 11 games. In two of those games, the Racers ran for negative yards. The wide receivers included Armani Hayes, from West Palm Beach, Florida, Jacob Bell, from Vero Beach, Florida, Cameron Garrett, from Louisville, Kentucky, Jared McCray, from Nashville, Tennessee, Malik Honeycutt, from Tallahassee, Florida. The running backs are Justin Connor, from Sardis Mississippi, Quarderman Sloan, from East Point, Georgia, and Cory Thomas, from Attala, Alabama. Stewart is especially excited about Sloan getting to campus. “When you give him the ball, he can go,” Stewart said regarding Sloan. “Really shifty and electric player.” Stewart said in the past he focused on “really big and really small guys” when it came to his playmakers, but this year he tried to bring in some “medium-sized” guys to help even out the field. The last area that Stewart and his staff focused on was the defensive line, bringing in six at that position. The new Racers on the defensive line include Brandon Legendre, from Brea, California, KJ Presley, from Trussville, Alabama, Blake Hester, from Birmingham, Alabama, Scotty Humpich, from Louisville, Kentucky and Amari Ferdinand, from Deerfield Beach, Florida. Stewart also was able to land Matz Peters, from Cologne, Germany. “He’s what you think a German would be like,” Stewart said about

see NSD, page 4

Rosalyn Churchman/The News

Stark, Miller reflect on final home games in career

Bryan Edwards/The News

Along with senior Jonathan Stark, senior Ke’Shunan James eclipsed the 2,000 career points this season.

James, Stark hit 2,000 points Gage Johnson Staff writer

gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

Last week, Racer women’s basketball senior forward Ke’Shunan James and men’s basketball senior guard Jonathan Stark joined elite company when they managed to score their 2,000th career

point. When the women’s basketball team took on Southeast Missouri State University on Feb. 1, James joined an elite club. She became the third Racer in program history to crack the 2,000-point mark. The senior forward joins Sheila Smith (1985-1989) and Ashley Hayes (2005-2009) as

the only three to reach such a milestone. She also became the second-highest leading scorer in career points for the Racers, sitting at 2,009 points. “We’re really pleased with how she’s done this year,” Turner said. “We’re a lot

see 2K, page 4

Track and Field put on record-breaking performance Zach Scott

Contributing writer zscott1@murraystate.edu

Murray State’s track and field team set three school records over the weekend in the third annual Pitt-State Gorilla Classic. Jabreuna Brimlett, Tamdra Lawrence and Hilary McAdam all broke or tied school records in their events. Brimlett, a junior hurdler, broke the school record in the 60-meter hurdles with a time of 8.36 seconds. Brimlett also held the previous record for the same event with a time of 8.41 seconds at the Music City Challenge. Lawrence, a junior sprinter,

tied the school record in the 60-meter dash with a time of 7.42 seconds. She now owns the record with Ashley Love, who set the record in 2012. McAdam, a sophomore distance runner, set the record in the 600-yard run with a time of 1:23.50. She is the first Racer to participate in this event. McAdam’s time is also good enough for ninthbest in the country, according to Adam Kiesler, the head coach of the track and field team. “Overall, those are very formidable school records, so they did a really good job,” Kiesler said. Eight different athletes also set personal records

over the weekend, spanning across 10 events. Kiesler said he is optimistic for the future after the two-day meet. “The team performed very well this weekend, as we came away with three school records,” Kiesler said. “We talk about competing on a daily basis, and it was evident over the past two days that it’s starting to sink in. I’m proud of the group and I’m excited to see what is in store in two weeks.” Murray State’s track and field team’s next event will be the Ohio Valley Conference Indoor Championship, hosted by Eastern Illinois. The event will take place on Feb. 23 and 24.

Bryan Edwards/The News

Murray State seniors Jonathan Stark and Terrell Miller Jr. will play their final games in the CFSB Center on Saturday night. Blake Sandlin

