December 6, 2016

DECEMBER 6 - DECEMBER 13, 2016

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT.ORG

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

SPORTS

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UAA’s Monty Dickson Center opens with new tea ceremony room

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In their senior season, the Devine siblings are making their names known

Seawolf volleyball wins NCAA West Regional Championships

UAA headed to NCAA Div. II Elite Eight national quarterfinals

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

On their way to finishing the season off impressively, UAA volleyball played three back-to-back games to win them the well-deserved title of NCAA West Regional Champions. The triad of games began Thursday, Dec. 1 against Chico State, continued on Friday, Dec. 2 against Northwest Nazarene and finished up Saturday, Dec. 3 against West Regional runner-up Western Washington.

From a long weekend of games, UAA made it farther than any team in program history had made it. Senior standout Morgan Hooe realized the significance of this weekend to her and fellow senior Erin Braun.

“It’s been [an] amazing ride, and to play it out this far in our senior seasons has been impressive,” Hooe said.

Thursday, Dec. 1, UAA vs. Chico State Game number one against Chico State barely presented a challenge to UAA. Although they were ranked No. 1 in the California Collegiate Athletic Association conference, with a 15-3 record, it

SEE VOLLEYBALL

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PHOTO COURTESY OF ADAM PHILLIPS

Leah Swiss celebrates a point at the West Regional Championships, hosted by UAA at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Making Alaska snow again President-elect Trump’s disbelief in climate change disregards continuous damage in Alaska

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

facebook.com/northernlightuaa

Over the years, winters have become less magical without the great amount of snow Alaskans are used to having. This winter season, snowfall was about a month late, snowing on Dec. 1, just in time for the holidays.

With the noticeably drastic amounts of changes in the weather over the last decade, there is no doubt that climate change is taking a toll on the state of Alaska.

According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), temperatures in Alaska have increased more than double the amount in the United States, leading to changes in the ecosystem, permafrost, oceans and coasts, and forming new challenges for Native Alaskans.

“Arctic temps are rising, the Arctic’s glue permafrost is melting, leaving cracks in the ice, our glaciers have been getting noticeably smaller and ocean levels rising,” Ali Strover, economics major said. “I worry about the Native communities, the threats that global warming poses to them, our ecosystems and resources.”

Fulbright Distinguished U.S. Arctic Chair, Dr. Jeff Welker, professor in the Department of Biological Sciences at UAA specializes in arctic ecology and climate change.

“Alaska has been one of those places in which climate is really being manifested today. As we speak, most notably is that the arctic is tremendously warmer right now than it ever has been at this time of year, there is no sea ice on the coast of Alaska, and the arctic is up to 20 degrees warmer for this time of year than ever

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recorded,” Welker said.

10 years ago, during this time of year, many can remember the couple feet of snow that replaced the grass during the winter. Global warming has changed from snowy winters to rain and ice.

“As a kid, I remember being able to walk in my backyard during any winter month and build a snowman,” Byron Lowe, marketing and management major said.

“Just look outside of your windows, and there is barely any snow on the ground, it is unfortunate that children in Anchorage will not be able to experience a childhood that involves being able to perform recreational activities that involve snow.”

Winter is not the only season that is being affected by climate change. Every summer, many residents anticipate forest fires resulting from high temperatures and dry conditions.

“In Alaska alone, we can count our many new forest fires during our dry summers,” Strover said.

These are just some of the effects climate change has had in Alaska and will continue to have until there is a social awakening about this issue. Even with scientific studies and noticeable changes in weather showing effects of climate change, there are individuals who do not believe global warming is taking place. One individual in particular is the President-elect Donald Trump.

SEE SNOW

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NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 02

The Edge Update Making Anchorage

safer one step at a time

By Max Jungreis KRUA

Local Last Thursday, 26 new officers graduated from the Anchorage Police Department Academy. Anchorage has had a rise in crime this year and APD has been highly understaffed. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has promised to raise the number of sworn officers to 400. This is the fourth academy to graduate since he took office. The department has been in the process of rebuilding and has been able to resume its downtown foot patrols.

National Nationally, there’s good news: In November, the U.S. economy added 178,000 jobs, and unemployment dropped to 4.6 percent, a number not seen since Bush was was in office. This number is slightly misleading — it includes people who are no longer looking for work, who aren’t counted as unemployed, but the statistic is still strong. The number of people who have given up looking for work and part-time workers looking for full-time employment dropped to 9.3 percent, the lowest that statistic has been since 2008.

To Democrats, this represented evidence that Obama had returned the economy to a stable form. For President-elect Donald

Trump, there are still issues. Although the economy added tens of thousands of jobs in healthcare and business, 4,000 manufacturing jobs were lost in November. Going forward, manufacturing will be a key focus of Trump’s presidency.

On Tuesday, the nation learned that the president-elect had cut a deal with airconditioner manufacturer Carrier to keep factory jobs from going to Mexico.

Global French President François Hollande announced Thursday he would not be seeking a second term in next year’s presidential election due to his historically low approval ratings. It will be the first time since the founding of France’s fifth republic in 1958 that an incumbent president has not sought re-election. Francois was elected on a socialist platform, but became progressively more business oriented, eventually reforming France’s tough labor laws in favor of employers.

Hollande’s presidency has been marked by multiple terrorist attacks, violent protests over his labor reforms, and personal scandal- in 2014, he was caught having an affair with an actress almost 20 years younger than longtime partner Valérie Trierweiler. Manuel Valls, the prime minister, is expected to launch a presidential bid and will likely be a leading contender in the primary.

GRAPHIC BY WALDIR

By Richard Han

rhan@thenorthernlight.org

With efforts to heighten security in downtown Anchorage, Anchorage Police Department started their foot patrol program at the end of last month. Officers are working in pairs patrolling the area in hopes to deter crime and also have the opportunity to talk and work with the public. The boundary of patrol will be in the area of L Street to Cordova and from Third Avenue to Sixth Avenue.

After an unstable year of crimes ranging from burglary to murder, many residents and workers downtown have questioned their safety when commuting. Just last month, a suspect was shot dead and

a police officer was injured in an altercation around Fifth Avenue and Cordova Street.

For people who work in the area, many of them park outside and getting to their car can be a frightening thing.

“I don’t feel very safe after I leave work. I feel as if I have to continually look behind my back to make sure no one is following me. Being a petite girl, I feel like I’m an easy target for anything,” Polly Song, a downtown Anchorage employee said.

APD has had a shortage of officers and has not had a foot patrol program for many years. They are in the process of rebuilding their department. On Dec 1, 2016, 26 new officers graduated from the academy and were sworn into duty.

“Because of the community investment in APD and our progress rebuilding the department, we now have the ability to staff a dedicated downtown foot patrol,” Chief Chris Tolley said in an APD press release. “As we rebuild APD we will fortify other specialty units, patrols and unsworn staff to enhance public safety.”

Anchorage has experienced a spike in crime. Mayor Ethan Berkowitz has met with members of the community these last few months following numerous unsolved murders. Residents in Anchorage have been on their heels because of a very unstable year of crime.

“Downtown foot patrol is a big step forward — it connects officers with the community and the community with officers, and that means a safer Anchorage,” Berkowitz said in a press release.

The community hopes with the help of APD and their initiatives, Anchorage will

Sen. Lisa Murkowski’s shifted support for President-elect Donald Trump

Murkowski and other Alaska politicians show reluctance towards Trump

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

By Alexis Abbott

news2@thenorthernlight.org

Choosing which candidate to support throughout the 2016 presidential election was a challenge for many American voters, and it was no different for Sen. Lisa Murkowski.

As an Alaskan U.S Senator and a member of the Republican party, Murkowski was expected to endorse then-Republican candidate Donald Trump in this year’s election. It wasn’t until many months into the presidential debates that Murkowski no longer advocated for a Trump presidency.

Alongside Murkowski was Sen. Dan Sullivan, who also turned his back on Trump when the world witnessed his “troubling” words throughout this year’s election, and some from his past.

Although neither Murkowski or Sullivan thought

Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton was presidential material, they were hesitant to endorse someone that did not seem qualified for a job in the Oval Office.

Alaska Dispatch News Columnist Dermot Cole, who has covered Alaskan politics and history for nearly 40 years, was not surprised to see Murkowski’s change of heart.

