T H E
U N I V E R S I T Y
O F
T E X A S
A T
A R L I N G T O N
Wednesday October 7, 2009
Volume 91, No. 27 www.theshorthorn.com
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ACTIVITIES
Maroon 5 concert sells out in less than 2 weeks All 2,600 tickets were sold for the event on Nov. 20 in nine days since Sept. 28. BY ARIONNE WELLS The Shorthorn staff
University community members were scrambling Tuesday afternoon to purchase the few tickets that were left, before the Nov. 20 Maroon 5 concert sold out later that evening. The event, sponsored by Student Affairs, University Events and EXCEL Campus Activities began selling tickets on Sept. 28. Hip-hop artist K’naan will open for the Grammy-winning pop band. Mike Taddesse, University Events assistant director, said in an e-mail that as of 6 p.m. the concert had officially sold out to full capacity. During the first week of sales, UTA sold 90 percent of
Observational Jokes
WHEN AND WHERE Maroon 5 and opening act K’naan will perform on campus. When: Nov. 20 Where: Texas Hall
the approximately 2,600 available tickets. Sales are comparable to Rihanna’s ticket sales two years ago, which sold out in two weeks, said Bonnie Rodriguez, Student Activities support specialist. For the singer’s show in 2007, 400 of 2,600 tickets were left after the first week of sales. Students, faculty and staff had 24-hour access to purchase the tickets, which were sold MAROON 5 continues on page 6
The Shorthorn: Chris Hudson
Comedian Paul Varghese tells a joke about his experience with elementary school picture day Tuesday night in the University Center Rosebud Theatre as part of EXCEL Campus Activities comedy show series One Mic Stand. Next month’s show is Nov. 3 and will feature the comedian RETTA.
Comedian relieves midterm pressures BY ANDREW PLOCK
NEXT ONE MIC STAND
The Shorthorn staff
ARLINGTON
Residents say drill site fumes cause health problems A gas rig located on a campus drill site was the focus of a local protest. BY JOHN HARDEN The Shorthorn staff
Arlington residents living on Ray Street are angry over the fumes produced by a gas rig located a coupled hundred feet away from their homes. The residents organized a protest Tuesday challenging the university and Carrizo Oil and Gas to listen and address the issues the locals feel are ignored. UTA and Carrizo both have announced they are committed to resolving any issue the residents may have with the drilling. “We take all complaints very seriously,” said Carrizo spokesman Chris Keffer. “Fortunately
we don’t receive many complaints, but when we do, we work diligently to resolve the problems.” In 2007, UTA and Carrizo Oil and Gas began working together to take advantage of the natural gas reserves on UTA property. For two years, Arlington resident Sandra DenBraber and her neighbors have said the fumes coming from the rig are causing them migraines and other health concerns, DenBraber said. “I have complained and I haven’t received any responses,” she said. “We need to be heard and these issues need to be resolved.” She has lived on Ray Street for 25 years and said that she started having migraines when
Just in time to relive midterm stress Paul Varghese delivered a laugh to more than 400 students. UTA students were treated to the second installment of One Mic Stand hosted by EXCEL Campus Activities on Tuesday as comedian Paul Varghese caused Rosebud Theater to erupt with laughter. Biochemistry junior Thomas Tran said he was glad to get out of the library. “I saw a flyer in the library and thought it might be good to take a break,” he said. “Especially if it’s free.” Varghese brought the theater to
Comedian RETTA will perform at the next event. When: 7:30 p.m. Nov. 3 Where: Rosebud Theatre, University Center
repeated laughs as his laid-back delivery spared no one and gave students some insight on how he views the world. “I believe in ghosts, because I’m not scared of ghosts because ghosts haunt houses,” Varghese said. “And I can’t afford a house.“ Varghese with his suave voice
also commented on his Indian heritage from India winning its first Olympic gold medal in 24 years to Indian children beating white children in English language spelling bees. He also discussed Indians not being intimidated by black people on planes. “I wasn’t scared because he’s intimidating on the ground, but I’m a brown man on a plane — this is where I intimidate,” Varghese said. “The sky is my hood.” The night started with alumnus Adam Shumate warming up the crowd with quips on the few achievements in his life as a health inspector and the complexities of OPEN MIC continues on page 3
YOUR VIEW What did you think of the show? “He’s hilarious. It was great. I laughed the whole time.”
“I’m gonna name my child chalantly now.”
Deanna Garrett,
Candace Turner, nursing
psychology freshman
“I thought he was very funny. He told a lot of jokes you wouldn’t or couldn’t hear other comedians do.”
freshman
Joel Palacios, biology
junior
DRILLING continues on page 3
COMMUNITY
Downtown CEO moving to St. Louis Resigning president is praised for leading recent downtown Arlington developments. BY JOHN HARDEN The Shorthorn staff
An Arlington leader, credited with pushing for downtown development, will resign her position this month. Maggie Campbell announced her resignation last Thursday
after three years as president of the Downtown Arlington Management Corp. In her place, a transition team consisting of downtown development board members will take over temporarily until a new downtown director is hired. Campbell will leave Arlington to lead the St. Louis Partnership in Missouri — the equivalent to Arlington’s downtown development corporation — after the
current Ex Officio president, Jim Cloar, retired after 8 years as president. She will begin serving as president and CEO Nov. 2. “It’s a big career move as well as a big personal move,” Campbell said. While in Downtown Arlington, Campbell mainly focused on area redevelopment and building a community around UTA. CAMPBELL continues on page 5
The Shorthorn: Rasy Ran
Arlington resident Sandra DenBraber tells Carlos Alanis, Arlington Police Department sergeant, that the gas-drilling site, located on campus, is causing her ongoing health problems on Tuesday in front of her home on Ray Street. DenBraber turned down a buyout offer from Carizzo Oil and Gas and said she wants them to cover the cost of the medical bills she’s incurred for treatment related to the drill site.
“I’ll definitely miss working with the university. I wish I could pack it up and take it with me to St. Louis. Downtown St. Louis doesn’t have a major university like UTA.” Maggie Campbell,
former president of the Downtown Arlington Management Corp.