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IUP TO HOST 12TH POETRY OUT LOUD COMPETITION

MARCHING as an ally in the women’s movement PAGE 11

NEWS | PAGE 3

TUESDAY, JANUARY 24, 2017

CULTURE | PAGE 12

VOL. 107 NO. 26

SPORTS | PAGE 18

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EDITORIAL STAFF Editor-in-Chief Samantha Barnhart Managing Editor Casey Kelly

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STUDY REPORTS SHAKY DIVERSITY; SGA HOPES TO IMPROVE INCLUSION

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NEWS

THE PENN

News Editor: Alexandria Mansfield - A.M.Mansfield@iup.edu Lead News Writer: Stephanie Bachman - S.L.Bachman2@iup.edu

(Kevin Smith/ The Penn) Approximately half a million people marched in Washington, D.C., Saturday for a show of support for women’s rights.

Hundreds of thousands trek through D.C. for women’s rights

By LAURA KING and MATT PEARCE Los Angeles Times TNS

More than a million women and their supporters thronged enormous protest rallies Saturday in Washington and cities around the world, sending a potent message of defiance to President Donald Trump that promised stiff resistance to any curtailment of rights for women and minorities.

In Washington, a crowd estimated by the city’s homeland security chief at half a million overspilled its planned marching route, marking one of the capital’s biggest such gatherings in years. The Washington rally turnout appeared to surpass that of Trump’s inauguration a day earlier, even as the new president accused the news media of underplaying the numbers of supporters attending his swearing-in.

The Washington march also marshaled a show of star power absent from inauguration festivities, with performances by the likes of Alicia Keys and Madonna, with the latter unleashing an expletivelaced exhortation for solidarity that caused live broadcasters to abruptly cut away.

In Trump’s hometown of New York, a crowd estimated at about 250,000 – four times the number expected – surged through the

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(Kevin Smith/ The Penn) Women and men flooded D.C. in crowds larger than those present at President Donald Trump’s inaguration Friday.

streets of Midtown Manhattan, not far from Trump Tower.

Similar marches were held in 673 other “sister” cities across the U.S. and around the world, including a massive congregation in Los Angeles and large outpourings in Boston, London, Paris and Berlin.

Women, with men in close support, gathered from Mexico to South Africa, Israel to Hungary.

“Girl power vs Trump Tower,” read a sign held aloft in Sydney as the crowd chanted: “When women’s rights are under attack, what do we do? Stand up, fight back.”

The Washington marchers came from all over the nation, some on planes, some on charter buses, some in cars after making long, overnight drives. The coursing flood seemed to represent the vast expanse of modern America: women and men, white and black,

Christian and Muslim, cisgender and transgender, the young and the old.

One small group included three generations of women and girls from the same family, marching together while proudly clutching colorful signs. Jessica Parker Coleman, 56, came up from Georgia to join the march with her daughter, Amber Coleman-Mortley, 34, and Amber’s daughters, Sofia, 5, Naima, 7, and Garvey, 8.

“When I heard about this one, I wanted to come right away,” Parker Coleman said, adding, “We need positivity back in our country.”

The rallies were organized under the rubric of women’s rights that many fear are imperiled under the new administration. But the march’s platform incorporated an array of progressive causes in-

January 24, 2017

cluding health care, environmental concerns and racial justice.

A sea of pink knitted hats – the movement’s signature headgear – supplanted the red baseball caps worn a day earlier by Trump supporters who had come to Washington for his inauguration.

“Yesterday was their day; today is ours,” said Kim Crawford, 53, of Clinton, Md. While the great majority of the marchers were female, men turned out in considerable numbers as well. Jacob Osterman, 24, traveled from Boston with a group of friends to take part.

“I love and care about the women in my life, and this is a way to show that,” he said. “Women are part of humanity, like all of us. How can anyone not understand that?”

The turnout for the march was a show of force that gave signs of

exceeding the attendance of the presidential inauguration a day earlier. Washington Metro trains that had been lightly used Friday were jammed so full of protesters Saturday that crowds on platforms had to wait for more trains.

Ridership statistics on Metro showed about 193,000 people had ridden the system by 11 a.m. on inauguration day, compared with 317,000 four years ago and 513,000 for Obama’s first inauguration. Ridership on Saturday was 275,000 by 11 a.m., with huge lines of people still trying to get into many Metro stations.

Headline performers in Washington included Janelle Monae, Samantha Ronson, the Indigo Girls and Mary Chapin Carpenter. Many of the marchers were noncelebrities who said they wanted to share a moment of history.

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January 24, 2017

Police Blotter Alcohol Violations

Criminal Mischief

• A person kicked in the driver side front and rear doors of a Chevrolet Cruze between 3 and 4:30 a.m. Jan. 13 in the 1100 block of Philadelphia Street, according to borough police. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police at 724-349-2121.

Burglary/Theft

• Someone entered an apartment and took a 40-inch Sceptre TV sometime between Dec. 15 and Jan. 22 in the 200 block of South 10th Street, according to borough police. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police.

• A resident reported that someone entered their residence and stole several items including a television and a video game console sometime between Jan. 4 and Jan.19 in the 400 block of South Sixth Street, according to borough police. Anyone with information is asked to contact borough police.

Report: Affordable Care Act repeal will harm Pa.

• The repeal of key parts of the ACA-Medicaid expansion and the tax credit subsidies for insurance on the health care exchanges will cause more than

IUP alumnus killed while serving as state trooper

By GINA BIANUCCI

• Cole Santichen, 23, of Johnstown, was cited for public drunkenness at 1:03 a.m. Jan. 15 on Wayne Avenue, according to IUP University Police.

• Shane Wolfe, 44, and Samuel Skinner, 50, of Indiana, were charged with public drunkenness and disorderly conduct at 11:37 p.m. Jan. 19 at the intersection of South Sixth and Grant Streets, according to the Indiana Borough Police Department. Skinner was also charged with resisting arrest, according to borough police.

• Jessica Sims, 19, of Aliquippa, was charged with underage drinking, public drunkenness, resisting arrest, simple assault, disorderly conduct, harassment and criminal mischief at 3:02 a.m. Jan. 22 at Wallwork Hall, according to university police.

The Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center released a report Jan. 19, detailing the drastic consequences of repealing the Affordable Care Act. The report states that:

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1.1 million Pennsylvanians to lose health insurance, and an additional 3,425 premature deaths will occur each year as a result.

• The repeal of the ACA will cost more than 137,000 Pennsylvanians their jobs, reduce the state’s gross domestic product (GDP) by more than $75 billion and cut state and local tax revenues by $2.4 billion over a fiveyear period.

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• The repeal of the ACA will add more than $1 billion to the state’s structural deficit. "[This] is why it makes no sense to repeal the ACA before some replacement is put in place that accomplishes at least as the current law does," said Marc Stier, Director of the Pennsylvania Budget and Policy Center, in the news release.

Staff Writer G.M.Bianucci@iup.edu

A Pennsylvania state police trooper, and former IUP student, was shot and killed around 6:30 p.m. Dec. 30 in Juniata Township, according to Huntington County police.

Landon Weaver, a first-year trooper, was responding to a domestic violence call when Jason Robison, 32, shot him, police said.

