DELTACOLLEGIATE
Volume 86 • Issue 3
STUDENT RUN SINCE '61
February 4, 2020
Trump reelection campaign
Pg. 2
Goliath Mitchell Pg. 7 Drag queens Value of life
Pg. 8 Pg. 13
2 NEWS
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Michael Pieper • Creative Director
Linda Lee Tarver speaks to Trump supporters while representing Black Voices for Trump, and Women for Trump on Jan. 25 in Saginaw.
Trump reelection campaign kicks off in Saginaw Michael Piwowarski • News Director @DCMichaelFP Bill Badour • Reporter @BadourBilly SAGINAW — Republicans in the Great Lakes Bay Region can now get their Make America Great Again, or MAGA, fix. The headquarters for the Donald Trump reelection campaign in Saginaw held its grand opening Saturday, Jan. 25. The event started with lunch followed by speakers of various groups for Trump. Several groups - including Black Voices for Trump, Students for Trump and Gun Owners for Trump - came to show their support for the incumbent president.
Making pro-life great again? “I most support President Trump’s pro-life view,” said Linda Lee Tarver, representing Black Voices for Trump. “7% of the Michigan population is black women and we make up 51% of the abortions and I consider that a genocide. He is very much pro-life which is saving lives.” A study done by the Guttmacher Institute shows that black patients accounted for 28% of abortions in America. In addition, Trump has not had a consistent view on abortion at all. In 1999, he declared,
“I am pro-choice in every respect.” On the campaign trail in 2016, Trump stated that women who have abortions should face “some form of punishment.” Later on during the campaign, however, he angered anti-abortion groups by saying, “it would’ve all been better if it were up to the states.”
He’s done a phenomenal job with respect to unemployment and the economy, which helps those who are in an urban center. - Linda Lee Tarver
Despite his contradicting statements, Trump recently gave remarks at the March for Life rally in Washington D.C.
Trump versus the black majority On how Trump has helped black Americans, Tarver pointed to recent
statistics showing the unemployment rate for African-Americans at a record low. “He’s done a great job with opportunity zones,” says Tarver. “He’s done a phenomenal job with respect to unemployment and the economy, which helps those who are in an urban center.” When asked about a recent poll showing that eight in 10 black Americans believe Trump is racist, Tarver claimed that the results are “farcical” and that Trump is getting more support from the black community. “He was not a racist for liberals until he ran for president,” says Tarver. "And so he was a champion. Every rapper wanted to be Donald Trump. Every person wanted to be Donald Trump. Even Barack Obama, at the time, quoted that everyone wants to grow up and be Donald Trump.” Tarver is referring to a popular Facebook post which claimed that, in 1991, Obama said “the American dream is to be Donald Trump.” However, Obama did not actually say that. In a paper from his time at Harvard that he wrote with a friend, about Americans’ expectations to be financially secure in the future, he wrote: "The depth of this commitment may be summarily dismissed as the unfounded optimism of the average American — I may not be Donald Trump now, but just you wait; if I don't make it, my children will.”
'I want to live the American dream.' Dominic Jakubowski, a student at Kettering University in Flint, spoke on behalf of students for Trump. Jakubowski stated that the economy is the issue that matters the most to him. ”Most definitely the economy, because I want a job when I graduate,” says Jakubowski. “I want to live the American dream.” On what Trump has done to help students, Jakubowski said, “it begins with deregulations; by allowing educators to be able to teach the way they want. Also synthesizing and allowing different organizations and institutions to be successful. Not necessarily public education, but also private education so that there is a competitive economic market.” Policy Matters Ohio is a non-profit research institute on issues affecting Ohio. When the group researched the effect of deregulation on higher education, their analysis concluded that “deregulation does not increase college completion, make college affordable or close the higher education gap. In many cases, deregulated states seem to perform worse than the nation on many indicators of accessible and affordable higher education.” For MAGA folks who missed the grand opening, the Trump headquarters is located at 4607 Bay Rd and is open Tuesday through Saturday from 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. The office sells campaign merchandise — including signs and T-shirts — and allows people to register to vote.
NEWS 3
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Midland library celebrates Grace A. Dow’s legacy RJ Murphy Reporter @rjmurphwords
MIDLAND – The Grace A. Dow Library in Midland celebrated the 150th birthday of the woman the library was named after: Grace Anna Dow. Old photos, documents and informational diagrams were on display while guests were served cake and punch. Afterwards, the guests climbed up to the mezzanine where Tawny Ryan Nelb, historian/archivist, gave a well-researched presentation on Grace’s early life, which began in 1869. After graduating from high school in Midland, Grace would re-enroll to receive a postgraduate degree in 1888. She then began working as a librarian at the Union School, and would later become a teacher. Herbert H. Dow started the Midland Chemical Company in 1890 — which is now Dow — the same year Grace passed the teachers exam. Although it is unclear when the two first met, they quickly shared amorous feelings towards one another. Grace would marry Herbert in 1892. Grace was remarkably devoted to the Midland community. Grace started the Herbert H. and Grace A. Foundation in 1936 after Herbert died. The foundation has “charter goals to improve the educational, religious, economic and cultural lives of the inhabitants of the city of Midland and of the people of the state of Michigan.” She contributed to several different projects throughout the city. The Herbert H. and Grace A. Dow Foundation website states: “She was an active member of several civic organizations including a women’s study club, the Monday Club, for which she served two presidencies: co-founder of the John Alden Chapter of the Daughters of the American Revolution, and she served for 42 years on the Midland Library board.” Grace was the mother of the highly acclaimed architect Alden B. Dow. As head of the Foundation, Alden wrote a letter to the City of Midland expressing
the foundation’s wish to build a new public library. They wanted it on the family’s apple orchard, which was situated at the corner of Eastman Road and St. Andrews Drive. The library was named the Grace A. Dow Library, after the woman who endowed the project. Sadly, she died in 1953 before construction ever began. The library finally opened to the public in January 1955.
