Vol 90 Issue 3 Oct. 10

VOLUME 90 | ISSUE 3

Bringing life to Dia de los Muertos

VOLUME 90 | SPECIAL EDITION

By TITUS MEDLEY AND JESSIKA FULTON Staff Reporters

Every Nov. 2, Amarillo College graduate, Salvador Gutierrez, gets in touch with his grandfather. The reunion takes place despite the fact that Gutierrez’ grandfather died six years ago.

Guitierrez and his family create an altar in honor of his grandfather. They set out his favorite foods and some items that remind them of him such as a pair of boots, a hat and a toy truck to represent his job as a truck driver. Then they wait for his spirit to arrive.

“The tradition says they come around midnight so what we do, and this sets the mood, we play his favorite music around 11:30 p.m. I can feel his spirit. I remember him,” Gutierrez said.

The Latin American holiday, Dia de los Muertos or Day of the Dead, combines religious belief with cultural traditions to celebrate deceased loved ones. “During this multiday event, friends, families and communities gather to celebrate the lives of loved ones by creating altars, or ofrendas, that are designed to encourage souls to visit,” Dr. Beth Garcia, director of teacher preparation and certification at West Texas A&M University said.

“Typically, ofrendas contain the favorite food and beverages of the loved one, nourishment for the long journey from the after-life, as well as bright candles and flowers that light the way,” Garcia said.

Gutierrez said he has celebrated Day of the Dead for as long as he can remember. “I believe my family has been doing it for generations. I remember going to my grandma’s house as a little kid where she had this huge altar with all of her dead sibling’s pictures as well as her grandmother and other people. It’s really cool.”

During Day of the Dead, graveyards are packed full of people remembering their loved ones in Latin American communities. Another tradition is eating pan del muerto or bread of the dead.

“It’s a Mexican piece of sweet bread in the shape of a circle with shapes and sugar that resemble bones,” Gutierrez said. In American pop culture, sugar

skulls and painted faces are the most identifiable symbols of the holiday. Many Americans know the traditions best from blockbuster films such as “Coco” and “The Book of Life.”

Daniela Gurrola, a finance major, started celebrating Day of the Dead with her family after they watched “Coco,” following the sudden, violent death of Gurrola’s uncle. “The movie brought comfort to my mom and really opened her eyes to the holiday. We set out pictures of the family members that have passed on a homemade altar. Then we set out each family members’ favorite dishes as an offering. Finally, we say a prayer and then move on with our day. I think in a way, it allowed us to understand death in an easier way,” Gurrola said.

It is no coincidence that Dia De Los Muertos comes just a few days after Halloween. Catholic missionaries who colonized the Americas brought with them feast days, or days dedicated to the remembrance of a specific person or event, including All Saints Day and All Souls Day. Falling on Nov.1 and 2 respectively, these days follow Oct. 31, which is an important day in many indigenous American cultures. Modern day Halloween and Dia De Los Muertos celebrations evolved into the holidays celebrated simultaneously.

Different cultural influences and belief systems account for the variations, while the common ancestry accounts for their similarities in these celebrations.

Each year, the AC visual arts department hosts a Dia De Los Muertos student art show to mark the holiday.

Housed in the Common Lobby Gallery inside the Concert Hall Theatre in the music building on the Washington Street Campus, this event gives students a chance to gain gallery experience.

Steve Cost, art professor and gallery coordinator, said that displaying their work in a gallery setting allows students to practice showing their art to the public and receiving praise and criticism. The pieces will be on display Oct. 31 through Nov. 14.

Although it focuses on death, Gurrola said Day of the Dead is a happy occasion for remembering loved ones. “It gives us a day to reflect on the good times and how much they affected our lives,” she said.

October 10, 2019 August 22, 2019

PHOTO ILLUSTRATIONS By JESSIKA FULTON

Bracing for end of eight weeks

By COLTON SCHWALK Staff Reporter

Classes at Amarillo College move quickly. With most students enrolled in eight week courses, October means major projects, tests and stress.

“I convince myself fully that I am prepared for tests,” Erin Wiechec, an English major, said.

“Then the day of the test actually comes really quickly and I find out that I am really not all that ready.”

Although it’s stressful for students with such rapidly approaching exams, Nathan Lewis, an art major, had some tips for students on how to prepare properly.

“I always study with groups of people and it’s always at a

coffee shop or something like that,” Lewis said. “I think it makes it easier to actually sit down and do the work. I know it sucks, but it is also super important to get ahead of studying for exams instead of putting it off until that week,” he said.

Some students said they prefer online tests to in-class exams. “I know I will do better because I get to take it at my house with Netflix on in the background or listening to music or something like that.”

Morgan Kelley, a business major, said.

“It takes the pressure off that would usually be there if I were sitting at a desk,” she said.

Mid-October is a time for strapping down, saying goodbye to social life and sitting in a room with nothing to do but study,

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but when is all said and done, students will find themselves closer to fall break.

Fall break runs from Oct. 21 through 25. For many students, fall break offers a time for catching up on shows, reading books, working on a side hustle for extra money or even filling out transfer applications.

Amanda Mountain, a business management major, said she plans to spend the break sewing Halloween costumes for her younger siblings. Kristabelle Rameriez, a nursing major, said she has plans that include “catching up on sleep and binge watching shows.”

Hector Delfierro, a computer science major, plans to work most of the break. “But who knows anything can happen,” Delfierro said. www.acranger.com

JOHNNY LAWHON | The Ranger

Bresha Martin, a radiology major, studies hard in the Writers’ Corner Twitter and Instagram: @acranger

Opinion

2 | The Ranger October 10, 2019

What are your Halloween traditions?

