M
THE MUR R AY STATE
Inside: Haleigh’s journey from the classroom to the stage
NEWS
Page 5 April 5, 2018 | Vol. 92, No. 24
Campus gives input on future of J.H. Richmond Michelle Hawks Staff Writer
mhawks@murraystate.edu
OPTION A
OPTION B
OPTION C
OPTION D Rhiannon Branch/The News
The four options were on display in the Curris Center for the Murray State community to vote on.
J.H. Richmond Residential College could look a little different when the restoration project is complete. Representatives from facilities management and Luckett and Farley, the architectural firm leading the restoration project, were on campus Wednesday, April 4 to share the four design options and to answer questions. Option A is to restore the building to match the original 2008 plans. No additional energy efficiency or sustainable measures would be added. This would be the cheapest option. In addition to restoring the building, options B, C and D would include various upgrades. Option B would include an expanded center lobby on the first and second floors and energy efficient measures such as lighting and HVAC controls. The plan repurposes meeting rooms into four-bedroom suites. Option C would repurpose the south meeting rooms into four-bedroom suites, add lighting and HVAC controls, install LED lighting throughout the building and alter the exterior design. The final plan, option D, calls for significant expansion to the center lobby on the second floor, repurposing the meeting rooms into four-bedroom suites and adding lighting and HVAC controls and LED lighting throughout. Option D is the most expensive option and would only have 260 beds, while the first three options would have 266 beds. In addition to reviewing the four design proposals, people were also able to rank efficiency and sustainability options in the order from most to least important. The options include: LED lighting, automatic lighting controls, automatic heating and cooling set-back, recycle station(s), low flow
faucets and toilets, key card access to rooms, elevator use limits, 100 percent WiFi coverage, water bottle filling stations and daylight sensors. Director of Communications, Shawn Touney said the University felt Wednesday’s event was important to allow the Murray State community to voice their opinions and to see the design options. “The campus community, particularly students and future students of the University, should feel a sense of excitement as plans continue to move forward with the repair and restoration of J.H. Richmond Hall,” Touney said. Touney said forthcoming discussions between the architectural firm and university officials will determine what direction the repair and restoration will take. The Board of Regents must approve the plans before they are finalized. Construction is expected to begin later this year Touney said, and the goal is to have the building open in time for the Fall 2019 semester. Rebecca Robinson, junior finance major, said it was important to voice her opinion on the options because she lived in Richmond Hall before the explosion, and she is their Residential College Council president. “Everyone was really close-knit, so for this to happen, it changed our lives and is still changing our lives almost a year later,” Robinson said. Although Robinson will graduate by the time the project is completed, she wants people to have the opportunities she had while living in the building. “The better the environment, the more people are willing to cooperate and collaborate and come together,” she said. Visit TheNews.org to see the full plans for each option.
Legislative Update Status of Bills HB 200 and HB 366 both passed by Senate and House Sent to Gov. Bevin for signature or veto Ten day veto period will end on April 13 when lawmakers return to Frankfort General Assembly has the ability to override if Bevin vetoes
University Town Hall Meeting Hear from University officials on the status of the biennial budget as it relates to Murray State
Friday, April 6 9:30 a.m. Wrather Auditorium Watch live:
www.murraystate.edu/streaming
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HB 200, Budget Bill Highlights
$
Cuts university funding by 6.25 percent
Provides $31 million a year in new performance-based funding for universities
$32
$31
MILLION
Keeps the $32 million for Breathitt Veterinary Center
MILLION
Retains language that would allow university administrators to cut tenured professors as part of a program elimination
HB 366, Revenue Bill Highlights .50 CENT
TAX
Places an additional 50 cent tax on cigarettes, bringing the total tax to $1.10 per pack
Imposes a new tax on services such as landscaping, automotive and home repairs, dry cleaners, fitness centers and animal care among others
$10
NEW
TAX
Removes the $10 personal income tax credit Changes individual and corporate income tax to a flat 5 percent
Pension Reform Lawmakers amended a sewage bill late last Thursday night to include “pension reform” Attorney General said lawmakers were forced to vote without reading the 300 page bill Did not allow public comment or testimony No actuarial analysis was provided AG: bill violates the inviolable contract AG to file suit if Bevin signs into law
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April 5, 2018
News
News Editor: Lindsey Coleman Page Designer: Savanna Hatfield Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews
‘They don’t want to take the guns away’ Marshall County students face backlash after local rally Lindsey Coleman News Editor
lcoleman7@murraystate.edu
Two weeks after the local and national versions of the March for Our Lives rally for stricter gun control, the local organizers continue the fight as they seek to make schools safe from gun violence. Bobbie Foust, who handled the public relations side of the local march and worked with the planning committee, said there is more to come. “They’re not finished,” Foust said. “The march was just the beginning. There will be a next step, and it will be coming soon.” She said despite the rain, about 400 people came to the march in Calvert City on March 24. A hunting guide, Rep. Will Coursey, a physician who treated victims of the Marshall County High School shooting, a newspaper publisher who reported about the shooting and 11 students from MCHS spoke and showed their support for ending gun violence. Keaton Conner, a 16 year old junior at Marshall County High School, said she was in the school parking lot when tragedy struck. Since the incident, she has taken the opportunity to use her experience to influ-
ence the conversation about gun violence in schools. She organized the charter bus that carried about 40 Marshall students to rallys in Frankfort, Kentucky. She spoke out in Frankfort on March 14 and 20 and in Calvert City, Kentucky on March 24. “It was a very inspiring experience to be surrounded by like-minded individuals who want to see changes as I do,” Conner said. “However, the more I speak out, the more hatred I face.” Most students have reacted well to her face, and she said she’s tried to look past negative comments on social media. “There are many people who are misled about our mission, and instead of educating themselves, they choose to make horrific comments and attack our character,” Conner said. “I just try to remind myself that it could be a lot worse. This could happen again to me or someone I love. If it does, I will be able to tell myself that I was working hard to prevent it, and they will know that instead, they were sitting behind a screen belittling a 16-year-old girl who just wanted safety.” Foust said the backlash is to be expected. “I heard it said on national television a few days ago, that
the pushback that some of the children are getting nationwide is a sign of it being a success,” Foust said. As the months pass by following the Marshall County shooting and many speak out, Conner said their voices have been heard by some, but there are still a lot more to reach. She met with Gov. Matt Bevin after the first Frankfort rally. “He did hear us; however, I’m not sure if he really listened,” she said. “We will see what happens. I heard no clear plan of action from him, and I hope that changes.” She said this is a conversation that must keep moving. “As of now, my goal is to ensure the politicians elected in November are going to support our teachers, school safety and the public education system in general,” Conner said. “So I’m spending my time campaigning [against gun violence], and beginning to organize a rally which will allow candidates to speak about their stance on school safety and the pension crisis.” Heather Adams was involved with administrative support for the march. Her son Seth is a freshman at MCHS. Heather said the students did 99 percent of the planning for the march.
