THURSDAY, MARCH 12, 2020 VOLUME 94 ■ ISSUE 46
STAY UP TO DATE ON NOVEL CORONAVIRUS (COVID-19) NEWS VIA THE CORONAVIRUS THREAD ON OUR WEBSITE. LA VIDA
SPORTS
OPINIONS
ONLINE
INDEX
Yellow Caped Raiders raises puppies, educates community.
Thomson sets program record in doubles wins.
COVID-19 tagging along for memorable spring break.
Check out more photos from the Lubbock full-scale airport emergency exercise.
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LOCAL
DISASTER REHEARSED CHASE SEABOLT The Daily Toreador
The city of Lubbock hosted a full-scale airport emergency exercise on Wednesday, March 11. The exercise consisted of a simulated plane crash.
Lubbock units participate in airport emergency exercise By ADÁN RUBIO
News & L a Vida Editor To ensure the city is ready to take on large-scale emergencies, multiple Lubbock departments took part in a training session like no other. Different city units participated in a full-scale exercise that involved simulating a plane crash slightly before 8 a.m. Wednesday at the Lubbock Preston Smith National Airport. This exercise, which the Federal Aviation Adminis-
tration requires to take place every three years, was conducted to prepare local public safety departments for potential future mass-casualty events impacting the city. The exercise, which carried on until noon, gave public safety workers and other city departments the chance to practice their response to a large-scale emergency at the airport and other locations in Lubbock, such as hospitals and the Emergency Operations Center.
Bill Glass, Lubbock Fire Rescue battalion chief, said the exercise consisted of multiple departments within the city’s infrastructure and hundreds of volunteers coming together to practice response and safety procedures for large-scale emergencies. “And it’s really a neat aspect when you see the entire community come together for one goal,” he said. “We have to run this drill every three years. The planning for this started approximately eight to nine months ago.”
The Crash Site
For this year’s exercise, the city simulated an American Airlines’ 737 plane crash near a runway at the Lubbock Airport, Glass said. Local units responded to the situation as if the plane crashed with nearly 10,000 pounds of fuel and 157 passengers onboard. At the site of the simulated crash, a controlled fire was started on parts of a 737 plane. LFR firefighters arrived on the scene to put the fire out. In addition to LFR arriving
to put out the fire, Emergency Medical Services arrived at the scene to practice response procedures and provide medical services to the injured, who consisted of volunteers acting. During mass-casualty events, paramedics and other first responders must conduct a triage, which is the process of making quick assessments of multiple injured people at an incident, Glass said. While conducting a triage, first responders make a 20 to 30 second assessment of
everyone involved in the crash and separate the injured into different categories based on the severity of their injuries, Glass said. Red-tagged individuals need immediate treatment, yellow-tagged individuals need treatment but not as quickly as those with red tags, green-tagged individuals are considered walking wounded, white tags mean one has minor injuries and those with black tags are considered deceased.
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Lubbock Fire Rescue puts out a fire on a prop plane during the full-scale airport emergency exercise. The training was conducted to ensure the city would be prepared for a plane crash emergency and is required every three years by the Federal Aviation Administration.
HEALTH
City officials discuss precautions regarding coronavirus pandemic By AUSTIN WATTS Editor-In-Chief
Following concern over the global spread of the novel coronavirus, the City of Lubbock hosted a conference on Wednesday to update the community on steps being taken to prevent the coronavirus’ spread in Lubbock. “As a community, we take this virus situation very seriously,” Lubbock Mayor Dan Pope said. “And we didn’t wake up Monday morning and start making plans. We’re thankful that we have
a group of people that plan for these types of things every day and so working with our partners, I think we’re very well prepared.” Pope, along with Lubbock City Manager Jarrett Atkinson, Director of Public Health Katherine Wells and Dr. Ronald Cook, local health authority, spoke with the assembled media about the preparations made by the City of Lubbock in the event the coronavirus is confirmed in the city. “We really closely monitor the situation that is
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following our long standing public health plans that have worked for us in the past, as we’ve had other disease outbreaks in our community,” Wells said. Cook, a physician at the Covenant Health System, reiterated the dangers of the coronavirus, especially to members of the community who are pregnant or over 60 years of age. “So, the unique thing about this one is our immune system hasn’t seen this virus before and that’s why it’s affecting us so severely,” Cook
said, “It seems to be a little more virulent, much more infectious than the flu virus and that’s why we’re seeing it bloom so rapidly across the United States and the world.” Although a person with the coronavirus can take several days to show symptoms, Cook said. During that time frame the potential still exists for the virus to spread to others. “It’s anywhere from two to 14 days roughly, and we think that most of this happens, oh four to five days into it, where most people show up with this infection,” Cook said.