“Usually the traditional carve the pumpkin, put it out on the porch and watch scary movies until night time and take out the younger generations like the older generations did for me,” NAZARIO MAESTEAS Buisness

“We do have a Halloween party and go out trick or treating with the kids,” MARIA MALDONADO Nursing

AUDREY BRICE

“We go to church and they have games and candy. They have haunted houses and carnivals. Like the older people would get dressed up in costumes and there are hay rides,”

Nursing

Save time for self-love OPINION

By MADELINE FILSOUF Staff Columnist

Can’t a person just take time out of their day to enjoy some bubble tea and peacefully binge watch “The Office” for the fifth consecutive time in a row? Yes, because a little self-love doesn’t hurt.

It is important to love yourself before you can allow someone else to. More often than not, individuals tend to depend on others for love and happiness. Self-acceptance is essential to be self-content.

Self-esteem and self-love are different; you can put on an act of confidence, but really not love yourself. It is good to be confident, but it is better to love and appreciate your worth.

It is not selfish to love yourself; it's just coming to the revelation that you are enough. To choose to love yourself is a powerful choice to make because it is not always easy.

I understand it can be hard to see where we fit in and to accept who we are. When I was roughly six years old, I had a cyst in my left humerus that was discovered when I had fractured it in multiple areas.

I used to pursue sports but when I had broken my bone, sports were out of the question.

I had fractured my humerus again around the age of twelve going on thirteen and had to have surgery. I had undergone two procedures to remove

the cyst leaving me with a fairly large scar physically and emotionally. I faced inner conflict and had a hard time finding new interests. I felt like this was my downfall. Going through those awkward middle school years with a cast from a broken arm to surgeries made me feel isolated. Now, I am proud of my journey and stride with my scar in complete confidence, I view it as a success. I learned to appreciate who I am and what I had gone through.

We all go through times that make us question our purpose and what it means to love yourself. According HuffPost, “Research suggests that selfcompassion can reduce the stress that causes us to procrastinate because it helps us recognize the downside of the habit without putting us in a negative thought spiral.”

Self- affirmation has been proven to increase problemsolving skills when one is stressed. Take time out of your week to practice self-care tasks.

It is OK to choose yourself and give yourself a break. Cherish your self-worth and set that as an example for others to do the same.

Illustration by BAILEA DOOLEY

Stamp out sexist costumes Sex sells - especially in October.

The issue is not sex inherently, but rather the way in which we present sex in the context of Halloween. The commercial Halloween industry is pushing “sexy costumes.”

What probably started out as some cheeky fun among adults attending Halloween parties has transformed into a full-blown genre of provocative costumes for adults and children alike..

We, 'The Ranger' staff, have issues with the way sexuality is presented by these companies and how closely gender is tied to Halloween costumes.

First, companies present sexuality in a way that is harmful to woman and girls. The variety of costumes marketed toward females is much narrower and far more focused on sexuality.

Secondly, most costumes are marketed in such a way that they exclude people who do not ascribe to traditional gender roles.

Creating two categories, boys and girls, makes things much more complicated for people who define themselves as non-binary.

Take the example of the child who prefers to play with dolls, loves bright colors, enjoys domestic work such as cleaning and cooking and wants to grow up to be in a Disney fairy-tale movie.

You are probably thinking of a little girl, when these qualities could apply to any child.

Lastly, this sexualization of children has negative longterm effects. By teaching our youth gender norms that harm women and provide advantages to men and by confining them to traditional gender binaries, we are

setting up future generations to have many of the same conflicts we are having today.

Instead of reenforcing traditional ideas of sexuality and gender that have led to the disenfranchisement of millions of people over the decades, we must move forward together.

Instead of teaching our young girls that they are simply objects and our young boys that they are simply observers and telling both that they have no choice in the matter, we must treat every individual child as just that, an individual. Children, humans, are not monolithic.

So when you are out on Halloween night, wear what you want. Be who you want. We do not always get to choose our identities and Halloween should provide us the chance to do so.

thought through many reasons why I am right. I also know, despite this assertion of confidence in my beliefs, I have a long way to go.

It’s impossible to use media responsibly because if that were true, we would have to know every single thing about every news or entertainment source and the person who produced it to understand the underlying ideologies and psychological functions of each piece of work.

The reason you would have to know this is so you can know exactly what you are allowing into your mind. Obviously this

perspective is not practical, but it is the best way to view the media. If we treated the media more like a wild uncontrollable animal, then our approach would be one of caution and deliberate action instead of one of recklessness and randomness.

The prison that the media traps us in is one of perpetual irony, where we think of ourselves as independent thinkers with no external influences interfering with out mental processes. In reality, we are wholly dependent on the media to form our culture and our belief systems. Under the influence of the media, our hunger for selfgratifying pleasure has grown past a healthy limit.

Since all we demand is entertainment and pleasure, “art is dead” or at least dying. If society realizes this, however, and takes precautions against the incoming onslaught of new technology, there may yet be hope to revive critical thinking, original thinking,

Social media crippling a generation

OPINION

By Samuel Malone Staff Columnist

“Art is dead,” said Bo Burnham a comedian and songwriter and I couldn’t agree more. The mass media feeds people what they want to hear and it does not let people actually think for themselves. In that sense, the media is a prison. I am not excluded from this but I think I am a part of the minority that thinks this way.

Media has crippled our critical thinking skills, and, personally, I feel I use it as a crutch to support my worldview and opinions. I’m not naïve enough to say that media has not played a role in forming my values or ethics; however, I have spent a long time thinking deeply about what I accept and don’t accept. Despite the large role of media in my life, I have sufficiently

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Editor-in-Chief Page Five Jillian Johnson Faythe Reeves Page Two Page Six Nathaniel Montoya Caylee Hanna Page Three Page Seven Jessika Fulton Isabelle Link Page Four Page Eight Faythe Reeves Shawn McCrea Editorial Writer Logan Canada

Student Media exists to serve you — the students. The Ranger is an open forum where you can learn and talk about the things that matter to you. The Ranger staff urges you to get involved by submitting ideas, photos, writing, videos and telling us what you want covered. A public critique and meeting is open to the campus community on Fridays at 10:30 a.m. in PH 214 or you can reach us via email at therangereditor@gmail.com.

