Blazers outrun Roadrunners

UAB’S OFFICIAL STUDENT NEWSPAPER

VOLUME 60, ISSUE 11

TUESDAY, NOVEMBER 6, 2018

PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ ART EDITOR

Bats battle extinsion

Blazers outrun Roadrunners See FOOTBALL Page 8

OPINION - P. 2 Is nationalism American?

The truth about philosophy majors

BLAZERNEWS - P. 4 Students share insights of two midterm candidates Money earning tricks

CITYLIFESTYLE - P.10 Moss Rock Festival highlights

PHOTO BY MYLES WOMACK/ CITYLIFESTYLE REPORTER

Research grants bring new twilight of hope for endangered nocturnal spieces Myles Womack CityLifestyle Reporter mjw3@uab.edu More than 6 million bats have died over the past decade from “white-nose syndrome” or WNS and in some places have vanished in large amounts, according to National Fish and Wildlife Foundation [NFWF].

“The situation is dire and is threatening several species of bats,” said Amanda Bassow, NFWF Regional Director. “The National Fish and Wildlife Foundation was created by Congress over 30 years ago to help promote the conservation efforts of both public and private research entities.”

See BATS Page 9

PAGE 2

opinion

Is nationalism American?

Jonathan Stoney Contributor sto@uab.edu

their country, while a nationalist is someone who vigorously supports their nation.

Decades of political phrases and slogans have diluted the difference Whether you think Donlad between a nation and a country Trump is the best or the worst, to the point that we see them he has nearly the entire voting used almost interchangeably. population watching and However, it must be clarlistening. With the recent ified that a country is a terbombs that were mailed out ritory with borders, and also by a fanatic, thankfully they all the government that rules it, turned out to be duds, one thing while a nation is a group of peoStoney ple that may transcend borders should be abundantly clear: words matter and which share a common Words are the way in which we culture - similar values, language, express our ideas and feelings. Bepriorities, etc. There’s another phrase ing able to communicate clearly and that has apparently been forgotten that understand one another is not only contains within itself the definition of good, but also absolutely necessary if what it means to be American: there’s to be any chance of confronting E pluribus unum “Out of many, and resolving our differences both as one.” individuals and a country.

It is our country’s motto proudly On October 22, at a rally in Texas displayed on the Great Seal of the that was intended to bolster support United States. America’s great strength for Ted Cruz, President Trump made was that it served as a melting pot it a point to turn the focus back onto for different nations to band together himself. to form an ally stronger than any one “You know what a globalist is, right? nation could possibly be on its own.

A globalist is a person who wants the The hope that we all have to carry globe to do well, frankly, not caring is our history and the progress we have about our country so much. You know made in blending our many separate what? I’m a nationalist. Use that word.” nations across this vast country and While his statement was met with combining our efforts towards achievthe usual fanfare, I was beside myself. ing greatness together.

It wasn’t his cursory misrepresentaBe proud of your culture, your hertion of globalism that bothered me; itage, your nation; but do not foolishly it’s something to be expected and it’s fall into the turbulence that is tribalism, what many of his fans like to hear. defined by infighting and distrust.

Rather, it was the monumental Nationalism isn’t just pride in one’s mistake that’s been made in equating country, it’s also exclusion. Patriotism nationalism to patriotism. is recognizing the difference.

Now it may seem obvious that these two are not the same thing, nor are they even synonyms. A patriot is someone who vigorously supports

Hate will not be welcome here

only capable of that.

There was another message that was not written on a sign but is was very evident. The message is that although we are diverse, we are united in what we believe in.