Weaver, 23, was a student in IUP’s criminology department before entering the police academy.

“He was exceptionally good, making Dean’s list practically every semester while at IUP,” said Dr. Jonathon Cooper, IUP criminology professor. “He was quiet, respectful and very thoughtful.”

State police were given an arrest warrant filed with Huntingdon District Judge Richard Wilt after Robison killed Weaver.

“I know that it most certainly has impacted the faculty in the department of criminology and criminal justice,” Cooper said. “I think the most accurate way to sum up our collective feelings is that we are heartbroken and devastated.”

According to a Jan. 3 PennLive article, Weaver was questioning Robison about violating a protection from abuse order secured by Robison’s ex-girlfriend, Laura Whitesel, when he was gunned down.

(Wikimedia) Pa. State Trooper Landon Weaver was killed on duty Dec. 30.

Weaver was assigned to investigate Robison after Whitesel reported that he had been contacting her.

After Weaver told Robison that he had violated the PFA order, Robison went to his bedroom, saying he wanted to get a cigarette, before procuring a gun and shooting the officer, according to the article.

Robison was shot and killed by police after refusing to surrender to a search party and threatening the officers’ “safety” around 10 a.m. Jan. 1, according to the police report.

Weaver had married Macy Gottshall, his high school sweetheart who also attended IUP, in June, according to PennLive.

News

January 24, 2017

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News

Study reports shaky diversity; SGA hopes to improve inclusion

By ALEXANDRIA MANSFIELD News Editor A.M.Mansfield@iup.edu

“If you are not a white, Christian, straight male on this campus, you will face discrimination, and, from my communication with students, they feel as if the IUP administration does not care.”

This extract from a survey text box in the Fall 2016 Campus Climate Study is just one of many reports of discriminatory attitudes and behaviors students and faculty have found on campus.

The Campus Climate Study, which IUP President Michael Driscoll commissioned the Office of Social Equity to perform during the 2014-15 school year, was published shortly before the winter break.

Dr. Melanie Hildebrandt and Dr. Melissa Swauger of the sociology department are credited with the

I don’t really know what we’re doing well.

I’m not sure that the administration has made diversity a significant issue or a significant focus.

-white faculty member publication of the report.

The study included two phases.

The first was a 2015 survey of all students, faculty, staff and administrators at IUP. Swauger and Hildebrandt were the primary analysts in the second phase in which 180 members of the IUP community were interviewed.

According to the study, most respondents “report[ed] concern with institutional commitment to diversity.”

Although all groups on campus report being comfortable with the campus climate more often than they report discomfort, faculty and students alike cited problems

within the administration as having negative effects on inclusion.

“I’m fairly comfortable here, but do I think this is an inclusive environment? Heck no,” said an African-American faculty member in the study.

Within the introductory pages of the study, a consensus was drawn “that IUP lacks a clear vision and skilled leadership…for ways to make the cultural and structural changes necessary over the long term.”

“I don’t really know what we’re doing really well,” one white faculty member said in the study. “I’m not sure that the administration

has made diversity a significant issue or significant focus.”

A focus group with Latina undergraduate students concluded that they “don’t really hear IUP talk about diversity. They try to include it in some things…like they want diversity here, but they don’t do the measures in order to get it up.

They only care about numbers.”

Others noted that the diversity issue is evident in events organized by minority groups.

“You can literally count the number of white people there,” the survey text box said.

Hildebrandt and Swauger will discuss the findings at the Feb. 8 meeting of the Indiana Branch of the American Association of University Women. The meeting will being at 6:30 p.m. in the Humanities and Social Sciences Building Room 126.

Diversity will be one of the biggest issues the Student Government Association (SGA) faces in the upcoming semesters, as its mission statement is to “serve to provide the students and organizations of IUP with a representative voice that promotes and enriches the welfare of the students.”

Brian Swatt (sophomore, political science) and Carson Nicholas (sophomore, political science), SGA’s president and vice president, respectively, said they read the Campus Climate Study in its entirety.

“SGA’s primary purpose has and will always continue to be advocacy,” Swatt said. “We hold ourselves to a standard of nondiscrimination, welcome everyone and foster a climate and culture that’s inclusive.”

In the past, SGA’s involvement in issues of diversity has primarily included some members attending cultural events such as the IUP Anti-Violence Vigil during the fall semester and working to educate their own organization on diversity and peer leadership.

SGA currently has 20 members, including an executive board of five white men. The executive board was elected through a cam-

pus-wide vote during the Spring 2016 semester.

Our senators are reflective of those students who have decided that they wanted to get involved with student government.

-Carson Nicholas (sophomore, political science) While the organization as a whole is slightly more diverse than the executive board would indicate, with seven women and six ethnic minorities, a clear gap is present in the experiences of those who are reportedly working for a more inclusive environment.

“Our senators are reflective of those students who have decided that they wanted to get involved with student government,” Nicholas said. “We will recruit anyone who has the merit to serve.

“We have had difficulty attracting and retaining students to our senate, so we could definitely be doing better.”

SGA currently has openings for representatives of the Eberly College of Business and Information Technology, the College of Education and Educational Technology, the College of Fine Arts, the College of Humanities and Social Sciences and the College of Natural Sciences and Mathematics.

Eberly College was reported as having the most negative analyses regarding diversity inclusion and tolerance in the Campus Climate Study.

Swatt said that SGA has assigned a representative to connect with multicultural organizations in the upcoming weeks in order to better engage with minority-based groups on campus, including the LGBTQIA community.

Swatt said that he felt the study revealed “interesting realities of IUP’s campus and climate.”

SGA meets at 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays in the Hadley Union Building Monongahela Room.

January 24, 2017

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APSCUF, State System sign contracts

By STEPHANIE BACHMAN Lead News Writer S.L.Bachman2@iup.edu

Members of the Association of Pennsylvania State College and University Faculties (APSCUF) and the Pennsylvania State System of Higher Education officially signed contracts that had been previously negotiated Dec. 20 at the Dixon University Center in Harrisburg.

The contracts were signed after the State System’s Board of Governors approved and ratified the contracts at its meeting. Separate contracts were signed for university coaches and faculty. Both APSCUF faculty and coaches had ratified their respective agreements in campus-wide votes earlier in December.

Faculty and the State System reached a tentative agreement Oct. 21, while an agreement with the coaches’ union was reached Oct. 27.

For faculty, the contract is a three-year agreement covering the 2015-18 academic years, and the coaches’ contract covers 2015-19.

Both previous contracts expired on June 30, 2015, and negotiations were ongoing since late 2014.

While the coaches’ agreement was reached amicably, APSCUF faculty members went on a threeday strike between Oct. 19 and 21.

According to Kenn Marshall, State System spokesperson and media relations manager, some of the changes between the current contract and the previous contract include increased salaries for facul-

ty and coaches as well as changes to healthcare plans. “[The changes] result in needed cost savings for the universities while continuing to assure faculty and coaches receive access to high-quality medical coverage for themselves and their families,” Marshall said.

“Healthcare plan changes include a new $400 deductible and increased co-pays for some medical services and prescription drugs.

The faculty union opted for a higher deductible up front for its members and some smaller co-pays.”