Rebecca Roberts • Photo Editor
Several locals celebrate the Grace A. Dow Library’s 150th birthday on Saturday, Jan. 25 in Midland.
A library for modern explorers The mission of the library is to inspire lifelong learning by connecting people and resources. The library offers a long list of services and resources beyond books, including e-books, DVDs, computers and free rooms to use. The full list is available at www.gadml.org under the “About Us” tab. The library also hosts events such as Battle of the Books, computer classes, free film showings and numerous arts and crafts activities. Midland Community Television (MCTV) is housed in the basement of the library. Miriam Andrus has been serving as the library director since June 2019. One of the new services the library recently started includes the online learning platform Lynda. “With your library card, you can log on to the website and learn anything, from how to use Microsoft Office products to building a website,” says Andrus. “They even have stuff on how to manage your time better or be more mindful. It’s basically courses you can take online and it’s all free through your library card.” Another new service the library offers is the video streaming product Kanopy which, according to Andrus, is the “Netflix for libraries.” The library also has subscriptions to more than 100 e-magazines which are available for download to the public. “We are able to offer so many services,” says Andrus. “Unfortunately, I think that if people haven’t set foot in a library for a while, they think that the only things there are books. Libraries have so much more now.” Andrus encourages anyone who wants to take advantage of these services to stop in and sign up for a free library card.
Rebecca Roberts • Photo Editor
Cake and punch is served to celebrate the 150th birthday of the Grace A. Dow library.
RJ Murphy • Reporter
A timeline outlines the life of Grace A. Dow and the library
4 NEWS
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2020 Democratic Candidate Profiles Bill Badour • Reporter @BadourBilly This is the second part of a weekly series highlighting the Democratic presidential candidates for the 2020 race. Elizabeth Warren is in favor of: - Abolishing capital punishment, ending cash bail, and eliminating private prisons. - Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour, as well as broad paid family and medical leave for up to 12 weeks. - Universal free public college, cancelling up to $50,000 of student loan debt for 95% of loan borrowers and increasing the pay of teachers. - Banning unlimited spending in politics, eliminating the electoral college and restoring voting rights to felons after prison. - Banning fracking everywhere; imposing government regulations to reduce carbon emissions. - Banning assault weapons and implementing universal background checks. - Medicare-for-all. Warren has outlined a plan on how her Medicare-for-all plan will be transitioned to more than three years. - Legalizing marijuana; erasing past convictions.
Pete Buttigieg is in favor of: - Abolishing capital punishment, ending cash bail and eliminating private prisons. - Raising the federal minimum wage to $15 an hour and offering paid family and medical leave for up to 12 weeks. - Students not having to take on debt, cancelling some student debt, boosting teacher’s pay and is against for-profit charter schools. - Supporting nuclear power and taxing carbon emissions. - A voluntary buyback program on assault weapons, requiring universal background checks and starting a gun licensing program. - “Medicare for All, for all who want it," a plan to extend public health insurance options for those who would want it without ending private insurance. - Legalizing marijuana and scrapping past convictions. - Boosting the defense budget and bringing the troops home.
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You can sign up for emergency notifications by using your mobile phone, text DELTAEMG to 888777 Wednesday, January 1 - Friday, January 24, 2020 Michael Pieper • Creative Director
Currie Parkway Bridge in Midland. April, 2017.