Assistant Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

Two years of historic shots, remarkable heroics and unrivaled competitiveness inside the CFSB Center by seniors Terrell Miller and Jonathan Stark will come to an end on Saturday. Saturday night’s game versus Tennessee Tech will mark the final time the two seniors will lace-up their Nikes in the Racers’ home arena. And while they certainly believe their post-season story is still being written, they’ll have just one final evanescent opportunity to showcase their respective skill sets in front of the hometown crowd. Despite the significance of this milestone for the senior duo, Stark said his main concern is ending his final season on the right note. “[The season has] blown by,” Stark said. “It felt like the season just started actually. Now we’ve got our last two home games of the year. It’s been a great year, but we’re not done yet. I can’t wait to see what’s ahead.” Stark and Miller’s families will be on-hand on senior night to watch them be commemorated for their illustrious careers

at Murray State. Both players transferred into the program – Miller from Southwest Mississippi Junior College and Stark from Tulane University. Stark has scored a combined 1,098 in two seasons at Murray State, which is third all-time for two year players behind Cameron Payne and DT Mayes. He recently eclipsed 2,000 career points against UT Martin on Feb. 3. He’s averaging 20.6 PPG this year. Miller has recorded 906 points in his two years with the Racers. He is just 94 points shy of Murray State’s 1,000-point club with four regular season games remaining as well as the OVC tournament. Miller is averaging 15.1 PPG. For all of their individual success, the two have combined to form one of the most electric one-two punches in the country. They averaged a combined 37.9 PPG, which was among the highest two-player average in the nation last season. But Stark and Miller aren’t content with statistics or accolades. They said they’re focused on extending their senior campaign into the month of March. “I don’t feel like it has been a successful year for me, knowing

it’s my last year,” Stark said. “I’ve never been to the NCAA tournament, and that’s my goal. I’ll never be satisfied until I’m able to achieve that goal.” Part of developing as a team and as individual players involves learning from the mistakes of the past. Stark said the biggest problem with last year’s team, which finished 16-17, was their lack of consistent leadership. He and Miller have made it a goal to serve as willing leaders for their team. “I felt like last year we had inconsistent leadership on the team and I just felt like we needed leaders to just be consistent every day and to have someone for the young guys to look up to or someone to talk to if they have any questions,” Stark said. “I feel like with this team, the younger guys have those guys that they can come to and ask questions if they need it. It’s good to know that, when you can be able to go to somebody to ask questions if you have questions about things whether it’s on or off the court.” Miller said the biggest difference he has noticed since assuming the primary leadership

see SENIORS, page 4

The News

Sports

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February 15, 2018

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From Page 3 alike. She’s hard-headed; she’s competitive; we don’t like to lose. She has really embraced me as her coach. She’s done a lot of things. She’s kind of been the leader of the team before I got here. She has done an amazing job

NSD From Page 3 Peters and his build. The linebackers include Anthony Koclanakis, from Anaheim, Florida, Dametri Hill, from Winter Garden, Georgia and Darnel Victor, from Melbourne, Florida. Stewart also brought in

of getting her teammates involved. I know KJ will be extremely proud of the 2,000, but the number one thing she’ll be proud of is the win. That’s what makes her special.” James said she did not have any idea she had 2,000 career points when it happened. “I didn’t know I had it until I walked into the locker

room and coach told me,” James said. “We had just lost, so I kind of brushed it off at the time. I couldn’t believe it. When I got my 1,000 points I knew I was close. I didn’t know I was that close to 2,000. It’s huge to me because I work hard. I try to do stuff that I wouldn’t normally do or work on to try and get out of my comfort zone in the gym. It’s some-

thing I work for, and I feel like I deserved it.” Just two days later, on Saturday, Feb. 3, Jonathan Stark reached his own milestone of 2,000 points against UT Martin. Stark played his first two seasons of collegiate basketball at Tulane University, scoring 823 points in those two seasons. Stark’s 17 points against UT Martin put him at a total of 1,098 total

points as a Racer. This gave Stark a career total of 2,013 points. “It’s a great feeling,” Stark said. “It’s a blessing to have a talent and get to score that many points. I give the credit to my teammates. They are the ones that get it done for me.” Had Stark played all four seasons at Murray State, his 2,013 career points would

place him at seventh all-time in program history, and his 545 assists would be the all time best at Murray State. This is the second time in school history that there have been two 2,000-point scorers at the same time. KJ and Stark have both had terrific careers at Murray State and this justifies that they are among the elite in Racer History.

two quarterbacks in this class, Garrett Bass, from Woodstock, Georgia and Michael Hiers, from Mobile, Alabama. Bringing in multiple quarterbacks was something Stewart planned to do. “The quarterback position is different; you’re always one turned ankle away from the next guy, you better have another one ready.” “As you can see, we re-

ally tried to make an effort to go down to Georgia and Florida…we really wanted to make a presence there,” Stewart said. The Racers welcome nine and four recruits from the Sunshine and Peach states, respectively. Murray State kicks off its 2018 football season on Thursday, Aug. 30 against Southern Illinois at Roy Stewart Stadium.

