021819

MONDAY, FEB. 18, 2019 VOLUME 93 ■ ISSUE 39

LA VIDA

SPORTS

Nurturing Center provides pregnant women with resources.

Texas Tech softball’s pitching staff shows improvement from 2018.

Column: Anti-vaccination sentiments directly harm community.

OPINIONS

ONLINE Check out the sights from Texas Tech baseball’s Opening Weekend on our website.

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PG 8

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ONLINE

INDEX LA VIDA SPORTS OPINIONS CROSSWORD CLASSIFIEDS SUDOKU

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SYSTEM

Tech, TTUHSC develop Mental Health Institute

By AKHILA REDDY L a Vida Editor

By AUSTIN WATTS Managing Editor

W

ith under a third of Big 12 conference play remaining, two major dominos fell on Saturday as the Iowa State Cyclones toppled Kansas State on the road, 78-64, and Texas Tech defended its home court against Baylor, 86-61.

Kansas State’s loss takes away the Wildcats’ precious lead on the Big 12, as the team now sits just a half-game ahead of Kansas and Texas Tech. Iowa State, which needed the win over Kansas State to have a realistic shot at the conference title, now sits one game back from Kansas State. Baylor, which needed to beat Tech to have a decent chance at the title, now sits two games back and would need a string of meltdowns from the top four teams to win the conference.

Tech, which struggled early on with a threegame losing streak, has won its last four games and has picked up momentum at the right time.

Sophomore Davide Moretti has taken the leap in conference play, boosting his points per game from 8.4 in non-conference play to 12.4 ppg in conference play.

Alongside sophomore Jarrett Culver and graduate transfer guard Matt Mooney, Moretti provides Tech with a third scoring threat, helping to bolster Tech’s once uninspiring offense.

Tech’s offense has improved in recent weeks, as the team’s offense now ranks 149th out of 353 teams, according to sports-reference.com. On the other side of the ball, Tech still has the best defense in the league, ranking first out of 353 teams in

Graduate student guard Matt Mooney celebrates after making a three-pointer during Texas Tech’s game against Baylor Saturday, Feb. 16, 2019, in the United Supermarkets Arena. With a win over Baylor, the Red Raiders are tied with Kansas at a half-game behind Kansas State for the lead of the Big 12 Conference. CIARA PEROZZI/The Daily Toreador defensive rating.

With the offense on the uptick and the defense still top-tier, Tech’s chances of winning the Big 12 are right where Tech coach Chris Beard wanted them back when conference play began.

Tech’s biggest hurdles ahead include a bout with defending champions Kansas with a tough regular season finish on the road against Iowa State. For Tech, and likewise with Kansas, Iowa State and Kansas State, a loss at any point to close the regular season could result in the conference hopes slipping away, with all four teams playing this well late into the season.

“You just got to stay the course,” Beard said following the win over Baylor. “In our locker room, there wasn’t much panic going on (during the three game losing streak), we just understood that we lost a one-possession game at

home to a really good Iowa State team, and then we gave ourselves a chance in two road games in the Big 12. Our objective has always been to be a part of the fight.”

While Kansas State currently holds the lead on the Big 12 race, the Wildcats still have six games left in conference play, including a trip to “The Phog,” which has proved to be a death sentence for Big 12 title hopefuls in years past.

The Wildcats defense has been the focal point of the team, ranking 11th out of 353 teams, but the team’s offense has sputtered, ranking 264th out of 353 teams, according to sports-reference.com.

The Wildcats are consistently losing big or winning big, as just two of their conference games have finished within a five-point margin.

SEE BASKETBALL, PG. 6

LOCAL

Morris Safe House provides safety, homes for stray, abandoned dogs

By HAILEY WALTER Staff Writer

As one walks by the kennels filled with dogs at the Morris Safe House, a nonprofit dog rescue, every single dog is happy, friendly and wagging its tail, an unusual sight for animals that are abandoned, lost or without a home.

However, as co-founder and director of the facility, this is Sallie Morris’s goal, to make the dogs’ happiness and care the first priority.

The rescue is a no-kill facility, and she said she makes sure every dog is placed into a proper and fitting home.

Each year, approximately 1.5 million shelter animals are euthanized, 670,000 being dogs, according to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals site.

“When we started and announced that we were going to be a true no-kill, we had several rescues in town go, ‘You’ll fail, you can’t survive doing that, you’re too far out of town,’” Morris said.

SEE MORRIS, PG. 3

ADRIAN ROMERO/The Daily Toreador

Buddy waits for his medicine on Feb. 17, 2019 at the Morris Safe House. The Morris Safe House is a nonprofit where stray dogs are nurtured and put up for adoption.

To some degree, mental health touches the lives of almost every person. In recent years, it has captured the attention of the world’s health care providers, scientists and more, West Texas included.

In West Texas, an area with a critical need for mental health care resources, the Texas Tech University System has taken the steps to MITCHELL lead the way in this field of work with the recent establishment of the Texas Tech Mental Health Institute at the forefront of its efforts.

Founded last year, the institute was born out of discussions in the Board of Regents. A key advocate and early adopter of the project was regent member Ron Hammonds.

“I’ve always had an interest in mental health,” Hammonds said. “I grew up in a home where my mother suffered from mental illness, and so I’ve been impacted by it ever SCHOVANEC since I was very young.”

Surveying the landscape, Hammonds said it became apparent mental illness had come to the fore in recent years. After doing research, he came to see Tech was in a unique position to make a difference.

“I began to present the idea to the Chancellor (Robert) Duncan at the time and to the other members of the board, and over time, they became convinced that it was a place for Texas Tech to make a difference in the world,” Hammonds said.

The Institute was launched primarily through a partnership with Tech President Lawrence Schovanec and Texas Tech University Health Sciences Center President Tedd Mitchell, Hammonds said.

The partnership between Tech and TTUHSC aims to capitalize on synergies present on and between each campus in the field of mental health, Schovanec said.

