From farm to fame ULS speaker John Quinones speaks about his journey from migrant farm worker to ABC correspondent
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Amendment 1 attempts to scam voters Page 4
Monday Halloween ruining plans for students Page 6
Know the foe: No. 22 Navy Page 10
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October 27, 2016 Vol. 54 No. 20
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the Oracle the University of South Florida’s student newspaper since 1966
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News Briefs
news
ULS speaker shares journey from poverty UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Senate debate a battle of efficiency
Amendments 1, 2 spark controversy among voters
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By Abby Rinaldi N E W S
SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE
The final Senate debate between Sen. Marco Rubio, (Rep.) and Congressman Patrick Murphy (Dem.) had the two candidates arguing eachother’s effectiveness. Each said the other did little in Washington. Murphy went after Rubio about his attendance record. Rubio came at Murphy with the accusation that he has never sponsored a bill that has passed during his time in Congress. The debate was held at Broward College near Fort Lauderdale.
Wikileaks releases more Clinton emails, plans to continue up to election Wikileaks said the agency would release tens of thousands of Hillary Clinton’s emails before Election Day, according to the BBC. Clinton’s campaign chairman John Podesta’s ermail was hacked and the campaign blamed the Russian government for it. He niether confirmed nor denied the emails’ authenticity and said that some could have been doctored without pinpointing any fake correspondence. The leaked emails talked about what Obama knew about Clinton’s private emails and the other options discussed for vice president.
John Quinones, ABC Correspondent and host of “What Would You Do?” shared his journey into the field of journalism in the MSC Oval Theater on Wednesday night. ORACLE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ By Miki Shine M A N A G I N G
E D I T O R
In the midst of cheers, ABC host John Quinones made his way on stage as he waved at the crowd of about 50 people. The man from San Antonio, Texas has worked at ABC for over 30 years as a correspondent. For the past 10 years he has produced the show “What Would You Do?” that focuses on ethical dilemmas ranging from a hairdresser berating a customer for being in an interracial relationship to seeing somebody in front of you collapse. “These are scenarios that really happen in real life,” he said. “All of these really do happen, they just happen in the shadows, when nobody’s watching, when there’s no hidden-camera rolling. Everything is based on true incidents.” Quinones’ visit was part of the University Lecture Series (ULS) and was paid $27,000
for the appearance. However, he didn’t start out in the big time. Quinones grew up in an area of San Antonio that was largely comprised of people of Mexican descent and was ripe with poverty. “We knew we were poor,” he said. “We had an old black and white television set in the back of the house and we saw how the other side lives.” Quinones talked about how his family had been living in Texas for seven generations, back when the area was part of the United States but rather was part of Mexico. “I love it today when people come up to me and go ‘John Quinones, you’re Mexican. When did you cross the boarder and come to America?’ We were always there,” Quinones said. “I didn’t cross the border, the boarder crossed me.” His father dropped out of school in third-grade to pick cotton and his mother cleaned houses in the rich neighborhoods,
but they didn’t speak English at home. Quinones said that most of the area spoke Spanish and he didn’t start learning English until he started school. “I was sitting there, twittling my thumbs because I didn’t speak English and my teacher didn’t speak Spanish,” he said. “At ten o’clock in the morning, the bell rings. So what do all the other six-year-old kids do? It was recess, they go out to the playground to play. I walk home. I lived two blocks from the school. “My mother goes ‘What happened?’ I said ‘It’s over, mom, I like school. Two hours and you’re done. I think this is going to work out.’ She grabbed me by the ear and dragged me back to school because they knew education was so important. They wanted us to do better than they had done. They didn’t want us to struggle the way they had.” Quinones said he and his
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E D I T O R
The general election is not far away, and although the heated race for president and for Florida Senator have gained much public and media attention, four amendments to the Florida Constitution will also be on the November ballot. Two amendments are particularly controversial: Amendments 1 and two. Amendment one deals with solar energy while Amendment 2 addresses medical marijuana. The controversy surrounding the solar amendment comes from its language, Susan MacManus, national political analyst and USF political science professor, said. “… It takes 60 percent to pass an amendment but the controversy and the confusing nature of it make it look like it’s going to fail,” MacManus said. “But, it is not unusual for amendments to be worded in ways that confuse voters, and they often get perturbed when they find out that they voted ‘yes’ when they really wanted to vote ‘no,’ because the amendments are written in such legalistic language it’s hard for the average person to understand.” The wording in the amendment sounds pro-solar, but pro-solar and other environmental groups across the state say otherwise. According to the amendment, it “establishes a right under Florida’s constitution for consumers to own or lease solar equipment installed on their property to generate electricity for their own use.” The second part of the amendment, which states “State and local government shall retain