Currie Parkway Bridge in Midland is now a one-way Michael Piwowarski News Director @DCMichaelFP
MIDLAND — That little red one-lane bridge that connects Currie Golf Course to downtown Midland is now a one-way, indefinitely. Currie Parkway Bridge is one of three Midland bridges that crosses the Tittabawassee River and offers passage to and from the downtown Midland area. It was permanently converted to an eastbound one-way street, as unanimously approved by the Midland city council Monday, Jan. 27. The bridge was closed in fall 2018 due to damage that was sustained when a vehicle that weighed more than the bridge’s 5-ton limit crossed it. City engineer Joshua Fredrickson told the Collegiate that bearings, rods and steel members had to be repaired before the bridge could reopen, which it did in June 2019. A temporary traffic control order was issued by the city on June 27 to make the road one-way. Fredrickson says this was due to a high volume of traffic putting stress on the 112-year-old bridge. “We’ve gone out there and visually observed [the] traffic volumes, because you’re sending them one direction only, volumes are down dramatically,” says Fredrickson. During public comment at the city council meeting, Fredrickson said that this measure will cut the bridge’s daily traffic in half, since allowing only one direction means that commuters would just use one of the other two bridges — on M-20 or Poseyville — for the return trip. Although data has been collected on bridge traffic, Fredrickson says there are
no specific figures available at this time. “We monitor traffic on a regular basis,” Fredrickson told the Collegiate. “We collect traffic counts, we collect turn movements and things like that at intersections.” Fredrickson wrote to Midland city manager C. Bradley Kaye that the temporary oneway traffic order was extended until this January to allow for additional time for public comment. One written comment was received from city resident Melissa Ottjepka. “Please reconsider! This is very inconvenient for citizens who are handicap and need to get to the dog park,” Ottjepka wrote. “You are making our trip twice as far — 5 miles vs 2.5 mile.” Ottjepka further stated that “My husband lives with physical limitations as well as a traumatic brain injury and cannot walk long distances. To walk over the Tridge to reach the dog park is the equivalent of running the Boston Marathon for him.” However, as Fredrickson stated, no additional formal comments were submitted regarding the bridge’s operation as a oneway bridge. With very few people present for public comment at the Jan. 27 meeting, the council went ahead with the vote. The one-way stretch extends from Golfside Drive to W Main Street. Motorists may access Main Street from the bridge, but are now prohibited from accessing the bridge from Main Street westward. The next step, as Fredrickson says, is to convert the entire stretch of road to a single lane. Currently, while the bridge itself has always been one lane, the road is at two lanes from Golfside Drive to the start of the bridge. Future renovations will include adding a curb to reduce this part of the road to one lane.
Delta College Public Safety received a report of a stolen wallet. A student intern reported that an unknown subject stole her wallet from a backpack. A credit card that had been in the wallet was later used at a number of local stores. The wallet was recovered outside, near a sidewalk on the east side of campus. A suspect’s image was located on video and an investigation is continuing in an attempt to identify the suspect. Public Safety was notified of a $50 bill found near the Cashier’s Office. Facilities Management employees located the bill and turned it over to the cashier. The cashier assisted in identifying a student who had paid her bill with cash about the time that the $50 bill was located. Through use of the video surveillance system, Public Safety was able to identify the student who dropped the money and return it to her. Delta College Public Safety also responded to 11 medical or injury reports and five vehicle accidents, including one car-deer accident.
Graduating this year? You could speak at commencement! UNIVERSITY CENTER – Delta College is accepting applications from 2020 graduates to become speakers at this year’s commencement ceremony. For each year, two students with compelling stories about their college experience are selected to serve as commencement speakers. Students who have earned or meet the requirements for an associate degree from August 2019 to April 2020 are eligible to apply. Each application must include three faculty or staff written recommendations. As the application document details, each speech takes no longer than five minutes and focuses on the student’s experience at Delta College, and what his or her post-graduation plans are. An application can be found online at portal.delta.edu, under Student News. Applications must be sent in to the Vice President’s Office (Room B137) by Friday, Feb. 7. For more information, contact Crystal Starkey at crystalstarkey@delta.edu.
6 NEWS
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Maddie Fordos • Photographer
Above: Members of the Saginaw Diocese and the community gather at Holy Family Church to begin the local March for Life in Saginaw. Friday, Jan. 24. Left: Geri Rudolf, Lisa Wright, and other members of the Catholic church community march together to spread awareness of the pro-life movement.
Saginaw Diocese hosts its first annual March for Life Jordan Green Reporter @Jordan_Green6
SAGINAW — Braving the cold and rainy weather, supporters of the pro-life movement held their own March for Life on Friday, Jan. 24. They made the voice of the voiceless heard throughout Saginaw. The Saginaw Diocese’s Bishop, Robert Gruss, led the march. He felt inspired by the number of people who came out. “It gives people a chance to be a voice here locally,” says Gruss. “This march is to be in union with the people marching for life across the country.” This is the first march the Saginaw Diocese has held. The event kicked off at 9 a.m. at the Holy Family Church in Saginaw. The march ended at the Cathedral of Mary, followed by a mass. Meanwhile, Washington D.C. held its 47th annual March for Life, featuring a speech from President Donald Trump — making him the first U.S. President to attend the event. Lori Becker, the event organizer, says she wants women who are considering
abortion to know that the Saginaw Diocese will walk with them through the journey and help them choose life. “We have resources available for young moms to make the choice of life and help them succeed,” says Becker. Lisa Wright, member of the Saginaw Diocese, says there are many places for pregnant women to turn to, they just need to reach out. “She’s not alone; she’s never alone,” says Wright. “The Christian community is behind her 100% in whatever she chooses. [It’s important for a woman] to reach out before she makes that decision, because it’s going to change her whole life… babies change everything.” Geri Rudolf, member of the Saginaw Diocese, says the march can show the community that the prolife movement is not something that just happens in Washington D.C. “We have people who have strong feelings and emotions about this movement here locally,” adds Rudolf. “The feeling is just as strong. Whether we’re here on Washington Avenue or in Washington D.C., the passion is just the same.”
