The Pitt News
Peduto’s housing orders Page 2
The independent student newspaper of the University of Pittsburgh | PIttnews.com | february 16,2017 | Volume 107 | Issue 124
SGB candidates push platforms before elections Las Palmas
closes today, protests Trump
James Evan Bowen-Gaddy Assistant News Editor
The three candidates for SGB President, (from left) Justin Horowitz, Arlind Karpuzi and Max Knesis, debate in Nordy’s Place. Thomas Yang STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER
Grant Burgman Staff Writer
In the cutthroat political sphere, competing for votes can — and does — bring out the worst in people. After all, it was during the final presidential debate that now-President Donald Trump infamously referred to Hillary Clinton as a “nasty woman,” offering her an unofficial campaign slogan. But in Pitt’s student government debate Wednesday night — the first three-person showdown in three years — junior Justin Horowitz steered clear of mudslinging.
“These are amazing individuals, whom I love dearly,” Horowitz, a marketing and business information systems major, said. Horowitz was referring to his two competitors: Max Kneis, a junior majoring in finance and accounting, and Arlind Karpuzi, another junior also majoring in finance. All three of the presidential candidates, as well as all 16 candidates for Student Government Board, were in Nordy’s Place Wednesday night at 5 p.m. for the SGB presidential debate. Most of the night’s substance came from the candidate’s opening statements, each of which ad-
dressed a key issue that would become a theme for candidates throughout the night: increasing student involvement in SGB. Slates, which each include three to four people, are groups of candidates running on a similar platform. The message of increased student participation isn’t new to Pitt’s SGB, which has struggled to inspire voter turnout at previous elections. Last year’s election had a 14.1 percent voter turnout. After the openers, each presidential candidates took the stage alone. All three candidates emphasized their current positions on SGB, with See SGB on page 3
Las Palmas Restaurante will close up shop today, along with Mexican restaurants across the country as part of the “Day Without Immigrants” national protest against President Donald Trump’s immigration policies. The restaurant posted a handwritten sign at its Beechview location Wednesday informing customers the restaurant as well as their other grocery markets will not open their doors the following day. A printed-out version of the sign, in Spanish and English, hung on the door of the Oakland Las Palmas. The sign read: “The stores and Restaurant Las Palmas will close its doors all day for the first time since the last eight years [when] we opened the first store, in support for our Hispanic Community and [to] let know all that we are in disagreement with the measures and laws being implemented by President Donald Trump.” A manager of the Oakland location, Andres Ramirez, 20, said the store plans to act in accordance with the other Las Palmas locations. “It’s to protest Donald Trump,” Ramirez said. “For Latinos.” The “Day Without Immigrants,” or “Un Dia Sin Immigrante,” is a nationwide protest where Latinx and Hispanic-American See Las Palmas on page 3