If someone suspects they may have the coronavirus, Cook said distance is the best precaution to take to limit exposure to others. Shortness of breath, chest pains or high fever could be symptoms of the coronavirus, but Cook said to call the doctor, rather than potentially expose others to the virus. “And then the other thing to do is, like I said, stay at home. We call that social distancing if you’re infected,” Cook said. “We don’t want you in the clinic. We don’t want you at the hospital. We
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don’t want you at the mall. You should stay home with all that social distancing.” If the coronavirus is allowed to rapidly and exponentially spread, Cook said this could cause the amount of help needed to exceed the resources available, which is why slowing the rate of infection is the primary concern. “So, we’re not saturated yet, but we can easily be overwhelmed if we don’t slow this infection rate down,” Cook said.
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CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 In order to better prevent the spread of the virus, Cook suggested large gatherings be avoided for the time being, rather than risk the virus continuing to grow. “So, those big gatherings, stay out of those arenas, or venues, that will help slow this virus, so we don’t spread it so fast,” Cook said. “It may require the other extreme of that is closing schools, closing businesses, limiting travel.” In addition to limiting exposure to others, the CDC suggests frequent hand washing and limiting contact with others to decrease the chances of contracting the virus. “So what’s best for you is to wash your hands and stay as healthy as you can. There will be tough decisions that need to be made soon,” Cook said. “In this,
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CONTINUED FROM PG. 1 Even with the resources and the manpower at the scene of the crash, which typically consists of about four firefighters on each firetruck and two paramedics on each ambulance, Glass said first responders still can be overwhelmed by the number of people to treat. The simulated triage was condensed to about 30 minutes, Glass said. But, the triage needs to be conducted as quickly as possible. Hours after an event such as a plane crash takes place, people who witnessed the event or knows of someone involved in the event may want more information about what happened. Medical Care With this exercise, Glass said there are multiple moving parts, as different departments across Lubbock are working to provide aide to people in need and communicate with the public and other departments. In addition to this side of the scenario, the injured
I mean, not everybody is happy about it, but we got to think about what’s best for individuals and our community, and all those are going to be tough decisions not made by me alone.”
Lubbock has the ability to test citizens for the coronavirus, Wells said, but to receive a test, a doctor has to approve it. Symptoms and known exposure to a confirmed case are two factors considered before a test is approved. “We want to identify any
cases early and be able to stop anybody or prevent them from infecting others,” Wells said. “So the goals of the health department are really to inform our local health care providers, so that they can identify those at greatest risk.” For students at Texas Tech, spring break is just a few days away. While limiting travel is likely the best advice given the situation, Cook said to avoid any areas with confirmed cases of coronavirus. These areas can be found on the Centers for Disease Control website. “We’re asking for everybody to use common sense,” Cook said. “You know I wouldn’t go to these areas that are listed on the map that have big red circles on. I know you may want to, but perhaps it’s not a great idea to do that.” With the precautions that
are transported to different hospitals around Lubbock, whether it be at the University Medical Center or the Covenant Medical Center. During the simulation, Eric Finley, marketing director for University Medical Center, said medical professionals at the institution had to expect about 25 patients with no idea about the severity of the patients’ injuries. “But what we do when we set up these emergency responses is we divide up areas of the hospital to receive certain patients,” he said. “The most critically injured go to one area and on down the scale go to different areas.” Keeping track of where patients are and who needs to be cared for is one task UMC is focusing on for the exercise, Finley said. At the entrance of the UMC emergency room, areas were sectioned off for the injured who all have different levels of injury. As soon as the drill started in the morning, Finley said UMC workers got a call and set up the different triage sections.
UMC is a level 1 trauma center, which means the hospital is staffed 24/7, Finley said. Even though the hospital has a little over 500 beds for patients, it still can get full. “That’s part of the drill is how do we keep patient flow and keep patient care going and also meet this demand,” he said. In a real disaster, Finley said UMC may have to offload patients to other facilities in town. “It’s never going to be truly realistic, of course,” he said regarding the exercise. “But it is good to have mishaps in these situations, so we can prepare for them.” Dr. Charles Bayouth, trauma medical director at Covenant Health, said workers are mobilizing resources to take care of large amounts of patients. “Drilling shows where your weaknesses are and what you can work on,” he said. “Also, it just helps you kind of have muscle memory.” With enough practice, medical professionals can be prepared for mass-casualty
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CASSANDRA MARTINEZ/The Daily Toreador
Lubbock City Manager Jarrett Atkinson, Director of Public Health Katherine Wells and Local Health Authority Dr. Ronald Cook discuss the novel coronavirus (COVID-19). The map pictured in the background shows the location of all confirmed coronavirus cases and should be consulted when planning travel. The QR Code on the left links to the actively updated website. the city has taken, Cook said preventing the spread of the coronavirus is the best option for the sake of the community, despite the sacrifices citizens may have to make to
their daily routines. “Is this going to happen? It’s going to come to Lubbock,” Cook said. “It’s going to come. But if we can keep sick patients at home, who
don’t need to be out and about and running around. Then we can (prevent the health system from getting overwhelmed).”