In observing this, as a student I was As a student, we are expected to inspired like I had never been before. go to school, join clubs, eat, sleep We became activists in less than and graduate. Each one of us 10 minutes and we were all have distinct identities and different. being able to express them is a For once, in this instant, in privilege. this peak of time, our race did If academics is the brain of not matter, our gender or sexthis campus, then self-expresuality did not matter. We were sion of our students is the heart united protesting this bigot who and everything in between. dared to step on our campus and Thigpen tried to slander women and the Last week on our campus, there was a man in very close LGBTQ+ community. proximity of UAB’s Hill Student CenThe only thing that mattered in that ter, the center stage for our exprestime is that were UAB students and that sion. A man named Daniel Rusk, a this was our home and this man was an self-proclaimed evangelist who has intruder in it. been around campus sharing his very After I saw this, I realized that we passionate views about the abominaas students, we do not know our own tion of the LGTBQ+ community along strength and do not recognize how with the crude behavior of women and much power that we have when it their blasphemous deeds regarding comes to these things. I did know UAB abortion. students could protest until that day, I Now, when I was witnessing this, I thought it would be unlawful and we was nervous at first because I thought would be kicked out UAB for causing a he was a danger to the school and we disturbance, but this was not the case. were about to go on lockdown and We are stronger than what we think questioned on why he was not arrestand for anyone who wants to express ed. Then it occurred to me, that he has their views of anything are parallel with the constitutional right to exercise his hate, UAB will be there to let you know free speech and he did just that. exactly how we feel, and that hate is Although he was shouting trying to not welcome here. get the attention of students, what really got my attention was what happened next. Students began to gather around this radical man talking about the foulness of women twerking and how gay men will go to hell and started to protest themselves. It was an anti-protest of the protest, and I could not believe what I was witnessing.

Students had signs that said many things, but the message was clear that hate will not ever conquer thin and only love was Kameryn Thigpen Opinion Columnist cchs2017@uab.edu

PHOTO BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ ART EDITOR A protester stood outside the Hill Student Center last week.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 2018

OPINION

PAGE 3

PHILOSOPHY STUDIES

The truth about my major path to your future career when you were barely old enough to vote, but that you’re willing to learn and adapt to change.

When it comes to character, the quality and authenticity of your resolve will always matter more than the specific occupation you find yourself in.

Most of the things that you want or desire for your life are not as specific and personalized as you might think.

For the most part, the majority of us already have what we need in order to live a fulfilling life – we just make it much more complicated than it needs to be.

In essence, oftentimes what we really need to do is look at ourselves and the world around us in more fundamental terms. In my mind, there’s no one who does that quite like the philosopher.

ILLUSTRATION BY KRISTINA BALCIUNAITE EDITOR-IN-CHIEF

one of a mathematical proof.

While both of these ends of the spectrum are housed under the blanket of philosophical history, defining the discipline as a whole based on just one aspect of it is inaccurate and unfair.

Philosophy is the study of the fundamental I always love the exchanges I have when I nature of knowledge, reality, and existence. It tell people that I am a Philosophy major. Or, in is just as much a respectable level of inquiry other words, I love the ways in which people as physics or biology. try to mask their confusion.

Moreover, not all philosophy students It seems that in addition to not fully are angst-filled nihilists who think all of life is understanding what philosophy actually is, a joke, or vegan liberal hippies who won’t many people harbor the opinion that declaring leave you alone unless you agree to a major in Philosophy is essentially equivalent Rose sign their clipboards in support of to declaring a major in Future Unemployment. god-knows-what.

However, I think that by simply understanding In fact, and this is certainly the the truth about the former, us philosophy students case at UAB, most philosophy might be on our way to debunking some pretty prevstudents also happen to be very alent myths about the validity of our studies. It may dedicated and hard-working still not be enough to satisfy your concerned parents, pre-med and pre-law students. however.