“We’re quite sensitive and aware of the many issues that relate to mental health and behavior on the campus,” Schovanec said. “About a year and a half or so ago, we began a discussion with Dr. Mitchell at the Health Sciences Center and other personnel there and here on our campus as to how we can better address this problem by sharing the resources we have on both campuses.”

Last spring, Keino McWhinney was hired to serve as the director for the Institute, Schovanec said, working with himself and Mitchell.

“The overall goal of the institute, simply put, is to leverage the capacity within the Texas Tech system in the areas of education, research and service to lower the impact of mental health challenges for the people of West Texas and beyond,” McWhinney said.

In terms of education, the institute is looking at workforce development, he said, asking questions on how the university system can better train and equip the future mental healthcare workforce.

SEE MENTAL HEALTH, PG. 2

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NEWS

FEB. 18, 2019

WWW.DAILYTOREADOR.COM

NATIONAL

Experts provide insight on Green New Deal success

By MATT HAN Staff Writer

Democratic congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has launched her Green New Deal initiative that is planned to remake the economy and eliminate carbon emissions in the United States.

Ocasio-Cortez made a statement saying the solutions out there are not near the scale of the actual problem with climate change, according to the National Public Radio website. OcasioCortez also added the plan could be part of a larger solution no one has sought.

Daniel Epstein, professor and worldwide eLearning course developer for the Texas Tech Department of Political Science, said OcasioCortez’s plan has a short and general meaning to it.

The Green New Deal, Epstein said, helps Ocasio-

MENTAL HEALTH CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

In academia, there tends to be a siloed approach in patient care, but mental health is best addressed in integrated settings, looking at mental health along with physical health and more, he said. This calls for an interdisciplinary approach.

“One of the strengths we do have with the collocation of a general academic campus and a health-related campus is the ability to do interprofessional, interdisciplinary education opportunities,” McWhinney said. “So, basically developing a workforce that knows how to work well with other care providers.”

In terms of research, the institute’s goal is to collaborate with primary investigators across the Tech System to develop projects that have the potential to leverage a team based, interdisciplinary approach.

“So bridging the distance between basic science to actually translational science, getting researchers not just looking at a molecular level but seeing how that might inform care as well,” McWhinney said.

An example of this interdisciplinary model they are exploring targets pediatrics and adolescents, he said. Child psychiatry from the TTUHSC could coordinate with psychology, marriage and family therapy at Tech, he said.

The Center for Superheroes, a mental health center that provides comprehensive medical and mental health care for victims of childhood

Cortez to get out there as the leading person to reform not only how the U.S. deals with climate change, but the way people live out their lives, Epstein said. These include how people get access to health insurance, employment opportunities and transportation.

“It is so short and so general that if her resolution passed the House and the Senate and was adopted, it is not a law,” Epstein said. “It does not need to be signed or vetoed by the president, and it is so general that all it is is a declaration of intention.”

The freshman congresswoman’s plan is a guideline of what the U.S. ought to be doing, Epstein said. These include giving people universal health care, ensuring people have good jobs and going for zero emissions electricity productions. Epstein said because the Green New Deal

is more of a resolution, it does not obligate anyone to do anything differently if it is passed.

Chris Pattison, an instructor at the Tech National Wind Institute, said some of Ocasio-Cortez’s ideas are great, some are already in motion and others are unattainable. One of the things Ocasio-Cortez mentioned was going 100 percent green.

“That is impossible,” Pattison said. “Because, for example, wind turbines will not operate if they are not connected to something that sets the frequency.”

Some of Ocasio-Cortez’s ideas are good in moving toward energy independence, Pattison said. The economy is not leading the world toward wind energy, but wind is at the top. Regarding solar energy, Pattison said it is growing as technology is getting better, and the costs are

trauma and their families, could also be involved. There are also researchers from both campuses looking at the central nervous system and brain.

“So to me, that’s a really good example of some unique strengths that we have at our university right now that not a lot of universities would be able to replicate,” McWhinney said. “We already have these disciplines and these practice models that exist, they’re just not currently coordinated and collocated, so there’s a big opportunity to do something unique.”

Ultimately, the goal for the Mental Health Institute is not just to provide a service for the university, but for the entire region and then beyond, he said, in terms of clinical services and research.

“Just as the medical school is well known for how they train primary care physicians, just as Texas Tech is known for what it does in certain areas of research, whether that be in agriculture or wind, we would like to also develop a reputation for what we’re doing to address this important problem,” Schovanec said.

The establishment of the institute is the beginning of a long-term project, Hammonds said. He envisions the Mental Health Institute becoming the mental health equivalent of the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, the premier cancer center in the world.

Just as it took years to develop the MD Anderson Cancer Center, it will take time for the Mental Health Institute to grow, he said. But with the increasing prominence of mental health and its related issues, the potential benefits from the institute are significant.

“I think that mental health has gained top of the mind awareness from people across the United States,” Hammonds said. “We see it among the soldiers that are returning from battle. We see it in kids with climbing suicide rates. We see it everywhere we turn, and so I think yes, if we can address a scourge that’s growing across the country, then yes, I think Texas Tech would benefit from it, but you would also just be doing a tremendous amount of good for mankind.”

I think that mental health has gained top of the mind awareness from people across the United States.

RON HAMMONDS REGENT Currently, the institute is working on a mental health needs assessment for Lubbock County as well as a systemwide survey to take stock of all the mental health-related activities currently happening on campus, McWhinney said, which will inform the future directions of the institute.

“First he’s getting a sense of all of the expertise and resources that are out there and then, in consideration with many others, sort of prioritizing what we can do first and what are additional resources we’ll need to continue to grow this,” Schovanec said.

@AkhilaReddyDT

going down.

Timothy Nokken, associate professor and chair for the Department of Political Science, said Ocasio-Cortez’s resolution is seen as more liberal and bold to start a discussion about environmental sustainability. Nokken said when people see the public as a whole, there is more sympathy in environmental laws than what people are getting from the republican base.

