The Murray state news by The Murray State News

THE MUR R AY STATE

NEWS

www.TheNews.org

@TheMurrayStateNews

@MurrayStateNews

AD YOUR

STAND OUT FROM THE CROWD E R E H

@TheMurrayStateNews

@MurrayStateNews

September 6, 2018 | Vol. 93, No. 3

Scholarship created for student killed in crash

Businesses prepare for smoking ban

Page 2a

Page 3a

M Page 2a

NEWS NEWS THE MUR R AY STATE

September 6, 2018

Seen and unseen The signs of human trafficking

Destinee Marking Senior Writer dmarking@murraystate.edu

Rhiannon Branch/The News

As the number of human trafficking reports in the United States rises, one Kentucky official broke down common misconceptions of human trafficking. Allyson Taylor, director of Kentucky’s Office of Child Abuse and Human Trafficking Prevention and Prosecution, presented at Murray State on Sept. 5 on the signs of human trafficking and recruitment methods of traffickers. According to KRS 529, human trafficking is a criminal activity where one or more persons are subjected to forced labor or sexual activity through the use of fraud or coercion. Taylor said in order to effectively combat the issue of human trafficking, the myths and misconceptions surrounding it need to be addressed. She said a common misconception is traffickers simply pick their victims off of the streets, but traffickers choose victims who are high profit and low risk. “It can happen to anyone,” Taylor said. “But when we talk about sex trafficking, especially with minors, a lot of times that is focused on our runaway youth and homeless population of youth because they’re vulnerable, because they need a place to

live or food or shelter.” Sometimes, victims are not forced into trafficking by their trafficker. When those victims are looking for food, shelter or money, they are more susceptible to being recruited by sex traffickers. Recruiting methods, Taylor said, include giving gifts, compliments, sexual and physical intimacy, praise, promises of a better life and fast money. Traffickers also recruit via internet by offering shopping trips or modeling careers. Traffickers have also been known to forcefully drug victims. “Most traffickers or people who recruit for trafficking are much more manipulative and subtle,” Taylor said. They befriend the person or make promises of a better life. They find out whatever their weakness is and use that to their advantage. Once they have their trust, they begin to isolate them. Taylor said another misconception about human trafficking within the United States is that it only affects foreign nationals. U.S. citizens can be victims too, because sex trafficking occurs in all 50 states. According to the 2017 Annual Report of Kentucky Child Victims of Human Trafficking, “out of the 250 alleged victims, 246 were American-born and four were foreign-born.” “A lot of people think this is what human trafficking is - a bunch of people swept into a boat or a car, or whatever, and

brought across the border,” Taylor said. “This is smuggling. Smuggling is a crime against the border. It’s an immigration offense. If you’re looking for this, you’re going to miss trafficking.” The life expectancy of a victim of human trafficking is seven years. On average, Taylor said a victim will be raped 6,000 times. while in captivity. “They’re very isolated,” Taylor said. “It’s hard for them to come ask for help from us.” To begin combating human trafficking, Taylor said her office has trained over 4,000 people in Kentucky to identify trafficking. The idea behind this is heightened awareness can lead to increased reports. Taylor said indicators that someone is a victim of trafficking include withholding of IDs, ownership of multiple cell phones, lack of concern regarding where they stay, recent movement to several cities or states, homelessness - but ownership of nice jewelry and clothes, using slang such as “daddy” to refer to their employer, defensiveness, physical injuries and branding on the neck, wrist or chest. Individuals who feel they or someone they know are in danger can call 911 or the National Human Trafficking Hotline (1-888-3737-888). If a juvenile is involved, report all information to the Department for Community Based Services by calling 1 (877) KYSAFE1..

Scholarship created for student killed in crash Destinee Marking Senior Writer dmarking@murraystate.edu

A scholarship was created this week in honor of Joseph Pennington, the 18-year-old Murray State student who passed away in a car

crash over Labor Day weekend. The Joseph Pennington Memorial Pre-Med Scholarship honors the freshman from Hodgenville, Kentucky. In an email sent out to the Murray State

community, Interim President Bob Jackson said Pennington was killed in Grayson County on his way home for the long weekend. Pennington was a biology/pre-med major who had dreams of becoming a surgeon.

“With the selfless donation of his organs, he has fulfilled his dream of saving others,” Jackson said in the email. MaKayla Lynn Miller, from Hodgenville, Kentucky, was a good friend of Pennington’s, as they both attended LaRue

County High School. Miller said he was fun to be around. “He went to prom, he hung out with a lot of his friends, but also stayed quiet,” Miller said. She said it’s sad Pennington is gone

so soon. “It breaks my heart and I just wish everything was a dream and he was OK,” Miller said. Pennington’s Celebration of Life will be held Friday, Sept. 7 in Elizabethtown, Kentucky for family and friends.

