February 20, 2018 Kscope

UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER

TUESDAY, FEB. 20, 2018

VOLUME 59, ISSUE 6

The

Kaleidoscope 10

21-4 ON THE YEAR, ONE OF THE BEST RECORDS IN PROGRAM HISTORY

FIELD GOALS

CAREER-HIGH

THE LADY BLAZERS ARE

FOR DEANNA KUZMANIC

HELD 19TH BEST 3-POINT SHOOTING TEAM IN NATION TO

16.7

PERCENT FROM BEYOND THE ARC

A strong finish Lady Blazers near top of C-USA, just outside AP Top 25 entering final week of play Savannah Snowden Sports Reporter savsno@uab.edu

On Thursday, Feb. 16, the Lady Blazers had all but won against conference rivals Rice University when a sudden catch up just 16 seconds from the final buzzer by the Owls snapped UAB into action. UAB bounded ahead and burned down the clock to win 70-63.

This game marked seven-straight wins for the Lady Blazers. With only six games remaining, the team will

look to carry this momentum into the championships.

“Really pleased with that win,” said UAB Head Coach Randy Norton.

“It was hard fought, like it’s supposed to be. When you’re trying to win a championship and you’re playing one of the other top teams in the league it is going to be a tough game.”

The Lady Blazers ended Thursday’s game with a total of 27 rebounds and 18 assists—with only ten turnovers.

UAB also shot 11 3-pointers.

UAB ranks third in the nation for 3-point percentage of 40.8, only

behind Oregon State and Maryland, with 41.7 and 41.0, respectively.

“We have such great balance with our team, we are not just a three point shooting team,” Norton said. “If you take away the threes, we’ve still got kids that can play inside.”

The first quarter ended with a two point lead by Rice, 18-16. During the second quarter, UAB scrambled to catch up to Rice, finally pulling even on a layup by Childress just one minute before halftime.

UAB started the second half leading 36-33. The Lady Blazers charged

ahead with this lead, but the Owls stayed hot on their heels through the third quarter and into the fourth.

“It definitely wasn’t perfect,” Norton said. “We had some breakdowns, but we started four sophomores and a junior tonight. We are still pretty young, and we are going to have some growing pains.”

The final quarter started with UAB seven points ahead of Rice, but in the final minute, the Owls had made up the deficit. With 16 seconds

See WOMEN’S, Page 5

OUTDOOR ACTIVITIES

Greenest trails in B’ham’s backyard Closest getaway spots where you can experience nature Allie Milton Life & Style Reporter miltona@uab.edu

As winter’s chill begins to fade and spring approaches, everything starts to warm

and get a bit greener again.

Many prepare for upcoming camping trips and nature expeditions.

Hiking a trail or taking a time to reconnect with nature is always a good thing, and

Birmingham’s surrounding area is a rich place to explore.

One of the most recognizable symbols of Birmingham is Vulcan. With smaller figures scattered throughout the area, the 50-ton iron figure, visible from campus, is renowned for being the world’s largest cast iron statue.

Closest to the Magic City’s overseer is Vulcan Park’s

walking trail. Though currently closed for renovations, it will be reopening soon and open until dusk every day for visitors to enjoy.

For a deeper expedition into nature, parks such as Oak Mountain State Park and Red Mountain Park have abundant opportunities for exploration.

“You can’t go wrong with

some of the more well-known trails like at Oak Mountain and Red Mountain,” said Brandon Keith Alford, senior in biology and president of the Birdwatcher’s Club at UAB. “Both places have some nice views, like King’s Chair, and varied biodiversity, especially at Oak Mountain.”

See HIKING, Page 8

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

Volume 59, Issue 6

here & there

2

FROM YOUR PERSPECTIVE

JOKE OF THE WEEK What do you call a black panther who is out of shape?

A black panter.

THIS WEEK IN STUDENT MEDIA

- Kristina Balciunaite, Life and Style Editor Impact the latest issue of Aura Literary Arts Review with your story.

Send our team your short stories, poetry, fiction or nonfiction prose to auraartsreview@ gmail.com.

Our staff accepts a wide array of creative writing and visual art, so now is a great time to tell your story and #ShareYourAura today!

PHOTO OF THE WEEK

Contact Aura at auraartsreview@ gmail.com.

PHOTO BY DAWSON/STAFF PHOTOGAPHER UAB’s Deanna Kuzmanic and Immani Johnson scramble for a loose ball along with Rice’s No. 25 Kendall Ellig and No.5 Lauren Grigsby during the Blazers’ 70-63 win Thurs. evening.

THIS WEEK IN HISTORY February 20, 1985: Ireland allows sale of contraceptives

In a highly controversial vote, the Irish government defies the Catholic Church and approves the sale of contraceptives.

February 21, 1965: Malcolm X assassinated

In New York City, Malcolm X, storied African American nationalist and religious leader, is assassinated by rival Black Muslims while addressing his Organization of Afro-American Unity.

INSIDE THIS ISSUE

February 22, 1980: U.S. hockey team makes miracle on ice

In one of the most dramatic upsets in Olympic history, the underdog U.S. hockey team, made up of college players, defeats the fourtime defending gold-medal winning Soviet team at the XIII Olympic Winter Games in Lake Placid, New York.

BlazeRadio is hot this semester! Stay tuned for news about “Lip-Sync Battle Night”, taking place on March 22! We also have a bunch of great shows and personalities, so be sure to tune into our 24/7 station at blazeradio.org and you can follow us on Twitter @blazeradio!

