Issue 19, Volume 118 -- March 1, 2023

TODAY’S FORECAST

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Guantanamo Bay prisoners released

After two decades at Guantanamo, Pakistani brothers Abdul and Mohammed Rabbani were released Feb. 24 back to Pakistan. The Pentagon said the brothers were never charged and were fown back after an arrangement with Pakistani authorities.

Pakistan’s security services originally captured them in 2002 as suspected Al Qaeda operatives. Their release was the latest of the U.S’s move toward emptying and shutting down Guantanamo Bay in Cuba.

Man hits cyclists with car, kills 2, injures 11

Pedro Quintana-Lujan, 26, was arrested Feb. 26 in connection to a crash that killed two cyclists and injured 11 in Arizona. The Goodyear Police Department said the suspect drove a pickup truck with a trailer attached and crashed into a group of cyclists 8 a.m. Sunday morning on Cotton Lane Bridge. Quintana-Lujan was charged with two counts of manslaughter and 18 counts of endangerment.

Reporter killed at scene of shooting

T’yonna Major, 9, was killed Feb. 22 when Keith Melvin Moses barged into her home and shot Major and her mother, Brandi Major. Early that morning, Moses shot and killed Natacha Augstin, 38. Moses also returned to Major’s house when news crews were at the scene and shot reporter Dylan Lyons and photographer Jesse Walden, killing Lyons. Orange County Sheriff John Mina said the victims seem to have been chosen at random.

Plane crash kills 5 at capital airport

A plane carrying fve environmental scientists crashed Feb. 22 in Little Rock near Clinton National Airport. Five environmental consulting frm employees, Gunter Beaty, Kyle Bennett, Micah Kendrick, Sean Sweeney and Glenmarkus Walker, died on their way to Columbus, Ohio, to investigate a metal factory explosion. The National Transportation Safety Board said it will investigate and release their fndings within the next few weeks.

Conway City Council voting on new

Campus

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Sports: Women’s basketball coach resigns, team ends season

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Lifestyle:

Full Moon Records sees indie show from Diet Sweets

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Short/Denney hall getting demolished

BY TORRIE HERRINGTON Assistant News

Associate Vice President of Facilities Kevin Carter said Short and Denney, which is temporarily holding honors classes and offces, will be torn down.

“We actually are taking Short and Denney down this summer,” Carter said Feb. 9. “We’re going to put a parking lot.”

Windgate has its rst art exhibit thanks to grant for alumni artists

BY EMILY KENNARD News Editor

UCA’s Windgate Center for Fine and Performing Arts’ frst art exhibit, “Disorder: A Hard Pill to Swallow,” is the product of the Department of Art and Design’s new residency program for alums.

Anna Wagner, who graduated in 2020 with a Bachelor of Fine Arts with an emphasis in ceramics, said some pieces took months from sketch to fnish.

“Sometimes you have to switch over from one project to another, to another, because you don’t want to get burned out on one piece,” she said, adding she does the same with materials.

“I defnitely really love my last few pieces: ‘Overstimulated,’ ‘Insomnia: What If?,’ ‘The Telephone Game.’ I’m really proud of those for sure,” she said.

The department honored the exhibition in a Feb. 23 evening reception and served refreshments to visiting students, alums and faculty. President Houston Davis also stopped by.

Wagner said having her art on display as the new building’s

frst art exhibit is “surreal.”

“It’s honestly diffcult having to have all this attention,” she said.

Another art alum, Nick Palmer, came to support his former classmate. “I’ve always been impressed with her work,” he said.

“The artwork is incredible. The part that really got me though, was at the beginning of the exhibit. She has these note cards and asked people to share their experiences with mental disorders. … It was cool to see how many people shared their strife,” Palmer said.

Sophomore art major Julia Wrinkle went to one of Wagner’s campus presentations.

“I know little about ceramics,” she said. ‘The Telephone Game’ was her favorite part of the exhibit, a stoneware piece Wagner made with underglaze, glaze, resin and a phone cord.

Wagner said she looks forward to researching the history of women’s mental health at one of the many graduate schools she has applied to.

She said working with neon

signs and learning printmaking would enhance the pop art themes she already sees in her work.

“The frst thing that they [graduate schools] ask me is, ‘Why now? Why do you want to go to this university?’ And it’s because of this place,” Wagner said.

Wagner said UCA’s art department has been supportive.

“I was so happy to receive the residency because I just love the space. It makes me feel comfortable to keep on exploring, especially with people that are always supporting you every step of the way,” she said.

Wagner said, “I wouldn’t be where I’m at today without them. They’re family here.”

The art department’s chair, Bryan Massey, said the program was the “brainchild” of Elizabeth Smith, who is a ceramics professor and the department’s associate chair.

“She came to me years ago about an idea of having former UCA alums come back and work alongside students to give them some experience to work in the

See Wagner - page 2

Bill criminalizes librarians giving kids obscene books

BY HANNAH ROHRER Sta Writer

The Arkansas Senate passed a bill Feb. 22 with intentions to shield children from controversial reading materials.

Senate Bill 81, proposed by Sen. Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, would establish a crime for library and school staff knowingly allowing a minor to check out a book deemed to “depict or describe nudity, sexual conduct, sexual excitement or sadomasochistic abuse.”

Over 20 librarians and school staff traveled across the state on Monday to speak against the bill. The committee limited some speakers to just one minute to express their opinions.

Some speakers used their brief time to read passages from books that they found inappropriate for children, while others expressed their concerns for children who don’t learn “tough” topics from their parents, but from books. The Senate Judiciary Committee

OK’d the bill the day before and sent it to the Senate for its third reading Feb. 22.

Sen. Sullivan said that the bill’s intent is not to change the current obscenity laws but to change who the obscenity law applies to.

In particular, it would alter the law to remove existing protections for public school and library employees from being prosecuted for distributing ‘obscene’ materials.

“By removing the exemption, everyone is on the same playing feld,” Sullivan said.

“We have all kinds of laws to protect children physically — anti-smoking, seat belts, liquor, movies, all kinds of restrictions that are legal on what is harmful to children and not harmful to children,” Sullivan said. Another amendment to the bill is that schools must allow parents to see what books their children are checking

See Senate - page 2

Another physical plant worker, a custodian, confrmed they’ve been told the building is being demolished in May, but that they weren’t told what the lot would become.

However, when asked via email, Carter declined to share details about problems with Short and Denney, its projected repair costs or its rumored demolition.

“Per the President’s Offce, no decisions have been made at this time regarding Short Denney,” Carter said.

Director of Media Relations Fredricka Sharkey also said, “No decision has been made at this time.”

Until Schichtl renovations are done, the former dormitory is the home of honors faculty offces and classes, which moved into the building after McAlister’s closure December 2022.

Muse@Arkansas

Academic Director Carl Olds worked and lived in Short and Denney before it was closed.

“I hate to lose a singular and unique space that meant so much for generations of students,” Olds said. “However, I defnitely understand the structural issues that the building had.”

“I don’t know the specifcs about the building’s structural problems, but I was told last

spring that they were going to take the building offine for fall 2022,” Olds said.

When the building closed down, UCA moved the residential college to Arkansas Hall.

“After the academic colleges combined to form the College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences a couple of years ago, we rebranded the program into the Muse Residential College before moving to Arkansas Hall in fall 2022.”

Olds said he had many fond memories of Short and Denney, where he lived with his two children and dog for four years, “teaching classes and guiding freshmen students through their frst year with courses and co-curricular programming that help them succeed in their frst year,” Olds said.

His favorite memory was hosting events for the students.

“I have lots of fantastic memories of living in Short/ Denney,” Olds said.

“My fondest memories are of the Oscar galas we held in the building, red carpet events with food, drinks and dancing to celebrate student achievements from the academic year,” he said.

Fire captains show UCA how to use CPR, AEDs to save lives

BY GABE WHITE Entertainment Editor

UCA employees, students and Conway residents learned lifesaving techniques with the guidance of Conway Fire Department captains.

Captain Ty Ledbetter and Captain Randel Green taught participants how to perform CPR and how to use an automated external defbrillator, respectively.

At the end of the session, participants performed CPR on manikins.

Ledbetter said, “Teaching moments like these are important because we can’t do as good of a job as we need to do without the public. The public getting here frst increases the chance of survival tenfold.”

Although the fre department does regularly offer CPR training sessions, this session was created following NFL player Damar Hamlin’s cardiac arrest.

Playing safety for the Buffalo Bills, Hamlin suffered from cardiac arrest during a Jan. 2 game against the Cincinnati Bengals.

“We’re going to take full advantage of the demand, and try to get out there and teach as much as we can,” Ledbetter said.

Ledbetter said many people become too afraid to perform CPR while under pressure, but clarifed that doing so can only improve a person’s chance of survival.

Ledbetter also said that mouthto-mouth resuscitation is not the best course of action because “we have to assume that everybody we deal with has every disease.”

“Because it only takes one time, and then we have it,” Ledbetter said.

Ledbetter said people should follow specifc steps when doing CPR.

After asking for a verbal sign of consciousness, someone should immediately call 911, a commonly missed step in the process, he said.

While on the phone, he recommended searching for a pulse near the top of the person’s neck. If no pulse is felt, CPR is a must, Ledbetter said.

Green said, “Our whole purpose of this is to try and fll the cranium back up with oxygenated blood to the bottom organs so we can try and get a heartbeat.”

After showcasing how to perform correct CPR, Green presented how to use an AED, which sends shocks to a person’s heart through electrical adhesive pads attached to one’s chest and side. He said most AEDs now have

See Training - page 2

SENATE

photo by Gabe White Conway Fire Department Captains Ty Ledbetter and Randel Green discuss when to use CPR in front of a manikin. Employees and students attended the Feb. 22 meeting.

photos by Madison Ogle

The inaugural alumni artist-in-residence, Anna Wagner, discusses her art with a member of the public at her exhibition’s Feb. 23 reception. Her art collection, “Disorder: A Hard Pill to Swallow,” is at Windgate until March 29.