When I study philosophy, We all know that we should never pass uninI am doing the same thing as formed judgments on things we don’t understand, anyone in any other academic and I like to hope that most people would agree with discipline – I am looking for me on this. truth. The world is vast, and Thus, if a student walked up to you and proudly declared that they were a Forensic Accounting major there are many ways and lenses through which you can with a minor in Industrial Distribution with a concenbehold its mystery. tration in Medical Devices, you would likely ask for There is no such thing as an explanation of what all of those terms mean. Most a superior or inferior academic importantly, you would listen. discipline, and trying to pretend However, you would be stunned at the amount like there is only perpetuates the of well-educated, well-intentioned people who, unhelpful hierarchal structures upon hearing of my declared major, proceed to tell which we have imposed onto acme that they recently picked up a copy of Jordan ademia for no good reason.

I can’t Peterson’s 12 Rules for Life, and thus consider themdo a Physics student’s homework, selves equally well-informed as I of the whole of and I’d like to see them try to write modern philosophical inquiry. one of my papers.

I don’t know what the Accounting major equivThere are and always alent to sitting on your mother’s couch listening to a will be statistics which family member read aloud excerpts from JP’s book show that one major as though it were the most sage writing that has ever is better than anothgraced the bargain bin of mass-produced surer in terms of overall face-level garbage, but I can only imagine. employment, but the Postmodern neo-Marxism doesn’t make any truth will always be sense, and you’re not fooling me with your pseuthat what matters to do-Stoic pearls of wisdom. I digress. job markets is not that So contrary to popular belief, philosophy is not you chose Philosophy solely comprised of self-help sounding words of wisdom, existential complaints, or comforting platitudes. over Finance when you were forced to decide your Nor is it only analytic argumentation which reminds Parker Rose Opinion Columnist pdrose@uab.edu

PAGE 4

POLITICS

blazer news

Making the future of America Students share thoughts on votes for Bright and Sewell Lea McMillian Blazer News Reporter leaamcm@uab.edu After asking several students about their thoughts on the election, although many said they didn’t know much about the candidate’s, they said they knew what kind of person they didn’t want in office. Abbie Huynh, sophomore in biology, said that “someone making false promises seems like they might be doing this for selfish reasons and not for the community.”

Many students like Johnnie Williams, freshman in computer science, said that Terri Sewell would win the election due to her history in politics.

“Terri Sewell has been involved in politics for seven years and that’s more than enough time to have mastered her

craft,” Williams said. “I have family members serving in several different branches, and so I like the effort that she makes to go out and support the men and women serving for us.”

According to “Sewell for Congress” Terri Sewell is an American politician serving with the democratic party as a U.S Representative for Alabama’s 7th congressional district since 2011.

Congresswoman Sewell is one of the first black woman to ever serve in the Alabama congressional delegation.

Sewell has said that she does not back down when it comes to ensuring that the community and the people are fairly treated.

Several students took a few minutes to research the midterm elections and some found information about the candi-

dates that they were unaware of.

Madison Foss, junior in business, said that while researching the candidates Bobby Bright , quickly caught her attention.

“Not only did we both attend Carroll High school, but he went to my dream college; Troy University,” Foss said. “He is a lawyer and a farmer as well as a politician. He represents Alabama and brings a lot to the table. I love that he has a blue-collar background.”

Bright has served as a U.S Representative from 2009 to 2011.

For ten years, Bright served as the Mayor of Montgomery. Prior to Bright running for mayor he was an attorney for sixteen years.

Bright is currently running for a seat in the House as a Republican. Bright is a for-

I believe that democrats will take the lead for the house.

- John Rall

mer

Democratic congressman yet in the year of 2008 he ran as an Independent.

According to ballotpedia, Bright as along with Sewell are both supporters of the military. Bright said he is a strong believer in strengthening the military and making sure that soldiers have what they need to defeat any given threat.

Bright told the Kiwanis breakfast club “My values are your values. I’m prolife. I’m pro-gun. I’m pro military. I’m pro family. I’m a Christian and I’m proud of that, I will never change that.”

Many students said that they were aware of the election taking place on November 6th, but only a few said that they were registered to vote.

“I believe that the Democrats will take the lead for the House,” said John Rall, academic advisor. “Everything that’s happening with the government, I think that the Republicans will take hold of the senate.

