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2018
THE MUR R AY STATE
NEWS
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PAGE 3 April 19, 2018 | Vol. 92, No. 26
Bevin vs. Beshear
Graphic courtesy of Savanna Hatfield
Elizabeth Erwin Contributing writer eerwin1@murraystate.edu As the Kentucky pension crisis escalates, Gov. Matt Bevin and Attorney General Andy Beshear find themselves in the middle of legal warfare. Less than a week after Beshear filed a lawsuit against the passing of the controversial pension reform bill, SB 151, Bevin filed a motion to disqualify the lawsuit. The first hearing for Beshear’s lawsuit, which Bevin claims should be disqualified over conflicts of interest, will be Thursday, April 19 at 10 a.m. “By placing politics above the law, the ‘chief law officer’ of the Commonwealth has called into question every act of the 2018
General Assembly,” Stephen Pitt, general counsel for Bevin, said in a statement on Wednesday night. Beshear filed the lawsuit against SB 151 because he believed the bill violated the inviolable contract. The inviolable contract guarantees state workers the benefits they were promised when hired. “What the inviolable contract is, was a promise made decades ago by the General Assembly,” Beshear said. “They said that if you spend your life teaching our children, protecting our families as a police officer or firefighter, serving neglected children as a social worker, that’s why we wouldn’t pay you nearly what you’re worth, we would guarantee you a solid retirement.”
The pension battle heightened on April 13 after the Kentucky House and Senate voted to override Bevin’s veto of the budget bill, HB 200. While HB 200 provides full funding for the pension system, SB 151 includes the framework for pension reform that would affect pensions in coming years. The controversy surrounding SB 151 involves the way in which the bill was passed through the legislature. In his formal complaint against the bill, Beshear said SB 151 was originally introduced as an 11-page bill relating to sewer services but was amended to become a 291-page overhaul of Kentucky’s public pension systems. “House Bill 200 does not re-
sult in a balanced budget,” Bevin said in his veto. “My administration is committed to getting Kentucky’s financial house in order. This budget fails in that regard, and therefore, I am vetoing it.” Educators applauded the legislature for overriding Bevin’s veto on Friday during statewide rallies. “Much of the debate on these bills today is centered around the way in which these bills were passed,” Kentucky Education Association President Stephanie Winkler said. “As it stands now, the legislature has a serious internal process problem, and as teachers and other members of the public proved today, we aren’t going to stand for it anymore.”
In a move that caused additional tension with educators, Bevin filed an executive order on Monday to appoint seven new members to the Kentucky Board of Education. The new appointees replaced the members who were appointed by former Gov. Steve Beshear. As it stands now, all eleven voting members on the board have been appointed by Bevin. The new members were sworn in on Tuesday, April 17 during a special meeting that lasted more than four hours and resulted in the resignation of Education Commissioner Stephen Pruitt. Pruitt resigned after serving two and a half years of a four year term.
“If Gov. Bevin and the Republican majority were sincere about strengthening education for all of Kentucky students, they wouldn’t starve our local school districts and stack the Board of Education with pro-charter school appointees,” Brad Bowman, spokesman for the Kentucky Democratic Party said to LEX18 in Lexington, Kentucky. “Today, they have continued their war on public education. We can’t fill the achievement gap by widening the state’s funding gaps for our schools. Education Commissioner Dr. Stephen Pruitt’s resignation is just another step by this administration and the Republican majority to steal public money and funnel it into the hands of a for-profit industry.”
Graduate enrollment down, Murray State making changes BUDGET James Turner Staff Writer
jturner34@murraystate.edu
Despite a five-year trend of decreases in graduate enrollment, Murray State’s administration is optimistic about the 2018-19 academic year. Murray State’s graduate student enrollment numbers dropped by 13.7 percent over the last year with 200 fewer graduate students. In 2016-17, there were 1,450 graduate students, but this academic year, graduate enrollment is at 1,250. Robert Pervine, associate provost for graduate education and research, said they have already seen an 8 percent increase in applications for the 2018-19 year. Pervine said the decline has been due to a few main factors: decreasing funding from international governments for study abroad trips, an improving economy and the cost of graduate school tuition. “When the economy is better, which is right now, people tend to look more to the job market rather than the graduate school,” Pervine said. Because most graduate students enroll in late spring through the summer, Murray State won’t have a clear determination for next year for several months. Pervine said there are several actions are being taken and considered to deal with the low graduate enrollment. New academic programs will be introduced, such as a master’s degree in occupational therapy for the summer. Another is a set of certificate programs for high school teachers across Kentucky. Pervine said they are going to
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introduce a set of post-secondary education certificates, allowing teachers to teach dual credit courses in high school. “That’s something we’re seeing a big demand for now,” Pervine said. Pervine said conceptually, any high school teacher in Kentucky could take advantage of the program but will likely draw mainly from high school teachers in the 18 county service region. Kentucky is making a big push for more high school students to have college credit before they enter a post-secondary institution, but before that can happen, Pervine said there must be high school teachers qualified to teach college courses. More courses will be offered online, and class time frames will be shortened to eight or even four weeks. “Most of the teacher leader programs in education are available now, or soon will be available fully online,” Pervine said. “So, it’s a pretty big effort on our part to make it as easy as possible for students to get access to our courses.” He said they’re even looking into combining a bachelor’s and master’s degree into a five-year period. Accelerated programs, or jump programs, allow graduates to take courses toward their master’s degree in their final undergraduate year, which would give them a head start should they return. “It’s all about convenience,” Pervine said. “Making it easier for adults and working students to access our course work.” The admissions process
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GRADUATE ENROLLMENT DECLINE
BEVIN VETOED BUDGET BILL
2017
1,450
1,250
2018
Graphic courtesy of Savanna Hatfield
could also change in the future. He discussed possible admission ideas with a recruiter from Missouri State. This detail, which he said was brought up at the March Board of Regents meeting, caused a little confusion that Murray State uses Missouri State’s model, which isn’t true. “I think that there’s a recognition on our part that we need to streamline the admissions process to graduate school,” Pervine said. He also said the decision between when an application arrives and when the University replies needs to be made as quickly as possible. Pervine said as another potential countermeasure to the drop in international student
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UPDATE
enrollment, they are looking at possible adjustments to international tuition rates, but nothing has been finalized yet. There has also been a big push on recruitment efforts this year. Matthew Jones, coordinator for graduate recruitment and retention, came onboard Oct. 9 of last year and has been attending different fairs and universities to recruit new students. Jones said that in the 201617 academic year, the office of recruitment staff had been to 18 or 19 events. “At the end of this year, we’ll have gone to 41,” Jones said. “And by we, I mean me.” Jones has traveled to Kentucky, Indiana, Missouri, Ten-
nessee and Oklahoma. He said there’s potential to go even farther in the future if the interest is there. “I’m willing to go anywhere I need to to get students in the University,” he said. Jones said he gets a lot of questions concerning online, in-person and hybrid courses, but the biggest question he receives is about tuition rates and whether graduate assistantships are offered. Jones offered some advice to students. “Explore your options,” Jones said. “Talk to faculty within a program you might have interest in. Some students think master’s degrees are another four years, but often they’re much shorter.”