Kevin Carter

screenshots from senate.arkansas.gov meeting archives

State Senators Dan Sullivan, R-Jonesboro, and Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, argue for and against Senate Bill 81, respectively. Sullivan sponsored the bill, which would change previous law that exempts public library workers from being prosecuted for disseminating ‘obscene’ materials.

Wagner:

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Dab pen hit sends student to hospital Student gets help a er suicide threat Group of randoms kicked from dorm

Carmichael Hall

Resident Assistant

Alayana Solerto called UCAPD after a group of three men and two women walked down halls, knocked on doors and asked residents to sleep over Feb. 20.

Officers Skyler Cox and David Stone found the group roaming with pillows and other belongings. Stone told David Aryee, Khris Adams and Devontae Adams they needed to leave, but did not identify the two women he believed were residents.

Solerto told Stone they did not belong in the dorm either. The RA and residence coordinator said they were concerned about how the group accessed the building. Stone said UCAPD would do extra patrols.

Student Cooper Teague was transported from a downtown Sigma Kappa event to Conway Regional Medical Center after telling Officer Skyler Cox he was dizzy and had chest pain from inhaling liquid THC from a dab pen Feb. 17. Teague said he hit student Payton Wilson’s pen and rode to the event with students Sidney Severns, Laurie Turner, Kendall Carter and nonstudent Avery Lieblong. Cox asked the group about the pen and searched Turner’s car. Cox found a clear glass cartridge with a small amount of suspected liquid THC in it. Severns, Turner, Carter and Lieblong all denied knowing about the cart. Wilson said it was his CBD cartridge.

A sorority sister broke glass and threatened to cut her throat Feb. 17. She was transported to Conway Regional Hospital after Officer Skyler Cox arrived at the sorority house and met with members. Cox said she was intoxicated and was sitting on a couch with two people while dealing with past traumas she had experienced. Cox said she was extremely emotional and would not talk to him much, but that she did say it was OK for him to sit with her while waiting for Conway Fire and Pafford to arrive. Once they arrived, she told the first responders she attempted to kill herself with the shard of glass.

Senate: Democrats speak against Sullivan’s bill

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out. This process would let parents appeal books to librarians, which would continue to either the library board or school principal, and so on to the City Council or Quorum Court.

“This is a big change,” Sullivan said on the new parents’ appeal process.

Sullivan explains that the way the bill is written, a prosecutor would have to say a book violates the state obscenity law. Then, it would go to a judge, where the court would have to agree.

To be prosecuted, a librarian would have to distribute the media knowing it violates the law, he said.

“If someone knowingly violates the law, that’s their choice,” Sullivan said.

Sen. Stephanie Flowers, D-Pine Bluff, spoke up frst to

oppose the bill. She said the bill is “obsessed with sex,” and said Sullivan should be more worried about books with pro-violence plots, using books about school shootings and guns as examples.

Sen. Linda Chesterfeld, D-Little Rock, said, “This is a dangerous bill.”

Chesterfeld said she is concerned about the “bag of worms” the legislature could be opening, adding the Bible is in the library and have multiple stories that include rape, incest and graphic language.

Two more senators spoke against the bill.

Sen. Clarke Tucker, D-Little Rock, said Senate members should remember the importance of free speech and the First Amendment.

Tucker said, “It’s very diffcult to defne what obscene is, and once you go too far, then you’re into censorship and violating the First Amendment.”

Sen. Sullivan took the podium one last time to plead his case, wasting no time to say that the Bible is vetted and will not be removed, followed by applause from some members.

Despite the last-ditch efforts by Democratic Senators, the bill passed 27-6 through the state senate with all six Democratic Senators opposed.

The bill now moves on to the House side, where its Judiciary Committee will discuss the bill Feb. 28.

Faculty training says classes could bene t from AI tools

BY KEVIN KING Cartoonist

Associate professor

Jen Talbot suggested ways professors could adapt their classrooms to emerging artifcial intelligence technology at a Feb. 21 instructional faculty workshop.

Talbot, a writing professor, addressed ChatGPT’s prominence.

The AI tool is hosted on OpenAI’s website, where it is described as a model that “interacts in a conversational way.” ChatGPT currently uses the GPT-3 language model, and GPT stands for Generative Pretrained Transformer.

Some of the concerns from the audience were cheating, the further dilution of writing skills, stifing creativity and problem-solving, and robot overlords.

Talbot said, “These tools have existed, and we’ve had philosophical questions about them simmering in the background for a while, but it was really more of a thought experiment.

“It wasn’t necessarily something that we were having to think about navigating and dealing with in this ubiquitous, everyday sort of way.”

The university’s academic integrity policy gives a clear defnition of plagiarism: “the unauthorized use or close imitation of the language and thoughts of another author and the representation of them as one’s own original work.”

“In this case, we’re considering the AI another entity, and, thus, they [the students] did not write,” Talbot said. Talbot gave suggestions on ways that teachers could implement ChatGPT into academic policies.

Procedures vary, from requiring students to cite places where an AI tool has been used to then explaining why the help

of AI was needed.

“So, they [students] have to think through, ‘What am I trying to accomplish? Who’s my audience?’ If I am just summarizing something that my audience needs to know about, maybe AI can do that, and maybe that’s just fne,” Talbot said.

Talbot said plagiarism is often a student’s last-minute decision.

“Maybe they managed their time poorly, or maybe they’ve just gotten themselves into an impossible position,” Talbot said.

“If you think about having a little bit more space in policies around late work or missing work, then that removes that incentive to just try to get whatever points you can,” she said.

ChatGPT has made headlines for passing various law, business and medical tests, but its use is not undetectable, Talbot said.

university setting,” he said. Smith said, “It’s a $6,500 grant that helps you pay for your living and your materials. You can travel with it.

“As younger art students, sometimes, when we lose these facilities, we suddenly are like,

Smith explains purpose of grant

wait a second. I don’t have a kiln.

I don’t have a foundry. I don’t have access to all of this stuff, and it makes it hard sometimes to pursue your career,” she said.

The program grants graduates access to studio space for projects while giving current

Training:

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prerecorded instructions, but that it helps to know how to operate one ahead of time. Ledbetter recommended performing CPR and using an AED. After showcasing both means of resuscitation,

students more instruction; artists-in-residence must be available to students and give several presentations.

Wagner’s art is on display until March 29 on weekdays from 10 a.m.-4:30 p.m. in UCA’s Windgate Center.

CFD coming to future UCA trainings

participants were encouraged to perform CPR on manikins.

“I hope that they take away that they can make a difference, that they can really impact lives and they can save lives with something as simple as CPR,” Ledbetter said.

UCA will hold another training session on CPR and AEDs with the help of the Conway Fire Department from 6 to 8 p.m. on March 1 in the Prince Center, registration is now closed.

Oak Street Ahead open house shows development proposals

BY MILO STRAIN Entertainment Editor

While groups shared their vision in reshaping the urban corridor, an Oak Street property owner said she’s concerned about how much the projects could cost.

The city of Conway hosted an open house for the Oak Street Ahead project Feb. 21, where representatives from the Conway Planning and Development Department; Garver, an engineering frm; and RDG Planning & Design, a design frm, spoke to the public about potential future plans for Oak Street.

Martin Shuker, principal at RDG Planning & Design, spoke about the proposed improvement projects for Oak Street, which ranged from small projects, like extending the length of left-hand turn lanes at a signal light or building sidewalks, all the way to large projects, like property developments.

The groups displayed poster boards around the room to visualize information about the proposed projects, as well as statistics and information about the current state of traffc on Oak Street.

“This will just be a short introduction to the boards around the room, and some information as well about the philosophy and approach we’ve taken, and some of the fndings and principles of the plan,” Shuker said. “It’s very interesting to do plans for urban corridors.”

The proposed improvement projects for Oak Street are based on a traffc study conducted by RDG and Garver over several months, Shuker said.

Utilizing existing areas to improve the traffc fow of Oak Street, like turning parking lots into side streets, improving pedestrian walkability of the area with protected sidewalks and mixed-zone development, were some proposed plans. Shuker said downtown Conway inspired the plans.

Shuker said, “A commercial corridor like Oak Street should think of itself as a district, as a commercial or mixed-use district rather than as rugged individual risks and businesses.

“A great example of district thinking is downtown Conway, where there’s a real esprit de corps [sense of pride] about the corridor.”

The projects would require action from both the city of Conway and private businesses to turn Oak Street into a cohesive district similar to downtown Conway, Shuker said.

Ann Allen, a Conway resident and owner of an Oak Street strip mall, said she appreciated the city’s effort

to improve the corridor, but worried about what it would cost and if the city’s money might be better spent addressing other issues.

“I think it would be good to improve the traffc problem and getting around, but there’s no way I think the city could do all that,” Allen said. “I just worry about what it’s going to cost me in taxes.”

After the presentation, Shuker, Paxton and other representatives from the city of Conway, Garver and RDG gathered feedback and answered questions from attendees at the open house.

Attendees were given packets with detailed maps of Oak Street and information about every proposed project, as well as feedback forms, which are available online at conwayarkansas.gov/planning/ oak-street-ahead/.

President Davis explains budget; SGA spends more on bike racks

BY TORRIE HERRINGTON Assistant News Editor

UCA President Houston

Davis presented Feb. 27 at the SGA meeting about the university’s resource optimization initiative and budget for the upcoming years.

Davis said he wanted to present to SGA so it would have a basis of understanding for future conversations about tuition or room and board fees.

Talbot demonstrated with multiple prompts that ChatGPT exhibits polished organization with a shallow overview of content, a combination that can be a giveaway to teachers.

It also has a tendency to “hallucinate,” where the model will use unidentifable quotes and “cite sources that not only are not relevant or not the sources that are being quoted, but actually don’t exist at all,” Talbot said.

Talbot gave the audience a list of apps that claim to detect AI writing, but discouraged instructors from depending on these programs.

“You can feed it some text and it can tell you this was ‘very likely,’ ‘somewhat likely’ or ‘not very likely to have been generated by AI,’ and that doesn’t really do anything for me as a teacher.”