BLAZER NEWS

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 2018

PAGE 5

RESEARCH

New drugs aid Cystic Fibrosis New study may lessen symptoms of a genetic disease Mallorie Turner Blazer News Reporter maturn31@uab.edu Cystic Fibrosis is an inherited genetic disorder that causes mucus in the body to build up and become so thick that it damages the pulmonary organs and gradually disrupts the function of every organ system. The disease is also progressive, leading to infections and decline in lung function over time according to the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation.

Data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said that CF is the second most life-shortening disease developed during childhood in the United States, with around a thousand people diagnosed with the illness each year.

However, a new research experiment conducted by Steven Rowe, M.D, a professor in the Division of Pulmonary, Allergy and Critical Medicine, has yielded groundbreaking results for those suffering from the disease.

Rowe conducted Phase 1 and Phase 2 studies of three different triple combination regimens for those with CF. Two groups of patients were studied with one group including patients with the F508del gene mutation, the gene responsible for CF and a second function mutation and the second group having double copies of the F508del mutation.

-There are 1,800 known mutations that cause cystic fibrosis.

-People with the disease inherit two copies of the CF gene—one from each parent.

-Both parents must have at least one copy of this defective gene for the child to have CF. -If both parents have the CF gene, there is about a 25% chance of their child developing the disease.

-If someone inherits one copy of the gene, they won't develop CF but will be a carrier and could pass it on to their children. *information provided by EverydayHealth.com

The combination of three drugs— the experimental compound VX-659 and the medications tezacaftor and ivacaftor—was shown to improve the lung function of over twelve percent of CF patient participants. Each of the three drugs were produced by Vertex Pharmaceuticals, a company based in Boston, Massachusetts.

Results of the triple-combination drug regimens showed that about 90 percent of those CF patients who participated had positive improvements.

When those patients took that drug back in 2012 in the original studies, they had a market improvement that was shown by improvement in lung function, reductions in the number of times they had to be hospitalized and a market improvement in their quality of life,” Rowe said.

Rowe has been on this study since 2012 when he worked with the first group of participants. These

patients had a rare mutation that was not commonly found in those with CF. Rowe said that the restoration of the patients’ CFTR function using a CFTR drug called a potentiator is what opened the channel of the defective protein that causes CF. Rowe continues to research how to bring healing to those in the CF community. He said he hopes the findings from confirmatory studies done on future participants are successful so this data could possibly be submitted to the FDA, leading to a new drug for treating CF. “What we hope as these drugs become available is that [patients] will have a much reduced burden of their illness,” he said. “They’ll feel better…and ultimately be able to shorten the amount of time that they have to take care of themselves.”

PAGE 6

GREEK LIFE

Frats decipher fact from fiction A look into the brotherhood of Birmingham’s fraternities Myah Clinton Blazer News Reporter mkc16@uab.edu “We’re not just here to party,” said Reid Anderson, marshal for the Theta Chi’s Eta Psi Chapter at UAB. “I think we’re here to professionally develop ourselves and academically develop ourselves.”

Though there are many varying opinions on Greek and fraternity life, they are a traditional part of college experiences for many. In speaking to frat members from UAB, Birmingham-Southern College and Samford University, all shared what made their fraternity values.

The size of the Greek population and whether it impacts the campus culture varies from school to school.

According to Niche.com, eight percent of men and ten percent of women participate in Greek life at UAB. In comparison, 45 to 48 percent of undergraduate students are in Greek letter organizations at Samford, according to the official school website.

“Greek life is such a big thing at Samford,” said Joseph Ellis, president of Sigma Chi’s Pi Chapter at Samford. “Everyone has to be around people who are in fraternities and sororities, regardless of if they’re in one or not. If [students] don’t want to participate in Greek life, that’s fine.

There are outlets for being involved everywhere on Samford’s campus.”