Local Pregnancy Resources Life Clinic Community Resource Center 4364 State St, Saginaw, MI 48603 (989) 754-0091 or 4818 N Saginaw Rd, Midland, MI 48640 (989) 835-1500 Beacon of Hope Pregnancy Care Center 2360 Midland Rd, Bay City, MI 48706 (989) 922-5433
COLLEGIATE LIFE 7
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Goliath Mitchell fights for the Pioneers Kelvin Butler Reporter @KelvinButler19
Goliath Mitchell Starting Point Guard
13.0 4.6 PTS/G REB/G
3.0 A/G
Q: Do you remember your first time hooping or playing with a basketball? A: Not too much. [...] I don't remember it, but I’ve got a picture of [my first time touching a basketball] — I was like 10 months old and I was happy in that picture. And I’ve been happy since then, whenever I got the ball in my hand. My first memory about really hooping, I was probably like six or seven when I used to watch my dad coach players [...] overseas. Q: What made you take basketball seriously? A: When I saw that I was really good at it — I was better than most kids. I was like, “man this is something I can really be good at.” And it just pushed me more; I mean, who doesn't like being better than a lot of people? Doing the game, people congratulating you, coming out to you like, “dang, you’re pretty good.” Most of that, like the accomplishments and stuff. Q: Is there anyone you work hard for? A: I would say my grandpa and my mom and my dad. The reason I worked hard for my grandpa — he passed away — like, whatever I did, he was always happy. He always wanted to see me succeed; he was at every game. And then my mom, because of all the things she does for me. I put
Rebecca Roberts • Photo Editor Goliath Mitchell, point guard on the Delta Men’s Basketball Team, shoots 13 points per game on average. He plans to attend university after receiving his associate’s degree. University Center, Jan. 24. her through a lot. [...] She spends a lot of money on me and I just want to repay her back the favor. And then my dad, because he spent all this time to train me and get me here. I know he just wants to see me make something of myself — he wants to see me do something good in life. It doesn’t matter if it’s basketball or life; he just wants to see me happy, succeed and become a good role model and father figure. Q: Are there any players you model your game after? A: I try to model my game [after] three to four different point guards in the league. I'll say Russell Westbrook — he's [got] a dog mentality. He's stronger than most guards. If he can take you, he's gonna take you. He'll get it done. [...] Damian Lillard plays for the Trail
Blazers. He's just a killer, man. He's underrated but he's killing it. [...] Then I would say Trae Young, because he looks young — like a baby-faced assassin — but he's out there killing it; everybody respects him. [And] then I'll say Kyrie Irving. [He] gets it done [and] you know, he's a good guy. [...] I just like his game; he's smooth. Q: How would you describe your type of game? A: I'm a playmaker — I’m best with a ball in my hands. [...] I’m like Ja Morant; [...] if I need to get a bucket, [or] whatever my team needs, I can pass, score. I ain't gonna focus myself, just like I ain’t gonna say I’m just a three-point shooter or just a driver; it depends sometimes. [...] When I first came here my freshman year, [...] I would say I'm a scorer, but now I would say I’m a two-way player like Kawhi [Leonard] offense and defense;
that's what coaches look at. Q: How do you feel about this year’s Delta team? A: I feel like we're coming along. [...] The chemistry is a little off — we have a lot of new kids and people transferring and stuff like that. I think we should be straight by postseason; we should be something hard to deal with. Q: Without basketball. what would you be doing? A: You know, if it wasn't for basketball, I really don't know where I would be. I don't even know if I would be in college to be honest with you. [...] Basketball basically saved my life. Without basketball, I wouldn’t have none of these friends; I wouldn't be doing none of this, ya feel me? I probably wouldn’t even be at Delta if it wasn't for basketball.
8 FEATURE
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There’s more to drag than spar Crystal Gwizdala Managing Editor @CrystalGwizdala Additional reporting by Patrick Sochacki SAGINAW – She owns the room. Her ankle-strapped, fiveand-a-half-inch pumps stomp across the wooden floor boards in Steamer’s Pub; her dark, sultry eyes ensnare the crowd. Naked women flash across the TV screens. But, all eyes are on her. Frank Sinatra’s “Fly Me to the Moon” fills the space between the brick walls as she saunters up to our table and plonks in the void where a chair once was. From the floor, she looks up at us. Blinks a few times. “I do everything with confidence,” Astara Love states stoically. She could intimidate a racist homophobe, or someone who wears the Confederate flag as a shirt and carries around three guns. Yet, she’s beautiful. Astara Love is a drag queen. Not only that, she’s also a titleholder: Miss Amateur Glass City, Toledo, Ohio; former Miss Amateur Legends, Toledo, Ohio; former Miss Gigi’s Classic, Detroit, Michigan. “I’m very A-brained. I have to have everything [in the pageant] mapped out. If I can’t, […] I’m not doing it,” says Astara. “I don’t want to go there and waste my time, money.” When she performed Gigi’s Classic, it took her eight months to complete her gown. She spent $5,000, four months of dance rehearsals and three months of non-stop sewing outfits. She made all the music, all the costumes, and the gown herself. On top of that, she was working three jobs and driving from Flint to Detroit once a week for choreography, and then to Toledo to coordinate with back-up dancers. “It’s a lot, but I love it — it’s a lot of fun. You get to travel and meet new people,” says Astara.