“She was restrained in her comments early on and limited them to statements that she had always backed Republican presidential candidates. She was never wild about Trump, that’s clear. Later, she said she had not decided what to do. In the end, she took a position after the release of the Trump tape,” Cole said. “In retrospect, I think that she made the right decision. As to her position now, I think she has to work with whoever is president. It will be interesting to see whether Trump holds it against her and Sen. Sullivan for saying what they did.”

All along, the Alaskan congressional delegation has said, like Murkowski, that they will support the republican candidate all the way through the general election.

If this is true, why did we see reluctance towards the end of the polls?

Many Alaskans question Murkowski and political company regarding their inconsistency throughout the 2016 election.

Forrest Nabors, an assistant professor in the Department of Political Science at UAA thinks that the inconsistency of Alaskan politicians seems rather typical.

“Alaskan Republicans and Independents will probably accept Senator Murkowski’s swings between supporting and abandoning Trump because national Republicans and Independents likewise swung like pendulums during the campaign. Before the election polls showed that support for the respective major party candidates was tepid, many voting for the least bad candidate rather than voting for the best candidate,” Nabors said.

Nabors appreciates Murkowski’s ability to express her own point of view on President-elect Donald Trump.

“Her support for the victor would be understandable now, but she has not, to my knowledge, expressed her support without qualification to date. Like some other Republican Senators, she will probably work with President Trump when she can and oppose him when she deems she must. We ought to remember, however, that what prompted her to withdraw support was not a policy issue but a character issue - the revelation of the audiotape when he bragged about his sexual prowess,” Nabors said. “In the Congress, they debate and enact policy, so it is likely that they will find common ground, especially on energy policy. She said as much on election night when she noted that Trump’s election would be good for Alaska because his views on unleashing the energy economy are aligned with her interest in developing Alaska’s energy resources.”

Nathaniel Herz, an ADN reporter who covers politics and government understands the position that Murkowski was in as a republican state senate.

“I think it’s not unexpected, we saw sort of a similar shift from Dan Sullivan...these guys are both going to be in Washington, Sullivan for the next four years, Murkowski for the next six years and Donald Trump is going to be there for the next four years, and they’re going to have to work with them,” Herz said. “I don’t think it’s particularly different than what we’ve seen from President Obama, from even folks like I think Bernie Sanders and Elizabeth Warren have also said where we disagree with the President-elect — but he’s going to be the next president and so we’re going to have to work with him. I think it’s almost exactly what you would expect from all those guys.”

After the polls closed, and Donald Trump was announced President-elect, Murkowski seemed eager to congratulate Trump in his victory. Whether or not the Alaskan senate’s reluctant support will affect the future relationship between the two is to be determined.

| 03 NEWS The danger of fake news and the risk of stopping it THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

The threat that fake news has on the world and the potentially threatening way Google and Facebook are trying to remove it

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

After the U.S. election and Donald Trump becoming President-elect, fake news and where it’s harbored came into discussion. Fact-checking and general distrust in established news sources rose during a turbulent and most unusual campaign season, creating a perfect storm for fake click-bait news to grab hold of the American populous.

While it’s difficult to prove, some people believe fake news, and its role in social media has a part to play in this year’s presidential election.

“I absolutely believe so. I’m not one to click on click-baits and sketchy headlines, but the people that I’m friends with on Facebook seem to think otherwise.

One friend would keep sharing stories that were way too skeptical to even read.

As a person going into journalism, that’s the scariest part about news,” Mizelle Mayo, UAA journalism student said.

“You’ve got all these people you need to get real information out to, but social media lately has been bombarded by fake news stories. Because of that, you’ve got a misinformed audience. Let’s be honest, most people like scandalous news. Evidently, these fake articles have created a dangerous workspace for everyone.”

Others are skeptical of the role fake news had in the election, focusing on the Facebook algorithm showing Americans content they want.

“I don’t think it has had an impact.

On much of the internet, namely social media platforms such as Facebook or YouTube, the content you see comes via an algorithm that’s designed to bring the user content they like. So, if the algo-

GRAPHIC BY JIAN BAUTISTA

rithm believes you like Donald Trump, it will put forth content that agrees with you and similarly for Hillary,” Levi Betz, Anchorage resident and former UAF student said.

Many individuals think Americans had their mind made up before click-bait articles could influence them.

“I don’t know if fake news affected the election. Things were so polarized and people already had their candidates picked early on, so I think fake news just confirmed biases that already existed,” Abby Slater, a UAA journalism student said.

Websites like Google and Facebook are currently looking at ways to combat the surge of fake news. Google is banning fake news sites from the use of their advertising services. How they are determining fake news sites from real news

sites is unclear.

“I strongly disagree with Google’s suspension. I realize that Google is not a government entity and can, therefore, limit whatever they like, however, I think it sets a very dangerous precedent. Google, and also I can’t remember if this has been confirmed but there was also talk of Facebook implementing similar systems, is a massively popular and ubiquitous service and thus this system gives them a lot of power over communications. I realize that in theory this only limits misinformation, but how is it determined that something is ‘misinformation?’” Betz said. “I can easily see the power being used to censor by simply claiming something is misleading or untrue. Even if it is, there would be a litigation process necessary to re-implement the ad.”

While this may seem dangerous to some, the possibility of fake news leaking through social media sets a more dangerous precedent for others.

“I think that Facebook and Google deciding to monitor things is a great achievement. People don’t fall prey to fake news because they are stupid, they fall prey because there is simply too much information going out into the internet for any one person to be able to perfectly filter it out,” Slater said. “The fact that these hugely popular websites are agreeing to step in and help out is awesome, in my opinion.”

In the wake of the presidential election and Brexit, it is important to always check the legitimacy of online stories and articles. Sensationalism sells, but the truth is what matters in the end.

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04 | NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

‘Cutting Smart:’ A forum between Alaskan legislators and students

Alaskan legislators give UAA students a chance to be heard

By Alexis Abbott

news2@thenorthernlight.org

In the midst of Alaska’s financial crisis and the University of Alaska’s copious budget reductions, communication between those in authority and those affected by the changes have seemed to diminish.

The Union of Students at UAA collaborated with the master’s students in public administration in putting together a budget cuts forum where students were given a chance to be heard in front of a room of Alaska legislators.

The event focused on UAA students sharing their perception with policymakers on how the university’s financial deficit has affected them. Despite the lack of opportunity students get to share their voice, they remain the core of the university. It is important to give them a chance to address the impacts brought by university budget cuts on tuition, programs and other issues that matter to them.

Students shared experiences regarding changes in departments, faculty closures as well as issues dealing with athletics, residence life and the UAA/APU Consortium Library.

While financial changes at UAA affect students in many different ways, most of those enrolled in the university can agree that higher education is important to them, which was shown by the unanticipated student turnout.

Lyndea Kelleher, an economics major involved in USUAA, spoke on behalf of the College of Business and Public Policy at Thursday’s forum.

“I thought tonight was a great way for the student voice to get out and to be heard by lawmakers. I think we had a really good representation from our legislators, so that was awesome to see so many people come out and I think that the students spoke on a variety of subjects which was great,” Kelleher said.

Giving students a chance to speak in front of a broad group of legislators was an opportunity for changes to be made.

An open microphone encouraged those involved in diverse communities at UAA to represent themselves as undergrads, athletes, MPA students and more.

Student speakers shared the reality that budget reductions have caused

for them as degree-seekers. Due to loss of affordability, some Seawolves must change majors, transfer universities, drop out and even consider enlisting in the military to afford an education.

Genevieve Mina, a double-major in biology and political science at UAA, spoke and represented the College of Arts and Sciences.

“For me, budget cuts to the university affect me in two ways: as a student, I have to bear and watch our student community and faculty be constantly disappointed and wary for the future. But, as a citizen who is very politically involved, I thought it was important to take advantage of the opportunity to express my own personal stake in Alaska’s fiscal crisis to our newly-elected officials,” Mina said. “It is absolutely vital that students voice their concerns to the policymakers in the legislature and to the Board of Regents as well - especially for those who are frustrated and feel like they can do nothing to change the UA’s current situation.”

Stone Sibbett, a pre-social work student spoke to acknowledge the importance of students of every variety, whether they are a scholar or a more “average” student.