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HOUSE AND SENATE OVERRODE VETO BUDGET AND REVENUE BILLS BECAME LAW
CORRECTION On April 12, The News reported on proposed budgetary changes for fiscal year 2018-19. The information presented in the tuition graphic incorrectly depicted tuition rate increases. See the updated graph at thenews.org for a look at how tuition will likely change. The News regrets any misinformation.
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The News
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April 19, 2018
News Editor: Lindsey Coleman Page Designer: Savanna Hatfield Phone: 270-809-4468 Twitter: MurrayStateNews
News
Artisan Kitchen expanding to Murray James Turner Staff Writer
jturner34@murrastate.edu
Artisan Kitchen, a local restaurant and catering service in Paducah, Kentucky, is opening a new location in Murray’s Olympic Plaza. Karla Lawrence, chef and coowner of Artisan Kitchen and Shandies restaurant, said they started talking seriously about opening a second restaurant in Murray in September of last year. Lawrence said they did a lot of catering to Murray anyway and had many requests to open an Artisan Kitchen there. The Artisan Kitchen menu has a variety of eats for both dine in and catering. Their website lists a large variety of salads, sandwiches, pasta and desserts. They also sell many baked goods like cookies and cakes. Lawrence said you can call and ask to have your meal ready by a certain time and it will be hot and ready for you. They will even take your already-made meal and add their special touch to it. “We try to be real specialized,”
Lawrence said. “This is our craft, this is what we do. We’re more interested in being the artisans and stuff like that more than we are, you know, unfortunately, the business side of things.” Lawrence said she likes to experiment and try different things. “I’ve got a hunger for learning about all types of cuisines, so we’re not just stuck on American,” Lawrence said. “Right now, I’m stuck on Thai. I’m learning everything about every type of curry ever made.” David Jones, owner-operator of Artisan Kitchen and Shandies, said the chefs at Artisan Kitchen like to adjust to the needs of the customers. Jones said they are currently conceptualizing deals for Murray State students and faculty. “We just think there’s going to be a good opportunity there that will meet students’ needs and professors’ needs,” Jones said. This isn’t a new concept for them, as they’ve always done similar customized orders in Paducah. “We’ve always been very good about kind of customiz-
ing things for people,” Jones said. “So, we like to adjust to the people that are coming into the door to what they need.” Sara Watkins, a chef, will be their partner for the new Murray restaurant. Watkins said she’s been working professionally in kitchens since she was 16 years old, and crossed paths with Artisan Kitchen around four years ago. She said they were really great and working for them was a lot of fun. When Jones approached her about running a new store, it didn’t take her long to decide on running a second store in Murray. “I kind of jumped at it,” Watkins said. “It’s been my goal, effectively, since I got into this business to have something, to run something that was mine. You know, to be an owner in a place. For me, it was a great opportunity.” Watkins said she was also working on some new things for the restaurant, like gluten-free or vegan foods. She said they want to do some
Brock Kirk/The News
In July, Artisan Kitchen will open in Murray and offer a large variety of salads, sandwiches, pasta, desserts and baked goods. new and unique things for the Murray market because of the large amount of college students and faculty. “I think we’ll have some room, definitely, to do some
Murray-exclusive menu things,” Watkins said. “I don’t think the idea is to just keep it the same across the board, you know. Murray can be a little different.”
Watkins said she wants her restaurant to be that place for people in town that appeals to everybody. Artisan Kitchen is projected to open this July.
Musicians for Marshall Paige Effinger Staff Writer
peffinger@murraystate.edu
Brock Kirk/The News
Musician Zach Williams was one of several artists to perform at a concert to benefit the Marshall County community.
A benefit concert for the Marshall County community was held last week that showcased gospel music performers in a “Night of Healing” to honor the victims of the Marshall County High School shooting. The main event was singer Zach Williams, and this stop was a part of his Chain Breaker Spring Revival Tour. Williams is a Grammy-nominated recording artist most famous for his debut single “Chain Breaker.” One of the coordinators behind the event was Heartland Ministries, Inc. which owns and operates many of the Christian music radio stations in this area, including
WVHM-FM, Elevate FM and Thrive FM. Matt Freeman, operations coordinator, said they have known about Williams for a while. “Following the success of his single, other songs from the ‘Chain Breaker’ album have made it to the radio, leading to the continued success and development of his Christian music career,” Freeman said. The three radio stations owned by Heartland Ministries, Inc. operate primarily in Western Kentucky. Most of this area was somehow affected by the shooting that took place on Jan. 23. Freeman said the key purpose of the stations is to provide a positive, encouraging alternative to the negative nature of so much of today’s media. “When the need arose to
keep the community updated on the situation, it created countless opportunities for our organization to remind everyone to be encouraged by where our hope comes from,” Freeman said. This concert is another opportunity for Heartland Ministries, Inc. to live out their key purpose. Freeman said they dove head first into working to put together an event that would honor and celebrate the lives lost during the tragic event while strengthening the relationships of the student body and the community. “That’s what it all comes down to: loving and encouraging each other while keeping our hearts and minds focused on where our true source of hope comes from,” Freeman said.
New cab service promises positivity Lindsey Coleman News Editor
lcoleman7@murraystate.edu
Two weeks ago, Brian “Sunshine” Bradley started a new taxi service in Murray called Sunshine Cabs with the goal of serving the community well. Bradley said he noticed there was a need in Murray for a clean, dependable and friendly cab service. They hope to build strong relationships with people through a quality experience during every ride. “Our main goal is not to get rich and famous,” Bradley said. “We just noticed there is a service that needs to be provided, and we want to be the ones who provide it with good customer service. That’s our main goal.” Their friendly customer ser-
vice begins with a smile and a free bottle of water. “Sometimes it’s hard to get into a vehicle with a stranger and kind of feel on edge,” Bradley said. “They could be having a bad day, but to get in the car with someone who is happy, it will change their mood. That’s what we’re looking for.” Bradley said their first week, they gave two or three rides, and now, they are seeing more business with two or three rides per day. “We just want to make sure everyone gets to where they need to be safely,” Bradley said. Sunshine Cabs has one van licensed and insured, and in the coming years, Bradley said he hopes the business can expand to other towns in the region.
Lindsey Coleman/The News
Sunshine Cabs offer $1 discounts for college students and veterans.
The cab service is available 24/7 at a $7 flat rate in town. They offer $1 discounts with a student I.D. “We want to make sure everyone enjoys their experience in college,” Bradley said. “If they needed something, even if they were very inebri-
ated and didn’t have any money--call us. We’re still going to get you where you need to go, because we want to make sure everyone is safe.” Sunshine Cabs also has a loyalty system and a discount for veterans. To contact Sunshine Cabs, call (270) 978-9992.