Astara got the itch to do drag seven years ago. When she first started, she was “atrocious” – a much different character than she is now. But Astara stressed that drag isn’t about being “this great big drag queen.” “The original point of drag, I think, is to find out who you are, who your character is — what do you want to give the audience?” asks Astara. "You have to find yourself and you can’t until you get on stage and understand the spotlight. […] I think it’s cyclical and comes back to who you generally are as a person, just the other half. If I were to be a woman, […] this is the woman I would be.”
If I were to be a woman, […] this is the woman I would be. -Astara Love Tonight, Astara is blonde. Her makeup is on-point: fuchsia and silver eyeshadow with a perfect cat eye and bold lipstick. Chunky silver jewels drip from her ears and embellish her fingers. She wears a ruby bodycon dress lined with sparkling gemstones, completed with fishnet stockings. For events like drag karaoke or bingo, she creates her look based on how she’s feeling. “Some nights, I’m like, ‘fuck this. I’m not wearing a wig; I’m wearing my natural hair.’ […] I’ll wear bikinis, cat suits. Sometimes I’m like, ‘I feel like a whore tonight.’ Other times, I’ll wear a full-length gown.” Astara started out by hosting drag bingo events next door at Mac’s Bar. The owner, who also owns Steamer’s, asked her if she wanted to do karaoke. Astara responded, “Fuck yeah.” “I was actually hired to roast people, but I can’t do it. It’s more [of a] cathartic [experience].
I’d rather roast myself – I’ve got plenty of ammunition.” For Astara, her favorite part of dressing in drag is bringing emotions out of people — whether it’s from a joke or a high energy song, she wants to give her audience smiles. “I try to give all the audience a little bit. But sometimes when you’re doing a show,” says Astara, “you make a connection with someone in the audience and you just feel that they need something. I focus my energy on that person, or a piece of it, to give them what they need – they need to be touched; they need to be loved. If I could stay the whole time I would, but I can’t, so I give them what I can. I make sure that I acknowledge them.” “It’s the person I am, it’s who my mother raised me to be,”
says Astara. […] I’m just lucky enough that I was able to find a career that I could share my love and also help other people find their love in a different way.” For every pageant Astara competes in, her mother is on the edge of her seat in the front row cheering her on. “I call her crying about putting this act together and she can see the final product. [And when I perform], I don’t pay attention to the audience because it’s just not important. […] [When] I’m done, she’s crying, and I’m like, ‘I can’t look at her because I can’t cry at the end of my number – it’s happy.’ So then I just, I just lose it. When you win and your mother is there in the audience… She’s my mentor in life.” When Kevin Piper – a.k.a.,
FEATURE 9
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rkly eyeshadow and high heels Astara Love – came out to his mother, she stopped talking to him for six months. “At first it was a little hard when I came out because, you know, I’m 41,” says Piper. “I come from a different generation. And it wasn’t because she hated me, she thought that she did something wrong as a mother.” It’s not that Piper’s mother was bigoted – she had gay friends and Piper had a gay family member. It was just a shock. He started taking her out to coffee shops to ease her into it. On her 50th birthday, Piper took his mother to a bar and got her strippers. “Once I showed her I’m no different and I’m still your son,” Piper says, “it completely changed.” Piper expressed that he was very lucky to have a mother who truly gave unconditional love. Not everyone who comes out has that. In drag, there’s a sisterhood. “In drag, you have families,” says Piper. “[…] These support systems are not just for our art –
for the help of getting ready for a pageant – but for when you as a person need something that maybe your family doesn’t understand […] because we’re all going through this journey together.” If you’re looking for support, Piper recommends joining the crowd at Steamer’s Pub and Mac’s Bar on Hamilton Street in Saginaw. “There are safe places in this area. […] We’re fortunate that the owner [Joel Currant] is creating a safe space. He has an open policy. If you fuck with anyone in this bar or the bar next door, […] you are out. He wants everybody welcome. He don’t care what color you are, what sexuality you are, what gender you are. If you want a fucking butt plug with a furry tail hanging out, he don’t give a god damn unless you’re going to treat someone with disrespect. “This is a safe space in Saginaw, and I am fortunate enough to be able to help pave that way to bring some of that back to Saginaw.”
Photo courtesy of Gigi’s Gay Bar Astara Love is crowned Miss Gigi’s Classic 2018-2019 by the former titleholder, DeAngela Show Shannon in Toledo, Ohio. Oct. 19, 2019.
Crystal Gwizdala • Managing Editor Priscilla Gawthrop (left), celebrates her birthday with Astara Love (middle) at Drag Queen Bingo at Mac’s Bar in Saginaw. Bartender Trisha Gemeinhardt (right) joins in on the fun. Friday, Jan. 31.
