'An Axe to Grind' - Volume 51, Issue 19

STUDENT MEDIA AT THE UNIVERSITY OF WISCONSIN

TUESDAY, February 11, 2020 · VOL 51 Issue 19 · BADGERHERALD.COM

AN AXE TO GRIND Following decades of losing, Badgers take control of Border Battle with Minnesota. pg. 12

Photo by Ahmad Hamid

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University of Wisconsin alumnus, who struggled with insulin injection, creates wing-like device to make insulin injection easier.

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TRUMP MONEY: A POSITIVE MOVE FOR FARMERS?

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Trump’s solution following the economic decline of the farming industry may not have the best of intentions for farmers all over the nation.

FOOTBALL: ANALYZING QUINTEZ CEPHUS’ DRAFT STOCK

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Following season as leading receiver for quarterback Jack Coan, Cephus is projected as a late-round draft pick in 2020 NFL Draft

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Winter Carnival

Photos by Ahmad Hamid, design by Caitlin Geurts

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Community and students gather to celebrate the return of the state of liberty head and arm on Lake Mendota with people flying kites, jumping in the freezing lake and celebrating winter in Wisconsin.

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Decrease in opioid overdoses, UW, city takes steps to sustain trend

10% decrease in overdoses, action to address epidemic are ‘direct result of multiple agencies,’ city health official said

by Olivia Clauss Reporter

After Madison saw a 10% decrease in opioid overdoses in 2019 from the previous year, city officials and University of Wisconsin researchers are surging forward to increase access to treatment options.

Madison saw a 55% increase in opioid overdoses in 2017, according to the Madison Addiction Recovery Initiative. In late January, Madison Police Department Chief Victor Wahl reported in a blog that Madison saw a 10% decrease in 2019 overdoses.

Wahl wrote there were 275 overdoses in 2018 that the Madison Police Department responded to. In 2019, there were only 246 reported instances. Wahl wrote 42 fatal cases in 2018 decreased to 29 fatal cases in 2019.

Sarah Johnson, Health Education Specialist at

Madison and Dane County Public Health, said in an email the city’s newest steps to combat opioid abuse developed as the crisis worsened in the community.

“The action you have seen over the past few years to address the opioid epidemic is a direct result of multiple agencies seeing an increase in overdoses, both fatal and nonfatal, as well as the large number of people in our community struggling with a substance use disorder,” Johnson said in an email to The Badger Herald.

According to Wahl’s blog, the department took several steps following the increase in overdoses in 2017. Wahl wrote every officer carries Naloxone, a drug capable of saving a victim of overdose. Additionally, MPD works closely with the Madison Addiction Recovery Initiative to allow low crime offenders with

Photo - Madison saw a 10% decrease in opioid overdoses in 2019 from the previous year.

Emily Hamer The Badger Herald

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opioid addictions to complete treatment rather than face prosecution.

Among MPD’s efforts with MARI and other funding opportunities, citywide operatives were instrumental in the decrease in overdose deaths, Johnson said in an email. The epidemic forced agencies to work together, resulting in a change in how people viewed the stigmatized issue of opioid addiction, Johnson said.

“As a community, we are talking about addiction in new ways which are starting to change the stigma and shame that typically surround people and their families and prevent them from reaching out to get help,” Johnson said in an email.

Johnson said in an email the County Human Services is in the process of offering more treatments, such as evidence-based medication-assisted treatment. Johnson also said the Wisconsin Department of Health’s Narcan Direct Program will provide the Public Health Madison & Dane County with nasal Narcan to distribute in the Madison area.

According to Johnson, nasal Narcan is a great intervention option and the increase in accessibility to Narcan contributed to the overdose decrease. Johnson said Dane County Human Services has funds to provide recovery coaching for victims in emergency room units, as well as to users seeking help from a treatment center.

“Certified Peer Specialists and recovery coaches help improve engagement with behavioral health services,” Johnson wrote. “They have a unique ability to offer empathy, mutuality and hope, and serve as a connection for people while they are on waiting lists for treatment services.”

Assistant Professor in UW’s Department of Family Medicine and Community Health Andrew Quanbeck said many scientists at UW are conducting research addressing the epidemic as a local and societal issue. Quanbeck is currently conducting research on the implementation of evidencebased practices and technologies for the prevention and treatment of substance use disorders in primary care settings.

Quanbeck’s two main areas of focus are reworking the guidelines

that constitute opioid prescription and how mobile apps can be used to help patients with a substance disorder abstain from relapse or overdose. Quanbeck said there are many existing measures to help with the problem, but Quanbeck is hoping the research on healthcare apps can be adapted to help with opioid abuse.

“We have effective treatments for opioid use disorders, but patients often have trouble accessing these treatments,” Quanbeck said in an email.

One result of Quanbeck and other UW professors’ work is a system consultation project. The project is working with 44 UW health clinics, including 17 clinics in the Madison area, to change primary care physicians’ opioid prescribing practices. The project launched this month and will last about two years, according to Quanbeck.

To get at the true root of the problem and prevent addiction, Quanbeck said it is necessary to put less opioids out into the community, reducing the risk of those who may get addicted to higher dosages.

“Part of what has led to the problem that we have is that there were pretty unrestrictive policies about prescribing opioids for chronic pain. A lot of opioids got into the community, and a lot of patients got high doses,” Quanbeck said.

Another project Quanbeck conducted centered on how support systems and treatment apps could intervene with substance abuse. In the app trial done with 100 patients, Quanbeck said 32 struggled with opioid abuse. Quanbeck said the results showed improvements to patients’ drug abstinence. Another trial of an app dedicated to opioid abusers is currently underway in Massachusetts.

More research at UW is occurring with medicine-assisted treatment, according to Quanbeck. UW researchers are developing the equivalent of a nicotine patch for opioid users with Naloxone.

Quanbeck said many of the main challenges with this direct opioid treatment and medication are systemic barriers, many of which still exist in Madison. Quanbeck said promoting access to these drugs is key in fighting the opioid epidemic at the local and national level.

“Researchers on campus are trying to find ways to reduce barriers to use that medication,” Quanbeck said. “Patients ... who have a hard time accessing it can work with physicians from UW who can facilitate access to these drugs … to help them get off of opioids.”

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New findings on cell movement challenge existing theoretical models UW researchers’ discovery redefined scientific community’s current understanding of cell movement, breakthrough still limited

by Arushi Gupta Reporter

A University of Wisconsin professor and doctoral student revealed new findings on cell movement, redefining the scientific community’s current notions on cell movement inside the human body.

Engineering Physics assistant professor Jacob Notbohm and doctoral student Aashrith Sarawathibhatla recently published their findings on how cells move.

Notbohm is working on mechanics, the physics of forces, and applying it to biological materials and human health. Collective cell migration and fibrous materials that form the structure of numerous tissues in the body are two sub-projects under Notbohm’s research.

“The idea that we have, if skin, say is scratched or cut or damaged, it is known that cells have to migrate collectively to heal the wound, so skin cells have to divide and proliferate and they also have to migrate on top of the wound to cover it,” Notbohm said.

They are interested in the forces behind this and how those forces occur, Notbohm said.

According to Notbohm, cells produce forces themselves by contracting. The way the forces are balanced is complicated because cells apply force both below and above them and to other cells.

The research group studied cell-cell and cell-environment interactions and applied

mechanics to cell biology which, according to Sarawathibhatla, is relatively novel in the scientific community.

“We were inspired by some theoretical models that were predicting very strong relationships between the shape of the cell ... and the prediction was that a more elongated cell can move around more freely in a collective group,” Notbohm said.

Notbohm added, in previous experiments, the movements were observed but no one identified which forces were responsible for it. They started with the current understanding in the scientific community, according to which cells proliferate perimeters.

Though, Notbohm said, it was ruled out because the experiments did not show observations that coincided with the current understandings and instead looked at other force types, such as cell-substrate traction which turned out to be an important factor.

The current understanding of the cell shape, and how elongated it was, was the biggest technical challenge, Notbohm said. They started with this assumption because of what was understood at the time, Notbohm said, but they couldn’t demonstrate it to be true.

“The biggest challenge for us was that the field had it wrong,” Notbohm said. “We had to redirect our understanding,” Because the experiments were carried out in a dish and not the human body, the environment was simplified. Experiments using dishes allowed

Notbohm’s group to greater control factors that would be hard to control in human bodies.

Without this, according to Notbohm, they would not observe the forces that resulted in cell motion and would not have been able to make their conclusions.

In addition, researchers used stable and immortalized cells, which are not the best representation of the real cells found in the human body. Their findings are also limited to sheets of cells and focus on the cells’ ability to rearrange within the sheet, which does not necessarily relate to how fast the cells move.

Sarawathibhatla, who performed most of the experiments mentioned in the published paper, said though density involving these interactions was extensively studied in the past, no one really understood how cell density affects cell migration.

“We figured out that density is not the biggest parameter,” Sarawathibhatla said. “The first two years were mainly about performing the experiments and going forward with the wrong hypothesis and eventually failing it.”

According to Sarawathibhatla, mechanics was introduced to biology within the past two decades, and their research emphasizes the importance of mechanisms in collective cell migration.

Certain potential applications Notbohm’s lab is looking at are related to physical dressings of wounds that can align tractions in a way to speed up healing.

“Right now, we are focusing mostly on pretty

fundamental scientific types of questions,” Notbohm said. “Applications in terms of industry are a little further way off. For example, we had to identify that traction is more important than proliferation.”

Notbohm talked to people in the industry, but they tend to be more interested in the methods rather than the findings, Notbohm said.

A way of quantifying cell motion and forces exist in the scientific community, but they aren’t used often, Notbohm said.

“The soonest most apt application to the industry would be in applying some of our methods, and transferring our methods to the industry,” Notbohm said.

Notbohm added they are working on a lot of ideas, some of which are related to testing their findings in different cell types to verify what they have seen. Other ideas are related to having new parameters, such as the effects of long-term traction on changing cell direction.

Moreover, Notbohm is looking at applying their methods in systems more closely related to human health.

“You could argue that this study was a breakthrough in that it changed our understanding of this one set of theoretical models, but that said, it’s also relatively limited,” Notbohm said.

This study applies to certain cell types in collective sheets, so it is a field-specific breakthrough, Notbohm said.

Warren, Bloomberg open campaign offices in Madison, WI swing state Press secretary for Bloomberg discusses political strategies for opening campaigning offices in Madison, attract voters

by Sophie Putrim Reporter

As the 2020 presidential election draws near, two Democratic candidates, Elizabeth Warren and Michael Bloomberg, attempt to attract Wisconsin voters by establishing campaign offices in downtown Madison last month, according to The Cap Times.

Jan. 21, Sen. Elizabeth Warren, D-MA, became the first Democrat to open a campaign office in Madison for the 2020 presidential election.

According to The Cap Times, the opening event welcomed families from across the city in support of the growing Warren for President movement, and also promoted the office’s need for volunteers.

According to Warren’s website, their highest volunteer need is making calls to voters.

Warren was not the first Democrat to open a campaign office in the state of Wisconsin as a whole. Back in December, Bloomberg opened his first Wisconsin office in Milwaukee. Regarding its opening, Bloomberg addressed intentions to target Wisconsin by calling it a “key state” in the electoral college, according to FOX6 News.

“I think Wisconsin understands they are one of

the keys to making sure Donald Trump is not our president for the next four years,” Bloomberg said.

Press Secretary for the Wisconsin for Mike campaign, Brandon Weathersby, said the opening of the Milwaukee office has allowed volunteers to consistently reach out to voters across the state.

According to The Cap Times, Bloomberg’s Madison office will be located in Capitol Square.

It is not yet open, but workers are in the process of setting it up. It is expected to open in the next couple of weeks.

“The opening of the Madison office only reinforces our message that Mike is speaking to voters around the country while other candidates are spending all their time in early-voting states,” Weathersby said.