Contact BlazeRadio at alex96@uab.edu.

February 23, 1945: U.S. flag raised on Iwo Jima

During the bloody battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines take the crest of Mount Suribachi, the island’s highest peak, and raise the U.S. flag.

February 24, 1836: Alamo defenders call for help

In San Antonio, Texas, Colonel William Travis issues a call for help on behalf of the Texan troops defending the Alamo, an old Spanish mission and fortress under attack by the Mexican army.

February 25, 1964: Clay knocks out Liston

22-year-old Cassius Clay shocks the odds-makers by dethroning world heavyweight boxing champ Sonny Liston in a seventh-round technical knockout.

February 26, 1919: Two national parks preserved, 10 years apart

Two national parks were established in the United States 10 years apart: Grand Canyon National Park in 1919 and the Grand Tetons National Park in 1929.

If you wish to see your event displayed in our calendar, please contact Chandler Jones at chanj1@uab.edu.

Contact UABTV at morris95@uab.edu.

What: Michael McDonald Concert Where: UAB’s Alys Stephen’s Center When: 7 - 9 p.m.

What: Student-Athlete Career Fair Who: UAB Career & Professional Development Where: Bartow Arena When: 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.

onday

What: The Loft Show Who: The Loft Show Where: The Phoenix Building When: 7 p.m.

What: Professional Women Mixer Who: American Association of University Women at UAB Where: Hill Student Center

sunday

What: The Best Medicine Show Who: Rush Wines Where: The Lyric Fine Arts Theatre When: 7-10 p.m.

aturday

What: Women’s Basketball vs.

Middle Tennessee Where: Bartow Arena When: 11a.m.

riday

What: Baseball vs. Alabama State Where: Regions Field When: 4 p.m.

hursday

uesday

What: Love Your Body Week at Treat Yourself Tuesday Who: Elon Dining Services Where: Moseley Center When: 11am 1pm

ednesday

If you would like to be featured in our “In Your Perspective” please contact Will Harris at willhrrs@uab.edu.

WEEKLY SCHEDULE

UABTV successfully finished its first gubernatorial interview with candidate James Field.

The episode will be released Friday at 1 p.m. We have our next interview scheduled and look forward to the public viewing.

Blazer Talk will resume production on Tuesday with a brand new look and revamp.

Volume 59, Issue 6

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

opinion Spring 2018 Editorial Board Chandler Jones Editor-in-Chief

3

SOCIAL MEDIA

New Snapchat, who dis?

chanj1@uab.edu

Wallace Golding Managing Editor wsgoldin@uab.edu

Sufia Alam

Campus Editor sufia@uab.edu

Kristina Balciunaite Life & Style Editor kribal@uab.edu

Lakyn Shepard Photo Editor

layshep@uab.edu

Connor Gentry Sports Editor

zcgentry@uab.edu

Bella Tylicki

Metro Editor btylicki@uab.edu

Austin Simpson

mix things up a bit (and not in that “let’s all get matching tattoos” sort of way).

As if there wasn’t “I’m already disorenough to be outraged ganized,” said Simon about, Snapchat’s newPeeples, a freshman in est update has discomchemistry. “I don’t need bobulated and added Snapchat getting disorunnecessary confusion ganized on me, too.” to the user expeNow, upon rience. swiping left, According to you’ll see that a Feb. 12 artiyour messages cle from Slate, and Stories are in Snapchat authors one place. Sounds intended for more convenient, the update to right?

Rose increase acThink again. cessibility and The Stories are make it less confusing not in chronological orfor older generations. der, and neither are the An obviously unwise messages. That means move considering you might have troumost of the app’s user ble locating those you base hails from those actually want to talk to, 20-and-younger. while that guy you left Instead of having on “Opened” in 2016 distinct, separate pages will be plastered at the for messages, Stovery top of the page. ries and other media, It wasn’t enough that Snapchat has decided to our Google accounts esParker Rose Columnist pdrose@uab.edu

sentially know us better than our own mothers based on our shopping history - now Snapchat is attempting to dictate our social circle based on an algorithm?

The Discover page can be found by swiping right, where users can view content from publishers as well as the Stories of celebrities you follow. They were too good to be forced to sit amongst the plethora of peasant stories lounging around in all corners of your disaster of an inbox.

Moreover, why does the Discover page need its own separate page?

While a large number of people get their daily dose of news coverage from social media apps, it is still disappointing to see many of these apps sacrificing their original unique identity and quality to accom-

modate all forms of media.

In short, Snapchat should simply focus on an efficient and fun way for users to communicate and express themselves through photos, rather than trying to be something it is not.

As of Valentine’s Day, nearly a million people have signed a Change.org petition to remove the new Snapchat update, and many other angry users have taken to other social media platforms such as Facebook and Twitter to voice their opinions.

We can only hope that Snapchat will return from its hiatus from logical app design.

However, Snapchat isn’t the only app to drink the Kool-Aid. Instagram changed its to anger and confusion of more than a few consumers. Changes

include only showing your new posts to 10 percent of your audience upon posting, waiting to see if your post gets enough traffic (comments, likes, etc.) before showing it to the remaining 90 percent of your followers. As a result, you’ll notice that your feed is no longer in chronological order.

“A lot of big companies think they are keeping with the times by making big changes,” said Christina Gantt, a senior in Psychology.