situations, Bayouth said. City-wide Communication Throughout the exercise, multiple departments were trying to connect with other units to clarify whether certain information was correct, and people wanted information regarding those involved in the plane crash. In addition to the different public safety units working on the scene of the crash and around Lubbock, American Airline employees also got experience working during a masscasualty event, as they had to provide a mock briefing to family members of passengers on the plane. The mock briefing, which was conducted inside the Lubbock Airport, consisted of the employees answering questions from actors pretending to be concerned family members. Even though certain information could not be provided to the family members, other efforts were taken during the exercise to demonstrate how public safety units share information. The Emergency Operations Center was open for the simulation. Joe Moudy, deputy director of emergency management, said representatives from LFR, the Lubbock Police Department, Homeland Security, EMS, the Lubbock County Medical Examiner’s Office and the city manager’s office worked at the Emergency Operations Center. “In this one, we’re coordinating the response of PD, fire, EMS but making sure the rest of the city is covered,” he said. If another emergency takes place in the city while
departments are busy with the plane crash, Moudy said different public safety departments will have people out in the field. Whether it be regarding the plane crash or other emergencies in Lubbock, communication may be vital in a variety of instances. “Communication, I’ll tell you, is always an issue,” Glass said. “In any emergency service, communication, a lot of time, is a problem, because radios don’t work, things get broken. It’s just one of those things.” When a mass-casualty incident does occur, a phone call to the appropriate departments is how the response to the mass-casualty event starts, Glass said. Other departments are contacted shortly after to get their help. Along with communication among different departments, one may wonder about how often Lubbock officials communicate certain information regarding the crash to the public. Lacey Nobles, communications and marketing manager for the City of Lubbock, said the Lubbock Joint Information Center will be in operation during an Emergency Operation Center activation. The JIC consists of Lubbock public information officers coming together to clarify information from the public and different agencies. “We come in here, and we work together to get a coordinated communication out to the public,” she said, “and the PIOs that are normally in here are from Lubbock Police Department, Lubbock Fire Rescue and the City of Lubbock. Today, we
have more.” Representatives from the Lubbock Airport, Texas Department of Public Safety and the Lubbock County Sheriff ’s Office were also included in the JIC for the simulation, Nobles said. “It’s just a way to coordinate the message to better inform the citizens that we are all working in tandem, saying the same thing and not duplicating our efforts,” she said. Allison Matherly, LPD public information officer, said in large-scale emergencies such as a plane crash, information comes in quickly. “Police could hear something that would be different than what fire would hear or the city would hear,” she said, “and so by being in the same room, not only here in the JIC but also in the EOC, we can easily communicate ‘Well, this is what I’m hearing, this is what we need to confirm.’ The individuals who need to do that work to confirm all are already in the same place.” Whether it be information from media outlets or social media, Matherly said the people apart of the JIC confirm with the different agencies before releasing information to the public. Exercise End During the full-scale exercise, there were multiple moving parts, as city departments worked on and off the crash site to help citizens and people worked behind the scenes to provide information to the public and media. But one may wonder what different public safety agencies learn from this exercise. Even though the exercise consisted of a simulation of a plane crash and the events that follow the same day, Glass said the exercise also helps those participating, whether they be public safety workers or not, to prepare for other city-wide emergencies. “These events, it’s not if they’re going to happen, it’s when they do,” he said. “In my 28-year career, I have seen a lot of things, but I haven’t seen it all.” A plane crash would impact a majority of people, whether it be the people involved in the crash or people working to help those in need or care, Glass said. “There are tons and tons of planes coming in and out of Lubbock on a day-to-day basis,” Glass said. “Thousands of passengers coming in and out, and all these flights coming in and out of Lubbock International Airport, you know, those are families. Those are husbands, wives, children coming in and out of Lubbock.” Compared to the last full-scale exercise, one can see a lot of changes in how certain departments respond to these drills, Glass said. “I’ve seen numbers of responses, how we actually deploy resources for certain aspects, so there’s a lot of changes that have taken place over the years,” he said. “Just to make sure that when something like this does occur, we’re better prepared to make things more fluid and operate more smoothly.”