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Opinion
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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Amendment 1 attempts to swindle voters By Breanne Williams C O L U M N I S T
This year, there are four amendments on the ballot. While three of them are straightforward, Amendment 1 uses deceptive language, which will undoubtedly trip up voters at the polls. The amendment focuses on solar energy in Florida and though it appears to promote solar growth, it’s a complete scam. Passing the amendment will lead to an increase of restrictions on solar energy. A far cry from what most voters assume the amendment entails. And who is attempting to pull a fast one on voters? None other than Florida’s utility companies. The amendment begins: “This amendment establishes a right under Florida’s constitution for consumers to own or lease solar equipment installed on their property to generate electricity for their own use. State and local governments shall retain their abilities to protect consumer rights and public health, safety and welfare…” The immediate assumption based off of this vague wording is the amendment will positively impact solar energy in Florida. However, voters recently found out they were purposely deceived. Passing the amendment would instead constrict the customer-owned market, suppressing the renewable form of energy for the entire state. An audiotape released by the Miami Herald revealing statements made by Sal Nuzzo, the policy director of a think tank hired by multiple large utility companies, proved the decep-
tion was intentional and that he thought the practice was “an incredibly savvy maneuver.” “To the degree that we can use a little bit of political jiu-jitsu and take what they’re kind of pinning us on and use it to our benefit either in policy, in legislation or in constitutional referendums — if that’s the direction you want to take — use the language of promoting solar, and … put in these protections for consumers that choose not to install rooftop,” Nuzzo said in the recording, which was of the State Energy/Environment Leadership Summit in Nashville earlier this month. Nuzzo continued to say solar issues poll well and the predicted the language chosen would help make it difficult for prosolar interests to do anything productive down the road. The public was duped and utility companies took advantage of the passion Floridians have for clean energy to further a warped cause — their own eco-destructive practices. A voter arriving at the polls would have read a short explanation on the amendment and infer that voting yes would boost the amount of solar energy available in the state. The reality is, however, much grimmer. According to an Ipsos poll for Rock the Vote and USA Today, “80 percent of millennials agree that America should transition to ‘mostly clean or renewable energy by 2030.’ Less than half of millennials thought the United States should ‘continue to develop fossil fuel resources’; 78 percent thought ‘the government should regulate industry to protect air and water.’” College students are inargu-
ably passionate about the environment and utilizing clean energy. That drive at USF alone has led to the installation of solar panels at various locations across campus, including the roof of the Marshall Student Center. During the straw poll on campus on Oct. 17, which had 1,046 participants ages 18 to 34, over half of participants voted for Amendment 1, with only 25 percent opposing it and 22 percent indicating a need for more information to decide. A population that should have voted overwhelmingly against the amendment voted for it, highlighting the alarming deception we have been subjected to. Students more than likely didn’t realize the amendment was a sheep in wolf’s clothing; they thought they were choosing to secure solar energy, but ultimately they supported restricting it. While the word is slowly beginning to spread that the issue is not what it appears, for some it is too late. In 2012, 6.3 million Americans mailed their ballots in and 16.9 million voted early. This election is hurtling toward the finish line. We are less than two weeks from Election Day and 7.3 million people have already voted in the U.S., according to CNN. Unless the public quickly realizes the extent of fraud woven into Amendment 1, Florida may soon become heavily restrictive on solar energy, lining the pockets of big utility companies across the state. Breanne Williams is a senior majoring in mass communications.
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What you said Opinion Editor Breanne Williams asked students if they believe Florida should legalize medical marijuana.