A key difference of the Bloomberg campaign, Weathersby noted, is the campaign aspires to be boundless across the nation. Instead of waiting until the general election to campaign in states like Wisconsin, voters are being targeted as early as possible.

University of Wisconsin students can expect to see these efforts implemented by Bloomberg’s campaign through different events in Madison, as

well as one-on-one interactions by the campaign in the coming months until the Wisconsin primary April 7. The events can be found on Bloomberg’s website.

UW political science professor Barry Burden said Warren may find a more natural audience among college students, but Bloomberg’s resources guarantee targeting many Wisconsin groups simultaneously.

Burden also commented on the importance of Democratic candidates to make the Madison area a priority while campaigning before the primaries.

“It is not clear which candidates will still be in the race when the Wisconsin primary rolls around,” Burden said. “No Democrat can afford to overlook the Madison area.”

Burden suggests the small presence of Democratic offices in Wisconsin could be due to candidates such as Democratic candidate Pete Buttigieg allocating their resources and efforts into the states with early caucuses.

“Given his fundraising success and the fact that he won the Wisconsin primary in 2016, we should expect an office opening from Sanders soon,” Burden said.

Weathersby said as these crucial next few months in presidential campaigning quickly approach, Madison residents and other Wisconsinites can expect more and more action from the Democrats to win their vote, essentially moving a step closer to defeating Donald Trump.

According to 270 To Win, Wisconsin is historically a swing state. When Wisconsin gained statehood in 1848, the state leaned Republican until the late 1920s, when the economic and social effects of the Great Depression turned it Democratic. Then again, in the mid-1940s, Wisconsin swung back to Republican until the 1980s, from which point the state’s voting tendencies became indistinguishable.

According to 270 To Win, in the 2012 election, 52.8% voted Democrat while 45.9% voted Republican. In 2016, 46.5% voted Democrat while 47.2% voted Republican, showing the pattern of closeness between the democratic versus republican voting numbers in the past.

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New legislation to restrict use of PFAS, funding for research, testing New legislation to restrict use of PFAS due to negative health, environmental effects, funding for research, testing

by Azul Kothari Reporter

State legislators proposed bills to limit the amount of polyfluoroalkyl substances in the environment.

Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, cosponsored Senate Bill 310 to create a framework for regulating PFAS, a broad category of chemicals associated with negative health impacts ranging from reduced fertility to cancer. The bill will add to legislation passed earlier this month that severely restricts the use of firefighting foam containing PFAS in nonemergency situations. It was passed by voice votes January 21, and is being reviewed by Gov. Tony Evers.

Nygren introduced Assembly Bill 842 Jan. 31 to fund surveys and research on PFAS contamination, including $250,000 in grant funding for exploring ways to eliminate the contamination and $1 million for the Department of Natural Resources to test for contamination in water systems, according to the bill’s text.

Sen. Dave Hansen, D-Green Bay, introduced Senate Bill 772 Feb. 5, which requires the Department of Natural Resources to establish water quality and air emission standards for PFAS and to provide free blood testing for those living in an area with PFAS. Christy Remucal, a University of Wisconsin

Civil and Environmental Engineering professor who researches PFAS in the environment, said in recent years the chemical was found in significant concentrations in some parts of Wisconsin.

Currently, according to Remucal’s research, Marinette County has some of the highest levels of contamination in the state, with concentrations ranging from 73 to 19000 parts per trillion, well above the 20 ppt safe limit recommended by Wisconsin’s Department of Human Services.

“For senator Hansen and myself, this [bill] is completely driven by the issues that we’re facing in our district, specifically here in the Marinette and Peshtigo area, which is my home town,” Nygren said. “Two years ago, we had never even heard of PFAS.” SB 772 forces the DNR to establish and enforce standards for PFAS through a special process known as emergency rules in a time frame of six months.

Normally such a process takes around three years, according to Rep. Chris Taylor (D-Madison).

Remucal said PFAS are a class of chemicals with incredibly useful water-repellent properties. As such, it can be found in a wide range of products, including non-stick cookware, water repellent clothing and stain-resistant fabrics, Remucal added.

PFAS are a particularly worrisome pollutant because of its lack of natural degradation process,

Remucal said.

Remucal said regulation of the class proved to be challenging because the category contains thousands of chemicals, only some of which may actually be harmful. Though, the detrimental health effects of two PFAS chemicals in particular, perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctane sulfonate, have been studied for quite some time. The industry voluntarily phased the two out in the early 2000s, Remucal added.

In Marinette and Peshtigo, the contamination traces back to firefighting foam manufactured at the local Tyco Fire Products Manufacturing facility, Nygren said. For decades, unaware of the health effects of PFOA and PFOS, the facility produced and tested the product, Nygren added.

“They’re really effective on liquid fires, chemical fires,” Nygren said. “And yet at the time we didn’t know these chemicals were dangerous, so there was no containment system.”

Two years ago, testing revealed PFAS presence in local wells, Nygren said, and Nygren’s own home lies just a quarter of a mile away from one of the contaminated wells.

Marinette and Peshtigo are not the only areas where PFAS are present. In October, DNR testing revealed elevated PFAS levels in Madison’s Starkweather Creek, which is just south of the Truax

Air Base where for years the Air National Guard used PFAS foam in firefighting drills. Since then, state environmental regulators threatened the base with legal action for not coming up with a clean up plan, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

“If our lakes are so polluted that we don’t wanna go in them, that has a huge impact on our community,” Taylor said. “There’s a health impact, an environmental impact and an economic impact.

We can’t afford not to address this issue in a comprehensive, aggressive way.”

Before Nygren and Hanson introduced their bills, Taylor and other Democrats introduced the Chemical Level Enforcement and Remediation Act. While Nygren and Hanson’s bill only targets the two chemicals with well-understood health effects, the CLEAR Act would proactively regulate PFAS as an entire class of chemicals, Taylor said.

In defending the CLEAR Act, Taylor said scientists already knew more than enough and Wisconsin could not afford to wait to tackle the issue.

Nygren, on the other hand, characterized the CLEAR act differently, saying science has yet to draw finite conclusions.

“There’s still things that these chemicals do positively,” Nygren said. “Let’s find out what their impacts are before we make it impossible for them to be used in everyday life.”

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Board of Regents member resigns, Evers to appoint replacement

Whitburn reappointed in 2018 for term through May 2025, did not give Gov. Evers reason for his early resignation

by Lindsey Knuth Reporter

University of Wisconsin Board of Regents member Gerald Whitburn sent in a letter of resignation to Gov. Tony Evers Jan. 23. Whitburn served on the board since a 2011 appointment from former Gov. Scott Walker, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Whitburn was reappointed in 2018 for a term that was meant to last through May 2025. In his hometown, Whitburn was the chairman and chief operating officer of Church Mutual Insurance Co. He spent six years working in the U.S. Senate, and also served as Wisconsin’s labor secretary and Secretary of Health and Social Services on Gov. Tommy Thompson’s Cabinet, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel.

The board is responsible for creating system policies, keeping up with the state’s higher education needs and setting admission standards and reviewing budgets, according to their website.

Whitburn, who received a masters in political science from UW in 1968, did not

indicate a reason for resigning in his letter to Evers.

“It is time for me to step away from the University of Wisconsin Board of Regents,” Whitburn wrote. “Please consider my resignation effective immediately. As you know, I have enjoyed having the opportunity to serve the university system and the State in this capacity.”

Evers will appoint another potential board member, and the choice is subject to Senate approval. Currently, five Regent members began their term under the Evers administration, according to the board’s website.

Whitburn was the chair of the audit committee, and also sat on the executive, education and student discipline and other student appeals committees, according to the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel. In an email statement, Evers spoke on the Board’s loss of such a prominent member.

“I thank Gerald Whitburn for his service to Wisconsin,” Evers said in an email. “Being a Regent is hard, important work, and he handled it always with statesmanship and decency. He will be missed on the Board of Regents.”

Evers served on the board himself

and made two appointments in April for Eau Claire attorney Ed Manydeeds and Madison philanthropist Karen Walsh.

Jenny Dahlberg, former Academic Staff Executive Committee chair and current Grants Administrator at the UW School of Veterinary Medicine, spoke about the significance of Whitburn’s departure.

“I’m sorry he stepped down,” Dahlberg said. “But, it’s an opportunity for Evers to appoint someone early, preferably someone with a strong background in higher education.”

Evers did not say when he will announce a replacement for Whitburn. The next board meeting is Feb. 7-8 and is hosted by UW. Terry Warfield, Faculty Shared Governance chair and chair of the Department of Accounting and Information Systems at the UW School of Business, spoke about Whitburn’s background in economics.

“One thing that he brought to the Board is that he was the former CEO of an insurance company and brought some strength in terms of financial accountability and financial wherewithal,” Warfield said.

“So, that will be a little bit of a loss.”

Warfield, an accounting professor, said this expertise is advantageous for the Board. Warfield would like to see the board advocate for better funding for the University System.

The tuition freeze has been in place for eight years now, Warfield said. UW has been lucky to get by so far through philanthropy and other things, but Warfield said this isn’t sustainable.

Right now, the board is made up of bankers, dairy farmers, attorneys, entrepreneurs and business people, according to its website. Warfield said this kind of variety is important.

“If you look at the Board, the key to a good Board is diversity,” Warfield said.

“Some people … may have been critical before … because Governor Walker didn’t seek as much diversity as would have been desired by others. So, I’m sure Governor Evers is giving a lot of thought and thinking about what kind of expertise is needed.”

Warfield spoke about Whitburn’s many contributions to the Board, including bringing a lot of perspective and having the best interests of the system at heart.

UW School of Pharmacy new master program, career readiness Program partners with local comapnies, features internship semester to give students real-world career experience

by Aashna Sheth Reporter

The University of Wisconsin School of Pharmacy launched a new master’s degree named the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences: Applied Drug Development.

According to the degree’s website, this new program offered by the highly-ranked School of Pharmacy is 31 credits in total and is made to better prepare students for careers right out of college. The program is an opportunity for new or recent graduates in biochemistry, biology, chemistry or chemical engineering to take a “fifth year” to learn and sharpen their skills, both in the laboratory and the classroom, according to a UW press release.

Moreover, classes are taught both online and in person, allowing for beneficial handson experience for students. According to the website, the practical and professional skills students can acquire from the program are necessary for any lab-based job in the pharmaceutical industry, thus helping to improve students’ competitiveness in the job market after graduation.

The website also said the degree can be completed in just one calendar year due to its accelerated pace. According to the press release,

this accelerated pace can be adjusted to fit individuals’ goals, and the blending of online and in-person education allows for a much higher degree of flexibility.

In addition, according to the degree’s website, this degree will be taught in three semesters, with the final semester being a summer capstone project.

Program Director of the Master of Science in Pharmaceutical Sciences at the School of Pharmacy Eric Buxton said this master’s degree is made specifically for students who are planning on working in the biopharmaceutical industry after graduation, and the program aims to set those students up for career success. This is also why the final project over the summer consists of a 12-week internship for students to gain experience in the field and make meaningful connections.

“We work with these [local] companies to make sure the skills we provide are skills they hire for,” Buxton said.

Buxton also said while students will be working throughout the course with local companies, the skills they acquire will be transferable to either coast, making sure students are able to keep their options open for postgraduate opportunities.

According to the press release, this program

focuses on skills such as using typical lab instruments, drug action and data analysis.

Additionally, according to the degree’s website, the experience of working in a regulated lab is a unique opportunity for students, as it allows them to familiarize themselves with a lab setting and helps them stand out among other job applicants.

“It is a focused degree that sets [students] up to work in the larger [pharmaceutical] industry,” Buxton said.

To help create curriculum for this degree, the university consulted with companies in the area, according to the press release. Covance, an organization that conducts research on drugs that may be used by pharmaceutical businesses in the future, was one such company.

Executive Director of Global Metabolism and Environmental Science at Covance Donald McKenzie spoke about Covance’s assistance in making the curriculum for this degree.