A lot of what the Green New Deal activates in terms of opposition is not really opposition to new technology, but the way people view it, he said.

“Any discussion about medicating climate change, improving efficiency, renewable resources, renewable energy and cleaner energy is an important discussion to have,” Nokken said. @DailyToreador

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Patrick Caddell, pollster to Jimmy Carter, dies at 68 WASHINGTON (AP) — Patrick Caddell, the pollster who helped propel Jimmy Carter in his longshot bid to win the presidency and later distanced himself from Democrats, has died, a colleague said Saturday night. He was 68.

Caddell died Saturday in Charleston, South Carolina, after suffering a stroke. That’s according to Professor Kendra Stewart of the College of Charleston, who confirmed the death to The Associated Press.

After working with Democrats in the 1970s and 1980s, Caddell eventually drifted away from the Democratic Party and began advising supporters of Republican Donald Trump and was a contributor to Fox News for a time.

Caddell worked for 1972 Democratic nominee George McGovern, then joined with Carter in the mid-1970s to develop a campaign strategy to overcome the cynicism spawned by the Vietnam War and Watergate. In an oral history for the University of Virginia’s Miller Center, Caddell said Carter’s best bet was to present himself as an outsider who could help heal the country.

As a student at Har-

vard, Caddell had studied Southern politics and was helpful to Carter and his close advisers as they studied how to maneuver their campaign between the competing forces of the McGovern liberals and supporters of conservative firebrand George Wallace.

Caddell, a native of Rock Hill, South Carolina, and the Georgia governor found they had many ideas in common about how he could win the presidency. As a one-term governor from the South, Carter would have to offer a compelling outsider theme.

“In order to win, he had to articulate a sense of what had happened to the country through Vietnam and Watergate. If you go back and look at those speeches that he gave early in the campaign, he would talk about the damage to the country, its psychology,” Caddell said in the oral history. “Essentially, what he was running on in the campaign was that the country had been psychologically devastated by the previous decade of events.

He was offering himself as a healer...”

Carter won the presidency, but Caddell, known at the time for his bushy black beard with a gray streak, preferred to advise the president from outside the White House.

Caddell warned Carter of the dangers of getting out of touch with the vot-

ers who had embraced him during the campaign. But one bit of Caddell advice seemed to backfire.

Caddell wrote a memo warning of crisis of confidence that Americans were experiencing and urged Carter to address them directly about it. That became known as the “malaise” speech, though Carter never used that word.

He lost re-election a year later, in a bid complicated by economic fears, an intraparty challenge and the Iran hostage situation. The winner, Ronald Reagan, offered an optimistic vision of the country.

Caddell consulted with other Democratic presidential candidates in the 1980s and was a close adviser to Joe Biden during his failed 1988 bid for the presidency.

In explaining his break from Democrats, Caddell said he thought the party was no longer “a party of the people” but had been hijacked by elites, the welleducated, Wall Street and interest groups.

He noted in a 2016 speech to students at Michigan’s Hillsdale College that he was offended when the Democrats at their national convention would not allow Pennsylvania Gov. Bob Casey Sr., who was against abortion, to deliver a convention speech. Caddell considered the Democrats to be guilty of “the stifling of dissent.”

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CAMPUS

Page 3 Monday, FEB. 18, 2019

Nurturing Center provides pregnant women with resources

By MICHELLE BLESS Staff Writer

Twenty-seven years ago, a man named Lawrence De Susa saw a need for women in difficult pregnancies.

Over the course of almost three decades, his idea has grown into the Lubbock Nurturing Center.

Ellie Contreras, the operations manager of the N u r t u r i n g C e n t e r, h a s worked with the center for 25 years. The Nurturing Center is a non-profit Christian organization.

“We have lots of donors of all faiths,” Contreras said. “We have a big fundraising banquet in October, and that usually gets us through the year.”

The goal of the Nurturing Center is not simply to save unborn children or grow business, but to take care of the mother as well, Contreras said.

“We try really hard to have not just an appointment with (mothers), but a relationship with them,” Contreras said.

The Nurturing Center provides several services

MORRIS

CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 However, Morris said she is not one to give up or be discouraged, and the rescue is thriving and successful.

Morris said she and her late husband founded the business in April 2008.

“We wanted to do something to make a difference in our little corner of the world,” she said.

Last year, she said the Morris Safe House rescued 407 dogs and adopted 394. In the first 10 years of business, she said over 5,000 dogs had been rescued and adopted.

Morris said she started the rescue due to her passion for dogs.

“We realized dogs at the city shelter were not getting a fair deal,” she said.

“They were not getting adequately vetted, adequately taken care of, there wasn’t a lot of passion with the workers there.”

Many animals enter shelters, but too few people consider adopting dogs due to concerns of the animal’s history or treatment, according to the Humane Society site.

Every dog at Morris Safe House is given proper main-

such as pregnancy testing, ultrasounds, baby items, peer consultations, parenting classes, referrals to resources and organizations for other needs and limited financial assistance, according to a flier provided

by Contreras.

Along with parenting classes, which are bilingual and for both mothers and fathers, Contreras said there is a program called “Earn While You Learn.” The program has a system where attendees earn points, and a build-up of points earns them free baby items.

The center has a baby closet full of clothes and blankets that women can use, Contreras said. Typically, the center has resources to provide for children up to one year. But, it will make whatever accommodations possible and any recommendations necessary to continue aid for the mother and child past that point, she said.

“People see this as a business, or a non-profit,” she said. “I see it more as a ministry.”

Sharae Flores, a senior tenance, regular veterinary care, interaction with other dogs at the rescue, socialization through constant attention and complete documentation of the animal’s history, personality and future needs, Morris said.

They get owner care, they do not get shelter care. There’s a big difference.

SALLIE MORRIS CO-FOUNDER This type of care, she said, helps the dogs and new owners when the dogs are adopted. The dogs can more easily transition into a new home and be comfortable.

“They get owner care, they do not get shelter care,” she said. “There’s a big difference.”