Although they don’t see another rally in the near future, Heather said the students are currently looking to organizations for support. “So many people in our region believe that these students aim to disarm the public, when what they are really asking for is a dialogue on how we can make our schools safe from gun violence,” Heather said. “Their ideas include safe storage education, mental health services at school and closing background check loopholes so we can prevent weapons from falling into the hands of dangerous criminals.” Heather said an announcement will be made in the next few weeks about how students and community members can be involved. Anyone interested can join the Facebook group called March For Our Lives Marshall County/West Kentucky. “They don’t want to take the guns away, they just want to feel safe at school so they can become productive members of society,” Heather said. “We can work together on this by talking with our friends, family and other community members about safe storage and universal background checks as an attribute of responsible gun ownership.”
The goals for the national March for Our Lives movement include the following:
1.
Universal, comprehensive background checks
2.
Bringing the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives into the 21st century with a digitized, searchable database
3. 4. 5.
Funds for the Center for Disease Control to research the gun violence epidemic in America High-capacity magazine ban Assault weapons ban
Sidewalk to reopen soon
Rhiannon Branch
rbranch@murraystate.edu
Photography Editor
Has your normal shortcut between the Price Doyle Fine Arts Building and Lovett Auditorium been halted this week by chunks of sidewalk and white barricades? If so, you are not alone. The sidewalk between the two buildings has been inaccessible after damage to the sidewalk was discovered by a grounds crew over spring
break. Jay Schroeder, a freshman fine arts and journalism major, noticed the sidewalk caving in before spring break and was surprised to see it looking much worse after the break. Associate Director of Grounds and Custodial Services, Rick Grogan, said he believes two factors influenced the destruction of the sidewalk. Grogan said magnolia trees were being pulled in that area
over spring break to prevent their roots from further damaging the structure of the sidewalk. After the trees were uprooted, a leak in an underground storm drain pipe beneath the sidewalk was found. “If the pipe had been damaged for some time, it is possible that some erosion had occurred over the course of time that could also have contributed to the sidewalk being more unstable,” Grogan said. By Tuesday, trees were removed and the pipe was
fixed. Concrete was poured on Wednesday following the break in wet weather, and Grogan said that if all goes as planned, the project should be completed before All Campus Sing next Wednesday. “I did not expect it to be repaired this quickly,” Schroeder said. “Nonetheless, it is good to know that the walkway will be reopened soon so my classmates and I can continue that route through the zen garden in between classes.”
Rhiannon Branch/The News
New concrete was poured on Wednesday, and the walkway should be open by next week.
Supreme Court Justice visits campus Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief atraylor@murraystate.edu
Ashley Traylor/The News
Indiana Supreme Court Justice talked with several groups of students this week.
U.S. 641 N. Murray 270-753-9622 Circus Skate Murray, KY
Indiana Supreme Court Justice, Steven David visited Murray State this week. He spent three days meeting with students and administrators and hosted the Speech and Debate union. One of the classes that David spoke to students in was the mass communication law course. Kevin Qualls, associate professor of journalism and mass communications, said David’s classroom visit reiterated what he had been teaching the students this semester. “It reinforced what they are learning is real,” Qualls said. David, a 1979 graduate of Murray State, met with ROTC cadets along with political science, pre-
law and journalism students, and their respective faculty, as well as deans and directors of the university. “I really think my mission was to come down here, and to the extent, I could talk to students to show you, ‘If I can do it, you can do it,’” David said. “You are really only limited by your own imagination.” David was the first in his family to go to college. Before being selected among 34 applicants to serve as a Supreme Court Justice, he served 28 years in the U.S. Army and 15 years as a trial court judge in Boone County, Indiana. “I did a really good job of being me,” David said. “I did not try to be you or you. I can’t compete. You’re the best you, right? I can’t be you...I can’t compete with your life experience or who your family is. I can only be me. And
if that happens to work out, it works out. And if I’m selected, then I’m selected. If I’m not, I’m not rejected. I’m just not selected.” David was nominated by the U.S. Army and selected by the secretary of defense to be the chief defense counsel at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba detention camp. During his tenure as chief defense counsel, he represented Salim Ahmed Hamdan and Osama bin Laden’s driver. “It was one of the most difficult professional and personal times in my life,” David said. He gave the students a lesson to consider about choosing between right and wrong from the time he spent working at Guantanamo Bay. “It’s really not that hard to choose between right and wrong,” he said. “The hard de-
cision is choosing between what is right and what is easy. Usually what is easy if often the wrong thing to do. Doing what is right is often hard.” Besides explaining his career experiences and inspiring students to pursue their dreams, David answered students’ questions about legal issues they had been learning about in the class and provided real-world insight on topics like the use of social media, cameras in the courtroom and the procedures of the First and Sixth Amendments. Qualls said David did not have any connections with politics, except for one notable high school teammate and he was able to work his way up to the supreme court. “He was on the same debate team with the Vice President, (Mike) Pence,” Qualls said.