“We were actually involved, working with the College of Pharmacy in terms of building [this degree], getting it set up to help prepare students for the lab-based jobs of the future,” McKenzie said. “[It allows students to] think about data critically and hit the ground running and be more marketable in the workforce.”

McKenzie said this degree’s curriculum is

a combination of teaching basic skills that are needed in labs on which students generally have a weaker grasp, such as rules and using lab equipment, and simultaneously preparing them for a lab-based job.

McKenzie also appreciates this aspect of the new degree as it cuts down on time companies spend training students on how to do simple lab procedures, thus potentially leading to higher productivity.

McKenzie said, however, the new degree should not be perceived as being better than existing degrees offered by the School of Pharmacy.

“I wouldn’t say it’s better or worse than, I would say it’s complimentary, depending on what the student is looking to do,” McKenzie said.

As McKenzie said, since this degree is made for people who want to work lab-based jobs, the utility of this program largely depends on each student’s personal goals.

According to the degree’s website, sample courses for the degree include Working in a Regulated Environment, Current Trends in Drug Discovery and Development and Laboratory and Instrumentation Methods. The first class of the program is scheduled to start September 2020.

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Insulin injection invention by UW alumnus now on the market The Steady Shot makes insulin injection possible with one hand, traditional pens cause bruising, lipohypertrophy

by Savannah Kind Campus News Editor

University of Wisconsin alumnus Shawn Michels’ revolutionary injection invention is now on the market.

Michels began developing the Steady Shot as an undergraduate at UW. Michels said Steady Shot is a plastic wing attachment for insulin pens that allows a person to inject insulin with only one hand.

Michels said traditional insulin pens require two hands — one to hold the pen and another to pinch the skin to create a build-up of fat to inject into. The Steady Shot’s wings on either side of the needle pinch the skin, allowing a person to use one hand.

“In my entrepreneurship class at Madison, they said to focus on problems that you have yourself,” Michels said. “I was having problems with rotating injection sites.”

Michels was diagnosed with type I diabetes eight years ago and currently injects insulin around five times a day. When injecting insulin, Michels said doctors recommend areas of the body with fat tissue like the arms, thighs, back or abdomen. Because injecting requires two hands, Michels was only able to inject in the abdomen and thighs.

Over-injecting into the abdomen

and thighs led to bruising, scarring or lipohypertrophy. According to the National Institutes of Health, lipohypertrophy is an abnormal accumulation of fat underneath the skin caused by the over-injection of insulin.

It makes insulin absorb more slowly and injections more painful. Michels said the only way for this to go away is to rotate injection sites, which is difficult with a traditional insulin pen.

“With the Steady Shot, I was able to give myself arm injections for the first time and rest my over-injected abdomen and thighs,” Michels said. “My lipohypertrophy eventually went away.”

Because of this success, Michels wanted to start a company to help the approximately 2.8 million diabetics with lipohypertrophy in the United States.

Michels said Discovery to Product — a program at UW designed to help staff, faculty and students develop their business ideas — was instrumental in making the company a reality.

“I pitched my idea to the Discovery to Product program at Madison right after I came up with it,” Michels said. “They helped me go through all the steps I needed to do to turn it into a business and commercialize the product.”

Director of D2P Andy Richards said the

goal of the program is to help members of the UW community develop their business ideas and foster entrepreneurship success on campus.

Richards said D2P is an extension of Wisconsin Alumni Research Foundation.

D2P’s communication and outreach manager Jen Kobylecky said 109 people participated in the Innovation to Market and Ignite programs in 2019, which are D2P’s cohort-based product development programs.

“Unlike your regular academic classes where you might go in and listen to a lecture, take some notes and leave, we’re really interactive here,” Richards said. “It’s really experiential learning.”

Richards said program participants are the ones putting in the work on their project. The mentors, teachers and trainers at D2P help to guide that work. D2P is meant to be the “front door” on campus for entrepreneurship.

Its resources can point people in the right direction and help them learn where to begin.

D2P has mentors and staff from a variety of different backgrounds, Richards said. They work with all types of project ideas, and often the program cohorts have members with very diverse business ideas.

“It’s a really interesting mix of folks that all interact together, learn from each other

[and] give each other suggestions and ideas,” Richards said.

Richards said the participants can learn from each other, a valuable experience in itself.

The Steady Shot is available for purchase right through the Steady Shot website, Michels said. Michels hopes to expand the business to reach more people.

“Most people in the U.S. that inject insulin use insulin pens,” Michels said. “Right now the Steady Shot only works pens, so the first step is to reach as many pen users as we can.

After that … we’ll make a Steady Shot that can also be used for syringes.”

Michels said the Steady Shot can be marketed towards health care providers, so it can be used in in-patient settings like hospitals as well.

Kobylecky said if students with a product idea are looking for a place to start, the Innovate Network, a website that D2P maintains, has resources for students to begin their project or find the next step. Kobylecky also recommends students apply for the Transcend Innovation Competition, which Michels won in 2018, according to its website.

“It’s never too early or late to start out on an idea,” Kobylecky said. “There’s lots of creativity here on campus and lots of great resources to point people towards.”

Spring election cycle presents opportunity, challenges for leadership Five districts contested, 11 of 37 County Board members not running for relection, two candidates running for campus area

by Arushi Gupta Reporter

The Dane County February primary is the start of an election cycle full of local leadership turnovers, specifically in the Dane County Board of Supervisors.

Dane County primary elections will be held Feb. 18 and the spring election will take place April 7. With 11 incumbents on the Dane County Board of Supervisors choosing not to run again, the primary will witness many positions open for new members.

A total of five districts are contested, including districts 5, 25, 26, 31 and 37, with two of those races pinning an incumbent against a new candidate, according to The Cap Times. Dane County Clerk Scott McDonell said there is going to be much more change to come on the County Board.

“Not only is the Board changing now, it’s going to change a lot more in the next two years [because the Census will be complete,]” McDonell said. “It’s a challenge to lose that much experience.”

Three former supervisors — Jenni Dye, Jeff Pertl and Mary Kolar — left the County Board in early 2019 to serve in Gov. Tony Evers’ administration.

All three held leadership positions before they left, but usually it staggers out, McDonell said.

8•A badgerherald.com February 11, 2020 year later in •January 2020, the Board went

through another bout of turnover. Former County Board Chair Sharon Corrigan resigned Jan. 24, followed by Vice Chair Paul Nelson just a few days later, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

The benefits of a large County Board include varying levels of work from members, McDonell said.

“But it seems to attract people who are smart, and partly because of the makeup of the county — it’s a highly educated county — and people are passionate,” McDonell said.

District 1 Supervisor Elizabeth Doyle said from an outsider’s perspective, there are big turnovers happening on the Board-level. But, Doyle said it is important to view these turnovers as natural, given several people who were on the Board for a while decided to step down and allow new voices to form the next County Board. These new voices can strengthen the policymaking abilities of the Board, Doyle said.

“It’s really exciting to see the people who are running — it definitely seems that after the Spring elections, the Board will be comprised of more youthful voices and different perspectives,” Doyle said.

Doyle said the Board can make more comprehensive policies when including diverse perspectives.

Though, since all 37 seats are up at once, Doyle said one of the more difficult aspects of the same election year turn over is getting all new members integrated and up to speed. In preparation for the large change, Doyle said the board staff ensured it has enough training resources to make the transition of new members as smooth as possible.

District 5 covers much of the University of Wisconsin campus. Elena Haasl and José Rea are the two candidates running for District 5 to serve the predominantly UW student population.

According to Haasl, a current UW student, UW has a great significance in the primary in terms of votes. Haasl said UW students will have prevalence in not just the District 5 election, but across the spectrum of local government.

“Especially in today’s political climate, young people are realizing that their vote is their voice,” Haasl said in an email to The Badger Herald.

“We will see an overwhelming amount of student participation in the upcoming elections.”

Rea is excited to see the community and UW students get involved in the upcoming February primary and the other important elections this spring, Rea said in an email.

According to Rea, the turnover opportunities hold promise to strengthen local government with new candidates having a positive effect on local

leadership.

“I believe that those of us who have been residents of Dane County but are frustrated with how our local government handles many issues finally have the opportunity to make systemic change,” Rea said in an email.

According to McDonell, the university makes it hard to connect with students in the District 5 constituency, so candidates try to find creative ways to make sure students know who they are and that they are running.

McDonell said one important thing UW voters should note is unlike some other UW system schools, UW does not allow student IDs to be used as a voter ID, which might pose a challenge for out-of-state students. In addition, being the student representative of UW in the Dane County Board can be difficult, said McDonell, who was previously the student representative.

“The challenge is being taken seriously,” McDonell said. “Whoever wins really needs to do their homework, and it’s just gonna be harder for them with the constant other County Board members telling you that you’re the same age as their kid.”

McDonell is familiar with this perspective and said a supervisor doesn’t want to just occupy a seat — they want to accomplish goals.

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NEWS

Climate change in warmest, wettest decade ever recorded in Madison Climate change experts said increased precipitation in future is possible, averages nearly 5 inches higher in 2011 to 2019

by Alex Gravatt Reporter

New data shows the last ten years were the warmest and wettest decade in Madison history.

Nighttime temperatures are getting warmer much faster than those during the day, and precipitation averages are nearly 5 inches higher in 2011 to 2019 than they were in the 1981 to 2010 data, provided by University of Wisconsin researcher Jordan Gerth to the Wisconsin State Journal. This data is used for future weather and climate predictions.

While the earth is trending towards being hotter, and since warmer air can hold more water, this past decade’s jump in precipitation was higher than expected. Steve Vavrus, Scientific Steering Committee member of the Study of Environmental Arctic Change and expert on global climate change, said the Wisconsin climate and extreme weather this decade might be wetter than future decades, despite the precipitation levels trending up.

“How this past decade fits in isn’t clear. It was so exceptionally wet it’s not clear that [the next decade] is going to be wetter than the past decade,” Vavrus said.

While Wisconsin’s climate tends to be wetter,

Vavrus explained each year is subject to random variability, and that can have an impact on the decade precipitation totals. While the next decade may not be as extreme the 2010s were, Madison’s climate is likely to continue to get wetter moving forward, according to Varvus.

Director of the Wisconsin State Climatology office and former department chair of Wind Dynamics at the University of Wisconsin John Young said this decade was wetter in part because of natural variation.

“It’s undeniable that we’ve seen an upward trend in precipitation — especially extremes,” Young said. “Different decades can be different due to natural chaotic behavior. They are not necessarily guaranteed to be part of [a] climate change trend, which is a slower change over many decades.”

Both Vavrus and Young agree these extreme weather patterns are due to climate change.

Madison has already seen some of the adverse effects of extreme weather conditions, including the flooding on the east side in 2018 which caused former Gov. Scott Walker to call a state of emergency for Dane County, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

According to Young, nights are heating up faster than days due to greenhouse gasses,

like carbon dioxide, and water vapor in the air keeping the hot air near the earth’s surface.

Young calls this “back radiation,” which is heat reflecting from a layer of air or cloud.

“If that layer of air has more CO2 in it, it radiates air down. Climate change is … a vertical process,” Young said. “If the night comes in cloudy, the night won’t cool off very much. Water vapor is also a very effective greenhouse gas.”

Not only is there more carbon dioxide holding warm air in, but as the temperature gets warmer, the air can hold more water vapor which traps in more heat. When the sun stops shining, the hot air is supposed to escape upwards, but it’s being held in.

This can lead to longer heat waves in the summer, more precipitation year round and have severe health risks, Vavrus said.

“The toll on human health can be really devastating,” Vavrus said. “Hotter nights mean tougher nights for people and their health. It gives them less time to cool off.”

This warmer temperature also increases the risk for infectious diseases. Vavrus said water runoff from fields can increase the likelihood of E. coli outbreaks and contaminated water.

Vavrus said Madison’s city planners started

working with UW’s climate experts to gain a better perspective on how the environment impacts the city and vice versa.