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PROFILE
LA VIDA
Page 3 thursday, March 12, 2020
Yellow Caped Raiders raises puppies, educates community By ELIZABETH HERBERT
Assistant News & La Vida Editor Yellow Caped Raiders is a student organization at Texas Tech that focuses on fostering and training puppies with the hope of getting the dogs adopted as assistance animals. The organization is part of Canine Companions for Independence. The two work together to provide fully trained animals to those who need assistance. Viktoria Haynes, a junior microbiology major from Boerne and student organization representative, said her organization receives puppies when they are about eight weeks old. “So, we do that kind of, like, first part of getting the little eight-week-old puppies that barely know their name and turn them into dogs that are ready to start learning tasks to be with their future person,” she said. Yellow Caped Raiders has three dogs in training: Bleu II, Lionel IV and Mikuni. Haynes said a fourth puppy, a yellow female, will join the organization on Friday. Haynes’ job as a puppy raiser involves preparing a puppy for its future person, but after training the animal, Haynes said the organization sends the dog off to participate in six months of professional training. “We raise them for about 18 months,” she said. “We teach them 30-ish commands during that time and we take them on outings, they attend class with us and we kind of prepare them for their future role as an assistance dog.” Members will take puppies to train in real-life scenarios, such as visiting rehabilitation centers and nursing homes in Lubbock, as well as more formal training scenarios, Haynes said. “So, we also invite all of our students to come out to those things, and then we hold, separate from that, we do hold our full training two times a month, and we’ll invite our students out to those, especially those who are wanting to raise,” Haynes said. People who want to join the organization but do not want to raise a puppy are welcome to join and participate in events, which Haynes said is helpful for training the puppies. “They also hang out with us in the free speech area, and it’s great for our dogs to
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The Yellow Caped Raiders is a student-run organization partnered with Canine Companions for Independence. Their focus is training service dogs and educating students about service dogs. practice being handled by other people,” she said. “So at the end of our meetings, typically we’ll do some puppy games where we’ll allow our members to actually handle the dogs, practice a couple of commands — it’s really great training for our dogs to be able to listen to anyone who has the leash.” There are five types of assistance dogs Haynes said the puppies can become. There are service dogs for those who have physical disabilities, hearing dogs for people who have hearing impairments and facility dogs that go into areas such as hospitals, court rooms and rehabilitation centers; these dogs differ from therapy dogs in how they are trained. Facility dogs can play games, such as soccer, and some can even “practice” taking medication to encourage hospital patients to do the same. Additionally, there are skilled companions meant for those with developmental disabilities such as Downs Syndrome or Autism. These dogs will have a handler, who is the person with the disability, and a facilitator, typically the person’s guardian, who has control of the leash. Lastly, there are PTSD dogs for veterans. These dogs may also act as service dogs depending on the physical needs of the veteran. Not all puppies that are raised with the intention of becoming assistance animals have what it takes to be an assistance dog, Haynes said. “The graduation rate is about 60 percent, actually, from the puppies who are placed with us to those who graduate, it’s about 60 percent
of dogs,” she said. Dogs that are not fit for the job are first offered back to their puppy raisers. If the puppy raiser does not take the dog, Haynes said it is then offered to someone on the Canine Companions waitlist, such as a donor. “And so, the dogs typically wind up in a very loving home if they are released and do not go back to the puppy raiser,” she said. Raising a puppy, even for a limited time, can be expensive, and Haynes said members of the organization pay for vet bills, treats, toys and other goods out-of-pocket. “The service dogs are placed completely free of charge to whoever they wind up being placed with, the graduate, so all of puppy raising is volun-
teer work,” she said. “In order for them to be able to place the dogs free of charge to those who have a disability, we do our part by volunteering and paying for our dogs.” Veterinarians and community members contribute both fiscally and by providing goods, but Haynes said there is still a fee, so members of the organization discuss finances during monthly meetings and fundraise when needed. “So, we do fundraising; we’ll go over our dogs and then we do a lot of outreach and a lot of education,” she said. “That’s really important to us, is teaching about service dog etiquette, about the Americans with Disabilities Act, things like that.” Education is important, as Haynes said puppy raisers have faced stigma and roadblocks due to the actions of others. “We’ve gotten a lot of pushback from different places around Lubbock and even everywhere across the state and everywhere across the nation because there are so many fake service dogs out there,” she said. “That’s something that we really struggle with, is getting access to some places because they’ve had fake service dogs before that really give a bad name to all service dogs.” A service dog is allowed anywhere its handler goes, and in the state of Texas, documentation is not required to bring either a fully trained service animal or a service animal in training in public areas, ac-
cording to the Texas Disability Law on Service Dogs. Differentiating between actual service animals and pets who are simply being taken out by their owners may be difficult, as Haynes said no one is expected to have proof of training on hand. “Luckily, the people at Canine Companions in Dallas, or in Irving, have sent us paperwork saying, like, ‘These are puppy raisers, we are a part of a national organization that is a non-profit, these dogs do go through extensive training,’ just to kind of help,” she said. Once the puppies have trained at a Canine Companions for Independence regional site, they are ready to be adopted by a graduate, and Haynes said the puppy raiser gets to see both the graduate and the dog once again. “Then there’s the whole graduation ceremony in which the puppy raiser hands off the leash to the new graduate, which is a very, very special moment to be able to say, like, ‘Here you go, here’s what I’ve spent the past 18 months with all my heart and soul
