TWO SGA SENATORS RESIGN
HILLTOPPERS EDGE OUT WIN OVER MTSU
NEWS, PAGE A3
SPORTS, PAGE B6 TTUESDAY, UESDAY, OCTOBER OCTOBER 118, 8, 22016 016 > W WESTERN ESTERN KKENTUCKY ENTUCKY UUNIVERSITY NIVERSITY > VVOLUME OLUME 992, 2, IISSUE SSUE 1144
Med Center, WKONA debate WKU
proposal BY EMMA COLLINS HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
Eva Ross, singer and guitarist, said the music her band played at the FFOYA House focused on love, relationships and feelings of uncertainty. “My heart goes out to anyone who has experienced [domestic violence],” she said, adding that she thinks it is important for victims to “seek help and not be ashamed.” Stephanie Menser and Ava McBride, the BRASS advocates of housing and outreach, attended the event. They spoke between the acts about the effects of domestic violence. “Domestic violence is very silencing,” Menser said.
The bidding process for a proposal for a sports medicine complex at WKU was “veiled in secrecy” and favored a monopolization of health insurance for WKU employees, according to doctors with a Graves Gilbert Clinic subsidiary. In the past three months, Western Kentucky Orthopaedic and Neurosurgical Associates, which Graves Gilbert Clinic owns, filed two letters of protest against the deal that would allow the construction of a $22 million athletic facility. While, WKONA was initially offered the deal, Dr. Craig Beard, a doctor with WKONA, said the initial offer from President Gary Ransdell and Athletic Director Todd Stewart was for a complex priced at around $20 million. When WKONA refused the deal citing concerns about the cost, WKU turned to the Medical Center and offered the organization a similar deal. Following the Board of Regents approval of the deal between WKU and the Medical Center, Beard and other doctors with the Graves Gilbert Clinic released claims stating the proposal specifically favored MedCenter Health. The deal could potentially create a monopoly that could increase health insurance rates for the university’s employees, according to WKONA. The deal would have also given the Medical Center exclusive rights to be the health services provider for athletes, a contract held by WKONA until it was terminated in August. However, WKU administration and Medical Center officials dispute WKONA’s claims, stating WKONA is protesting out of fear of losing business to other healthcare providers. WKU administration and Medical Center officials also said WKONA exaggerated the university’s ability to control the medical providers employees use. The Medical Center was promised exclusive rights to on-campus health services currently managed by Graves Gilbert Clinic in the original letter of intent for the construction of the sports medicine facility. According to the Request for Proposal, otherwise know as a RFP, released by WKU after WKONA’s first
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Victoria Mitchell, 20, of Bowling Green, looks at artwork on display with her six-month-old daughter, Isabella Keaton on Friday, Oct. 14, at the FFOYA House. “I came to this event tonight because I was in a domestic violence relationship with her father and it’s so nice to go to hear other people’s stories,” Mitchell said. Ebony Cox/HERALD
Raising the volume FFOYA, BRASS host domestic violence awareness benefit BY CALLIE MILLER HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU
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ocal artists, bands and poets showcased their work this weekend during a benefit for Domestic Violence Awareness month. The Barren River Area Safe Space, a domestic violence shelter and program, and the Former Friends of Young American’s House were co-partners for the event. The benefit featured a Gallery Hop on Friday, followed by the Domestic Violence Awareness month benefit show on Saturday, both at the FFOYA House. Toby Fatzinger, director at FFOYA House, said it supports causes that are bigger than the rest of us. “Part of our overall mission is to partner with other nonprofits,” he said. The FFOYA House’s purpose is to connect local artists with social causes. It approached BRASS earlier this year to set up an event to raise domestic violence awareness through art during October. At the Gallery Hop, several writers read their own poems expressing the issue of domestic violence or similar situations. Artists submitted their paintings and drawings to be displayed that showed “how they interpret domestic violence or their reaction to a domestic violence type scenario,” said Pam Hurt, assistant director of BRASS. Those who attended the Gallery Hop and the benefit were encouraged to bring personal care items for BRASS
or a small monetary donation it admission. Those items will be donated to the women at the shelter. Teresa Christmas is one of several local artists who exhibited artwork at the FFOYA House. Her painting, titled “The Last Time He Hit Her” depicted three young children sitting in chairs. She said she wants people who see it to think, “What happens to the kids?” in domestic violence situations. BRASS helped Christmas years ago in her time of need. As both an artist and previous domestic violence survivor, she was happy to support the event and cause. “It feels like it was another lifetime,” she said. Christmas said many people don’t realize children can be the abused victims too. It’s hard for victims to leave because they will be single parents, she said, “because childcare can be so expensive.”
Topper Corner celebrates opening with ribbon cutting BY NATALIE PERRY HERALD.NEWS@WKU.EDU The flash of cameras and round of applause interrupted the otherwise dreary Thursday afternoon as the bright red ceremonial ribbon was cut in front of WKU’s new Topper Corner in the Stadium Park Plaza courtyard. The ribbon cutting ceremony took place at 3 p.m. outside of the new WKU store. A brief introduction was delivered to the audience of local business owners, city commissioners, Hot Rods employees and WKU personnel scattered out among the racks of t-shirts and tables full of local artisan sculptures, paintings and bar-ware. Topper Corner is a boutique style store selling items including WKU merchandise, Hot Rods merchandise and community and student artwork. Store hours are from 10 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. Monday through Friday and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Saturday. Topper corner is located between Starbucks and 6-4-3 Sports Bar. The boutique is accessible from inside of the Starbucks or from a separate outdoor entrance. Gary Meszaros, assistant vice president of business and auxiliary introduced and thanked those who helped
in the process of getting the store up and running. Including Jerry Katzoff, the lead developer of Stadium Park Plaza. “I think the store really brings the university closer to downtown,” Katzoff said. Sharing a space and conference area with the neighboring Starbucks, Meszaros and Katzoff hope to see the two businesses benefiting each other and the whole downtown area. Customers, especially students will buy some coffee and walk down the hall to check out the new deals and art in the boutique, Meszaros said. “We think it’s going to be a good synergy,” Meszaros said. “We’re going to try to co-promote some things in the future, like if you buy a shirt you get a Starbucks gift card or a 20 percent discount. That’s sort of a longer term plan.” Recruited from Houston to manage Topper Corner, Rebecca Elder returned back to her childhood home of Bowling Green. Elder spent part of her childhood growing up on Normal Street, and both of her parents worked for WKU. Elder has previous boutique management knowledge from owning her own boutique in Houston. With such strong ties to
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Merchandise on sale at Topper Corner, a new shop selling WKU apparel, memorabilia and student artwork which opened officially on Thursday, October 13 in Stadium Park Plaza. Evan Boggs/HERALD