SENIORS

you in charge of a lot of stuff the team does in practice,” Miller said. “He lets us control a lot of stuff that goes on in practice, and my first year I didn’t really see that from our seniors and the head coach. They didn’t have that type of connection, and I wanted to build that connection over the summer. I wanted coach to really trust me a lot with the other guys.” When Saturday comes

around and Miller and Stark play their last game in the CFSB Center, they’ll have the chance to reflect on the memories that culminated in that moment. But despite all the good times that the two have shared, Miller thinks the best one is yet to be written. “I feel like my best memory hasn’t happened yet at all,” Miller said. “I feel like we’ve still got a little while to go.”

From Page 3 role on this Racer team is the level of responsibility he has been given from Head Coach Matt McMahon. “I learned having a good connection with your head coach and having the type of connection where he puts

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The News

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February 15, 2018 Features Editor: Emily Williams Assistant Features Editor: Nick Erickson Page Designer: Rachel Solomon Phone: 270-809-5871

Features

Racing down the aisle with #RacerSoleMates An exclusive look into a Murray State love story Emily Williams Features Editor

ewilliams15@murraystate.edu

It was syllabus day in COM 384 for Emeline Ojeda and Ray Hecht in the spring of 2015 when they first locked eyes across a classroom in Wilson Hall. For Ojeda, it was a moment that did not seem significant at the time, but is now a fond memory of seeing a boy in a classroom who seemed to stand out from all the rest of them. “I chalked it up to him being more mature and rooted in who he was, but I also think it’s because he was very different from everyone else, for me,” Ojeda said. “He definitely was attractive but that first semester we met I was not looking for anything.” For Hecht, he knew from the moment he saw Emeline that she was something special. “She was really cute, and I wanted to find a reason to start talking to her,” Hecht said. “Luckily, it was an organizational communication class and everyone is so outgoing that I didn’t stand out too much when we first started chatting in class.” But, it wasn’t until their second semester of class together that the two began to form a true connection that would only grow deeper and more meaningful. “I was extremely drawn to

him,” Ojeda said. “I just really wanted to spend more time with him and get to know him more. We sat next to each other in this second class we had together, and I just got butterflies around him all the time.” Hecht said it was important to him to become friends with Emeline first. “There was an immediate connection when we first met, but we took the time to become friends first,” Hecht said. “Before making my intentions clear, I got to know Emeline and saw that she was someone that I was truly interested in, not just a person that I was attracted to.” Ojeda said Hecht got her number from the two being paired into a group for a project. “Somehow we went from texting about class questions to just carrying on the conversation all day long,” Ojeda said. “We also started to walk from Wilson to the Curris Center together when we left class, so that was more time to talk.” The couple officially began dating in the fall of the same year they met. They recall that some of the sweetest memories from their early days of dating were on Murray State’s campus. Hecht said one of the first times the couple hung out on campus was when they were “studying” in Waterfield Library. He said it was really

Photos contributed by Emeline Ojeda

Ray Hecht proposes to his girlfriend, Emeline Ojeda, in the classroom they first met in. just an excuse for them to hang out. “While we were there, we noticed a book on a nearby shelf called ‘Emmaline’,” Hecht said. “Emeline is a unique name and it was a

strange coincidence to see a book with her name on it, even though it was spelled wrong.” Ojeda said some of her earliest memories with Hecht were of him supporting her involvement in the Greek community,

Roasting up creativity

Celebrating 50 years of fundraising for Special Olympics Kentucky Amy Turner Staff writer

aturner32@murraystate.edu

Rhiannon Branch/The News

A new coffee company, Creative Roastries, has replaced EcoGrounds coffee on campus. Contributing writer

bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu

If you’re on campus taking courses at Murray State, you’ve probably bought coffee from Starbooks in Waterfield Library or Business Express in the Arthur J. Bauernfeind College of Business. You’ve also probably noticed that almost every dining location has a different coffee provider, resulting in inconsistent quality and making it difficult for students to find something they like. That’s all changing this semester. Murray State has partnered with a new vendor, Creative Coffees Roastery, to bring coffee to our campus. Creative Coffees is owned by Debbie Hohman, a Murray State alumnus and is operated out of Winchester, Kentucky. Hohman jumpstarted the small company in 2005 as School Spirit Coffee, packaging and labeling coffee out of her home. When she realized there was a clear market for local coffee, she bought a roaster in Clearwater, Florida, thus beginning the fastest-growing facet of her company. Hohman’s roots run deep through Murray, as her grandparents lived in the area and were tightly con-