“All the hard decisions about resources should go back to how this helps us in being able to meet student success goals and maintaining stable reserves,” Davis said.

Davis said that the expected student enrollment for future years is projected to decrease.

“That’s what’s called the enrollment cliff nationally,” Davis said. “I knew when I applied for this job in the fall of 2016 that Arkansas was going to be one of the states hardest hit.” Davis said this enrollment cliff was not supposed to cause struggles until 2026 or 2027, but the pandemic accelerated its effects. He said there are a few reasons for the decrease in enrollment.

“When birth rates go down and immigration gets tighter, you do not have replacement cycles of 16, 17, 18 or 19-yearolds,” Davis said. Davis said while creating a functioning budget is diffcult,

he and other faculty members have worked hard to project successful outcomes.

“I can tell you the university is in really good shape right now, but we’re having to swim like crazy to make certain that we keep our heads above water,” Davis said.

Davis said future budgets will be “grounded in reality, not hopes and wishes.”

“We’ve not been building budgets that we’re assuming growth in student credit hours, we’ve been accepting that reality and making certain that we’re right-sizing our decisions according to what we’ll likely experience, not betting on the outcome,” Davis said.

Davis said UCA doesn’t build a budget for just one year of student credit hours, but take into account how the budget will infuence future years.

“Our projection was -3.6%,” Davis said, “We actually built our budget even more conservative than that; we built it on -4.2% because that’s just how [Interim Vice President] Terri Canino and I roll.”

SGA President Courtney Clawson said that Davis’s presentation was to inform SGA about fee increases and why they’re happening.

“Over these next few years, there will be tuition increases,” Clawson said. “This is why the increases are happening and where they’re going.” Clawson said this

information was important because of recent infation increases.

“Since infation is as bad as it is and those issues with enrollment and things like that, there will be more increases over the next few years,” Clawson said.

Senators Makenna Goss and Takari Glover presented their proposal for SGA to purchase oversized lawn games.

They conducted a survey and based on the responses they proposed two options: a concrete slab with Connect Four and Jenga or checkers.

Goss said the games would be located behind the amphitheater and the physical plant would cover the costs of the labor and paint. SGA will vote on the oversized games at a later meeting.

SGA members voted unanimously to cover the $75 registration fee but not the $260 hotel fee proposed by Cameron Steed at last week’s meeting to attend the South Central Writing Centers Association conference.

It also voted unanimously to allocate an additional $5,183.44 for bike racks, after appropriating $40,071.25 to buy bikes, locks and racks Feb. 15.

CITY HALL

photo by Milo Strain

Martin Shuker, principal at RDG Planning & Design, discusses proposed improvement projects for the Oak Street corridor at Conway City Hall. The projects would still need approval from private businesses and the city.

Campus Life

Around Campus:

Slap Out Hate

From 1-3 p.m. Thursday, March 2, the Health Science Club will be at the Student Center Lawn for their educational event increasing awareness of diversity issues around the world. Students will be able to choose paint colors representing biases and slap it out by placing their handprint on a giant canvas, leaving their sign of protest for all to see.

International student game night

From 6-8 p.m. Friday, March 3, the Baptist College Ministry will have an international student game night at the Baptist College Ministry house and celebrate Ukrainian culture.

Ukrainian students will have a traditional meal prepared for all attendees, with dinner being followed by a question and answer period about Ukrainian culture and games.

Out of the Darkness campus walk

From 9-11 a.m. Saturday, March 4, students will be walking to raise awareness and fund training for those affected by suicide. Students will be able to register as an individual or team and send the message that suicide can be preventable and that no one is alone. The Save Lives and Bring Hope with the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention walk will be hosted by BearX, Campus Recreation and the counseling center.

Bibbidi-BobbidiBoo: Cinderella’s Cleaning Tips

From 7-8 p.m. Sunday, March 5, residents of Arkansas Hall will meet in the lobby and learn how to properly pick up and clean after themselves. Students have voiced complaints about cleanliness in the facilities and housing staff will be demonstrating how to properly clean dishes, mop foors and use cleaning chemicals safely.

Singer/ Songwriter:

Lauren Frihauf

From 1:30-2:30 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, Lauren Frihauf will be in the Student Center Food Court performing. Frihauf’s music is indie with folk and neo-soul elements and has been on “The Voice”, and recently been featured on NPR Music’s Tiny Desk ‘Top Shelf’. The event is hosted by Student Activities Board.

Resume bingo

From 5-6 p.m. Tuesday, March 7, the New Hall staff invites students to the New Hall lobby to play bingo designed to help build and create a better resume. Students will also learn how to set up an appointment with a career coach on campus, who will take an in-depth look at their resume.

After the Fact

From 12-1 p.m. Monday, March 6, BearX and State Hall will be in the State Hall lobby sharing information and the consequences of operating a motor vehicle while intoxicated. The event will emphasize the importance of staying sober behind the wheel.

Student musicians perform jazz pieces

BY E LLIE A LB A NY Staff Writer

UCA Jazz ensembles wowed crowds with some great rhythms Feb. 24. The two jazz ensembles featured a variety of songs from classic jazz to more modern stylings. The frst ensemble, The Jazz Repertory Ensemble, featured fve different songs.

“Blues in the Closet” featured solos from Addi Hankins, the lead alto saxophonist and Taylor Torres, the lead trombonist.

“Cotton Tail” featured solos from Benjamin Favorite the pianist, Hayden Couch the drummer, Sammi Oberhauser the trumpeter, and Nick Dickinson the saxophonist.

Matthew Taylor, the conductor, said Couch only joined the ensemble the previous week and that he did a remarkable job, despite only having a week to work on fve pieces of music.

“Satin Doll” featured Blake Tyson on the drums as well as Oberhauser, Dickinson, and Favorite. “Satin Doll” was interesting to Taylor because “there have been lots of different lyrics over the years to it.”

“Besame Mucho” featured Preston

Gibson on the tenor saxophone. Taylor explained the story behind this piece.

“Years ago when I was in Miami, I got a crush on a girl and I took her out for a steak because that’s what you do, but I was penniless in grad school, and so I could only afford one steak and we shared it and it was beautiful.”

He continued,“They had these three people playing guitars, but had to be the oldest Cuban singers, and they said ‘Would you like us to play you some music for a fee?’ and, of course, I said ‘yes,’ and feeling very very suave, I said ‘play us something romantic,’” Taylor said. They played “Besame Mucho.”

“The lyrics of this amazing song are ‘kiss me lots because our love will not last,’” Taylor said.

“Cold Duck Time” featured Dickinson and Gibson playing the tenor saxophone.

The last ensemble, The Studio Jazz Ensemble performed six songs: “Straight, No Chaser,” “A lift of the Foot,” “Something for Ernie,” “Walking by Flashlight,” “The Next Chapter” and “Ms. Garvy, Ms. Garvy!!” “Straight, No Chaser” featured solos from Robert Spencer on the drums, Landon Vaca on the trumpet and Danny Isaacs on tenor saxophone.

SELF-CARE

“Something for Ernie” had one soloist; Christian Stephens on alto saxophone.

“A Lift of the Foot” featured Isaacs on tenor saxophone and Connor Robinette on trombone. “Walking by Flashlight” featured soloists Tyus Diaz on alto clarinet and Liz Taylor-McMullen on accordion.

Mental health with MMP

BY S YDNEY A MBRU S Staff Writer

The Minority Mentorship Program raised awareness and informed students of mental health resources on campus at its “Mental Health with MMP” event on Tuesday, Feb. 21. The event featured guest speaker Millie Goins, the assistant director of the Student Wellness program at UCA’s Campus Recreation and Wellness.

Senior Aniya Polite said of Goins, “She is really passionate about wellness and our students. She focuses on health, not only physical but emotional, spiritual and social.”

Polite is the team leader of the MMP group “Aniya’s Astros.” She and her group organized the event.

Polite said they wanted to create an event that would better the Black community on campus since it is Black History Month.

“Not only is school hard, but minority people in general, we do not take our mental health seriously enough. Hopefully, this event will open up some

minds and hearts to do more talking about how you feel.” Polite said.

According to MMP’s Instagram page, @uca_mmp, 1 in 3 college students experiences signifcant depression and anxiety. Based on this fact and enrollment at UCA, there are over 3,000 students suffering from anxiety and depression.

As students entered the room, they were able to grab a stress ball and decorate it while they waited for the program to start. Senior Shuntia Hunter said that decorating the stress balls was her favorite part of the program.

“I think that was a great additive to their program because so many of us are stressed about school work as well as life in general. This could help so many people in more ways than one,” Hunter said.

From there, Goins and her student interns Shamal Sullivan, Shivani Patel and Ana Villanueva opened the program with an icebreaker.

Each student was handed a slip of paper with a quote on it. They were then instructed to

AUTHOR

turn to the person next to them and start a conversation with the quote.

One of the quotes read, “If you need a friend, I’m always here for you.” The quotes encouraged students to start a conversation about mental health and get to know who was sitting next to them.

After the students fellowshipped and had some conversations about mental health, Sullivan presented students with some tips to stay emotionally healthy, as well as resources on campus they can utilize.

Some of the tips included, “Unplug from phones, social media, and your computer for 10 minutes,” and “Stay on top of your schoolwork.”

Lastly, students were encouraged to ask for help or see a therapist at the counseling center. UCA’s Counseling Center is located on the third foor of the Student Health Clinic and is free to all students. Students are allowed 10 sessions per academic year and can register online to become a client.

English professor finds joy in research

BY T ORRIE H ERRING TON Assistant News Editor

Professor of

Associate

English Glenn

Jellenik

recently added to his list of published works with a scholarly book delving into pre-cinematic media.

The book is titled “Adaptation Before Cinema: Literary and Visual Convergence from Antiquity through the Nineteenth Century.”

Jellenik said, “It’s a collection of essays on cultural adaptation before the advent of flm, and I coedited it with Dr. Lissette Lopez Szwydky, a professor at University of Arkansas Fayetteville.”