The prime focus for her and every worker is the dogs, and what they each need each day, she said.

The facility can house 40 dogs, she said, and she does not want to grow her

AUDREY KERR/The Daily Toreador

The Lubbock Nurturing Center offers a comforting and friendly atmosphere for pregnant mothers in need of help. The Center is a nonprofit Christian organization. public relations major at Texas Tech from Carlsbad, New Mexico, said she began volunteering with the Nurturing Center in 2014.

“The first time I actually

came here, it was a moment that changed my life,” Flores said.

Flores was involved in the Tech organization Raiders Defending Life,

rescue any larger, because she feels she could not individually care for each dog properly if it surpasses a certain size.

“You can get so big that you can’t give individual attention,” she said. “Forty dogs are a lot to manage in a day.”

What Morris loves most about what she does is the reward of seeing dogs realize they are safe, she said.

“I don’t think it’s about being director or co-founder, I think it’s about seeing their precious little faces and then learning they’re safe,” she said. “Because they come to us so scared and so afraid, they don’t know what’s going to happen to them, and once they learn they’re safe, their whole demeanor changes.”

LaQuita Dinks and her husband are retired teachers who wanted to do volunteer work in their retirement at Morris Safe House.

“We wanted to be involved with volunteering at a place that makes a positive difference in our community,” Dinks said.

“Morris Safe House does that by providing hope and love to the pups.”

Dinks and her husband have been volunteering at

the facility for six and a half years.

“We love the opportunity to make a difference in the lives of these sweet pups,” she said.

Andrea Elliot, a volunteer at the facility, said she and her husband volunteer as well. Her focus is working with dogs and his is maintaining the grounds.

“Morris Safe House cares for the entire dog’s needs,” Elliot said. “The dogs are fully vetted, their kennels have clean inside and outside areas, there are play areas for the dogs to socialize with each other, and volunteers can love on the dogs inside or can take them outside on nice walks.”

Morris encourages volunteers to come and help, she said, as well as donations of food, toys, leashes and blankets. Groups of three to 10 can be scheduled for volunteer time.

“We can tell when it’s been a stressful week at Tech by the number of students who come out here, grab a dog, take it, walk it, tell it how rotten the professor was,” she said with a smile. “It’s good puppy therapy.”

Today’s

su do ku

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Chinatown welcomes Year of the Pig with celebrations NEW YORK (AP) — Drums, dragons and dancers paraded through New York’s Chinatown on Sunday to usher in the Year of the Pig in the metropolis with the biggest population of Chinese descent of any city outside Asia.

Confetti and spectators a half-dozen or more deep at points lined the route of the Lunar New Year Parade in lower Manhattan.

“The pig year is one of

my favorite years, because it means lucky — everybody likes lucky — and, for me, a relationship or family” and a better life, Eva Zou said as she awaited the marchers. “Because I just moved here several months ago, so it’s a big challenge for me, but I feel so happy now.”

There’s an animal associated with every year in the 12-year Chinese astrological cycle, and the Year of the Pig started Feb. 5.

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she said. She came to the Nurturing Center for the first time with the organization and became a volunteer shortly after. Now, she is the marketing and administrative assistant.

“All these little seeds that coming here and volunteering planted that led me to these bigger things that I’ve been able to be a part of,” Flores said on how she became on employee.

“And also, to be able to serve women.”

Cynthia Aviles is the operations assistant in charge of client services and parenting classes.

“We have a lot of people that come from a lot of different situations,” Aviles said.

Aviles has a lot of interaction with the women and families who come to the Nurturing Center. Aviles said the case that has impacted her the most was a teenage girl who kept her child after discovering the baby had no arms.

“It has been really cool seeing that there are still people wanting to get their lives on and doing the sacrifices for their kids,”

Aviles said.

Aviles also acts as a counselor when necessary, talking to troubled mothers and making sure they get the one-on-one attention they need. Aviles said she was once a pregnant teenager and understands the struggle many mothers face.

“I want to help make it easier for them,” Aviles said. “Because I know it’s not easy.”

Aviles also teaches “Theology of the Body” classes, which are designed to educate about what healthy relationships and sexuality are meant to be.

“We have seen the importance of teenagers needing to know their worth,” Aviles said.

The main goal of the Nurturing Center, all three women said, is to give women a place to go where they would not feel discriminated or ashamed, and to let them know unborn lives matter.

“If they get caught up in life,” Contreras said, “I love for them to just know that we exist, and we are here for them.” @MichelleBlessDT

ADRIAN ROMERO/The Daily Toreador

TOP: One of the dogs at Morris Safe House looks through his cage Feb. 17, 2019. BOTTOM: The Morris Safe House is a place where stray dogs are restored to health and put up for adoption.

OPINIONS

Page 4 Monday, Feb. 18, 2019

COLUMN

@DailyToreador www.dailytoreador.com

Anti-vaccination sentiment directly harms community

S

ince the beginning of 2019, the United States has seen an outbreak of measles in many states.

According to the CDC, the large number of outbreaks may have been linked to the two Disney amusement parks in Anaheim, California—Disney California Adventure Park and Disneyland Park. This means not only are American people being exposed, but people traveling from around the world are as well.

In 2000, the U.S. had declared the measles had been eliminated. In 2019, the disease is obviously a concern again, and now an American icon is linked to causing its exposure.

What can we do now?

This disease is not common because most people are vaccinated when they are young. But in the days

Madilynn Sheffield is a freshman adversiting major from Amarillo.

of “natural healing,” we are seeing case numbers rise. If you have been on Twitter or Facebook lately, you know people are now refusing to vaccinate their kids because of potential risks.

PubMed reports that this is because “many individuals have never witnessed the debilitating diseases that vaccines protect against, allowing complacency toward immunization requirements to build.” In the age of the internet we are bombarded with messages saying, “do this” or “never do that.” One article says things are all good and dandy, and then the next says the world is being

torn to shreds.