The Ranger is a member of the Associated Collegiate Press, College Media Association, Panhandle Press Association, Texas Intercollegiate Press Association and Texas Community College Journalism Association. For a complete staff listing, visit us at acranger.com.

The Ranger is an independent student publication. Material published in The Ranger does not necessarily reflect the views of Amarillo College administrators or employees.

News

The Ranger | 3 October 10, 2019

CAYLEE HANNA | The Ranger

FM90 celebrates music through the ages

Former FM90 DJs from 1976-78, Mary McElduff Larkan and Angie Milton, celebrate College Radio Day by discussing their favorite memories and song choices.

from their time on the radio

By TATHEANA FINNEY and reminisced about their Staff Reporter experiences.

Chris Albracht is an AC In celebration of College graduate and former FM90 Radio Day, former DJs and student DJ who is now current FM90 announcers director of communications teamed up on air at Amarillo for Saint Valentine Catholic College’s radio station. The Radio. event took place Oct. 4 in the Abracht always makes FM90 studios. time to return to FM90 for a Former staff members chance to be on the air during played their favorite tunes the annual College Radio Day.

“College Radio Day is basically an opportunity to promote the good things a college radio station does,” he said.

“College radio gives young people and those first timers in radio an opportunity to break into the business to make their mistakes to learn their way around.”

College Radio Day is celebrated worldwide with

more than 350 stations in 26 countries participating.

Each year, different musical groups serve as ambassadors who give exclusive interviews about how radio influenced their careers.

This year’s ambassadors was The Black Keys.

“It’s a really cool year to be a part of this,” Amy Presley, the program director for AC FM90, said.

Presley said College Radio Day creates an opportunity for current students to share experiences with and learn from the previous staff members who were once in their shoes.

“I enjoy hearing stories.

I love the memories that people bring with them. And I like to hear the music from everyone’s time when they were on FM90,” she said.

Professor profile

By ERIKA CHAVEZ Staff Reporter

Mario Mireles is a biology professor who teaches at Amarillo College’s Hereford and Dumas locations. He lives in Amarillo and has lived there all his life.

Mireles went to high school at Tascosa High and studied at Amarillo College and West Texas A&M University.

He is 35 and in a relationship planning for marriage. Mireles has worked at AC for about five years and said he hopes to continue to work there for as long as possible.

Although he is a biology professor, Mireles said he did not plan to teach biology. He first wanted to study to be a doctor.

“I got the opportunity to teach part time for the college while I was in school, and did it and liked it and decided this is what I wanted to do. This was a less stressful path for me, something I would like doing that I could still help people,” Mireles said.

Mireles has an associates degree in criminal justice and biotechnology, a bachelor’s in biochemistry, and a masters in wildlife biology. He studied for 10 years as a part-time student

working to pay for school.

Mireles said if he ever had to teach another subject, he would teach chemistry. He said he is extremely happy where he is in life, adding that he will stay at AC as long as they let him.

“Success means different things for different people,” Mireles said. “For some people, success means being rich, for some people, success means being famous and for some people, success means moving to a bigger city. For me, success means being happy and I have a job that I am very happy doing.”

Jaqueline Garcia, a former student of Mireles, said she liked his teaching style. “He was a good teacher. He made it easy to study for the tests,” Garcia said.

She explained that tests were given to the students after every lesson to see what they had learned. When the students were finished with tests, they were given back the tests to look over the score and see what questions were missed.

Vanessa Vidana, another former student, also spoke positively about Mireles. “He is very understanding with circumstances when it comes to test scheduling. He helped me understand the subject better, the notes were very clear and the labs were intriguing,” she said.

COURTSEY PHOTO

Badger BS co-hosts and mass media majors, Jeremy Stitsworth and Isabelle Link, introduce the newest season and answer questions from the Badger BS box.

Student broadcast is BS

By CLAUDIA ZUNIGA Staff Reporter

For the past five years, “Badger BS” has been answering your burning questions through a fun Q&A style web series.

“Badger BS” can be found on “The Ranger” website. The series has had many hosts over the years, but the format basically stayed the same. The hosts sit down, pull some questions out of a box and the conversation begins.

The current hosts are Isabelle Link and Jeremy Stitsworth, who released the first fall episode of “Badger BS” Sept. 20. The hosts, both mass media majors, are new to the show and let the audience get to know them a little better in the first episode.

Stitsworth said he was introduced to the show through working for “The Ranger.”

“I got involved with ‘The Ranger’ after taking a media writing course and was asked to be one of the new co-hosts of Badger BS along with Isabelle,” he said.

The Q&A format of the show allows for the co-hosts to showcase their personalities and talk more in-depth about what is happening at AC. Through interviews, talking about upcoming school events and discussing the problems that students face, the show can offer a way for students to connect to AC. “It’s just a banter session,” Stitsworth said. “It’s a way to get to know the students and the faculty’s personalities better.”

Stitsworth said he hopes

that the show can gain a wider audience. “In the future, I hope that everyone watches. I hope that more students, faculty and incoming students can tune in.”

Terri Zuniga, a paralegal major, said she hopes that the word spreads about the show.

“Coming into this school as a working mom, it’s hard to always know what’s going on with the school and the students. Now that I know about the show, I would love to start watching and feel more involved.”

Jazmin Riojas, a general studies major, is new to Amarillo College and looking for a way to get more involved at school.

“Coming into college can be intimidating and confusing. I didn’t know that there was a show by students that I could watch.”

Hey we’re walking here, you better stop

By JONATHAN ALONSO Staff Reporter

Walking to class is an everyday ritual for college students. Most students don’t think twice about crossing the streets, but that daily walk can turn deadly.

Lt. Scott Acker, an Amarillo College police officer, said there is always a risk when crossing the street. “We’ve had a couple of calls come in a few years ago where people said they were almost hit, or someone was speeding in the school zone and almost hit them,” Acker said.

He added that there haven’t been any pedestrian injuries or fatalities at AC.