BSC’s Greek and athletic population accounts for a large percentage of the student body, but the school ensures non-Greek students don’t feel left out, according to Michael Warsaw, president of the Alabama Iota Chapter of Sigma Alpha Epsilon at BSC. “Student leaders have done a really good job of trying to understand how non-Greek versus Greek students are going to get along and how we can incorporate non-Greek students into Greek activities,” Warsaw said.

Another prominent difference between the three schools is that the Samford and BSC fraternities have houses on-campus, while the UAB houses are off-campus, according to the fraternity leaders.

All members of every fraternity said that their fraternity had strict rules against hazing.

“It just doesn’t work here.” Anderson said. “We don’t believe in it. We don’t do it and we do everything we can to prevent it.”

According to Warsaw, BSC’s smaller size helps to

curb hazing.

ART

BY SAVANNAH DONALD/STAFF ARTIST

“There are not many secrets on a campus like BSC,” Warsaw said. “We’re all very anti-hazing, and we take it very seriously. If something were to happen, I know it would not stay quiet…The group that did that would be held accountable.”

Fraternity members also actively keep an eye on guests to ensure their safety at parties.

At UAB, Theta Chi has risk management teams that oversees party attendees.

“It’s usually eight to 10 brothers,” Anderson said. “They all have different roles—working the door, walking around making sure everyone’s okay and passing out water bottles to people who’ve had too much to drink. We do a very good job of making sure everyone at the party is safe and comfortable.”

BSC’s Sigma Alpha Epsilon has enacted a similar practice.

“We are required to have a number of sober monitors [by the university and national chapter],” Warsaw said. “They are basically there to maintain order, make sure everybody is safe, make sure everybody is doing the right thing, that nobody is out of control, and to make sure the right people are at the party.”

Due to Samford’s religious affiliation, alcohol is prohibited at all of the school’s functions, according to Ellis.

At BSC and UAB, only members age 21 and older are allowed to drink at parties, Warsaw and Anderson said, respectively.

The fraternities also require a set number of community service hours, with UAB requiring 20 per semester, BSC 20 per year and Samford 6 per semester, according to Warsaw, Anderson and Ellis.

The types of service projects ranged from working with children, home improvement, working in soup kitchens and helping veterans.

At UAB, Theta Chi hosts the G.I. Theta Chi week to fundraise for the United Service Organization and has cleaned Glen Iris and Railroad Park.

They also got together to help a friend outside of the fraternity.

“His mom was recently diagnosed with breast cancer,” Anderson said. “We had an event specifically for that to raise money and give it to her.”

BLAZER NEWS

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 2018

PAGE 7

BUDGETING

Easy ways to earn more money Options from tutorting to selling clothes; other ways to make cash

In addition to keeping up with coursework, many college students work part-time or full-time jobs. However, when funds are still running low, there are lots of ways students can make extra money both on campus and online.

UAB provides student-taught tutoring services through Vulcan Materials Academic Success Center. The program provides undergraduate students with free tutoring services taught by fellow UAB students.

In addition to the program aiding the students being tutored, it also provides the tutors themselves with a part-time income that they can earn while they are on campus.

“Tutoring is really beneficial to me because it helps me stay proficient in classes that I took previously, but it’s also personally fulfilling because I get the opportunity to assist students who are struggling or need some personalized help,” said Annisha Borah, sophomore in biomedical engineering.

Students who are interested in working as a tutor can apply through UAB’s VMASC website.

There are also opportunities for students to earn extra money through babysitting.

Currently, there are many websites and apps that allow students to find babysitting jobs available near them.

The Wyndy app can help college students find babysitting jobs throughout the southeastern United States.

Tutoring is really beneficial to me because it helps me stay proficient in classes that I took previously.

- Annisha Borah

52%

of college students are working at least 27 weeks per year.

Top 3

The top three things students' earnings go towards are college living expenses: food, books and transportation.

70.2%

of students say they plan to to use their own earnings and savings without economic help from their family to pay for college.