Jellenik said most scholarly works in the feld of adaptation studies focus on the flm adaptation of literature but his and Szwydky’s work takes a different approach.

“Our book takes a longer historical view of the act of adaptation and explores both some of the ways it has been done for just about as long as we’ve been telling stories and also some of the specifc ways that adaptation can impact the society that produces and consumes it,” Jellenik said.

Jellenik has other published works, including one that he coedited with a fellow UCA English professor.

“I have another essay collection, ‘10 Years After Katrina: Critical Perspectives on Hurricane Katrina’s Effect on American Culture and Identity’, that I coedited with my UCA English Department colleague, Dr. Mary Ruth Stewart,” Jellenik said.

Jellenik said the process of getting a scholarly work published is different compared to getting a typical novel published.

“The process is, basically, that you write a proposal, which lays out what your book is about — essentially an introduction — and addresses a series of

questions that the publisher needs to answer before investing in your book,” Jellenik said.

Jellenik said the proposal process considers the audience, felds of study, specifc discourses and a sample chapter of the book.

“The publisher takes your proposal and gives it to outside readers, experts in the subject that you’re writing about, to review. And the outside readers advise the publisher as to the merit of the project,” Jellenik said.

Jellenik said that while getting some things published can be hard, he enjoys the process.

“The hardest part of getting published is also the best part — coming up with a good idea and developing it in creative and innovative ways,” Jellenik said.

Jellenik said the writing process can often be diffcult but he combats that with his curiosity.

“I’m really fortunate to be able to focus so much of my energy on active curiosity,” Jellenik said.

photo courtesy of uca.edu

He said he enjoys being able to work on various literary works, no matter the reward.

“None of these books are getting on a New York Times Bestseller list, but they were fun for me,” he said.

Jellenik said he doesn’t rank his accomplishments and is instead proud of all of his accomplishments.

“I would say that I’m proud whenever I publish anything, be it a book or an article or when I contribute a chapter to someone else’s book. But I also feel proud when I teach a good class or work with a student on an interesting project.”

Jellenik has taught at UCA since 2012 and said he enjoys being able to talk about scholarly works with his students.

“The exchanges that happen in the classroom, having conversations with people about literature and culture, listening to them work through their ideas and working through my own, that’s not only my favorite part of teaching, but one of my favorite parts of life,” Jellenik said.

“The Next Chapter” featured soloists Robinette on alto saxophone and Glenn Martin on piano. “Ms. Garvy, Ms. Garvy!!” Featured fve soloists; Diaz on bari saxophone, Robinette on trombone, Martin on piano, Sergio Castillo on trombone and Mar Morgan playing an improv solo on trumpet.

CONFERENCE

Quoined Corner calls for video submissions

BY M A CI E NGL A ND Campus Life Editor

Students of all colleges will be able to show off what they’ve learned in the past year at the third annual Quoined Corner: The College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences’ Student Research and Creative Activity Conference.

The conference is April 19, but students can submit proposals for presentation until March 10.

The conference will consist of YouTube video and live presentations by students.

To apply to present, students must complete a Google form application with an abstract idea of their presentation in 250 words or less.

Faculty from all colleges making up the Quoined Corner committee will review and decide on abstracts, and students will be notifed of their acceptance by March 17.

Students selected to present will need to create a 20-minute video presentation.

The presentation can be about any topic the student has written about, performed or completed research on.

College of Arts, Humanities and Social Sciences Associate Dean Paige Rose says any student can participate regardless of the college they’re in.

“Students of any major in any college can submit to participate in the conference as long as the project is centered on academic areas or topics within the CAHSS,” Rose said.

Ideas for submissions include: A musical piece you have performed, a novel you’ve written an essay on, a breaking news story you’ve reported, or any other piece of work you’d like to be shared with others.

All selected video presentations will be uploaded to CAHSS YouTube channel, which then will be reviewed again by the committee. One student will be selected from each college to present at the Quoined Corner conference

April 19. The conference will be held from 3-6 p.m. in McCastlain Hall.

Quoined Corner began in 2021 when CAHSS was frst formed.

“We began the Quoined Corner Research and Creative Activity Symposium in spring 2021 after the College of Fine Arts and Communication and the College Liberal Arts were combined.” Associate Dean of CAHSS Gayle Seymour said. Raven Nobles, a UCA alumna, participated in the conference twice. Last year, Nobles was made a fnalist for UCA’s Most Outstanding Student award. She explained that in order to receive the award, you must be nominated by the school you’re in and the professors are the ones that decide who will receive it.

“The Outstanding Student award did mean a lot,” Nobles said. “It meant a lot that my professor saw my hard work and acknowledged it.”

The year before, Nobles received the quoined symposium award for her research paper about Donald Trump.

“I wrote my research paper about Trump, and then my group members put the paper into a PowerPoint presentation and we showed it to my professor who told me to submit it to Quoined Corner, so a PowerPoint is what I submitted,” Nobles said.

Riley Neil, another alumna, also received an award. Neil presented her research thesis regarding local foster care.

“I applied with my honors capstone that I worked with the communication department on,” Neils said. “I created a public relations plan for foster care nonprofts here in Faulkner County.”

The CAHSS Awards Ceremony will be on the same day and will start at 6 p.m. also in McCastlain Hall. The 10 students selected to present at the conference will be given special recognition at the ceremony.

photo by Ellie Albany

Tyus Diaz and Liz Taylor-McMullen perform in the Studio Jazz Ensemble. They performed “Walking by Flashlight” where Diaz played alto clarinet and Taylor-McMullen played

Glenn Jellenik is an associate professor of English who is a published author of many scholarly articles. He says writing brings him joy.

Night of Black Excellence celebrates Black art

BY M I A W A DDELL

Black excellence in the arts was on full display in a dazzling night of poetry, dance, acting and song – organized as a celebration of artists during Black History Month.

Junior Jeromy Hunt helped organize the event on behalf of Students for the Propagation of Black Culture, in conjunction with Alpha Psi Omega’s Dalton Carroll.

The event, offcially titled “A Night of Black Excellence,” featured Black artists showing off their talents, garnering audience reactions from loud laughter to more-serious poetry snaps.

One of the frst performances of the night came from acting duo La’Diamond Maker and Crystal Daniels, who recreated fve iconic scenes from movies including “White Chicks,” “The Help,” “Norbit,” “The Color Purple,” and “Friday.”

Psychology and Communication

major Jaden Wilbur recited an original poem inspired by Quentin Tarantino’s 2012 flm, “Django Unchained.”

The poem, entitled “Mandingo of the Streets,” gives an account of coming from nothing, all the way to something. Wilbur said, “Mandingo, Mandingo, that’s the new word, yeah that’s the new lingo / To describe the life we live, made all that money and still started from zero / We still stepped over

STUDENTS SAY:

artists.

black ice, we’re still seen as the hero.”

Miss UCA 2023 Jada Simpson lent her talents to the night, arriving on the stage in a black and red dance costume.

Simpson performed a tap dance to “Uptown Funk” by Mark Ronson and explained that she has loved dance since she was a child and has been tapping since she was three years old.

Jimeya Mayes delivered a vulnerable and provocative spoken word performance that caused the audience to “ooh” and “ahh” at the words echoing throughout Ida Waldran auditorium.

Mayes detailed a sensual massage in her poem, but the crux – this physical touch was flling up her body and her soul.

Mayes said, “He made me feel

OVERCOMING CHALLENGES

special. He made sure I understood my beauty is not dictated by a scale… His ultimate goal was to eliminate my insecurities, even if only for one night… and now, now I gotta go [get] my next appointment.”

Cece Cullens, a music major, took the stage with a snare drum, showcasing her musical talents.

The event included a wide variety of artists, which Hunt said was an important part of the planning.

“We’re going to showcase a lot of singing, dancing, anything … because we know that there’s more to Black artists than people see.” Hunt said.

Carroll agreed that an audience may not appreciate the complexities and variations of less mainstream Black

“Everybody only thinks about celebrities. Those two faces that you get to see every day in the news that represent Black culture, but it’s really more than that. Like here on campus, we have such a wide community of Black artists,” Carroll said. “That is exactly what this whole event is about. It’s not about any single one person. It’s really about every single person on UCA campus, and being able to highlight that talent.”

Hunt concluded by saying, “When Black people get together, magic always happens.”

People of UCA: Sydney Brooks

BY J ULI A T R A N THA M Assistant Campus Life Editor

Sophomore Sydney Brooks is blooming with confdence after coming to UCA where she is an involved student and friend to many. Brooks balances her life with her schoolwork, involvement on campus and maintaining her physical health all at once.

Brooks was diagnosed at the age of 10 with Type 1 Diabetes.

“Some days it isn’t fun to deal with, but I never let it keep me from the things I love,” Brooks said.

With this condition, Brooks says the daily challenges she experiences have become normal for her.

“Thanks to the evolution of technology, it has become easier,” Brooks said. “When I was diagnosed at 10, my day consisted of at least eight fnger pricks, four insulin injections and the occasional low blood sugar.” Brooks now wears a continuous glucose monitor and an insulin pump.

“I don’t have to worry about injections and fnger pricks anymore but it’s still not fun,” Brooks said. “Sometimes I try

to conceal my insulin pump and glucose monitor because I don’t want my condition to be visible.”

Brooks said that her desire to keep her condition out of the sight of others has started to fade.

“I’m starting to overcome that by not dictating what I wear based on where my medical devices are,” Brooks said. “There’s no perfect way to manage diabetes and some days are better than others.”

Brooks said that her past experiences with diabetes and being involved in sports were not a good mix.

“When I used to play volleyball, sometimes diabetes kept me from playing the game,” Brooks said. “When I played and exerted so much energy, my blood sugar would drop. This would cause me to sit out of the game, which I hated to do. Even though it wasn’t my fault, I felt that I was letting my team down in a way.” Brooks said that she has felt more confdent over the years with having diabetes.