10 A&E
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Delta Planetarium hosts Music Under the Stars Jordan Green Reporter @Jordan_Green6 BAY CITY— As Michigan endures the bitter months, Delta College’s Planetarium offers the community live music under a starry sky — a tranquil and unique experience in the Dome360 theatre. The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra Percussion group filled the dome with music that was in sync with the visuals projected, each with its own theme — exploring the Milky Way and outer space through graphic art and intricate designs. Members of the percussion group were Eric Baldwin, Jason Thnat, Timothy Mocny and John Dorsey. Dorsey led the group. The music selection for the night was challenging, harmonious and multicultural. The group performed their takes on “Imagine There Was Nothing” by composer Fredrik Anderson, “Postludes No. 6 & No. 8” by Elliot Cole, “Akadinda Trio” by Emmanuel Sejourne, “Tink” by Alan Koewn and “Rain Tree” by Toru Takemitsu. For “Imagine There Was Nothing”, constellations from the never-ending loop of galaxies within galaxies stretched across the dome. Toward the end of the song, an explosion from the Sun decimates the Earth. As the dust particles of Earth travel through space, the particles emerge from the engine of a spaceship — alluding to the notion that we are just a tiny speck of dust in space. Mike Murray, astronomer and manager of the Planetarium, says it was the first time live music was incorporated into a show.
The dome theatre holds 140 people. Both shows for the night were sold out. “We have a wide variety of shows,” says Murray. “They’re not just for children — there are a lot of adult public shows.” Murray says the Planetarium is hoping to incorporate more live music shows and music shows in general.In February, the Planetarium is showing Mesmerica 360: A Visual Music Journey, based on James Hood’s music and album. All shows are sold out. Murray added that there will be more showings for popular events like this.
Upcoming Events: • Thursday, Feb 6 - Phantom of the Universe @ 7 p.m. • Friday, Feb. 7 - The Pale Blue Dot: The 30th Anniversary @ 7 p.m. • Saturday, Feb. 8 - Edge of Darkness @ 7 p.m. • Thursday, Feb. 13 - Phantom of the Universe @ 7 p.m. • Friday, Feb. 14 Mesmerica 360: A Visual Music Journey @ 7 p.m. • Friday, Feb. 15 - Edge of Darkness @ 7 p.m. • Thursday, Feb. 20 - Phantom of the Universe @ 7 p.m.
Photo courtesy of Mike Murray The Saginaw Bay Symphony Orchestra’s Percussion Group performs at Music Under the Stars as galaxies are projected in the dome theatre at Delta College’s Planetarium on Jan. 31.
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Thousands attend the 29th Zehnder'' s SnowFest Zehnder Patrick Sochacki Editor-in-Cheif @SochackiPatrick FRANKENMUTH -Magnificent sculptures, focused carvers and happy families — all these things can be found at Zehnder's Snowfest in Frankenmuth. Zehnder's Snowfest is a 6-day festival that started in 1992. According to Chase's Calendar of
Events 2020, it attracts an estimated 130,000 people, or 21,666 people a day. Thinking about going next year? Snowfest boasts a variety of winter activities: ice carving demonstrations; world-class, state and high school level snow sculpting competitions; fireworks; and many children's activities including a petting zoo, pony rides and a carousel. Head out next year for warm, family fun in an otherwise long winter.
Rebecca Roberts Photo Editor An ice carving of a dragon is displayed at Zehnder’s Snowfest in Frankenmuth on Saturday, Jan. 25.
Mike Pieper • Creative Director Chainsaws and chisels sculpt ice block creations at this year's Zehnder’s Snowfest on Sunday, Jan. 26.
12 SPORTS
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The life and legacy of Kobe Bryant Bill Badour Reporter @BadourBilly Kobe Bryant, 41, was among nine people who were tragically killed on Sunday, Jan. 26, in a private helicopter crash in Calabasas, California. His daughter, Gianna Bryant, 13, and two other girls, both 13, from the Mamba Sports Academy were also killed in the crash, along with members of each of their families. The helicopter was headed to Gianna’s basketball game at the Academy in Thousand Oaks.
Kobe’s accolades Kobe Bryant played for the Los Angeles Lakers for 20 seasons — an NBA record for the most seasons with one franchise. He was drafted as the 13th overall pick in 1996 by the Charlotte Hornets, but was immediately traded to the Los Angeles Lakers. Bryant has some of the most impressive accolades of any NBA player ever, having been a fivetime NBA champion, two-time NBA finals MVP and one-time regular season MVP. Along with being on the All-NBA team 15 times, Bryant was also named to the All-Defensive team 12 times. Over the course of his career Bryant amassed 33,643 points, putting him at fourth all-time.