dedicating to,’” she said, “but now the dog gets to go work for the new person, and sometimes the graduates even keep in touch, which is super awesome.” All students are welcome to join Yellow Caped Raiders. Leah Thye, a junior companion animal science student from Bedford and president of Yellow Caped Raiders, said the organization will rely on Canine Companions for Independence when necessary. “We’re really close with the people there,” she said. “They have been huge supporters of us and our club; they’re always there when we need to reach out to them.” Thye said raising a puppy meant to serve someone who needs it is difficult, yet rewarding. “So, it’s very rewarding, but very hard at the same time,” she said, “more so hard because just knowing that, ‘Oh, I’ve raised this dog since they were eight weeks old and they’re overall not mine,’ but rewarding in the sense of, ‘Oh, they’re gonna go serve a greater purpose, help someone who really needs them,’ and it’s just rewarding, being a part of that process.” @EHerbertDT
OPINIONS
Page 4 Thursday, March 12, 2020
COLUMN
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COVID-19 tagging along for memorable Spring Break
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e are days away from spring break, a much needed one in this columnist’s opinion. However, before we hit the beaches or the pools to suntan we must address the elephant in the room: the coronavirus. Though some have made light of the situation, some of us will be traveling to areas that have reported cases. Earlier this week, the Red Raider family received a letter from President Schovanec saying the university will be canceling all spring break trips that were sponsored by the university. Personal travel, either domestic and international travel was also discouraged. I applaud President Schovanec for taking this course of action to help protect the Tech community and the students’ personal wellbeing. While
Mateo Rosiles is a sophomore journalism major from Lubbock.
I know that students won’t cancel their plans to go see friends and family just because President Schovanec asks them, I ask them to take special precautions. Our Red Raider family is diverse and we come from many different areas, not only from around the United States but also from around the world. For those going to see their families both here in the U.S. or in other countries, I ask you, dear readers, to heed the State Department travel warnings and the Centers for Disease Control guidelines to better protect yourself. According to the CDC website, the following
states and territories have not reported any cases of Coronavirus: Alabama, Alaska, American Samoa, Arkansas, Delaware, Guam, Idaho, Maine, Michigan, Mississippi, Montana, New Mexico, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota, West Virginia and Wyoming. Washington, New York and California all have over a hundred confirmed cases reported and vacationers should exercise caution when visiting those locations. For those visiting cities in Texas, know that there are only thirteen cases confirmed by the CDC here. The Texas Department of State Health Services states only Collin, Fort Bend and Harris Counties have confirmed cases. This information was current at the time of writing. For more information, see the CDC and the
Texas DSHS website.
This year, we just have to be mindful of the current situation that is going on. Protect yourself and those around you from getting sick. For those going out of the country, know that China and Iran have Level Four- Do Not Travel Advisories by the State Department. Italy, South Korea, Mongolia, Turkmenistan and Azerbaijan have Level Three- Reconsider Travel Advisories at the time of writing this column. If you are coming back from an area heavily affected and have a travel advisory of level three or above are
required to self-isolate for fourteen days. If this information is pertinent to you, then report to the Office of International Affairs for Texas Tech. They will help coordinate your return and self-isolation. See President Schovanec’s letter to the university for more information. According to the CDC, when traveling to these areas over the break, the best methods to prevent contracting the virus are the following: wash your hands frequently, avoid touching your face, clean surfaces that are used daily and avoid close contact with others. While it will be hard to remember to constantly do these things while you are having fun, I urge you to practice these prevention methods as best as you can. Spring break in college is a time to make
memories that will last a lifetime. Hanging out with friends by the poolside, going out to eat with family and taking a much needed break from lectures and homework is what spring break is all about. If you are one of the few students, myself included, staying in Lubbock, then I recommend reading my fellow opinions columnist, Angela Contreras’ opinion on things to do in Lubbock over the break. This year, we just have to be mindful of the current situation that is going on. Protect yourself and those around you from getting sick. Also, to those who are of age, please be responsible when consuming alcoholic beverages. Go have fun and make some amazing memories, have an amazing spring break. @MateoRosilesDT
COLUMN
Best Spring Break attractions in the Lubbock area
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t either felt like it came too fast or took its time teasing us with those rare, sunny, warm days that would occur every now and then. However, spring break is amongst us, and the thought of taking a week off from early morning grinds and late-night study sessions is so refreshing. Getting on those flights and taking off to the beach or driving to the nearest mountain to ski is something many have been planning since the
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Angela Contreras is a senior public relations major from Sabinal.