With all these mixed messages it can be hard to make opinions for yourself, and the opinions we do think we make may come from unreliable, unscientific articles.

Often times people read one article and stick to that message through and through without doing any additional research, meaning we tend to do things that maybe aren’t the best for us. Like when we see articles about how essential oils have soothing or healing properties, we use them up like crazy and swear by them.

Then we find out that they are dangerous for pets and have an internal crisis.

Or when we see people on Facebook telling us the potential risks vaccines have, and then all of a sudden we see an increase in the number of people not vaccinat-

ing their kids. Our trusted friends share these articles without additional research, we trust the article as their word and then share it and continue the cycle.

We share the articles of the people we want to be accepted by in our community, and in turn, we end up putting them and the rest of our community at risk by not getting kids vaccinated because of this false or misleading information.

Vaccines, like any medicine, has risks. And as the CDC notes, those risk are extremely small. Is it worth catching a highly contagious disease that can potentially be deadly to your small child?

This irrational fear has to stop. We are seeing diseases that have been eradicated or nearly eradicated pop and put little lives in danger.

Responsibility to community

must come before your own opinion, which may not be based on correct information.

Described by ScienceMag.org, measles cause a rash that spreads down the entire body associated with red blotches and fever.

This is especially dangerous for little kids with immune systems that are still developing and are susceptible to infection. This is an airborne disease spread simply though coughing.

Now, I don’t know if you’ve ever been around a little kid, but all they do is cough, sneeze and wipe their noses. Kids are germ factories, and even though they spread them constantly, they also are exposed to new ones all the time.

We have to make sure that these little germ factories stay safe from things that can really hurt them.

We have to vaccinate kids to keep them safe. In fact, ScienceMag.org says the only way to keep your child from getting measles is to vaccinate them.

Vaccinations are not bad.

They save lives. No one likes getting poked in the arm with a needle filled with medicine, but it is necessary to keep ourselves and others around us healthy. I don’t know where people come up with ideas that vaccinations can give kids things such as asthma or diabetes, but vaccinations are a way to keep people safe.

Essential oils will not help you cure your measles.

Medicine and time will. So why even have that potential threat when you could be vaccinated, helping yourself and your community? @DailyToreador

COLUMN

To build a wall, a leader just keeps digging holes

O

n the land he just inherited, a man sinks a shovel into the earth, lifts up dirt and starts digging.

He started on a perfect dry day, slowly, finding resistance in the topsoil. He slams that shovel down into the grass and soil over and over until it loosens up. He starts piling the dirt just to the right of the hole.

After the initial resistance, the earth starts to give way as the soil gets softer, easier to strike through. He lifts the matted earth out of the spot it had rested so many years before he had started digging. He keeps

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COPYRIGHT INFORMATION © Copyright 2018TexasTech University Student Media/The Daily Toreador. All DT articles, photographs and artwork are the property of The DT and Student Media and may not be reproduced or published without permission. The DailyToreador is a designated public forum. Student editors have the authority to make all content decisions without censorship or advance approval.

Robert Avila is a third-year law student from San Antonio.

digging until the layers of grass once covering the soil disappear as the hole begins to take shape.

The pile grows bigger, begins to spread, covering more of the of the manicured, lush green lawn someone else had spent years taking care of, that had been taken care of years before he had inherited the land, founded years before he had been born.

He sinks lower into the hole as it deepens, he grasps and remove rocks, cutting through tree roots that had once kept the soil he pulled and tore through in place.

He breaks the earth deeper and deeper, and when his pile to the right starts growing

too big, and the desperate soil starts sliding back in, he starts tossing the dirt all around the hole, wherever he can, covering the lawn more and more.

He’s now deeper in the hole than he planned to be, in the yard he didn’t plan to inherit. He can no longer see the cared-for, manicured and maintained lawn well; the dirt he had begun piling and tossing without regard now covers much of it, with a few blades of grass just visible and not yet covered—a small reminder of the cherished lawn that still lies just underneath.

If he doesn’t stop now, he’ll sink deeper into that hole. If he doesn’t stop now, he’ll lose more sight of the manicured lawn, more sight of the yard. The only thing he’ll never lose sight of is the cherished shovel he inherited too, the one he had used his whole life to dig holes. The

light begins to dim the deeper he goes, as much of that bright blue constant sky he never looked up at anyway starts to fade away.

He doesn’t stop. He never does. He doesn’t remember why he began digging in the first place. It’s just what he does, what he believes he has to do. He made a promise to use his shovel and dig that hole.

It doesn’t matter why, what purpose, who it will affect or what will happen when he’s done. He didn’t think about those things— we didn’t think about those things when he inherited the yard. What did we think?

What else would he have done with that shovel besides dig holes?

He keeps digging. He loses track of the world outside of the hole, recognizing only the black walls of Earth held in place around him,

the tossed dirt continuing to coat and cover the lawn, the shrinking top of the hole, the shrinking bright blue sky.

Without looking, he talks about how great the yard is, how beautiful and well maintained it is, how it remains that way only because of his shovel. He talks about how important it is for him to keep digging this hole.

He reminds you to look up at that bright and constant blue sky he can barely see.

He reminds you to look up at it and think of him and his shovel.

Someone else inherits the land. They find a torn and broken yard, coated in Earth and rocks, broken and dry roots. They find the massive, gaping hole, dug so deep they can barely see the bottom where the shovel he struck straight in place, ready to be grasped again, still stands.

They look up to the con-

stant, faithful blue sky and think of the only promise they ever made—never to lose sight of it. They grasp the soil with their hands, scoop it up and begin placing it back into the hole.

They do this until a few blades of grass from the lawn become visible once again, until the dirt has fully engulfed the shovel that had been used to tear up the Earth. It’s eventually buried out of site, an unseen reminder holding in place the soil around it.

They’ll have a tough time restoring the lawn, filling the hole he made. But they’ve thought about why, what purpose, who it will affect and what will happen when they’re done. They care about the yard around their home.