SHAWN MCCREA | The Ranger

Students use a crosswalk to get to class on Washington street campus.

There are multiple crosswalks on campus to provide safe places to cross the street, but some students think there should be more crosswalks.

Nolan Gimbal, a general studies major, said the limited

number of crosswalks leads to traffic jams since drivers must stop for large numbers of students crossing in the same place. “I think that they tend to stop up traffic and that can be dangerous,” Gimbal said. He said adding more crosswalks could

alleviate this problem.

Hector Casanova, a business administration major, suggested boosting safety by creating no parking zones in the areas around the crosswalks. “I think that just making that little area where cars can’t park at any

time that would make things better and is probably a cheaper option,” he said.

Casanova also said he places part of the responsibility for safety on pedestrians. “They don’t care and don’t look both ways, so it’s dangerous on both ends.”

There were around 6,000 pedestrian deaths in 2017 according to the National Traffic Highway Safety Administration.

Texas claimed more than 600 of those based on statistics from the Texas Department of Transportation. To lower pedestrian-related accidents the NTHSA has recommendations for pedestrians such as: following traffic laws, using crosswalks and avoid using distracting devices.

News

4 | The Ranger October 10, 2019

The origins of Halloween explained

By CLIFTON SARTOR Staff Reporter

Some people think that celebrating Halloween is inappropriate or an affront to their religion because of the focus on darkness and evil that the holiday represents.

Halloween is an annual holiday celebrated on Oct. 31.

It originated from an ancient Celtic spiritual tradition known as the Celtic religious festival of Samhain. At the festival, people would start bonfires and wear costumes to bring protection against bad spirits that could bring harm to them.

Samhain, celebrated from Oct. 31 to Nov. 1, was a time to welcome in the harvest and bring in the dark half of the year.

It was a time when the barriers between the physical world and the spiritual world break down, allowing for interaction between the spiritual world and the real world. Later, Pope Gregory III designated Nov. 1, as a time to honor all saints.

Somewhere along the way, All Saints Day incorporated some of the same traditions as that of Samhain.

Over time, Halloween evolved into a day of activities including carving jack-o-lanterns, festive gatherings, donning costumes and eating a lot of sweet treats.

Halloween pranks also have a tradition in Samhain, though in the ancient celebration tricks were blamed on fairies.

Many Christian groups are against the celebration of Halloween because of the pagan elements existing in the

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JOHNNY LAWHON

Halloween’s origins date back to the ancient Celtic festival of Samhain nearly 2,000 years ago.

Halloween tradition. Halloween characterizations of witches and ghouls present a negative image and often are associated with satanic connotations.

Nevertheless, many Amarillo College students say they don’t think Halloween is evil and they look forward to celebrating the holiday.

“I think it depends. It used to be a pagan holiday. It’s just a free way to get candy and a fun way to dress up. It’s kind of like Valentine's Day. It’s not really a

holiday, just a way to have fun,” Tuesday Poling, a theater major, said.

Some Christian groups are disturbed by the possibility that modern-day Wiccans and Druids observe Halloween as an opportunity to worship Satan and other evil forces. Organized groups of Wiccans disavow any knowledge of such practices, but they will readily admit that Halloween is an important day of the year for their religion.

The Wiccans assert that their religion is based on a connection to nature and the universe.

“There are some people who think Halloween is dark because of demons and ghosts. It’s a way to get candy and go to parties and dances,” Bree McNutt, a general studies major, said.

Mural Worthey, an Amarillo College Bible Chair and humanities instructor, said he does not have a problem with people celebrating Halloween.

“My view on it is that it is not wrong, but some people use it in an inappropriate way,” Worthey said.

Worthey also said Halloween can be harmless. “Leaders of religion do oppose it. I don’t agree with it because I believe you can do it in an innocent way,” Worthey said.

Some parents have become cautious about Halloween activities because their children are being exposed to dangerous situations from walking around on dark streets to taking treats from strangers.

Parents are finding alternate activities to enjoy Halloween fun like church or school Halloween parties.

TATHEANA FINNEY | The Ranger

Tracy Spears and Paul Singleton go all out in their decorations for their home for the Halloween season.

Locals decorate to celebrate

By TATHEANA FINNEY Staff Reporter

Spooky season is right around the corner and everyone puts their own spin on the celebration.

For Amarillo residents Jennifer Callahan, Tracy Spears and Paul Singleton, Halloween means it’s time to go all out.

“Halloween was more like Christmas for my family than anything,” Callahan said. “It is a big deal in our family.”

The Callahan’s celebration involves traditional movies and candy. “On Halloween we will put all of our favorite Halloween movies up on the TV while we’re out here doing trick-or-treats,” Callahan said.

But the Callahan’s October observances also reach beyond the typical Halloween activity of passing out candy. “It’s also a for me a religious celebration of Samhain so we do bonfires, candles and we do pagan rituals,” she said.

For Spears and Singleton, Halloween is a time to create custom decorations to

complete their vision. Spears lives on Jackson Street just a block away from Amarillo College’s Washington Street Campus and many students said they have noticed her highly decorated Halloween home.

Spears took six days to set everything up to go with the theme she has chosen for this year: sideshow and oddities. She said she started building props a month in advance. Spears said she also buys supplies and decorations all year, always looking for sales and unique pieces that make her display stand out.

“It is what I have the best memories with my dad and he’s the one that helps me do all this and my mom does too. So that’s where it kind of stems from,” Spear said.

Spears said she enjoys seeing the way children trick-ortreating and neighbors react to her decorations.

“Obviously I enjoy decorating and seeing the kids and everybody that enjoys coming to see the display,” she said.

CAYLEE HANNA | The Ranger

Ordway Hall, the oldest building on campus, has long been speculated to be haunted.

Ordway rumored to be haunted

By CAYLEE HANNA Staff Reporter

The empty halls of Ordway have an eerie presence during the night. There have been rumors from students and faculty of an alleged haunting happening in Ordway Hall over the years.