“Yes. If it’s for medicinal purposes and not recreational then I think it’s meant to help.” - Taliyah Anderson, a freshman majoring in criminology
“I’m for it because it’s helping to deal with issues that can be lessened. There are more positives than negatives. It’s better than prescriptions.” - Thi Doan, a junior majoring in biomedical sciences
“I can argue both. But it alters short-term memory and hinders cognitive function. There’s also 400 chemicals in medical marijuana that haven’t been studied.” - Liberty Sales, a junior majoring in public health
“It’s not bad for you when taken in small amounts, so they should legalize it.” - Chinmay Khanwal, a graduate student studying mechanical engineering
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JOURNEY
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siblings had always helped out the family. He used to shine shoes down at the bars charging ten cents a pair because “They didn’t realize how much they were tipping you.” His shoe shining career ended when he was jumped by a gang that stole all his supplies and his profits from the night. When he was 13, Quinones’ father was laid off from his job as a janitor at the high school, which led the family to start traveling to find work. They became migrant farm workers. They picked cherries in Michigan and tomatoes in Ohio. “That stuff builds character,” he said. “We learned how important it was to come together and help each other.” His parents still pushed to get Quinones and his siblings an education. He said he wanted a college education, but nobody believed in him. When he would try to talk to his teachers about studying for the SAT and ACT or taking advanced placement classes, they’d tell him that his dream of being in broadcast news was great, but that maybe he should be taking woodshop or auto mechanics. “Not that there’s anything wrong with those trades, a lot of my relatives make a good hard living working in that,” Quinones said. “But I wanted to go to school and my own teachers … they judged me on the color of my skin and the accent in my voice.” He said that he knew if he wanted to be in broadcast news, he’d have to get rid of his accent. Quinones played Romeo in high school in an attempt to work on his speech. During college he would practice into a voice recorder and play it back to hear how he sounded, and when he got his first job at a radio station caring for the reporters’ show horses he would do the same and ask the janitor how he sounded. Quinones said he got into college largely because of the government program Upward Bound. He was encouraged by a friend who’d just recently come from Mexico and wanted to be a lawyer to interview with the program. “I don’t know what they saw in me because my grades weren’t that great,” he said. “But
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they saw a spark, these people interviewing me, and they picked me.” He worked three jobs during college — the cafeteria, sorting rocks for the geology department and a pharmacy delivery man — before getting an internship at the local radio station. When he eventually got to do something on the air, he had the chance to say four words at the end of a segment, “Now available at Walgreens.” After college, Quinones struggled to make it to where he wanted to go in journalism. He worked as a radio reporter, but despite applying to dozens of TV stations, he wasn’t able to get a job at one. “Everyone had their one Hispanic reporter,” he said. “It was almost as if ‘oh we’ve got one, we don’t need another one.’ It was like the quota had been met.” His break came when he met a woman who was an alumna from Columbia University in New York City who offered to write a letter of recommendation. He ended up getting a fellowship to do the one-year masters program. After graduating, he landed a job as a reporter in Chicago. He said this gave him the chance to do a story that he’d always wanted to do about undocumented immigration from Mexico. Quinones went into Mexico to pose as a citizen looking to immigrate to the U.S. illegally. He visited villages that were all women because the workingmen had traveled to the U.S. to work. Eventually he found somebody who would sell him a fake social security card and birth certificate for $300, and help him cross the Rio Grand River. “I put my clothes in a plastic bag and this guy puts me in an inner tube,” he said. “And I floated across the Rio Grand into Texas, all captured on camera.” He continued his journey up to Chicago and got a job at a Greek restaurant that he and seven undocumented immigrants worked, but hadn’t been paid in 16 weeks. He said when the workers would complain, the owner threatened to deport them. Quinones got a job as a dishwasher there and would interview the other workers at night. “I still wonder what they must have thought,” he said. “By day
they saw me washing dishes and at night when we were going to bed next to the boxes of food … I pulled out a camera and started interviewing them in Spanish about their lives. They told me about how they were being held there as virtual slaves.” One day, he came to work in his suit with a camera crew. Quinones recalled having to chase the owner around the parking lot because he didn’t want to talk. He said the day after that segment aired, the U.S. government shut down the restaurant, arrested the owner and got the workers their pay along with visas so they could stay in the country. The segment won Quinones an Emmy. Quinones first got a job with ABC reporting, on civil unrest in Central America because of his ability to speak Spanish. When he was in the capital of Columbia, he noticed a group of kids who were sniffing glue off their sleeves and sleeping in the sewers. “They were homeless children, castaways that nobody wanted,” he said. “We later learned that that’s how they would deaden the pain of hunger, by getting high off on sniffing glue.” He found a man who was a wealthy business owner who would go down into the sewers at night and bring these children food since he was the only one they trusted. Meanwhile, police would pour gasoline into the sewers and light it in attempts to burn the children out. Quinones interviewed the man about how he wanted to build an orphanage for these children and Quinones spent weeks down in the sewers talking to the kids. That was his first piece to get on Primetime Live and the segment inspired Americans to donate a million dollars to the man so he could build an orphanage that pulled all of the kids out of the sewers. “The power of that camera, that light, when you shine it on stories that need to be exposed,” Quinones said. “I loved it. I wanted to do more stories like that. I got to do a story in Haiti about the children who cut sugar cane. I then got to go to the Amazon to do a story on the Indian tribe that had never been visited by the outside world. YouTuber Laci Green will give the next ULS speech on Nov. 15.