The increased salaries for faculty include two immediate pay increases, retroactive for previous semesters, and salary increases of either 2.5 or 5 percent for faculty still moving up the pay scale.

Kathryn Morton, APSCUF communications director, said some of the changes in the contracts included strengthened language about converting adjunct faculty to tenure-track, a requirement for administrators to provide adjunct faculty with a specific date regarding continued employment, increased pay for department chairs and changes to holidays and time off for 12-month faculty.

“Our negotiations team worked hard to preserve the good aspects of the previous contract,” Morton said.

“The State System proposed more than 249 changes that would’ve chipped away at the quality of [students’] education and APSCUF was focused on preventing those.”

Although the negotiations are over, APSCUF expressed some dissatisfaction with the final contract in its press release, saying they “accepted concessions to benefits” and they “agreed to a salary package that was lower than that of other unions.”

As for the coaches’ contract, John Gump, APSCUF coach executive leader, said, “[the] coaches’ deal provides reasonable salary increases for coach members while keeping the costs of their health-

care plan affordable.”

Both APSCUF and the State System expressed regret over the strike.

“The strike was unfortunate, but was an action the faculty union chose to take,” Marshall said.

Morton also said APSCUF wished they hadn’t had to strike, but it was “necessary to preserve quality public higher education.”

“Because this faculty contract lasts only three years and is retroactive to 2015, the negotiations

process starts all over again this coming summer. We’ve already contacted the chancellor and governor to say we want to fix the negotiations process — because, clearly, it was broken.”

The contract signing was the last step in the collective bargaining process, and the terms of the new contracts are now in place.

Negotiations for the next faculty contract start in August. The full contract can be viewed on APSCUF’s website.

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News

Senior focuses on community service, Autism Awareness

By STEPHANIE BACHMAN Lead News Writer S.L.Bachman2@iup.edu

As an active member of Phi Sigma Pi, Oktober Appleby (senior, disability services/child development and family relations) does a lot of service for the Indiana community, including serving as co-director of Autism Awareness Week.

Phi Sigma Pi is a gender-inclusive honors fraternity that focuses on scholarship, leadership and fellowship. The fraternity has a long history of community service across the state, including the campus-wide, weeklong Autism Awareness events.

This year’s Autism Awareness Week lasts from March 27 to April 7.

This spring will be the third time Phi Sigma Pi is part of Autism Awareness Week. It was started in 2015 by Rob Matchett (graduate, sociology/special education) when he was still an undergraduate.

Matchett, who earned his bachelor’s degrees in sociology and disability services in 2016, used his knowledge and experience in the field to create “a large event that not only got our name out on campus, but benefitted the IUP community, Indiana Borough and a cause we felt passionate about,”

(Submitted photos) At left, Robert Matchett (graduate, sociology/special education), Oktober Appleby (senior, disability services/child devlopment and family relations) and Elizabeth Gardner (junior, disability services) sat in front of residence halls. Pictured at right are Matchett and Appleby.

according to Appleby.

Autism Awareness Week consists of different events, such as educational panels featuring faculty and staff, movie viewings, small events and an awareness march through campus.

Other campus organizations also get involved, including several of the residence halls, which display blue cellophane across their windows to “Light It Up Blue.”

In the past, IUP Libraries has also created a display case featuring books written by or about people with disabilities.

Appleby is co-director with Elizabeth Gardner (junior, disabil-

ity services) for Autism Awareness Week.

Gardner is training under Appleby so she can take over the planning of the event next year.

Together, the two distribute information about the events and contact different organizations and people, such as campus police and the Office of Housing, Residential Living and Dining, to make sure everything runs smoothly. They also have to gather and distribute materials for the events, reserve spaces and do whatever else is necessary to make sure the entire week is a success.

Appleby and Gardner have a lot

of ideas to improve this year’s Autism Awareness Week.

They witnessed the attendance double between 2015 and 2016 and want to see that happen again. Because of that, the duo has developed a presentation to give to any interested group to use as training regarding important disability-related issues.

Although Appleby is co-director of Autism Awareness Week, she said it would not be possible without the help of the rest of her fraternity.

“We wouldn’t be able to make this all happen without Phi Sigma Pi,” Appleby said. “This year, they will help us with fundraising, crafting, manning tables, generating ideas, putting up the cellophane across campus and inviting other schools such as [University of Pittsburgh] to our events.”

“We couldn’t make this happen without their undying support and encouragement, and we are eternally grateful for our Brothers.”

Planning for Autism Awareness isn’t the only thing Appleby has on her plate. In addition to classes and her fraternity responsibilities, Appleby also works in the transfer services office on campus.

One of the responsibilities of her job is giving tours at expos throughout the semester.

She said she enjoys this because she gets to tell potential students why she chose IUP and encourage them to find the right school for them.

“I come from a long line of alumni,” Appleby said. “My greatgrandmother attended IUP when it was still Indiana Normal School to obtain a teaching degree; my grandmother also attended IUP for a teaching degree. My uncle and stepdad also attended IUP. “I wanted to stay close to my hometown of Latrobe because I’m very close to my family. When I came to IUP, the campus just stunned me. It wasn’t under any construction at the time and it was just gorgeous.

“There [were] grass and trees and flowers, but it was still a busy little town. I felt at home here, and thankfully they had a program that I was interested in.”

Appleby is planning on graduating after the fall 2017 semester.

She wants to stay in Indiana County working in early intervention before eventually looking for a job in Pittsburgh, because she wants to work in the inner-city.

Early intervention is oftentimes a free service for families with atrisk newborns. Workers in the field assist children from birth to three years of age to help prepare them for school.

Such children are considered atrisk for a variety of reasons including premature births, disabilities, illness and other reasons.

Appleby said that her time at IUP has encouraged her to take chances and embrace change.

“As a senior, I’ve spent a lot of time reflecting on my time at IUP, and I always find myself regretting the things I didn’t do. So do it,” she said.

“Go to the game, attend the rush event, take a nap in a hammock in the Oak Grove, study with your friends, stay out late and get up early, study abroad, take on three jobs, push yourself to do all the things you can.”

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January 24, 2017

News

Students resolve to do better in 2017

The Penn offers second semester success tips

By ASHLEY OREWILER Staff Writer A.E.Orewiler@iup.edu

Many students are back after what some expressed to be too long away from school, but soon enough we will all be looking forward to our next break.

Whether you’re graduating, preparing for a summer internship or just trying to survive the spring semester, The Penn has some life hacks to help you look these next few months straight in the eye with determination.

1. Be prepared: First and foremost, read your syllabi as soon as they

are available; you never know what assignments are right around the corner.

It’s also helpful to know if you have a 10-page paper due in one class the same date as your group presents a project in another class.

2. REVIEW Textbook options: Buying books is a part of being prepared,

too, but there is a method to saving money as well as your sanity during the process. Before purchasing the textbooks immediately, search for alternatives.

For example, see if they’re available in the library or if any of your friends might lend you their copy for the semester.

Talk to your professor about cheaper options.

3. Make a schedule: Use syllabus week to form a schedule for the upcoming semester.

Getting a general feel for your upcoming workload can help you manage your time later in the semester. Plan your Tuesdays and Thursdays as work days and your other days as exercise days or club-meeting days. Even having an internal schedule gives you the motivation, which you probably lost over winter break, to continue on to the next task.