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April 19, 2018
Sports Ohio Valley victors
Sports Editor: Blake Sandlin Senior Writer: Gage Johnson Page Designer: Rosalyn Churchman Phone: 270-809-4481 Twitter: MSUSportsNews
Golf claims back-to-back OVC titles
Photo courtesy of Dave Winder/Racer Athletics
Murray State women’s golf’s title marks the 11th OVC championship in program history. Keith Jaco Staff Writer
rjaco@murraystate.edu
The Murray State women’s golf team captured its second-straight OVC championship in as many years on Wednesday at The Shoals Golf Club in Muscle Shoals, Alabama. Murray State handled its eight-shot lead with care on Wednesday, shooting 303 as a team and securing back-to-back championships for the third time in program history. Head Coach Velvet Milkman said her team’s resilliency was on full display as other team’s tried to make a late charge for the title on Wednesday. “They don’t get any easier,” Milkman said. “I’m proud of the fight that we showed. We talked all week about being resillient and strong, and they did that down the stretch. The team leaderboard was tight after 18 holes of play Monday, as the Racers led the Jacksonville State Gamecocks by one stroke. Eastern
Kentucky and Austin Peay each kept with the pace, scoring 312 and earning shares of third place. The Racers led early and often in the threeday tournament. Sophomore Lucila Puente Rodriguez de Austria, from Sevilla, Spain, led the way on day one, posting the only par score. This earned Puente sole possession of first place. Senior Moa Folke, from Tranas, Sweden, followed closely behind her teammate after shooting a 73 and securing a share of second place. Murray State set the tone for the rest of the field on day two, scoring a round-low 288 and pushing their lead to eight strokes. The Racers round two score was the third-lowest round in OVC championship history. Folke followed up her day one performance with a round two 69, moving her up to first place, two shots ahead of Jacksonville State junior Valentina Giraldo. Rodriguez de Austria slipped two spots into third place after posting a 76 on day two. Sophomore Raeysha Surendran, from Selangor, Malaysia, finished Tuesday tied for fourth place,
giving the Racers command of three of the top five spots on the leaderboard. Milkman was vocal about Surendran’s impact on the Racers this week. “Raeysha had a fantastic tournament,” Milkman said. “ She was truly the key for us helping to win the championship.” Folke fell off pace on day three, scoring a 79 and earning third place for the tournament. Teammate Rodriguez de Austria leaped over Folke on the leaderboard Wednesday, taking home second place after scoring a 73. Surendran also finished day three with a 73 and earned fourth place with a three-day total of 222, helping the Racers claim back-to-back OVC titles. Jacksonville State’s Valentina Giraldo took home first place for individuals after beating out Rodriguez de Austria by three strokes. The OVC All-Tournament team was heavily dominated by Racers, as Rodriguez, Surendran and Folke all earned respective spots. Elsa Moberly, from Eastern Kentucky, and Valentina Giraldo, from Jacksonville State, each received
All-Tournament nods as well. This year’s OVC championship marks Head Coach Velvet Milkman’s 11th career title, all with Murray State. Milkman said she was thrilled with her team’s championship performance. “I’m very proud of the fight that they showed,” said Milkman. “We talked all week about being resilient and strong and they did that coming down the stretch.” Milkman stressed the importance of working as a team after receiving help from all five starters. “It’s a team championship, we tell them all the time one player can’t win a championship and one hole doesn’t win a championship, everybody has to do their best, it’s truly a team effort.” Murray State will be one of 74 teams to participate in the NCAA Tournament on May 19. The Racers will travel to one of four sites: Austin, Texas, Madison, Wisconsin, Stanford, California or Tallahassee, Florida.
MSU basketball player breaking borders Adam Redfern
Contributing writer aredfern@murraystate.edu
Murray State’s women’s basketball freshman guard Paige Barrett will embark on a mission trip in Warsaw, Poland, where she hopes to strengthen her love of God while playing the game she loves. Barrett will be traveling through the program Athletes in Action, an organization devoted to helping athletes think and live biblically at the intersection of sport and Christianity, according to their website. Barrett first heard about the program toward the end of the regular season for the Racers. “I found Athletes in Action and the opportunity when I was at the OVC tournament in Evansville,” Barrett said. “After our game against Belmont, one of the leaders for the trip came up to me and asked if I would apply for a spot on the roster. After praying about it and consulting with my parents and coaches, I decided to apply.” Barrett and fellow athletes will be able to experience Warsaw for 15 days, from May 20 to June 4. They help coach a team camp, and the athletes will play against the Polish 18U national team. The Polish national team has accomplished numerous notable feats, including finishing third in 1992 and third in 2000. Barrett has worked hard to earn this opportunity to share her faith, being one of a few chosen Division I athletes. “I’m excited to build my leadership skills and learn ways to share my faith through basketball,” Barrett said. “I chose the program because it incorporates some of the most important things in my life: God and basketball.” Growing up, Barrett was raised in a Christian home. She credits her family for introducing her to God. Since becoming a Racer,
her teammates and coaches have helped her develop her relationship with Christ. “I got really serious about my relationship with Jesus when I came to Murray this past summer,” Barrett said. “It wasn’t until I met my coaches and some of my teammates that I really started to see growth in my relationship with Christ. They helped me get plugged into church, start volunteering and I joined a Bible study group.” Racer women’s basketball Head Coach Rechelle Turner has been instrumental in Barrett’s involvement with her faith. The first-year head coach said she has employed several initiatives to help bolster the character of her players, both on and off the court. “We are a God, family, basketball program,” Turner said. “We believe in planting seeds in our players lives and watching God water and grow those seeds. One thing we do weekly is that we have a character coach that comes in and talks to our players about different life and sports situations. Our players are exposed to opportunities to grow their faith and share their faith as servant leaders to each other.” Turner’s commitment to growing her players spiritually was echoed when Barrett approached her about embarking on the trip. The trip will force Barrett to miss summer workouts with the team. However, Turner told Barrett the opportunity was too good to pass up. “She talked to me about wanting to go to Poland,” Turner said. “It will require her to miss part of the our summer workouts. I encouraged her to apply and assured her that she had my blessing.” Barrett’s trip is estimated to cost $4,500, and she is looking for help with the costs. If you would like to help fund Barrett’s mission trip you can do so at www.give.cru. org/1003227.
Photo courtesy of Dave Winder/Racer Athletics
Barrett’s trip to Poland will last from May 20 through June 4.
The News
Sports
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April 19, 2018
Baseball has blonde hair affair Gage Johnson Senior writer
gjohnson17@murraystate.edu
Bryan Edwards/The News
Junior catcher Joseph McMahon masterminded the idea to dye the hair of teammates after games.
Within the game of baseball, there any many unwritten rules and traditions. Racer baseball has created one of their own, and it’s not your everyday gimmick. If you’ve walked around campus or just enjoyed a game of Murray State baseball, you may have noticed players donning dyed blonde hair. At first it was just one, then two and then even a third. Questions began to rise. The answers to those questions can be found in junior catcher Joseph McMahon, a player known for his outspoken in-game antics. After every Murray State win, each player’s number is placed in a hat. The players then draw every number out from the hat, forcing the last player drawn to dye his hair blonde. Once drawn,
the player has 24 hours to dye his hair. McMahon originally masterminded the idea with a little help from his father, Joe McMahon. His father played for the New York Islanders in the NHL for twenty years. During this past summer, Joseph spent time at home with his father in Holbrook, New York. During that time, Joseph asked his father about some strategies he and his hockey teammates employed to boost team chemistry and comradery. Joe McMahon told him how and Islander teammates executed the hair-dying venture. Joseph was hooked. He decided to approach his teammates about carrying on the idea. While it did take some convincing at first, Racer baseball hopped on board. “I put a poll on GroupMe and it was like 15-15 because some guys were indifferent,” McMahon said. “Slowly we convinced
everybody. We were already a pretty close-knit group, but this gives us a little extra juice and something to look forward to after a game.” Now halfway through the season and owning a record of 17-18, nearly half of the Racer baseball players are rocking the blondehaired look. While Head Coach Kevin Moulder isn’t particularly a fan of the stunt, he knows it’s important to enjoy the long season and thinks McMahon’s idea has done just that for his team. “Well, my true feelings are I think it’s really stupid,” Moulder said. “Joe came up to me and asked if it was alright, and I gave it my blessing. I’m sure there are some moms that aren’t happy with me, but baseball is a long season. So stuff like this is just a nice way to keep guys loose, and find ways for them to enjoy themselves and make coming to the park everyday interesting.”