LIFESTYLE
Monday Halloween ruins plans for some
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UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
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By Nicole Cate L I F E S T Y L E
E D I T O R
Halloween, for many of the children growing up in this country, is an exciting time to look forward to. They can dress up, trick-or-treat and eat candy by the fistful. While most children stop trick-or-treating in their preteen years, for some, the passion for the holiday never goes away, it simply evolves. Students in college have found different, yet equally enthusiastic, ways to celebrate the day. There are house parties, themed events nearby or, for those over 21: bars and clubs with special prices. This year, however, the holiday falls on a Monday. For many students, this makes it hard to celebrate the day. “Honestly, I’ll probably be studying. Halloween was never my favorite holiday just because I get scared so easily,” Thi Doan, a junior majoring in biomedical sciences, said. “(My favorite part about Halloween) is just being able to hang out with my family, but this year I won’t be able to do that. And just getting the candy, but I’m kind of too old for that now.” In fact, with a student body consisting of 11 percent international students on the Tampa Campus, according to the USF System Facts 2016-2017, more than a few students are ambivalent to the holiday. “I actually don’t celebrate Halloween. I’m from Brazil,” Yasmin Martins, a senior majoring in finance, said. “It’s not a big thing in Brazil. (In the U.S.), everybody decorates their house and so on. (Brazilians) don’t do anything.” However, not everyone is letting the fact that it falls on a Monday cramp their celebration. “Considering it’s a Monday, and I have class the next day, I was thinking about going out but I haven’t decided if I’m going to yet,” said Jason
Some students are used to having Halloween fall on the, which allows them to celebrate without worrying about how this will affect their school performance. This year, they may have to change plans as the holiday falls on a Monday. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE.
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Cardarelli, a junior majoring in physics. “Last year, me and my girlfriend went to a party for
party-goers, off-campus apartments on 42nd Street, 46 Street and 50 Street are usually
Considering it’s a Monday, and I have class the next day, I was thinking about going out, but I haven’t decided if I’m going to yet Jason Cardarelli, a senior majoring in physics
Halloween so we might do that again.” For costume-enthusiast
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the places to be. Customarily, there are several parties going on throughout the night, giving
interested students a variety of options. Rachel Lerner, a sophomore majoring in marketing, said that last year she party hopped in the area with friends and was planning on doing it again next week. She recommended it to other students who have not made plans yet. “It’s nice,” Lerner said. “You get to meet different people, and everyone’s really friendly here on campus, so it just makes it even more fun.” For some students,
Halloween was never much of a staple. The holiday was just always an opportunity to spend more time with friends and family. “I never really celebrated it growing up,” said Micah Rate, a senior majoring in political science and psychology. “I never really did trick-or-treating. [I’d] always go out to dinner with the family.” For these students, the day will pass by just like any other, not ruining any previously made plans.
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Complete Florida aims to help adults complete degree By Morgan Blauth S T A F F
W R I T E R
USF is joining a statewide initiative to assist working adults who have earned some college credit to finish their degrees. Known as Complete Florida, the program is a product of the University of West Florida’s Innovation Institute. It aims to help adults who have previously earned some college credit to complete their bachelor’s degree. The program currently offers over 90 degrees and certificates at various universities throughout Florida. The program is expected to launch at USF in spring of 2017. Students who come to USF through the Complete Florida program will be able to choose from five Bachelor of General Studies (BGS) degrees. Each is fully online, allowing students to complete their degree on their own time. William C u m m i n g s, associate dean for strategic initiatives at USF, said that the majors within the BGS program were chosen to be of the most benefit to adults already in their careers but hoping to advance professionally. “(The degrees) are sort of the most workforce-relevant in terms of skills and area,” he said. “We also picked those five because they are fully online, so that also gives students maximum flexibility to complete their degree.” The BGS program has been available at USF since 2008, but the partnership with Complete Florida will raise awareness of the program and allow students to receive additional opportunities such as college coaching. Complete Florida’s staff understands that students returning to college may be overwhelmed by the numerous requirements of applying to
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and restarting school. To remedy this, each student is assigned a free coach from Complete Florida. The coaches assist students with a variety of things, including applications, financial aid and choosing classes. Cummings said he believes that working adults who take the initiative to go back to college will work hard to finish their degrees in the Complete Florida program. “We hope that providing that coaching and the advising that students need will help them feel comfortable but … I think students will be more motivated the second time around,” he said. Students desiring to begin the Complete Florida program must have their associate’s degree, which is equivalent to 60 credit hours. Students who are close to 60 credit hours but have not completed that amount may work with their Complete Florida coaches to earn the final credits before transitioning into the program. Cummings said the goal of the Complete Florida program is student success, but that a welcome side effect is an improved workforce in the areas where the program is initiated. “It’s been set up to make it as easy as possible for (working adults) to complete their college degree,” he said. “That’s good for them individually, it’s good for the Tampa Bay area (and) it’s good for the state of Florida to have more educated adults in the workforce.” Cummings called the program a “second chance” for students who began college and then were unable to complete their degrees. “It’s an exciting program because it gives students — working adults — a second chance to be successful and to do what they need for their career and their personal fulfillment,” he said.