4. Set Goals: Giving yourself small goals to reach each week is a great way to keep the momentum going.

By Kayla Murphy

5. Find your support system: Last, but certainly most important, is to remember that you’re not alone.

Hundreds of students have all returned with the same sluggish feeling. Form a study group, talk to someone new in your classes and get excited about group projects because we all have the same end goal in mind – graduate and get a job.

If you’re maintaining your 4.0 or trying to bring that GPA up, be prepared, be smart and become approachable. Small goals will eventually lead to the grand end goal. Teaming up with your classmates could help you achieve success this semester.

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January 24, 2017

News

OPINION

EDITORIAL Marching as an ally

On Saturday, a crowd of more than 500,000 demonstrators assembled within the heart of Washington, D.C., for the planned Women’s March on Washington.

This march was planned almost exclusively through social media and far exceeded the initial projected size, which resulted in a complete reroute of the demonstrations. This event has sent shockwaves through the political atmosphere, especially since the crowds of the women’s march far exceeded those for President Donald Trump’s inauguration just one day prior.

I am proud to say that I was in the crowd showing my support for the women’s rights movement and marching for a modern America that truly represents its principles of equality and justice for all people.

In today’s political climate, every issue carries with it a partisan identity that oftentimes overshadows the true intent of demonstrators, such as those who marched for gender equality as well as those who represent the Black Lives Matter movement for racial equality within the justice system.

(Kevin Smith/ The Penn) Demonstrators eagerly awaited for speakers to begin at the Women’s March on Washington on Saturday.

What we forget in this whirlwind of constant news coverage and political maneuvering is that gender and racial equality are not partisan issues. Gender and racial equality are civil rights issues. Gender should not affect one’s potential earnings or access to healthcare, just as skin tone should not affect one’s treatment by police. The results of our elections do not grant representatives the right to ignore those who disagree with them.

While the primary focus of the march was centered upon women’s issues, the demonstration as a whole was multifaceted in the

sense that it sought to show solidarity with other social movements that are fighting to protect immigrant families, save the Affordable Care Act and many others.

Representatives do not simply represent the interests of those who voted them into office. They represent the whole of the American populace, and the Women’s March on Washington sought to make this statement loud and clear to our government officials.

Standing within a crowd stretching as far as I could see in every direction, I had the pleasure of meeting people of all back-

grounds from all over the U.S. who came to Washington in hopes that their voices would be heard. They sought to remind President Trump that he won the election without the popular vote. They came to Washington to show the president as well as the U.S. Congress that their views regarding women’s issues such as reproductive rights and access to affordable healthcare do not represent the majority of the U.S. electorate.

The Women’s March on Washington represented what is best about America, which is our passion for fighting for what we believe in and creating a better world for our posterity.

For many people in the U.S., the next four years are daunting if not frightening.

Perhaps these feelings are due to a highly competitive campaign season which at times brought out the worst aspects of our political system.

Perhaps these feelings are due to the chosen rhetoric of the Republican Party, which targeted portions of our fellow Americans by their race and religion and not solely the integrity of their character.

No matter the cause, those who pour their soul into demonstrations such as the Women’s March on Washington will not let their fear stop them from fighting for what they believe in.

Brought to you

By KEVIN SMITH

(Kevin Smith/ The Penn) Demonstrators held hand-made signs and other displays to express their frustrations with gender roles and inequality while marching from Independence Mall to the White House in Washington, D.C. During the march, they chanted out anti-President Donald Trump slogans while proudly wearing ‘pussy hats’ in an effort to bring about awareness and progress in the women’s movement.

Opinion

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January 24, 2017

Culture

THE PENN

Culture Editor: Jason Daquelente – J.E.Daquelente@iup.edu

(TNS)

The cast of “La La Land” walked away with seven Golden Globes.

Culture

(TNS)

Who will win the Oscar trophies?

(TNS)

Blake Lively and Ryan Reynolds made their appearance at the Golden Globes.

What to look for as Oscar nominations are announced

By RAFER GUZMÁN Newsday TNS

Jennifer Hudson, Brie Larson and Ken Watanabe will be among the presenters who will announce the nominees for the 89th Academy Awards Tuesday morning.

In a break from tradition, the nominees will not be announced before a live audience but via a global live stream through the website Oscars.com and through local broadcasters.

This year's nominations will also be the first in the wake of new membership rules to increase racial and gender diversity within the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences, which came under fire last year for its roster of all-white acting nominees. The new rules, along with several

high-profile movies featuring black actors including Denzel Washington's workingclass drama "Fences" and the Civil Rightsera biopic "Hidden Figures," could help the Academy avoid another controversy Tuesday.

Several movies seem all but guaranteed to receive nods for best picture. "La La Land," a musical starring Ryan Gosling and Emma Stone, has been an awards-season juggernaut and broke the record for most wins by a single film at the recent Golden Globes.

"Moonlight," a critical hit about a gay African-American man growing up in Miami, should also make the best picture short list.

Others include Mel Gibson's World War II drama "Hacksaw Ridge," the independent

(TNS)

Mahershala Ali and Amatus Sami-Karim

crime-thriller "Hell or High Water," Martin Scorsese's "Silence" and the science-fiction drama "Arrival."

The best actress race will likely include Amy Adams in "Arrival" and Natalie Portman in the Jacqueline Kennedy biopic "Jackie," who could face competition from Isabelle Huppert, the French actress who won the Golden Globe as a vengeful rape survivor in the controversial film "Elle."

In the best actor category, Casey Affleck seems the front-runner for his performance as a lonely handyman in "Manchester by the Sea," possibly followed by Viggo Mortensen in the comedy-drama "Captain Fantastic" and Washington in "Fences."

Perhaps the Oscars' most diverse categories will be supporting actor and actress. Viola Davis in "Fences" and Octavia

Spencer in "Hidden Figures" are considered major contenders, as is Mahershala Ali in "Moonlight" and Dev Patel in "Lion," about a man searching for his lost family in India.

One surprise could be a nomination for "Deadpool," the R-rated Marvel hit that became the first superhero film nominated for a best picture Golden Globe (in the musical/comedy category). Ryan Reynolds, the movie's star, was recently crowned Entertainer of the Year and best actor in a comedy at the Critics Choice Awards, which also gave "Deadpool" its best comedy trophy.

"Deadpool" has launched its own cheeky Oscar campaign with a letter asking voters to consider a movie whose budget "would barely cover the cocaine costs on most studio films."

(TNS)

Andrew Garfield in “Hawksaw Ridge”

(TNS)

Natalie Portman as Jackie Kennedy in the film “Jackie”

(TNS)

Dev Patel and Sunny Pawar from “Lion”

January 24, 2017

Culture

IUP hosts 12th Poetry Out Loud competition

(The Penn archives)

High schools from five different counties will be competing in Fisher Auditorium.

By TYLER SCHEFFLER Staff Writer T.R.Scheffler@iup.edu

IUP Lively Arts will be hosting its 12th annual Poetry Out Loud recitation competition from 6:30 to 8 p.m. Wednesday in the Upper Grand Lobby of the Performing Arts Center on IUP’s campus.