“I think it’s good that these representatives are coming and talking like this, but I worry that maybe some of the representatives that we need to be talking to are not actually here,” Sibbett said. “I was drawn to share my story as kind of an average ‘B’ student, which is the majority of the students we have here at UAA. I think that we, the average folks need to stand up so we don’t get stepped on — because that’s ultimately what is going to happen, these people that are average and don’t normally speak up are going to get stepped on. I was always thinking. ‘Why isn’t anyone doing something?

Why isn’t anyone standing up for it?’ And then I was like, ‘Well, I guess I have to do it if nobody else is.’ I hope that by me standing up and saying something that others will eventually — so that we, normal, everyday people will overwhelm the majority.”

Robert Hockema, a political science student spoke in defending the importance of residence life, and the on-campus community that exists at UAA. “I’m worried about cuts to the univer-

sity disenchanting residents from ever wanting to step out and get engaged with the university as a whole, and therefore lose interest and find other places to get their education,” Hockema said. “Many students truly underestimate the impact that our state legislature can have on all of us. When a disconnect is created between our students and their local representatives, there is never a clear channel for our legislators to know what needs future generations in Alaska need to have met. Events like ‘Cutting Smart’ allow for legislators to stay connected with a major part of their constituency, and students an opportunity to let them know

how they are being directly affected by their actions. This is what democracy is all about.”

Discussing issues that have been provoked by the series of financial problems in Alaska, and at UAA is what will help students, staff and the community to problem-solve and move forward in their education and success.

Students were brave to take the opportunity to stand in front of Alaska state legislators and address what they believe needs to be changed, why it is important for the students to get involved, and to have a voice in the decision-making processes.

NEWS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 05

How to stay safe on campus: A guide to resources at UAA

By Cheyenne Mathews

cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

When Megan Hoover walks from the dorms to classes on campus, she always makes sure to carry her pepper spray. For Hoover, a health sciences major living in East Hall, safety while walking back and forth from campuses is something she likes to take into her own hands.

“I carry pepper spray, and I keep it on my lanyard with my Wolfcard because I need my Wolfcard, so I never forget my pepper spray then, and occasionally I carry a flashlight that’s really heavy duty and can blind someone at night,” Hoover said. “I usually don’t carry that one around. I just mostly use it when I know I’m going to be out late or something and it even has sharp edges where the light is so I can hit someone in the head.”

Carrying pepper spray and a heavy duty flashlight helps Hoover feel safe on campus. Even though she’s never had a negative encounter on her commute, she still has had some light scares.

“The other day I was walking back to a friends house, it was like ten thirty, and this one man approached me and I got a little nervous because he was kind of sketchy looking but then he just asked me where the hospital was,” Hoover said. “But I had my pepper spray in my pocket, and I like had it in my hand ready to go.

That was like the only situation that has happened to me. I definitely feel a lot safer knowing if someone like approaches me and I don’t feel safe, I can like spray them with pepper spray so they will go away.”

According to University Police Department Lieutenant Michael Beckner, there are a select few things students are permitted to carry on campus based on school policy.

“You can carry mace, you’re allowed to carry mace, bear spray, things of that nature on your person,” Beckner said. “Whatever you carry, you’ve got to remember it can be taken from you and used against you, so think about that. No guns. Guns on campus are allowed to be left in your car, but they can’t be carried on the property or in any of the buildings. They have to be left in your car. That’s basically what you can carry.”

Along with mace, students are allowed to carry a small pocket knife and, in some cases, handheld stun devices.

“They would not really be a Taser, they are self-protection stun devices,” Beckner said. “So, they’re handheld, they’re not something that would shoot a projectile out. Pretty much, you can carry them anywhere on campus. You can have them in your purse, they’re not like what we carry where they actually shoot a projectile, it’s more of a touch thing.”

Beckner says UAA has a relatively safe campus, but UPD offers a variety of services to enhance student safety on campus and especially for those who walk between campus and student housing.

“There are things on campus here to keep you safe,” Beckner said. “We provide escorts, so if you feel like you need, you know you’re leaving the library... if you feel unsafe you can call University Police and we’ll get you to your car, also if you’re going to housing, we can get you to housing.”

Along with providing a police escort to students who

feel unsafe, UPD also responds to the blue light safety phones that are dispersed all around campus.

“The safety phones on campus are located throughout different areas on campus,” Beckner said. “You hit the little button and it immediately connects you to our dispatch and in turn the dispatcher will ask if there is something going on. If you can’t speak we’ll immediately send a car. Towards housing there’s a couple. When you hit it it will light a flash and mainly connects dispatch so we’re hearing, you don’t got to say my name is… You can just yell and we’ll hear you, and we have somebody coming and responding pretty quick.”

According to Beckner, UPD responds to these emergency phones in one to two minutes on average.

“We usually are there within one to two minutes and it could be quicker,” Beckner said. “It could be that you hit a blue light phone in housing and we have an officer in housing already patrolling, he could be there in a matter of seconds. We’re lucky here-- we don’t have the call volume of say the Anchorage Police Department.”

One important resource that Beckner recommends all females on campus utilize is the Rape Aggression Defense class offered by UPD. According to the UPD page, RAD is a national program that teaches women how to make knowledgeable and educated decisions about personal defense.

Outside of human aggression, one of the biggest safety threats Beckner warns about is wildlife safety. Beckner says students should always be alert and aware of their surroundings just in case there is a bear or a moose on campus.

“Safety is not only person on person but here in Alaska, and if you’ve been on this campus long enough you know we have moose and things of that nature,” Beckner said. “I’ve watched students walk out of buildings with the police officer sitting right there and pretty much run into the moose because they are on their cell phone or got their earbuds in or just not paying attention. And a moose can be very deadly. We’ve actually had someone

killed here in the early 90s by a moose right out front of Wells Fargo.”

For student uncertain of how to handle a surprise interaction with wildlife, Beckner advises they put something between them and the wildlife.

“If you see a moose, [don’t] run in the other direction but you’ve got to give it space, especially if it’s got a baby with it,” Beckner said. “They are very protective. Give them distance, put something between you and them. If you are walking in a parking lot walk one row over. If they have to come through cars to get you they are not going to go out of their way to get you, if you are easy to go after then they will. Don’t feed them because, plain and simple, once they become dependent on humans we have to dispatch them. The big thing on animals is you just want to stay away.”

Jacob Pennell, a history major, lives MAC unit six and he takes several safety precautions when he walks from campus to the student housing.

“Never have more than one headphone in, to make sure I always hear what’s going on around me,” Pennell said. “I always keep my keys in my pocket just in case and some days depending on how far I intend to travel, I usually keep a knife on me too.”

Pennell said he’s never felt that unsafe at UAA but he likes to be prepared just in case something does happen.

“I feel like the possibility is there, but I am ex-military so I keep prepared,” Pennell said. “I feel relatively safe on UAA’s [campus]. There have been a couple of times where things got a little iffy but it’s one of those situations where, as long as I walk away, I’ll be fine. As awful as it sounds, because I am a white male I generally don’t worry too much about it, but I like to be there just in case somebody else gets in trouble.”

For more information about animal safety on campus, the UPD page on UAA’s website recommends five steps on dealing with moose in the area. The UPD site also contains many resources for crime prevention on campus.

PHOTO BY JASON ESBAIN

Handheld stun guns are allowed on UAA’s campus for students to protect themselves. Other items like pepper spray are also permitted.

Guns are still illegal on campus property and in buildings.

SNOW: Fate of Alaska’s climate change issue is unknown

Continued from cover

“The concept of global warming was created by and for the Chinese in order to make US manufacturing non-competitive,” Trump said in a tweet from Nov. 6, 2012.

“Trump declaring China is responsible for the rumor of climate change to make us non-competitive makes me want to puke, nothing about that statement is thoughtful, kind, or holding any reason,” Strover said.

There are many statements made by

Trump stating his disbelief in climate change. “Give me clean, beautiful and healthy air – not the same old climate change (global warming) bullshit! I am tired of hearing this nonsense,” Trump said in another tweet on Jan. 28, 2014.

“I feel worried about people who do not believe in global warming,” Lowe said. “The first thing that pops into my mind is that those who don’t believe it either do not care about the earth or are choosing to ignore any signs because they are afraid to accept the truth.”