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Sports
Sports Editor: Bryan Edwards Assistant Sports Editor: Blake Sandlin Page Designer: Rosalyn Churchman Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews
Sophomore guard granted release Taylor’s departure opens up another spot Blake Sandlin || Assistant Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu
Sophomore guard Jachai Taylor was granted his release from the Murray State basketball team on Monday, opening up a third scholarship for the Racers heading into next season. Taylor’s departure was announced by Murray State Head Coach Matt McMahon. “Jachai Taylor has been granted a release from his scholarship at Murray State,” McMahon wrote in a statement. “I have really enjoyed coaching Jachai these past two years and we thank him for his contributions to our program. We wish Jachai the best moving forward as he pursues other opportunities.” The 6-foot-7 guard appeared in 16 games, averaging 1.1 points per game this season and 3.0 PPG over his two-year career. Taylor thanked the program and fans for their support during his tenure with the team. “My family and I would like to thank Murray State University for a great college experience,” Taylor wrote. “We thank Coach Matt [McMahon] and the rest of the coaching staff for a great year and making the tournament. I have learned a great deal while attending Murray State and we really appreciate this opportunity.” “I have excelled in my academics and would like to thank all my professors that helped along the way,” he continued. “To all the Racer fans that enjoyed watching me on the court, thank you and keep up the support. I will continue to prosper as I continue my future endeavors.” Taylor’s departure comes just a week after sophomore forward Jalen Dupree announced he would be transferring out of the program. No players from the 2016-17 freshman class are left on the team. Dondre Griffin and Gilbert Thomas Jr., the other two player in that class with Taylor and Dupree, transferred after their first season in the program.
Dave Winder/Murray State Athletics
Sophomore Jachai Taylor requested and was granted a release from his scholarship.
Football senior class participates in pro day Bryan Edwards Sports Editor
bedwards16@murraystate.edu
Bryan Edwards/The News
NFL prospect D’Montre Wade participates in a drill during Murray State’s pro day activities.
Murray State football has begun its preparations for the 2018 season, but there was still some work to be done for the 2017 senior class. A handful of former Murray State football players laced up their cleats and took to the field at Roy Stewart Stadium one last time in an effort to impress scouts and earn a shot at the professional level. Players like Isaiah Foster, Bishop Woods and TroyWayne Quinn to name a few got a chance to show off their skills to NFL scouts, while D’Montre Wade and Jordon Gandy attempted to increase their stock in the upcoming NFL draft.
Gandy, who has finished his Murray State career with 2065 yards receiving and 23 touchdowns, has not seen his draft stock very high despite being invited to play in the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Collegiate Bowl during the off season. Wade on the other hand, has heard quite a bit of noise about his chances of being drafted. Coming off a six-interception season, Wade is making rounds on draft boards, currently being projected as a fifth-round selection on most projections Gandy said it was good to be healthy again after missing his opportunity to play in the Collegiate Bowl due to an injury. “It was definitely great for me to be back out here running routes and stuff because
I didn’t get to do it that much at the game besides those first two or three practices,” Gandy said. “I felt like I looked good for the most part. Still got some stuff I need to work on but I feel like I did a good job.” Gandy participated in all drills he was involved in, while Wade sat out of some of the timed drills. Wade participated in the NFL Combine, where he recorded a 4.57 second 40-yard dash. Now that the pro day is over, the wait for the NFL Draft in April begins. Wade will continue working out to perfect his craft in the coming weeks and hopes to see his name called at some point. The NFL Draft will begin on April 26 in Arlington, Texas.
Tennis sweeps weekend, wins seven straight Adam Redfern || Contributing writer
Racer tennis continued their OVC sweep with a 5-2 win over UT Martin and a 4-3 win over Southeast Missouri State. Sophomore Claire Chang—Kaohsiung, Taiwan Chang started off her weekend with a battle against UT Martin’s junior Asel Jumamukhambetova, winning 6-3, 1-6, 6-3. Chang teamed up with Masson to take down Jumamukhambetova and junior Jemima Potter 6-4. On Saturday, Chang lost a hard fought game to Southeast Missouri State sophomore Oleksandra Doroshenko 6-7, 7-5 and 6-2. Freshman Stasya Sharapova—Astana, Kazakhstan Sharapova was unable to record a win against UT Martin. Sharapova lost to Potter 6-7 and 0-6. Sharapova played alongside sophomore, Sara Loncarevic and lost 4-6 to freshman, Amelia Campbell and junior, Andrea Plantada. Sharapova was still unable to record a win in singles against SEMO, losing 5-7 and 2-6. Sharapova and Loncarevic were able to beat juniors Anais Emelie and Isabella Krupa 6-3. Freshman Aarja Chakraborty—Gautam Budh Nagar, India Chakraborty only played singles throughout the weekend, managing to beat UT Martin’s Plantada 6-2, 6-4. On Saturday, Chakraborty battled to a 7-5, 6-4 victory over freshman Maya Thompson from Southeast Missouri State. Junior Amina Hadzic—Esbjerg, Denmark Hadzic began her weekend with a 6-3 and 6-2 victory over junior, Olha Burak from UT Martin. Hadzic and Anja Loncarevic beat freshman Mizuki Sakurai and Burak 6-3. Hadzic rode her win-
aredfern@murraystate.edu
ning streak into Saturday, where she beat SEMO’s junior, Anais Emelie 6-2, 6-3. Hadzic and Anja Loncarevic topped Maya Thompson and freshman Maja Lundell 6-2. Sophomore Anja Loncarevic—Guilherand Granges, France Anja Loncarevic started her weekend with a hard-fought victory over UT Martin’s Sakurai 7-5 and 7-5. For doubles, Anja Loncarevic and Hadzic beat Sakurai and Burak 6-3. Anja Loncarevic lost a heartbreaker in a tiebreaker against SEMO’s freshman, Kelly Sicha 6-7, 6-0 and 2-10. Anja Loncarevic and Hadzic beat Maya Thompson and Lundell 6-2. Junior Jeanne Masson—Dinard, France To start the weekend Masson struggled in singles and fell short to UT Martin’s Amelia Campbell 2-6 and 0-6. Masson had more success in doubles playing with Chang. Together, they beat Jumamukhambetova and Jemima Potter 6-4. Masson did not play singles against SEMO, but she did play doubles with Chang. Hadzic and Chang were unable to finish their match against Zonova and Doroshenko as it ended 5-3. Sophomore Sara Loncarevic—Guilherand Granges, France Sara Loncarevic only played doubles against UT Martin. Sara Loncarevic and Sharapova lost 4-6 to Campbell and Plantada. Sara Loncarevic did get to see some singles action against SEMO. Sara Loncarevic faced off against and beat Lundell 6-2 and 6-2. Sara Loncarevic and Sharapova beat Emelie and Krupa 6-3. The Racers hope to continue their excellent play in the OVC when they face off against Eastern Illinois on Friday, April 6 in Murray at 1 p.m. Murray State will follow that with SIU-Edwardsville in on Saturday, April 7 in Murray at 1 p.m.