59.7%

say they are using scholarships

56.7%

are using loans.

20 Hours

College students who work more than 20 hours per week are more likely to suffer academically than those who work 10 to 15 hours. *INFORMATION PROVIDED BY CHRON.COM AND THELADDERS.COM

ART BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ART EDITOR

Lauren Moore Blazer News Editor lrm33@uab.edu

“Wyndy employees can work when they want and however often they want,” said Lauren Cater, Wyndy Marketing Director. “They can also select jobs based on availability, desired pay rate, number of kids and the location of the job. We also help students build valuable relationships and find connections for future jobs, and some of those connections can turn into job references once the students graduate.”

Students who are interested in working for Wyndy can download the app and apply.

Sometimes, making a little extra money can be as simple as cleaning out your closet.

There are many websites and apps that allow individuals to sell gently used clothes online, one of these being Poshmark.

According to Poshmark. com, the program is t​ he​​ largest​ ​social​ ​marketplace​ ​for​ ​ fashion​ ​where​ ​anyone​ ​can​ ​ buy,​ ​sell​ ​and share​ ​their​ ​style​ ​ with​ ​others.​ ​Sellers can post photos and short descriptions of their items to their profile and then ship the items when a buyer purchases them.

Students who want to sell clothes through Poshmark can make an account through the app or online.

Regardless of what students are good at, there is always a place for their skills in freelance jobs. Websites like UpWork provide a place where people can put their freelance talents to use and make extra money, whether their talents lie in writing, coding, graphic design or a number of other things.

According to UpWork.com, the program is the largest global freelancing website and provides workers with the freedom and flexibility of finding jobs online. With millions of jobs posted on Upwork annually, freelancers are earn money by providing companies with over 5,000 skills across more than 70 categories of work.

Students who are interested in applying to freelance jobs through UpWork can go online or download the app to create a profile.

TUESDAY, OCT. 23, 2018

sports

FOOTBALL From FRONT

Micheal Atiyeh Sports Reporter atiyehma@uab.edu Blazers came out of the locker room ready for a win last Saturday, Nov. 2.

The game was a domination by the Blazers beating the Roadrunners 52 – 3.

UAB consistently made scoring drives throughout the game, but UTSA was never able to make a successful touchdown due to the fight that the Blazer defense brought to the game.

“This was just like practice translated into the game,” said Spencer Brown, UAB runner back.

Tyler Johnston III was starting quarterback for the Blazers and had a strong presence in the game. “[Johnston] came in and he did his job,” Brown said. “I had complete faith in him. I watched him in practice the whole week and he was throwing ropes and throwing great.”

Bill Clark, Football Head Coach said he attributes Johnston’s performance in the game to the

PAGE 8

practice.

“To be efficient and dynamic like [Johnston] was and the whole offense was, that’s something that in your wildest dreams you don’t let yourself think,” Clark said. “But he prepared like that and they practiced, and I think we had a really good game plan.”

A.J. Erdely, quarterback said he is inspired by Johnston’s forcefulness.

“He keeps going and he keeps his head up keeps going,” Erdely said in the post-game conference. “We play for each other for one thing. That’s the fun of football. That’s what we always talk about and that’s what we’re going to do. We’re going to keep going to the next game but were not going to think about other games were only going to think about the next.”

Clark said the next game, which will be against Southern Mississippi, will be an important one for the Blazers. “[Southern Mississippi] is second in defense and up there in offense,” Clark said.

UAB takes on Southern Miss Saturday November 10, 2018 at 6:30 p.m. at Legion Field.

“This would be a game I would love to see us PHOTOS BY LAKYN SHEPARD/ART EDITOR have our best crowds,” Clark said. “I would love to ABOVE: Bill Clark, reaches out for a hug in celebration see Birmingham and all our folks turn out to see of the victory. our time and they deserve it sitting here with eight BELOW: Spencer Brown, runner back, (center) wins.” while possessing the ball, breaks through the line of scrimmage into the endline, finishing with a touchdown.