The desire to be great From his awe-inspiring work ethic to his competitiveness, no player was like Kobe Bryant. Kobe demanded respect, even from true legends like Michael Jordan. In his book, Jordan was quoted as saying, “Kobe had done the work to deserve the comparison. Kobe’s the only one to have done the work.” In high school, Kobe would show up to school two hours early for extra practice. There are stories of him from high school
where he played one-on-one with his teammates to 100 points. As only true greats do, Kobe had a second act to his career in which he reinvented himself. He changed his game from being a two-way slasher to being, arguably, the greatest difficult shot-maker to ever play. Kobe was one of the very few players who gave opponents the feeling of hopelessness when he was taking over the game. Kobe was a Laker for life; fitting for someone that L.A. had loved so dearly. There is no parallel to be made for how much one city embraced an athlete.
After his retirement Kobe Bryant somewhat retreated from the spotlight after retiring and seemed to be taking a step back from basketball as a whole. He wanted to be more involved in the lives of his daughters. Ironically, it was his daughter, Gianna, that brought him back to basketball. As she grew older, she became
more interested in the NBA. In response to this, Kobe was often seen with her at basketball games during the 2019-2020 season, but rarely at the Staples Center. Outside of his family, Kobe went on to help produce an animated short film, “Dear Basketball”, based on a poem he wrote to announce retirement. The film won the Oscar for “Best Animated Short” in 2018. Aside from film, Kobe aspired to be a business entrepreneur. According to NBC News, “Bryant pushed the idea of a post-sports career into the 21st century. His dealings touched a range of businesses, including a media production company and a venture capital fund to invest in tech, media and data companies.”
The world’s reaction to his death The world was shocked to learn of the untimely death of Kobe Bryant. The NBA postponed a game between the Lakers and the
Clippers in honor of Kobe’s death. The Dallas Mavericks announced that they will be retiring Kobe’s number, 24. Some players even informally retired Kobe’s number. For example, Spencer Dinwiddie of the Brooklyn Nets announced that he will be changing numbers from 8 — Kobe’s number before he was number 24 — to 26. An idea presented to honor Kobe Bryant was to have one team wear the number 24 and the other wear 8 at the all-star game in Chicago on Feb. 16. Another idea was for every team to cancel one seasonal game so they would each play only 81 games, a reference to Kobe’s career-high 81 point game. The last, and most popular, idea has been to change the NBA logo to Kobe Bryant. A petition for this was put on change.org and currently has more than 2 million signatures. The Naismith Memorial Basketball Hall of Fame announced that they will be adding Kobe into the 2020 class posthumously without a vote.
OPINION 13
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How much is a life worth? Editorial
Kobe Bryant, famed basketballer and cultural icon, died in a helicopter crash with his daughter and seven other people on Jan. 26, 2020. He was the shaper of a generation — when millenials ball-up paper and throw it in the trash, the first thing out of their mouth is “Kobe!” His death was devastating to many — Twitter and Facebook filled with cries about “caring for your loved ones” and “hugging your family while you have the chance.” This same kind of flash-in-thepan lust for life is as off-putting and sad as it was when Robin Williams killed himself and people momentarily shouted their support for mental health awareness. Or Chester Bennington. Or Anthony Bourdain. Or Avicii. Or any of the other dozens of celebrities who die every year from accidents, suicides or overdoses.
What is the value of a human life? Does one life mean more than another, simply because of riches or fame? We use the idea of value to measure nearly everything — products, services, time, personal relationships. There is very little that cannot be given an intrinsic or monetary value. The value of a life, though, is a constant personal struggle and debate. Net worth, generally, is calculated by adding liquid cash, land assets and investments together and then subtracting those from debts or liabilities owed. The textbook definition for the value of life is “the benefit of avoiding a fatality,” and according to the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s research in 2014, that value is $4.2 million. Kobe, at the time of his death, was valued around
$500-$600 million. This calculation does not take into account the things that should truly matter — kindness, selflessness and value brought to personal relationships. By no means do I want to belittle Kobe’s value; he was a good person who gave himself to the community of Los Angeles and
the fans who supported him. So, we should use Kobe’s ideals and the way he lived his life to structure some of our own value. And we shouldn’t wait for someone famous to die to show that we care. We should love each other in abundance — give each other love, every day. Kindness, after all, is free to give, but priceless to receive.
Why should or shouldn’t they change the NBA logo? Also, how do you feel about Kobe being instantly inducted into the hall of fame?
“I feel like it’s a great move, not only for the league but for sports in general. Because of Kobe’s passing, I feel like the whole sports world just came together and ended a lot of beef, basically. It just made a lot of people perform a lot better.” Ameen Stiff, 19, Chicago
“Even Jerry West said they should have Kobe as a logo, so that would be a nice move for the MBA. Also, the Hall of Fame; it will be a long day for the Hall of Fame. Kobe would have had a good speech, but now we will never have a chance to hear it." Jaivon Felton, 19, Flint
“I feel like it’s a good thing. Jerry West has been the logo for a long period of time. It’s always good for a new look, and plus with him passing it would be just right, just to show him appreciation.” Aaron Collins, 20, Saginaw
14 FEATURE
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FEBRUARY 4, 2020
Spotting red flags in your relationship Haeley Huggard Reporter @HaeleyHuggard
Relationships are one of the most difficult challenges we face in life. Trying to figure other people out can be difficult — especially when you are still trying to figure yourself out. But the real questions are: what defines a healthy relationship and when does a relationship become unhealthy? And we’re not just talking about romantic relationships. This can be between friends or even relatives. A healthy relationship should feel like both you and your partner are comfortable communicating. It’s important to vocalize as well as listen to what the other person has to say. Red flags are something we need to be aware of. If your relationship has too many, that may be a sign that you’re in an unhealthy relationship. Tina Kaczmarek, Delta College’s
circulation coordinator, was quick to point out that the most important aspects of a healthy relationship are trust and honesty. The lack thereof is a definite red flag. “Secrets and avoidance on certain topics challenge your trust and respect with them,” says Kaczmarek. If your partner feels they cannot trust you with something, or they lie directly to your face, it is a sign that they do not respect you. Allowing your partner or friends to influence you is okay. But when they start
Missed Connections of Delta College
Flowery Flirt
Last Thursday you were wearing a black dress with red and white flowers on it, I walked by your class in the lower level of the S Wing and thought you were beautiful.