News

September 6, 2018

Page 3a

Businesses prepare for smoking ban James Turner

Staff writer turner34@murraystate.edu

Businesses in Murray are preparing to comply with a new city wide smoking ban, effective Sept. 12. On June 14, the Murray City Council passed the City of Murray Smokefree Air Ordinance of 2018. The ordinance prohibits smoking in all enclosed public spaces within the City of Murray as well as outdoor spaces operated by the city. According to the ordinance, the purpose of the ban is “to protect public health and welfare by prohibiting smoking in public places and places of employment; and to guarantee the right of nonsmokers to breathe smoke free air, and to recognize that the need to breathe smoke free air shall have priority over the desire to smoke.” Businesses in Murray were given 90 days to prepare to meet the new standards, but news of the ban has already started to affect local shops. Mary Hale has been manager of Discount Tobacco City for 11 months. She said there used to be a lot of customers but since the smok-

ing ban people don’t come in as often, affecting business. “Brought down business a lot,” Hale said. “People don’t come in as often.” The new ordinance also prohibits smoking less than 15 feet away from the entrance, windows and ventilation systems of buildings. Hale doesn’t smoke but has employees who do. Now, employees of the shop have to go several yards outside for their smoke breaks. She said it’s hard for them to get a break, particularly when business peaks, so when they get to go she tells them, “Don’t look back.” Mark Rolland, regular customer at Discount Tobacco City, said people used to come into the shop and smoke all the time, but now they just can’t. Pete VanAmeringen, another customer at Discount Tobacco City, said before the ban, non-smoking places already outnumbered smoking places. “People should have a right,“ VanAmeringen said. ”Smokers got rights as much as nonsmokers.” The smoking ban has proved a positive change for one local business.

Terrapin Station, a music store that opened in Murray 30 years ago, has always allowed people to smoke inside until the ordinance passed. Tim Peyton, manager at Terrapin Station, said while they’ve always allowed smoking, they had a lot of people state they’d come in more if they were a smokefree environment. Terrapin Station has already made the smoke-free transition ahead of the Sept. 12 enforcement date. “We’ve gone ahead and went ahead and just pulled the trigger,” Peyton said. “So far no issues.” Murray is not the only city in western Kentucky to enact a smoking ban. On April 10, the Paducah Board of Commissioners voted to increase regulations on a smoking ban that had been put into effect in 2006. Unlike the Murray ban, Paducah’s ordinance makes exceptions for smoking inside tobacco stores, private vehicles and designated workplaces. The Murray ordinance only makes an exception for smoking inside private homes as long as they aren’t care facilities. The ordinance also pro-

hibits the use of electronic cigarettes within designated non-smoking areas. Citizens found in violation of the ordinance will be subject to a $50 fine on their first offense, $100 on their second offense and a $150 fine for each additional offense. Employers and businesses who fail to comply with the regulations will be subject to a $100 fine on the first offense, $200 fine on the second offense and a $500 fine on each additional offense. Businesses that are found to have violated the ordinance will also risk the revocation or suspension of any licenses or permits issued to them by the city. The wide scope of the ordinance has already yielded recognition from across the Commonwealth. On Aug. 30, Murray Mayor Jack Rose was named a Healthy Kentucky Policy Champion for his role in passing the ban. The award was given to Rose by the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, an organization which according to its website, works to address overlooked health needs of Kentuckians through policy. “Mayor Rose committed to improving the health of

residents and visitors in Murray by getting a law passed to protect the people from secondhand smoke, e-cigarette vapor and other toxic tobacco emissions,” Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky President and CEO, Ben Chandler wrote in a press release. “He is an ideal recipient of this award because he did his homework to put forth an ordinance based firmly in science, rounded up the necessary community and city council support and got it passed without a lot

of delay. Murray will see great health and economic benefits from his leadership on this issue.” According to a press release from The Foundation, Rose will be eligible to win the Healthy Kentucky Policy Champion of the Year award. The award comes with a $5,000 grant to be given to a Kentucky-based nonprofit of the winner’s choice. The winner of the award will be announced on Sept. 24.

Kalea Anderson/The News

A new smoking ban prohibits smoking less than 15 feet away from buildings.

University pioneer dies, leaving legacy Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief

atraylor@murraystate.edu

Photo courtesy of MSU OMA Facebook page

Marvin Mills, 97, died Monday, Sept. 3.

One of Murray State’s first African American faculty members, Marvin Mills, 97, died on Monday, Sept. 3. Before entering higher education, Mills earned his badge of valor and honor serving in the Army during World War II. Mills graduated from New York University and went on to become a college professor at his alma mater, West Virginia State College, Marshall University, University of Cincinnati and Murray State. In his 10 years at Murray State, he was a

catalyst in earning the Occupational Health and Safety Program’s accreditation. “He touched, inspired, supported and mentored many during his outstanding lifetime of scholarship and achievement,” according to a post on the Office of Multicultural Initiatives’ Facebook page. “He truly loved Murray State University and his [Emerging Scholars Institute] students. He was very proud of the Racer family. Let’s honor him with our continued excellence.” In 2005, the multicultural center was named for Mills and his wife Eunice. “The Office of Multicultural Initiatives,

Student Leadership & Inclusive Excellence is a place on campus where students can find a community that focuses on the support of African American students and the African experience,” according to Murray State’s website. “The Office serves as a place for students to meet, study and reflect.” The Mills’ also created the Marvin D. and Eunice J. Mills Multicultural Endowed Scholarship, which recognizes about 10 students as Diversity Scholars each year. “Go rest high on that mountain,” Stephen Keene, Adventure in Math and Science coordinator, wrote on the OMA

Facebook page. “Dr. Mills is a champion to so many of us who needed a hero in order to get to Murray State University. I’m sure I speak for a multitude of scholars who walk in his footsteps and hope to carry his legacy and give back so our future students may succeed.” In lieu of flowers, donations can be made to the Mills’ scholarship. Funeral services will be held Sept. 8 at Southern Hills United Methodist Church in Lexington, Kentucky. Visitation will be from 11 a.m. to 1 p.m., and the funeral will follow. Mills will be buried at the Blue Grass Memorial Gardens in Nicholasville, Kentucky.