This was just like practice translated into the game.

- Spencer Brown

See the full image gallery from the game at: uab.edu/studentmedia/20-sports/1333-blazer-outrun-the-roadrunners

PAGE 9

citylifestyle

BATS

From FRONT NFWF has also grown to become the country’s largest conservation grant-maker in the country, “I have visited some sites that once had over 1,000 bats and now only have 5,” said Winifred Frick, Ph.D. and Senior Director of Conservation Science with the Bat Conservation International. “The disease was first seen in New York and the Northeast, then moved through the Appalachians, and now in the Southeast.”

More than half of the 47 species of bats that live in the United States hibernate in mines and caves during the winter.

“Bats need healthy forest and healthy forest need bats,” said Dennis Krusac, Endangered Species Specialist of the USDA Forest Service. “Bats are extremely important to the ecosystem.”

The U.S. Forest Service will use the grant money to fund the different projects to

help reduce the fungal loading of WNS. One of the tests used is seeing how effective the use of ultra-violet light to kill the Pseudogymnoascus destructans which is the fungus responsible for WNS in bats.

The fungus begins growing on the bats causing them to wake up early from hibernation and exert energy, damaging tissue which ultimately kills them.

“When bats hibernate their temperature goes down within about one to a few degrees of the cave temperature and this fungus can thrive within the cave environment,” said Robert Tawes, Regional Chief of Environmental Review with the USFWS. The WNS has now been documented in 33 states and 7 Canadian PHOTO BY MYLES WOMACK/CITYLIFESTYLE REPORTER provinces and ABOVE: Vicky Smith, owner of A-Z Animals, handles a bat and if continues to while explaining its recovery. go unchecked BELOW: Presentation of the little brown bat species.

11 of the 47 bats Ruffner Mountain has powerful and experimental could possibly been serving as a surveillance design” within the mine said face extinction.

Pattavina.

“Bats have site for bats affected by WNS for two years.

“The sister site in Arkanbeen long “Finding a place where sas said that we should look misunderstood we can work and still have at the Ruffner mine because as the sinister enough bats to work with is we have a high number of creatures of tricolored bats and luckily we the night,” said really rare in the Southeast,” said Pete Pattavina, the USFhave such a helpful staff here Tawes. “Bats WS Southeastern White-nose at Ruffner that donate a lot of are farmers best friend and Syndrome Coordinator. their time to make this reit is important to support the About two years ago search happen,” Pattavina said. research leading to white-nose The circles drawn on the syndrome. Ruffner Mountain is Ruffner Mountain had its first winter count of bats located wall of the main room in Ruffwhere we are testing some of in the mines under Ruffner ner Mountain’s office building those promising new treatMountain. “This is sort of the represents the treatments for ments.”

Southern disease front where WNS along with a couple of we are trying to put a lot of control plots. these treatments at the front “We’re going to look line of where the disease is at how the fungal load is in and this [Ruffner Mountain] is those circles,” Pattavina said. one of the few places we can “If some of the treatments actually work in the Southeast. work we might apply it to the The bats we work with are the entire mine, mines across the weigh about 5 grams, they’re Southeast and maybe across about the same size as a nickNorth America in order to try to el,” said Pattavina. restore habitats so that when Bat Conservation Interbats come in during the winter national first called Pattavina time they can experience a to be the Coordinator in the less severe infection and less Southeast and to originally to fungal load. We hope that we work on a mine in Arkansas. can keep some bats in the The Ruffner Mountain staff was landscape.” able to put in a “statistically

Bats have been long misunderstood as the sinister creatures of the night.

- Robert Tawes

Birmingham City Council Highlights from staff reports

District 7 seat filled

In a 5-3 vote, the Council appointed Wardine Alexander to the District 7 seat left vacant by Jay Robertson on Sept. 10. Alexander, a former president of the Birmingham Board of Education, won the seat over Lonnie Malone who had unanimous support from District 7 citizens at last week’s Council meeting. It was Councilor Steven Hoyt who moved the vote from a tie to a decision, switching his vote from last week, for Malone, to Alexander.