“Absolutely the city needs to keep [extreme weather] in mind. It’s a great proactive step they’re taking,” Vavrus said. “We’re looking forward to hearing what they have to say and having a dialogue.”

Vavrus said storm management might need to be updated, and Young agrees. If the 2018 storm floods were directly over the downtown area, Lake Mendota could have flooded part of the Vilas neighborhood.

Young believes Lake Mendota could be the answer to the flooding problems Madison is likely to continue seeing.

“Lake Mendota is a political bombshell because people don’t like to see change,” Young said. “Because there will be extreme rain possible … Mendota needs to be able to absorb it without … flooding the east side of Madison.”

Until major changes are made around the world, the global climate can expect to get warmer and wetter. According to Young, even once people and politicians make a change, it will be years before the effects start to reverse.

Evers announces plan to aid struggling dairy farmers, foreclosures Multi-faceted approach includes mental health initiatives, increase state dairy exports, deliver products to schools, businesses

by Ben Baker State News Editor

Gov. Tony Evers unveiled a new plan aimed at alleviating Wisconsin’s ongoing dairy farm foreclosure crisis during his State of the State Address Jan. 22.

Evers’ address comes on the heels of a year marked by record-breaking dairy farm closures.

A report from the Wisconsin Department of Agriculture, Trade and Consumer Protection found the state lost almost 800 dairy farms in 2019.

The rapid decline in dairy farms throughout Wisconsin can be traced back to a variety of factors, including low milk prices, farm consolidation and low export numbers due in part to the ongoing trade wars, according to University of Wisconsin Dairy Policy expert Mark Stephenson. Stephenson said in order to address the dairy farm crisis, it is imperative to tackle multiple pressure points on farmers.

Evers’ proposed initiative takes a multifaceted approach to help the state’s ailing namesake industry. According to a transcript of Evers’ address, the plan includes legislative action to increase state dairy exports as well as measures Evers’ claimed would help farmers deliver more of their products to the state’s

schools and businesses, including an expansion to the Farm Center.

Additionally, Evers’ plan includes the creation of a program designed to help farmers access mental healthcare, including peer support networks and professional consultation. The measure comes amid a period of rising suicide rates among Wisconsinites, including the record 915 suicides in 2017, many of whom were dairy farmers, according to the Wisconsin State Journal.

Stephenson says mental health outreach is a significant element in Evers’ approach.

“It’s definitely a step in the right direction,” Stephenson said. “This [mental health access] is a serious issue for these communities right now and I think it’s important that it is finally being addressed as part of a larger problem.”

Equally central to Evers’ address was a call for bipartisanship in tackling Wisconsin’s socioeconomic struggles. He cited unity as central to his vision for the state. It’s a notion that Family Farm Defenders Executive Director John Peck claims is refreshing to see in government.

Peck said both political parties want sustainable rural economies but have different approaches.

“I think most Republicans would argue 50

little farms are better than one giant farm, and Evers is from a farm community,” Peck said.

In order to bolster the state’s economy, Evers also proposed establishing the Wisconsin Initiative for Dairy Exports to increase Wisconsin’s dairy exports to account for 20% of the U.S. milk supply by 2024.

It’s a mission which, if accomplished, would provide a significant boost to the state economy.

Perhaps more importantly, however, it may represent a commitment by Wisconsin’s state government to combat the issue. Stephenson is encouraged by Evers’ address and sees the governor’s actions as a catalyst for change.

“We’ve still got a very long way to go in order to fix this issue, but we’ve definitely turned a corner,” Stephenson said. “The fact that Gov. Evers went into such depth on the issue [of farm closures] shows it is moving toward the center of people’s attention and that’s important.”

Evers’ speech drew criticism for measures Peck argued would only serve the interest of larger farms and corporations while passing over small farmers. According to Peck, increasing dairy exports to such a degree would only benefit larger corporate agribusiness because small farmers are not currently exporting. Peck also said while mental health

services are vital to alleviating the crisis, improving access to mental healthcare will not solve the economic crisis which drives farmers to take their own lives.

Peck said in order to end the dairy crisis, the state government should regulate the number of large farms in Wisconsin, shifting instead to promote small agribusiness. Peck supports federal government regulation of milk prices, suggesting farmers will not be able to obtain a livable price for their milk.

“DATCP and the DNR can stop issuing permits to large scale farms and stop providing them subsidies,” Peck said. “No more taxpayer subsidies for factory farms in Wisconsin.

Farmers deserve a fair price for their milk, and that’s going to require a national supply management program like they have in Canada.”

In the days after the State of the State Address, Evers called state legislature into a special session to discuss his proposals the following week. Two weeks later, Speaker Robin Vos, R-Rochester, announced the Assembly Republicans will introduce their own package of bills, including new agriculture tax credits and export incentives, according to Wisconsin Public Radio.

February 11 , 2020 • badgerherald.com • 9

ARTSETC

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Art In highlights Madison music scene in its final month of operation

In its final weeks of operation, Art In still shows off comfy, fun feel, passion for local artists, makes case for sticking around

by Lila Szyryj ArtsEtc Staff Writer

At first glance, a building tucked away on the bustling street of East Washington Avenue, the Art In is a humble establishment with nothing but a homemade sign leaning against the amber brick exterior. But the treasures that lie within the venue and its history have provided a foundation for countless eager artists.

At night, the darkness reveals colorful neon lights — a reflection of the history of radiant events that have occurred at the Art In. The Art In, a venue, exhibit and bar, has been vital to the art and music scene by giving a variety of artists their desired platform.

When the venue first opened five years ago, the 5,000 square foot space was used as an art gallery, with studios for rent upstairs, for artists to exhibit their work.

“Around 2015 we started transitioning into music more, then in 2016-2017 is when we went full-time music,” founder and owner of the Art In, Jack Chandler, said.

Its purpose shifted and expanded into a location for talented musicians to showcase themselves while being exposed to the

public.

Upon arrival at the venue, guests are immediately drawn away from the vastness of the city and into an atmosphere that fosters recreational leisure. The mismatched chairs and sofas give the show space a unique sense of character, even a small-town feel, which is an ambiance difficult to get elsewhere in the city of Madison.

Though guests are encouraged to pick their seats, nobody was seated for long once the music began.

The show began with The Cherry Pit, featuring a diverse group of instruments — Leo Dreis on piano, Jarra Diakite on percussion, Fernando Ponce Romero on trumpet, and Kari Woods on vocals were standouts during the performance. The Cherry Pit kept the listener on their toes with styles ranging from smooth jazz to upbeat contemporary.

The Jimi Hendrix-inspired blues and rock band, Jason Vargas and the Apollos, in their debut live appearance, however, were unmissable. With an acknowledgment of Black History Month from lead guitarist and vocals, Jason Vargas, the band began to amaze the audience during their opening song with none other than a Beatles classic, “Sgt. Peppers.”

“I think my favorite part was after maybe our first or second song, just looking out into the crowd and seeing the place packed, quite literally packed and everybody up [at the] front watching us,” Vargas said.

“Knowing that this was our stage and our platform to be artists and play our music was a really beautiful thing.”

By the end of the first song, audience members had moved from their seats bordering the space to immediately in front of the band. Moments later, every seat was empty as the crowd gathered around the platform, leaving no room to spare. Dancing was in full swing as fans sang and kept rhythm with drummer Preston Carr and the 60s masterpieces performed throughout the entirety of the set.

“Personally, to me, [the show] meant a lot,” Vargas said. “Playing music and having my own band has been a dream of mine for a while, so for us to be able to play our own show, with our own band, at our own venue, it was empowering, a lot of fun [and] very exciting.”

“The beauty of it is how easy [Chandler] makes it for the bands to book,” bassist Blake Stauter, a regular at the Art in, said.

“He makes the whole process so easy to set up

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Photo by artinmadisonwi.com

10• badgerherald.com • February 11, 2020

the gig at [the Art In].”

“They supply so much for you and all you really have to do is promote [the show],” Vargas said. “It was a quick response without much hassle, and it felt good. And I think that’s something great about the Art In.” The owner ’s passion for showcasing new musicians is apparent through his mission statement.

“The [Art In] provided a stepping stone to a lot of people and that’s really what I’m most proud of,” Chandler said. “We set out to be the spot that allows anybody [to play] at low to no cost, so they can get those welcome to the world kind of moments.”

Chandler announced the closing of the Art In mid-January, due to a lack of patrons and competing venues in the surrounding area. The Art In’s last day of operation will be Feb. 29 with a line-up including Tubal Cain, a dark metal group, who plans on releasing a new CD. “Keep the Madison music scene alive, Chandler said. [The Art In] is just a venue, it is merely a room. The people and the fans and the vibe is what keeps it fun and exciting.”

ARTSETC.

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Foodie clubs to check out at University of Wisconsin Student Org Fair

Comprehensive list of five foodie clubs to check out at UW Student Organization Fair, from Badger Cheese Club to WUD Cuisine Committee

by Veronica Kuffel ArtsEtc Editor

The Student Organization fair is this Tuesday Feb. 11, and while students search for academic, recreational, volunteer and career clubs, some lighter commitment organizations often go unnoticed.

While it’s important to network, there are fun clubs out there that create community over common interests. And what better way to create community than through food?

The University of Wisconsin has clubs that cater to different types of foodies. There are ones that honor specific cuisines while others explore a diversity of dishes.

There are even a few food clubs for people with allergies and tolerances, offering outlets to tasty alternatives. Some are even educational or offer a volunteering aspect, like Challah for Hunger or the Campus Food Shed.

In this list, we’ll talk about UW organizations that either focus on the food aspect or are too interesting not to include. We’ll start with the club that defines Wisconsin, linking a group of people to one common dairy item.

Badger Cheese Club The Badger Cheese Club offers students a

chance to learn about artisan cheeses and how they’re made, and enjoy them with other cheeselovers.

The group meets every three weeks for cheese tastings, guest speakers and club projects. They also host a list of field trips and social gatherings that members are able to attend.

The BCC is a student-run club for anyone attending the UW — undergraduate or graduate — with a deep love for cheese. To join, there’s a $15 fee for new members and $10 each semester for returning members.

Gluten-Free Badgers For those who have celiac disease, gluten intolerance or other bread-related illnesses, GlutenFree Badgers provides its members with a network of sources for their dietary restriction.

They help students find safe restaurants and venues in Madison and advocate for more options, especially in dining halls.

They offer gluten-free food at their bi-monthly meetings, plan events and outings and invite speakers. As long as you’re a student, you don’t have to be gluten-free to join. There’s one fee of $10 for the academic year, and then you’re free to explore a lack of bread paradise.

Multicultural Cuisine Society What’s more fun than exploring a world of food? The Multicultural Cuisine Society is for any

student interested in exploring food from different cultures.

The club works to promote cultural education and teach its members about foreign culinary practices. By having students plan bi-monthly meetings, programs and activities, the MCS puts students in charge of their search for foods across the globe.

At $15 per semester, undergraduates, graduates and faculty can join and partake in this incredible cultural experience.

Cray-Z for Crayfish Club Crayfish are a staple for any Louisiana boil. But in Wisconsin, they’re a growing ecological concern.

Cray-Z for Crayfish is trying to change that.

The club spends its time learning about the Orconectes rusticus, an invasive species of Lake Mendota and Menona. They host information meetings and sometimes decorate mason jars for pet crayfish.

In warmer months, the group goes crayfish trapping around the creeks and lakes of Madison and brings them back to campus.

At the end of the semester, the Cray-Z for Crayfish Club has a crawfish boil for all its members. After the $5 membership fee, the fun is available for any student on campus.

WUD Cuisine Committee Last on our list is WUD Cuisine Committee,

a club of the Wisconsin Union Directorate. The group learns about Wisconsin’s food system through meetings, speakers, field trips, cooking demonstrations and tastings.

They provide a variety of diverse meals to their members and even give them space to cook great meals that stick to their student budget.

The WUD Cuisine Committee meets every Thursday and includes biweekly discussions with members of the Madison food community. and all funds are covered by the Wisconsin Union Directorate.