Brock Kirk/The News
Murray State’s tennis team currently sits at the top of the OVC standings.
The News
Sports
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April 5, 2018
Freshman Wood finding early success Gage Johnson || Staff writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
Kalea Anderson/The News
Freshman Grant Wood has found success at the plate in his first season, batting .370.
Finding players that can make an immediate impact on a program is rare. However, every once in a while, a team finds a diamond in the rough. Murray State has found that this season in freshman second baseman Grant Wood. Wood is a second baseman from Jefferson City, Missouri. In his high school career, Wood received multiple accolades, including First Team All-State, Baseball Coaches Association First Team All-American and an American Baseball Coaches Association Third Team All-American. Along with these achievements, Wood posted a stat line of a .495 batting average, 28 RBIs and three home runs, which earned him the Missouri Gatorade Baseball Player of the Year honor. Past players who have won this honor have gone on to play baseball professionally, such as outfielder Scott Van Slyke, relief pitcher Nick Tepesch, and starting pitcher Jacob Turner. Wood went relatively unno-
ticed, but despite other offers ultimately chose to be a Racer after forming a solid relationship with Murray State Head Coach Kevin Moulder. “He caught my eye,” Moulder said. “I’m from the St. Louis area, and he’s from Jefferson City Missouri, so I was familiar with his name. He’s done a great job and it’s been a big pick-me-up for us.” Wood was happy to be able to form such a good relationship with Moulder while he was still only a junior and has jumped at the chance to prove himself as a crucial player at the college level. “I didn’t really have many other Division I offers, so this was the best one and that’s one reason I came here,” Wood said. “Coach Moulder talked to me about how he wanted to me to play infield still and that I had a shot to play as a freshman. He said I just had to prove myself and that’s what I tried to do this fall.” Wood has continued to prove himself early on in the spring. Wood is batting .370 on the season, to go with 20 RBIs, and an OVC leading OBP of .514. Wood has drawn
the third most walks in the conference, a huge factor in his ability to get on base and make an impact on offense. At times there can be a power struggle between players that have been in a system longer than a brand new player. However, Wood’s teammates instantly recognized his importance to the team and jumped on board. “He keeps us all loose,” said junior shortstop Jaron Robinson. “He really knows how to play the game in a fun manner. Obviously with his talent and his ability he brings a lot to the table. With scoring runs, getting clutch plays, and big hits for us, it keeps our rallies going and keeps the energy in our dugout up.” While most players use their early years to acclimate to the college game, Moulder said if you have the talent, you’ll get the minutes. “I don’t care if you’re a senior, a freshman, or somewhere in between,” Moulder said. “The best players are going to go out and play. He’s a heck of a player and I’m glad we got him here.”
Baseball hires former Track’s 4x100 team MLB player to staff breaks school record Gage Johnson || Staff writer gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
Murray State baseball has hired Cole Brocker to its staff as an assistant and pitching coach. Brocker is no stranger to baseball at competitive levels. He spent his 2010-2011 season at Sacramento City College before playing at Oregon State from 2012-2013. Brocker spent his years in professional baseball with two different teams. His first two seasons in 2014-15 and 2015-16 were spent with the Atlanta Braves, before spending his final two seasons in 2016-17 and 2017-18 with the Chicago Cubs. While at Oregon State, Brocker said he formed a reBrocker lationship with a coach that shaped him into the coach he is today. “I’ve had a lot of coaches that have impacted me in positive and negative ways,” Brocker said. “Nate Yeskie, the Oregon State pitching coach, is definitely one of the positive ones. He’s taught me many things, but maybe most importantly he was the only coach I remember to have higher expectations of me than I did of myself. I want to bring that to whoever I coach because those expectations changed my life for the better and gave me a pretty great opportunity to chase a lifelong dream of playing Major League Baseball.” Despite the hardships faced in his professional career, Brocker said it’s something he would never trade anything for. “Minor League Baseball is hard to sum up
in just a few sentences,” Brocker said. “It’s not perfect and something that I took for granted at times. But it is without a doubt something that I’ll remember for the rest of my life.” The Minor Leagues are teams under a Major League Organization and are intended to prepare players for the next level. Brocker believes his time in the minors will make him a better coach and help inspire players to chase their dream of playing baseball professionally. “I think my experience in minor league baseball will help me and the players on our team understand what players at the next level look like,” Brocker said. “As well as knowing first hand what it takes to get to the next level. In my eyes, I can’t control if one of my players gets an opportunity to play pro ball or not, but what I can do is my best to prepare my guys to be ready to take full advantage of it when one comes their way.” Having been out of baseball for several months, becoming a coach at Murray State has allowed Brocker a chance to get involved with the sport he loves again. “Personally, I missed baseball like crazy,” Brocker said. “That’s my biggest passion, and life without it just wasn’t the same.” He didn’t want to just be a part of any organization, he wanted to be involved in an organization that is all for its players while still winning games. “I chose Murray specifically because of the coaching staff and the direction the team has been going,” Brocker said. “Coach Moulder and the rest of the staff are very committed to player development. He made that very apparent to me in my interview and I couldn’t think of a better environment to come into.”