semester started. While these thoughts are exciting, what about those who have decided to stay in Lubbock for the break? Don’t worry, you can still have an exciting and refreshing break if you are staying in the area during this time. While Lubbock may not seem like the most exciting spring break destination spot, the adventure truly is in what you make of it. There are many experiences west Texas can provide for you this spring break. For starters, a day spent hiking or a few nights spent camping is as outdoors as it can get. Everyone wants to feel that fresh air and sunshine during spring break, and Palo Duro Canyon can offer all those things. Located about an hour and a half away from Lub-
bock, Palo Duro is known as “The other Grand Canyon” as it is the second largest canyon in the country. There a multitude of options for camping out at Palo Duro, including tent sites, cabins and RV parking. Just grab some friends and take a hike or plan a few nights under the stars in one of nature's amazing creations. If Palo Duro is still too far to go camping for you, another option is to camp right at Lubbock’s very own lake. Buffalo Springs Lake can be just as fun as camping at the canyon if you bring the right people and the right mindset. It also has something Palo Duro does not—two manmade “beaches.” You don’t have to go all the way to the coast to experience a beach, Lubbock has it here for you; you can boat, jet ski or just hangout on the sands. Buffalo Springs Lake also has multiple nature trails and a small golf course located around the beaches. If you’re looking for something in a more re-
laxed environment and aren’t much of a golfer like myself, then The Range is the perfect place for you to hang out this spring break. Shooting golf balls freely without all the technicalities of golf and hanging out with some live music can make for the perfect night.
Whatever adventure you decide to take this spring break, just remember the experience is all up to you and whatever you make of it. In this relaxed environment, you can enjoy a rustic charm with some soothing tunes, great drink specials and affordable tee time. There are also washer pits and other outdoor games to take advantage of. Speaking of great drink specials, there are some great winery and margarita tours happening
this spring break in Lubbock. Keep note, this one is just for those of age and you must keep your ID on you at all times. The Margarita Crawl Lubbock is happening March 14 beginning at Flippers Tavern. In this event, you will visit multiple venues with your ticket you purchased online and experience sweet drink specials all day long. Tickets can be found on Eventbrite or the event’s Facebook page. If you aren’t much of a tequila person, then don’t worry—there will also be a Spring Break Patty’s Day Tour on March 17. At this event, you will be visiting two different wineries in Lubbock all while traveling by limo in the span of four hours. Tickets for this event are priced at $75 dollars but include all wine tasting and your sweet limo ride. Tickets can be purchased at westtxwinetours.com. While all this touring sounds fun, if you aren’t 21 then there is a disadvantage for a few of the
events. No worries, Lubbock still has more to offer than alcoholic beverages. Different activities like the Altitude Trampoline Park, skating rinks, Lubbock escape rooms, paint ball and Main Event are all fun attractions you can take advantage of this spring break. Now is the time to discover all the amazing things Lubbock has for you. Whatever adventure you decide to take this spring break, just remember the experience is all up to you and whatever you make of it. Having a positive mindset and allowing yourself to enjoy your w ell- earned time off is the most important thing. Even if you just decided to spend your week catching up on all the sleep you’ve lost during the semester, then take full of advantage of it. Your spring break should be enjoyed the way you want it to. Be safe and spend your time off just the way you intend to. @AngContrerasDT
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La Vida Editor Elizabteth Herbert features@dailytoreador.com Sports Editor Max Hengst sports@dailytoreador.com Opinions Editor Gloria Matheson opinions@dailytoreador.com Multimedia Editor Audrey Kerr photo@dailytoreador.com Digital Content Manager Mallory Rosetta online@dailytoreador.com Copy Editor Akhila Reddy Emma Sipple online@dailytoreador.com
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SPORTS
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MEN’S TENNIS
Page 5 thursday, march 12, 2020
Thomson sets program record in doubles wins By ARIANNA FLORES Staff Writer
The Texas Tech men’s tennis team’s redshirt senior Bjorn Thomson recently set a new record for the program with 87 doubles victories in his career as a Red Raider. The previous record was held by Gonzalo Escobar with 82 wins. The United Kingdom native said he was unaware he broke the program record until after winning the doubles match with junior Ilgiz Valiev against the University of Texas San Antonio 6-3, according to Tech Athletics.