“Really, I think Snapchat needs to fix it.”

Snapchat still has time to return to its former glory and regain its user base. Hopefully, they will decide to make the change before their notable ghost character becomes less of a mascot and more of a symbol of their cultural status.

Visual Content Manger aussimp@uab.edu

Will Harris

Social Media Director willhrrs@uab.edu

Marie Sutton

Student Media Director masutton@uab.edu

Patrick Johnson

Production Manager plj3@uab.edu

ILLUSTRATION BY LEISHA CHAMBERS/ILLUSTRATOR

HAPPY BUDGETING

The pay yourself first budget plan Letters to the Editor can be submitted to Chandler Jones, Editor-in-Chief, at chanj1@uab.edu.

The Kaleidoscope functions as a memeber of UAB Student Media in association with UABTV, BlazeRadio and Aura.

Website: UAB.edu/kscope Twitter @UABkscope Facebook facebook.com/uabkscope/ Instagram instagram.com/ uabkscope/ The Kaleidoscope is produced in the office of UAB Student Media.

Suite 130 Hill Student Center 1400 University Blvd.

Birmingham, 35233 (205) 934-3354

Stephanie R. Yates, Endowed Professor and Director, UAB Regions Institute for Financial Education

R

ecently, we talked about the “pay yourself first” concept. In its simplest form, this concept means that you set aside money for savings before anything else. Some have taken the idea a step further and applied it to budgeting.

You can think of a traditional budget as a line-item budget where you plan how much you will spend on various items such as food, transportation, etc. For people who are new to the idea of budgeting or do not have a good sense for where their money goes each month, creating a line-item budget may seem like a daunting task.

One alternative to the lineitem budget, popularized by Elizabeth Warren’s book, “All Your Worth,” is the 50/30/20 budget.

In a 50/30/20 budget you focus on the big picture than on individual line items. To do this, you allocate your after-tax income as follows: • 50 percent to necessities and/or fixed expenses • 30 percent to wants and/or variable expenses • 20 percent to saving Once you have determined the amount you have to work with in each of these categories, you can then allocate funds within each category by line item. Alternatively, you can keep it simple by simply moving money into three different bank accounts. You might move the funds earmarked for necessities to one checking account, the funds earmarked for wants to a second checking account and the funds earmarked for savings to a savings account.

A twist on the 50/30/20 budget is the Pay Yourself First Budget, this budget sim-

ply requires you to determine how much you wish to save each month and allows you to spend the rest.

For example, you may decide that you need to save for the things like cars, vacations and emergencies.

The next step is to determine how much to save per month for each item.

You should determine these amounts based on the details of the goals that you have set.

How much do you typically spend per year? How much do you want to spend on holiday gifts? What major purchases do you anticipate, when will you make them and how much will they cost? What vacations are you planning and when and how much will they cost? Once you can answer these types of questions relative to your own savings goals, you can determine the total amount that you should save each month.

Now that you know how much you need to save each

month to reach your goals, simply subtract that amount from your monthly income, and that figure is what you have left for fixed and variable expenses. What happens if the funds remaining are not enough to live on? Then you will have to re-examine your goals and spending habits.

Are you sure that your goals are realistic at this time? Are you living too extravagantly relative to your goals?

The key difference between the 50/30/20 budget and the Pay Yourself First budget is the focus. The 50/30/20 budget focuses on allocating a pre-determined percentage of your funds to three specific spending categories and encourages you to live within those boundaries. The Pay Yourself First budget focuses on saving and encourages you to think of all other spending categories as secondary. Both budgeting methods can be very effective if used properly.

The choice is yours.

campus Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

Volume 59, Issue 6

4

THEATER

Henrietta Leavitt finds the stars UAB Theater will share the story of famed astonomer Myah Clinton Campus Reorter mkc16@uab.edu

The UAB Theatre Department revisits an era where women in science are not valued, in the Spring 2018 production of “Silent Sky,” a play about one of history’s most famous as astronomer and Harvard computer, Henrietta Leavitt.

According to space.com, Leavitt discovered while working at Harvard College Observatory that the brightness of stars could be used to “measure their distances” in space.

The Harvard computers were women who calculated stellar distances using pictures of the sky, because “They were never allowed to look in the telescope,” said Karla Koskinen, the play’s director.

Koskinen said the play recounts Leavitt’s work at Harvard College and her discovery. Other aspects are also explored in the storyline.

“It’s beautifully written,” Koskinen said. “The playwright [Lauren Gunderson] deals not only with the scientific world, but also looks at religion and work versus family.”

Victoria Cruz, a Spring 2017 graduate who recently auditioned for the MFA in Theatre program at UAB, plays Leavitt’s sister, Margaret.

Koskinen describes Margaret as a “homebody” and a “caregiver.”

According to Cruz, her character, Margaret, died as a child, but is still alive in the play when Leavitt goes to work for Harvard.

“The play-

wright used that real person and turned her into more of a maternal figure who represents family for Henrietta,” Cruz said.

Alicia Batterson, a senior in musical theatre, plays Henrietta and said she is different from her sister.

“Henrietta is this fiery personality,” Batterson said.

“She’s very much a go-getter. That wasn’t expected very much of women of the Victorian era.”

Some of

the actors’ research included reading the journals of the three women who worked with Leavitt at the Observatory available online, Koskinen said.