“It used to be my biggest insecurity but now it has become something that I am proud of,” Brooks said. “I learned how to surround myself with people who care about my health and are

willing to understand diabetes for me. My friends and family have been my biggest supporters throughout all of this.”

The elementary education major is a member of the sorority Alpha Sigma Alpha and Student Mobilization, a Christian college campus ministry. Brooks is a Panhellenic delegate for Alpha Sigma Alpha, allowing her the opportunity to work closer with other Greek organizations and as a representative of her sorority.

“The best part of this organization are the women who I am surrounded with,” Brooks said. “We continuously grow in this organization through the opportunities Alpha Sigma Alpha provides. I love that when I walk into the room, I feel fully loved and supported.”

Student Mobilization is another group on campus that Brooks is involved in.

“Several of my Alpha Sig sisters introduced me to this group,” Brooks said. Brooks said that she has become more educated in her faith throughout her involvement in Student Mobilization.

“I truly have learned more about my relationship with God by being in this group than anywhere else,” Brooks said.

Brooks said that she attended a conference for Student Mobilization in Dallas with over 3,000 other college students.

“This conference introduced me to a summer discipleship program that I will be attending for nine weeks,” Brooks said. “Some other UCA students and I will live on the beach for the summer, working a full-time job, and learning how to be a better disciple. I would have never been given this opportunity elsewhere and I truly think it will be a lifechanging experience.”

Brooks said that she thinks everyone should spread kindness to others.

“Especially with the world we live in now, love should be shown to every person,” Brooks said.

Brooks said that she is passionate about compassion and love toward other people. She offered advice for people who struggle with managing their diabetes:

“Diabetes doesn’t defne you and it doesn’t make you any different than the next person. All diabetes does in your life is make you stronger. It just requires us to have an extra step in our day.”

“Which app do you think everyone should have on their phone?”

(Top left) Ashley Miller performs a dance. Bottom left: Teecumpsy Wiggins sings. (Middle) Cyn’Nae Weston performs a song. (Top right) Crystal Daniels and La’Diamond Maker act out a skit from a movie scene.

(Bottom right) Aerial Haney sings. The event was meant to showcase the talents of Black students in a celebration of Black History Month.

photos by Madison Ogle

photo courtesy of Sydney Brooks

Sydney Brooks is sophomore who has Type 1 Diabetes. She is involved in many campus organizations and says diabetes doesn’t defne her.

Upcoming Games

UCA Bears Women’s basketball coach resigns as season closes

by Mia Waddell Editor-in-Chief

Women’s basketball coach Sandra Rushing resigned following her team’s sudden cancellation of the remainder of its season and the departure of its most valuable player — Randrea Wright.

UCA Athletic Director Brad Teague said the team started with 14 players and dropped down to five, which ultimately hindered the Sugar Bears from finishing out their final three games.

Before the season began, two players transferred. Throughout the season, three players were injured — junior forward Kyjai Miles, senior guard Jennifer Peake and sophomore forward Lashiyah Fowler — removing them from season play.

Additionally, four members departed the team, leaving a total of six departing players — sophomore guard Randrea Wright, senior guard Kayla Mitchell, freshman guard Parris Atkins, Anjanae Mueck, Ciara Brannon, and Kahleigh Thompson. Roster information was not available for Mueck,

Brannon and Thompson.

Of the six departures, one was a suspension for breaking team rules, according to Teague.

Two of the departures came suddenly at the tail-end of the Bear’s season — Wright and Mitchell.

Both players played in every game of the Sugar Bears season until the team’s Feb. 16 game against Bellarmine, where both were absent. Neither returned to the court for the team’s last two games against Eastern Kentucky and North Alabama.

During the Feb. 21 game against North Alabama, ESPN+ commentator Dorian Craft said, “Central Arkansas’ point guard Randrea Wright [is] not available — coach’s decision. She was also their leading scorer.”

Wright accrued 240 points season wide, more than any other player on the team. She was named freshman of the week four times during the Sugar Bear’s 2022 season. Mitchell logged a total of 366 minutes during the season.

The reason for their departures is unclear, but it left the Sugar Bears with a five-player

squad — sophomore guard Kinley Fisher, sophomore forward Leah Perry, sophomore guard Gloria Fornah, senior guard Siera Carter and junior forward Kierra Prim.

Teague said the team forfeited the remainder of its season for medical reasons and a lack of numbers in the program.

“With the advice of our medical team and in consultation with our student-athletes, we feel it is best to discontinue competitions for the final three games of the season,” Teague said to UCAsports.com

“We are disappointed for these student-athletes that they cannot safely complete their season but are very proud of their dedication and efforts.”

The team struggled through its season due to the departures and injuries, playing for multiple games with only six to seven players.

The early cancellation of the Sugar Bear’s season affected other teams in the ASUN Conference. All canceled games were counted as an automatic win for the opposing team. The Sugar Bears had three final games to play against North Florida,

SEASON ENDS

Jacksonville University and Austin Peay.

Due to the cancellation of their final game, the Sugar Bears held their senior night activities before the men’s basketball senior night game against Kennesaw State on Feb. 24.

Peake, Carter and Miles were honored for their contributions to the team. One day later, UCAsports.com announced the resignation of Rushing who cited her mother’s health problems as a stressor for her.

Rushing said, “The last few years have been very challenging and stressful as I have been torn between my obligations here at UCA and my mom’s health issues. I feel it is time for me to step away and take care of my top priority. I wish nothing but the best for UCA and the Sugar Bears’ program.”

The article ends by saying, “UCA will begin an immediate search for a new head coach for the women’s basketball program.”

Athletic director Brad Teague confirmed that the Sugar Bears will “for sure” play next season, and “the injuries will heal and incoming recruits will fill the vacated spots.”

Basketball falls in final game, 72-56

by Gabe White Sports Editor

The UCA men’s basketball team (9-22, 4-14 ASUN) closed out its season with a blunder against Kennesaw State, ending its final game with a score of 72-56.

Standout players from the game, as well as standout players for the season, were senior guard/forward Eddy Kayouloud and sophomore guard Camren Hunter.

Kayouloud said, “Right now I’m just feeling happy, I’m feeling grateful. I got to play one more time with them and I’m going to cherish those memories forever.”

Both players have gone back and forth for the highest points scored in each game, Hunter having recently climbed out of a scoring drought.

Although the Bears didn’t end their season with a win, it did end with a poetic statistic, as both Hunter and Kayouloud scored 20 points each of the 56 points scored in the game.

Hunter finished the season with a total of 486 points whereas Kayouloud finished with 446 points.

With this having been Kayouloud’s final season with the Bears, it will be interesting to see how the team performs moving forward.

“Tough times don’t last but tough people do,” coach Brock Widders said. “I know we’ve all heard that a ton and I thought this season was as true as ever. The tough people in our locker room lasted today, they kept fighting and they stayed together. It’s just that adversity in life and that goes well beyond sports.”

Kennesaw State opened the game with a three-pointer from junior guard Chris Youngblood as senior forward Demond Robinson quickly followed up with a lay-up.

After Youngblood scored the Owls two points with a jump shot, the Bears responded with their first three-pointer of the night from Hunter, 7-5.

Although Kennesaw State showcased strong offense, UCA countered with determined defense, keeping a three-point difference for the first 10 minutes of the first half.

“We held them to 40% from the field which was a very good defensive effort, very proud of our guys there. Overall, I’m really just pleased with our ability to stay together,”

Widders said.

The Owls took their biggest lead yet with six points after a three-pointer from freshman guard Simeon Cottle.

The Bears continued to struggle to find ground, Kennesaw State pushing forward with a score of 31-21. Nearly a minute later, the Owls picked up two three-pointers from junior guard Quincy Ademokoya and senior guard Terrell Burden, both less than a minute apart.

The Bears were able to add three points to the scoreboard with a three-pointer from Hunter in the final three seconds of the first half.

Entering the second half with a score of 39-28, UCA looked to continue to catch up to the Owls, Hunter clocking in two points with a jump shot. Kayouloud shaved down the gap to eight points with a three-pointer nearly four minutes in.

Around two minutes later Kennesaw State took back a large lead after a three-pointer from both Quincy and senior guard Spencer Rodgers.

The Bears were eventually able to bring the score gap back down to eight points after a layup from Kayouloud. After a layup from freshman guard Carl Daughtery Jr., the Bears began to seal their fate with a score of 58-50, with only six minutes and forty-four seconds remaining.

At a minute and six seconds left in the game, the Owls bagged the final points of the night with a three-pointer from junior guard Kasen Jennings, ending with the biggest lead of the game, 72-56. Widders said, “It’s been a long season, a lot of ups and downs. We’ve had 10 different starting lineups in conference which has made the season pretty difficult for us. But overall, I’m very happy with today’s efforts.”

Tennis

10 a.m., March 3 vs. Murray State Softball

March 3-4, Adam Brown Memorial Shamrock Classic, at Farris Field Baseball

March 3-5 vs. Illinois State Beach Volleyball

March 4-5, Louisiana State University Tournament, in Baton Rogue, Louisiana

Women’s Golf

March 6-7, Huntsville Intercollegiate, in Huntsville, Alabama Track and Field

March 10-11, NCAA Championships, in Albuquerque, New Mexico

Men’s Golf

March 20-21, The Missouri State Intercollegiate, in Springfield, Missouri

Bears baseball takes home three game loss

by blake Weaver Staff Writer

The UCA Bears baseball team (3-4) and the Missouri State Bears (5-2) met on the diamond Feb. 24-26 in a three-game series, which ended with the UCA Bears in misery.

UCA’s Kolby Johnson hit 2 home runs during the Friday game, one of these home runs would bring the score to 10-9 UCA, before MSU tied it up and overcome the UCA Bears in the final inning. The first game in the series lasted five hours and ended in an 11-10 loss for the UCA Bears.

UCA Baseball coach Nick Harlan commented on how his team can remain focused through the entirety of a five-hour game.

“Training our ability to sustain focus starts the day they get to campus. They are prepared both physically and mentally for long days. This team is disciplined to compete in the moment.”