Former Racer sprinter authors first book Zach Scott Staff writer
zscott1@murraystate.edu
Former sprinter Alexis Love is a household name to those who have followed Murray State’s track and field team. She was an All-American during her time with the Racers, she’s currently on the Team USA Olympic track and field team, and now she’s an author. Love published her first book, “Running for My Life: The Diary of Alexis Love” on February 14, 2018. Love knew from a young age that she wanted to write. “I’ve been journaling since I was really young,” Love said. “For as long as I can remember, I had a diary.” The book chronicles Love’s life – from her childhood, to choosing a college, travelling the world with the Olympic team, up until her life now where she is residing in Louis-
ville, Kentucky. When Love decided she wanted to write a book, she didn’t even have a computer to write it up. “I woke up one morning, went to Walmart and bought a $100 computer so I could start typing all of my journals out,” Love said. It was a long process, but just like her trying track career, Love stayed motivated and was determined to write her life story. “I would wake up early every morning and type for two hours for about three months,” Love said. Influential figures like Head Coach Adam Kiesler, who was a track assistant coach during Love’s tenure with the Racers, along with Love’s other coaches, inspired her to write the book. “They taught me the importance of hard work and dedication,” Love said. “When you
have a coach that believes in you, there is no limit to what you can do.” Kiesler had plenty of memories with Love, but one that stuck out to him was the 2010-11 season, her junior year. “Her junior year we had a lot of time together, indoor and outdoor nationals and the Olympic trials,” Kiesler said. There are girls on the track team this year that Kiesler said remind him of Love when it came to her work ethic and performance. “Tamdra [Lawrence] just tied Alexis’ personal record in the 60-meter dash and JB [Jabruena Brimlett] is a national-caliber hurdler,” Kiesler said. Love struggled the most with gathering her memories and putting them from her journals to her computer. “Typing and actually putting all of my journals into chronological order was by far the hardest part,” Love said. “There
were so many journals under my bed I had to go through.” Once she finished the rough draft, Love said the best part about the entire process was getting back an edited version of her story. “When the editor sent me the rough draft and I was able to see how everything worked out, it was as if you were watching a movie and you could see your life lay out in front of you,” Love said. Love originally planned to name the book “From Then to Now: The Story of Alexis Love” before she decided to change it to the book’s current title. The book has been a success so far, selling out on Amazon at one point. Barnes and Noble has even added the book to its catalog. Overall, Love enjoyed the process, and she has already planned on writing another book.
Photo Courtesy of Amazon
Alexis Love’s first book chronicles her life from childhood to running for Team USA.
Basketball signs five to 2018 class Zach Scott Staff writer
zscott1@murraystate.edu
Head Coach Matt McMahon wrapped up the 2018 recruiting season by signing five recruits for Racer basketball. While many expected the Racers to address their front court deficiencies during the recruiting season, Murray State only signed one forward and four guards. The signees included guard DaQuan Smith, from Holly Springs, Mississippi, Coastal Alabama Community College forward Mike Davis, Cleveland, Mississippi forward KJ Williams, John A. Logan guard Jaiveon Eaves and Hopkinsville, Kentucky guard Jalen Johnson. DaQuan Smith: 6’2” Guard Smith finished his high school career at Holly Springs High School as his school’s all-time leading scorer with 2,096 career points. Smith is also the highest ranked point guard in Mississippi in the 2018 recruiting class according to 247Sports. McMahon said he expects Smith to make a tremendous impact on the court next season. “We are extremely excited to
welcome DaQuan and his family to Murray State,” said McMahon. “DaQuan is a very explosive scorer with great athleticism at the guard position. He can really shoot the three with NBA range, and also excels as a creative scorer off the dribble. Off the court, DaQuan is a good student and the president of his class at Holly Springs. He is going to make a tremendous impact in our program, both on and off the basketball court.” Smith averaged 21.8 points per game during his tenure at Holly Springs, including his junior campaign where he averaged a career-high 26.3 points per game. “DaQuan is a high-character young man,” said Holly Springs’ Head Coach Sylvester Kilgore. “He’s a leader on the court and off it. He’s got explosive athletic ability and can score at a high rate. He’s got a great jump shot and has great range for the college game.” Mike Davis: 6’7” Forward
Tyshawn “Mike” Davis is joining the Racers after spending the first two years of his collegiate career at Coastal Alabama Community College. “Mike is a versatile and highly-skilled player,” McMahon
said. “His character, work ethic, and love of the game really stood out to our coaching staff. He’s an effective scorer around the basket who can also stretch the floor from 3-point range and make plays off the dribble. Mike fits our style of play extremely well.” Davis averaged right around 16 points and eight rebounds per game for Coastal Alabama last season. Davis shot 54 percent from the field last year, including a 48 percent clip from the 3-point line. “Mike has a versatile game,” Coastal Alabama Head Coach Will Brown said. “He can play with his back to basket, put it on the floor and shoot the three. He is one of the best kids I’ve coached and has a desire to learn and improve; he’s hungry to win. He comes from a strong family background and his family exudes in him. KJ Williams: 6’8” Forward
Kamarian “KJ” Williams will join the Racers following a superb senior season for Cleveland Central High School where he averaged 21 points and 11 rebounds per game. “KJ has great size and athleticism for his position,” McMahon
said. “We love his ability to rebound and protect the rim and offensively, he’s another forward who can shoot the ball from the perimeter. With his tremendous upside, we look forward to getting him in our player development program starting this summer.” Williams led Cleveland Central to a 23-9 record his senior season and helped carry them to the second round of the Mississippi Class 5A State Tournament. “KJ is a very respectful young man and humble,” Cleveland Central Head Coach Bernard Berryhill said. “He has all the tools to play the game. He moves with a fluidity that someone his size doesn’t usually have. Our school was new, and we moved from a 3A classification and up to 5A, and I thought KJ learned how to play against a higher level of competition. I regret that I only had him one season because he was a joy to coach.” Jaiveon Eaves: 6’2” Guard The Madisonville, Kentucky native, Jaiveon Eaves, will return to his home state following a two-year stint with John A. Logan College in Carterville, Illinois.