Page 4a

NEWS SPORTS THE MUR R AY STATE

September 6, 2018

The Haves and Have Nots The financial divide between state athletic departments Blake Sandlin Sports Editor

bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

The Have Nots The “have nots” comprise school athletic departments in the state who rely heavily on funding from their respective universities and are thereby subject to large budget cuts. These athletic departments – Eastern Kentucky, Morehead State, Murray State and Western Kentucky – do not subsidize, and while they may receive some revenue from their athletic programs, are largely bolstered by the institution itself. More than one hour east of Eastern Kentucky lies Morehead State, an institution dealing with its fair share of budget bleeding. The university opted to forego raising tuition and housing costs when it finalized its budget on June 7. Morehead’s 2018-19 budget includes a 3.2 percent cut from the previous year, a decrease of $4.9 million. Morehead State athletics haven’t been immune to cuts in the past. The athletic department cut its men’s and women’s tennis teams in the face of looming cuts in 2016, causing Morehead State Athletic Director Brian Hutchinson to be adamant with this time around that turning to sports for a cut was a bad idea. Morehead State President Jay Morgan agreed, but the athletic department wasn’t out of the woods yet. The already strapped athletic department was forced to slash approximately $500,000 from its budget. Morehead State’s 2017-18 budget, set at $8.8 million, was reduced significantly to $8.3 million for the upcoming fiscal

year. Hutchinson said the department was tasked with cutting approximately $514,000 initially, but managed to cut nearly $600,000 from its budget. “For us, the $514,000 that we started with, that was our 6.25 percent,” Hutchinson said in a phone call with The News. “That was our portion of what that distribution was that we got that the University gave us out of those funds. It’s gone beyond that, because we’ve just tried to get to a balanced budget for the university, and so beyond that part is where it gets really hard for us, where we’ve got to be really creative.” Encompassed within those reductions was the elimination of four full-time staff positions: a men’s basketball operations position, a media relations position, an operations coordinator and a football secretary position. The department plans to do away with some of the athletic facilities. Hutchinson also implemented a 5 percent cut to team travel across the board. The travel cuts have forced the athletic department to reevaluate how they schedule. “I don’t know if any of my teams have a game on their schedule that would put us on a plane this year,” Hutchinson said. “We’re trying to be as economical as we can. Other than Marshall and Eastern Kentucky, two teams that we regularly play in about everything, everybody else we play we’re spending the night somewhere because we’re just not close to anyone. Extra night in hotel, buses, etc.” Positioned at the bottom of the Ohio Valley Conference in terms of budget size, Morehead State was already sub-

Part 3: Morehead State

Savannah Jane Walton/The News

stantially behind its OVC counterparts, and the most recent cuts only compound that. Fortunately, the Commonwealth delayed university pension obligations, a decision that could have proved dire to the athletic department’s viability. “Had we had the 6.25 cut, plus those pension obligations, plus fixed and unavoidable costs and all the other things that go into that, it could’ve been nearly catastrophic for us,” Hutchinson said. “I don’t want to use too strong a word, we’re in the business of higher ed, in many ways this isn’t life or death, but it’s very important to a great group of the population. So in terms of how we operate and do some things, if all of those things would’ve lined up this year, it would’ve been

very, very difficult.” Because of Morehead’s budget size and small staff, Hutchinson said his department has always adopted an all hands on deck approach to the job, but that maxim could take on a whole new meaning as the year goes on. “I’ve always said if we have a home football or basketball game, all of my administrative team needs to be there,” Hutchinson said. “Just in case. But that probably now means, though, that you don’t just need to be there, you may be selling tickets or you may be in the concession stand when we shut the doors down working with the theatre students running it that day to help them clean or to help count the money or to make sure that the inventory is still right. I may be doing that

myself in some instances, because that’s where we are now. It’s a much different feel as we go into next year, that’s for sure.” The reality of the cuts has forced Morehead State to explore supplemental revenue streams. However, different from sister schools in the state such as Eastern Kentucky and Murray State, Morehead State is handicapped by its inability to acquire guaranteed football games with larger power-five schools – games that pay generous sums. Because of the Eagles’ status as a non-scholarship football program, bowl-eligible teams are unable to schedule Morehead because the matchup doesn’t count toward those teams’ bowl eligibility. “We’re at a distinct disadvantage to Murray or

Eastern or any of those schools because those games just aren’t available to me, and that’s a significant $3-500,000 a year that we just can’t get,” Hutchinson said. That leaves Hutchinson and Morehead desperate for additional revenue streams. Yet, in a small local market like Morehead, Kentucky, the community can only provide so much. While schools like Louisville and UK can rely on large donors and a bottomless well of community support, Hutchinson is skeptical his school can survive on local support alone. He points to deals like Murray State’s recent partnership with Peak Sports (an advertising and event

see SERIES, page 5a

Sports

September 6, 2018

SERIES From Page 4a management firm), as well as internal strategies, as potential avenues to pursue in an effort to grow Morehead’s brand on a national and global scale. “When you can align yourself with them and they will guarantee you revenue, that’s a place to go,” Hutchinson said. “Being creative in ticket sales and trying to drive, and maybe you involve more group sales by lowering your ticket prices, but you increase your volume. We’ve got to think through that. We’ve got to try to think through that; we’ve got to try to push more season ticket sales, whether it be for basketball or even for places like soccer or softball because that is guaranteed revenue. We’ve got to push concessions; we’ve just got to push.” In a time when staff and resources are at an all-time low, Hutchinson has to be careful not to push too hard. Despite all of the setbacks, the 14-year athletic director remains steadfast in his belief that Morehead State can still accomplish a lot with a little. “The biggest thing that we’ve got to continue to do is keep everyone motivated towards the goal of being what we should be and representing the University,” Hutchinson said. “We should take that investment seriously; we need to try to win, we need to try to do that well. Otherwise I’m not sure that we’re doing the University a service that we should serve.”