And with thought and faith, they keep going. @DailyToreador

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Shanahan says he hasn’t determined amount for border wall WASHINGTON (AP) — The acting secretary of defense said Saturday he has not yet determined how much money he will redirect to President Donald Trump's border wall project.

Pat Shanahan, who has been leading the Pentagon since Jim Mattis stepped down Dec. 31, made the comment in an interview with reporters flying with him from Germany to Washington.

Shanahan said he has a great deal of discretion in deciding how to use the authorities granted to him by Trump's declaration Friday of a national emergency.

The former Boeing executive said he would be working out details starting Sunday, emphasizing that his mission is to support the border security needs of the Department of Homeland Security.

The White House said before Trump's announcement that the border project, which is opposed by Democrats, would receive $3.6 billion that Congress originally provided for military construc-

tion projects and $2.5 billion from the Pentagon's 2019 drug interdiction program.

Shanahan, however, indicated that he has the discretion to provide less, although he said the $3.6 billion figure is likely to prove correct. He stressed that he has not yet made any decisions.

"You can trust the numbers," he said, referring to the $3.6 billion and $2.5 billion, "in terms of the potential."

Ultimately, the amounts will be determined by linking the available funds to specific border security projects, he said, adding that those connections are not yet complete.

The law allowing a repurposing of military construction funds during a national emergency says the secretary of defense is authorized "to determine whether border barriers are necessary to support the use of the armed forces" in an emergency.

Asked whether this means he can decide whether a wall is militarily necessary, he said, "For us the determination will be made in coordina-

tion with the Department of Homeland Security." He said later, "There have been no determinations by me."

He also said the staff that supports the Joint Chiefs of Staff at the Pentagon has been working out a "mission analysis" of border security needs, including a recommendation on where barriers should be prioritized. This work began some time ago in anticipation of a possible Trump emergency declaration.

"I will go in and review that analysis now that an emergency has been declared," he said, adding later: "Very deliberately, we have not made any decisions. We have identified the steps we would take to make those decisions. ... We don't want to fumble through this process" or take false steps.

A defense official said later that Shanahan is scheduled to be briefed in coming days by the military service secretaries and his internal staff on funding sources and likely project priorities. The

official spoke to reporters on condition of anonymity to discuss internal deliberations.

Shanahan said he was aware of the political hazards of diverting military construction money from highpriority areas like military housing, suggesting he would attempt to avoid that.

Rep. Mac Thornberry of Texas, the top Republican on the House Armed Services Committee, said before Trump's announcement that while he favors spending more on border security, he opposes diverting "significant" sums from the Pentagon budget.

"Doing so would have detrimental consequences for our troops as military infrastructure was one of the accounts most deprived during the Obama-era defense cuts," Thornberry said on Thursday. "And it would undercut one of the most significant accomplishments of the last two years - beginning to repair and rebuild our military. I hope that the president will

pursue other options."

Shanahan was returning to Washington after a week of travel in Europe and the Middle East. It was his first trip abroad as the acting secretary of defense. He visited Afghanistan and Iraq, then attended a NATO defense ministers meeting in Brussels before winding up his trip by meeting Friday and Saturday with numerous officials during the annual Munich Security Conference.

He said he was pleased with his reception by the NATO allies, who have been harshly criticized by Trump for not spending enough on defense.

"I felt very welcomed," he said, "and it was a very inclusive environment. I was expecting something else."

Asked what he had expected, he said, "I was expecting them to be a bit more standoffish" — an apparent reference to the shock some allies felt when Mattis resigned in protest of Trump's approach to world affairs, including his denigration of allies.

ASSOCIATED PRESS

State Department: Nauert out as pick for UN ambassador WASHINGTON (AP) — Heather Nauert, picked by President Donald Trump to be the next U.S. ambassador to the United Nations but never officially nominated, has withdrawn from consideration, the State Department said.

LETTERS The Daily Toreador welcomes letters from readers. Letters must be no longer than 300 words and must include the author’s name,

Nauert, a State Department spokeswoman, said in a department statement that "the past two months have been grueling for my family and therefore it is in the best interest of my family that I withdraw my name from

signature, phone number, student ID number and a description of university affiliation. Students should include year in school, major and hometown. We reserve the right to edit letters. Anonymous letters will not be accepted for publication. All letters will be verified before they are published. Letters can be emailed to dailytoreador@ ttu.edu or brought to 180 Media and Communication. Letters should be sent in before 3 p.m. to ensure the editors have enough time to verify and edit the submission.

consideration."

Nauert's impending nomination had been considered a tough sell in the Senate, where she would have faced tough questions about her relative lack of foreign policy experience, according to congressional

aides.

A potential issue involving a nanny that she and her husband had employed may also have been a factor in her decision to withdraw, according to one aide. That issue, which was first reported by Bloomberg

GUEST COLUMNS The Daily Toreador accepts submissions of unsolicited guest columns. While we cannot acknowledge receipt of all columns, the authors of those selected for publication will be notified. Guest columns should be no longer than 650 words in length and on a topic of relevance to the university community. Guest columns are also edited and follow the same guidelines for letters as far as identification and submittal.

on Saturday, centered on a foreign nanny who was legally in the U.S. but did not have legal status to work, according to the aide, who was not authorized to discuss the matter publicly and spoke on condition of anonymity.

EDITORIALS Unsigned editorials appearing on this page represent the opinion of The DailyToreador. All other columns, letters and artwork represent the opinions of their authors and are not necessarily representative of the editorial board, Texas Tech University, its employees, its student body or the Board of Regents. The DailyToreador is independent of the College of Media and Communication. Responsibility for the editorial content of the newspaper lies with the student editors.

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FEB. 18, 2019

5

CAMPUS

Young entrepreneurs benefit society, community with innovations

By HAILEY WALTER Staff Writer

For young entrepreneurs wanting to start a new business, it can be a daunting task. But there are many resources in the Lubbock community.

Carleigh Smith is manager of the Texas Tech Innovation Hub, a center for entrepreneurism, an incubator and accelerator for startup companies at Tech.