Those journals “helped them find more of the character,” said Hayley Procacci, one of the assistant directors and a senior in theatre performance.

Koskinen said there are a few similarities between “Silent Sky” and the 2016 film “Hidden Figures.”

Both works deal with women serving as human computers and tell “women’s untold

“

The playwright used that real person and turned her into more of a maternal figure.

—Victoria Cruz

stories.”

She also discussed how women were dissuaded from pursuing math and science careers during the 20th century.

Koskinen outlines several points she wants the audience to take away from the play.

“That’s criminal that all of these women who changed our world, [and] we don’t know anything about [them],” Koskinen said. “I want them [the audience] to think about that and how important women’s stories are in history. I also want them to reflect upon if women were always equal and given opportunities what would this world be like.”

Showings of “Silent Sky” are Feb. 21 to 24 starting at 7:30 p.m. and Feb. 25 at 2 p.m. in the Sirote Theatre in the Alys Stephens Performing Arts Center.

Student tickets are $6.

PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/PHOTO EDITOR Alicia Batterson (left) plays Henrietta Leavitt while Victoria Cruz (right) plays the sister Margaret Leavitt in the play Silent Sky coming soon to the Aly Stephens Center Theatre.

SPORTS

History in the making in Pyeonchang Students recall their favorite memories of the winter games Sufia Alam Campus Editor sufia@uab.edu

As the 2018 Winter Olympics reaches its final weeks, students recall their favorite memories of one the most famous sports gathering around the globe.

Held every four years, hosted at Pyeongchang, South Korea. From curling to figure skating, the winter games showcase some the best athletes in the world competing against one another for the highest of all awards, the gold medal.

“What I loved about the opening ceremony was that each county was displaying their own culture and heritage, but, at the same time, marching together and representing all mankind,” said Chris Lorimer, sophomore in economics and finance. “During the ceremony, all our differences represented us but united us at the same time.”

So far, athletes of the U.S. team

have taken home five gold medals, three silver medals and two bronze medals.

The official slogan of this season’s games is “Passion. Connected.”

According to the Olympic website, “Passion” symbolizes the Pyeongchang of 2018 as an arena of global festivities where the audience and sports competitors can experience the excitement of the Olympic spirit and Korea’s unique hospitality.

“Connected” signifies the cultural convergence and openness of Pyeongchang where past generations can participate anytime and anywhere through Korea’s front-line technology.

Together, these two words makeup the city’s initials, P.C., representing Pyeongchang.

“Even though I know the Olympics is so much more than about the medals we win, I only watch to cheer team USA,” said Judge Ali, a senior in chemistry. “What I love about our team is the diversity we present. We have the Shibutani siblings from figure skating, Erik Jackson for inline skating and so many more. This is especially exciting, because we don’t often see a very big representation of people of color to begin with.”

Other American Olympic athletes watch over the others. who are making history include “I have always loved to watch Adom Rippon and Maame Biney. figure skating,” said Savanna CiacRippon will become the first openly cio, a senior in health care managegay male athlete to compete in the ment. “It’s so pretty to watch, and history of the Winter Olympic it’s so entertaining at the same for U.S. time. It’s one of the few sports I think is truly art in motion.”

According to the Olympic The last week of the Olymwebsite, Biney will be the first pics continues with ski jumpAfrican American women to ing, freestyle skiing, hockey, qualify for Team USA’s speed curling along with many skating team. more. The closing ceremony Although the Olympics Ciaccio will be held Sunday, Feb. 25, hosts an array of sports, many after the completion of the viewers tend to have one favorite sporting event they prefer to women’s cross-country competition.

“

What I loved about the opening ceremony was that each country was was displaying thier own culture and heritage, but, at the same time marching together and representing mankind.

During the ceremony, all our differences represented us but united us at the same time.

—Chris Lorimer

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

Volume 59, Issue 6

sports

5

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Down, but not out Blazers split games on road trip to retain sixth place in conference play Savannah Snowden Sports Reporter savsno@uab.edu

The UAB Men’s Basketball team hit the road to take on La Tech and Southern Miss in conference play.

The Blazers began their road trip in Ruston, Louisiana to face off with the Bulldogs of La Tech.

The Bulldogs jumped out to a quick lead. La Tech lead by eight, 11-3, four minutes into the contest. The Blazers, led by sophomore Nate Darling, senior Chris Cokely and freshman Zack Bryant played hard to cut LA Tech’s lead, but the Bulldogs ended the first half with a seven point lead, 33-26.

During the second half, UAB chased down the Bulldogs and tied 45-45 after signature plays by Darling, Cokely, and Bryant—a 3-pointer, a dunk, and a couple free throws, respectively.

La Tech responded with a few three-pointers and a dunk to get back their lead.

The Blazers could not catch up and trailed by six or more for the remainder of the game. The Bulldogs defeated the Blazers 73-60.

The Blazers continued their road trip in Hattiesburg, Mississippi to face off against rival Southern Miss.

UAB started the first half

Women’s From Page 1

remaining, Rice was just three points behind the Lady Blazers. UAB bolted to action, snatching away Rice’s short-lived comeback with fastpaced play that got the team four free throws in the final moments of the game.

“I thought we made some really good adjustments,” Norton said.

“Our players started defending better and we hit some big shots.”

The Lady Blazers shifted their focus to the 49ers of Charlotte.

However, despite their best efforts, the team fell to the 49ers 80-71 in a back and forth battle.