On Saturday the UCA Bears would take the lead by the top of the third inning by one point — making the game 1-0 UCA, only for the MSU to strike back at the bottom of the fifth with four runs.

UCA’s Drew Sturgeon brought the game to 4-2 by hitting a double at the top of the seventh inning. The UCA Bears kept clawing away at the MSU Bears in the eighth inning with another run, but MSU threw three strikeouts ending the game at 4-3 MSU.

Coach Harlan said the second game in the series was a learning moment.

“We are always looking to improve, win or lose. In one-run games, little things make a big difference. We will make some adjustments in the small details of every phase to get better this week.

The UCA Bears rounded out the series on Sunday in the third game.

By the end of the fifth inning, UCA was down by two runs and wouldn’t get a run in until the top of the eighth with Drew Sturgeon making the score 2-1 Missouri.

UCA starter pitcher Noah Argenta and reliever Payton Windham struck out a combined 14 batters throughout the game. By the bottom of the eighth Windham racked up eight strikeouts in a row against Missouri State. The final game in the series ended 2-1 Missouri State.

With all three games ending in a close one-run score, the UCA Bears put up a good fight. Coach Harlan said, “The team played hard and was engaged on every pitch all weekend. We expected to win each game.”

UCA will return home for a game against the Memphis Tigers at 4 p.m. at Bear Stadium and will face off against the Missouri State Bears on home turf on March 8.

Women’s basketball coach Sandra Rushing speaks to the Sugar Bears with the season in full swing. Rushing oversaw the Sugar Bears for ten seasons in total before resigning after the team’s season was canceled early.

photo courtesy of UCA Sports

Kennesaw State senior forward Demond Robinson sits at the bench after scoring two points with a dunk. Robinson led the Owls with a total of 13 points.

photo by Madison Ogle

I cry during most conflicts, so I understand the desire for civility in most controversial discourse. However, I’m not going to pretend like people are bad for getting angry at terrible policies.

The rich and powerful who readily wield civility politics as a shield against criticism are pathetic, but they know what they’re doing. It puts a stop to criticism they don’t like.

If you exploit people or ignore your constituents, the moral failing is not with the people you upset.

If you’re in a harsh business and you don’t have thick skin, that’s your own fault. You know what you signed up for when you gleefully inherited your family’s money or became an executive or public official.

It’s not like you got hired, elected or appointed by surprise, so don’t act shocked when constituents and journalists alike drag you for your own actions.

If broke stand-up comedians can handle alcoholic heckling, then I’m sure you’ll survive @Samantha249245’s mean Tweet about your terrible take or bad bill. It’s literally in the job description.

In this economy, @Samantha249245 probably makes less than $30,000 a year, so I doubt you’re shaking and crying in your BMW. Even if you were, should we feel bad for you?

I feel this way about basically any politician or rich person, regardless of party affiliation, but some recent events have especially brought out this rage.

Last week, some Arkansas politicians said teachers who took the day off to make public comments about their rushed education bill were wasting public money or that they were too mean about it on Twitter.

As an elected official, why does it offend you that

Matcha-coated, freeze-dried strawberries were responsible for a tantrum I threw a week ago. Scrolling through Instagram, I found a video of a woman. She approaches a self-serve tub of green spheres — much like what you’d see in a candy store.

However, these are no cotton candy jelly beans or gumballs. These are matcha-coated, freeze-dried strawberries, remember?

They’re priced at an astounding $7.80 for 100 grams — $39.00 for 500 grams.

The New Zealand brand that posted the video, GoodFor, supplies multiple health and nutritional products for a no doubt affluent clientele.

Just look at their “low price” pretzels in the classic bow tie shape. 100 grams is priced at $2.10 while 500 grams sits at a hefty $10.48. Compare this to Rold Gold’s 453.6 grams (one pound) of pretzel bow ties, priced at $3.98 at your local Walmart.

Growing up on low-cost frozen meals and juice pouches, I obviously wasn’t raised on any no-sugar, organic, gluten-free alternatives. After all, I probably would’ve hated them anyway. Perhaps I’m just painfully American. Wellness brands truthfully aren’t made for me, and they likely aren’t made for you. Even now, with adult money and my own car, I’ve never been to a Whole Foods.

I’ve been to a Trader Joe’s once and bought a chocolate bar that was so god-awful that I left it to melt in the nearest parking lot trash can. Wellness brands and “sustainable” lifestyles are an annoying pastime for the incredibly rich.

Don’t get me wrong, I can get down with some reusable straws or fresh fruit. But when did eco-friendly alternatives go from practical to incredibly stupid?

I live just fine without activated, organic charcoal

people care?

Thanks to journalist Rex Nelson, it also came out last week that Governor Sarah Huckabee Sanders’ administration has barred state officials from talking with news media without permission. Not only is that “dangerous,” as Nelson argues, but it also reveals a worrying insecurity to have in the business of government.

If you’re so confident you’re making good appointments and writing good policies, then it should be easy to discuss. You should have rebuttals prepared for criticism, as actual competent politicians do. And, just in principle, in a functioning democracy, you should welcome stakeholders sounding off on policies that affect them. Even high school debate kids practice this. Sanders ironically has a degree in communication, but it doesn’t matter to these full-grown adults, empowered by lobbyist money and the promise of future political clout.

I can only hope the scapegoating and then playing the victim strategy gets old. These people wouldn’t last a week as a public official in France, that’s for sure.

Maybe it’s not so nefarious after all, and playing house in the Arkansas Capitol with lobbyists and out-ofstate friends is just more profitable than responding to the public.

But at this point, the people calling powerful people bad words on Twitter are doing more for the First Amendment than so-called free speech champions ever will.

All of this is to say, I don’t really care if you call that guy ugly on Twitter. He wouldn’t respond to real criticism, anyway. I’ll tell you it’s probably in poor taste, but so is being a rich, oppressive asshole, so… life is one big balancing game.

powder in my smoothies. I suppose the creators of these wellness brands — often blond-haired, blue-eyed and white-skinned — think otherwise.

Another New Zealand-based brand, Cali Woods, shares a similar consumer base with GoodFor. In an Instagram post on GoodFor’s page, they feature Cali Woods’ creator Shay Lawrence. Lawrence said she started the brand when she “came home from traveling and seeing otherwise pristine parts of the Pacific Ocean overwhelming with our I love the ocean too, truly. But I don’t think something like Cali Woods’ “Cora Ball” has a tangible impact on the Earth.

The “Cora Ball” is an oddly shaped plastic sphere you throw in the washer during your “sustainable” laundry routine. For $64.00, it’ll supposedly catch synthetic fibers from your clothes.

Much like Gwenyth Paltrow’s brand Goop, Cali Woods is another brand that assumes you have enough money and time to devote to an ecofriendly lifestyle. Truth be told, most people don’t hate the Earth and wish they could make changes to live better.

But the snake oil saleswomen of wellness brands offer up prices that only those who are equally rich can afford. Why buy processed fruits and vegetables from your supermarket when you can grow your own organic foods in the backyard? Why buy fast fashion like Shein when you can own something sustainable like Goop’s “Chloe Blouse” for $1,850?

It’s a disconnect that they’ll never understand. If you’ve got the funds, you can live longer, be skinnier, stay healthier. If you’re a normal person with a 40+ hour work week, don’t get your hopes up.

SGA claims to advocate for the UCA student body yet fails to represent students’ true feelings, specifically regarding fee raises. In fact, it seems as if SGA never disputes these drastic increases, despite the student body expressing disapproval.

On Oct. 7, 2022, the UCA Board of Trustees proposed a “First Year Fee” of $100 for first-time undergraduate students and $50 for transfer students to cover Welcome Week Activities.

In response, SGA President Courtney Clawson said, “Every student that comes through a SOAR session over the summer has to pay this fee anyway, or they have to pay out of pocket. By adding this fee, it would allow financial aid to cover these costs and prevent the financial burden that comes with families having to pay upfront.” Board Policy No. 634 passed, despite no first-year fee being in place before this.

$50 for a SOAR overnight session or $25 for a one-day session without room and board is not a significant expense for a parent. $100 for an undergraduate student is. During its February 2023 meeting, the board of trustees announced the highest percentage increase in room and board rates since 2019. Clawson, once again, did not communicate dissent.

“We understand that this increase is necessary in order to keep UCA functioning the way that it needs to,” she said. “We are very thankful for a university that keeps students and our wallets at the forefront for every decision.”

A 5% increase in room and board rates does not scream consideration for the students’ wallets. There is no reluctance in the way SGA thanks the board of trustees for making the rest of the school’s lives that much harder. Their emphatic support feels like a slap in the face.

Former SGA president Mya Hall reacted similarly to the 4.48% increase in room and board rates in February 2022.

“The student body recognizes the benefits of the increases and thanks to the university for continuing to make our housing and residence life great,” Hall said.

These SGA presidents are not wrong about the necessity of fee increases, no matter how unlikeable they may be for the student body. Colleges need to function, and unfortunately, that means implementing unpopular costs.

However, part of loving and supporting UCA, or any institution for that matter, is the willingness to critique it. A student government that fears its board of trustees establishes an unhealthy dynamic. The inability to say no opens the door for students to be taken advantage of. Instead of blindly showing vehement support for heavy fee increases, SGA should be more critical of the administration. A student body will grow to resent its student government if it does not accurately represent its wants and needs, especially a student government that allows the administration to step over everyone.

SGA members want to show politeness and gratitude to the board of trustees during these meetings, but a compromise can be courteous too. SGA can work toward less dramatic increases, no increases at all or increases elsewhere. UCA is still a business; it will not hesitate to suck its students dry if it means more money. It is in SGA’s best interest to voice the study body’s concerns in an appropriate yet commanding manner.

The power belongs to the people, not the institution.

Instead of blindly showing vehement support for heavy fee increases, SGA should be more critical of the administration.

New This Week

Movies

March 3— Creed III (PG-13)

Directed by Michael B. Jordan. Starring Michael B. Jordan, Jonathan Majors, Tessa Thompson. Theatrical release.