Sexy Lumberjack
Hey you with the blue flannel jacket, I like your beard and bald head. I’ve seen you around Delta a couple times, but you’re always with people, so…
Let's Get Handsy
I’ve seen you in pottery class, working with your hands. You’re kinda short, but I don’t mind. I think your glasses look nifty and I love how you’re always wearing rings. I’d love to talk to you sometime.
Slide into our DMs with your own missed connection @deltacollegiate
to dictate how you feel about everything, that’s something to watch out for. Part of being an individual is having your own ideas and beliefs. While changing them is fine, changing everything about yourself is not. If you feel that you or your partner are trying to control each other, or spend most of your time trying to manipulate or change each other, this is definitely a red flag. Having low self-esteem can lead to jealous tendencies. Sometimes, that can result in projecting these behaviors onto your significant other, which is sure to cause problems as the relationship progresses. Jaleeah Grice, a student at Delta College, expressed that jealousy and low self-esteem can also be considered red flags in a relationship. “If you’re insecure, I feel it can bring someone down and it’s like you’re putting your problems onto the other person,” says Grice. Maintaining relationships of any type can be tough. Part of the beauty in a relationship is accepting people the way they are — and in doing so, accepting yourself. That acceptance can be the most rewarding feeling of all.
Join the Delta Collegiate on Feb. 13 in the lower west commons of Delta from 11a.m. - 2p.m. for a Valentine's Day themed photo booth! We will be taking free professional photos, with props available. Photos will be posted to Instagram and social media.
@deltacollegiate
ACTIVITIES 15
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Weekend plans
Written by Maddison Godi Illustration by Lindsay Lang
DISCLAIMER
Since 1961, the Delta Collegiate has been written and produced by Delta students for students without any input or oversight by administration. The paper does not represent the views of Delta College, its faculty, staff or administration. Stories are selected by the student staff members to bring reliable information and entertainment to our readers.
COLLEGIATE STAFF Patrick Sochacki Samuel Philpot Crystal Gwizdala Michael Pieper Michael Piwowarski Maddison Godi Rebecca Roberts Maddie Fordos Haeley Huggard RJ Murphy Kelvin Butler Bill Badour Jordan Green Sadie Shepherd Bishop Limon Lindsay Lang Crystal McMorris Kimberly Wells
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upcoming events Saturday Feb. 8
Sunday Feb. 9
Bay City Record Convention 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. @ Amvets Post 22 in Essexville (across from Meijer)
Sweethearts Expo 2020 11 a.m. to 5 p.m. @ Soaring Eagle Casino in Mt. Pleasant
Admission: $1 per person Explore music of all genres, available in all formats (vinyl, CD, cassette) and sold by vendors from across the state! Early Bird access is available from 9 to 10 a.m. for $10.
Tuesday Feb. 11 Student Success: Habitudes (Discipline Bridge) 11 a.m. to noon @ main campus (Room N007) Being disciplined helps you build character and also reach measurable goals. Learn more about the importance of discipline at this next Student Success workshop!
Friday Feb. 14 Winter Wine & Craft Beer Social 5:30 to 8 p.m. @ Zehnder’s of Frankenmuth Tickets: $40 in advance, $45 at the door This Valentine’s Day, take your special someone to Zehnder’s restaurant for a fun filled and romantic evening of beer and wine sampling. Proceeds go to the Frankenmuth Morning Rotary Club.
The perfect girl’s night out! Enjoy chocolate tasting, a health/ wellness area, shopping, a spa area and chances to win prizes. The event is kid friendly!
Wednesday Feb. 12 The Handmaid’s Tale: Friendship and Moral Development Noon to 1 p.m. @ main campus (Room N007) In this brown bag presentation, professor Darci Doll explores the limited access to friendship and its impact on moral development in the Hulu television series “The Handmaid’s Tale.”
Saturday Feb. 15 Saginaw Bay Area Polar Plunge Noon to 4 p.m. @ Old Town Distillery in Saginaw Who says it’s too cold to take a dip? Check in is from 12 to 2 p.m. at the Old Town Distillery, with the plunge beginning at 2 p.m. Register online at PlungeMI.com.
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