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USF to honor military in Salute to Service game By Chuck Muller C O R R E S P O N D E N T
Throughout Friday night’s Salute to Service game against No. 22 Navy, USF plans to honor military members — past, present and future — from across the Bay Area. During the intermission between the first and second quarters, the university will honor its 2016 Tillman Scholar, Jeff Sargent, with a $15,000 scholarship for the 2016-17 academic year. The Tillman Scholar Award is named in honor of the late Pat Tillman, who in 2002 sacrificed a promising NFL career to serve his country as a US Army Ranger. Tillman was killed by friendly fire in 2004, and the Pat Tillman Foundation was created to honor his legacy of leadership and service by providing academic scholarships to military
veterans and their spouses. Now an undergrad majoring in health sciences at USF, Sargent also works part time in the Office of Veteran Success. “In the military, I learned what selfless service means and to never give up,” Sargent said in a release. “I plan to work at the (Department of Veterans Affairs) and hope to change the current mental health paradigm by focusing on the body as a whole with nutrition, fitness and physical and mental health counseling. I believe that it only takes one medical professional to change a person’s life — I will be that professional. Thanks to the Tillman Foundation, I will honor the life of Pat Tillman in my second career in service to veterans.” Sargent served in the U.S. Army for 12 years, including two overseas tours during Operation Iraqi Freedom, before being
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honorably discharged in 2011. Along with Sargent, the university will also honor Rear Admiral John Kirby as the game’s honorary captain to oversee the opening coin toss. Kirby, a 1985 graduate of USF, has served as the Spokesman for the U.S. Department of State since 2015. Hosting a military academy for the first time in program history, USF coach Willie Taggart put into perspective what honoring Bulls like Sargent and Kirby mean to his program and the university. “It means the world,” Taggart said. “We wouldn’t be able to do what we do if it weren’t for our servicemen and the things they’ve done to allow us to do what we do, … any of us in here. It’s big time. You have so much respect for them and appreciate them. I know we’re going to put on a good show for them.”
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their abilities to protect consumer rights and public health, safety and welfare, and to ensure that consumers who do not choose to install solar are not required to subsidize the costs of backup power and electric grid access to those who do,” has caused some to question its motives. MacManus said USF Neilson polls in the past have shown that people see that amendments on the ballot are put there by special interests and not grassroots efforts. An article from the Miami Herald from Oct. 18 revealed that Sal Nuzzo, a vice president at the James Madison Institute located in Tallahassee, spoke of purposeful ly deceptive tactics designed to convince voters to pass solar amendments that benefit electric utility companies while at a State Energy/Environment Leadership Summit in Nashville earlier in October. Amendment 1 is backed by utility companies, which the Herald reported have donated more than $21 million for the amendment. “As you guys look at policy in your state, or constitutional ballot initiatives in your state, remember this: Solar polls very well,” he said in the recording. “To the degree that we can use a little bit of political jiu-jitsu and take what they’re kind of pinning us on and use it to our benefit either in policy, in legislation or in constitutional referendums — if that’s the direction you want to take — use the language of promoting solar, and kind of, kind of put in these protections for consumers that choose not to install rooftop.” MacManus noted that many media outlets are devoting a lot of coverage to Amendment 1, saying she hasn’t seen any endorsements of Amendment 1 in newspaper editorials. Multiple organizations have offered thorough analyses ,including Florida TaxWatch and the League of Women Voters, according to MacManus. Analysis from the League of Women Voters has stated that a yes vote for Amendment 1 would “put existing statutory language into the state constitution, making it difficult to change future solar energy policy in statute,” and “establish a constitutional rather
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than statutory right for consumer to own or lease solar power equipment on their property … leaving out the ability for thirdparty providers to install solar equipment on their homes or businesses and then sell that power directly back to the consumers,” among other things. Voting no on Amendment 1 would, according to the League of Women Voters, “protect existing rules that allow net metering, where utilities credit a retail rate to customers generating excess solar power that is returned to the electricity grid,” among other effects. On the other hand, Florida Tax Watch backs the amendment, saying in its guide for the 2016 election that “any effort protecting the rights of Floridians to use solar
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There exists an inference that younger people are more for the medical marijuana amendment than older populations, MacManus said. Dr. Selim Benbadis with USF Health said the medical marijuana debate has people at two extremes. One group thinks of marijuana as the cure-all with absolutely no negative side effects for users, which he said he thinks is ridiculous. The other side thinks of medical marijuana as a gateway drug that couldn’t possibly help anyone, which Benbadis said he also thinks is nonsense. “As often, the reasonable attitude is somewhere in the middle of those two,” Benbadis said. “The people that are misguided are the fanatics on