Page 5a

Wann-on-one: Sports talk with a psych doc Blake Sandlin Sports Editor bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

It’s no secret our country is currently experiencing a time defined by exponential division and partisan politics. Fortunately, there are liberating outlets like sports available where we can momentarily escape from the frenzied political and social landscape around us. Unfortunately, as reality slowly begins to seep into the sports world, the idea of the two operating independently is becoming just as unrealistic as playing basketball without a ball. Whether it’s protesting racial inequality at a football game or a moral conundrum facing fans of a football team, there’s no denying the simple fact that sports and reality are now more juxtaposed than ever. That notion compelled me to seek advice from an expert in order to understand the psychology driving sport and fandom. Daniel Wann, a professor of psychology at Murray State, is an acclaimed sports psychologist nationwide. Having published two books, he primarily specializes in the psychology of sports fans and has been featured in publications like HBO, Bleacher Report, Sports Illustrated and ESPN. Wann has even worked with notable athletes like Michael Phelps and Cal Ripken Jr. on various subjects. BS: Collin Kaepernick and the debate over kneeling during the national anthem was a looming issue over the NFL last season and doesn’t seem to be ending anytime soon. What are your thoughts on the issue? DW: I think what’s interesting about that is people don’t know the NFL was paid by the military to have their players come out for the national anthem about 10 years ago. That’s what I’ve read, anyways. But I think the NFL felt [the protests] last year. You look at

the TV ratings, and there were other things going on, but to say that that wasn’t part of it is probably being blind that there were enough people upset about the protesting of the players that it negatively impacted the brand of the NFL. And then Nike just fueled it with gas. BS: Is there a solution to the problem? DW: There’s no solution to the problem when you have people that are so opposed on the same issue. There are people out there that people believe that everyone has the right to protest injustice. There are people out there who believe that the worst thing you could ever do is to not stand for the national anthem. No amount of discussion is ever going to get those people to go, ‘Yeah, there’s common ground here.’ There is no common ground, so the NFL has to hope it goes away. People use sports as a platform, and they always have and always will. Why did Kaepernick pick that platform? You can argue, ‘Jeez, you could’ve done it in a better way, a more sensitive way.’ You can argue that, but it certainly got people to pay attention; not necessarily the attention to the message you were trying to bring, but if the point was to get people talking, they’re talking.

for the national anthem and putting their hand on their heart, but they’re not sitting because of protest, they’re sitting because they’re lazy or drunk. BS: Can a heavy issue like protesting racial inequality have any bearing on a locker room or player performance? DW: I think obviously it can. You can make lots of arguments that it will, not that it does, but it could. In my classes we talk about a limited cognitive capacity – you can’t think about everything. So if your brain is thinking, ‘Should I stand or kneel?’, then you’re not thinking about the game plan. Your mind’s not in the right place in terms of performance. In the locker room, I can see it being somewhat disruptive. You may not see it publically, but if there are fans who think it’s terrible for the players to not stand, it’s unreasonable to think there’s not players who think the same. BS: Ohio State Head Coach Urban Meyer was recently suspended for three games for failure to report domestic abuse allegations against former assistant Zach Smith. In situations like these, can OSU fans remove personal bias to see a serious moral issue for what it is?

DW: I have a lot to say about that because Michelle, my wife, is an Ohio State grad. A three-game suspension is a weird suspension and a weird number. From the fan perspective, everybody who’s not an OSU fan thinks Urban got off too easy. And all the OSU fans were like, ‘Oh yeah, that was way more than enough,’ because we’ll be biased in how we determine that stuff. The fans will always see their heroes as guiltfree. Yeah, Ohio State fans don’t think he did anything wrong. Had that been (Michigan Head Coach Jim) Harbaugh, they’d have said he should’ve been suspended for a year or fired. The funny thing is they don’t see that. We protect the things that are central to our identity, and sports fans hold those teams tight, tight, tight. They mean everything to them. So when a team has this threat to your identity, it’s not just that Ohio State is bad, it’s that I’m bad too. How do you deal with that? You deal with it by saying, ‘He didn’t do anything wrong.’ Coping strategies are great because they work so well. BS: The Supreme Court recently legalized sports betting nationwide. Have you done any research on the topic and its effect on fans? DW: I’ve led the research

[on sports betting]. I was hired by New Jersey when they tried to legalize it about five years ago to write a report to be read to the courts on the stupidity of the league’s claim that it was going to change fandom and hurt their product. The only thing the research would suggest is maybe a few more people would become fans because it would give them more of a reason to attach to a team. I worked with the state of New Jersey to write that report, and actually portions of that report were read to the Supreme Court. BS: What kind of effect will this have on the viewing habits of fans?