All in all, what sets food clubs apart from others is the sense of community shared with a meal.

Food crosses every culture and ideology, most celebrations and everyday life.

When you’re a student living on your own, it’s nice to join a group for food and discussion once and a while. These five clubs and more provide great opportunities for foodies to meet other foodies and help them learn how food really builds a community.

To check out any of these clubs, go to the Student Organization Fair this Tuesday, Feb. 11 from 5-8 p.m. at the Kohl Center.

The university showcases hundreds of student and faculty-run organizations, so if you’re not too crazy about food, you’ll for sure find some way to get involved on campus.

Aa Dekhen Zara combines culture, dance for Bollywood competition

University of Wisconsin hosts ADZ as bid competition for Bollywood America, shows off bhangra, fusion dance teams from across nation

by Aashna Sheth ArtsEtc Staff Writer

Aa Dekhen Zara, a collegiate dance competition for teams from all over the country, has been combining hip-hop and traditional Indian dance to create a unique event for 11 years. The teams come together to compete for first place at a newly named bid competition at University of Wisconsin’s Shannon Hall.

According to Bollywood America’s Bid System guidelines, being a bid competition means that participants in the competition receive points that will contribute to their overall standing in national competitions. Teams must attend at least two of the 15 bid competitions to qualify for Bollywood America, the biggest Bollywood fusion dance competition in the world. According to the guidelines, the top 11 teams will be invited to compete in Bollywood America.

ADZ executive director Shloka Rathi said this is the biggest year ADZ has ever seen. There will be 16 teams in total — eight teams for Bollywood fusion and eight teams for bhangra. Bollywood fusion dances combine Hindi and English music and dance to tell a story within a ten-minute time limit. Bhangra is a high-energy traditional Indian

dance that is native to the state of Punjab. Each team gets a short intro video addressing their storyline and dancers.

This year, the fusion teams are Chicago Adaa, UT Austin Nach Baliye, WashU Chaahat from Washington University in St. Louis, Minnesota Junoon from the University of Minnesota, Twin Cities, Pitt Mastana from the University of Pittsburgh, Michigan Manzil from the University of Michigan, NYU Pandemonium, and UIUC Fizaa.

The bhangra lineup includes Ministry of Bhangra (MOB) Chicago, Northwestern Bhangra, Spartan Bhangra from Case Western Reserve University, WashU Bhangra, Boiler Bhangra from Purdue University, HooSher Bhangra from Indiana University, Khirre Phul Gulab De from Carolina Indian Arts, and Cal Bhangra from University of California, Berkeley.

At the event Saturday, bhangra and fusion teams alternated throughout the night, with a short intermission after the first eight dances. Spartan Bhangra kicked off the show with a colorful and high-energy performance.

Next was Pitt Mastana, who performed “Dancing with a Stranger,” a story about two people sharing a brief connection and the ups and downs of their relationship. This team combined

Hindi, English, and Spanish songs to create an amazing performance.

Following Pitt Mastana was KPGD with the second bhangra performance of the night. This team stood out with a live singer and drummer on stage. They also had rose petals shooting out into the crowd during their performance, an homage to their name since “gulab” means rose in Hindi.

The fourth performance of the night came from WashU Chaahat. They created a story called “Hang the DJ,” which was based off of an episode of the popular Netflix show “Black Mirror.” This was Chaahat’s third year competing at ADZ. The third bhangra showing was performed

by Boiler Bhangra. They, along with all the other bhangra teams, had colorful, detailed, and traditional costumes.

The last bhangra performance for the first half of the event was from Cal Bhangra. This team incorporated Tik Tok dances into their otherwise traditional dance, putting a modern twist into their performance.

The last fusion performance before intermission was called “Finding Nemo” and was performed by UIUC Fizaa.

After a short intermission, HooSher Bhangra started the performances off with a bang, as they

had a live drummer on stage while they danced.

Following them was NYU Pandemonium, a male premier dance team. They performed a story called “Creed” for the audience.

WashU Bhangra was the third performance of the second half of the show. They continued the pattern of high energy and exciting bhangra dances.

Minnesota Junoon. They acted out “Despicable Me” and had their dancers dress in yellow and blue to look like minions.

The last dance of the event was performed by Chicago Adaa, who acted out “Avengers: Infinity War.” The winners from the fusion teams were Chicago Adaa, Michigan Manzil and WashU Chaahat for first, second and third place, respectively. The winners from the bhangra teams were MOB Chicago, Northwestern Bhangra, and Spartan Bhangra for first, second and third place, respectively.

“The competition was run very smoothly by the board and liaisons,” said Zeel Patel, a member of Minnesota Junoon, at the end of the event. “The participants were all dedicated, passionate and enthusiastic, which made the entire weekend meaningful.”

February 11, 2020 • badgerherald.com • 11

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An Axe to Grind Following decades of losing, Badgers take control of Border Battle with Minnesota

by Harrison Freuck Sports Editor

The University of Wisconsin and the University of Minnesota have perhaps the most storied rivalry in college sports, as the “Border Battle” has spanned football, hockey and anything in-between.

When Wisconsin took to the gridiron against Minnesota for the first time in Nov. 1890, the Badgers suffered what remains their largest loss in school history, a 63–0 drubbing from the Golden Gophers in football.

The game also represented the birth of one of the greatest sports rivalries ever, one which has now spanned 129 games across 129 years — the most-played rivalry in Football Bowl Subdivision history.

While Minnesota dominated most of the matchups in the early years of the rivalry, Wisconsin has been the dominant team for the past few decades, winning 21 of the last 25 matchups dating back to the 1995 season.

Wisconsin’s 21-4 record in those games has brought the all-time series to a near deadlock, with Minnesota standing at a narrow 61-60-8 advantage. In the most recent matchup, No. 13 Wisconsin bested No. 9 Minnesota in a snow-filled game which decided the Big Ten West champion by a score of 38–17.

Future Badger and current Lakeville, Minnesota resident Riley Mahlman, a 4-star offensive tackle in the class of 2021, chose Wisconsin over Minnesota despite standing as the No. 1 recruit in the state and being heavily recruited by the Gophers scouting team.

“I chose Wisconsin because it was the right fit for me,” Mahlman said. “It was the best fit for me personally for my academic and athletic goals. They both had a role in my decision and I was just blessed that Wisconsin is top notch in both education and athletics.”

BEYOND THE FIELD

Mahlman added that though the rivalry started to lose excitement during the stretch of 14 consecutive wins by the Badgers between 2004 and 2017, the win

by Minnesota at Camp Randall in 2018 and the win by

12 • badgerherald.com • February 11, 2020

Wisconsin at TCF Bank Stadium in 2019 have brought buzz back to the rivalry.

Despite the fact that football is undoubtedly the most popular rivalry matchup between the two schools, other sports have thrown their names into the ring of contention for that title.

As close neighbors of Canada, both Wisconsin and Minnesota have a long history of college hockey, with Minnesota forming a men’s hockey team in 1895 before the University of Wisconsin men’s hockey team formed in 1921. Minnesota has won the all-time series between the two teams with a 174-96-24 record across 294 games.

In recent years, Minnesota has continued to grow their advantage in the series, including a 3-0-1 record this season that featured two wins at the Kohl Center.

However, both teams have struggled over the course of the late 2010s, with only two combined NCAA

“[Wisconsin] was the best fit for me personally for my academic and athletic goals. They both had a role in my decision and I was just blessed that Wisconsin is top notch in both education and athletics.”

Riley Mahlman Class of 2021 4-star offensive tackle, and Badger football recruit Tournament appearances since the 2014-2015 season.

Despite their struggles, both teams have seen their share of success over the course of history.

Minnesota has five National Championships, their last coming in 2003. They have also made 12 total appearances in the Frozen Four with an appearance as recently as 2014.

In addition to their success as a team, Minnesota has totaled 110 players who have gone on to appear in the NHL, with 14 current players previously drafted and set to appear in the NHL in seasons to come.

In the case of Wisconsin, the Badgers have totaled six National Championships, their last coming in 2006.

They have also totaled nine appearances in the Frozen Four, most recently in 2010.

Wisconsin has 84 former players who have gone on to appear in the NHL, with 12 current players previously drafted by NHL teams. That number includes 2019 No. 5 overall pick Alex Turcotte and

2019 No. 15 overall pick Cole Caufield, the two star freshmen on the team.

Wisconsin and Minnesota also have their share of nationwide glory, as they sit as the No. 5 and No. 1 teams all-time for players on the US Men’s Olympic Team, respectively.

In fact, the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” US Men’s Olympic Hockey Team that upset the Soviet Union and Finland en route to a gold medal featured eight former Minnesota Gophers and two former Wisconsin Badgers, including current Wisconsin women’s hockey head coach Mark Johnson.

FAMILIAL TIES

The Border Battle between Wisconsin and Minnesota hits close to home for many, especially those who cross state lines for college. This relationship stretches across family members, particularly parents with conflicting interests.One example of that is Andy Doeden, a lifelong Minnesota native who attended UMN and is the parent of a current UW student. Doeden’s conflicting interest between family and pride is a common one that stretches across both states.“I was happy for [my daughter] as it was the right fit for her,” Doeden said. “I wanted her to stay closer to home but knew Wisconsin was right for her. I cheer for Minnesota more, but do find myself rooting for Wisconsin when they are not playing Minnesota, regardless of the sport.”Not all Minnesotans-turned-Badgers suffer from this conflict of interest, however.Kate Magnuson, another parent from Minnesota, is the proud mother of a current UW student — but she has no problem cheering for the Badgers, considering her husband is a UW alumni and the family has no direct relation to UMN.“Since I am not originally from Minnesota and have a UW student, I cheer for Wisconsin when they are not playing each other,” Magnuson said. “This year with Minnesota finally doing well in football I found myself cheering for Minnesota.”The familial relationships between Wisconsin and Minnesota cross directly into the lives of athletes, too.Wisconsin women’s hockey defensewoman Grace Bowlby is a Minnesota native herself, but she was raised as a Badger fan. But, like Mahlman, she chose Wisconsin not only for their athletics, but also for the academics

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that the school offers.“My father went to UWMadison, so I’ve been a Badger fan for as long as I can remember,” Bowlby said. “Despite being a fan, the academic opportunities offered at UW-Madison, especially in the School of Business, were the best fit for me, as I highly value my education.”

LEADING LADIES

These Bowlby is also a part of one of the best rivalries in all of college sports — the WisconsinMinnesota women’s hockey rivalry.

Despite not even having a team until the 19992000 season, Wisconsin has been perhaps the most dominant team in the sport for the last 20 seasons, with Minnesota being one of the few teams that can contend for that title.

As ment19ioned before, head coach Mark Johnson is a UW alumnus who went on to play professionally in the NHL and the Olympics. He took over as coach of the team for the 2002-2003 season and he has led the team to a 520-90-44 record as of Feb. 11, a career spanning 17 seasons.

During Johnson’s 17 years at the helm, the Badgers have qualified for 13 NCAA Tournaments, including every season since 2013-2014. Wisconsin has also won five championships and appeared in 12 Frozen Fours under Johnson.

Minnesota has been similarly dominant since their first season in 1997-1998. The Gophers have won seven championships and appeared in 13 Frozen Fours across their 22 seasons.

When looking at head-to-head results, the Gophers again hold the advantage with a 52-41-12 record all-time. Like football, however, the Badgers have been the better team in recent years, going 6-2-1 across the last two seasons — including postseason — with a 2-1-1 record in the 2019-2020 season.

The Border Battle has stretched into postseason play as well, with the Badgers and Gophers battling it out nine times in NCAA Tournament play. This included a meeting in the championship on three separate occasions, most recently last March when the Badgers bested Minnesota 2–0 to claim the title.

Right now, the Border Battle in women’s hockey might be the most exciting rivalry in sports, with Wisconsin ranked No. 2 and Minnesota ranked No. 4 nationally, making a rematch in the NCAA Championship all the more likely come March.