NEXT MEN’S TENNIS HOME GAME • • •
WHEN — March 25, 11 a.m. WHERE — McLeod Tennis Center WHO — Northwestern Univeristy
“We miscalculated, so, like, the day it happened, like, I didn’t even know it happened, so I went back home and looked at the record book to show I tied it,” Thomson said. “And I was like, oh maybe, and then I did, so it was cool.” Thomson started his tennis career at Tech his sophomore year in 2016 and had a .824 double match-winning percentage, marking the fifth-best in Tech history, according to Tech Athletics. “I am just making the most of each moment I can on the court,” Thomson
said. “There is no favorite season. I love all my teammates and playing for Texas Tech.” Thomson secured the team’s best 27-12 doubles record that year, with 27 wins marking the thirdmost doubles victories in a single season in Tech history, according to Tech Athletics. Both Hugo Dojas and Felipe Soares had previously recorded 29 victories. “Each doubles player I have played with has helped me in a different way,” Thomson said. “Each doubles player brings something different.” Thomson started his doubles victories with Alex Sendegeya and finished his first season with an overall 16-12 record, according to Tech Athletics. When partnered with Connor Curry, Thomson won 14 of the 15 matches and had a 6-5 record against ranked opponents. The pair ended with a 14-3 record and together recorded 27 double wins, the third-most in program history. Thomson received a redshirt in 2017 due to an injury in his junior season, according to Tech Athletics. Once Thomson was back on the courts in 2018, he and senior Parker Wynn recorded 29 doubles victories and finished runner-up to the ITA Fall National Championships. “Parker had great serves, my first doubles partner Alex Sendegeya had a greater return,” Thomson said. “Connor
FILE PHOTOS/The Daily Toreador
LEFT: Senior Bjorn Thomson serves the ball against Tulsa at Mcleod Tennis Center on Friday Feb. 28, 2020. RIGHT: Bjorn Thomson prepares to hit the tennis ball at McLeod Tennis Center on Sunday, March 1, 2020.
had great returns, and then there is different chemistry and things like that, so each person is different.” This is Thomson’s final season as a Red Raider and so far he has posted a 6-2 record with Valiev, according to Tech Athletics. “[This season] it’s definitely a little more nostalgic. I know I don’t have anymore playing time with Texas Tech, I love the school,” Thomson said. “It’s not sad, but I am really going to miss it.” The Red Raiders have three more home matches
left this season, with two of those games against Texas and Texas Christian University, both Big 12 teams, according to Tech Athletics. Thomson has two tournaments and six matches left to continue to win in dual matches with his teammates and raise the bar for the record even higher. “For me [breaking the record] is really special, and since I love the school and just being able to have my name on some part of the history at Tech is just amazing to me,” he said. @AriannaFloresDT
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6
SPORTS
MARCH 12, 2020
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MEN’S BASKETBALL
Lieberman reflects on friendship with Emmett By MAX HENGST Sports Editor
Nancy Lieberman had a friendship with Andre Emmett like no other. After Emmett’s passing, Lieberman has made it her mission to give back to the community in honor of him. “I would do anything for him,” Lieberman said. “He was like a son to me and we became amazing friends in the last two years.” Lieberman and Emmett were both a part of the BIG3 basketball league, f o u n d e d by h i p hop artist Ice Cube. Lieberman was the head coach of Power w h i l e Emmett played for 3’s Company. Despite being on separate teams, Emmett and Lieberman first met at an airport in 2018 when they both took one of the earliest flights possible as they were traveling for the BIG3. This became something that was frequent, as both Lieberman and Emmett preferred to take the first flight when traveling. Through this, the two formed a bond that could not be matched. Lieberman and Emmett would ask passengers to switch seats so they could sit next to each other and would talk about everything ranging from family to sex – nothing was off-limits for the two. “He was 37, I was 60. We w e r e r e a l l y g r e a t friends,” Lieberman said. “I didn’t go to clubs, but we got each other and people would go, ‘So how does that work?’ It works because our heart is red, we bleed red and it didn’t matter that I was white. It didn’t matter if he was African American.”