DW: The research is very clear: for some types of people, it’ll be a positive influence – not a big one, a small positive influence. The bottom line is, in the research we’ve done through multiple studies, the net gain will be positive, but small. For some of them it will slightly increase their interest in sport, slightly increase their consumption of sport and slightly increase the likelihood they’ll gamble on sport. It will probably make a little bit of money for the leagues if they can figure out a way to tap into it. Vegas will make money; the only person screwed is the bookie.

BS: Do you think it will take league action to coerce the players into standing? DW: I don’t know how you can mandate that a player stand. I don’t see how that holds up in a court of law. I don’t know how our Supreme Court would interpret that because it seems in some ways ironic: a document about freedom evaluating someone’s freedom [to kneel]. Of course, if the league does levy a fine, that just gives more attention to it. Some of it’s kind of silly because I don’t hear anybody writing about all the people in the stands that aren’t standing

Blake Sandlin/The News

Daniel Wann shares his expertise on the role of sports psychology during an interview with The News.

Page 6a

Sports

September 6, 2018

Rosalyn Churchman/The News

September 6, 2018

NEWS FEATURES THE MUR R AY STATE

Page 7a

Student experiences agriculture on ‘The Hill’ Bridgette McAuliffe Staff writer

bmcauliffe@murraystate.edu

A Murray State student completed an internship working in the office of a state representative in Washington D.C. Cassidy Neal, senior from Murray, participated in the James Comer Congressional Agriculture Fellowship Program for six weeks this summer. Neal said Comer is the former Kentucky commissioner of agriculture and working in congress allows students to experience a new part of the agriculture industry. “I had never been super exposed to the political side of the agriculture industry so it was a new way for me to figure out if I was interested and to share my experience with students,” Neal said. Comer represents the first district of Kentucky, which is where Murray State is located. Neal was given the opportuni-

ty to not only complete traditional intern tasks answering phones, communicating with constituents, etc. - but she sat in on briefings and conversations with the agriculture committee. “One of my favorite conversations I got to listen in on was about cryptocurrency,” Neal said. “I had heard of bitcoin, but I didn’t know anything about it. So, I went to a briefing where I was able to hear how the agriculture committee has jurisdiction over that.” While she was completing her internship, Congress was in the process of passing the Farm Bill. Comer was named to the conference committee. “It was basically trying to get a compromise between the House and the Senate versions,” Neal said. Comer was also working on issues that directly affect western Kentucky. Neal said Land Between the Lakes

has a huge carp issue, with the invasive species jumping into boats, causing dangers and overpowering the other fish. “We’re seeing issues in the fishing industry in LBL and while that may not necessarily be your typical farming, it’s still a portion of the agriculture industry that we were focusing on,” Neal said. She said the House of Representatives was also looking at legislation to make hemp farming legal again. “We have [hemp] here at Murray State that we are researching,” Neal said. “We’re trying to figure out if it’s a viable option for Kentuckians to start producing again.” She said her favorite part of the internship was working with constituents from Kentucky that came to Washington D.C. to speak with Comer. “Some of them were just your everyday farmer, some were compa-

Julie Boeker/The News

Cassidy Neal, agriculture education major from Murray, poses in front of the Hutson School of Agriculture. nies and some were professors from a variety of universities,” Neal said. “It’s interesting to think that Congressman Comer is representing the entire first district, whether that’s your first generation farmers or

research companies trying to find other uses for tobacco.” Neal said opportunities like these are stepping stones to get students where they want to be. “Murray is the biggest city I’ve ever lived in,

so it was great for me to get out of my comfort zone and realize that things are very different everywhere,” Neal said. “Having the courage to at least try for a program like this is important to instill in our students.”

Murray Ice Cream Festival continues tasty tradition Allison Boggan Contributing writer aboggan@murraystate.edu

Once again, Murray will welcome back the Ice Cream Festival at the Court Square on Sept. 7 and 8. This festival has been a long standing tradition in Murray, having been held downtown since 2010 and at the city park beforehand. The event originated at Bristol Broadcasting, a parent company of WKYQ, 94.7 the mix and other radio stations in Paducah, Kentucky. The company wanted to bring it to the Murray community - which they succeeded as thousands attend the event every year. The two day event will

feature a multitude of activities for both adults and children, starting Friday evening at 5 p.m. Donald Edleman, freshman from Murray, said though he hadn’t been to the festival in a few years, the ice cream was memorable. “There were a lot of vendors and booths to do activities,” Edleman said. “I think one year there was even a parade. It was pretty cool.” A few things to look forward to are face and hair painting, inflatables, bungee jumping, a children’s superhero costume contest and a LEGO Batman movie screening at 8 p.m. All kids events Photo courtesy of Deana Wright are free Friday, thanks to Festival goers get the opportunity to taste a variety of ice cream at this event. The Murray Bank.