The Lady blazers trailed by as few as two points just four minutes from the final buzzer.

of the game with 10 turnovers, making it hard for the team to gain a steady lead.

Both teams kept the score close and ended the first half with Southern Miss leading 36-33.

UAB made some major adjustments during halftime and tied the game 57-57 five minutes into the second half with a series of quick shots

by Bryant and junior Nick Norton.

“Once we cleaned up a little bit and made the adjustments, the passing was back and the guys stepped up,” said Head Coach Robert Ehsan.

Senior William ‘HaHa’ Lee grabbed 14 rebounds and added 20 points for the double-double. Lee made 77.7 percent of his shots, and 75 percent of his attempted 3-pointers. Lee also blocked on shot and had four assists.

“Before the game, I don’t know what got into me,” Lee said. “All of a sudden, I felt bouncy and I was feeling it. I just came out and had a good game tonight.”

Redshirt junior Lewis Sullivan also played well with 15 points. Sullivan also collected six rebounds and two assists.

“I was really proud of Lewis [Sullivan] tonight,” Ehsan said.

“You have to give a lot of credit to Charlotte,” Norton said. “I thought they played really well today.”

The 49ers out-rebounded and out-assisted UAB 40-35 and 18-16, respectively.

The Lady Blazers made 37.5 percent of attempted 3-pointers, connecting on six. Charlotte only scored four 3-pointers, and made 33.3 percent of those attempted.

Senior Kara Rawls had her fourth double-double of the season, scoring 11 points and grabbing 17 rebounds.

“I’m really proud of Kara, for everything she puts out there,” Norton said. “It’s extraordinary.”

Junior Deanna Kuzmanic was Saturday’s top scorer with 23 points. Her ten made

PHOTO BY CHRIS DENNEN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER UAB senior William ‘HaHa’ Lee shoots over Southern Miss’s LaDavius Draine during the Blazer’s 86-75 win Jan 11.

Bryant scored 18 points and broke the UAB freshman scoring record. He also collected four rebounds.

shots was a career high in a single game.

Barnes now has a season total of 124 assists—just two assists from making the top-ten list of most assists in a single season at UAB. The first quarter started with both teams fighting hard for a lead.

Neither team was able to put up an initial lead of more than three points.

The 49ers only gained a solid lead with two minutes remaining before halftime as they led by eight.

The Lady Blazers tried to catch up to the 49ers, drawing within two points with just two minutes remaining but could not close the gap. After several free throws, Charlotte ended the game 80-71. UAB returns to action in Bartow Arena Thursday, Feb 22.

Norton scored 10 points and had four assists.

The Blazers hit the road and head to Murfreesboro,

Tennessee to play the conference leaders, Middle Tennessee Blue Raiders Saturday, Feb 24.

Page 6 | Sports

The Kaleidoscope

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

BASEBALL

Opening sweep Blazers secure series win over Bowling Green opening weekend Sarah Oetken Sports Reporter sarahoak@uab.edu

Sophomore Tyler Tolbert stands on third base with Head Coach Brian Shoop during the Blazers’ sweep of Bowling Green.

The UAB baseball team, and many others around the nation, entered opening weekend with high hopes and the Blazers came to play. The team swept away their opponents leading to an opening series win and sweep. The Blazers picked up the opening series sweep for the second consecutive season and tallied its 12th first series sweep in program history.

On the first night, the Blazers were able to overcome a three-run first inning deficit to defeat Bowling Green.

Bowling Green might have jumped on the

board in the first inning, but the Blazers cut into that lead with senior third baseman Price Visintainer knocking a one out single.

“Tonight’s wasn’t beautiful but we are happy with a win,” UAB Head Coach Brian Shoop said. “The crazy thing about baseball is that with 56 games whether you win or lose you better put it away quickly and get back to work.”

In the seventh inning, Bowling Green tried to cut the lead with runners on first and second with one out, but Riley Minorik hit into a game saving 5-4-3 double play.

“The double play that Price and Carter [Pharis] turned was really good and a huge play for us in a big moment,” Shoop said. “That play gave us a chance.”

The Blazers had junior Tanner Graham receive the starting nod on the mound, pitching 5.0 innings with six hits and a career high of nine strikeouts. Junior Ty Harris pitched two innings with two hits and no runs. Senior Isaiah Gonzales-Montoya, entered the game in the top of the eighth and threw two perfect innings with two strikeouts.

“Bowling Green’s starting pitcher did not walk a guy and the team didn’t give up an error until the eighth,” Shoop said. “They made it tough to score but we stood in and had some really good at bats.”

The Blazers eighth inning magic rolled over into the next day as they defeated Brown Green 4-2 to secure the series victory. While Visintainer picked up only one hit, it advanced Tyler Tolbert to third, putting runners on the corners and no outs with sophomore Colton Schultz at the plate. In the end, Pharis scored the winning run on a passed ball.

“Maybe the eighth inning is our magic inning,” Schoop said. “We have played really well at Regions Field and found ways to win. Honestly we thought we’d make

PHOTOS BY LAYKN SHEPARD/ PHOTO EDITOR Junior Carter Pharis slides into home plate during the Blazers’ sweep of Bowling Green this weekend.

a run, you don’t know if it’s going to happen or not, but we thought we would make one.”

Senior Ryan Ruggles threw five innings and allowed just two runs on six hits while striking out four batters. Freshman Troy Cordrey was credited with the win when he gave up just two hits with two strikeouts over three innings.