Emmett played basketball for Texas Tech from 2000-04, averaging 17.6 points and six rebounds a game, according to sportsreference.com. He remains the program’s all-time leading scorer with 2,256 career points in his four seasons as a Red Raider. Emmett’s time as a Red Raider was one of many connections Lieberman had with Tech. One connection that some may not know about involves Lieberman’s son, T.J. Cline. Cline played basketball for Richmond and was named the Atlantic 10 Player of the Year a f t e r averaging 18.6 points and 8.1 rebounds per game, according to sports-reference.com. Two of theworst games of Cline’s career were played against Tech. Along with Tech giving her son trouble in college, Lieberman also had connections with current head coach Chris Beard and former head coach Bob Knight. Lieberman met Beard in 2017 when her foundation opened a Dream Court in Lubbock and he was the MC of the event. She has known Knight for a little longer. When Lieberman was 19-yearsold, she was a member of the women’s Pan American Games team when he was the coach of the men’s team. Since first meeting him, Lieberman said she has kept in touch with Knight and his wife to this day. “Bobby actually taught me how to start a sentence cursing and how to end a sentence cursing,” Lieberman said jokingly. “I wasn’t that proficient at that stage of my life.”
On one of their plane rides, Lieberman said Emmett told her he hated how hard Knight was on him in his time at Tech. As he reflected years later, Emmett told Lieberman that he was grateful and loved Knight for what he did for him. “He loved Texas Tech like I loved Old Dominion University,” Lieberman said. Lieberman had a decorated career at Old Dominion, averaging 18.1 points, 8.7 assists and 3.8 steals per game, according to odusports.com. She still leads the program all-time with 961 career assists and ranks second with 512 career steals. She also led the Lady Monarchs to back-to-back championships, posting a 72- record during the reign. With Lieberman and Emmett both having successful careers in college, the two would joke with each other about their team’s accomplishments. When Emmett would talk about what he did at Tech, Lieberman would joke about the championship banners she helped her team achieve. This was just one of many instances of the duo’s humorous relationship. Although Lieberman and Emmett’s relationship was full of jokes and sarcasm, the bond the two had was deeper than just the fun times. “He was a giver, not a taker; he cared about people, he wanted to know your story, he was very curious,” Lieberman said. In one of the memorable interactions Lieberman had with Emmett, he asked about her motivational posts on social media that she has been doing for over 10 years. On one of their plane rides, Emmett pulled up Lieberman’s social media and asked her what she was thinking when she posted each message for a deeper understanding. Lieberman said she admired the questions because not a lot of
young people would reach out to find a deeper meaning. “He had a heart of gold,” Lieberman said. “He was very deep. He was so intelligent.” In 2018, Emmett and Lieberman’s teams played in the BIG3 Championship Game. A couple of minutes into the first half, a fight broke out between the teams. Lieberman said she was not going to let anyone hurt her guys, so she went in the middle of the scuffle, but Emmett grabbed her and pushed her to the side. She said Emmett told her he did not want her to get hurt. Fast-forwarding to the Friday before Emmett’s death, he called Lieberman about getting his knee shot up with stem cells as she and her son had experience with it. She happened to be at Apex, the place where she gets it done, and they set his appointment up for the next Monday. Emmett then called her later asking if she would go with him to his treatment. As Lieberman and Emmett had plans to go to the doctor Monday, she received a phone call around 7 a.m. The call was from someone in the BIG3 telling her that Emmett p a s s e d a w a y. She added that the news was not processing at first, especially since the two had plans later that day. “ We l o s t a good human being,” Lieberman said. “I know people say he’s in a better place. I get that he’s with God, I love that he’s in heaven, but it hurts.” Following the loss of Emmett, Lieberman sat with his mother to think of things they could do to honor him.
FILE PHOTO/The Daily Toreador
Texas Tech men’s basketball guard Andre Emmett backs down his opponent in attempt to score. In Emmett’s four seasons at Tech, Emmett recorded 2,256 points to lead the program all-time. On Feb. 17, Lieberman’s foundation ‘Nancy Lieberman Charities’ had its Dream Ball and started a scholarship which would send a kid from Carter High School, Emmett’s former high school, to college in his honor. Emmett’s Foundation ‘Dreams Really Exist’ hosted an event over Christmas as well, and Lieberman and her foundation donated 420 bikes for young kids. The donations did not stop there, as L i e b e rman’s foundation will install a D r e a m Court in both Oak Cliff and Lubbock.
“All the young kids that are trying to create dreams like Dre did will have this court,” Lieberman said. “It will be a court of diversity, inclusion, opportunity, equity, teammates that don’t look like each other can get along because, you know, it’s a melting pot of humanity – basketball. It will embody everything Andre Emmett stood for in a place that was really impactful for him.” Along with Lieberman’s contributions, the Tech community has done its share to honor the star guard. This season, the Red Raiders have worn a patch on their jerseys to honor the program’s allteam leading scorer. Tech also recognized Emmett at the Texas game on Feb. 29, framing his jersey as his family attended the game. “He was my role model. He was my hero,” Lieberman said. “I wanted to be like him.” @MaxHengstDT