on television,” he said. “… It has not gone through research like other treatments, so there’s a lot of unknown. There is enough anecdotes and personal stories to warrant research but the research has not been done.” He encourages people to not steer towards the extremes when approaching the medical marijuana issue and instead keep an open mind. “The ones that are extreme one way or the other are not advancing the cause,” he said. An assessment from Florida TaxWatch concluded that voting yes on Amendment 2 would give a constitutional right “for people with Debilitating Medical Conditions … to use marijuana, as long as it is certified by a physician,” and provide that
That’s why some state constitutions are so much longer than the U.S. constitution. They want to put everything but the kitchen sink in the constitution ... So some people that might be okay with the ideas just don’t think it’s proper to put issues in a state constitution. Susan MacManus, national political analyst, USF political science professor
energy in the Sunshine State is positive,” and have taken a stance in support of Amendment 1. Amendment 2 has also received a lot of public attention. It allows people suffering from diseases including but not limited to cancer, epilepsy, glaucoma, HIV, AIDS, PTSD and ALS to use marijuana “as determined by a licensed Florida physician,” according to the amendment. It also calls for regulation and registration of centers for production and distribution of marijuana as well as patients and caregivers (by means of identification cards) by the Department of Health. The amendment would not legalize marijuana for patients with illnesses that do not fall under the amendment’s specifications or for recreational use. It would also not provide any protections for the violation of federal law, as it would apply only to Florida. It is currently supported by people including John Morgan of the law firm Morgan and Morgan.
either side.” The U.S. government currently classifies marijuana as a Schedule I drug, with “no currently accepted medical use and a high potential for abuse,” according to the U.S. Drug Enforcement Administration. Other schedule one drugs include heroin and lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD). Many medical societies have asked the government to reduce it to a Schedule II drug, but Benbadis said the government refused. “They confirmed it’s still a Schedule I which makes research very difficult and cumbersome,” Benbadis said. The research into the efficacy of medical marijuana is little, Benbadis said. It is currently being used for compassionate use, but side effects and dosage are still unknown. “The argument is that it may help people, it may help some people with certain diseases … and we have anecdotes, including some that have been
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“patients, caregivers, and physicians in compliance with the amendment would not be subject to criminal or civil liability under Florida law,” among other effects. As for voting no on Amendment 2, Florida TaxWatch stated that “laws passed in 2014 and 2016 by the Florida Legislature authorizing the use of medical marijuana in limited circumstances would remain in effect.” Florida TaxWatch’s conclusion on the amendment was not in support for it, as it conflicts with federal law. The League of Women Voters offered no official stance. One of the other two amendments on the ballot are Amendment 3, which offers a property tax exemption for disabled first responders. The League of Women Voters reported that a yes vote would “authorize the Legislature to grant a property tax exemption on homestead property to first responders who are totally and permanently
disabled from injuries sustained in the line of duty” and “allow the Legislature to decide whether the exemption should provide full or partial relief from property taxes,” as well as other effects. In turn, the League determined that a no vote would “not extend property tax exemptions …” and “not have an impact on localgovernment tax revenue.” The amendment is currently backed by Florida TaxWatch. Amendment 5 allows for a homestead tax exemption for lowincome seniors. The League of Women Voters determined that a yes vote on the amendment would “ensure that low-income seniors who qualify for a city- or countyapproved property tax exemption do not lose that exemption if the value of their home exceeds the $250,000 limit” and “Cost cities and counties that currently grant the exemption an estimated $2.3 million in fiscal year 201617; $500,000 in 2017-18; and eventually $1.2 million in 202021,” along with other effects. A no vote would “retain the property tax exemption for lowincome seniors who are longtime residents, but not ensure they keep it if property values rise” and not cost cities and counties any revenue, along with not providing the previously mentioned relief, as determined by the League of Women Voters. Florida TaxWatch is in favor of the amendment. “(Amendments 3 and 5) seem to be fairly non-controversial,” MacManus said. MacManus emphasized the importance of voters educating themselves about the amendments, especially the lesser known amendments. Typically, newspaper endorsements tend to matter most in relation to things voters are going to vote on but may not know much about, MacManus said. She also encouraged voters to ask the question of whether or not something needs to be a constitutional amendment. “Some make the argument that constitutions are to be basic frameworks of government, not the details, the policy details that has increasingly been the case,” she said. “That’s why some state constitutions are so much longer than the U.S. constitution. They want to put everything but the kitchen sink in the constitution … So some people that might be okay with the ideas just don’t think it’s proper to put issues in a state constitution.”