“Ruggles kept us in the game and Cordrey had a great first outing,” Shoop said.

The Blazers completed the Opening Weekend with a third win over Bowling Green, 6-2. The win came from a strong first outing from junior Ryan Wesson.

Making his first career start, Wesson pitched six innings, giving up six hits while striking out four batters.

“That’s what we expect,” Shoop said. “Because he didn’t close on Friday or Saturday he was able to start today and I think we will get pretty good and consistent outings out of him.”

The Blazers took the lead in the first inning and would not surrender it. Following a pair of singles from Schultz and Pharis, Thomas Johns was walked. Sopho-

more Zack Davis stepped up to the plate and doubled to left field which gave the Blazers a 3-0 lead.

“It was nice to come out fast today,” Shoop said. “Our bats in the first inning were great and it was good to get to play with a lead that our pitchers did a good job of holding on to.”

Later on, Davis stepped up to the plate in the fourth and drew a walk. Davis then stole second and third. Pinch hitter Stephen Dobbs then hit a single to right field to extend the Blazers’ lead to 4-1.

In the final inning, the Blazers tacked on two more runs after Johnson and Dobbs were walked and then was able to

complete a double steal. Tolbert captured the third base allowing Visintainer to have bases loaded and no outs. Pharis drove in Dobbs from third after he hit a deep sacrafice fly ball to right field.

“Last year we swept a really good Creighton, Big East, team on Opening Weekend,” Shoop said. “I told our guys after today’s game ‘Great, enjoy the weekend, pizza is going to taste really good to me tonight, but last we had everyone telling us how great we were after sweeping Creighton and I told them not to make that mistake again.’ We are three games down with 53 to go in the fifth best baseball league in the country. We have a lots to work on so it will be a quick enjoyment and then right back to work.’”

Redshirt sophomore Zack Davis prepares to swing at a pitch during the Blazers’ sweep over Bowling Green.

SERIES STAT CORNER Game 1

Game 2

Game 3

Bowling Green

UAB 4

Runs

3

9

Hits

8

2

Errors

1

14

Strikeouts

7

UAB

Bowling Green

4

Runs

2

12

Hits

8

1

Errors

2

8

Strikeouts

3

UAB

Bowling Green

6

Runs

2

6

Hits

11

1

Errors

2

9

Strikeouts

14

Senior Price Visintainer beats the defense to first base after a hit during the Blazers’ sweep of Bowling Green.

Volume 59, Issue 6

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

metro

7

CITY COUNCIL

TRAVEL

A new ticket out Non-stop flights start at $39 to Orlando, Philadelphia, Denver Bella Tylicki Metro Editor btylicki@uab.edu

Frontier Airlines will join the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport this spring, offering nonstop flights to Denver, Philadelphia and Orlando.

“It is indeed a momentous occasion to celebrate these new routes

by Frontier Airlines,” said Miguel Southwell, interim Birmingham Airport Authority president and CEO in a Feb. 8 press release from the company. “We will work diligently to build a partnership with Frontier, our local economic development partners and business community to further expand the airline’s schedule and link Birmingham to even more cities with non-stop flights.”

In a news conference Feb. 8, William Evans, head of sales and travel distribution for Frontier, said, “It’s great to be back in the south.”

Rates begin at $39, and travel

options such as seat choice and checked and carry-on luggage may be purchased a la carte. Only a personal item, able to be stowed beneath the seat, is included in the ticket price.

Frontier offers a bundle beginning at $59 that includes all the above as well as full refundability, waived name-change fees and priority boarding. Fares include all fees, surcharges and tax but are subject to change without notice.

To keep the cost of Frontier flights low, there are no complimentary services such as Wi-Fi or food and beverages, though refreshments are available for purchase.

“We are thrilled to help reduce the cost of flying to and from Birmingham,” said Daniel Shurz, Frontier Airlines chief commercial officer. “We look forward to serving The Magic City and introducing this community to our unique brand of Low Fares Done Right.”

Birmingham is one of four cities that welcomed Frontier this month.

The affordable airline now offers flights to and from 89 cities across North America.

Frontier’s Discount Den program, $50 annually, grants members access to the lowest fares and early notification of new offers, promotions and destinations. Discount Den is jointed with EarlyReturns®,

Frontier’s free-to-join frequent flyer program.

Customers that subscribe to the Discount Den are automatically enrolled in the frequent flyer program, but one can be a frequent flyer without being a member of the Discount Den. The first flights from Birmingham will coincide with graduation and the end of the spring semester.

Booking for a one-way ticket to summer vacation is available now on Frontier’s website.

PHOTO BY CHRIS DENNEN /PHOTOGRAPHER Frontier Airlines will begin flying out of the Birmingham-Shuttlesworth International Airport this spring, joining American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, Southwest Airlines and United.

At last week’s meeting of the whole, the Birmingham City Council set a date for a public hearing of the “Complete Streets” Ordinance, which, if enacted, will jump-start an initiative to make Birmingham’s streets friendlier to public transit, pedestrians and bikers.

Similar policies have been adopted in more than 1,000 cities across the nation such as Orlando, Charlotte and New York City.

Complete streets policies regulate a more integrated approach to transit infrastructure, holding policymakers accountable for considering modes of transportation beyond automobiles.

Aside from making transit more accessible, complete streets offer economic, health and environmental benefits.