Admission is free of charge, and the public is encouraged to attend with refreshments provided.

Viewers can expect to see individuals competing from high schools in the following counties in this ArtsPath region: Armstrong, Butler, Clarion, Indiana and Jefferson. In the case of inclement weather, the competition will be moved to Monday, Feb. 6, at the same time and location.

The competitors for this regional poetry contest will have a chance to advance to the state competition, which in turn will lead to the national competition, rewarding its winners with scholarships in the Arts program for secondary education after they graduate from their respective high schools.

The Poetry Out Loud competition is a national program sponsored by the National Endowment for the Arts and the Poetry Foundation, a federal agency.

It’s also organized by the AIE Partnership of the Pennsylvania Council of Arts, a state agency supported by the National Endowment and funded by the citizens of Pennsylvania.

(Flickr)

Poetry is a form of literature that plays with the natural structure of language.

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January 24, 2017

Crimson Hoax

This is a satirical news column.

IUP to shorten winter breaks

By SAMANTHA BELL Staff Writer S.M.Bell@iup.edu

After several complaints from parents and faculty, university administrators have decided to shorten winter break to two weeks in the upcoming year.

“We are getting so many complaints from parents and professors who think the monthlong break is just too much,” said Noah Moore-Break, director of student breaks.

IUP students are outraged.

“I can understand shortening the break, but two weeks is ridiculous,” Ned Holiday said.

“Students who live farther away really cherish this time with their families.”

The administration thinks the shorter break will make it easier for students to return because they won’t have as much time to fall out of a routine. Currently, students get about six weeks off for the holiday.

(Kelsea Oravic/ The Penn)

Students are just not having it with the new policy cutting their break.

“We think this will give students more time to establish themselves in their classes and to keep a strong work ethic,” Moore-Break said. “IUP has always had one of the longest breaks out of all the colleges in the area, and we no longer see that as good fit.”

The fall semester will end on Dec. 22, 2017, and students will

return for the spring semester Jan. 8, 2018.

“We think it’s extremely fair to begin classes at the start of the new year,” Moore-Break said.

A few students are content with the idea.

“Honestly, this is a relief to me,” Lessa Vacay said. “I’m so sick of my entire family asking me why our break is so long and now I won’t have to deal with that.”

Administrators are hopeful about the outcome of this new policy.

“We truly think the shorter breaks will be beneficial for our students, and, while we understand there may be some frustration, we hope everyone will consider the added benefits,” Moore-Break said.

While administrators remain optimistic, some students believe the new policy is a mistake.

“I think this is unfair to the students who work hard all semester and truly need a month to destress,” Holiday said.

Culture

Business manager admits to embezzling $4.8 million from Alanis Morissette

(Flickr)

Alanis Morissette made her debut with the self-titled album “Alanis” in 1995.

By JOSEPH SERNA Los Angeles Times TNS

A business manager for singer Alanis Morissette has admitted that he embezzled millions of dollars from the musician, then told her that he'd used the money to invest in marijuana grows, according to a federal court document filed Wednesday.

Jonathan Todd Schwartz, 48, of Playa Vista, admitted in the federal plea agreement that he committed wire fraud and filed false tax returns from 2010 to 2014, during which he stole an estimated $4.8 million from Morissette and an additional $1.7 million from other athletes and celebrities.

The names of the others involved were not listed in the court filing.

Schwartz, who worked for Los Angeles-based GSO Business Management, handled Morissette's money. Prosecutors said he stole millions of dollars from her through more than 100 bank transfers and withdrawals.

Sometimes he falsified his client's signature to withdraw cash, and other times he misrepresented what the money was being used for in company billings, according

to the court documents.

In one incident, Schwartz tried to hide his crime by suggesting he'd committed a different one altogether.

"When confronted about the missing funds, defendant falsely stated that the money was an 'investment' in illegal marijuana 'grow' businesses and that he and other GSO employees, none of whom defendant could identify, had delivered the cash to people, also unidentified, associated with the marijuana businesses," the plea agreement said.

Schwartz is scheduled to make a sentencing appearance Feb. 1.

Under the plea deal, Schwartz and prosecutors have agreed that he be sentenced to between four and six years in prison and ordered to pay $8.2 million in restitution.

His sentence is ultimately in the hands of a federal judge.

"Mr. Schwartz was hired to protect his clients' money by managing it professionally, but instead misappropriated millions to enrich himself," Deirdre Fike, assistant director in charge of the FBI's Los Angeles office, said in a statement.

Representatives for Morissette and GSO were not immediately available to comment.

January 24, 2017

Culture

Tattoo Profile

(Tyler Scheffler/ The Penn)

Roses are red, according to Google.

Who: Mackenzie Albitz (sophomore, computer science)

What is it: A red rose Where is it: Upper right shoulder Where was it done: Human Productions in Bethel Park

Pain level: Almost nonexistent; Albitz described it as “not that painful at all. It was more of an annoying type of pain.”

Meaning: Albitz has always enjoyed roses, hence the reasoning behind the design of the tattoo. According to her, each petal on the rose represents a person who has helped shape her into the person she is today. In addition, the three raindrops on the rose represent the three worst days of Albitz’s life.

“They weigh the petals down, but they don’t destroy the flower,” Albitz says.

By Tyler Scheffler

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January 24, 2017

Culture

‘Hidden’s’ joy could play well

By LIBBY HILL

‘Star Wars: Episode VIII’ gets official title

Los Angeles Times TNS

Nominations for the 89th Academy Awards will be announced early Tuesday, and while there's no such thing as a sure thing, Damien Chazelle's "La La Land" is probably going to have a very good day.

But there's always room for a few surprises, and the box-office hit "Hidden Figures" is the film to watch, despite its late wide-release date.

The biographical story of three African-American women working as mathematicians for NASA during the 1960s has proven appeal, ousting "Rogue One" from the top spot during its first week of wide release.

Starring Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer and Janelle Monae and featuring the music stylings of Pharrell Williams, the movie is a throwback to a different era of American filmmaking, not unlike "La La Land." But if Chazelle's musical is yearning for the halcyon days of the largescale movie musical, then "Hidden Figures," directed by Theodore Melfi, is a paean to the 1990s and its penchant for inspirational true stories.

These spins on familiar concepts offer something vital that other Oscar contenders are missing: joy.

With political tensions subsuming the country's collective mood, "Hidden Figures" and "La La Land" appeal to viewers

(Flickr)

“Star Wars” made its first silver screen debut May 25, 1977.

By TRACY BROWN

Los Angeles Times TNS

(TNS)

Hidden Figures is the story of Katherine G. Johnson, Dorothy Vaughan and Mary Jackson, who are African-American women working at NASA.

because they're human stories brought to life in bright colors with catchy music and plots that don't put you through the ringer.

Though beautiful and moving films, "Moonlight," "Manchester by the Sea," "Fences" and "Silence" are all rife with heartbreaking emotion, potentially leaving Oscar voters yearning for relief and uplift.

With its tale of a fractured America banding together to make real change, both socially and scientifically, "Hidden Figures" offers a window into a time when America was actively working toward being great. American victories, whether triumphs over

Russia in the space race or the social progress of integrated restrooms, are victories that can be celebrated by everyone.