Zach Scott || Staff writer zscott1@murraystate.edu
Murray State’s track and field team capped off a busy weekend setting multiple personal records, including a new school record. The Racers had athletes compete in three different meets last week: the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays in Austin, Texas, the Texas State Bobcat Invitational in San Marcos, Texas, and the Joey Haines Invitational in Cape Girardeau, Missouri. At the Clyde Littlefield Texas Relays, junior sprinters Tamdra Lawrence and Daijah White both set personal records in the 100-meter dash. Lawrence finished with a time of 12.08 seconds and White with a 12.13 finish. Jabreuna Brimlett, a junior hurdler, also set a PR in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.66. Her time also put her atop the OVC in the 100-meters this season. In the Texas State Bobcat Invitational, White topped the 12.13 personal record she set in the Texas Relays with a 12.07 run in the 100-meter. Brimlett finished first in the 100-meter hurdles with a time of 13.37 seconds. Her time was less than a tenth of a second off from the school record for the event. Sophomore sprinter Norma Abdur-Rafia, along with White, Brimlett and Lawrence, broke the school record in the 4x100 relay, posting a time of 45.60 seconds. Aubrey Main, a junior high jumper, set a PR in the high jump with a mark of 1.65 meters. Head Coach Adam Kiesler had nothing but
praise for the group of girls. “This group each individually is probably the fastest group between exchanges that I’ve ever had,” Kiesler said. Kiesler said he knew that breaking the school record in the 4x100 relay was something Abdur-Rafia, White, Brimlett and Lawrence were capable of. “The last three meets we got disqualified once, dropped the baton once, and at the Texas relays we weren’t really confident with our exchanges, we all talked, and we put it all together,” Kiesler said. He also said his group is capable of breaking even more records. “Hopefully they continue to break it a couple more times in the next couple of weeks,” Kiesler said. In the Joey Haines Invitational, Meagan Smith, a senior distance runner and Caroline Grogan, senior distance runner competed in the 10k race. Smith posted a time of 37:15:00, which was good enough for fourth place. Grogan finished the event with a time of 37:44:63. After two-straight wins and a strong outing in the large events this weekend, Kiesler is comfortable with the track his team his on. “The team as a whole is competing with the two wins, they weren’t really big meets, but they did what they were supposed to with that,” Kiesler said. “Overall, I think that we are headed in the right direction.” After the busy weekend, the Racers are taking the weekend off and will be back in action on Saturday, April 14 at the APSU Invitational in Clarksville, Tennessee.
Rosalyn Churchman/The News
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April 5, 2018
Features Editor: Emily Williams Assistant Features Editor: Nick Erickson Page Designer: Rachel Solomon Phone: 270-809-5871
Features
The art of healing Students send well wishes to Marshall County High School through origami
Amy Turner || Staff Writer aturner32@murraystate.edu
For centuries, 1,000 paper cranes have been used in Asian culture to symbolize peace and good will. After seeing the impact of the Marshall County shooting earlier this year, Airi Yamamoto, Japanese Outreach Initiative Coordinator for Murray State, decided to take the opportunity of spreading kindness by getting students involved in making origami cranes. Yamamoto has worked with the community and the college for the past two years to promote awareness for Japanese culture and its various practices. She said she enjoys working at Murray State because the town has very limited knowledge of Japanese culture and she would like to spread awareness. “We usually fold 1000 cranes when we pray for
somebody,” Yamamoto said. “I saw so many people here who were very shocked and sad about the Marshall County shooting.” According to the Japanese Canadian Cultural Centre’s Origami Crane Project website, cranes are believed to be mythical creatures with a 1,000 year lifespan. This belief leads most Asian cultures to see cranes as a symbol of good fortune and longevity. The cranes are usually arranged on 25 strings containing 40 cranes each. They are then are presented as a gift. The cranes will be delivered to Marshall County High School after the model is completed. All 1,000 cranes have to be folded and then put on string before being combined and delivered. Nathan Hensley, senior from Johnson City, Tennessee, spent a day helping with this project. He said he got involved because he is a Jap-
Features Editor
Kalea Anderson/The News
Airi Yamamoto, Japanese outreach initiative coordinator, organized a creative approach to send well wishes to Marshall County High School. anese major and is involved in the Japanese club. “It is just a fun way to get people involved and learn a little bit about Japanese cul-
ture,” Hensley said. The project is being continued in the Curris Center on Wednesday, April 4 and Thursday April 12 from 11
a.m. to 2 p.m. Students wishing to get involved can stop by and learn how to make the origami cranes and to continue making cranes.
ewilliams15@murraystate.edu
Haleigh Martin stepped up to the mic at Mr. J’s Grill and Pub and drew in a deep breath. Glancing out at the chatty, expectant crowd at open mic night, there was only one thought going through her head at what was her first live performance. “Don’t mess up,” she coached herself. “Don’t mess up at all.” She adjusted the strap on her guitar, brushed the hair off her shoulders and began to sing. The chatter of the crowd dwindled down to a soft lull until there was complete silence. All except for Haleigh Martin and her guitar. She finished her song, stepped back from the mic and watched as the crowd erupted in praise. For the 18-year-old Paducah native, this was the beginning of a beautiful journey of dedication and passion in pursuit of her music. This was the night that bridged the gap between ordinary and extraordinary. Even as a young girl in a smalltown church, Martin knew she loved music. After her church worship leader and his family announced that they would be moving away, he asked Martin to take over for him at 12 years old. Taking on this new role, she was immediately placed into a position of leadership in her church and given the opportunity to grow musically. Martin said her faith is very important to her and she takes God’s plans for her life very seriously. “For five years, I was this little kid leading praise and worship,” Martin said. “But I loved it, so that’s kind of how I knew it was my passion.” With a strong support system of family and friends backing her up, Martin decided to come to Murray State to pursue a career in music business. She said under the direction of Karen Kane, music business program director at Murray State, she fell in love with the program and campus and decided it was the place for her. Kane, who brings years of experience to the classroom at Murray State as a former senior director of marketing with Warner Brothers and a former director of artist development and marketing with Sony, said Martin is one of the most exceptional students she has ever taught. “I’m pretty close with all of my students, but Haleigh is special,” Kane said. Kane said while she knew Martin played out and performed