Ordway Hall has been a part of Amarillo College’s Washington Street Campus since 1929. In fact, Ordway Hall was the first administrative building of AC and was the only building of AC in the beginning.

The history and age of Ordway Hall leave a possible chance that the building could be haunted. “I’ve heard talk of the haunting of Ordway Hall, but I myself have never experienced anything,” Dave Snelson, the custodial superintendent, said. “I would

take it to be more of a building going through some settling pain, wood shrinkage and being nearly 90 years old,.”

Ordway Hall is just an ordinary building to most of the people who use it. “I don’t believe that Ordway is haunted because I worked there for more than 17 years and never saw any evidence of a haunting,” Rebecca Easton, the dean of liberal arts, said.

There have been strange occurrences, but they are mostly produced by the age of the building. Ordway has been around for nearly 90 years, so sometimes there are noises from the settling of the building.

“Every strange event that happened to me in Ordway was caused by human beings or by the condition of the building,” Easton said. “The building at times has had strange odors,

but these were caused by problems with the ventilation in a restroom.” Students and faculty who are on campus at night have the best opportunity to experience the creepy halls of Ordway, yet none report any ghostly encounters.

“I haven't experienced anything unexplained or strange. I have taught night classes and have spent many late nights in Ordway by myself, but haven't seen or felt anything spooky,” Joshuah O'Brien, the Writer’s Corner coordinator, said.

Still some students are holding out for the possibility of a haunting, particularly in the Ordway Hall Auditorium.

“Theater halls, from what I’ve experienced as a theater person in high school, tend to attract ghosts from what I’ve heard of,” Sean McDonald, a Writer’s Corner tutor, said.

News

The Ranger | 5 October 10, 2019

Holiday candies deliver treats not tricks

By CACHE GOODWIN Staff Reporter

Halloween is almost here and with Halloween comes one of the most iconic symbols of the holiday: candy. Candy comes in all shapes and sizes: corn shaped, egg-shaped, big, small, chocolate and fruity, you name it.

"I think the max age for trick-or-treating is 20, because some people still want to feel like children," Samantha DiegoLinda, a biology major, said.

Children and adults alike can enjoy trick-or-treating, but it is usually the children who receive the treats, and the adults who escort the children.

There are a few theories floating around about why giving out candy is a Halloween tradition. Some people believe that candy giving evolved from a pagan holiday that was embraced by the Catholic Church and became established as a part of Halloween.

Other people believe that Candy Day was invented in 1916, for the sole purpose of making money and somehow got merged with Halloween at some point.

Whatever the reason may be, candy has been so much of

PHOTO ILLUSTRATION BY JESSIKA FULTON

Grabbing handfuls of candy while sweating through creative costumes has been a Halloween favorite for many generations.

a part of Halloween, they are practically inseparable - much like people and their favorite candies.

"I would say that Reese's cups are my favorite," Gabe Madlock, a general studies major, said. "I like candy corn, because well, who doesn't?" Diego-Linda said.

Everyone has a particular taste when it comes to candy, but

some people are willing to wait to fulfill their candy cravings until the after-Halloween sales begin.

Because of the amount of candy left over in stores, and the candy’s less-than-one year life span, retailers will drop the price of Halloween candy after the holiday in order to get rid of it.

"I buy around $20 to $30 of candy when it comes by," Madlock said.

Halloween is an iconic holiday that can be celebrated at any age. Children celebrate it by going house to house, dressing up as their favorite characters and demanding candy. Adults celebrate it by buying candy for the children, usually dressing up

as themselves and giving away candy to children who demand it. Movie and video game companies will put out their horror titles and advertising companies will put out their spooky advertisements.

No matter what you are doing on the holiday, be sure you're getting a treat instead of a trick.

Seasonal spending hits spooky heights

By JONATHAN ALONSO Staff Reporter

Whether dressing up, handing out candy or throwing a party, the Halloween price tag is sure to add up quickly.

Halloween spending was at an all-time high in 2018 at around $90 per buyer according to theBalance. com. That number is expected to rise in 2019 as more Americans say they plan to celebrate the holiday.

Amarillo College students are no exception to the growing number of Halloween buyers, especially Macayla Swindell, a freshman biology major, who said she spends up to $200 on Halloween.

"I trick or treat with my friends or go to haunted houses," Swindell said. "I also buy spooky room decorations and costumes. I think I spent $50 on a costume one time."

But Swindell is only one side of the Halloween spirit.

For many consumers, Halloween is a chance to show off their creative, money-saving talents. Kai Phouchane, a

freshman general studies major, who said he won't be spending much on a costume this year.

"When I'm getting a costume I'll make it myself because it's better quality," Phouchane said. "I go thrift shopping or use the clothes I already have at home."

This group happy Halloweeners tend to find inspiration anywhere. Whether it's Pinterest, Facebook or YouTube, Halloween is the DIY season.

DIY is fun for a lot of reasons: getting to put together a costume, making homemade decorations or showing off last-minute skills that take minimal effort. That's what Jacqueline Blalock, a mass media major, does.

"I really spend minimal on costumes," Blalock said. "So when someone says 'come to this party,' I'll just ask them what they're wearing and I'll copy that."

Activities offer Halloween entertainment

By WAIEL BAGH Staff Reporter

There’s a bunch of old and new attractions coming this year to Amarillo. Frightmare, Boo! at the Zoo, Halloween Show, Sixth Street Massacre, Summoning of the Spirits and Amarillo Scaregrounds just to name a few.

To start things off, let’s begin with the area’s largest and longest running haunted attraction, Amarillo Scaregrounds.

The basement, the 2,500 square foot blackout maze, zombie apocalypse training and much more will be accessible. A group of friends will be needed in order to traverse the giant complex.

“I’m excited to see who shows. But just know that if you’d rather stay at home and rest your eyes, that’s fine with me as well. Either way we’ll be seeing each other soon,” Freddy Krueger, a serial killer and nightmare phantom, said.