The joy of "Hidden Figures" is knowing that in the end, America will end up on top, no matter what.

Talk about a flip side to our current situation: There's no longer a space exploration program in the United States, and our dealings with Russia are steeped in accusations of election fraud, all while racial tensions simmer.

"Hidden Figures" is a balm for all that, a potent reminder that optimism goes a long way.

On Tuesday, we'll find out if the academy agrees.

Choose your new apartment without having to leave the couch.

Browse full apartment listings at indianagazette.com

It's official. The next installment of the main "Star Wars" saga will be called "The Last Jedi."

Lucasfilm unveiled the Episode VIII title Monday morning, but did not reveal who this last Jedi could be.

Could the title be a reference to Luke Skywalker, the most recent Jedi the "Star Wars" films followed? Or is it a hint that Rey, who discovered she can wield the Force in "The Force Awakens," may be the last of her kind?

Written and directed by Rian Johnson, "The Last Jedi" will pick up close to where "The Force Awakens" ended: Rey opposite

Luke after she tracked him down to learn more about the Force and the way of the Jedi.

Daisy Ridley will return as Rey in the next "Star Wars" installment, along with Mark Hamill (Luke Skywalker), John Boyega (Finn), Oscar Isaac (Poe Dameron), Adam Driver (Kylo Ren), Gwendoline Christie (Captain Phasma), Lupita Nyong'o (Maz Kanata), Dohmnall Gleeson (General Hux), Andy Serkis (Supreme Leader Snoke) and the late Carrie Fisher (General Leia).

The film is produced by Kathleen Kennedy and Ram Bergman and executive produced by J.J. Abrams, Jason McGatlin and Tom Karnowski.

"The Last Jedi" will hit theaters Dec. 15.

FINISH THE YEAR STRONG

January 24, 2017

Culture

17

‘Split’ shocks box office with $40 million debut

FOLLOW The Penn

ON TWITTER

FOR NEWS ON THE FLY

By LORRAINE ALI Los Angeles Times TNS

Competing with a presidential inauguration, multicity marches and big-budget Hollywood productions, M. Night Shyamalan's creepy psychological thriller "Split" pulled off a surprising opening weekend victory, pulling in an estimated $40.2 million.

The low-budget "Split," which cost a reported $9 million to make, blew away predictions that it would be bested by Vin Diesel's big, action-packed "xXx: Return of Xander Cage."

"Xander Cage," which cost upward of $85 million, made just $20 million in its debut from Friday to Sunday. It wasn't a happy return, given that the last installment of the trilogy was 12 years ago (and starred Ice Cube, not Diesel).

"Split," which was self-financed

by Shyamalan, stars James McAvoy as a multifaceted psych patient with 23 personalities.

His psychiatrist, played by Betty Buckley, is monitoring them all, but there's one personality that's waiting in the shadows to emerge, and suffice to say that all hell breaks loose when it does. He abducts three teenagers, which compels all his other personas to battle it out for the girls' survival and his.

The Universal/ Blumhouse production was popular among critics, scoring a 76 percent "Fresh"

@ThePennIUP

(TNS)

James McAvoy plays 23 different personalities in “Split.”

rating on Rotten Tomatoes.

Though "Xander Cage," which stars Diesel as a brain-meetsbrawn spy, generated less than "Split" did over the weekend, it beat the dark thriller in terms of audience sentiment. The actionadventure picture received an A minus on CinemaScore, which reflects moviegoer reaction.

"Split," meanwhile, registered a B minus.

The lackluster performance of Paramount/Revolution's "Xander Cage" represents a markedly lower opening than the original in the "xXx" trilogy.

The first in the trilogy, which starred Diesel as an extreme sports enthusiast turned reluctant spy for the National Security Agency, took

in $44.5 million during its opening weekend in 2002. The second film, 2005's "xXx: State of the Union," opened to $12.7 million.

Diesel's return to the franchise prompted expectations of a better box-office performance.

Awards season heavy hitters "Hidden Figures" and "La La Land" landed in third and fifth place, respectively: "Hidden Figures" took in $16.2 million, while "La La Land" added $8.3 million to its coffers.

The weekend's other new entry, the Weinstein Co.'s "The Founder," starring Michael Keaton as McDonald's visionary Roy Kroc, snuck in toward the bottom of the box office top 10, grossing a mere $3.7 million.

18

January 24, 2017

Sports

S PO R T S Cignetti takes Division I job offer; THE PENN

Sports Editor: Sean Fritz – S.D.Fritz@iup.edu Lead Sports Writer: Jarrod Browne – J.W.Browne@iup.edu

Tortorella named replacement

(IUP Athletics) Former IUP head football coach Curt Cignetti (above) left IUP over the winter break in order to take a new job as head football coach of Elon University, a Division I program. Paul Tortorella (right) was the defensive coordinator under Cignetti’s regime and will be replacing him as the Crimson Hawks’ head coach for the 2017 season.

By JARROD BROWNE Lead Sports Writer

J.W.Browne@iup.edu

After two consecutive playoff runs, IUP football will be under new leadership next season.

C u r t C i gnetti FOOTBALL accepted a head coaching job at Elon University, part of the NCAA Division I Football Bowl Subdivision

(FBS). Filling the large shoes of Cignetti is longtime defensive coordinator Paul Tortorella.

Tortorella brings a wealth of experience, with more than 30 years of coaching experience, 22 years of them at IUP. Tortorella believes that the Crimson Hawks can make history under his leadership.

“I’m taking the job to try and do something we haven’t done here,” he said. “IUP is in a place where we can win a national championship.”

Tortorella is approaching the tall order with a simple mindset.

“The bottom line is we have to win more football games,” he said.

Although IUP’s defense should be comfortable with the new head coach, the offense is very happy with the decision, too.

“I think I can speak for everyone on the team when I say that we're glad the job was given to someone like coach Tort, and not someone new,” said quarterback Lenny Williams (redshirt sophomore, accounting). “We all know what coach Tort is about, how he cares for everyone on the team and how he's going to push us to be the best team we can be.”

IUP’s administration is excited to see Tortorella fill Cignetti’s shoes, as well.

“He has been with us for a long time and has shown great leadership,” IUP President Michael Driscoll said. “I am hopeful that he will be able to step into this leadership role.”

Tortorella values not only onthe-field success, but also success in the classroom. Although there is a physical difference between the classroom and football field, Tortorella finds that success on and off the field go hand-in-hand.

“I don’t think you can win and win big without discipline on and off the field,” Tortorella said.

With IUP’s success in the past with academics, it is expected for

Tortorella to continue a strong academic performance.

“He will be able to keep it going forward as a key culture in IUP athletics,” Driscoll said.

Tortorella is accepting the job in the beginning of recruiting season, and is excited to begin the season this fall. Some other big news in IUP football involves AllAmerican offensive lineman Ethan Cooper (senior, finance and legal studies). Cooper will play in the National Football League Players Association (NFLPA) Collegiate Bowl Saturday in hopes of possibly earning a spot on an NFL roster next season.