Like women’s hockey, women’s volleyball has seen a similar rise in popularity and achievements at both Wisconsin and Minnesota in recent years.

Coming off a tough loss to Illinois in the 2018 Elite Eight, the Badgers started off 2019 with a disappointing 4-4 start.

From that point on, the Badgers turned their play around, rattling off 12 consecutive wins en route to a 27-7 record and a spot in the NCAA Championship Game.

Minnesota had a similarly strong season, going 27-6 on their way to a spot in the Final Four before falling to Stanford.

Historically, both teams have been impressive, with Minnesota boasting six Final Four appearances and Wisconsin sitting at three Final Four appearances following their 2019 run.

As they are in most other sports, Minnesota volleyball has been the better team historically against Wisconsin, sporting an 18-4 record across the last 11 seasons. However, Wisconsin altered the script slightly in 2019, winning both regular season matchups, their first time beating Minnesota since 2014.

CROSSING STATE LINES

Wisconsin’s success across athletic disciplines has bled over to another sport — men’s basketball.

Perhaps unsurprisingly, Minnesota once again holds the historical advantage at 68-56 in a rivalry that dates back to at least the 1949-1950 season. Since the 1998-1999 season, the Badgers have been the dominant team, going 29-9, including 18-2 at the Kohl Center, which opened its doors the same year.

The Badgers have also snatched numerous Minnesota natives from the state, including five current players in Brad Davison, Joe Hedstrom, Walt McGrory, Nate Reuvers and Tyler Wahl.

Davison explained that while he grew up a Gopher fan, he knew that Wisconsin was where he belonged.

“I grew up a Gopher fan. My family had season tickets to the games,” Davison said. “That being said, Wisconsin was always one of my dream schools growing up. I fell in love with the campus, the coaches and the players. Felt like home right from the start. Most of my decision had to do with the people that make up the basketball program.”

UW is known to recruit heavily from the Midwest, but Minnesota is perhaps the school’s favorite state to recruit in besides Wisconsin. Besides the five current basketball players from Minnesota, Wisconsin has recently recruited big-name athletes for future Badger teams.

For football, the Badgers rank No. 25 nationally for

2020, including the recruitment of the No. 1 player from Minnesota in both the 2020 class (4-star outside linebacker Kaden Johnson) and the 2021 class (Mahlman). For basketball, the Badgers recruited 4-star Ben Carlson and 3-star Steven Crowl as part of their 2020 recruitment class.

Minnesota’s recruitment class for football ranks No. 37 nationally for 2020, as P.J. Fleck continues to build his legacy at Minnesota. The pursuits of Minnesota’s basketball recruiting has similarly gone well, as they signed 4-star Jamal Mashburn Jr. in the 2020 class, adding fuel to the fire that is the Border Battle.

Davison expressed excitement for the future of the Border Battle rivalry as both schools have increased their competitive levels in recent years.

“Both programs have been fortunate to have great players and coaches over the last few years,” Davison said. “That is what makes the rivalry competitive. I’m thankful to be a part of it.”

As the Wisconsin-Minnesota rivalry moves into another decade, the Badgers and Gophers might be more evenly matched than ever before. Despite leading in just about every sport historically, Minnesota has fallen off over the last few decades as Wisconsin has taken advantage as an elite athletic program under athletic director Barry Alvarez.

The Badgers are winning this academic year’s Border Battle by a margin of 255–105 with a total of 880 points at stake, meaning spring sports will provide plenty of excitement as the Badgers attempt to hang on to their lead and earn the victory for the first time since 2016-2017.

The Border Battle records across all sports have been kept since the 2004-2005 academic year, with the winner between the schools earning a trophy and bragging rights for an entire year.

Minnesota won the 2018-2019 Border Battle by a margin of 500–380, and the Gophers have claimed the title in 10 of the 15 years, including 9 of the last 11. The rivalry has finished as close as a 10-point margin of victory (445–435 in favor of UW in 2006-2007) and as lopsided as a 250-point margin of victory (565–315 in favor of UMN in 2012-2013).

Bowlby said it best when she explained what the rivalry means to Minnesota and Wisconsin natives alike.

“I think all Minnesota and Wisconsin natives would agree with me in that this is the biggest rivalry we face, and there isn’t much better than beating the Gophers,” Bowlby said.

No matter what happens in the next decade, you can guarantee that the Wisconsin-Minnesota Border Battle will be fun to watch for the excitement and competitiveness it provides on a yearly basis.

February 11. 2020 • badgerherald.com • 13

OPINION

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New PFAS bill is not enough to tackle Wisconsin’s contamination issue

Senate’s move to ban harmful chemicals from entering waterways does not take into account past damage incurred by PFAS

by Willliam Keenan Columnist

Earlier this month, the Republicancontrolled state Senate passed a bill, SB 310, that sought to regulate Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl substances, commonly known as PFAS. PFAS are a group of chemicals used for industrial purposes, such as in the manufacture of non-stick cookware, fast food wrappers, stain-resistant sprays, and certain types of firefighting foam.

Over the past several decades, PFAS have made their way into our environment through spills, wastewater, and use of the firefighting foams. In Wisconsin, the Department of Natural Resources is

investigating more than 30 contamination sites. Previously unregulated, PFAS had been able to seep into waterways and personal use wells, affecting the greater ecosystem and putting the health of Wisconities in jeopardy. The Senate declared PFAS may only be used in cases of extreme emergency or when adequate cleanup supplies are in place. For multiple reasons, SB 310 falls short.

One of the most important omissions from the bill is the fact that PFAS chemicals have not been banned in nonstick cookware or food packaging. This means Wisconsinites will still come in contact with the PFAS frequently. The citizens of Wisconsin have the right to clean air, fresh water and

unpolluted soil and allowing the continued use of PFAS chemicals in firefighting foam and other appliances not only infringes upon these rights but also puts lives in danger. While Senate Republicans have promised further action relating to PFAS, SB 310, as it stands, will continue to put lives in danger.

Secondly, SB 310 offers no financial incentives to aid in the cleanup of previously polluted waters. Republican lawmakers have successfully partially banned a chemical without aiding in the clean up of affected waterways. Not only have they refused to fully ban the chemicals, they have not even allocated funds to ensure Wisconsin’s waters are kept clean and safe.

What purpose does SB 310 serve if it allows the continued use of these chemicals and will not aid in the cleanup of water that has the potential to sicken their own constituents?

Third, the 2019 bill called SB 302, which has been sitting on the back burner for over six months, not only bans PFAS but allows DNR to establish acceptable PFAS levels while also funding continued research and analysis. Essentially, SB 302 is a better version of the SB 310 bill. Yet, due to what can be assumed as a petty partisan divide, Republicans focus their efforts on passing a halfhearted bill that will endanger Wisconsinites rather than passing a bipartisan bill that will save lives.

The state of Wisconsin’s environment and drinking water should be of the utmost importance to state lawmakers, yet — as shown in this bill — unless a bill has a Republican author, it is unlikely to garner support in either chamber.

While state lawmakers have pledged to introduce further bills to combat PFAS chemicals, why not create a singular, inclusive bill that aims to reduce the presence of PFAS, monitor the air, soil and water?

If only lawmakers had such a bill written last June delineating these exact conditions.

PFAS chemicals have long-term, damaging effects on the health of Wisconsin’s fish, citizens, and natural resources.

There is an economic incentive to banning PFAS chemicals, a moral argument, and a commonsense justification.

Regardless of party affiliation, all Wisconsinites fish in the same waterways, till the same soil, and breathe in the same air.

PFAS chemicals need to be fully banned in the state.

Photo - Over the several years, PFAS have entered Wisconsin waterways through coomerical use, spills and wastewaters with little government regulation.

Jonah Leurquin The Badger Herald

14 • badgerherald.com •February 11, 2020

William Keenan (wkeenan3@ wisc.edu) is a senior studying political science.

OPINION

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Gerrymandering in Wisconsin has democratic, political implications Gov. Evers’ efforts to establish new nonpartisan map will enable fairer public representation in future Wisconsin elections

by Kaitlin Kons Columnist

Gov. Tony Evers, in his State of the State address, announced a new commission for creating a nonpartisan map of Wisconsin, infamously regarded as the most gerrymandered state.

To brief those unfamiliar with this concept, gerrymandering is the practice of separating the state into districts strategically so as to fabricate an electoral outcome, regardless of the intention of the voters. This is done by bounding voters of a certain party in a few districts then creating many more districts that have scattered and minimal support of that party. This gives the party in control a high number of narrower victories and the victim party a low number of overwhelming victories.

Coined in 1812, gerrymandering got its name after Massachusetts Governor Elbridge Gerry drew districts that disadvantaged the Federalist Party, the rival party of the DemocraticRepublicans, the party to which he belonged, with one district that famously looked like a salamander.

Created and practiced as a political ploy for parties to hold on to power, the courts have stayed away from ruling on gerrymandering as they have seen it as more of a political issue rather than a constitutional one. The courts have only stepped in when the redistricting was drawn to disadvantage racial minorities in the states, and only after quite some time and advocacy.

In 2011, the Wisconsin government was controlled by the Republican party and the lack of opposition allowed a heavily gerrymandered redistricting plan to pass. The Republican legislators even took oaths of secrecy to not speak about the redistricting to anyone publicly.

Fast forward, the case of Wisconsin gerrymandered districts ended up at the United States Supreme Court in Gill v. Whitford (2018), where the Justices unanimously agreed to dismiss the case on a narrow legal complication with the case. Justice Elena Kagan wrote in a concurring opinion that the Court is bound to rule on a political gerrymandering case eventually.

But, in the absence of a constitutional ruling from the Supreme Court, the Republican party is free to claim — and has already done so — the districts they are drawing are perfectly constitutional and they have the intention of continuing down the same path. It is evident when a party does not mount a defense other than a denial of wrongdoing or propose an alternative solution to a certain problem, they are most likely causing it.

State Sen. Jon Erpenbach, D-West Point, wrote on the subject, stating voters should be able to

Photo - Though a truly nonpartisan map is nearly impossible, Wisconsin voters still must vote for candidates who support the end of gerrymandering and the restoration of a healthy democracy.

Ahmad Hamid The Badger Herald choose their representatives, not the other way around. He is absolutely right. Gerrymandering districts in Wisconsin dilutes the salience of someone’s vote in a particular district so it matters less when electing state legislators.

As more Democratic voters live in urban areas like Milwaukee and Madison and more Republican voters live in rural areas, these districts are designed to pack as many Democratic voters in the fewest amount of districts possible. Then, more districts are created in areas with very few Democratic voters.

So, more Republicans get elected though that does not accurately reflect the political demographics of Wisconsin. This is why every state-wide office in 2018 elected a Democratic candidate but there is still an overwhelming Republican majority in the legislature.

Republicans gerrymandered Wisconsin districts to end up electing a Republican majority, which then could be used to produce another gerrymandered map. It is an endless cycle that has to be broken so the interests of Wisconsinites

can be represented as we wish to elect them to be, instead of politicians deciding for us.

Gerrymandering is the cancer of democracy.

So long as gerrymandering exists, democracy suffocates and the suffocation of democracy results in a lost trust in government and misrepresentation of the people’s interests.

This is not an issue only Democrats care about. A recent Marquette University Law poll uncovered 72% of Wisconsinites supported a nonpartisan redistricting plan, encompassing a majority of Democrats, Independents, and even Republicans. 50 of Wisconsin’s 72 counties also support a nonpartisan solution.

The governor’s nonpartisan redistricting commission does not have any legislative pull, but if the case is taken to court on account of a likely partisan impasse there is a possibility the nonpartisan maps could be favored to whatever the legislature comes up with.

It is also worth noting obtaining a truly nonpartisan map is near impossible. The feasibility of creating a map with a projected outcome

that reflects the voting in a state-wide or federal election is unlikely at best. But, that doesn’t mean there isn’t such a thing as a non-gerrymandered map.