March 3— Children of the Corn (R)

Directed by Kurt Wimmer. Starring Sisi Stringer, Elena Kampouris, Orlando Schwert. Limited theatrical release.

March 3— Operation Fortune: Ruse de Guerre (R) Directed by Guy Ritchie. Starring Jason Statham, Aubrey Plaza, Hugh Grant. Theatrical release.

Television

March 1— The Mandalorian Season 3 (Disney+)

March 1— True Lies (CBS)

March 1— Wreck (Hulu)

March 2— Legacy (BET+)

Music

March 3—Kali Uchis—Red Moon in Venus [Geffen]

March 3—slowthai—UGLY [Method]

March 3—Xiu Xiu—Ignore Grief [Polyvinyl]

March 3—Macklemore—Ben [ADA]

March 3—Morgan Wallen—One Thing at a Time [Big Loud]

Video Games

March 3—Wo Long: Fallen Dynasty [Koei Tecmo] PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

March 10—DC’s Justice League: Cosmic Chaos [Outright Games] PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC, Nintendo Switch

March 14—WWE 2K23 [2K] PS4, PS5, Xbox One, Xbox Series X/S, PC

Top 5 Mountain Dew Flavors

by Gabe White Sports Editor

Filled with creative composition, soft yet intense art, and gorgeous coloring, the comic “Superman #1” begins an exciting new era for the man of steel, as well as a bright beginning for the “Dawn of DC” initiative.

After defeating Mongul in the “Warworld Saga,” Clark Kent has returned to a quiet life in Metropolis — loving Lois Lane, working as a reporter for the Daily Planet and saving the city as the Man of Tomorrow.

Lana Del Rey’s new single ‘A&W’ touches on revenge, relationships

by Mia Waddell Editor-in-Chief

Revenge is on the table, with a side of harlotry and brattiness in Lana Del Rey’s newest single “A&W,” a sonically experimental track that doesn’t hold back.

Before the opulent and polished Lana Del Rey we know now, Lana went by Lizzy Grant. She lived in a trailer park and sang in New York bars in a T-shirt and jeans. The music Lizzy produced was sassy, experimental and boisterous — a far cry from the sweeping operatic sound of Del Rey.

popular album, “Born to Die,” is so full of naiveté and lovergirl swooning promises of forever love that some critics argue it is satirical.

It’s a masterpiece, but it’s not reality. Del Rey is grabbing the reins on the conversation about her body and exercising sexual agency here — this is real life.

She goes on, in the same slow style fans are used to with a ghostly and wispy voice, “I’m invisible, look how you hold me / I’m invisible, I’m invisible / I’m a ghost now,

enough to leave you speechless and ask yourself — “Am I still listening to the same song?” Yes, you are.

Here Lana’s melancholy, evil and sometimes apathetic tone of the first half is cut as she says, “Jimmy Jimmy cocoa puff, Jimmy Jimmy ride / Jimmy Jimmy cocoa puff, Jimmy, get me high (Oh my god).”

Although life has become relaxing for Clark after Lex Luthor was put behind bars, not everything is as it used to be.

Born from the ashes of a failed businessman, Lexcorp has now become Supercorp, run by Mercy Graves in hopes to aid Superman in his future endeavors.

Unable to trust Lex Luthor, Superman must uncover the truth behind Supercorp as Lex’s past sins return to haunt Metropolis.

Without a doubt, “Superman #1” is not only one of the Man of Steel’s prettiest books but also one of the prettiest DC offerings in years.

With art spearheaded by Jamal Campbell, it shouldn’t have been surprising how wondrous it looks, yet his hyper-attention to detail and welcoming art style has propelled the book beyond expectations.

Featured in a two-page spread on the second and third pages of the book, Superman’s past flashes through the folds of his cape.

Not only is this an excellent introduction to this version of Superman, but it brilliantly displays both the tone of the book and the art style.

With many comic series, including “The Amazing SpiderMan” and “Batman,” embracing sharp edges and natural tones, Campbell goes against the herd, casting his Superman in vibrant colors and soft shapes.

Because of his use of soft shapes, Campbell can add creative proportions that fit each character in the Superman mythos perfectly.

5. Pitch Black

There’s an instant loss of points because the soda itself isn’t even black — it’s purple. What started as a limited 2004 Halloween flavor, Pitch Black later became permanent until 2019. Answering the prayers of fans, she returned to us this year. She’s bold, she’s wild, she’s Pitch Black. Mountain Dew markets this flavor as a blast of “Dark Citrus Punch Flavor,” which really doesn’t tell you much, does it? Mountain Dew uses the word “punch” liberally in their descriptions. I don’t think they know what qualifies as “punch,” and I don’t care. I like the fact that Pitch Black can’t be described. It’s part of her mystique.

Superman still looks believable enough to be fit among humans, while also being larger than life, inspiring readers with every page turn.

Without the sharp edges, Campbell crafts a far friendlierlooking Superman when compared to his “New 52” counterpart.

Campbell’s art brings Superman back to his roots: Being a hero for the citizens of Metropolis, similar to how SpiderMan will always be the friendly neighborhood hero.

Unlike many other series that struggle to stay fresh, Campbell knows how to play with the composition of his artwork.

With overlapping frames, super-powered beings breaking out of their square confinements, and gorgeous double-page spreads, not a single page of “Superman #1” feels wasted or uninspired.

Although these descriptions may make the book seem childish, it’s far from it, still offering heavy action-oriented scenes and hints of maturity through the relationship between Clark and Lois.

Much of this maturity also comes from writer Joshua Williamson, beloved for his work on The Flash (2016), Robin (2021) and Infinite Frontier (2021).

Even though the concept of Supercorp is rather uninspired, it’s through Williamson’s character work that his writing shines.

Characters such as Clark Kent, Lois Lane and Jimmy Olsen jump off the page with their dialogue, feeling realistic while still coming off as imaginative and entertaining.

Every character thrives in their own personality and relationships, perfectly playing off each other in both comedic and romantic ways.

What is possibly the most impressive aspect of Williamson’s work is his ability to continue Superman’s legacy while reinventing it.

“Superman #1” continues the stories that have come before but still works as a launching point for new readers, reintroducing characters and concepts in creative ways to feel refreshing.

Possibly one of DC’s best debut comics in years, “Superman #1” represents a new high for Superman, Williamson and Campbell.

If the rest of the “Dawn of DC” initiative involves this level of quality, then DC is about to rule the comic industry in 2023.

4. Baja Mango Gem

In summer 2022, Baja Mango Gem debuted. A year prior, Baja Punch debuted. I swear on everything that Baja Mango Gem is the exact same soda as Baja Punch. Yes, I’ve googled it. If you tell me that Baja Mango Gem is a different soda, I won’t believe you. I only prefer the second rendition because of my affinity for mango-flavored anything since growing up in Florida. I’ve committed to the bit for so long that it feels like a legal obligation to like this soda — even if it tastes nothing like mango. This flavor only beats out Pitch Black because it’s directly affiliated with summertime.

The single begins with an expected piano and guitar, reminiscent of Del Rey’s critically acclaimed album “Norman F*cking Rockwell.” Lana paints a picture of youth, juxtaposed with an apathetic response to comments about her body, “Look at the length of my hair, and my face, the shape of my body / Do you really think I give a damn / What I do after years of just hearing them talking?”

This line is the first clue that a reclamation of autonomy and agency over her body is coming, as the narrative of the song swims by. Del Rey sounds relaxed, almost drowning in the reverb from producer Jack Antonoff. A mist forms around her words, broken only by Del Rey proclaiming, “Call him up, he comes over again / Yeah, I know I’m over my head but, oh / It’s not about havin’ someone to love me anymore / No, this is the experience of bein’ an American whore.”

This frank and decisive statement about her sexuality is surprising and oh, so refreshing. Del Rey’s most

look how you hold me now.”

There is no golden palace or prince in the world of A&W, only Lana’s sobering feelings around sex, herself and perhaps even her conscience. Her soft voice climbs higher and higher until it is cut by the much lower tone of an almost evil-sounding Lana, repeating “It’s not about havin’ someone to love me anymore (Oh, OK) / No, this is the experience of bein’ an American whore.”

This tale, though surprising in its lyrics, still sounds like a Lana song. All of that changes with a quickening beat that sounds almost eerie. Then, the bass drops and is met with Lana’s voice — no longer mystified in reverb — talk-rapping in a sassy tone reminiscent of her campy Lizzy Grant songs.

The change in sound is

In Lizzy Grant’s work, there is a character named Jimmy based on Jimmy Gnecco, a musician Del Rey is rumored to have dated. As her work developed though, Jimmy, or Jim, became a catchall name for her lovers. Del Rey is being brutally honest here — this man isn’t even important or deserving enough to be named, and she’s all about his drugs and the hookup. This is Lizzy Grant. Perhaps the campiest and most memorable line of the track follows soon after, overtop the trappy and psychedelic beat, “Your mom called, I told her, you’re f*ckin’ up big time.”

This vengeful and brutally honest take is the icing on the cake of this badass revenge ballad. Del Rey continues, “Jimmy, if you switch it up, you should light it up / Jimmy, if you leave the house, find me in the club.”

If the track began melancholy and pensive, it ends with a vibrant no-tearsleft-to-cry vibe, long forgotten from her Lizzy Grant era.

Lana’s naiveté is stripped raw here, quite literally like her clothes on the hotel room floor. There is no fairy tale here, just drugs, revenge and an absolute agency of her body.

“A&W” is streaming on all platforms and is part of Del Rey’s ninth album “Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd” which drops March 24.

by

If you want to see a bear snort a line of cocaine off of a severed human leg, then “Cocaine Bear” was made just for you.

The brilliantly simple title of this movie tells you everything you need to know about it: A bear does cocaine. As outlandish as this concept sounds, this movie is based — loosely — on a true story.

In 1985, a 175-pound black bear became famous for overdosing on cocaine lost by drug traffickers in Tennessee, and thus, “Cocaine Bear” was born.