“We are thrilled to welcome Jaiveon Eaves to the Murray State family,” McMahon said. “Jaiveon had an outstanding sophomore season at John A. Logan, earning second-team All-American honors. We love his ability to score the ball in a variety of ways, his consistency from behind the 3-point arc, and his toughness at the defensive end of the floor.” Eaves averaged 16.1 points per game his sophomore year at John A. Logan College, leading his team to a 26-6 record and ranked No. 22 in the NJCAA rankings. Eaves shot 48 percent from the floor including a 44 percent clip from the 3-point line. “He was outstanding by any definition,” John A. Logan coach Kyle Smithpeters said. “Jaiveon came in with 13 new players and did a great job of establishing himself as a hard worker and team leader. He had a teacher’s mentality, in that he wanted guys to buy in and improve. We have a lot of players come through, but there aren’t many that have pulled the reins like he did.” Jalen Johnson: 6’1” Guard
eraged 18 points per game during his career with the Hopkinsville Tigers. Johnson was a prominent figure on a Hopkinsville team that made the Kentucky Sweet 16 three times, advancing to the quarterfinals twice. “We are excited to announce the addition of Jalen Johnson to the Murray State program following his outstanding career at Hopkinsville,” McMahon said. “Offensively, Jalen brings play-making skills off the dribble, the ability to attack off ball screens, and excellent 3-point shooting. Defensively, we like his ability to pressure the basketball along with the toughness and competitiveness he brings to the team.” Johnson finished his career at Hopkinsville High School with 1,663 points under his belt. Johnson will participate in the Kentucky/Indiana All-Star game this summer. “Jalen is a great kid, and he does it in the classroom and on the court,” Hopkinsville Head Coach Tim Haworth said. “He’s going to work hard and do whatever it takes to be the best he can be. The bigger the game, the better he plays.”
Jalen Johnson, the last of the five to sign with the Racers, av-
U.S. 641 N. Murray 270-753-9622 Circus Skate Murray, KY
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The News
Page 5
April 19, 2018
Features A new way to dine
Features Editor: Emily Williams Assistant Features Editor: Nick Erickson Page Designer: Rachel Solomon Phone: 270-809-5871
Sara Howell Staff writer
showell6@murraystate.edu
The nutrition, dietetics and food management program is offering the Murray State community a new way to dine in every Wednesday until May 2. These students have worked together as a class to create pop-up restaurants, each with a differing theme. Karen Byrd, assistant professor and dietetic internship director, said her students do this as part of their senior capstone project because it combines all the skills they have learned while in the dietetics program. “The meal service rotates each week in terms of which student is the manager in charge,” Byrd said. “The other students act as the manager’s food service staff to produce and serve the meal.” Byrd said the manager is in charge of choosing the theme, planning the meal, determining marketing and cost and purchasing the food. “We’ve gotten really great comments that the students are doing a great job,” Byrd said. “Those who have attended think it’s a great ex-
perience for the students and that the meals are good.” She said the feedback has been helpful because students with upcoming meals take previous suggestions and try to incorporate that in future meals to improve them. Anna Hughes, sophomore from Paducah, Kentucky, attended The Marvelous Mediterranean on April 4 by Kaylie Ruderman. “Kaylie is a dedicated nutrition & dietetics student and an awesome [sorority] sister so I wanted to support her,” Hughes said. She said it was cool getting to be a part of a school project and taste great food. “Her menu contained a veggie dip, a great main course [greek chicken gyro and quinoa] and an amazing dessert of browned peaches,” Hughes said. Caprisse Johnson, senior dietetics major from St Louis, Missouri, has been planning her meal with the theme “A Meal of Greatest Hits.” “Every course is based on an iconic song from the 1970s and early 2000s,” Johnson said. “The first course is based on the Jackson 5’s ‘ABC’, the second course is ‘Living on a
Photo courtesy of Karen Byrd
Nathan Jones enjoys a healthy meal offered through the nutrition, dietetics and food management program at Murray State. Prayer’ by Bon Jovi and the choices of desserts are ‘Hollaback Girl’ by Gwen Stefani and ‘Hallelujah’ by Jeff Buckley.” She said this project is helping her gain useful knowledge for her internship after graduation. “Whenever my food rotation comes along, I’ll basically be doing the same thing I’m doing now,” Johnson said. “I’ll
just be more prepared for it because I’ve done it before.” Byrd said the remaining pop-up restaurants are A Meal of Greatest Hits, $9, on April 18 managed by Caprisse Johnson, Wide World of Sports, $8, on April 25 managed by S. Patrick James and Derby Day, $10, on May 2 managed by Jessica Orscheln. The meals are held in Oak-
ley Dining Room, located on the second floor of the Oakley Applied Science Building. Seating for each meal begins at 11:30 a.m. Cash and check are the only payments accepted. For more information on the dietetics program, or to make reservations at the pop-up restaurant, contact Karen Byrd at 270-809-3124.
From the Bluegrass to the big screen Nick Erickson
Assistant Features Editor nerickson@murraystate.edu
When it comes to movies, most would think of Hollywood, not Kentucky. Daryl Ward Phillipy, an assistant professor of theatre at Murray State, is making a name for both himself and the university, recently completed filming for his role in the upcoming historical film “The Silent Natural.” Based off a true story, the film will follow William Hoy, the world’s first deaf Major League Baseball player. Phillipy will portray Hoy’s friend and fellow teammate Tom Lovett. Phillipy said he went to a casting call in Hopkinsville, Kentucky for the film after seeing an advertisement for it in the newspaper. “I had just finished up my role in another film and decided I wanted to audition for this one as well,” Phillipy said. “They called me back in January and I prepared a monologue.” Phillipy said he’s excited about the film’s premise and believes it is an inspirational story.
Amy Turner
“Throughout the film you see Hoy’s life from his upbringing to adulthood, then primarily his first season as a major league player,” Phillipy said. “Due to his disability, you see a lot of the adversity and bias he encountered and overcame.” Phillipy said he hopes the film will show how underrated Hoy’s role in baseball really was. “Not only were his statistics very good, but a lot of the hand signals used in baseball were created on behalf of him due to his inability to hear,” Phillipy said. “The hand signals for ‘safe’ and ‘out’ were thanks to him.” Phillipy said that there was a great deal of preparation that went into filming, and that for anyone interested, shooting consists of a cycle of long days, followed by a period of “hurry up and wait.” “Between hours of makeup, filming and making adjustments, it can be exhausting,” Phillipy said. “There’s no way to know what takes will end up in the film; it’s definitely more of the director’s medium than the actor’s.” With a good deal of prior ex-
perience to stage acting, Phillipy said he believes film acting is not as difficult. “When you’re a stage performer, you have to do everything in one take for up to several hours a night,” Phillipy said. “With film acting, it’s a lot of breaking it down into scene segments, redoing takes and lots of time in between.” Phillipy said he can apply his experiences during his time filming to other aspects of his life, including his teaching. “After 20 years of teaching, I believe it’s my obligation to ‘practice what I preach,’ and I think I can let this be an extension of my teaching,” Phillipy said. “The connections I make through things like this are ones I pass along to my students in order to offer the possibility of helping them with their own careers.” With post-production on the film tentatively taking anywhere between 9-12 months, Phillipy said the fate of the film is uncertain but promising. “Depending on the money backing the distribution, the release could be theatrical, to
Photo contributed by Daryl Phillipy
Daryl Ward Phillipy in costume for his role as Tom Lovett in “The Silent Natural.” Netflix or even Red Box,” Phillipy said. “It might be shown at film festivals, which is a great way for independent films to gain traction, like the film ‘A Quiet Place’ did.” Phillipy said he is optimistic for the future of both his pursuit of acting and movies being filmed in the state because of the notion to film in Kentucky
due to great tax incentives. “There were 30 films made in Kentucky last year,” Phillipy said. “Over the span of four months, I’ve had two acting gigs. I believe through shoots like these, I can contribute to myself, my students and the economy of the state.” The film is slated for release in early spring of 2019.