The one that most people are usually familiar with is the Sixth Street Massacre, which creates the sense of being

Now, if you’re interested in doing something a little different, as if you were partaking in some kind of dark ritual, then check out the 18 and older Summoning of the Spirits annual Witches Ball.

Set in an otherworldly dimension in the historic Khiva Shrine Ballroom, you will find yourself surrounded in an atmosphere of mystery.

The ball is a formal event, so get creative with your attire, but understand that this is a classy gathering, so dress for the occasion.

“I personally am needing some new ingredients for a spell I’m working on, and I’m hoping to find what I’m looking for at the ball,” Fire Witch Jeze Baal, said.

By chance you’re not looking for anything too scary, but are still trying to capture the Halloween moment, then Boo! SHAWN MCCREA | The Ranger at the Zoo may be your best bet.

The event is from 5:30 p.m. to A lone gargoyle, pertrified in the sunlight, waits perched on the 6th Street Massacre building.

9 p.m. Oct. 25, 26 and 27, at the trapped in a real horror movie Another haunted house that for the Amarillo Activity Youth Amarillo Zoo. According to the with no way out. It will be open will be open during the same Center. Creating the attraction website, the set up will be “unfrom 7 p.m. to midnight until time frame is Frightmare. has given area children the Boo-lievablely wild.” So if you Oct. 31.

This haunted house isn’t chance to learn how to use love animals and Halloween, “Ki ki ki ma ma ma,” Jason your typical scare fest. It’s set up basic tools, paint and props in the zoo is the place to be this Voorhees, a serial killer, said. professionally as a fundraiser order to build a haunted house. Halloween.

News

6 | The Ranger October 10, 2019

Friday night lights, camera, action

By ANDREW ROBINSON Staff Reporter

Friday night lights may be one of the most popular occasions in Texas, bringing fans from all-around the state to enjoy live high school football. This experience would not be the same without a topnotch camera crew making plays of their own.

The Amarillo College film crew provides opportunities for students looking to gain experience in video production, or just to make a quick buck, since the Amarillo Independent School District pays crew members for their work. When a high school football game is played at the Dick Bivins Stadium, AC students serve as part of the crew that creates live video displayed on the big screen.

Students record live footage, manage the instant replay and control graphics.

“I hope students gain a broad experience. I hope they learn how to run a camera, replay and the graphics system,” Brian Frank, the crew director and Panhandle PBS content producer, said. “More than anything I hope they learn to be a part of a live TV show.”

Because of the live aspect to the job, there is added pressure for students to always be in the right spot to get the perfect shot. “You really learn to work well as a team as well as with others in the media field,” Marissa Rivera, a member of the film crew, said. “The hardest part is dealing with the equipment.”

Students face high expectations, which are very similar to those in a realworld job. This is the main reason that this program has been around for 15 years, and it is also the reason why many members have gone on to success in their media careers, according to Frank.

“This program is just a way to connect people who have professional experience to supervise mass media students and give them some real-world experience,” Frank said. “This is one of the few opportunities at Amarillo College where they can get their hands on something while being paid.”

He added that it is hard to gain experience in this field without a live setting to learn in. This opportunity provides that experience as well as prepares students to work in a disciplined team environment, Frank said.

The film crew also serves the fans, according to Justin Hefley, the AISD assistant director of athletics. “The crew enhances the crowd experience while providing students the chance to grow in a field that interests them, as well as prepares them for a real job,” Hefley said. “Ballgames are all about the community.”

of tag contains elements from Capture the Flag and Cops and Robbers. “Since we’re going to be doing it in October, we thought we’d throw in a Halloween flare in the mixture of the original game,” he said. “It’s a great opportunity to meet others, get some exercise and have a

good time outside of class. It also gives students a breather to kind of de-stress from everything else,” he said.

Jerran Givens, an environmental engineering major, said he is looking forward to the game and he appreciates the seasonal approach.

ANDREW ROBINSON | The Ranger

Austin Ashby, a mass media major, has been a camera operator for two seasons now.

Zombie apocalypse headed to campus, prepare now

By BRIANNA SAUCEDO Staff Reporter

As the Halloween season nears, Amarillo College will be holding a special event known as Zombie Tag. Trent Oneal, intramurals specialist, said this game

“I think it is a great incentive to get more people to go to this event, as Halloween will be just around the corner. It’s an opportunity to get out of the house and embrace my community,” he said.

Arlette Martinez, a surgical technology major, is also planning to join in the

competition. “Zombie tag is definitely something different.

I think it would be something fun for some of the AC students to enjoy,” she said.

The Zombie Tag event is open to all students, no sign up needed, just show up at 8 p.m. Wednesday, Oct. 30, in the College Union Building.

Torres is the team captain of “Superbad,” the top scoring team in the league this season.

Torres, for his third time, will also be playing with the traveling team in Stillwater, but his first priority is to help his team win in any way he can.

“The people are great, so is coming out here, playing with your teammates and catching some dubs,” said Torres. “I think we’re going to win the whole thing. I don’t think there’s a team out here that can do what we do. We have excellent receivers, great defense and some awesome people,” he said.

Jacob Saldivar, a business finance major is now playing in his second year in the league and was also selected

for the traveling team. He said his favorite part of being on a team is “scoring scoring some touchdowns. It is always fun to meet some new people,” he said.

Another featured player is freshman Connor Newcomb, also plays for “Superbad”, adding a significant amount of intensity from the defensive side of the ball. Newcomb was a ball-hawk during his last two games as he recorded two interceptions as well as a pair of deflections.

“Even though I didn’t get a scholarship to play at some other college after high school, I really appreciate getting to have a fun time,” Newcomb, a pre-nursing major, said.

AC promotes tutoring Scoring big with flag football

By CJ SCOTT

Staff Reporter

Amarillo College has created a new position to help students. Jeannie George wa s appointed as the director of student learning support in September.