nected to the community. Her grandfather was in the second graduating class of Murray College. Hohman herself grew up in Frankfort. “I knew my entire life that I would be attending Murray State and following the family tradition,” Hohman said. And that is what she did, majoring in Consumer Sciences and minoring in Marketing. “The entire process has brought me kind of full-circle,” Hohman said. Hohman said Murray State was like a second home to her and where she met her husband. While on campus, she lived in Hester Hall and was a member of Alpha Sigma Alpha. Two of the most important aspects to Creative Coffees is customer service and a quality product. Quality is what drew the attention of Charlie Liming with Murray State Dining Services. Liming said when he came to campus in November 2017, he was hoping to make products consistent across campus. He was also passionate about bringing more local, “Kentucky Proud” products to campus. Liming started researching local roasters and found Hohman’s company. When he reached out to her, he discovered that her business is

couple knew they were approaching this level of commitment in their relationship, she did not see the proposal coming at all. “While he was proposing, I was just trying very hard to focus on what he was saying and take in the moment,” Ojeda said. “He quoted some amazing scripture and had such sweet and amazing words to say. After the proposal, I was just thinking that the rest of my life was right in front of me and it brought me so much joy knowing it was with him.” The couple is very grateful for their time at Murray State and how the university brought them together. They said they plan to carry on the tradition of The Shoe Tree at Murray State, a tree dedicated to now married couples who met at Murray State. The old tree has several old shoes of all types and sizes nailed to it, to represent each individual love story that originated on campus. The couple said they are proud to add to this legacy. “We both are very rooted in Murray State,” Ojeda said. “We both were heavily involved in our undergrad careers. So The Shoe Tree is just a tradition that is close to our hearts. It’s also just a very beautiful way to make our marks and we are especially excited to show a piece of our time at Murray.” Ojeda and Hecht will marry in Murray in May.

Freezin’ for a reason

Murray State alumnus brings organic, fairtrade coffee to on-campus locations Bridgette Mcauliffe

even though he himself was not Greek. “I was Alpha Sigma Phi’s sweetheart and a Kappa Delta when we first started dating and he was very open and supportive to me being busy and having all these events to go to,” Ojeda said. “One of my favorite nights was when I gave my farewell sweetheart speech to Alpha Sigma Phi and then immediately went with Ray to Kappa Delta’s formal. He was so happy to dance away the night with me, and I just felt so loved and supported very early on.” The couple was involved in student ambassadors together, so they said they did a lot of Murray State recruitment events together like tours, Honors days, Racer days, etc. “On dates, we ate at some of the good places in Murray a lot,” Ojeda said. “Burrito Shack was our go-to place, and they actually are catering our wedding so that’s really awesome. Ojeda said on their first date, they went to Cheri Theatres and saw The Hunger Games. Not wanting their evening to end after the movie, they went to the movie store and rented more movies to watch together that night. It was nearly two years later when Hecht got down on one knee in Wilson 307, the exact same classroom the Racer couple met in and asked Emeline to be his forever. Ojeda said that while the

certified “Kentucky Proud,” and that she is a certified woman-owned business. Hohman sent over some coffee samples, which were tested by some of the dining staff. He said the change was welcomed by the staff and the same has been expressed around campus for students, faculty and staff. Parker Lindsey, sophomore from Smithland, Kentucky, drinks more coffee this semester than in any semesters past. “I am ecstatic to see Murray State supporting their alumni,” Lindsey said. “I hope that we keep this coffee permanently, not only out of Racer pride but for the quality and taste of the product,” Lindsey said the quality of the coffee is a lot better than what has previously been available on campus. “It’s really awesome that they are getting it from a Murray State alumni,” Lindsey said. “My favorite flavor is Kentucky Bourbon.” By the end of the month, Creative Coffees will have spread to all dining locations on campus such as Winslow and the Thoroughbred Room, whereas previously there were different, lower-quality coffee brands in these locations. “I know that whenever I am on call as a resident ad-

viser, sometimes Winslow is my only option,” Lindsey said. “So, that will definitely influence how much I drink their coffee.” Liming said he isn’t stopping this initiative with just coffee. More high-quality, local products will be used in dining areas across campus. Liming said he is hoping to speak with the Agriculture Department about sourcing pork products locally, as well as the university growing its own herbs and spices. This has been done with pork in the past and local products have been featured in the Fall Harvest meal at Winslow Dining Hall, but never to this extent. In addition, Liming wants to make Winslow a more active dining location with more events, such as the Mardi Gras party/dinner on Feb. 13, the Valentine’s Day dinner on Feb. 14 and the always-popular Chinese New Year dinner on Feb. 16. There are limited time items featured in the Thoroughbred Room that change weekly and are offered at a discounted rate, as well as a new Bluegrass Burrito location, that accepts Winslow swipes, open in Market 22 Monday - Thursday from 3 p.m. to 9 p.m. For more information on dining services events, visit murraystate.edu/campus/dining.