ZoFest: Animals Galore
Staff writer
aturner32@murraystate.edu
Driven by both fear and excitement, people formed a line for the chance to hold a snake during ZoFest, a biology department exhibition, on April 13. Zofest, which was held in the south gym of the Carr Health Building, featured nine different stations. Students and professors were present at each station, eager to educate their audiences. Being open to the community, ZoFest attracted a diverse crowd. All types of people, from children to Murray State students, wandered around the displays of different animals. Brendan Calhoun, sophomore from Louisville, Kentucky, ran a station that displayed whitefooted mice. He said he enjoyed the experience, even at the cost of early mornings. “It was a lot of fun,” said Calhoun. “It has been a little hectic waking up at 5 a.m. every morning, going out and checking the traps, but I have learned a lot
and gotten a lot of good experience.” Jodi Miller, senior conservation biology major from Paducah, Kentucky, was another student working the event. She got involved in Zofest because her class was assigned to make research posters for the event. “I just love the snakes and amphibians,” Miller said. “I really wanted to show the public about all the endangered species.” Dea Weinberger, assistant professor of biology, worked with zebrafish. She has been at Murray State for two years and she said she enjoys her job because it has an emphasis on both teaching and research. “We are trying to get as many of the biology faculty involved who work with animals in some fashion,” Weinberger said. She said she is hoping to play the role of changing people’s perception of research science. “Everyone thinks of lab rats but we use a whole variety of organisms to study even basic parts about how we develop,”
Photo contributed by Abbie Czar
Abbie Czar holding a snake at this year’s ZoFest, an exhibition that aims to spread awareness about the biology department. Weinberger said. The goal of Zofest was to get the public more interested in biology and spread
awareness about the different options within the biology department. “It is really cool to educate
the public because it is really important to understand what goes on in science,” Calhoun said.
Miscellaneous Pursuits
Figuring out your path
It’s crazy to think about how certain moments in life lead people to where they are now. Recently someone asked me why I Sara Howell wanted to Staff be a journalist and after Writer rambling on about my love for it, I began thinking of how I came to love the things that I do. Writing has always been something I’ve enjoyed, but I think there was a specific moment where I really discovered the joy of it. When I was in fifth grade, I had the best English teacher. She always found ways to make learning fun. I can remember a time when we practiced writing cursive on the floor with chalk, and I thought it was the coolest thing ever. This made me love writing in a way I might not have if I wasn’t in that class. Thinking back now, it’s funny that life leads us to where we need to be without us even realizing it. I also had an incredible English teacher in sixth grade. She was constantly encouraging us and giving us feedback on our writing. I recently found a postcard she mailed home to my parents, saying how much she enjoyed reading my work. I remember feeling so happy and proud when my parents showed it to me. This unknowingly helped me to continue pursuing my dreams. As cheesy as it sounds, the thought of being a journalist began to slowly form after I watched “13 Going on 30.” I remember seeing it as a kid and thinking it was so cool that Jenna was able to work at a magazine and got to use her own ideas for the publication to continue to thrive. Because of this movie, my sisters and I would set up our own offices in the kitchen and dining room area of our house and pretend we worked at fashion magazines. We used to spend hours going through magazines looking for clothes, shoes and accessories to cut out to make outfits for our fake magazine. We’d also write little blurbs about our creations. There were always silly fights about who would be the one to be the editor and get the coolest makeshift office, but in the end it seemed to always be me that got it. Whether it was life dropping me a hint or just me being pushy to get my way is unclear. Although it seemed like life was obviously giving me reasons to become a journalist, I still went into college undecided. I think I may have just been scared to make such a big decision. By the end of my first semester though, I was ready to declare journalism as my major. The person who gave me the final push was my dad. I was home for the weekend and we were watching TV together when he simply turned to me and asked me why I didn’t just become a journalist. The thought had always been at the back of my mind, but it was as if after he brought it up I was suddenly ready to rise to the challenge. In my time as a student this 2018 spring semester, I have become a feature writer for the newspaper and am now getting ready to take over as Features Editor. I am getting to experience things I never would have experienced before and it reassures me that I made the right decision with my career path. Though there will be times in my life where things will not go my way, I know now that everything happens for a reason. If I did not have supportive teachers and family members growing up, I may not have become the person I am now. Though there will be times throughout my career where I will come to doubt myself, I’ll always have the upbeat words from Natasha Bedingfield to bring me back to reality and get me back on track: “Drench yourself in words unspoken, live your life with arms wide open, today is where your book begins, the rest is still unwritten.”
The News
Features
Page 6
April 19, 2018
Edington honored in surprise ceremony
Graphic courtesy of Wikimedia Commons
Photo courtesy of Susan Edington
Edington accepts an honor from Davies. Sara Howell Staff writer
showell6@murraystate.edu
Having grown up on a farm, Susan Edington understands what it means to work hard. One of her first paying jobs was setting tobacco when she was only in middle school. “A friend and I were highly sought by the farmers in our area because we never missed a plant and always did it correctly, so no one had to follow the setter to replant mistakes,” Edington said. She said her first “real job” was as a secretary at Shelby County Vocational School while she attended Kentucky State University part time. Once Edington obtained her teaching certificate, she began teaching English at Eminence Independent Schools in Eminence, Kentucky. After her husband, who is in the Air Force, was transferred, she completed her master’s degree at State University of New York. Edington then taught Business English at Our Lady of Victory Secretarial School and Clinton Community College. Her career in Madisonville, Kentucky began after being hired to teach education and English courses at Madisonville Community College. After Edington obtained her Doctorate of Education degree from the University of Kentucky, she began working with Murray State as the 2+2 education coordinator from the Madisonville regional campus. Her hard work paid off in a surprise ceremony on April 5 when Edington received the 2018 Distinguished Professor Award. She is the only professor from a regional campus to be honored with this award. According to Murray State’s website, this student-nominated award was
established in 1964 and it “recognizes an outstanding faculty member who has had a profound and positive influence on students, both inside and outside of the classroom.” The professor who receives this award is honored with a surprise ceremony, gets a $1,000 cash award, is invited to lead the faculty processional at May commencement and has their name added onto the Distinguished Professor plaque located in Faculty Hall. Edington said she was shocked to receive the award. “When I think of the faculty who have previously won this award at Murray State I am humbled and amazed,” she said. “Not for one instance of my life did I ever believe that I would be in the company of such illustrious colleagues.” She said some favorite aspects of her job have been teaching, advising and supervising student teachers. Tyler Forsythe, first grade teacher at Pride Avenue Elementary School in Madisonville, Kentucky, said Edington was his advisor and professor throughout his two years at the Madisonville campus. “I could not think of a more deserving professor for this award than Dr. Edington,” Forsythe said. “She is an instrumental person in every Madisonville student’s life.” He said her classroom environment was always welcoming and had a positive atmosphere because she went above and beyond to give students her knowledge, love and attention. She was, and still is, a great role model for students to look to for inspiration. “She has been one of the most influential people in my life, so I am sure she has been influential in other students’ lives as well,” Forsythe said.