She oversees all the student learning centers, success centers, supplemental instruction and academic support services at AC and reports to the vice president of academic affairs.

George said she wants all AC students to succeed in their classes. “I would encourage students to take another look at their longterm goals, then, find ways to achieve each milestone by using the AC resources designed to make each student successful,” she said.

Before moving to this position, George worked as the West Campus tutoring coordinator and as the health sciences program student support services coordinator.

George said her goals for this year are to improve the tutoring services and its availability. She said she is dedicated to providing AC students with the information and support they need.

“It is important to feel

connected and have access to resources designed to make you successful,” George said.

Students may be afraid to ask for help or face the fact that they are struggling.

“It may be hard to admit to yourself that you do need help,” Sean McDonald, a student tutor, said. “At that point, come and get help. We have all been in that position before. We, as tutors, want to see students succeed.”

Joshua O’Brien, the coordinator of the Writers Corner, said he urges students to make the most of their resources. “Success, in a lot of ways, is tied to one’s ability to communicate in writing,” he continued.

“Ultimately, we are aiming to help students develop these writing skills for themselves.”

George also stressed the importance of seeking assistance in a timely manner.

“Tutoring can be a big part of the success of those courses you’re currently enrolled in, if you take advantage of it,” she said.

The Natalie Buckthal Tutoring Center, the West Campus Tutoring Center, the Writers Corner, the Math Outreach Center, the Science Enrichment Center and the online tutoring through Smarthinking in Blackboard all offer tutoring and assistance. “Come early, come often,” O’Brien said.

By ANDREW ROBINSON Staff Reporter

The Amarillo College flag football season is in full swing.

The league features 10 teams that play a six game slate ending in a single elimination tournament.

Games take place on Thursdays at Memorial Park. AC has also selected a variety of players to participate in the National Intramural-Recreational Sports Association (NIRSA) tournament in Stillwater, Oklahoma, which takes place Halloween weekend.

Quarterback and civil engineering major, Ryan

Culture

The Ranger | 7

Distillery brews success October 10, 2019

Creators of Amarillo’s first vodka brand open bar, venue

By TITUS GILNER Staff Reporter Amarillo continues to grow and change with its newest local spirits distillery: Bomb City Vodka.

Sitting on the corner of Southeast Fourth Street and Cleveland in the heart of the barrio just east of downtown, owner and founders Kyle Michels and Ryan Bernard turned an old commercial building into a bar and distillery.

The journey for Bernard, a pharmacist, and Michels, a roofer, started with a hobby.

“I was watching ‘Moonshiners’ on TV and had an idea, so I called my friend Ryan who is a pharmacist,” Michels said.

They did a little research and got together in Bernard’s kitchen to start brewing.

After blowing up the kitchen a couple of times and going through a few different recipes, Bernard and Michels finally got the formula right.

With such a high cost of production, the need for a business quickly became clear.

Michels had purchased the building for his roofing company before they decided to go into the vodka business and it turned out to be the perfect location for Bomb City Vodka.

Without investors or loans, Michels and Bernard renovated the building entirely on their own by repurposing some of the scrap materials from the original structure and extensive reroofing.

Movies celebrate Dia de Los Muertos

By NATHANIEL MONTOTA Staff Reporter As the weather begins to cool most are ready to celebrate the upcoming spooky season. Both children and adults dress up to celebrate with candy, parties and fun every Oct. 31. However, Mexico has a different take on it.

Since about the 16th century the country has celebrated, Dia de los muertos or Day of the dead, a holiday honoring their loved one’s who have passed on.

In recent year, the three day celebration has been popularized in the United States because of two films, Fox’s 2014 film “The Book of Life” and three years later with Disney’s film “Coco”.

I personally had seen “Coco” but not the “Book of Life,” so I figured the first film would be similar if “Coco” had used it for inspiration. But, both films are special and unique in their own ways.

Yes both use the Dia de los

muertos holiday as their main story point but they are in no way the same film. The “Book of Life” centers around a wager placed between La Muerte ruler of the land of the remembered and Xibalba ruler of the land of the forgotten.

The bet is placed on which of the two main male characters Manolo Sánchez and Joaquín Mondragon will marry María Posada the films main female character. Maria eventually moves away to Spain as a child and both Manolo and Joaquín promises to wait for her until she returns.

Many years pass as Maria finds her way back to Mexico as an adult. Both Manolo and Joaquín have also grown into respectable young men hoping to win Maria’s hand in marriage.

The story progresses and focuses on building courage and fighting your fears.

Some other similarities between Manolo and Coco’s main character Miguel is they both love to play guitar and sing,

but their families disapprove wanting them to follow their families tradition.

A turning point in both films is when the main characters enter the land of the dead and need to find their way back to the living.

The difference here is Manolo actually died and Miguel was sent through the spirits.

Overall the stories have a similar frame of work but can be identified as its own film.

As Book of Life focuses on achieving self-success Coco is more family oriented.

Without spoiling too much my favorite parts of the movies are their soundtracks. Coco mostly has original songs that became smash hits such as “Remember Me” and “Un Poco Loco” while Book of life puts its own takes on covers such as “Creep” and “Can’t help falling in love with you”.

I recommend both films for anyone who hasn’t watched them because I’ll definitely watch them again.

Bomb City Vodka is a bar right now, but with plans to turn more into a venue in the future.

Plans do not include serving food, but allowing people to bring in food and hosting a variety of food trucks on different days.

Michels said he wants Bomb City Vodka to be a place where community can happen, not just a place for people to go, be alone, eat, drink and leave.

Bomb City Vodka is currently available in over 30 local bars and restaurants and will be

purchasable in box stores soon.

Water Still is currently partnered with Bomb City Vodka, providing the distillery with steam distilled water making the final product truly unique to Amarillo.

Featuring a sleek nuke design and LED lights on the bottles, this vodka is for Bomb City and from Bomb City.

If you are 21 or older, go out and try some Bomb City Vodka.

As always, drink responsibly, make good decisions and do not drink and drive.