One student musician’s pursuit of the dream in various locations around the area, she usually tried to keep a wall up about her students and their performances. Her students were seen as business majors rather than as artists. “I knew that she performed out, but she never talked about it,” Kane said. “She never brought it up to me.” Kane said after Martin did her internship with Curb Records on Music Row in Nashville the previous summer, something told her that she needed to check out what she was like as an artist, not just a business student. So she went online and checked out some of Martin’s work. “She’s really good,’” Kane said. “I mean, she’s really good.” Kane said having been in the music business for a long time and having heard a lot of acts, Martin was like a breath of fresh air. “You don’t hear very many really good ones,” Kane said. “You especially don’t expect to find them right under your nose in your class.” Kane said Martin never asks for favors or special attention. “When you discover things on your own, especially in the music business, that makes it even better,” Kane said. “In our industry, that means something. It’s so much more powerful.” Martin said after her initial gig at Mr. J’s with the help of another local artist and friend, Stephanie Wood, things seemed to take off. She was asked to perform at Barbeque on the River in Paducah, Paducah Beer Werks, JP’s Bar and Grill and venues in Paris, Tennessee. Most of her weekends are spent performing in the area or in Nashville. “From Mr. J’s, it kind of just exploded,” Martin said. Martin said her first cowrite was in Nashville with Mark Evitts, a Murray native. Martin said she was 16 when she first wrote a song with Evitts. She said Evitts studied music at Murray State before moving to Nashville. He now tours with Rodney Adkins and composed the string arrangements for an album by Joey and Rory, a duet who won third place on CMT’s “Can You Duet” in 2008. “Joey and Rory’s album that Mark did arrangements for is their Roots Gospel album ‘Hymns That Are Important To Us,’” Martin said. “It won a Grammy for Best Roots Gospel Album in 2017. Mark taught me a lot about Nashville and helped introduce me to the business,” Martin said. Martin has a long list of people that she credits as having
Cleaning out the closet
Emily Williams
Stepping up to the mic Emily Williams
The Heart of the Matter
helped her and encouraged her in her pursuit of music. Mark Evitts, Stephanie Wood, Karen Kane, her family, Vince Dodd, her friend Addie Peters and the Hayden family are just a few to name. Martin said the Haydens, a family that she is particularly close to and who supports her endlessly, go to almost every performance that she has. “I’ve known the Haydens since I was very, very young,” Martin said. “Our families are very close and they love me like one of their own children.” Martin said Kevin Hayden was also in her praise and worship band when she began to sing and lead worship. She said Hayden sometimes plays rhythm for her even to this day. Addie Peter, senior from Tell City, Indiana and one of Martin’s closest friends through the music business program, said she met Martin in keyboarding class. She said as soon as she met Martin, she knew there was something special about her. “I remember she looked up and said hi,” Peter said. “And I was like, ‘She looks like she’s somebody. Do I need to know who this person is?’” Peter said Martin’s focus and dedication to her work inspired her. “Watching her work so hard in her career encouraged me to work hard in my career,” Peter said. “I think without her being in my life, I wouldn’t have worked so hard to get to where I am in the program.” Peter said as Martin’s roommate, she sees firsthand just how well she balances work, school and time with friends and family. “She’s a friend that’s always there,” Peter said. “She’s always there for you, but she’s always working and she’s maintaining like, a 4.0 grade average all the time. It’s insane to watch.” Peter said Martin captures a crowd in a unique way at her local gigs. “In a normal environment, if you’re in a restaurant and there’s a singer, most people ignore them,” Peter said. “But she gets on stage and opens her mouth, everyone turns. Everyone in the room turns because you hear it. And everyone is like, you know, ‘That girl is going to be a star.’” One unique aspect about Martin that makes her stand out as a musical artist is her head of big, curly brown hair. A drawing of her hair is featured on her Haleigh Martin Music t-shirts. “The hair is something that, when people see me, they’re like, ‘That’s Haleigh,’” Martin said.
Photo contributed by Haleigh Martin
Martin will release a single in May on M-Track Records. Martin said she considers her music to fall under the progressive country genre, drawing a lot of influence from artists such as Patsy Cline and Tori Kelly. “I think the fact that I have those jazzy, soul influences in my music is unique,” Martin said. “People have told me that they’ve never heard anything like that. So that’s pretty cool, when people kind of recognize those things in your music and mention it.” Martin said she remembers the first song she wrote for her middle school principal. “She found out that I sang and she was like, ‘We’re gonna put you on YouTube,’” Martin said. “So I wrote a song. I was in eighth grade and she pulled me into her office and they put me on her YouTube channel. After that, I started my own YouTube channel a few months after that.” Martin said it has been encouraging to have a number of local artists around her to support her, write songs with her and spur her on. “There is such a lively and
strong music scene around here,” Martin said. “It’s so inspiring and it seems like it doesn’t matter what your kind of music is as long as you’re passionate about it. People around here, they dig it and they are just so supportive and it’s the same way in Paducah as well. It’s almost like a small Nashville around here.” Martin said in the music business program, they talk about what each artist’s ‘I made it’ moment would look like specifically for them. She said her ‘I made it’ moment would be performing her music at the CMA’s or the Grammy’s. Kane said she believes Martin has both the talent and intelligence to make it in the industry. “When somebody comes along like that, who is as talented and easy-going as she is, that’s a good combination,” Kane said. “She’s got anything that anybody would ever want in an artist. I think Haleigh will be wherever she wants to be in 10 years.” Martin said she will release a single on May 14.