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Sports
Know the foe: No. 22 Navy UNIVERSITY OF SOUTH FLORIDA
The Rundown Outside USF
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Report: Alcohol involved in death of Jose Fernandez According to a report by the Miami Herald, Miami-Dade County authorities encountered a strong smell of alcohol when approaching the scene of the boat crash that killed former Marlins pitcher Jose Fernandez Fernandez and two friends Sept. 25 off the coast of Miami Beach. Toxicology reports have been completed by state investigators, but have yet to be released due to the records being involved in an open criminal investigation. Despite the closed records, investigators concluded the crash was caused by “recklessness exacerbated by alcohol.”
Navy at USF • Friday • 7 p.m. • ESPN 2 By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
USF Weekend Schedule
Men’s Soccer
USF (7-6-2, 4-1) @ SMU (6-8, 2-3) When: Saturday, 7 p.m. Where: Westcott Field
Women’s Soccer
USF (11-2-2, 3-2-2) @ Memphis (12-3-1, 6-1) When: Today, 8 p.m. Where: Mike Rose Sports Complex
Volleyball
East Carolina (14-6, 4-6) @ USF (15-7, 6-4) When: Today, 7 p.m. Where: The Corral
E D I T O R
When USF last played Navy in Annapolis, Maryland in 2015, the Midshipmen used a fourth-quarter comeback and an eye-popping 428 rushing yards to beat the Bulls 29-17. This time around, No. 22 Navy will likely lean on the run once again as it has throughout the 2016 season, especially after USF allowed over 300 yards and four scores on the ground in a 46-30 loss against Temple on Friday. “When you have a lot of energy and you’re flying to the ball, and you miss a tackle, you’ve got five or six other guys running to the ball,” junior linebacker Auggie Sanchez said. “But when you don’t have energy and guys aren’t going to run to the ball and do the little things they’re used to, you have one or two guys running to the ball and if they miss, then they’re out the
gate and I think we saw that against Temple.” Following a performance in which the Bulls struggled to contain the Owls’ rushing attack, encountering an unrelenting Navy rushing attack that is averaging 293 rushing yards a game — good for fourth-best in the nation — will once again present a unique challenge for USF, as it did in 2015. Despite not having former quarterback Keenan Reynolds this season, Navy’s offense hasn’t missed a beat with senior quarterback Will Worth at the helm. After starting quarterback Tago Smith tore his right ACL in the second quarter of Navy’s 52-16 win over Fordham in its season opener, Worth has led the team to a 5-1 start, including a 46-40 win over No. 6 Houston. Through six games, the 6-foot-1, 205-pound senior has rushed for 489 yards and nine
Football
Taggart in middle of the pack in annual salary
Coach Willie Taggart’s salary of $1.7 million ranks him 62nd in the nation. ORACLE FILE PHOTO/JACKIE BENITEZ By Vinnie Portell S P O R T S
E D I T O R
touchdowns while passing for 688 yards and five scores. “He keeps going and gets right back up, it’s like ‘Geez, you want your players to hit the quarterback, but it don’t matter with him.’” Coach Willie Taggart said. “But he’s a winner, he’s a competitor, he’s tough. He has a great understanding of what they’re doing offensively.” While Taggart said this week he won’t take play-calling duties away from defensive coordinator Raymond Woodie after the loss to Temple, he acknowledged improvements must be made to what has been the 100th-best rushing defense out of 128 FBS schools. USF will have likely have every opportunity to show that improvement Friday against an offense that has ran the ball 333 times compared to 64 pass attempts this season. “It’s one of those games where you have to be mentally
Even after agreeing to a new contract that included a threeyear extension and a sizable salary bump of $550,000, USF coach Willie Taggart is only ranked as the 62nd highest-paid coach in college football, earning $1.7 million per year. According to a list of college football coaches’ salaries that was compiled by USA Today, Michigan coach Jim Harbaugh tops the list with earnings just north of $9 million. Former LSU coach Les Miles, who was fired by the school after a 2-2 start to 2016, is 13th on the list and will make just shy of $4.4 million this year without coaching another down. Former USF coach Skip Holtz, now currently coaching Louisiana Tech, comes in at No. 104 with an annual salary of just over $500,000, but actually earns north of $1 million due to money owed by USF. USF, which fired Holtz after the 2012 season, has paid him
n See FOE on PAGE 11
n See SALARY on PAGE 11
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Football
Bulls’ backs against the wall with No. 22 Navy on Friday
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$500,000 each season since and will continue to do so through the 2018 season as part of his buyout from the school. If the half a million dollars USF is paying Holtz to not coach at the school was given to Taggart instead, it would elevate him to No. 50 on the list, one spot ahead of Cincinnati’s Tommy Tuberville. Taggart is currently the fourthhighest paid coach in the AAC, with Houston’s second-year coach Tom Herman topping the list at $3 million. The lowest reported salary in the AAC belongs to East Carolina’s Scottie Montgomery, who earns $1 million a year. Before coming to USF, Taggart earned $225,000 in his first two seasons with Western Kentucky and $475,000 in his final season with the team.