These provisions stimulate foot traffic in commercial districts, helping businesses prosper.

Increased accessibility for pedestrians and bikers encourages residents to be active, rather than driving from point A to point B. Fewer automobiles on the road cuts down on harmful emissions and groundwater pollution.

The Birmingham Planning Commission recommended the ordinance in January, and both the Transportation and Planning and Zoning Committees endorsed the initiative.

The hearing will be March 6.

The Council also appropriated $400,000 from sales tax revenue to Public Works for infrastructure initiatives around the city such as repairs and improvements to public bathrooms, parks and city facilities.

EDGE OF CHAOS

Don’t forget Flint: Speaker recounts city’s struggle Michigan town still faces lead, water pollution crisis Community Scholars and Partnerships at the Michigan State University College of Human In 2016, Flint, Medicine. He also conMichigan’s water crisis founded and directs the became a national Healthy Flint Research emergency. Even now, Coordinating Center. though Flint has left “To build a culture the spotlight, the city’s of health, whether in water contamBirmingham or ination issues Flint, you have to have yet to be address the root resolved. causes of health Kent Key, inequities, which Ph.D., gave a takes courage belecture at UAB’s cause they often Edge of Chacall for difficult Key os Thursday, conversations,” Feb.15, on environKey said. mental racism and Established in the health crisis that 1819, Flint rose to persists in Flint. eventually become a Key was raised in leading car manufacFlint and serves as the turer in the U.S. director of the Office of Much of this manuLauren Moore Campus Reporter lrm33@uab.edu

facturing eventually left Flint, resulting in a rise in poverty.

In 2014, Flint River was announced as the area’s new water source.

Just months later, boil-water advisories were issued. However, according to Key, boiling the water was found to make it more toxic and especially threating to young children and pregnant women.

By the end of the year, car manufacturers in the area had stopped using the water due to its rusting metal, yet residents were still expected to drink and use the water.

However, it still took until 2016 for the crisis to become a nationally recognized issue. From the very beginning, community

“

Activism is in the DNA of Flint.

—Kent Key

members started speaking out and coming together, trying to raise awareness and help their community.

“Activism is in the DNA of Flint,” Key said reminiscing on the history of the city, including its sit-down strikes of the 30s where workers protested against inhumane working conditions.

Flint is different from other water crises because it is the only man-made lead poisoning in the history of water crises in America.

Ingesting lead can

lead to skin rashes, digestive issues, impaired cognitive development in children and is dangerous for pregnant mothers.

“This lecture provided an opportunity for me to see the Flint crisis from a holistic view,” said Alivia Moore, a freshman in communication studies. “And how we can learn to improve this through legislature to prevent such issues from happening in Birmingham.”

The state of Michigan also failed to release any news of the

incident in Spanish, despite having many Hispanic residents in Flint.

Through this and many other actions, the state left people in the dark, creating distrust between the residents of Flint and their government officials.

The government replaced contaminated pipes leading up to homes but not the pipes on resident properties.

Residents are currently expected to buy and use water filters, though these filters do not get rid of all of the harmful bacteria in the water.

“I learned how important it is to give the community a voice and to give input and collaborate with them,” said Angela Chieh, a junior in neuroscience.

Tuesday, Feb. 20, 2018

Volume 59, Issue 6

life & style

8 TRACK TAKES

HIPSTER EATS

Musical excellence prognosis Mason McGalliard Operations Manager for BlazeRadio masonbm@uab.edu

PHOTOS BY CHRIS DENNAN/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Fancy’s on 5th is a casual yet elegant restaurant that specializes in the unusual combination of seafood and burgers.

Unique Cuisine Avondale’s most authentic eateries Jo Writght LIfe & Style Reporter juwright@uab.edu

Avondale shines under the spotlight of Birmingham’s food scene, which holds an incongruous array of eateries and bars. What began as a company town in 1887 transformed into the four-block expanse of vibrancy and diversity that shines like a gem of the city.

Nestled just before Avondale Park, the neighborhood boasts a lovely, fairy-light illuminated ambiance that strives to welcome the entire community.

The restaurants in the neighborhood function as a closely-knit network, both physically and in the familial

Hiking From Page 1

One of Alford’s favorite spots is Ruffner Mountain Nature Preserve. According to Alford, there are many different organisms observable there, such as the endangered long-leaf pine, the red buckeye tree, the eastern newt and the American turkey. This area also boasts a scenic view at the top of Ruffner’s rock quarry.

In addition to RMNP, Alford said that Turkey Creek Nature Preserve features hiking trails, mini waterfalls, a natural slip and slide for the warmer months and even the vermillion darter, a beautiful fish that only exists in Turkey Creek. Alford describes it as “pretty underrated,” and it is only located about 20 miles northeast of campus near Pinson.

For an even deeper expedition into nature, state parks such as Oak Mountain and Red Mountain have

sense.

Melt is almost strategically welcoming, with a huge sign donning its own title and corn hole games outside.

The restaurant opened in 2014 based off of the Melt food truck, commonly referred to as Matilda.

The sandwich shop, infamous for its delectable grilled cheese sandwich variations, attracts plenty of families as well as highschoolers.

“You can go a thousand ways with a grilled cheese,” said Joey Dickerson, the head chef at Melt Avondale. “It’s like a phone number, it’s interchangeable, from the bread to the different types of cheese, meats and vegetables. The different things we can do with sandwiches are endless.”