With below freezing temperatures outside, it is no surprise that jumping into a lake in February would be ill-advised. But, that is exactly what several devoted individuals will do once again during this year’s Western Kentucky Polar Plunge event for the sake of raising money for a noble cause. On Saturday, Feb. 18, Peel & Holland’s annual Polar Plunge fundraiser will be held at Kentucky Dam Village State Resort Park from 9 a.m. to noon. But this year will be even more special, as they are celebrating 50 years of the continued event and of fundraising for the Special Olympics. According to soky.org, The Polar Plunge continues to be the most important fundraising event for Special Olympics Kentucky. Last year, more than $425,000 was raised for athletes through Polar Plunge, worldwide. Having started in July of 1968, they now host a global movement with over 5 million athletes from more than 180 countries. Locally, Murray’s Special Olympics program has ten sports and 130 athletes. Event coordinator and local Special Olympics Coordinator, Laura Miller, brought the fundraiser to Murray nine years ago after participating in one with some friends from her Murray State days. Miller said that while the event’s main objective is to raise money for the cause, her favorite part is getting to shed some light on the Special Olympics and end some rumors and falsehoods people believe. “For me, my favorite part is raising awareness for the special olympics,” Miller

said. “Many people think it is just for kids or just a one day track event.” Miller said the event usually averages 300 participants locally and 1,000 total people. She said the event brings in $98,000 for the organization. Joshua Skinner from Grand Rivers, Kentucky took the Plunge two years ago. He said he enjoyed the community feel to the event as well as being able to rally together for a noble cause. He said the Polar Plunge really lives up to its name, remembering the bitter cold of the day he participated. “My favorite part of the event was everyone coming together and seeing the lines of people ready to jump into the water,” Skinner said. “It’s a great experience for a great cause.” According to soky.org, the Special Olympics operate in three different parts. It starts with State Summer Games held in early June. In early July, 45 athletes and 18 coaches will then go to the USA Games. To conclude, the Global Special Olympics 50th Anniversary Celebration will take place on July 17-21. Participants of the fundraiser also have the chance to earn the Triple Crown by running the Polar 5K and taking two different plunges into the lake. Miller said one of the biggest challenges in running an event such as this is the weather. She said the Plunge happens rain or shine, warm or freezing cold. Should the temperature drop too low for a safe plunge, then adaptations will be made. One year participants jumped in a cold inflatable pool in the event parking lot. In order to join in on the Plunge, participants need to either get support or pay $75. Children choosing to take the challenge have to raise $50.

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Having pride in one’s country is nothing to be ashamed of. No matter who holds political office or where you live, there is always something you can be proud of. But what happens when a national government takes this too far? This scenario isn’t far-fetched— Poland is dealing with the rise of uber-nationalism and the dangerous policies and laws which come with it. Earlier this month, Polish President Andrzej Duda signed a law making it illegal to implicate the Polish people and government as accomplices in the atrocities of the Holocaust. The phrases “Polish concentration camps” and “Polish death camps” are being specifically targeted as Polish officials believe they are inaccurate and do not represent Poland’s role in the Holocaust. Academic and artistic expression related to the Holocaust are to be protected under the law, though what counts as either has not been defined. It’s far from a one-sided debate. The Polish people were largely at the mercy of Germany during World War II. According to calculations from USHMM.com, “the Germans killed at least 1.9 million non-Jewish Polish civilians during World War II… [and] at least 3 million Jewish citizens of Poland.” An estimated “1.5 million Polish citizens were deported to German territory for forced labor,” as well. A significant part of the Polish population was decimated. But, historians argue that Germany didn’t act alone. There were many documented cases of Polish