FOE
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Junior linebacker and captain of the defense Auggie Sanchez (left) will be tasked with defending a Navy offense which has averaged nearly 300 rushing yards per game with quarterback Will Worth (right) as the starter. SPECIAL TO THE ORACLE Beginning with USF’s 45-24 Friday represents a make-orTemple relied almost season, they can’t forget about win over Syracuse in its 2015 break opportunity of sorts for exclusively on its running game the Knights. homecoming game, the Bulls USF. last Friday, rushing for 319 Despite going winless in went on a streak in which Reeling from a 16-point loss yards on 51 carries compared 2015, newly hired coach Scott they won the rest of their to Temple last Friday, USF to 209 yards through the air Frost has turned UCF back regular season games with the coach Willie Taggart said his on 21 passing attempts. into a competitive team in exception team is sticking to his mantra Leading the AAC in 2016. of one — a of taking the season one game rushing, Navy has scored 20 Even though USF will get 29-17 loss at a time, no matter how dire touchdowns on the ground the chance to play UCF in at Navy on the circumstances. and averaged just shy of 300 the final game of the regular Oct. 31. “After the loss, we were rushing yards per game in season on Nov. 26, the Knights T h a t ticked off,” Taggart said. “I 2016. are only a half game behind s t u m b l e think after any loss you get a In its loss to the Midshipmen the Bulls, with a loss to Temple proved to little ticked off, and after any in 2015, USF struggled all as their only blemish in AAC Vinnie Portell be fatal loss you lose a little confidence, game against the Navy play. COM M ENTA R Y to USF’s but we were ticked off after offense, giving up 428 yards For what began as a nearh o p e s the Florida State loss, too, and on 69 carries. perfect start to the season, the of playing in the conference we bounced back. If the Bulls’ defense Bulls find their backs against championship game, as “But we’re 6-2, only one surrenders anything close to the wall for the first time in Temple won the East division loss in the conference and we last season’s total, a final- 2016. with a one-game lead over the still have a lot to play for. Our stretch collapse from Temple With only four games Bulls, even after the Owls lost football team is still learning would be their only hope of remaining and the Bulls to them 44-23 on Nov. 14 at how to be champions. And playing for a conference title. needing to gain a game on Raymond James Stadium. being a champion, you have In its remaining four games, Temple to claim the East, In 2016, USF (6-2, 3-1) finds to be mentally locked in each Temple plays AAC teams that each and every contest itself in a similar position, as and every Saturday and that’s combine for a 2-13 record in could dramatically alter their it sits behind Temple for the tough, not may people can do conference play this season, chances of winning the first division lead with No. 22 Navy that for 12 weeks.” while USF still must play conference championship in coming to play the Bulls on With a short week to prepare Memphis (5-2, 2-1) and UCF program history. Friday at 7 p.m. and the fourth-best rushing (4-3, 2-1). Unfortunately for the Bulls, While it remains only one team in the nation coming to And while the Bulls will it just so happens their most game in the grand scheme town, the timing couldn’t get be keeping a close eye on formidable opponent left is of a three-month-long season, any worse for USF. the Owls for the rest of the who they play next.
disciplined of doing the same boring thing over and over again,” Taggart said. “That’s where they get you where they lull you to sleep and then you don’t do your job that one time and they make you pay for it. You can do your job the whole entire game, but if you don’t do your job for one play, they make you pay. That’s how that offense operates and you can’t (let them) do that.” Even though Worth has only dropped back to pass nine times in the past two games, the quarterback has connected for six passes for 161 yards and four touchdowns in those limited opportunities. Aside from using Worth in the running game, Navy has leaned on a deep backfield of five players who have combined for 1,042 yards in 2016. The group of backs is led by the 6-foot, 224-pound full back Chris High, who has rushed for 392 yards and four scores. After giving up first place in the AAC East to Temple last week, USF (6-2, 3-1) will have to quickly adjust to thwart the run-heavy Midshipmen when the two teams meet at Raymond James Stadium on Friday at 7 p.m.
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