The center, she said, helps startups from Tech students, professors or anyone in the West Texas community.

“The center gives anywhere from advice, resources or space for these startups,” she said. “Whatever they really need to be successful.”

It is the Innovation Hub’s goal to create more startup companies that are based in Lubbock, she said.

Ayodele Aigbe, a junior electrical engineering major from Dallas, is an example of a young entrepreneur who used Tech’s Innovation Hub to help grow her startup and ideas.

She is the founder and CEO of Hangio, a closet organization startup focused on “optimizing the everyday closet experience through

innovative products.”

“Our flagship product is a one-size-fits-all, bendable clothing hanger that can mold to accommodate just about any clothing type from an off-the-shoulder to a nice dress,” Aigbe said. “Our hanger balances modern day fashion with a flexible lifestyle.”

Since starting Hangio, she said she has raised over $26,000 in funding, traveled across the country sharing her idea and receive feedback to help better her product.

As for other young entrepreneurs, her advice is to start now and not hesitate to make one’s dreams become reality.

“When I started, I was a freshman in college and had no idea that I would embark on the journey I am in now,” Aigbe said. “It was just an idea turned project, turned full-fledged startup.

If I had let fear stop me from making the decision to take the risk, I would have not been able have all of these great experiences.”

Aigbe believes entrepreneurs are the future, she said, as new innovations challenge the way society does things, and new ideas

have the ability to spark positive change.

“Entrepreneurs are solving our challenges and making our lives better through the method of seeing through a mere idea,” Aigbe said. “I believe more of that is needed in the world to make us live and connect even better than we have before.”

For Tahnee Elliot, owner of TC Ellis, a clothing boutique in Lubbock, her journey toward owning a business began in 2000.

She said her mother was opening an art store in the Depot District and asked if she wanted to partner with her to split rent.

“It was a mixed space venue in Depot District. It had clothes and art,” Elliot said. “On the weekends, we would do art shows and I’d have to push all the clothes to back.”

Elliot’s boutique was originally targeted at younger mothers, she said, but as she started hanging around younger girls more, she realized there was a niche.

“When you start a business you always want to fill a spot for yourself,” she said. “But it soon became all college girls. I started reaching out to sororities,

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CHICAGO (AP) — Chicago police and representatives for Jussie Smollett were keeping quiet about the investigation into a reported attack on the “Empire” actor a day after authorities said the case had “shifted” and that they want to interview Smollett again.

Pamela Sharp, a spokeswoman for Smollett, said Sunday that there were no updates “as of now.” Another spokeswoman, Anne Kavanaugh, later said she couldn’t comment on whether Smollett had agreed to another interview.

Police Spokesman Anthony Guglielmi said Saturday that the trajectory of the investigation “shifted” after detectives questioned two brothers about the attack and released them late Friday without charges. He said police also reached out to Smollett’s attorney to request the follow-up interview with him.

Smollett’s lawyers said

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late Saturday that the actor felt “victimized” by reports that he played a role in the assault, adding that, “Nothing is further from the truth and anyone claiming otherwise is lying.” The statement from attorneys Todd Pugh and Victor P. Henderson also said Smollett would continue cooperating with police.

Smollett, who is black and gay, has said he was physically attacked last month by two masked men shouting racial and anti-gay slurs and “This is MAGA country!” He said they looped a rope around his neck before running away as he was returning home from an early morning stop at a Subway restaurant in downtown Chicago. He said they also poured some kind of chemical on him.

Police said they combed surveillance video in the heavily-monitored area but were unable to find any footage of the attack. They

did obtain images of two people they said they would like to question.

On Wednesday, Chicago police picked up the brothers at O’Hare International Airport as they returned from Nigeria. They described them as “suspects” in the assault, questioned them and searched their apartment.

Then, late Friday evening they released the two men without charges and said they were no longer suspects. They said they had gleaned new information from their interrogation of them.

One of the men is Smollett’s personal trainer, whom the actor hired to help get him physically ready for a music video, Smollett’s attorneys said in their statement.

“It is impossible to believe that this person could have played a role in the crime against Jussie or would falsely claim Jussie’s complicity,” they said.

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to open their business and empower them.”

It is important to support local businesses and other entrepreneurs, she said, because having local businesses or companies in Lubbock is vital for its success. It keeps money in the community rather than corporate offices, generates positivity and creates a sense of belonging, she said.

Chicago police seek follow-up interview with Smollett

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to switch if something is or isn’t working better.”

Her business also helped her want to support other young women who are aspiring entrepreneurs. She said she hires young college women for workers and helpsthem on being young business women.

“I realized so many other girls wanted to open their business,” she said. “I want to encourage younger women

ASSOCIATED PRESS

Michael Borowski’s work is featured in the SRO Photo Gallery Thursday, Feb. 14, 2019, in the Texas Tech School of Art. “Home Reports” introduces the mix of photography and Big Data representation based on the 2014 Ikea’s research “Life At Home Reports.”

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and it took off.”

She transformed her business plan, she said, and became well-versed in knowing the styles and trends to buy that her newly-targeted customers would enjoy.

“It’s important to always be flexible with your business plan and still fulfill the hole you’re wanting to with your business,” she said.

“But you also have to be able

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SPORTS

Page 6 Monday, Feb. 18, 2019

SOFTBALL

@TheDT_sports www.dailytoreador.com

Pitching staff shows improvement from 2018

By NOAH MICIOTTO Staff Writer

The Texas Tech softball team is currently on a 10game win streak thanks to its productive offense, lock-down defense and standout bullpen.

The Red Raiders have scored 65 runs throughout the 10-game span while allowing only 23, according to Tech Athletics.

A large portion of this defensive success can be credited to the Red Raider pitching staff, as Tech holds a sub-2.0 ERA, according to Tech Athletics. Sophomore left-handed pitcher Erin Edmoundson leads the charge for Tech, taking six wins thus far. Edmoundson’s most notable victory is her no-hitter against Drake on Friday, Feb. 15.