Since Trump does not believe in climate change or chooses to ignore this issue, it is unclear what that means for the future of the U.S. Trump and other individuals may need further education to convince them that this is a serious matter that needs to be addressed.

“I think that one of the things that we can do is educate people on what the scientific community has been observing over the last 50 through 100 years so that they can be better informed about the current status of planet earth,” Welker said.

“It would be very possible that Presidentelect Trump could be better informed about the science of planet earth including [the] chemistry of its atmosphere and changes over his lifetime and changes over the time periods back tens of thousands of years.”

Until everyone is on the same page concerning climate change, there will continue to be negative affects on earth.

There may not be a quick fix for this issue, but one step at a time can ultimately change the future of this planet.

“The most important thing that we can do today to stabilize the earth’s climate and weather is to find ways to curtail our energy use, everything from driving fuel efficient vehicles to supporting green energy, especially wind solar and tide in a technology necessary to allow renewables to replace petroleum based products as our source of energy as a global community,” Welker said.

The fate of Alaska, the United States and especially the world, is uncertain.

Climate change will continue to do damage until citizens of earth come together and figure out a solution to prevent further harm. There are drastic signs of climate change in Alaska that are hard to ignore. There is no doubt that if climate change continues, Alaska will resume facing negative effects in the future.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 06

Blueberry pie bars Finals week tips for Make use of your frozen summer berry bounty with some delicious, warm baked blueberry pie bars

students, from students

By Richard Han

rhan@thenorthernlight.org

Ingredients For Crust: • 1/2 cup butter • 3/4 cup sugar • 1 1/2 cups flour • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • Pinch of salt For Filling: • 1 egg • 1/2 cup sour cream • 1/3 cup sugar

By Victoria Petersen

• 2 tablespoons lemon juice

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

• 1 tablespoon flour

It’s the holiday season, which is most known for its chilly, dark and snowy days and less known for strict diets. Give in to your saccharine cravings with these berry delicious pie bars.

Inspired by Trisha Yearwood of Food Network, this recipe is the perfect excuse to use those frozen blueberries you picked this summer.

• 4 teaspoons cornstarch • 2

teaspoons

vanilla

extract • 1/2 teaspoon cinnamon • 2 cups blueberries

Directions 1. Preheat your oven to 350 degrees. Spray a medium sized baking pan with cooking spray and line the pan with parchment paper, letting the paper hang over on two sides of the pan. Spray the parchment spray with the cooking spray.

2. In a stand-up mixer, combine butter, sugar, flour, cinnamon and salt.

December has arrived and students all over UAA will be preparing for finals this week in various different ways. Three of the most important factors that many students begin thinking about in preparation for finals week include: knowing what’s going on in your classes, prioritizing your time and being in an atmosphere where effective studying can take place.

Although knowing the actual content is important, knowing what specific content will be tested on is also vital. Utilizing resources given by the instructor whether it be a study guide or practice test material is very helpful. Knowing if the final is on a specific section or accumulative is useful information so no time is wasted reviewing untested material.

Knowing what grade you have prior to taking your finals is very important.

Senior natural science major Bora Yoon takes her time to assess how she must perform.

“I try to free my schedule and prioritize my time to focus on school work.

Also, I have a clear idea of what my course grades are throughout the semester, so when it’s time for final exams I can calculate what I need to do and what to get done in order to get the grade I want in the course,” Yoon said.

Finals week is a week where most students lose a lot of sleep and have poor diets. It is important to note that getting an adequate amount of sleep is important in maximizing your study potential.

Avoid eating unhealthy junk food and drink lots of water to stay hydrated.

Students may also have a hard time concentrating when it comes to studying.

It is important to find an environment where you can be focused and produc-

tive. Although study groups may be fun, sometimes studying quietly in a room alone can be beneficial.

Junior computer science major Chris Mahan has a specific setup he has to maximize his study.

“I like to get any kind of energy drink, whether it’s a red bull or coffee as well as some water. I also bring a snack like trail mix and find a quiet spot in the library.

Usually, I like to listen to relaxing music, but not too loud so it isn’t distracting,” Mahan said.

Throughout the week stress can build up. Finding a stress reliever in between studying and testing is a good way to keep your sanity throughout the dreadful week. Activities such as running, boxing and doing yoga help students to relieve their stress.

Many students have jobs and commitments outside of school and it can quickly become overwhelming during finals week. Requesting some time off prior to set aside time to study is not a bad idea.

In the case where taking time off isn’t an option, prioritizing your time is huge. Mark Villasin, a full-time student with a full-time job, organizes his week so he knows what exactly he needs to do throughout the week.

“I am a full-time student and a fulltime employee at GCI which means I have little time to study. This is why it is important to manage my time wisely because I don’t have much room for comfort to be slacking off. Typically when I study, I tend to study at night or right after class since those are my most open time slots. Regularly, I find myself looking for time but you make with what you got,” Villasin said.

Whether studying means raising or maintaining a grade, finals week can be harsh. Time is precious and finding ways to best utilize that time is key.

Remove 3/4 cup of the mixture and set aside. Take the remaining mixture and press it down evenly into the prepared baking pan, creating a crust.

3. In a medium bowl, whisk together egg, sour cream, sugar, lemon juice, flour, cornstarch, vanilla extract and cinnamon until smooth.

4. Mix in 1 cup of blueberries. Pour the mixture over the pressed crust in the pan. Gently shake the pan to settle the filling and berries. Take the remaining 1 cup of blueberries and pour over the top of the filling, spreading them evenly.

5. Take the reserved 3/4 cup of crust and sprinkle it over the top of the berries.

6. Bake for 1 hour. Remove the bars once they have cooled and cut into the desired size. Refrigerate until ready to serve.

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FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 07

AK Alchemist opens third shop located in Alaska Regional Hospital

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

Since the opening of AK Alchemist in 2013, this hybrid between a coffee shop and a Tex-Mex food destination has grown more popular amongst Alaskans. Not only do they serve some of the best coffee Alaska has to offer, but also a great selection of lunch items such as fish tacos, burgers, Alaskan burritos, reindeer dogs, fish and chips and many more items that utilize Alaska’s specialty ingredients. Since AK Alchemist is known for their coffee and great meals, it has become a local hot spot. With the growing amount of customers, this little shop has decided to expand to two new locations.

Built from a shipping container, AK Alchemist’s first and most popular location is downtown on Fourth and A Street. With their urban artwork and space management of the shipping container, they were able to transform into a favorite coffee and lunch hangout.

“Inside is small, cramped, but funky and full of charm, I loved that they opened it up with the glass wall because it really helps with feeling so packed in,” Brittany Morgan, frequent AK Alchemist customer said.

“I especially love being able to get such delicious and unique food from a drive through.”

During the summer time, customers are able to sit out and enjoy the sun with a coffee or beer with their lunch.

However, during those days when it’s not nice to sit outside, or even the winter season, there are inside spots available to enjoy their food and beverages. Although there are spots available inside, it is still a bit cramped when there are multiple customers.

“I love going in and eating, but if you’re at the table and there’s someone ordering at the same time, you’re kind of on top of one another,” Morgan said. “It actually caused me to leave early when I’d have loved to stay lon-

ger, so expanding would be great.”

AK Alchemist opened a second location a couple months ago located inside Nuka Learning and Wellness Center off Tutor road. Because the first location grew popular in a short amount of time, they decided it was time to open a second. AKA2 is a bit different from AKA1 with their food items.

“We started the second location because we got very popular and we wanted to expand and there was an opening in that hospital. So, we went for it and it turned out amazing,” Megan Martz, a barista at AKA1 and AKA2 said. “It’s more fast paced at the first location especially because we have a full menu and so many options, as for the second location we don’t have a cook there like we

do the one downtown.”

On Dec. 2, they opened their third location in the Alaska Regional Hospital. Unlike the second location, they will have the same food menu as AKA1 at this location. In the future, they are looking to open a fourth shop in Alaska Regional.

“It’s going to keep growing into the current gift shop that’s in regional and add indoor seating and a bigger food menu,” Marissa Nunooruk, AK Alchemist manager said.

Every AK Alchemist location provides a different experience for customers with different settings, food menus and experience.