Features Editor
About a week ago, I had the overwhelming realization that I would be moving out of my apartment of four years within a matter of weeks. I was staring straight into the abyss that is my closet when this realization hit me. An overwhelming surge of panic rushed through my body as I realized just how much work would have to be put into the feat of moving out. Sure, I was excited. I was excited to be moving out and moving on to a new stage in my life, to be graduating and working on some serious wedding planning. But did I really want to take all that junk with me? The junk in my closet that had accumulated over four years of college? There was no telling what was in that closet that I needed to weed through. Then I got to thinking, maybe before I move out and move on, before I start a new chapter in my life, I need to clean out the closet of my heart and my mind, as well as my bedroom closet. My four years in this apartment and at Murray State have been very rewarding, exciting and wisdom-giving. But there have also been times in my college experience where I have made mistakes, I have wandered from who I knew I was and maybe there were still some things in the back of my closet that I needed to deal with before I could fully move on. Maybe that article of clothing represented a broken relationship that brought a lot of hurt and pain into my life. Maybe that pair of shoes represented the broken heart that I came here with, looking for something to fulfill me again. Yes, there were some things I needed to face up to, address and come to terms with. But in this process, I begin to find peace. Peace with who I am now and what my time in college has taught me. With as much junk as I have to sort through, give away and trash, there are even more items I want to keep and cherish forever. Cleaning out your closet can really be a beautiful thing. It can show you where you have been and how far you have come since then. It can reveal to you what you truly need and what you no longer have a use for in your life. It allows you to move out and move on with a sense of confidence, strength and wisdom that you may not have had before, while you were toting around all of that extra baggage. So banish the fear to the back of your mind, open wide those doors that conceal what you may be afraid of and address the monsters in your closet. I think you’ll find that the monsters aren’t so scary and you are bigger, stronger and more powerful than they are. ewilliams15@murraystate. edu
The News
Features
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April 5, 2018
‘Get out and see the world’ JMC fellow teaches students about the importance of international communications, diversity Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer
bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu
Sonya Noruwa is researching and teaching students at Murray State as a visiting professor in the Department of Journalism and Mass Communications. She teaches JMC 168, or Contemporary Mass Media. Originally from Houston, Texas, Noruwa has accomplished much in her academic career. She received a bachelor’s degree from the University of Houston, majoring in communications and public relations and minoring in marketing and political science. She received her master’s from the University of Houston Law Center and earned her juris doctorate from the Thurgood Marshall School of Law at Texas Southern University. Noruwa said she was
pulled to Murray State’s campus because of the diversity that she sees. “I like that [Murray State] has a strong international pull,” Noruwa said. “And my parents being Nigerian, I felt like this could be great to show students that [they] can do these things, too.” Noruwa said she likes to work with her students to encourage them to not only venture off into the world, but to give back to their campus community. “I’ve been able to share life experiences with them and showing them through my experiences, ‘Hey, this could be great,’” Noruwa said. Noruwa started studying public relations as an undergraduate. By minoring in political science, she realized that she wanted to go to law school. “I believe that public relations, communications and
the law go hand in hand,” Noruwa said. “It fortified my legal career but at the root of it all, I love communications.” Noruwa said that is when she decided to venture back to communications. She said she wanted to reach those students in college because it is a pivotal part of their lives and they learn their careers can take them anywhere. Noruwa and her students talk about law in the classroom as well as communications to show them that communications is the “stepping stone of law.” “My students are able to understand that there are ethical considerations when you are dealing with communications,” Noruwa said. “So, I always explain to them the things they might have to deal with in their career, whether it’s public relations or if you want to be a publi-
cist, legal aspects will always run into it.” Within the Department of Journalism and Mass Communication, Noruwa has also helped with the speech and debate team. She stays involved by going to their tournaments, judging tournaments and even coaching the Murray State team when she has time. Prior to coming to Murray State, Noruwa did a lot of research in the field of international law and communications. Noruwa said she has been researching health law and how countries communicate on different levels surrounding this issue. She said this has been her field of research for three years and she plans on completing it by the summer. “What I’ve been finding is that not a lot of people understand healthcare systems in different countries,” Noruwa said.
Noruwa realized while visiting her father in London, England that they have free healthcare. Noruwa said England modeled their structure from countries like Cambodia and Australia. With more research, Noruwa decided this was a topic she wanted to write about. “If we can communicate the different ways that our systems work for us, then we know that we can implement them into our own [healthcare] systems,” Noruwa said. “Maybe that way, we can have a smoother transition into making sure that everyone is taken care of.” Noruwa and her students don’t talk much about this research in class, but she shares a lot of her knowledge on other international topics, pulling from her experiences traveling abroad so much. “Get out and see the
Photo contributed by Sonya Noruwa
world,” Noruwa said. “There are so many other things that are going on that if you are aware of it, it might spark the next thing for you to go get your master’s for, to get your P.h.D in, or you might want to write about it.”
5 Hulu shows that prove binge-worthy Sara Howell
Contributing writer showell6@murraystate.edu
Every student deserves a break every now and again from the stresses of school and work. Hulu streams a variety of TV shows and movies that offer the chance for relaxation. Here are five shows that can make you both laugh and cry in the best of ways.
“THE MINDY PROJECT”
This show is centered around Mindy Lahiri as she balances working as an OB/ GYN and finding the perfect guy. Mindy Kaling created and starred in the show as the main character. Lahiri goes through a lot of struggles throughout the series, but she never gives up on what she wants. “The
Mindy Project” helps to send the message that women are headstrong and dedicated to living their best lives.
“THE GOLDBERGS”
This show is set in Jenkintown, Pennsylvania in the 1980’s and follows the lives of the Goldberg family. The creator of the show, Adam F. Goldberg, based the show off of the things he and his family did growing up. Though the Goldbergs may not always agree on everything, they are always there for each other. The show finds ways to tell the audience that family is one of the most important things in life.
“COUGAR TOWN”
This show follows a group of friends as they go through
life together in Gulfhaven, Florida. Jules Cobb, played by Courteney Cox, acts as the leader of the group. Throughout the series, these friends deal with a lot of real life issues but remain strong. They try to be there for one another just like good friends are supposed to.
“BROOKLYN NINE-NINE”
This show is a comedy centered around a group of detectives in Brooklyn’s 99th precinct. Jake Peralta, played by Andy Samberg, is a talented detective, but his immaturity tends to cause setbacks in his plans, as well as others’. Though these detectives are different in many ways, they always come together to protect and serve. They have just as much dedication to the job as they have for one another.
Graphic courtesy of Rachel Solomon
“GOOD GIRLS”
This show is about three suburban moms dealing with the consequences of robbing a grocery store after they decided they were through with
struggling to make ends meet. They end up getting more than they bargained for when they discover the stolen money is actually gang money. Having spent some of it already, they
are now indebted to this gang and its fearful leader. Being a new show, “Good Girls” has viewers eagerly waiting to see what will happen next.
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The News
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April 5, 2018
Opinion
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Our View
Finding a needle in a gun-stack The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.