Because district maps will not be redrawn until 2021, this issue may not affect the 2020 election in Wisconsin, but with an issue with as much bipartisan support as this, it could be something to look out for among candidates. How 2020 candidates for the Wisconsin State Senate and State Assembly address this issue can reveal a lot about how much they value democratic ideals.

State governments deserve more attention than the federal government because they have a much bigger hand in our everyday lives. Evers proposed a nonpartisan solution to this problem and will have to fight the conservative majority in the legislature to implement a fair plan. It is our job to turn out and vote for a candidate who supports the restoration of democracy in Wisconsin.

Kaitlin Kons (kkons@wisc.edu) is a sophomore studying political science and public policy.

February 11, 2020 • badgerherald.com • 15

OPINION

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As rates of smoking rise, UW must take stance against youth vaping crisis

Trump’s new bill addressing nation’s nicotine addiction issue will address high rates of tobacco consumption in Wisconsin

by Jonah McGarvey Columnist

President Trump signed a bill federally prohibiting the sale of tobacco products — including e-cigarettes — to people younger than 21 Dec. 20. Prior to this bill, the national law minimum to purchase tobacco products was 18, although 19 states had already raised it to 21.

The bill was in response to the teenage vaping epidemic. Traditional smoking had been all but eliminated from the youth — down 74% from 1997 — but the use of e-cigarettes has not followed suit.

Unlike similar previous industry restricting laws, the 21-year-old purchase age went into effect immediately without leaving a grace period for stores to adjust.

Additionally, because Wisconsin law states the minimum age as 18, law enforcement agents are incapable of enforcing the new law, leaving Wisconsin grocers and convenience store owners in a confusing legal gray area. As of now, it has been left up to the individual stores to choose whether or not to implement the new age policy.

Considering the incredible progress made in ending smoking, it is depressing to see communities fall back into nicotine use.

However, instead of cigarettes and tobacco, vaping has become a new crisis. Its cremé brulee and lychee ice flavored e-cigarettes have become much more appealing to kids and teens than wood chippy tobacco.

As much as we like to think we are full-grown adults, the adolescent brain

is still in a developmental stage until a person’s mid-20s, leaving teens and young adults much more vulnerable to addictive substances. Wisconsin already has aboveaverage smoking rates of 16% — higher than the 14% national average — and e-cigarette use is up 154% from 2014-2018 for Wisconsin high schoolers. Raising the state law to 21 will help significantly and has already worked in other states across the country.

Needham, Massachusetts was the first community to raise the tobacco sale age from 18 to 21. Following the change, habitual smoking among youth dropped 62%. In 2015, the National Academy of Medicine conducted a study that reported a nearly 15 percent decrease in smoking initiation rate in people ages 18-20.

Photo - While smoking is less prevalent on a college campus, it can be just as dangerous and addictive, especially as young adults are more prone to addiction because brain development is not complete.

Emily Hamer The Badger Herald 16 • badgerherald.com • February 11, 2020

There is a bill circulating the state to raise the sale age to 21 with bipartisan support.

The argument could be made that at 18, a person can make much more important and serious decisions than whether or not to buy cigarettes or JUUL pods. At 18, individuals can vote for their preferred presidential candidate, open a bank account and enlist in the army. However, the key difference is addiction is not a choice. Quitting is not easy, and while tobacco may be legal, there are still lifealtering withdrawal effects.

Considering that 95% of all smokers (or vapers) have already smoked their first cigarette by the time they turn 21, raising the sale age to 21 could help save the lives of Wisconsin residents and UW students. In a divided country, this is a uniting campaign that benefits everyone — young smokers, parents and vulnerable youth.

Dr. Michael Fiore, head of the University of Wisconsin Center for Tobacco Research and Prevention, stated that the new bill may not solve the problem, but “[it] will save lives in Wisconsin and help protect kids.”

If the state of Wisconsin is going to work to combat smoking, the University of Wisconsin should adapt too. While smoking may be less prevalent than alcohol on campus, it is just as dangerous and addictive. UW has a strong alcohol education program that every incoming student must complete.

A similar program, outlining the effects of smoking/vaping and nicotine addiction would go miles in preventing new smokers.

Smoking is a silent killer, and no user starts smoking with the goal of getting addicted. Teenagers start because they are curious or want to look cool, and everyone just assumes they are the odd one out, that they are different. Our generation almost eradicated nicotine addiction — why quit now?

Jonah McGarvey (jonahm621@gmail. com) is a freshman studying political science.

OPINION

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Trump’s short-term plan to appease rural voters points to political bribery As China-US trade war wrecks havoc on US economy, Trump’s idea of damage control not enough to restore nation’s agriculture industry

by Harry Quick Opinion Editor

Montana farmer Robert Henry has been receiving subsidies for his farm from the federal government as compensation for money lost due to America’s trade war with China. “’Trump money’ is what we call it,” Henry said. “It helped a lot. And it’s my understanding, they’re going to do it again.

Henry is absolutely right. After delivering an unprecedented $28 billion to farmers in 2018 and 2019, Trump has promised to do it again if necessary in 2020.

These huge sums of money have been delivered without debate when many other bailouts in recent memory have.

Though not as big as the bailout in the banks after the financial crisis, this agricultural bailout is more than the cost of saving the auto industry after 2008.

Though saving the American farmer is a noble cause, do not be fooled — Trump money is a sordid attempt to hide how Trump’s trade war is failing everyday Americans and is a horribly inefficient and unethical use of taxpayer dollars.

By giving money to the industry most affected by the trade war with China, he has silenced those who would have been his loudest critics. Without farmers complaining about the trade war, the general public is none the wiser when it comes to how bad we are losing it. This altered public perception works to the Trump administration’s benefit as they can press on with this war without any regard for its true effects on the economy.

It seems that as long as Trump can come out of this and tell the world he won and how he’s such a great negotiator and businessman, he’ll be happy.

Such a great businessman would have realized sinking 28 billion dollars into a struggling industry would have a poor return on investment. All these subsidies achieve is keeping farms in business when the free market is trying to force them out.

Fighting the free market in this way ensures an artificially high number of farms will stay open and crop prices will stay down because too many farms are producing too many crops. Subsidies keep an unprofitable industry going when the free market could better allocate resources so farming is more profitable, and farmers who shut down their farms find more profitable work elsewhere.

Photo - While ‘Trump money’ useful in bailing out farmers currently, its unsustainability spells out future economic hardships.

Courtesy of Flickr User Meg Hourihan

These payments are also huge — the checks sent to farmers in compensation are estimated to be for twice as much money as has been lost due to the trade war.

Overcompensating the rural voters who overwhelmingly supported him in 2016 is suspicious. By overcompensating farmers, he is sending the message that he is on their side, and they should be on his. Trump does not believe in a free market or helping out fellow Americans — he believes in buying votes to get re-elected.

This is not to say farmers are not in need of help and shouldn’t be helped. Farmer suicides and bankruptcies are up. They, and other people who find themselves working

in failing industries, need retraining efforts so they can find jobs to support their families. Not cash in return for votes.

What Trump is doing in the short term to get reelected may help farmers now but will hurt them later when his policies eventually stop.

These subsidies and this trade war should be halted immediately. In their stead, policy intended to strengthen the economy in the long term should be pursued. This includes increasing federal funding for scientific research, which is always associated with economic gain. Increased funding to public trade schools, 2-year and 4-year universities would also aid farmers in the long term by

helping them retrain. Ending these subsidies in favor of other efforts to help the wider economy will not leave farmers behind.

Trump’s administration and its selfserving policies are just the latest iterations of representative democracy’s greatest challenge. This challenge is that some representatives don’t do what is best for the people they represent, opting to do whatever looks best for their own reelection instead. Don’t let them fool you.

Harry Quick (hfquick@badgerherald.com) is a freshman studying economics.

February 11, 2020 • badgerherald.com • 17

SPORTS

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Women’s Hockey: Sitting down with star forward Abby Roque After time spent in local boy’s hockey program, Roque quickly had to adapt to competition at top of women’s collegiate hockey

by John Spengler Sports Editor

Abby Roque’s journey to the University of Wisconsin women’s hockey team was anything but typical. For starters, she hails from the state of Michigan, while the majority of her team is either a Wisconsin, Minnesota or Canada native.

On top of this, Roque also ascended through high school hockey while playing on her local boy’s team. Despite these differences, Roque cemented herself as a leading producer for the Badgers by her senior season.

From an early age, Roque had a feeling that Wisconsin may be the place for her when she was exposed to the city and its impressive hockey program. Her father was a Division 1 coach himself, and on a few occasions played in competitions hosted by the Badgers.

“I came [to Madison] and I just thought it was amazing. I remember coming in and thinking ‘this place, this city, the facilities are amazing,’” Roque said. “When I was finally getting recruited I came back and nothing had really changed.”

Ultimately, it was the success of the program that drove Roque’s decision to bring her talents to Madison. Even with her impressive high school career, Roque was not positive that she would receive much playing time at the start. After all, Wisconsin had consistently been a familiar face both atop national rankings and at the NCAA tournament.

Yet, Roque managed to get extremely solid playing time as a contributor to the Badgers’ third line. She even played in all 40 games for the Badgers en route to being named the Western Collegiate Hockey Association rookie of the year, a highly prestigious honor given the relative dominance of the WCHA. Roque arrived in Madison with a bang, but that does not mean she didn’t face challenges, especially with the transition from men’s to women’s hockey.

“It’s a little different with checking in guy’s hockey [compared to] girl’s hockey. I got a lot of penalties freshman year for body checking and things like that,” Roque said.

On top of any rule changes that Roque had to consider when making her transition to Division 1 women’s hockey, she also had to get acclimated to her new role for the Badgers. Part of this endeavor included finding new confidence in her ability to shoot the puck relative to what she was used to in high school.

Her coaches set out to redefine her role as a key shooter and goal scorer for the Badgers from the onset of her time in Madison.

“That’s what my coaches kept harping on me for, was that I had more time and should shoot it more. Because, in guy’s hockey, my shot wasn’t elite … compared to some stronger guys. But, here it’s a lot harder compared to some of the girls so they really wanted me to shoot it more and control the puck more.”

And control the puck more she did. Since her first season as a Badger, Roque has scored more goals season to season. This ultimately culminated in her 21 goal performance through 28 games in this season’s campaign.

Roque’s growth as an offensive threat is 18 • badgerherald.com • February 11, 2020

centered around her increasing role as a shot taker for the Badgers. Perhaps more importantly than the sheer number of shots taken is the quality of those shots. Since her first season in which Roque fired off 122 shots and scored only eight goals, she has become only more accurate as her total shots have trended down while her total goals have trended up.

Up to this point in the season, Roque has scored 21 goals on 99 shots, good for a scoring percentage of 21.2%. This is an extremely successful rate given where she started in the 2016 to 2017 season with a scoring percentage of just 6.6%. Statistically, this is arguably the way in which Roque has improved the most.

For Roque, one goal stands out in particular in the journey to becoming one of the top goal scorers for the Badgers. Even with her hat trick in the opening game of the most recent border battle, a goal from last year reigns supreme. Specifically,

her opening goal in the semifinals of the NCAA tournament holds a special place in her memory.

“Against Clarkson last year, in the semifinals of the NCAA’s, it was still 0–0 about 10 minutes into the second [period], and Britta Curl gave me a great pass through the middle. I remember I was like, ‘I’m shooting it right here, I’m not going to wait.’ It went through the five-hole and that was a great moment to get one on the board.”

It’s hardly surprising that a goal that helped to propel the Badgers to their first national championship in years is the favorite for Roque. It was a great moment in the history of the program and served to add yet another trophy to the case.

Yet, even with how successful the team has been this year, it is certainly not smooth sailing to return to the top of the field for two years in a row.

To Roque, the team’s ability to reload on talent and play their own game has been key to their repeated success.

“We have a lot of great players here who haven’t played a whole lot before this year really step up into those [crucial] roles,” Roque said.

“We’re not the exact same team we were last year.