“Each location differs on amenities, most of our shops are just walk up or in coffee stands,” Kyrsten Fischer, lead barista at AK Alchemist, said. “At AKA1, we have a full kitchen and at the other locations we have mainly grab and go items like sandwiches, salads, parfaits, fruit cups and baked goods. Everything is still made fresh inhouse by our amazing chefs.”

The future is exciting for this shop and many opportunities awaits.

“Our business opener is always looking to expand, add-on, try new things to make our company grow and excel as much as possible,” Fischer said. “I can only imagine the best in store for us!”

If you are looking for a new place to have lunch or grab a great coffee, check out any of AK Alchemists’ locations. AKA1 is most popular for their Alaskan burrito and halibut tacos, these are not items one should miss out on. Besides the great coffee and food, the baristas and cooks always provide welcoming customer service. This local business is becoming one of Alaska’s go-to lunch destinations and has various locations around town that will provide a positive new experience each time.

08 | FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

Taking action with Generation Action

By Lee Piltz

lpiltz@thenorthernlight.org

Generation Action is a club at UAA that is dedicated to raising awareness on reproductive freedom, sexual violence, Planned Parenthood and other related topics. They also host events such at Take Back the Night, and work to educate women and men on healthy sexuality and relationships.

One of the main reasons that people join Generation Action is because they want to raise awareness on Planned Par-

enthood or sexual assault. Others join because they see the benefits that organizations like Planned Parenthood provide and they want to make sure these services are continually being offered to others.

Cat Schoessler, secretary of Generation Action, explains that her reasons for joining are very personal.

“I just think that everybody should have access to health care and that everybody should feel safe on campus. When I was growing up, Planned Parenthood was the place that I would go to if I needed to get my HPV vaccinations, if I needed to talk to anybody about something, if I needed to get birth control. I recognize that they are doing that every single day with other women and I want to make sure they stay a thing no matter who is president or involved in the legislation,” Schoessler said.

Moira Pyhala, President of Generation Action, grew up in Soldotna with Schoessler. Pyhala explains that Planned Parenthood is a very valuable resource for individuals and that the Alaskan people might actually need the services more than other states.

“The Planned Parenthood in our town [Soldotna] actually recently became defunded to two days a week. They cover

four different towns: Kenai, Soldotna, Sterling and Nikiski. And any surrounding areas, which is about 8,000 people.

That’s ridiculous because Alaska has some of the highest rates of STIs in the country and our sexual assault rate is 2.5 times higher than the rest of the nation.

This organization, in some ways, can be one of the only resources for young women,” Pyhala said.

Other members of the club joined due to the organizations welcoming nature.

Suzanne Snyder, member of Generation Action, explains the warmth that attracted her to the group as well as the importance of Planned Parenthood and other groups like it.

“They seemed really friendly toward each other, very welcoming to all sorts of different opinions, encouraging people to learn more about what Planned Parenthood is and what they do for everyone and the services they offer. Abortion is not the only service that they offer, Planned Parenthood also offers so many different health services that many women need,” Snyder said.

Schoessler explains that these resources can actually help to prevent abortions if used effectively.

“The thing that makes me most frus-

trated when people are upset that Planned Parenthood provides abortions is the fact that the rest of their services prevent abortions,” Schoessler said.

There is a stigma among some men that these issues are solely for women and that men have no place involving themselves in the issues. However, Alex Jorgensen, Club council representative for Generation Action, explains that men should get involved in order to help combat these societal problems.

“People commonly perceive domestic violence or sexual assault as women’s issues, but they are not just women’s issues. They are everyone’s issues because they affect society as a whole and the functioning of society. It’s really important for men to have an active role in the fight against domestic violence and sexual assault...The reason I joined is because I think it’s important for men to stand up and say that these issues are my issues too,” Jorgensen said.

If reproductive rights are important to you and you would like to get involved in your community and on campus, you can contact Generation Action at (907) 3942282 or at generationactionuaa@gmail. com. The club meets bi-weekly in the upper Student Union.

UAA opens first Japanese tea ceremony room

In dedication to Montgomery Dickson, the tea ceremony room will be used by UAA’s Japanese program and the Anchorage community for Japanese cultural events

By Victoria Petersen

vgpetersen@thenorthernlight.org

Tucked away in the Social Sciences Building is room 156. What was once a classroom has been transformed into a Japanese cultural and ceremonial center.

The Monty Dickson Center tea ceremony room is the first of it’s kind on campus and opened its doors Nov. 28.

The center is named in honor of Montgomery Dickson, a 2009 UAA graduate of Languages with an emphasis in Japanese. After graduating, Dickson went to Japan and taught English. Dickson lost his life in March of 2011 after a fatal tsunami destroyed the Northeast Coast of Japan. UAA fulfills Dickson’s passion for Japanese culture by creating a place where students and community members can learn and appreciate Japanese culture, right here in Alaska.

“This is very special, to commemorate Montgomery Dickson who died in the Tsunami. He loved Japanese culture, he

cherished Japanese culture dearly. That was his dream, to create a bridge from Alaska to Japan,” Hiroko Harada, professor and coordinator of the Japanese program, said.

The tea ceremony room is the brainchild of Harada, who has been working on the making the room a reality for over 18 years. With funding provided by the Rasmuson Foundation, Harada was able to accomplish her and Dickson’s dream of bringing a center of Japanese culture to UAA. “It’s not only a tea room it’s a culture room, so we can have flower arrangements and zen sitting, meditation,” Harada said.

Before the tea ceremony room was created, students enrolled in the tea ceremony class were using a typical classroom to practice the art of Japanese tea ceremony. In comparison, the new tea room has an elevated platform area with eight full-size tatami mats from Japan.

These create a more authentic tea ceremony atmosphere.

“The benefits of having a tea ceremony room is that it fosters better connection and deeper understanding of Japanese culture by creating authentic handson experiences for the University students. They learn the proper movements, manners and etiquette of Japanese tea ceremony which allows them to learn the key elements which are harmony respect, purity and tranquility,” Yuki Moore, UAA Japanese professor said. “The students are able to apply these tea philosophies to their daily lives and to share and promote these experiences with the public through the tea ceremony events.”

Tess Calvin, a UAA medical laboratory science student, has taken tea ceremony class three times.

“When I first started I could barely speak Japanese, it was my freshman year and I didn’t really have a lot of friends at UAA yet, but the Japanese community has actually been my main community at UAA despite it not being my major,” Calvin said. “The first year it was just a classroom, it still had blackboards and

desks in the way, but Moore sensei had a few tatami mats and brought her tea utensils and we just did our best, but now it really looks like a tea room, it’s got that wabi-sabi feel going, wabi-sabi is like a Zen Buddhist appreciation for rustic/simplistic beauty.”

Going from blackboards and desks to a legitimate tea ceremony set-up has given Calvin the opportunity to learn about tea ceremony in a more authentic way.

“It definitely makes it easier to learn, I think. Tea ceremony is really precise in some ways. There’s certain ways you walk in, the tatami mats have to be pointing the correct way, you place the bowls and utensils in certain spots. Before, we did what we could, but now we can actually do things more like they’re supposed to be,” Calvin said.

The tea ceremony room will be used as part of the Japanese program. In addition to the tea ceremony class, the room will also be used for other Japanese cultural events at UAA and in the community.

PHOTOS BY JAY GUZMAN

Makoto Izakura, Consul from the Office of Japan, performs the honors of the ribbon cutting for the grand opening of the Japan Center Tea Room.

Japanese language students dressed in traditional kimono assisted by professors Hiroko Harada and Yuki Moore.

FEATURES

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 09

Eat, drink, study, repeat Late Nights provided by Student Activities and Commuter Programs allows students to study for finals longer with relaxing activities and free food

By Brenda Craig

features@thenorthernlight.org

Starting in the spring of 1991, Late Nights has been catering to UAA students during the last two weeks of each semester. Student Activities and Commuter Programs understands the amount of stress students face during finals week and they came up with a way to relieve some of the pressure. Late Nights takes place the last two weeks of the semester and provides various amounts of activities and food for students to take a break, replenish and get back to studying.

There is much more studying to be done for finals than any other time during the semester, so the Student Union building will open till midnight to provide a place for students to focus. Kris Morse, bachelor of science in applied technologies leadership and commuter programs manager, has been preparing Late Nights for this semester.