Hot Diggity Dogs, tucked above the burger and oyster joint, Fancy’s on 5th, is a small locale that carries a big punch with its inventive menu. They’ve only been open in Avondale for a short time but have made an impact as the only hot dog joint in the area.

“Hot dogs are a food that don’t take themselves seriously, and they don’t allow you to take them seriously,” said Tom Bagby, general manager of Hot Diggity Dogs. “I would like to see more retail on the independent side, and maybe a few more community-based organizations be given opportunities to open up and thrive. You don’t see Starbucks and Burger King on the corner. It’s all independent businesses, and I really enjoy that.”

The Big Spoon Creamery, inside of the artist workspace MAKE

abundant opportunities for exploration.

“What’s really cool about Red Mountain is that it’s completely free to enter and kept that way through community support and membership, as well as donors,” said Kasey Moore, director of Marketing at Red Mountain Park. “The trails are diverse. There are some wide and flat areas for bikers and some more challenging trails for experienced hikers within the park.”

Another thing Moore says they have in the works right now is the Butler Snow Sensory Trail, which will be wheelchair accessible and also excellent for those with low hearing or low vision.

Overall, when planning a nature adventure, one can incorporate a variety of personal hobbies or activities into the experience. Avid or burgeoning wilderness fans can plan a camping trip, invite friends for a fun day playing games or sports, or even bring along a camera

“

You don’t see Starbucks and Burger King on the corner, it’s all independent businesses and I really enjoy that.

—Tom Bagby BHAM, embraces a minimalist mindset.

The establishment’s unique lineup of ice cream flavors gives cause for a well-deserved treat.

“We wanted to do something new that would impact people and give them a quality product,” said Michaela Mason, who is both the general manager and creative director.

The company always prioritized being a great place for people to work.

“They’re super friendly here,” Mason said. “It just seemed like such a cool culture to be around. And, of course, who doesn’t love ice cream.”

Big Spoon Creamery is no stranger to diversity, as people young and old come from around the community.

They are just a cog in the machine; the new yet fast-growing parlor has only been open for less than a year and will be celebrating its first birthday this upcoming April.

PHOTO BY DAWSON MILES/STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER The cardinal is just one of many wildlife creatures that are observable at the hiking spots in the Birmingham area.

and take beautiful pictures of the natural world.”

“The surrounding area of Birmingham truly has fantastic trails to get your nature fix,” said Nancy Harrington, coordinator of adventure recreation with the UAB Campus Recreation Center. “Ruffner Mountain and Red Mountain Park are both less than twenty minutes away from UAB and offer terrific, well maintained trails.”

According to Harrington,

Red Mountain also has a dog park and great beginner mountain biking trails, as well as bike trails for more advanced riders.

OMSP, Alabama’s largest state park, is about thirty minutes south of campus and offers over twenty miles of hiking and mountain biking trails and camping sites.

It also hosts a wide variety of water sports.

“With a just a short drive, you can exit that urban hustle and bustle, and enter the tranquility of the forest,” Harrington said. “You can find our trip series online, which includes pricing, deadlines, itineraries, difficulty of trip and everything provided.”

Whether going through the UAB Campus Recreation Center to organize a trip, joining one of UAB’s nature-related clubs or just planning a personal adventure alone or with friends, time spent in nature is important and can be found in Birmingham’s backyard.

Now that the Grammys and the fan-fare of 2017 is over, it seems like the proper time to begin predicting who in the music industry might put out new music in the new year. Bruno Mars racked up a bunch of Grammys because of the hype around his album 24K Magic, so might another artist do the same this year?

We will have to stay tuned to find out, but we can take a few guesses as to which artists might be busy working hard in the studio.

Cardi B had a spectacular year following the release of her mega-hit single, “Bodak Yellow.” She became one of the biggest names in music of the year and many argued that she should have received a Grammy at this year’s awards.

Coming off that kind of McGalliard success, people are going to expect her to release a new album and many are waiting in the wings for that day to come. Whether or not she will be able to maintain her momentum with a new album remains to be seen.

After collaborating with DJ Khaled to gain another hit with “Wild Thoughts,” Rihanna could release a new album this year. She has not put out an album of her own since “Anti” in 2016, so she might be overdue for new music. She currently has fourteen no.1 hits under her belt, ranking just 3rd for the most no.1 hits of any artist.

She is undeniably one of the most successful female artists of all time so it would not be wishful thinking to expect another album from her every soon.

Drake recently released two new songs, “Diplomatic Immunity” and “God’s Plan,” the latter of which has maintained the no.1 spot on the Billboard charts for a couple of weeks now.

He released his last album “More Life” just last year, but it would be absolutely unlike Drake to not push out as much music as possible.

He did also release three different albums three years in a row, so might we see a fourth?

Beyoncé found a hit by collaborating with Ed Sheeran on “Perfect Duet,” but she did not release a new album last year, probably because she was too busy taking care of her newborn twins.

Being the legendary artist that she is, it can be assumed that she’s itching to create new music, considering she hasn’t released a new album since “Lemonade” in 2016.

Nicki Minaj, meanwhile, has been absent from social media since 2017 and many are speculating this is because she is working on a new album of her own. She has not released a new album since “The Pinkprint” in 2014, but she has been featured on numerous songs since then, and many are thinking it’s hightime for a new album.

BlazeRadio Operations Manager, DJ MB and “Keepin’ it Real with DJ MB.”