Road to Infinity War: The best MCU villains Grant Dillard Staff writer
gdillard@murraystate.edu
One of the biggest lingering problems that has been associated with the Marvel Cinematic Universe (MCU) has been their lack of compelling villains. In each film, the majority of focus is given to the heroes, as it should be. In doing so, this doesn’t allow their antagonists to be fleshed out more or leave behind any screen presence. Some of the biggest examples of this has to be Whiplash from “Iron Man 2” and Malekith from “Thor: The Dark World.” Thankfully, in recent years, Marvel Studios has started to give audiences more memorable bad guys. Not in any particular order, here is a subjective look at some of the better villains in the Marvel Cinematic Universe.
LOKI (“THOR,” “THE AVENGERS”) Starting off this list is one who many still consider to be the best villain in the MCU. Growing up, Loki Laufeyson has always lived in the shadow of his more popular brother, Thor, and has always wanted to meet his equal. Loki has been known for mischief, but it wasn’t until negotiating with the Frost Giants to take over the kingdom of Asgard that he went from mischief to treachery. He later went on to be the main antagonist of “The Avengers,” and become
more of an anti-hero in both “Thor: The Dark World” and “Thor: Ragnarok.” It’s his complex motivations and shifting alliances that make the character of Loki more fascinating than most of the other MCU villains. Whether he is on the side of good or bad in “Avengers: Infinity War” is yet to be seen.
ERIK KILLMONGER (“BLACK PANTHER”) The most recent villain as of late, Michael B. Jordan’s portrayal of Erik Killmonger, certainly made a huge impression and was one of the many highlights of the highly successful “Black Panther.” Killmonger has possibly the most identifiable motives of all the villains in the MCU. He wants to use Wakandan technology to start an uprising on the United States because of how African-Americans like himself have had to deal with many hardships simply due to the color of their skin. Also, his father, N’Jobu, was killed by the previous king of Wakanda, T’Chaka, N’Jobu’s brother. Not only does this show that the technological kingdom is not as perfect as the new king, T’Challa, was led to believe, but it also works as social commentary for real issues involving race that are still going on today. All these aspects are given a boost by Michael B. Jordan’s charismatic performance, which altogether make for
a fantastic foe to the Black Panther.
ADRIAN TOOMES/VULTURE (“SPIDER-MAN: HOMECOMING”) What was basically the best Spider-Man film in years also gave moviegoers the best cinematic Spidey antagonist since Alfred Molina as Doctor Octopus in “Spider-Man 2.” Not only is it refreshing to see a Spider-Man villain that wasn’t given superpowers by a science experiment gone wrong, but Toomes manages to be an intimidating presence both with and without the flight tech wings. One of the best scenes in “Spider-Man: Homecoming” involves Toomes giving Peter Parker a warning that if he interferes with his business again, he’ll kill everyone he loves. Michael Keaton gave a mesmerizing performance as the winged antagonist, making what was originally a goofy comic book villain into a menace to be reckoned with. Hopefully he’ll come back in a future movie as a member of the iconic supervillain team the Sinister Six.
RED SKULL (“CAPTAIN AMERICA: THE FIRST AVENGER”) Johann Schmidt, a.k.a. the Red Skull, is the leader of Hydra and the iconic arch-nemesis to Captain America. His motivations of wanting to achieve ultimate power with the aid of the
Tesseract or “walk in the footsteps of the gods” does seem like a generic setup for an antagonist; however, what really makes the character of Red Skull stand out is Hugo Weaving’s chilling performance. Whether he is wearing a human-like mask or revealing his true skulllike face, Weaving is captivating in every scene he is in. “Captain America: The First Avenger” ended with Red Skull either dying or being transported to another dimension via the Tesseract. He, sadly, has not made any other appearances in the MCU, mainly due to Hugo Weaving not being interested in returning. Even if this was the character’s only appearance, it was surely enough to leave an impression.
OBADIAH STANE/IRON MONGER (“IRON MAN”)
The first villain of the MCU, of course, deserves a spot on this list. Jeff Bridges was such a good choice for Obadiah Stane because he was convincing as both a friend and mentor to Tony Stark as well as an intimidating adversary once his true motivations were revealed: killing Stark so that he could take the company for himself. Also, the Iron Monger suit was quite a sight to behold. Overall, Stane was the best villain of the “Iron Man” trilogy, and continues to be one of the most memorable villains the MCU has to offer.
‘A Quiet Place’ is silent and deadly Grant Dillard Staff writer
gdillard@murraystate.edu
For a lot of people, John Krasinski will forever be known as Jim Halpert from the beloved TV comedy series “The Office.” In recent years, he has proven himself to be really good in dramatic roles, with the best examples being the Benghazi biopic “13 Hours” and the upcoming Amazon Prime exclusive series “Jack Ryan.” “A Quiet Place,” a film that Krasinski wrote and directed, may be his best work yet. Lee Abbot (John Krasinski), his wife Evelyn Abbot (Emily Blunt) and their children are forced to live in absolute silence on a farm due to the world being overrun by alien creatures who are attracted by sound. Making the slightest noise will draw the creatures toward whatever or whoever
is causing it. Using sign language, spreading sand across the ground and othercreative strategies, the family does everything they can to survive by making as little noise as possible. What Krasinski has managed to accomplish as a director is simply amazing and deserves to be applauded. Despite being quiet for a fair portion of the running time and having little to no dialogue between the characters, the film manages to keep the audience’s attention. Rather than showing exactly how the aliens came to Earth and the mass hysteria surrounding their arrival, the film cleverly decides to set the story more than a year after the alien attack. Every now and then, there are some newspaper clippings present that give a few details about how the world ended up this way. At this point, the family already has
a daily routine and a clear set of rules on how to survive in the environment they have ended up in. The film’s biggest strength is building suspense and keeping the audience on the edge of their seats for the entire movie. From the chilling opening sequence to the nerve-racking climax, moviegoers will be biting their nails and waiting in nervous anticipation for whether or not a noise will accidentally be made. One of the best examples of building suspense is a nail that is embedded into a wooden step. When it is first seen, nobody steps on it and that makes the situation even more nerve-racking, as it is only a matter of time before someone will step on it, possibly resulting in a loud scream. The acting here is absolutely incredible. That may not sound like much because the actors rarely, if ever,
speak. However, having very few speaking parts isn’t so easy for an actor onscreen, as a lack of dialogue can make it incredibly difficult to convey emotion. Thankfully, all the actors do a marvelous job acting with facial features and body language. Krasinski once again shows his talents as a serious actor, but it is Blunt’s performance that will leave the biggest impression. Her character has to go through so much physical and emotional pain for a good majority of the film, and it is easy to see that pain in her facial delivery alone. The young actors playing the Abbot children also deserve an honorable mention, most notably Millicent Simmonds, who is actually deaf in real life like her character is in the film. It was definitely a very good decision for Krasinski and the filmmakers to hire a deaf actress for the major
motion picture, and Simmonds does a wonderful job in her role. “A Quiet Place” does have a few small problems. While they in no way ruin the overall picture, they’re still worth mentioning. It is established that the family still has electricity despite being in a post-apocalyptic setting, as shown by them having surveillance cameras and working light bulbs, but it is never explained how they are still able to have electricity. Even with generators, that would still make enough noise to attract the aliens towards them. Another small issue is that after the intense opening scene, the film’s pacing can feel a little slow. It is not enough to the point where it starts to get boring and it does pick up shortly after, but it gets fairly close to that point. The biggest problem with the film has to be the ending, or more specifically,
where it ends. Without giving anything away, there is not exactly a real conclusion to the main narrative. Granted, this could be one of those cases where the audience is meant to draw their own conclusions about how the movie ends, but this is something that not all audiences will enjoy. This is not horrible by any means, but it can feel a little underwhelming once the credits start rolling. Despite those tiny setbacks, “A Quiet Place” really is one of the most intense and engaging thrillers in recent years. Much like Jordan Peele with his directorial debut “Get Out,” John Krasinski has made the impressive jump from acting in comedic roles to becoming a soon-to-be accomplished film director. It is one of the year’s best films so far and deserves a viewing.