“Late Nights started so that students didn’t have to leave the Student Union at the normal times during finals and it allowed them to be able to stay longer and be focused on studying so that they would do better on their finals,” Morse said. “It is important because not all students have a place to stay focused on studying, so we like to provide them that space so that they are able to do well on their exams.”

Many students spend most of their time during finals week at UAA studying along with their peers. Late Nights substitutes the inconvenience of having to stop studying to leave campus and get food, which can cause one to lose a train of thought or motivation to study. Dinner will be provided during Late Nights at approximately 7 p.m. by donations made

by Bear Tooth, Schlotzskys’s, Buffalo Wild Wings, Caliente, Subway, Uncle Joe’s, UAA Seawolf Dining and Catering and Olive Garden. Along with dinner, there will be other activities and snack wagons throughout Late Nights.

Ana Azpilcueta, early childhood

development major and commuter programs manager, has also been a big part in planning this semester’s Late Night events.

“We are going to walk around campus with the snack wagon to invite students to Late Nights, the same days the event is happening,” Azpilcueta said. “We are going to have tutors and massages available from 6 p.m. to 9 p.m., and drip coffee and baked goods from 9 p.m. to 12 a.m.”

These events are not only convenient but also free for all students. Veronica Campbell, natural science major, likes the idea of these activities being free.

“I think it’s cool that they offer free food and massages, it might entice people to physically come to UAA and study more,” Campbell said.

Not only will there be free food and massages, but there will also be tutors provided for students.

“Everything we have will be for free.

We have food, massages and activities,” Morse said. “This year we are trying something new and will have tutors for Late Nights, they are free as well.”

Student Activities and Commuter Programs, being student-run, understands the stress of finals week. The well-being of their peers is important and a major part of why Late Nights are essential during the most stressful weeks of the semester.

“Our main goal is to provide an environment for students to relax and not stress out too much during finals,” Azpilcueta said. “It is important because we care about our students, and we know Late Nights is an event that helps them with their finals. Also, this is an event that offers the opportunity to meet more people created by study groups, it encourages the sense of community that we are trying to achieve.”

During these last two weeks of the fall semester watch out for the food wagons, free massages, tutors and dinners provided from donations by delicious restaurants. For more updates on Late

Student Union 6 PM - MIDNIGHT December 5 - 8, Mon. - Thurs.

MONDAY

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TUESDAY

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Nacho Bar Twitter: UAActivities Facebook: uaastudentactivities Instagram: uaa_student_activities

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Massages & Tutoring: 6 - 9pm Drip Coffee & Baked Goods: 9pm See the complete list of available tutoring at the Student Activities Facebook page.

PRESENTED BY

USUAA STUDENT GOVERNMENT

UNIVERSITY OF ALASKA ANCHORAGE

For more information call, 786-1204 UAA is an EEO/AA employer and educational institution

Nights, follow the UAA Student Activities and Commuter Programs Facebook page, Instagram and Twitter. Take a small

break from studying with a snack and a massage then get back to dominating the end of the fall semester.

Library and empty classes are the best study spots on campus

By Cheyenne Mathews

cmathews@thenorthernlight.org

With finals week approaching, students will be forced to study and find study spots. For students who favor the Consortium Library as a study spot, there are certain things students need to do to ensure having a study room during finals week.

“Definitely book [study rooms] far in advance,” Keelin Baughmin, library technician said. “If you try to come in frequently during finals there’s about a wait of about two or three hours on average.”

Baughmin recommends different parts of the library for students who prefer complete quiet versus ambient noise.

“Depends on how you like to study,” Baughmin said.

“Some people like dead silence and so the best place would be the second floor of the library. Some people need kind of ambient noise, so Kaladi’s or the first floor is usually best because you get those rustling noises.”

For students really interested in studying during finals week, after hours will again be open for the period of time leading up to and during finals.

“We are open for finals [for late night] starting the seventh, the Wednesday before finals,” Baughmin said.

“During that, we’re going to be open till 2 a.m. like we used to be during other finals. It’s just during the regular semester that we can’t.”

Baughmin attended UAA and majored in German when she was a student. During her finals weeks, she

liked to utilize empty classes all over campus for studying.

“There’s a lot of classrooms they just leave unlocked and you could kind of just walk in, and that’s what I would do,” Baughmin said. “I usually just go to the [Social Sciences Building] because usually the shuttles would take me straight from the dorms to here so it would just be easy...So like Beatrice McDonald, Gordon Hartlieb, a couple of those around there, no one ever goes in so you can just sit down, and they’re usually pretty quiet.”

Mark Simon, a political science major, is working on his fifth year at UAA, and he prefers last minute cram studying for finals on the SSB fourth floor.

“As for my personal preferences is quiet study places there’s actually a fourth floor to the SSB,” Simon said.

“That staircase in the middle goes all the way up to the roof, and no one ever goes up there. So if you are just looking for a quiet place to sit on the floor and not have anyone bother you, top of the staircase. I know that’s a weird one, but it’s funny, and I’ve gone up there once or twice during finals weeks to hammer out a paper that I need to work on or catch a couple of minutes of sleep. No one ever goes up there.”

Outside of the SSB fourth floor, Simon also recommends students try to find and utilize the designated study rooms for specific colleges at UAA. “If it gets a little later, I go to the political science lab,” Simon said. “I know a couple different programs have labs in their respective offices, it’s usually free to

print in there, which is good if you are running low on printing dollars.”

When Simon lived in student housing, he preferred to use the library over the study rooms available in the dorms because those rooms tended to be full and noisy.

“My go to [study spot] is in the ARLIS [Alaska Resources Library and Information Services] library.

There’s that kind of courtyard area under the glass and you can just sit there, it’s a quiet study area, they’ve got like eight seats there, internet’s good there, they’ve got power strips there so it’s a good place to set up a laptop and be there for eight hours,” Simon said.

Jasson Leatham, an aviation administration major, likes to study on campus, even though he lives off campus because it helps him stay focused.

“The problem is at home I have a lot of distractions.

It is nice to study at home because I am comfortable, but I also find myself falling asleep a lot easier, too,” Leatham said. “I like to study in the library because it’s quiet and you can sometimes reserve a room and have a group study...Also if I just have a small assignment that I want to refresh on before I get to class, I study right here in the Union. It’s all about preference I would say — if you are trying to be warm, if you’re trying to have a group around you, or if you are trying to socialize while you study.”

Finals are right around the corner, and reservations for library rooms fill up fast. If library study rooms run out, students can always do what Simon and Leatham do and utilize their college’s specific study rooms.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 10

Localize It: Break it till you make it

Local break dancer Ives proves that making a career out of dancing is possible

By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

Although there are few and far between, Anchorage is home to a few extremely talented and unique dancers, ranging in skills from ballet, to tap, to hip-hop. It can be difficult to make a dancing career up here, especially with the lack of studios, shows, and competitions. Nevertheless, there are still a few who manage to work hard enough and make the transition from emerging dancer to professional dancer.

One of those few is Jeremy Viray, also known as Ives. He a nationally recognized hip-hop dancer, with a focus in breaking. Ives has always been interested in the art of breaking, and begun his journey as a hip-hop dancer as early as eleven years old. From practicing in recreation rooms in gyms, to now performing in nation wide competitions, Ives has truly made his name known in the dance community, both locally and nationally.

“I used to go to this rec center to play

basketball, and one day there was an older guy who was break dancing in the game room. He started showing me some moves, and I remember feeling pretty comfortable, and how naturally it came to move like that.

Almost like it was destined to happen, like I was supposed to walk into that game room that day,” Ives said.

Once Ives started getting serious about breaking and hip hop, around the age of 16, he was invited to represent the state of Alaska in a national breaking competition in Seattle, Washington. Since then, Ives hasn’t stopped competing, and he has been on a constant upward climb, always improving his skill. California, Florida, Las Vegas, Korea, China and Canada are some of the major cities and countries that Ives has traveled to for competitions in past years, winning multiple awards, and becoming well known along the way.

“The biggest competition I’ve been to so far was one sponsored by Red Bull, which I attended last August. That competition was especially unique for me because I was the first ever Alaskan invited to compete in that competition.