Deana Wright, Murray Main Street member, said funds from this event go to four non-profits: Soup for the Soul, Kirksey United Methodist Church, Wounded Warrior Program and Sleep in Heavenly Peace United Way. “Friday night is the Scooper Bowl 5 p.m. to 8 p.m,” Wright said. “To get an ‘all you can eat’ spoon, the charge is $5.” Children’s activities begin again Saturday at 11 a.m. with the purchase of a wristband. “Unlimited play wristbands will be available in advance at our live Ice Cream Remotes and the Murray Convention and Visitors Bureau,” Wright said. “They can also be

purchased the day of the event for $10.” Saturday activities continue with live music from Wyatt Wood, the Ratoberfest and The Metal Mafia Car Show where the two groups bring different cars to display, free Kroger Brand Ice Cream and the I Scream Karaoke Contest. “People can sign up to participate on site before the event begins,” Wright said. “The grand prize is free [Kroger] ice cream for a year. The winner will be given 12 redeemable coupons for a gallon of ice cream every month for 12 months.” If your favorite day of the week is ‘sundae,’ this is one event you will not want to let melt away.

Features

Page 8a

September 6, 2018

Team rallies for former MSU employee Amy Turner Staff writer

aturner32@murraystate.edu

People wishing to participate in the walk can do so as an individual or through joining various teams. One local team this year is Team Tammie, which was to support local resident Tammie Riggins. Riggins worked at the Murray State Foundation

part,” Riggins said. “They are my second family!” Riggins said she is excited to have a team in support of her at this walk. “It is an honor that so many people want to support me and others with this disease,” Riggins said. “So many have donated, too. It is the only way we are going to find a cure for this disease.” ALS, formally known as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis, is a progressive, fatal, neuromuscular disease that slowly robs the body of its ability to walk, speak, swallow and breathe, according to the ALSA website. The association has played a large role in supporting Riggins and others battling ALS. “I get a lot of practical information from the ALSA, and I go to local ALS support group meetings which are a big help.” Riggins said. Registration for the Walk to Defeat ALS can be completed online at the ALSA website. Check-in will begin at 8:30 a.m. and the walk at 10:15 a.m.

ALS gained national attention through the ALS ice bucket challenge in 2014. Since then the ALS Association (ALSA) has continued to promote awareness and support. One way to help supIt is an honor that port those with ALS is so many people through the Walk to Defeat ALS on Sept. 8. The walk want to support me is organized through the and others with this Kentucky chapter of the disease ... So many association and is located Rhiannon Branch/ The News at the CFSB Center on camNetflix offers a variety of TV shows and movies to watch and new content is added each month. have donated, too. pus. It is the only way Participants will have the opportunity to either walk we are going to a mile or a 5K to show supfind a cure for this port. This walk aims to raise disease. awareness and fundraise for research and support of -Former Murray State those with ALS. Research is employee, important because ALS has Tammie Riggins no cure. Providing for someone for 19 years before being with ALS and their famidiagnosed with ALS in ly can be a very expensive December 2017. She said she enjoyed being able to still works well enough as a WhatsonNetflix.com that it task. On average it costs Grant Dillard get an education for herself standalone movie thanks to would be the last Marvel $250,000 a year to support a Staff writer gdillard@murraystate.edu and her daughter, as well as its likable cast and spectac- Studios film to come to person living with ALS and the many friends she made. ular visuals. It is a very long Netflix, most likely due to to provide for their family’s Another month has gone film, however, clocking in at Disney ending their con- needs, according to the ALS “The staff at the by, and with it comes a new about three hours. For those tract with the site in 2019 Association’s website. Foundation was my favorite wave of content to Netflix; who don’t mind that, it is to start their own streamwhether it’s existing films, well worth watching. ing service. With that said, shows or original content there couldn’t be a better from the streaming service. film for the MCU to go out Unforgiven: (Sept. 1) But which new movies and on than this one. TV shows are the best? The Clint Eastwood Here is a quick look at some directed drama tells the Iron Fist (Sept. 7) of the most notable releas- story of a retired gunslinges coming to Netflix this er taking on one last job to Another Marvel offering month. stop a gang of criminals. is the second season of This movie stands as “Iron Fist.” While the first Groundhog Day (Sept. 1) one of the greatest west- season of the series was erns of all time. The critically lambasted due This movie is one of the film features an all-star to its boring plot, weak best releases of the month. cast including Eastwood, action scenes and bland The 1993 comedy which Morgan Freeman, Gene lead actor, the character features Bill Murray as a Hackman and Richard Danny Rand was given a weatherman doomed to live Harris. For fans of west- huge boost in personalithe same day over and over erns, “Unforgiven” is a ty and charisma in a seaagain provides a healthy must-watch. son two episode of “Luke amount of humor and heart. Cage” earlier this year. Fans of Murray’s filmograAlso, fan-favorite comic Black Panther (Sept. 4) phy, and those looking for book villain Typhoid a smart and well-written This is perhaps the best Mary is set to appear in comedy should give this Netflix release this month. the upcoming season and film a watch. The smash-hit Marvel will be portrayed by Alice Studios blockbuster Eve of “Star Trek: Into King Kong (Sept. 1) received extremely posi- Darkness” fame. Even if it tive reactions from audi- is not as good as some of Another Sept. 1 release ences and critics when it the other Marvel Netflix is the 2005 Peter Jackson- was released in February, offerings like “Daredevil” *Please include why they are being submitted and their contact information directed remake of “King thanks to its engaging and “The Punisher,” hopeKong.” While some may story and fantastic cast. fully the second season argue that it doesn’t live up Unfortunately, it was of “Iron Fist” is at least to the 1933 original, the film reported by the website, watchable. Savanna Jane Walton/The News

Netflix:

Five noteworthy releases in September

“

WEEKLY OUTSTANDING STUDENT IS THERE A STUDENT IN YOUR CLASS THAT STANDS OUT OR SHINES?