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Our reliance on the sciences is undisputed. From Galileo Galilei to Hedy Lamarr, how we live today has been shaped by some of the brightest scientists through the centuries. There is not a single person that hasn’t benefited from scientific research and experimentation. Unfortunately, though there is a growing need for technology, climate and disease research, the current presidential administration has taken aim at valuable funding for said research. The devaluing of critical scientific endeavors, while pouring billions upon billion into our military might, put the health and wellbeing of everyone in danger. In 2017, not everyone was on board with the administration’s take on the sciences. According to the final summary for 2017, the House Appropriations Committee approved a $2 billion budget increase for the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2018. This flew in the face of Trump and his advisers who sought to cut the agency’s budget by $1 billion “as part of a proposal to pay for defense spending increases by cutting domestic programs,” according to ScienceMag.com. This agency conducts crucial biomedical and disease research, with their current focus being on Alzheimer’s and antibiotic resistance. Advances in our understanding of both could potentially improve the quality of life for millions and curb the effects such debilitating diseases have on societies around the globe. Despite the pushback from Congress, the current administration has pushed for stagnant budgets or deep cuts to various branches of the sciences which receive federal funding and would collapse without it.
Autumn Brown/The News
According to Trump’s proposed budget for 2019, agencies such as the EPA and US Geological Survey would receive an 18 percent budget decrease; despite the current administration’s insistence on gun violence being the result of poor mental health, the National Institute of Mental Health would receive a 30 percent budget cut. These proposed cuts come at a time when defense spending is grossly mismanaged and ballooning out of control. In what Trump has called “An American Budget,” he proposed a 13 percent increase in Department of Defense spending,
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The News
Cheers to ... Coming of All Campus Sing
Jeers to ... Notchgate The iPhoneX debuted to lukewarm sales for an Apple device, due in part to the hefty price tag and the notch in the screen. It’s the most derided feature of the device, but it’s still being copied... why?
The Fine Print
‘Fake news:’ fake, but not new
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It’s a Murray State tradition. When the trees begin to bloom, the competition is on. While not everyone is the next Whitney Houston, practice does indeed make perfect (or at least better). Keep at it, guys and gals.
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bringing the total budget to $686 billion. If that doesn’t upset you, it should. A truly American budget would put a larger focus on the health and wellbeing of its citizens. While the military is an integral part to protecting said health and wellbeing, it’s not the be-all-endall. Neglecting research into diseases such as AIDS has cost our country thousands of lives. Cancer is a costly disease, but the work of the NIH and its partners could mitigate a bit of the pain and suffering through new treatment options. The Trump administration has used the sciences and social services as scapegoats for the national debt. They would have you believe these endeavors are driving taxes up and destroying the middle class. Meanwhile, military spending eclipses all other portions of the national budget on a consistent basis. Needless wars fought in ravaged countries – wars which our nation has had more than a subtle hand in starting – drain away billions of dollars from citizens in need. Our nation’s priorities have long since been skewed toward irrationality. The current administration would have you believe immigrants, documented or not, are destroying our “great country.” However, the enemy is assuredly within our borders. It is our responsibility to demand the changes we need if we wish to become a healthy and safe citizenry. The sciences have predicted coming threats to the global community, but through them perhaps these can be stopped. We doubt fighter jets will do much to curb the rising oceans, nor automatic rifles against disease.
Bob Valentine
Contributing Writer rvalentine@murraystate.edu
The nation seems to be outraged over the attempts by Russians to plant false news about candidates on social media, thus influencing the outcomes in American elections. Who needs Russians when we have political parties? While we are spending millions of dollars on investigations and eroding what little diplomatic leverage we may have with Russia, we seem to forget that Russians aren’t the only people with access to the Internet. American election campaigns have never involved the practice of high-minded truths except by accident. The American voter has always been charged with having to sort out lies and halftruths and usually casts his or her vote while holding his or her metaphorical nose against the stink of the party-generated propaganda and innuendo. In the election of 1828, war hero Andrew Jackson was pitted against diplomat John Quincy
Adams, son of former President John Adams. Anti-Jackson editorialists (not a Russian among them) charged that Jackson had run away with another man’s wife and characterized his wife Rachel Jackson as a “woman of easy virtue.” Former President John Quincy Adams was portrayed in the pro-Jackson press as a “procurer” whose diplomatic success lay in his practice of providing young women for the pleasure of foreign diplomats. The billiard table installed in the White House at his own expense led to claims of gambling in the White House, thus morally debasing that bastion of democracy. Again, no Russians were involved. But that was nothing in comparison to the campaign of 1860 and the entire presidency of Abraham Lincoln. Mark Bowden wrote in The Atlantic that “bile poured on [Lincoln] from every quarter making today’s Internet vitriol seem dainty. His ancestry was routinely impugned, his lack of formal learning ridiculed, his appearance maligned, and his morality assailed.” In 1864, suffrag-
ette Susan B. Anthony publicly claimed that if he “is reelected I shall immediately leave the country for the Fijee Islands.” A Pennsylvania newspaper said of the Gettysburg Address, now a standard of oratorical excellence: “We pass over the silly remarks of the President. For the credit of the nation we are willing that the veil of oblivion shall be dropped over them, and they shall be no more repeated or thought of.” Lincoln couldn’t catch a break from fake news, and he hardly knew any Russians. From former President George Washington to President Donald Trump, no person or family has ever escaped the torrent of fake news that comes when political passion is combined with access to public media. There is no record of an opportunity being missed. The problem is not fake news. The problem is that we have developed a society where news is poorly edited and consumed without the slightest critical analysis of what is being spread. As the cartoon character Pogo put in the last century, “We has
met the enemy and he is us.” If people commenting on a cooking blog will call each other vile names over the question of how long hard-cooked eggs should stay in boiling water, imagine what they will do over matters involving taxes and national security. Without respect for personal decency and reason, there is no limit. Get ready to hear how “John X voted against our children,” because he did not vote for a tax bill with an education rider attached. Prepare for “Fred Y is against our senior citizens” pitched to you on equally shaky grounds. “I approve this message” is no excuse for distorting the truth. Candidates descend to this level because they—Democrat, Republican, Communist, Tea Party, left or right—believe you are stupid enough to be influenced by lies, distortions, halftruths and prejudices without pausing for a moment to consider the likelihood of the truth. Only you and I can prove them wrong. Before you vote, think. And, if you’re able to vote—for the sake of truth—register.
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April 5, 2018
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