Qualifiers of that competition went on to the world finals, which is held usually in a different country. It was a great experience to be apart of, and I felt very humbled to be there,” Ives said.

Apart from competing as a solo act, Ives is also apart of a hip hop group, called the Rockforce Crew. This crew reached out to Ives to become a member June of last year, and is still apart of the group today. They travel all over the world, and perform in some of the worlds biggest hip-hop competitions.

“The Rockforce Crew was established back in 1982, and some of the breakers that I look up to most were on this team at one point. To have their name attached to mine has brought me more opportunities and experiences than I could have

PHOTO COURTESY OF GABE HARVEY

Ives performing at an out-of-state break dancing competition.

ever imagined. It’s really cool to be apart of something where everyone is just as passionate about the same thing you are,” Ives said.

While Ives has been traveling outside of Alaska to compete and gain knowledge about breaking, he has also been working locally to open up Anchorage’s first hip hop studio. Set to open its doors for the first time this coming February, Express Studio will allow students of all ages and skill level to learn what Ives has been doing the majority of his life.

“Bruce Lee has had a few inspirational speeches that have had a really big impact on me. He started in a small community, and wanted to take his art and

passions, share them with the world, and pour them back into his home. That kinda made me realize that that’s exactly what I want to do also, just put back into this town what I’ve learned and grown from.

Owning a studio and being able to teach kids about breaking would be a dream come true,” Ives said.

Breaking, and hip-hop dance in general has given Ives something to be passionate about, something to set goals and improve with, and become a better dancer as each day passes. There is no way his career is slowing down any time soon, and Ives’ journey with break dancing is one that others’ admire and look up to as they begin their own.

A&E

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 11

The uninspired ‘Serra Pelada’ retreads old territory

By Jacob Holley-Kline Contributor

The post “Breaking Bad” glut of antihero centric crime flicks only had so much to work with. A man, seeking fortune or some means of providing for his loved ones, descends into the criminal underworld and discovers his true self.

“Serra Pelada,” save for an abrupt turn at the end, follows these beats exactly.

Besides its performances, it’s an unexceptional bundle of cliches.

Seeking a better life for his family, Joaquim (Julio Andrade, “Maresia”) decides to mine for gold at Serra Pelada, a reallife Brazilian gold mine which operated in the 1980s. His life-long friend, Juliano (Juliano Cazarre, “Neon Bull”) comes along and they soon strike it rich. It isn’t long before Juliano gives into the power, and Joaquim is forced to choose between his fortune and his best friend.

The movie’s main problem is with its characters. Joaquim is a seemingly good man, working mostly out of love for his family, and Juliano is obviously a bit darker, lusting after power and money, but they never become more than these motivations. Worse still, viewers don’t learn enough about Joaquim’s family, or Juliano in general, to care much about them. Stars Andrade and Cazarre make the most of what little they’re given.

Andrade paints Joaquim as a naive idealist, wide-eyed and bushy-tailed until reality sets in. There, the performance takes a darker turn, hinting at the collapse of those ideals. Cazarre is the perfect foil is stone-faced Juliano. Beneath his stoicism, there’s something like compassion, but Cazarre plays the character’s darker side with a momentous energy.

The movie, too, has that kind of momentum. It gets to the point quickly and lingers on it, sometimes for far too long. Since the setting needs some explanation, newsreel style interjections break up the action often. When the plot picks up, however, those interjections slow everything down. It gets grating and makes the movie feel overlong at 100 minutes. “Serra Pelada” reaches for something new right at the end, but the turn is too abrupt to be believable or even interesting.

The movie doesn’t quite feel like a waste of time, but it comes close. It rides on the performances of its leads because it has little new to offer. The only original part is the setting, and it’s utilized decently, but never distracts from the tired story taking place in it. Couple that with ultimately useless interjections about that setting, “Serra Pelada” plays like a sloppier, less-affecting “City of God.” See it for the performances because there’s not much else to look at.

TITLE “Serra Pelada”

DIRECTOR Heitor Dhalia

RELEASE DATE Oct. 18, 2013

COUNTRY Brazil

GENRE Drama

Childish Gambino creates a music genre of his own with ‘Awaken, My Love!’

ALBUM REVIEW

By Madison McEnaney arts2@thenorthernlight.org

ARTIST Childish Gambino

GENRE R&B

ALBUM “Awaken, My Love!”

LABEL Glassnote

RELEASE Dec. 2, 2016

The highly anticipated delivery of Childish Gambino’s newest album has finally arrived - and been just as gamechanging as we expected it to be. Titled “Awaken, My Love!” Gambino takes you on an 11 track, 50-minute journey through an entirely new genre of music he has never stepped foot in, until now.

Childish Gambino’s alter-ego and legal name, Donald Glover, has had a successful career outside of the music world.

Starting off as a writer for the NBC show, “30 Rock” led into an acting part in “Community,” another NBC sitcom that ran six seasons.

Glover is a man of all trades, flowing in and out of television, comedy and music scenes. On top of his latest album release, Glover is the creator and star of the hit TV-show “Atlanta,” a comedydrama television show that has received high praise.

With his background of being a comedian, he has a knack for capturing an audience’s attention with witty banter.

This seemed to translate very smoothly into his music career, especially on his albums “Camp” and “Because The Internet.” These albums reflected those qualities that Childish Gambino became so well known for, and it was received very well by the mainstream hip hop audience.

Gambino tossed the idea at his fans about a new album back in 2015, and also played his vision of the album at his Pharos Festival in California this past September. Now, it is finally available to listeners all over the world.

“Awaken, My Love!” feels like you are being transported into a different world when you listen to it, a world full of art, culture and diversity. Somehow, Childish Gambino managed to bring his fans with him into this new exploration of music, and they can’t seem to get enough.

Fast forwarding to today, Gambino took his fans down a new road of music with “Awaken, My Love!” Within seconds of hearing the first track on the album, an entirely new genre is being tapped into, and as you continue to listen it only goes further and further away from your expectations, in the best way possible.

Some songs feel funkadelic, several have rock influences and others have extreme jazz qualities, which makes it feel impossible to place this album into one specific genre of music. None of these qualities are very prominent in Gambino’s other works, which is why this album feels like such a huge step for him as an artist.

There is no way of knowing what Gambino’s next move will be as a musician, but we will be playing “Awaken, My Love!” the entire time as we follow him.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

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VOLLEYBALL: Seawolves win three home games in NCAA tournament

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADAM PHILLIPS

Taylor Noga recovers the play in a tough competition weekend at the Alaska Airlines Center.

Continued from cover tion conference, with a 15-3 record, it still wasn’t enough to overtake UAA’s 19-1 record. The Seawolves still came in prepared.

“They are dynamic, they are a team who was been very successful against in the big teams in the CCAA... we’re just trying to get better every day,” head coach Chris Green said.

An immediate four-point lead started the Seawolves off with high energy, letting freshman right side hitter Diana Fa’amausili get the first two kills in of the night. After a quick lead, UAA began to struggle on their own errors giving Chico State the opportunity to boost their score and snag a three point lead at 15-12.

Pulling in towards the end of the set, the Seawolves quickly redeemed themselves, solidifying a tie at 21-21 and closing the set off with four successful serves by sophomore libero Kyla MilitanteAmper. UAA snagged set one 25-21.

With a relatively close finish, the Seawolves changed up their game and sprang to action in the remaining two sets, pulling in upwards of a 10 point lead.

Set two ran smoothly with ample help from six consecutive serves each from Hooe and outside hitter Chrisalyn Johnson. With alternating kills from Fa’amausili and Swiss, the Seawolves collected their second win at 25-18.

With the trend of abundant serve streaks being consistent for the night, Militante-Amper continued it by stepping up to the line for nine consecutive serves to grant UAA a fast and immediate guarantee for a win in set three.

After a rather long rally, Hooe managed to prove her exceptional ability to control less than favorable passes and get to the ball at any point on the court.

With a quick mind and quicker feet, Hooe continued to impress the crowd with her extensive assist ability that pulled the Seawolves to game point. To switch things up, Militante-Amper gave Hooe a set that let her get the game winning kill in, at 25-15. This led the Seawolves to a 3-0 win against Chico State.

five.