January 24, 2017

Sports

19

IUP men’s basketball team catches fire, wins eight straight

By SEAN FRITZ Sports Editor

S.D.Fritz@iup.edu

The IUP men’s basketball team spent its winter break enjoying the eight-game win streak it is currently on that dates back to mid-December.

The Crimson Hawks are about as hot as they come as the spring semester begins, and they look to keep up their winning ways as students return and their home crowds will soon grow larger.

Over the month-long winter break, the Crimson Hawks won eight out of nine games and have improved their overall mark to 17-2 and a 12-1 conference record.

The 12-1 PSAC record has been good enough to give the Crimson Hawks a two-game lead over PSAC West rival Gannon University, who will host the Crimson Hawks in an afternoon showdown Saturday in Erie.

The only PSAC team ahead of the Crimson Hawks in the overall conference standings is Shippensburg University, who defeated the Crimson Hawks in early December by a score of 8780.

Since then, the men’s basketball team has managed to rattle off all but one of their games, a loss to No. 2 Fairmont State University on Dec. 19.

IUP’s hot streak in the month of December that carried into January has propelled the team to a No. 10 overall ranking in Division II men’s basketball. IUP will look to improve upon that spot in the rankings as they continue to square off with PSAC foes. With only nine games remaining, they will look to clinch the PSAC West in the coming weeks and will have to

take advantage of games against opponents such as Gannon, who will be trying to take the division lead from IUP. Heading down the stretch, the Crimson Hawks will certainly be looking to a few of their key players to secure the division crown.

Jacobo Diaz (sophomore, economics) was named one of two IUP Athletes of the Week for his performances in previous games.

Diaz is among the team’s leaders in points, rebounds and minutes played.

Diaz also is averaging a doubledouble on the season with a teamhigh 14 points per game and a team-high 10 rebounds per game.

The Crimson Hawks have really been able to take a team approach in regard to their success over the eight-game win streak, counting on several players rather than one or two to get the job done.

Dante Lombardi (sophomore, business) has been one of those players, accounting for two teamhigh 22-point performances.

Anthony Glover (junior, marketing) has been another reliable option for the Crimson Hawks to play alongside Lombardi in the backcourt. Glover has started all 19 games for the Crimson Hawks this season and is also among team leaders in points per game, shooting percentage, 3-point shooting percentage and free-throw percentage.

Devon Cottrell (senior, communications media) has been another presence in the Crimson Hawks starting-five, being among team leaders in many categories, as well.

IUP will have to continue to depend on all of its players down the stretch if they look to make any type of a run in the PSAC and national tournaments.

The Crimson Hawks will be back in action and look to make it ninestraight victories Wednesday at Seton Hill University, followed by that much-anticipated matchup at Gannon Saturday afternoon.

Forward Jacobo Diaz (sophomore, economics) is the only Crimson Hawk to average a double-double on the season.

(IUP Athletics)

Sports

January 24, 2017

20

After rocky end to winter break, IUP women look to get off three-game slide Brittany Robinson (sophomore, early childhood/special education) was named an IUP Athlete of the Week.

Robinson is among the team leaders in shooting percentage, free-throw percentage, rebounds and blocks.

By SARAH MOLTZ Staff Writer

S.J.Moltz@iup.edu

(IUP Athletics) Lauren Wolosik (sophomore, economics) recorded a career-high 20 points in IUP’s loss to Clarion University. Wolosik averages 11 points and four rebounds per game.

The IUP women’s basketball team was on a 12-game winning streak before losing to Pennsylvania State Athletic Conference (PSAC) rival Edinboro University, 75-65, on Jan. 14.

Before the loss at home, the Crimson Hawks defeated conference teams Mercyhurst University, Slippery Rock University, University of Pittsburgh at Johnstown and Gannon University.

Since the loss to Edinboro, the team has lost its past two games, one being at home against California University of Pennsylvania, 79-52, and the other being most recent, at Clarion University, 64-59.

Guard Lauren Wolosik (redshirt sophomore, economics), however, had a career-high 20 points in the team’s loss against Clarion this past Saturday.

With Saturday’s loss, the Crimson Hawks fell to 12-5 overall and 10-3 in the PSAC. Along with her 20 points, Wolosik also had four rebounds, two steals and one block.

Teammate, forward Brittany Robinson (sophomore, early childhood/special education),

scored 14 points while adding six rebounds and three blocks.

Robinson is among the team’s leaders in a variety of statistical categories while leading the team in shooting percentage at 53 percent and total blocks with 33.

Robinson was named one of two IUP Athletes of the Week heading into the last full week of January.

“We haven’t really been ourselves lately,“ Robinson said on the loss against Clarion.

“We’ve been getting back to the gym working hard. Seton Hill is another good team that could be a challenge, but I know that our team is resilient and will play hard against them.”

The team has learned from their losses and have been working extremely hard these past few days, according to Robinson.

Another player the Crimson Hawks have been able to count on this season has been Megan Smith (junior, management), who has been a dominant force for the team in the post.

Smith leads the team in points per game and rebounds per game.

They’re ready to bounce back and go back on another winning streak, not looking back on the past few games.

However, the season isn’t quite done yet.

The Crimson Hawks still have eight more games, with four of them being at home, before the postseason.

The ladies travel to Greensburg Wednesday to battle Seton Hill University (11-8.) Tipoff is set for 5:30 p.m.

January 24, 2017

Sports

21

Steelers’, Packers’ Super Bowl dreams fall short; New England and Atlanta head to Houston

By MATT STAUB Staff Writer

M.A.Staub@iup.edu

The Super Bowl LI participants were decided this past weekend when the New England Patriots and the Atlanta Falcons each earned victories.

The Patriots will be making their record ninth Super Bowl appearance in franchise history, while the Falcons will only be making their second, and first since 1998.

This will be Tom Brady and Bill Belichick’s seventh Super Bowl appearance, which is an NFL record for a player and a head coach.

The Atlanta Falcons head coach, Dan Quinn, is no stranger to the big game, though, as he has made two appearances with the Seattle Seahawks as their defensive coordinator.

Going into the weekend, many professional analysts and sportscasters picked the Green Bay Packers to upset the No. 2-seeded Falcons at home.

The Packers were winners of eight-straight games, and quarterback Aaron Rodgers seemed unstoppable.

He was hardly unstoppable on Sunday in the Georgia Dome, as the Packers entered halftime trailing, 24-0.

The Packers did not get off to a good start, missing a field goal on their opening drive and then fumbling the ball in the red zone on their next drive.

The Falcons were also red-hot coming into this game, having easily defeated the Seattle Seahawks, 36-20, the week before.

Matt Ryan, the favorite to win league MVP, had a stellar game.

Ryan threw for 392 yards and four passing touchdowns.

He also added a 14-yard rushing touchdown.

The real star of the game, though, had to be All-Pro wide

receiver Julio Jones.

Many were uncertain how effective Jones would be after reinjuring his toe last week. Jones was limited all week in practice, but was ready to roll come game day.

Jones had a monster game, recording nine catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns, one of which was a 73-yard catch-andrun in which Jones ran past the defender covering him then stiffarmed another into the ground before running into the end zone.

The game was pretty much over once the Falcons went up, 31-0.