SUBMIT TO...

FOR A CHANCE FOR THEM TO BE FEATURED HERE

Features

September 6, 2018

Page 9a

What Murray State is watching Amy Turner Staff writer aturner32@murraystate.edu

New Girl

Mamma Mia Tosh said she has always loved the musical movie “Mamma Mia.” The movie features a story that can be told through ABBA songs and the sequel opened in theaters this summer.

McDaniel said he really enjoys watching the show “New Girl.” “I love the normal everyday situations they get themselves into and how they handle it in a comical and nonsensical way,” he said.

“The musical numbers are all fun and by ABBA which is great,” she said.

Nicole Tosh, sophomore from Benton, Kentucky

Seth McDaniel, sophomore from Lexington, Kentucky

Gilmore Girls Benson said she enjoys watching the show Gilmore Girls. She said she enjoys the funny moments and family ties in the show. “I also appreciate the relatable need for caffeine that students often feel,” she said.

Emma Benson, junior from Carmel, Indiana

Ros Churchman/The News

‘The food pantry is a great resource’ Allison Boggan Contributing writer aboggan@murraystate.edu

In 2014, Murray State partnered with Need Line of Murray-Calloway County to create the Racers Helping Racers food pantry for students. The food pantry is a valuable resource for students struggling to afford food. The pantry is located in Blackburn room 244 and is open to all students with a Murray State ID. Students must complete a confidential application and no other questions are asked. Trish Lofton, administrative assistant of the Curris Center, said many student organizations on campus have held food drives to

help stock the food pantry shelves. “They collect items such as individual packages of goods like macaroni and cheese, cereal bars and soups,” Lofton said. Another way to help stock the pantry began at the start of the Fall 2017 semester. The University Parking Office implemented the Pay It Forward program. Through this program, anyone that receives an eligible citation can donate nonperishable food items in exchange for paying the fine. One citation per semester can be exchanged for a food donation. Items must be brought to the Murray State Parking Office within 30 days of receiving the citation. Its

website has a complete list of eligible citations, as well as appropriate food items. Kaitlyn Clary, sophomore from Henderson, Kentucky, said she donates to every philanthropic drive that she sees advertised. “I think the food pantry is a great resource that gives students one less thing to worry about,” Clary said. “Donating is such a simple gesture, and I wish more students could get involved.” The fall and spring operating hours are Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 10:00 a.m. to 2:00 p.m. Students can come to the pantry and get food once a

week. For more information call 270-809-4499.

Crump’s Comic Boutique

The food pantry offers a variety of nonperishables for students in need of a little help.

Julie Boeker/The News

Page 10a Ashley Traylor Editor-in-Chief • 270-809-6877 atraylor@murraystate.edu

Savanna Rininger Production Manager • 270-809-5877 shatfield2@murraystate.edu

Elizabeth Erwin News Editor • 270-809-4468 eerwin1@murraystate.edu

Destinee Marking News Senior Writer• 270-809-5878 dmarking@murraystate.edu

Colton Colglazier News Graphic Designer ccolglazier@murraystate.edu

Sara Howell Features Editor • 270-809-5871 showell6@murraystate.edu

Savannah Jane Walton Features and Opinion Graphic Designer swalton2@murraystate.edu

Blake Sandlin Sports Editor • 270-809-4481 bsandlin1@murraystate.edu

Gage Johnson Sports Senior Writer • 270-809-5878 gjohnson17@murraystate.edu

Rosalyn Churchman Sports Graphic Designer rchurchman@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

Ravi Shankar Shah Online Editor • 270-809-5878 rshah2@murraystate.edu

Dr. Stephanie Anderson Adviser • 270-809-3937 sanderson37@murraystate.edu

NEWS OPINION THE MUR R AY STATE

September 6, 2018

Our View

Who are the real victims? The staff editorial is the majority opinion of The Murray State News Editorial Board

Secretary of Education Betsy Devos spoke at George Mason University in Virginia about her plans to roll back Obama-era changes to Title IX and implement new guidelines. “I am grateful to those who endeavored to end sexual misconduct on campuses,” she said. “But good intentions alone are not enough. Justice demands humility, wisdom and prudence.” Title IX is a federal law intended to protect students, faculty and staff from discrimination based on sex or gender. It is the law which every university must adhere to when dealing with sexual assault on campus. Murray State requires all students, faculty and staff to complete an online training and quiz over Title IX. If you check your email regularly, you know sexual misconduct on campus is not a rare occurrence. If you’ve ever had to walk home alone at night, you know campus does not always feel safe. On the walk from Wilson Hall to Elizabeth Residential College, there is one emergency call station. It is located near Carr Health, several feet off the main walkway. There are very few street lights between Wilson and the Curris Center, plunging half the walk home into darkness. In 2011, the Obama administration released a

19-page document known as the “Dear Colleague” letter which provided more explicit Title IX guidelines for the way schools handled sexual assault accusations. It also made state funding for universities reliant on compliance with the new law. Critics felt the guidelines were not clear enough and left too much room for interpretation. Some felt universities were not holding fair judicial proceedings for Title IX violations. Multiple times in her

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

TheNews.org

speech, DeVos brought up the plight of those accused of sexual assault. She made sure to include survivors’ stories in her anecdotes, but she also attempted to create sympathy for the accused. She told the story of a man who was denied graduation from a university for allegations of sexual assault. “This young man was denied due process,” she said. “Despondent and without options or hope, after five years of sobriety, he relapsed and attempted to take his own life.”