Set one proved to not be much of a worry for the Seawolves. They took the lead early while Fa’amausili and Johnson got aggressive and kept adding kills to the game. Their lead took off and they won the set comfortably at 25-17.

It was here that things got rough for UAA and they were put into an immediate deficit. Northwest Nazarene rushed the set early and was already up by 10 points halfway through.

The Seawolves struggled to keep up and with their nerves on high alert, their offensive errors proved to be their biggest weakness. In high-stress situations, it’s easy to always look for the player who always pulls things together, Hooe kept her head in the game and controlled the ball, allowing UAA to tie it up at 22-22.

Only a little too late, Northwest Nazarene took the set at 25-22.

Sets three and four continued to mimic the previous two, with both teams on high alert the kept the scores in close range only winning within several points.

With Hooe and Swiss tag-teaming assists and kills, the two helped the sets run smoothly.

This offensive strength allowed UAA to prosper in set three at 25-12 but left them at the disadvantage in set four at 25-23.

With one remaining set, the future of this tournament for each team was put into a 15 point race. UAA is known to make great comebacks from this position

Morgan Hooe sets up a play for her teammates during this weekend’s West Regional Championships.

but the beginning of set five wasn’t looking good for them.

Already at a four-point deficit, the Seawolves were struggling, but with a final pair up of Hooe and Swiss UAA pulled through on won at a final 15-10.

Saturday, Dec. 3, UAA vs. Western Washington The West Regional Finals tops of at the farthest a UAA volleyball team has made it in program history, with the series of fortunate events and players that lead the team this far, the team lost a very valuable asset early in the game.

Only a few minutes into set one, Hooe suffered a leg injury that pulled her off the court. The Seawolves were at an initial disadvantage without her in set one.

Proving that they can work with adversity, freshman setter Madison Fisher was brought in to take Hooe’s place. Starting at a six-point deficit, the Seawolves powered through to close in on WWU at 19-20.

Although the circumstances weren’t the best, Green still realized it worked out well.

“We didn’t play our best and it was a bit frustrating, but we pulled it out and we have to give a lot of credit to Madison [Fisher] for technically taking off her medical red shirt and stepping in,” Green said.

With unfortunate errors on UAA’s side, WWU prospered through and won

at 25-19.

In a fortunate turnaround, Hooe steps back into the game early in set two, with a freshly braced knee. At four-four, Hooe couldn’t have come back at a better time.

With an impressive comeback, the Seawolves quickly gained from Hooe’s presence pulling into a lead. In an extended set, UAA redeemed themselves with a win at 27-25.

Rolling into set three, the odds are in a fair split between the teams. Up until five points, they were head to head, but then UAA took off. Militante-Amper dove to the ground continuously to keep the ball in the air, while Hooe set up Swiss and Braun to get the kills in. The Seawolves took set three at 25-21.

With an opportunity to take it all, the Seawolves pulled into set four. Mimicking set two, WWU and UAA toggled the score all the way to the finish. Temporarily falling behind, Hooe, Swiss and Braun worked together to spark the offense, winning the set 25-23.

For the first time in history, UAA volleyball has been named the West Regional Champions at the end of a 3-1 game.

An amazing comeback after a slow start helped the team prosper.

“It was a whole team effort and hopefully we can go to South Dakota and do it all again,” Green said.

UAA volleyball will travel to Sioux Falls, South Dakota to play in the NCAA Division II Elite Eight on Dec. 8 through Dec. 10.

Friday, Dec. 2, UAA vs. Northwest Nazarene Night two of the West Regional Championships but a bit more strain on the Seawolves. Northwest Nazarene played UAA to the fourth set in their regular season games but pushed boundaries a little more on Friday.

With five sets to the game, UAA and Northwest Nazarene toggled back and forth with wins until the Seawolves prospered and proved their dominance in set

Morgan Hooe looks to pass the ball over the net against Chico State in the first round of the West Regional Championships on Dec. 1.

SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

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Devine siblings take over UAA basketball

Both in their senior season, Alysha and Connor are making their names known

By Lauren Cuddihy

sports2@thenorthernlight.org

Anyone familiar with University of Alaska Anchorage athletics, specifically both the men’s and women’s basketball teams, has surely heard the name Devine.

Built up from past success, senior forward Alysha Devine is joined by her brother senior forward/center Connor Devine to both finish off their final season of eligibility.

Both from Wasilla High School, Alysha immediately came to UAA upon graduation in 2013, but Connor first traveled down to South Dakota. There, he competed three seasons and redshirted one season of Division I basketball at South Dakota State from 2012 to 2016, until returning to Alaska to attend UAA for a second degree and to finish up his final season of basketball.

Connor and Alysha’s father played basketball in college and with that came a very young adaptation and interest in basketball for both the Devines — Alysha even began playing in kindergarten. Although basketball is her main interest, being an incredible athlete comes with significant training, so Alysha participated in cross-country and track in high school to stay in shape. Their father also had a role in Connor’s basketball career.

Connor Devine returned to Alaska to attend UAA for a second degree and to finish up final season of basketball

Alysha Devine was persuaded by Coach Ryan McCarthy to play in-state basketball after not finding a school in the Lower 48.

“My dad instilled in me a love for the game from the time I was very young,” Connor said.

Since Connor spent much of his early childhood in

Barrow, Alaska where a majority of kids only played basketball, and he decided to stick to the trend.

Their separation happened when Connor left for several years to play ball and work on his degree in South Dakota. Alysha took a different route. After she visited schools in the lower 48, none of them clicked.

“Coach [Ryan] McCarthy told me that I would really be able to have an impact on [young] girls all over Alaska and represent this state, which is very uncommon for a Division II women’s basketball program,” Alysha said.

Alysha chose to stay at UAA to remain close to her family, including the eight kids in her family, who provide an immense support system. This just so happened to be the turning point for Connor. To complete his final season of college basketball, he returned to UAA, joined by his wife and son.

It’s an uncommon event to have two stand-out siblings athletes at the same school, which UAA is fortunate enough to have, but on a personal level, it’s something that both Connor and Alysha have benefited from greatly.

“Basketball is a way that Connor and I can relate...I feel blessed to have him and his family around for my last year,” Alysha said, “I’ve really enjoyed getting to watch him play and see all of the fans that have been watching me all these years now see my big brother play.”

Not only do they get to experience their final season together, but this is the first college season that Connor is able to watch Alysha play live.

Of all the years spent training and competing, every athlete knows that certain memories about the sport will just stick for the rest of their lives. For Connor, one of his fondest memories was the NCAA Division I tournament his previous team qualified to play for in Spokane, WA. “It was always my dream to play in that tournament, so it was an awesome experience to be able to do that,” Connor said.

Alysha was able to experience the same reality last year when the UAA’s women’s basketball team qualified for the NCAA Basketball Championships, traveling to Indianapolis, Indiana for the final game against Lubbock Christian. In a head-to-head game, UAA came out short five points, but it was still a memorable experience for Alysha.

“All the support from our fans was just incredible and humbling,” Alysha said.

A turning point for all athletes is the inevitable end to their collegiate career; all athletes know it’s going to happen and realize that after it will completely change a huge part of their lives. For the Devines, they have their futures planned and big ideas ahead.

Connor, having already started the roots of his family with his wife and son, plans to remain permanently living in the Anchorage or MatSu Valley areas.

“My wife and I both love Alaska and are proud to call this state our home,” Connor said. After completing his degree, he aspires to find a future in finance.

Similar to her brother, Alysha would also like to end up living in Alaska, with a few experiences along the way.

PHOTOS COURTESY OF ADAM PHILLIPS

The Devine siblings pose together at a photo shoot for Seawolf Athletics.

“[Possibly] leaving Alaska for a few years to get my master’s somewhere,” or “traveling as much as possible before real life starts,” Alysha said, but ultimately living her life here.

With a degree in human services, Alysha doesn’t have anything specific in mind for a career, but knows she wants to be able to help people. In addition, she hopes to follow through and help people by coaching basketball at her former high school, Wasilla High, at some point.

With the support of family and each other, the Devines look to prosper in their final seasons of collegiate basketball in their home state.

14 | SPORTS

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

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OPINION

THENORTHERNLIGHT TUESDAY, DECEMBER 6, 2016

| 15

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