Ranger staff’s worst fears

By ISABELLE LINK ILLUSTRATIONS BY SIDNEY WEST

Johnny Lawhon: Spheksophobia, fear of wasps.

Caylee Hanna: Orthopterophobia, fear of grasshoppers or any insect in that family.

Sidney West: Mycophobia, fear of germs and things similar, is mold.

Bailea Dooley: Pediophobia, fear of dolls.

Jessika Fulton: Acrophobia, fear of heights.

Nathaniel Montoya: Thalassophobia, fear of large bodies of water, which is different because it’s a triggered fear.

Mathew Bowen: Dystychiphobia, the fear of accidents.

Lauren Ebben: Taphophobia, the fear of being buried alive.

Isabelle Link: Queunliskanphobia, fear of spit.

Jeremy Stitsworth: Coulrophobia, the fear of clowns, which originates from the Greek term meaning stilt walkers.

COURTSEY PHOTO

Two sentences of cringe Netflix show aquired from CW brings disappointment

By JEREMY STITSWORTH Staff Reporter Netflix has recently begun streaming a series from the CW television network. It’s called Two Sentence Horror Stories and is part of the evergrowing genre of anthology horror stories. What sets this series apart though is these stories are from all over the internet.

It all started with bloggers and writers submitting horror stories to forums or chat rooms and the like. It began to grow into a viral fan fiction of sorts and when the tv network companies began to take notice

it became a television show. It first aired on the CW back in early August.

The show itself is similar to another anthology series, Black Mirror. However, in this instance the stories are much more predictable, and some can be straight up lazy. Be that as it may the stories still shock you. It starts out with one sentence at the beginning of the story and then at the end reveals the chilling conclusion.

I found myself slightly more creeped out by the actual words that appeared on screen rather than the story being told through acting.

Out of the entire series I can honestly say that about

half were as good as my expectations had hoped.

Then again maybe I was expecting something a little more grandiose much like I was used to in “Black Mirror” with all its crazy twists and turns. Though there is one I would suggest everyone should watch.

I believe it was called “Hide” it deals with an undocumented immigrant nanny babysitting an autistic girl and the house being burglarized while the girl’s parents are away. This episode made me think.

Who do you call if you’re an undocumented immigrant protecting a girl from people who want to hurt you?

Feature

8 | The Ranger October 10 , 2019

It’s Fall, Y’all

By CLAUDIA ZUNIGA and RAY GUTIERREZ Staff Reporters

T

he leaves are changing color and students are changing majors. A decrease in temperature, an increase in pumpkin spice and the return of football season has the Amarillo College community excited for the amber season. People are starting to get into the flannel spirit. Decorating the house, buying new school supplies and carving pumpkins are just some of the traditions that shape the fall.

Erin Weichec, an English major, spends the fall with friends. “Halloween is my favorite holiday and spending that time with my friends is what makes it so special. I always decorate my house top to bottom and throw a Halloween party. Dressing up in crazy costumes with your best friends and watching bad, scary movies is the best thing in the world,” she said.

Daniel Solis, a general studies major, said he loves everything about the fall season. “What’s not to love?

Pumpkin spice lattes, the best smelling candles and it’s the spooky season. It’s a wonderful time to start again.”

Many see autumn as a time to get their lives back on track after the summer season. Terri Zuniga, a paralegal major, said she finds the fall to be a time to reset her life and focus on family. “I love to take my time to gather my

thoughts and plan out how I want the rest of the year I want the rest of the year to go. I get to enjoy all of my favorite holidays with all of my favorite people,” she said.

Jazmin Riojas, an early childhood development major, said she appreciates the tradition of marking the holiday of Dia De Los Muertos. “It’s a way to feel closer to family.

There is something special about connecting with family, living and dead during, this time. It’s also tradition, which holds a strong meaning.”

Sami Landers, the new student coordinator, said she loves the change of seasons. “It gets a little bit cooler and that’s nice,” she said.

The change of seasons comes with a breeze that cools off that summer heat, but that’s not the only thing that AC students and faculty said they love about the fall. “I love pumpkin, I’m a pumpkin spice girl,” Sayra Maldonado, a nursing adviser said. “Halloween is definitely my favorite holiday. I love football season and how the leaves change colors. The only thing I hate about the fall is that sunset happens at an earlier time.”

While autumn has its disadvantages, it brings hoodies, Halloween and a hot macchiato with the mesmerizing scenery of orange and brown falling leaves.

Top 10 Reasons To Love Autumn

◆◆ PICKING THE PERFECT PUMPKIN - An annual trip to the

pumpkin patch and pumpkin carving are a family tradition in many homes. ◆◆ LOOKING AT CHANGING LEAVES - The changing fall foliage brings enchanting, vibrant colors and outdoor activities. ◆◆ HOMEMADE SOUP FOR THE SOUL - A bowl of warm soup and a freshly-baked apple pie on the counter mark a delicious start to the season. ◆◆ EATING ALL THE PUMPKIN SPICED FOOD Play ‘how many fall-flavored foods can you find in the groccery aisles’ with your friends.

◆◆ LISTENING TO THE SOOTHING SOUND OF RAIN

Wrap yourself in a warm blanket, grab a cup of tea and curl up with a good book.

◆◆ THE FALL AROMA - Salted caramel, candy corn, sour

apples, maple syrup, cinnamon and bonfires = FALL. ◆◆ SWEATER WEATHER - Even though the best time to wear a striped sweater is all the time... autumn’s blustering winds give you the best excuse to break out the cardigans. ◆◆ FOOTBALL - From the NFL to college games, football is synonymous with fall. ◆◆ SCARING YOURSELF SILLY - Hit up Frightmare, Scaregrounds and Maxwell’s Pumpkin Farm! Because who doesn’t enjoy paying someone to get lost or scare the living crap out of you? ◆◆ FALL BREAK - Fall break is Oct. 21-27 for AC students, which is clearly the reason to love fall.