The News
Page 7
April 19, 2018
Opinion
Opinion Editor: Tyler Anderson Page Designer: Tori Wood Phone: 270-809-5873
Our View
Teachers are rightfully taking a stand The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board.
Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 atraylor@murraystate.edu
Austin Gordon Production Manager • 270-809-5877 agordon4@murraystate.edu
Lindsey Coleman News Editor • 270-809-4468 lcoleman7@murraystate.edu
Tyler Anderson Opinion Editor • 270-809-5873 janderson49@murraystate.edu
Emily Williams Features Editor • 270-809-5871 ewilliams15@murraystate.edu
Blake Sandlin Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 bsandlin1@murraystate.edu
Ginni Sisemore Chief Copy Editor • 270-809-5876 vsisemore@murraystate.edu
Chandler Cochran Ad Sales and Circulation Manager • 270-809-4478 ccochran3@murraystate.edu
Rhiannon Branch Photography Editor • 270-809-5878 rbranch@murraystate.edu
Rebecca Mosella Chief Videographer • 270-809-5878 rmosella@murraystate.edu
Autumn Brown/The News
When lawmakers wish to deflect attention away from the issue at hand, they often cry “what about the children?” After years of education cuts and the subsequent devaluing of our public education system, we know they aren’t fighting for our nation’s youth. Our educators – those who have spent countless hours teaching children, often providing them with supplies, even ensuring they are fed– are raising their voices above the din of partisan politics. In states with education shortfalls and stagnant wages, teachers are fed up with being treated like glorified babysitters with the salary to match. Despite attempts to detract from this monumental movement in public education history, our educators continue to rally across the country in hopes of bettering their future and those of their students. Support from the public will make or break their crusade. In Kentucky, teachers have set their sights on Gov. Matt Bevin, a lawmaker who has repeatedly suffered from foot-in-mouth syndrome and put pension benefits for teachers and other public employees on the line. The pension deficit is a problem inherited by Bevin, an issue which only increased in severity over the past few decades amid increased state spending which outstripped revenue growth. He hasn’t helped his case, though, having referred to those protesting the new pension plan as “remarkably selfish and shortsighted.” Bevin went on to accuse teachers of “throwing a temper tantrum,” and most recently, being the cause of supposed sexual assaults against children, a claim he has been flamed viciously for–and rightfully so. According to reports from The Pew Charitable Trusts, the pension system in Kentucky is one of the most underfunded in the nation. Suggestions from across political party lines have been to seek out new revenue growth in markets such as
hemp, marijuana and expanded gambling instead of cutting benefits and the state workforce. Kentucky Secretary of State Alison Grimes has been an outspoken proponent for the potential to expand state revenue through such means. State funding for primary and secondary education institutions across Kentucky has decreased exponentially over the past several years. The predicament we are in isn’t solely because of our current lawmakers, but they have a duty to explore all options available before further cutting the paychecks of the 98 percent. And if they won’t, we need to vote-in those who will. Teachers in Oklahoma are facing similar hurdles as their classrooms fall into disrepair and outdated textbooks are leaving students behind. Oklahoma art teacher Laurissa Kovacs was one of many to share pictures of students’ desks which were warped, cracked and generally unusable. Others posted photos to Facebook of history textbooks which were first printed when former President George W. Bush was still in office. The education system continues to bleed dry as Oklahoma lawmakers funnel new funds into the prison system. Public education is an important tenet of U.S. democracy. When the populace is well educated, the spread of false information is hampered, the economy benefits and we have well-informed voters as a result. Increased education costs and decreased funding has sapped much of the life out of our school systems. Teachers work tirelessly to provide, while the state government takes more than its fair share with no intention to honor the “IOU.” While not everyone may agree with how our educators are making the news headlines, why they are carrying on is admirable. In an “education first” society with an “education last” budget, we need our teachers more than ever. And if you had begun to worry there were no good role models left, look no further than the classroom.
Cheers to ... Beychella
Dr. Stephanie Anderson Adviser • 270-809-3937 sanderson37@murraystate.edu
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CHEERS & JEERS
Not to oversing the praises of Beyoncé, but her Coachella perfomance was perfection. It was the complete experience that crossed cultural borders to celebrate African American excellence. Plus, Destiny’s Child reunion. Boom.
Jeers to ... China’s ban on everything Not that the U.S. isn’t known for arbitrarily banning things, but China is cracking down on basically all online content that allows freedom of speech. Just one request: don’t touch AliExpress!
Looking Forward
Why is Puerto Rico still in the dark? Tyler Anderson
Opinion Editor
janderson49@murraystate.edu
The Puerto Rican power grid infrastructure was failing long before Hurricane Maria touched down in September 2017. The local government requested assistance with modernizing, or at least repairing, the decades-old technology the island’s single power company relied on. After the hurricane swept across the U.S. territory, much of the island was without power and basic necessities. Six months later, after all but 10 percent of the island had power once again, a major blackout brought the territory to its knees. This time it was a contractor whose machinery toppled a major transmission line.
Yes, this one incident caused the island-wide blackout. And yes, the events of the past six months could have been avoided had the mainland U.S. cared as much about the territory as it does the states. The U.S. is a nation built on the back of colonialism, though it was one of the last nations to jump on the world domination bandwagon. But dominate it did and we have Hawaii and several territories to show for it. What did these territories get in return? According to a report by Engadget in 2012, American Samoa, an unincorporated U.S. territory, is home to the world’s most expensive broadband service at abysmal speeds. The unemployment rate in Guam for “youth ages 15-24 totale[d] 29.4 percent,” according to the CIA’s
“The World Factbook.” And Puerto Rico: a power grid which has become increasingly unstable over the years and a rising poverty rate. However the U.S. came to be in control of these territories ultimately doesn’t matter now. Though they are not full-fledged states, they are under the protection of the U.S. and are ultimately our responsibility. Browsing through Yahoo.com article comments perfectly illustrated the general population’s opinion concerning the issue: “who cares,” “why are we taking care of them,” and my personal favorite, “why don’t we just give them back?” Unfortunately, the inhabitants of Puerto Rico aren’t a Christmas fruitcake you can pass from one person to another. The U.S. Vir-
gin Islands aren’t playgrounds for mainland vacationers. The relief given to these territories isn’t a handout, these are government programs which the territories legally qualify for. Following the initial Puerto Rican blackouts, many called into question the validity of sending aid and other resources to the nearly-destroyed island. “Let them take care of themselves – U.S. first,” came the battlecry. Hawaii and Alaska aren’t connected to the mainland, but their statehood protects them from cynical hypocrisy. Is what many have legitimately failed to realize is that they are part of our nation. If we cannot support all of our brothers and sisters, no matter how far they are from the other states, perhaps our priorities are not in the right place.
The News
News
Page 8
April 19, 2018
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