The News welcomes commentaries and letters to the editor. Submissions should be 600 words or less, and contributors should include phone numbers for verification. Please include hometown, classification and title or relationship to the University. The News reserves the right to edit for style, length and content. No anonymous contributions will be accepted. All contributions should be turned in by noon on Monday of each week via email to atraylor@murraystate.edu.

DeVos’ motivation for revamping the on-campus justice system is for the “victims of a lack of due process,” not for the victims of rape or sexual misconduct. DeVos has perpetuated the belief that false accusations are a common occurrence. According to the Stanford University website, “Only about 2 percent of all rape and related sex charges are determined to be false, the same percentage as for other felonies.”

Contributions to The News are the opinion of the author and not that of The Murray State News. The News is a designated public forum. Student editors have authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval. The paper offers a hands-on learning environment for students interested in journalism. The campus press should be free from censorship and advance approval of copy and its editors should develop their editorial and news policies.

She has perpetuated the belief that false accusations are the most pressing issue when it comes to Title IX violations. She has perpetuated the belief that ruining the lives of student athletes is too great a price to pay for justice for victims of sexual assault. Devos said schools do not do enough for the accused party to ensure he or she is not punished before they are given due process. But, schools do not do enough for the true victims in this situation. According to the Rape, Abuse and Incest National Network website, “11.2% of all students experience rape or sexual assault through physical force, violence or incapacitation.” Schools do not do enough to protect the victims of sexual assault, nor to prevent sexual assault from occurring on campus. The most important thing is the safety of students on school campuses. University administrations tell us to call the campus police for an escort home, to walk in pairs and to use the LiveSafe app. That doesn’t help when the attacker is your friend, when they are in your dorm room or when you are not able to say no or run away. DeVos should shift her focus to what really matters and away from the legal process which will always fail to protect students and only succeed in cleaning up the aftermath.

The News strives to be the University community’s source for information. Our goal is to present that information in a fair and unbiased manner and provide a free and open forum for expression and debate. The News is prepared and edited by students and is an official publication of Murray State University. The first copy is free. Additional copies are available for 25 cents at 111 Wilson Hall.

Opinion

September 6, 2018

Page 11a

Cheers to... The Ninja

CHEERS & JEERS

The department of Global Languages and Theatre Arts is bringing Ninja Tomonosuke to campus to teach us the way of the Ninja.

Jeers to... Outdated Machines All the vending machines on campus should take credit cards. Who still carries cash in this increasingly digital age?

Contributer’s Column

Nike makes controversial decision Adam Redfern

Contributing writer aredfern@murraystate.edu

Nike released its 30th annual “Just Do It” campaign Monday, and this could be the most interesting campaign yet. The face of the campaign is ex-NFL quarterback, Colin Kaepernick. This is an interesting choice, not only because Kaepernick hasn’t played in an NFL game in two years, but Kaepernick has also faced an enormous amount of backlash after he chose to kneel during the national anthem before each game in the 2016 season. “I am not going to stand up to show pride in a flag for a country that oppress-

es black people and people of color,” Kaepernick said. “To me, this is bigger than football and it would be selfish on my part to look the other way.” Nike’s controversial decision to use Kaepernick as the face of their campaign sparked social media conflict. Some who disagreed with Kaepernick’s protests posted videos burning their Nike gear, while others told them they should donate those clothes rather than ruin them. Nike chose a very interesting time to announce Kaepernick as the face of their campaign, with one week before the NFL season. Kaepernick filed a collusion lawsuit against the NFL when he failed to

secure a player contract, stating he believed team owners agreed to keep him out of the league. Nike was smart to choose a side on this disagreement. Not only is it a decision that will bring more attention to the company, but it will bring more attention to the reasons why Kaepernick was protesting in the first place. It is nice see a multibillion dollar company back an athlete who has chosen to be more than a player on the field and to use his social status for the betterment of society. It is something this country needs at this moment. Athletes who have worked their entire lives to reach the top tier of their

respected sports should have the option to use their earned social status to voice their political opinions. Athletes have every right to choose sides on political issues, just as much as any other American. However, something these athletes can do that the average person cannot is voice their own opinions on a platform that millions of people watch and devote part of their lives to. The path Kaepernick has taken has not been an easy one. If he had rescinded his opinion on the matter of cops killing unarmed people of color, he would have been able to continue his career in the NFL and made millions. Instead, Kaepernick

chose a path of hardship and persecution from the very fans he performed in front of every week. He chose to stand for something that he believed in when he could’ve kept quiet and made money, leaving the people who were being gunned down without a voice. Kaepernick chose to step into the role of being a vocal proponent of this social justice movement when it meant he would lose his job and any future opportunities in the NFL. You cannot fault someone who is willing to sacrifice everything just to get their message out in a nonviolent manner. The right to free speech is something that makes America great,

and if people cannot handle someone who exercises their basic rights, they are not true Americans. The people who are burning and destroying Nike gear for their political stances are the problem. They could instead donate these items to their local Veterans Affairs and accomplish both their goals of supporting the military and ridding themselves of their Nike gear. If people feel Nike has taken a stance against the military by using Kaepernick as the face of the campaign, they have completely misunderstood Kaepernick's reasoning behind kneeling and what our military fought for in the first place.

Autumn Brown/ The News

Page 12a

News

September 6, 2018