Edmoundson, a native of Deer Park, also leads the team in multiple pitching categories. The southpaw currently claims an ERA at 1.96, according to Tech Athletics.

Edmoundson leads the team in innings pitched at 35.2.

Perhaps the most notable stat of the sophomore is her 47 strikeouts in comparison to allowing only 13 walks.

During her no-hitter on Friday, Edmoundson allowed no runs, no hits, four walks and a career-high 10 strikeouts to be the first Red Raider to throw a no hitter since 2012.

To end the Plainsman Invi-

BASKETBALL CONTINUED FROM PG. 1

As the margin of error shrinks for the Wildcats, one thing to watch is how the team’s seniors respond to the throttling by Iowa State.

LUIS PERALES & MCKENZIE GARZA/The Daily Toreador

LEFT: Junior right-handed pitcher Missy Zoch throws to a Clarendon batter during their game on Wednesday, Oct. 3, 2018, at Rocky Johnson Field. RIGHT: Sophomore left-hand pitcher Erin Edmoundson pitches the ball during the Red and Black Series on Thursday, Oct. 11, 2018, at Rocky Johnson Field. Through 10 games this season, Texas Tech’s pitchers have a combined ERA below 2.0. tational, Edmoundson shutout Drake once again — allowing one hit this time, according to Tech Athletics. The lefty was one strikeout shy of tying her new career high of 10.

Junior right-handed pitcher Missy Zoch has also been an important addition to the Tech pitching staff. Zoch’s ERA sits at 2.58, and she has three wins under her belt as a Red Raider, according to Tech Athletics. In 21.2 IP, Zoch has allowed 17 hits and 12 runs on 17 walks and 27 strikeouts.

Zoch has most recently tak-

en wins over Furman and No. 21 Auburn, according to Tech Athletics. Zoch entered the game to relieve Edmoundson in the third inning against the Tigers and held things down to get the win. Like her lefthanded counterpart, Zoch’s ability to start the game or provide relief for Tech allows the Red Raiders to be flexible with their pitching staff.

Joining Zoch and Edmoundson to complete the bullpen is freshman Morgan Hornback, who has also found her role in the circle. Horn-

back has the lowest ERA on the team at 0.66, according to Tech Athletics. The rookie has tossed 10.2 innings for the Red Raiders, allowing only one run on eight hits and five walks while striking out six.

Hornback earned her first collegiate victory in the Plainsman Invitational, according to Tech Athletics.

In the third inning of Tech’s game against UAB, Hornback was called upon in relief for Zoch and finished out the remaining four innings.

The 7-2 victory attributed

to Hornback pushed the Red Raiders to 7-0 on the year.

This season, Letty Olivarez came to Tech as an assistant coach. She primarily works with the pitching staff, according to Tech Athletics, and brought eight-years of Division I coaching experience to the team.

With an efficient pitching staff, the Red Raiders are rounding into a team with a defense just as solid as its offense. Though the Tech pitching staff has been lights out, it could not have done

so without the Red Raiders’ defensive improvements.

Tech currently has a fielding percentage at .972 while its opponents are at .958, according to Tech Athletics.

The Red Raiders will return to the field for the Mary Nutter Collegiate Classic Thursday, Feb. 21, through Sunday, Feb. 24, in Cathedral City, California. During the four-day outing, Tech will face Arizona State, Long Beach State, Team Japan, Oregon, San Diego State and Washington.

With three seniors leading the team in scoring, this final six-game stretch marks the team’s last shot at winning the Big 12 with those players.

With a bevy of veterans looking to leave their mark, the Wildcats will likely grit their way through tough wins to

close out the regular season.

For Kansas, the Feb. 25 matchup with Kansas State provides the Jayhawks with the avenue to winning the Big 12 again. If Kansas can beat Tech on Feb. 23 and turn around and topple K. State, there does not appear

to be much more stopping the team from a 15th consecutive conference title. After the two conference-deciding matches, Kansas will face Oklahoma State, Oklahoma and Baylor, all teams the Jayhawks have bested once already this season.

The Jayhawks have roughly equal effectiveness offensively and defensively, but neither are top-tier, which could prove troublesome for the Jayhawks as the conference race tightens.

With the 117th best offense and 72nd defense out of 353 teams, the Jayhawks truly lack an identity on either side of the ball.

Finally, for Iowa State, the Cyclones have one of the easier looking schedules, with Tech being the lone

toss up left on the schedule.

A trio of road trips against Texas, Texas Christian and West Virginia will prove to be tough road games, but if the Cyclones can handle their business, a second or even third place finish is very likely.

To win the Big 12, Iowa State will need Tech, Kansas State and Kansas to take each other out, due to the team being two games back and already finished playing both Kansas and Kansas State.

The Cyclones are such an anomaly compared to Tech, Kansas and Kansas State, relying more on their offense to win games rather than their defense. Unlike the defenseheavy trio ahead of them in standings, the Cyclones’ identity is offensive, as the team

ranks 17th out of 353 teams on offense, compared to just 67th on defense, according to sports-reference.com.

With such a tight race, the defending champs have a feat set out for them if the Jayhawks hope to extend the streak to 15 consecutive Big 12 titles. However, much like last season, Kansas tends to prove itself unbeatable when it matters, and could easily retake the lead if Tech and Kansas State cannot finish the job.

“Lot of basketball left, but I think it’s an accurate statement to say that Texas Tech is part of the fight with a few weeks left,” Beard said.

“We’re in contention for the conference championship, and that’s our goal.”

@NoahMiciotto

@AustinWattsDT

CIARA PEROZZI/The Daily Toreador

Members of the Texas Tech men’s basketball team stand with young basketball players for the National Anthem before the team’s game against Oklahoma Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2019, in the United Supermarkets Arena. The Red Raiders are tied with Kansas for second place in the Big 12 and will play the Jayhawks in Lubbock Saturday, Feb. 23, 2019.

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