Autumn Brown/The News

people giving up their friends and neighbors to German invaders. Some Poles even aided in the operations of concentration camps, though the actual number of collaborators is thought to have been small. No matter how hard some deny it, Poland had a hand, however small, in the Holocaust. The United States has condemned the law for being inflam-

matory and a strain on relations between Poland and its allies. “We all must be careful not to inhibit discussion and commentary…We believe open debate, scholarship and education are the best means of countering inaccurate and hurtful speech,” State Department spokeswoman Heather Nauert said. This could be interpreted as a “pot calling the

CHEERS & JEERS

kettle black” moment, as the current administration hasn’t steered clear from abrasive language or deep cuts to education, though the statement still rings true. Regardless of political affiliation or personal beliefs, everyone should be able to agree that disregarding proven history is dangerous. Imposing prison sentences or large fines on those who use certain phraseology is a potential human rights violation, among other things. No allowances for Holocaust survivors will be made according to Polish Sen. Jan Zaryn. “If a Holocaust survivor falsifies Polish history, lies and says there were Polish concentration camps during World War II, then his status as a survivor is irrelevant,” Zaryn said. If even the voices of survivors are to be silenced, Poland may be taking a step into the tyrannical territory its government wishes to distance itself from. This law is the product of an “us versus them” mentality which has been on the rise across Europe and the United States. Uber-nationalistic mindsets and regressive, far-right politics have fueled the fight against immigrants and progressive policies; now, not even recorded history is safe. When we begin to allow governments to rewrite history as they see fit, we have lost the battle and the war. Knowledge of our past permits us to make wiser decisions in the future. Losing that experience would mean history will almost certainly repeat itself.

Cheers to ... Tax season There are a few pros to being a student in debt. We usually don’t make enough money to owe taxes to the government. And we get tax breaks for our education costs. Woo!

Jeers to ... Bad Valentine’s gifts What exactly are you going to do with the 72-inch rainbow unicorn plush you fawned over? How about those cheap chocolates that taste stale? Do better, guys and gals.

Campus Voices

What should be done with the statue? Dr. Timothy Johns

Associate Professor of English tjohns@murraystate.edu

Something strange happened last fall as I was driving through Murray: Whenever I saw the statue of Gen. Robert E. Lee in the town square, I couldn’t help but think that I was looking at a monument commemorating terrorism. After what happened in Charlottesville, Virginia last August, and after Dylann Roof’s rampage in a predominantly African-American church in South Carolina in 2015—incidents in which Confederate flags were clearly displayed as symbols of racism and white supremacy—it was impossible to look at a statue commemorating the military leader of the Confederacy as anything except a monument to terror. “Terrorism” is a loaded word, and to use it flippantly or indiscriminately would be irresponsible. In the American media, the word is often used to describe the actions of radical Islamist groups such as ISIS (also known as ISIL or Daesh). Yet, increasingly, those who openly associate with Confederate

symbols—such as James Alex Fields, Jr., who drove his car into a crowd of anti-racism protesters in Charlottesville, killing one and injuring several; or Roof, who used powerful firearms to murder in a small, crowded space in much the same way that ISIS-inspired terrorists attacked the Bataclan Theater in Paris—employ many of the same tactics. Is it fair, then, to compare ISIS and the legacy of the Confederacy? In certain ways, it’s not fair—to ISIS! Whereas ISIS has been responsible for thousands of killings in the past few years, the system of slavery the Confederacy aimed to maintain involved millions of deaths (historians estimate that at least one or two million died during the Middle Passage alone, as Africans were ripped from their homelands and brought to the Americas on slave ships). So, in terms of sheer numbers, the legacy of the Confederacy is much more difficult to defend on moral grounds than ISIS. What should be done? Professor Emeritus Bill Schell, a former colleague in the History Department, has suggested that a statue of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. should be erected in the town square to offset the monument commemorating

Lee. This is a good start, but my feeling is that it will be impossible to continue defending the lost cause of the Confederacy, and the Lee monument will eventually come down—if only because, as a moral eyesore, it will hurt business in the square. Many in Calloway County and the surrounding area still regard Confederate monuments not as celebrations of white supremacy and slavery, but rather as symbols of Southern tradition and pride. Some in the area lost family members who fought on the side of the Confederacy. I have no problem with people remembering this legacy privately, but the monument is on public land. It is now time to take it down. My idea would be to cancel elementary school one day, supply students of all races and creeds with hammers and helmets, and allow them to chip away at the monument, perhaps with the help of a sledgehammer, until the offensive landmark is destroyed; and then, replace it not with something that represents a nation divided, but rather with something that represents unity, solidarity and a sense of higher purpose we can all be proud of— perhaps a statue of King.

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February 15, 2018

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