The Packers were able to add a few scores, but it was too little too late. The Falcons won, 44-21.

In the AFC Championship Game, the Patriots easily handled the Pittsburgh Steelers.

The Patriots stifled the Steelers run game early on and held running back Le’Veon Bell to just 20 yards on six carries.

Bell left the game early after suffering a groin injury, and was never able to return.

Near the end of the first half, the Steelers appeared to score a touchdown that would have cut the score to 17-13.

However, tight end Jesse James was ruled down at the oneyard line.

The Steelers lost yards on the next two plays, which were rushing attempts for DeAngelo Williams.

The Steelers ended up settling for a field goal.

The Patriots controlled the rest of the game, as quarterback Tom Brady spread the ball around to his various receivers.

One receiver who really stepped up was Chris Hogan, who had nine catches for 180 yards and two touchdowns.

That was the exact same stat line Jones had in the NFC Championship Game.

This is sure to be an intriguing Super Bowl matchup, as the two hottest quarterbacks in the league will face off.

(TNS) Former Steelers’ running back LeGarrette Blount, now with the Patriots, celebrated after scoring a touchdown in New England’s AFC Championship victory over Pittsburgh Sunday evening.

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NBA season passes midpoint; All-Star Game starters selected

(TNS) Joel Embiid of the Philadelphia 76ers did not make the All-Star Game’s starting five for the Eastern Conference, but could very well make the team as a reserve. Embiid is the clear-cut favorite for Rookie of the Year after being sidelined with a foot injury his first two years after being drafted by the 76ers.

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Classifieds

s.d.fritz@iup.edu THE PENN

S.D.Fritz@iup.edu

As we cross the midpoint of the NBA season, fans and followers of the league have seen some surprises this season and some pretty familiar stories, as well.

As expected by many NBA fans, the league leaders are just who we thought they would be, with Cleveland leading the Eastern Conference and the star-studded Golden State Warriors leading the Western Conference.

With the NBA All-Star Game approaching, both the East and West have named their starting fives, which were selected by fan voting, player voting, media voting and coach voting.

For the Eastern Conference: LeBron James and Kyrie Irving, both of Cleveland, Giannis Antetokounmpo of Milwaukee, Jimmy Butler of Chicago and DeMar DeRozan of Toronto will comprise the starting five.

For the West: Stephen

Curry and Kevin Durant of Golden State, James Harden of Houston, Kawhi Leonard of San Antonio and Anthony Davis of New Orleans are the five that were voted starters.

Ten of the game’s top players are certainly good options to represent their respective conferences, but, of course, any time there are player nominations or selections in any sport, just about every time there will be some type of a snub.

In both conferences, fans and media alike expressed disagreement with certain players not being selected.

The most notable and probably the most accurate strife would be triple-double machine Russell Westbrook of Oklahoma City not making the starting five and Stephen Curry, who has not had his best year, getting the start for the West.

Another gripe from fans was 76ers center Joel Embiid not making the starting five, either.

Although being a member of a poor but surging Sixers team, Embiid is the clearcut favorite for Rookie of the Year and leads all rookies in

just about every key category while playing on a 28-minute restriction.

As far as team play goes, virtually every team predicted to win its division is at the top right now. Cleveland, Toronto and Atlanta in the East and Golden State, San Antonio and Houston in the West.

The Boston Celtics have been a team on the rise who many believe are even further along than originally expected and can compete for a chance to win their division over Toronto.

Led by point guard Isaiah Thomas and forward Al Horford, Boston will be a team to look at as we cross this midpoint of the season.

Another team enjoying a solid year has been the Los Angeles Clippers, led by point guard Chris Paul and big man DeAndre Jordan.

The Clippers may be in some trouble now, however, with Chris Paul sidelined 6 to 8 weeks with a torn ligament.

Head coach Doc Rivers’ team is going to have to just try to hang in there in a competitive Western Conference.

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January 24, 2017

Sports

Metropolitan Division shows toughness, competitiveness as midpoint of season passes

By DENNIS CANIZ Staff Writer

D.M.Caniz@iup.edu

With the NHL All-Star break around the corner, let’s take a look around the league at the division leaders.

We’ll start in the Metropolitan Division with the division-leading Washington Capitals.

The defending Presidents’ Trophy winners lead the league in points as of now.

The Capitals are 31-9-6 with 68 points and are 9-0-1 in their last 10 games.

They are currently tied with the red-hot Columbus Blue Jackets, but have more wins in their headto-head matchups, giving the Capitals the advantage.

With All-Star players like Alex Ovechkin, T.J. Oshie, Nick Backstrom and goalie Braden Holtby all playing well, it seems hard not to be the best team in the league.

Ovechkin has 22 goals and 20 assists, good enough for 42 points in 46 games.

In 36 games played, Holtby has 22 wins, eight losses, six shutouts and a .929 save percentage.

Not only are Washington and Columbus battling in this division, but defending Stanley Cup Champions, the Pittsburgh Penguins, and the New York Rangers are in the hunt for a potential division crown.

If the Philadelphia Flyers are able to take the second wild card in the East, it would be the second year in a row that the Metropolitan controls both wild card spots.

This division is emerging as not only the toughest division in the NHL, but one of the toughest divsions in all of sports, as well.

Leading the Atlantic Division is the Montreal Canadiens.

The Canadiens have cooled down after a hot star to the year.

The Habs are 28-13-7 with 63

points and are eight games ahead of second-place Ottawa.

Montreal is 5-4-1 in their last 10 games and struggling to deal with the loss of three key forwards as well as the mysterious, lingering departure of aging but critically important defenseman Andrei Markov.

The Habs have been able to stay afloat thanks to rookie Artturi Lehkonen, Phillip Danault and goalie Carey Price.

It seems that the once fearful Western Conference teams are starting to lose their touch, but not the Minnesota Wild.

The Wild are the Central Division leaders with 65 points with a 3011-5 record. In the last 10 games played, the team is 7-2-1.

Goalie Devan Dubnyk is one of three players to represent the Wild in the NHL All-Star Game.

He is a big reason why the Wild have won 17 of their past 19 games.

Another reason the team has been so hot is because of their offense.

Eric Staal is the leading scorer at 40 points, Charlie Coyle and Mikko Koivu each have 13 goals, with Nino Niederreiter and Jason Zucker adding 14 each.

The Anaheim Ducks are on top of the Pacific Division with 60 points, but lead by only 1 point.

The Edmonton Oilers and the reigning Western Conference champion San Jose Sharks are right on their tail.

The Ducks are 26-14-9 in 49 games played and are 7-2-1 in their last 10 games.

The team has been playing well under team leaders Rickard Rakell, Ryan Kesler, Ryan Getzlaf and goalie John Gibson.

These four men are not the only reason the Ducks’ success.

The whole team has been contributing, especially young guys and third-line players.

The All-Star Game is this Sunday at 3:30 p.m. on NBC at the Staples Center in Los Angeles.

(TNS) Alex Ovechkin and T.J. Oshie of the Washington Capitals did a whole lot of celebrating in recent games. The team has won nine of its last 10 games and picked up a point in the game they lost. They are sitting in a tie for the lead of the Metropolitan Division.

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January 24, 2017