“Being a resident of the district, I’m aware of some of the concerns that we have: safety, workforce development, being sure that we improve the quality of life for out citizens,” Alexander said.

She said she intends to further Robertson’s initiatives and work with the mayor and the rest of the Council to improve not just District 7 but the whole city.

With the District 7 seat filled, the Council appointed Councilor William Parker as president pro-tempore, another position left vacant by Robertson.

The role of the president pro-tempore is to preside over meetings in the case of the president’s absence.

Parker was appointed to the Council in 2013 after the passing of his mother, former Council President Maxine Parker.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 2018

CITYLIFESTYLE

PAGE 10

MOSS ROCK RECAP

PHOTOS BY LAKYN SHEPARD Trumpet sounds, apple crisp handmade candle scents and families filled the Preserve in Hoover, November 3 and 4 for the Moss Rock festival.

FROM LEFT TO RIGHT: Attendees sample beverages from the beer garden. Children climbed the Obstacle Course. John Waldrop, jewelry vendor, sold silver accessories.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 2018

PAGE 11

CROSSWORD

Editorial Board Fall 2018

1.

Kristina Balciunaite Editor-in-Chief kribal@uab.edu

2.

3.

Sufia Alam Managing Editor sufia@uab.edu

4.

5.

Lakyn Shepard Art Editor layshep@uab.edu

6.

Lauren Moore Blazer News Editor lrm33@uab.edu

7.

1.. Organization that you must go

died from white-nose syndrome,

through to become a tutor at UAB.

5. Sorority and fraternity life on campus-

2. The study of general and funda-

es.

mental problems concerning matters

6. First name of the women represent-

such as existence, knowledge, values,

ing the U.S. Representative for Ala-

reason, mind, and language.

bama’s 7th congressional district.

3. US Food and Drug Admistration

7. .E pluribus ____.

Ceri-Lune Renneboog CityLifestyle Editor cerilune@uab.edu

Previous issue’s crossword solutions: 1. Scorpio.

2. Haunt.

3. Siegelman.

4. Paramount.

5. Knife.

6. HIV. 7. Innovate.

4. Over 6 million of these animals have

Corrections Oct. 30: article on page 6.

The year Richard Hawes ended the life of his family was 1888, not 1998.

Oct. 16: bylines on page 10 and 11 need to be switched.

EVENTS CALENDAR Murder enthusiast meeting: Sword and Scale Meetup Moonshine at the Elyton hotel 7 - 11:55 p.m.

Concert: BAS Milky Way Tour Zydeco 7 p.m.

Concert - Ray LaMontagne: Just Passing Through The BJCC 7:30 p,m.

Concert: Back To Basics: The Widdler x Pushloop Woody's 800 Gadsden Hwy 9:30 p,m.- 4 a.m.

Holiday Open House Four Seasons Gallery 5 - 8p.m.

5th Birthday Bash!

Seasick Records 10 a.m.- Sunday 5 p.m.

UAB Football Southern Miss Legion Field Stadium 6:30 p.m.

Concert: Guster with Zac Clark Saturn 9 p.m.

ArtPlay Workshop: Coffee Tasting and Painting 1006 19th St S 10 a.m. - 2 p.m.

Comedy show Jeff Dunham: Passively Aggressive The BJCC 3 p.m.

Lecture Series Presents: Derreck Kayongo 551 Heritage Hall 6 - 7:30 p.m.

Meadows EP Release HSC 6 - 10 p.m.

Concert: Lindsey Buckingham Lyric Fine Arts Theatre 8 p.m.

Veterans Day in the Commons Commons on the Green 11 a.m. - 2 p.m.

TUESDAY, NOV. 6, 2018

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