That is where the similarities stop however, as this movie explores the avenue of what could have happened if the bear instead got hooked on the coke and went on a murderous rampage.

If you have ever heard someone complain “All of the best scenes were in the trailer,” that is a fairly accurate assessment. With that being said, the trailer for this movie is thrilling, it makes you think to yourself

3. Liberty Brew

If you want to talk about not being able to describe the taste of a soda, look no further. Marketed as “50 Different Fruity Flavors,” this soda is like leftover night when your mom throws the ghosts of dinner’s past into a pot on the stove. It’s risky, but sometimes you get an unexpected amalgamation of goodness. This flavor was released during 2019 and 2020 and coincided with the Fourth of July — making it another summertime classic. I haven’t felt like a true American since clutching a can of Liberty Brew while floating somewhere in a crowded lake. I’m certain a few dozen mosquito bites only enhanced the flavor.

“No way this movie actually exists,” while simultaneously sending the link to your friends, telling them they have to watch it.

Directed by Elizabeth Banks, the film opens by introducing a drug dealer, who is flying high in more ways than one.

It isn’t entirely clear why he’s getting rid of duffel bags that contain millions of dollars in cocaine, but it’s a lively sequence of events with an unfortunate twist ending.

Rather than depict the scene when the bear actually discovers and devours the drugs, the film shifts its focus to introducing quite a few human characters.

Bringing in these side characters creates a number of subplots, and while some of these subplots are interesting, none are more intriguing than the main character of the movie, the bear that is high on cocaine.

That is the biggest criticism I have of the film — attempting to weave these subplots together just subtracts screen time away from the bear, and the bear is easily the most entertaining part of the film.

2. Baja Blast

Something about Mountain Dew’s summertime flavors have pavloved me into being happy even when it’s 102 degrees outside. My seasonal sadness isn’t dictated by the temperature outside — it’s dictated by the presence of Baja Blast on Walmart shelves. Baja Blast needs no introduction. She’s been on Taco Bell’s menu since 2004 and is no doubt the mother-of-all-flavors in Mountain Dew’s running lineup. One thing that I’m particular about with Baja Blast though, is its need to be in canned or bottled form for peak performance. Taco Bell is great, but you can never bank on the ratio of flavors when Baja Blast comes from the fountain.

I realize I sound like a psychopath, saying all I wanted to watch was the drugged-out, tweaking bear go on a killing spree, but the filmmakers did a good job giving the bear some personality.

While most of the bear’s actions are murder and searching for more cocaine, she has some comical moments, including getting distracted by a butterfly, posing for pictures and even taking a nap.

The first three quarters of the movie keep you entertained and engaged, but the final act is a bit of a bore and leaves audience members wishing for one more fast-paced action scene.

In a movie about a bear doing cocaine, the final message somehow ends up being the importance of being a loyal friend and a caring parent; both admirable qualities, but it’s just strange how they fit into this particular movie.

It is best to watch “Cocaine Bear” without overthinking it; this movie won’t win the Oscar for best picture, but it could give you some laughs and maybe even a scream or two if you let it.

1. VooDEW 2021

I’ve been sipping on Mountain Dew since I was a wee babe. I’d say it’s a great American pastime on par with baseball and sitting in the McDonald’s drivethru. I was in high school when VooDEW 2019 was released and she was a real show-stopper. A Halloween exclusive, it tasted identical to skittles. Come VooDEW 2020, it was the same story. There wasn’t much mystery to the mystery flavor — until VooDEW 2021. The flavor inspiration was revealed as “Fruit Candy Chews” but it was really some strange form of berry-flavored sorcery. I think about her more and more, especially after the citrusinfused disappointment that was VooDEW 2022.

‘Superman #1’ a strong, eye-catching restart for new or old comic fans

Keri Russell stars as Sari, seen hiding behind a tree from the titular bear. ‘Cocaine Bear’ was directed by Elizabeth Banks and released in theaters on Feb. 23.

photo courtesy of cocainebear.movie

photo courtesy of lanadelrey.com

‘Cocaine Bear’ fun, but attempts too much

thoMas staab Staff Writer

“Superman #1” is not only one of the Man of Steel’s prettiest books, but also one of the prettiest DC offerings in years.”

‘A&W’ released Feb. 14. ‘Did you know that there’s a tunnel under Ocean Blvd’ releases March 24.

photo courtesy of dc.com

The cover for ‘Superman #1,’ drawn by Jamal Campbell. It was released on Feb. 21 as part of the ‘Dawn of DC’ reboot.

ets rocksF Moo n 8

by HannaH RoHR Staff Writer

Diet Sweets members describe their band as a “snazzy indie simp rock band,” according to their Instagram bio, @dietsweetsmusic.

Diet Sweets, a four-member band that started creating music together in April 2022, is run by lead vocalist Chase, 24, bassist Austin, 23, guitarist Jon, 29, and drummer Deegan, 21.

Vocalist Chase likes to ask his audience questions or occasionally scream at them until they scream back, which he did numerous times Saturday night.

Chase started off the set by asking the crowd if they had drunk any water that day, which was promptly followed by the entire audience yelling “NO!” in unison.

Diet Sweets’ unapologetically authentic message for the desire for love and acceptance showered over the crowd with new song “Stray Dog,” depicting the longingness to be wanted by someone, anyone.

“It’s my favorite song of ours,” Chase said. “It’s a song about just wanting to belong somewhere, even where you’re not wanted. Hence the name, ‘Stray Dog.’”

Diet Sweets has a way of keeping the audience

Knock” jokes in the middle of the set.

At one point during the set, Chase pointed the tip of his guitar at Deegan and yelled, “DRUM SOLO! GO!” Deegan’s face changed from confused to gleeful just as quickly as he started to drum his heart out for a good 15-second beat.

Chase gave special thanks to audience members who drove in from out-of-state to see the band. Among the travelers is his big sister Andi, who drove from her home in Missouri to see the gig.

“With his music, you feel his love, and you feel his pain,” Andi said. She details how “complex and passionate” of a person and an artist he is.

“I’ve been watching him since he was just a kid. I’ve been following him since he was performing in the parking lot of a hardware store,” Andi said, reminiscing on watching him

COSMOS

Chase’s passion is evident when he jumps from the stage into the crowd to swing around a cement pole and dance with his friends, all the while hitting multiple high notes, Mariah Carey-style. The group ended their set by thanking the crowd for coming out and supporting them, and thanking Full Moon Records for hosting them.

Using music as a form of therapy, the band aims to simply share their craft with others who resonate with their context.

While the group currently doesn’t have music on any platforms, they are working on their first album, “Sweet Talk.” Diet Sweets posts music updates and upcoming events on their Instagram.

Idle Valley, the first to take the stage, had an energetic stage presence that made it almost impossible not to tap your foot while he sang. He started out with some originals, one titled “I Love My Girlfriend,” which was just about how the entire song went. Cute and sappy with a rocker twist, he tells us one important piece of information: “I Love My Girlfriend.”

He also played a song called “She Bites,” which was released Saturday evening prior to the show. Diet Sweets can be found on Instagram @dietsweetsmusic.

Planetarium a valuable resource for students, community

by anna yanosick

Opinion Editor

The Dr. Edmond E. Griffin Planetarium, located in the Conway Corporation Center for the Sciences, is an educational wonder that nurtures an astronomical array of enriching scientific material on outer space.

Every Friday and Saturday evening at 7 p.m., the planetarium puts on a special one-hour show open to the general public that explores time and space itself.

On Feb. 24 and 25, the planetarium showcased the short documentary “Unveiling the Invisible Universe.”

Scott Austin, an associate professor of astronomy and physics, opened the night with a usual preview of the current evening sky.

“I’ll show you what’s currently up in terms of stars, constellations, planets and so forth,” Austin said.

The audience gazed up at the projected visual of the solar system on the ceiling dome.

Austin panned through a series of planets and provided facts about measuring distance in space and the brightness of stars to enhance the viewing experience.

“We’re going to zoom in on Venus,” Austin said. “Astronomers use the earth-sun distance as a yardstick, and the planet Venus is currently about 1.4 AU from us. That’s followed by 130 million miles from us. And at a magnitude of minus 3.7, that means it’s quite a bit brighter than the bright stars currently up in the sky.”

After traveling through several of Jupiter’s moons, such as Ganymede, Europa and Callisto, then landing on Uranus and soaring through constellations and clouds of nebula, Austin screened a short video on light pollution.

“We are losing the dark of night at the speed of light,” the narrator said. “Light pollution threatens the health of every living thing on earth. Exposure to light at night disrupts the circadian rhythms that regulate our sleep cycles. People working at night under bright lights or living in light-polluted cities face a

higher risk of developing diseases such as breast and prostate cancer.”

The short film displayed an image of the night sky if there was no light pollution. Millions of stars peppered the sky, and the Milky Way stretched across the hazy, breathtaking darkness.

“Many people have never seen [the Milky Way],” the narrator said. “Light pollution simply washes out their view of the cosmos.”

At last, after the presentation on light pollution concluded, Austin played “Unveiling the Invisible Universe,” a film about the evolution of telescopes and an expedition into elements of the universe humans cannot see with the naked

It went back in time to Italian scientist Galileo Galilei’s “small homemade telescope” and rocketed forward to his “simplistic instrument” evolving into “huge technologically advanced and precise scientific instruments,” according to the documentary’s narrator.

Telescopes are keys to the past; they unlock glimpses of space hidden from the human eye.

The film cast images of massive stars meeting violent demises due to supernova explosions.

The audience was mesmerized by the soft glow of neutron stars, radio galaxies and galactic nuclei.

“Finally, we can observe the primordial universe, where the death of the first stars was much more violent,” the narrator said. “And the interactions and merging of the galaxies were taking place more “The decoding of the hidden messages that the stars carry, as well as the torrents of exotic particles and space itself, reveal the universe in all its grandeur.”

The

—

Diet Sweets kept the energy at an all-time high during their first headliner gig at Full Moon Records Sat. 25, alongside two other local bands.

probably about my fifth show overall. Highly recommend.”

Griffin Planetarium