We’ve learned to adapt to the talent and personnel we have this year and play around that and I think that’s been our biggest strength.”

Part of this process of filling roles certainly includes Roque and her greater scoring numbers this season. She has nearly twice her highest season goal total already, and there are still multiple regular season and postseason games left.

Throughout the rest of the season, look for Roque to continue to build upon her already impressive offensive performance. If the Badgers are to reach the heights of collegiate hockey for the second year in a row, both Roque and other top offensive weapons for the Badgers, including Sophie Shirley and Daryl Watts, must continue to put up career-best numbers on offense.

Photo · Abby Roque has blossomed into a star after earning WCHA rookie of the year honors, scoring 21 goals through 28 games this season Dane Sheehan The Badger Herald

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SPORTS

Men’s Basketball: Why Micah Potter’s playing time needs to increase Potter has been one of top offensive producers, rebounders despite relatively limited playing time this season off bench

by Will Whitmore Associate Sports Editor

Since being deemed eligible by the NCAA, Wisconsin forward Micah Potter has been extremely efficient for the Badgers. The junior from Mentor, Ohio is averaging 9.3 points and 6.1 rebounds on 52% shooting for the floor.

For many reasons, it remains quite clear Potter should receive increased playing time.

The underlying problem is Potter averages just over 16 minutes per game and has yet to start this season. Potter’s lack of playing time makes fans scratch their heads as to why one of Wisconsin’s biggest assets continues to sit in crunchtime situations. After losing three of the last four games, inserting Potter into the starting lineup could be the solution for a reeling Wisconsin team.

Initially, many would have thought Potter’s lack of playing time could be adjusting to the system at Wisconsin. Through his first five games, Potter was only averaging 12.8 minutes per game, yet was still extremely efficient, as he averaged 6.6 points per game during that stretch.

Potter’s first uptick in playing time came in a critical game on the road against No. 22 Penn State. Playing a season-high 28 minutes, Potter

outshined Penn State’s All-Big Ten forward, Lamar Stevens, scoring 24 points and grabbing 13 rebounds on 9-14 shooting. After this outburst, many thought coach Greg Gard would increase Potter’s minutes.

The problem is Potter’s playing time continues to be relatively limited given his success. Since his breakout game against Penn State, Potter has only averaged 17 minutes per game. Though Potter has continued to be productive with an average of 8.8 points per game, he continues to not see the floor for a majority of the game.

Most recently against arch-rival Minnesota, Potter recorded his second double-double, scoring 11 points as well as a season-high 15 rebounds. After redshirt sophomore Kobe King decided to leave the program on Jan. 29, Potter’s versatility and scoring could help fill the void left by King.

At 6-foot-10, not only is Potter a factor inside the paint, but he is also Wisconsin’s best perimeter shooter. Potter is shooting a teamhigh 48% from the three-point line and has also excelled at the free-throw line, shooting an impressive 91.3%.

Potter’s ability to shoot from the perimeter is a great compliment to junior Nathan Reuvers.

Potter’s presence forces defenders to respect shooters on the perimeter, making it easy for Reuvers to work inside and see less double team looks.

Instead of starting freshman Tyler Wahl, who shoots a dismal 23.8% from deep, inserting Potter into the lineup could give Wisconsin a much-needed offensive boost.

Potter could also improve Wisconsin’s rebounding numbers. As a team, the Badgers rank third to last in the Big Ten in rebounding margin with an average margin of -0.2. Potter leads the team with 6.1 rebounds per game on average. Adding Potter to the lineup would help hold opposing offenses to only one shot and limit second-chance points.

In Wisconsin’s ugly 70–51 loss to Purdue, the Badgers were pounded on the boards, getting outrebounded 42–16. In that game, Potter only saw 14 minutes of action.

A concern could be playing both Potter and Reuvers at the same time especially against quick teams that play smaller lineups. For example, in Wisconsin’s 56–54 win against Maryland, the Terrapins countered Wisconsin’s big lineup by playing sophomore guard Aaron Wiggins 34 minutes, forcing the Badgers to play a smaller lineup that excludes Potter. In that

situation, playing Reuvers and Potter together would have exposed the team in pick-androll situations. Potter has a team-worst 86.6 defensive rating.

To counter, Potter’s offensive efficiency is off the charts. Potter leads the team with an offensive rating of 113.7 and has a player efficiency rating of 32.1. Potter’s player efficiency ranks higher than Wooden Award candidates Daniel Oturu and Markus Howard.

With Wisconsin ranking 13th in the Big Ten in points per game (65.6), the Badgers may need to trade defense for offense by playing Potter and Reuvers together.

Also, the concept of playing two big men at the same time is not new to Gard. Last year, Gard started both Reuvers and Ethan Happ for all 34 games. Reuvers’ efficiency from longrange gave Happ the ability to shine. This year Potter could serve the same role.

Wisconsin has one of the best-kept secrets in the Big Ten in junior forward Micah Potter.

The problem is Potter will continue to be a secret if coach Gard doesn’t increase his playing time. With the Badgers losing three of the last four games and endangering their NCAA Tournament fate, the time is now to insert Potter into the starting lineup.

February 4, 2020 • badgerherald.com • 19

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Football: Look at Quintez Cephus’ draft stock before NFL Draft

Cephus had a phenomenal junior season in 2019, leading the team with 59 receptions for 901 yards, 7 touchdowns across 14 games

by Harrison Freuck Sports Editor

Following a missed full season in 2018, junior wide receiver Quintez Cephus showed up in a major way in 2019, resulting in Cephus’ decision to enter the 2020 NFL Draft in April.

Like fellow junior Jonathan Taylor, Cephus exploded out of nowhere after emerging from high school as a three-star recruit, joining the Badgers in 2016.

Cephus’ career took off from there as he finished with 30 catches for 501 yards in 2017, both of which were good enough for second on the team behind tight end Troy Fumagalli.

Cephus led the team in receiving touchdowns with six across 10 games.

After missing the entire 2018 season,

Cephus returned for the 2019 season and didn’t miss a beat, emerging as the team’s goto target in the passing game.

Cephus led the team in nearly every receiving category, including receptions (59), yards (901), receiving yards per reception (15.3) and receiving touchdowns (7) as he played in all 14 games.

Cephus also played his best in big games against the Ohio State University in the Big Ten Championship (seven receptions for 122 yards) and Minnesota in the last game of the regular season (five receptions for 114 yards and a touchdown). He ended his Wisconsin career with seven catches for 59 yards and a touchdown against Oregon in the Rose Bowl.

Head Coach Paul Chryst also credited Cephus for being a great teammate during his time with the Badgers.

“He’s selfless. I think he’s an unbelievable teammate because one, he truly cares about the guys, each individual,” Chryst said in an interview with the Wisconsin State Journal.

“He’ll do anything for them, he’s open to them, he’s got enough awareness that he kind of sees when someone’s working through something. He’s got a spirit about him. He’s got an infectious personality. He will find the good in people. When you get on the field, he loves playing the game and appreciates that opportunity to play the game and I think that’s infectious.”

While Cephus proved doubters wrong at Wisconsin, the question now is whether or not his success will translate to the next level as an NFL wide receiver.

Let’s take a look at Cephus’ draft stock with the NFL Scouting Combine and NFL Draft

Photo · A year ago, nobody would have predicted Cephus’ breakout 2019 season; today, he prepares for approaching NFL Draft Justin Mielke The Badger Herald 20 • badgerherald.com • February 11, 2020

quickly approaching.

As you can see from the above stats, Quintez Cephus performed at a high-level during his junior season at Wisconsin.

But, many scouts are concerned that his playmaking ability isn’t there and he won’t be dynamic enough to perform consistently at the NFL level.

While scouts have every right to be concerned about Cephus’ abilities, some of the worries associated with Cephus’ play can be attributed to shaky, inconsistent performances from Wisconsin’s quarterbacks in Alex Hornibrook (2017) and Jack Coan (2019).

Paired up with an NFL-level quarterback, Cephus could be a great fit for teams in need of receiving help in the league.

If Cephus wants to make good on his potential, he will also need to work on improving his ability to run crisp routes, as he isn’t what you could consider a receiver with elite speed compared to many NFL counterparts.

As an average-sized receiver measuring in at 6 feet 1 inch tall and 207 pounds, Cephus might need to beef up in the gym before the draft as most physically dominant wide receivers in the NFL today weigh 10 to 15 pounds more than Cephus.

While Cephus’ on-field abilities come into question among NFL draft scouts, so do potential off-field character issues.

Cephus missed all of the 2018 season due to two sexual assault charges raised against him at UW, both of which he was ultimately acquitted of. Despite this, Cephus has not had any other off-field issues — legal or otherwise — during his time at Wisconsin.

Still, Cephus will certainly be questioned about the incident during meetings with NFL scouts during the NFL Combine and Wisconsin’s Pro Day, and it will likely have an impact on his draft stock as well.

Right now, most mock drafts from around the sports world have Cephus as a Day 3 (rounds 4-7) pick, with a few drafts even listing Cephus as an undrafted free agent following the conclusion of the draft.

With a strong performance at the NFL Combine (Feb. 23 through March 2) and Wisconsin’s Pro Day (likely at some point in March), Cephus could easily find himself as a middle-round pick going to a team looking for a No. 2 or No. 3 option in the passing game.

Keep an eye on Cephus as the NFL Draft approaches, as he just might surprise everyone and compete with decent speed (4.5 second 40-yard dash time according to the Wisconsin State Journal) and great hands during his prove-it opportunities in February and March.

NFL Draft Projection: 5th-6th Round

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Football: What ‘Being a Badger’ means to graduating seniors

Despite plethora of talented athletes, few members of Badgers’ graduating class will participate in NFL Draft come April

by Ben Moody Associate Sports Editor

In a 2018 study conducted by the NCAA to find the estimated probability of competing in professional athletics, it was found merely 1.6% of all Division I football players in the United States have the chance to make it to the NFL. Even for a football program as successful as Wisconsin’s, many Badgers will enter into post-college life as something other than a professional athlete.

Many media personalities, bloggers or reporters will use this statistic to boost their claim that student athletes should be compensated for their play. The harsh reality of this realization is the vast majority — approximately 99.4 percent —

of Division I and II football players will not be able to pursue a career in the sport they love and have committed countless hours to.

The University of Wisconsin boasts one of the top football programs in the nation, yet this harrowing statistic is still true even in Madison. While players such as Jonathan Taylor, Zach Baun and Tyler Biadasz have begun to look to the National Football League for their career prospects, many other Badger seniors have begun to construct their future lives outside of the two white lines.

In a number of heartfelt tweets posted to Wisconsin football’s Twitter account Dec. 13, the program took time to recognize their many unsung heroes who have propelled Wisconsin to the forefront of the

college football world within the past four years.

One of these players, offensive lineman David Moorman, earned Academic All Big-Ten Honors in both 2016 and 2018. The Northville, Michigan native is majoring in Communication Arts and is going to pursue a career in software sales. When asked him how being a Badger has shaped him, Moorman looked back very fondly on his experience as a Badger and praised both the professional and personal skills these past four years have given him.

“Being a Badger has not only made me a better person, but has also taught me skills like resiliency, toughness, and most importantly how to be a good teammate and friend,” Moorman declared.

What Moorman honed in on is an idea

Photo · While Badgers like Jonathan Taylor, Tyler Biadasz are sure to be drafted in April, the reality for most players is a career elsewhere Ahmad Hamid The Badger Herald

many casual fans of college athletics are completely unaware of. Specifically, the immense levels of discipline and organization required to excel in college athletics as well as furthering one’s education. Not only does a student athlete have to be in peak physical and mental shape to perform on game day, but they also must remain eligible by maintaining good grades within the classroom.

Another senior who relayed a very similar sentiment to Moorman’s is David Pfaff, a six-foot-two defensive end from Mequon, Wisconsin. After UW, Pfaff plans on working in the nonprofit sector for organizations such as Team Rubicon or American Family Insurance.

“Being a Badger has shown me how much I can endure and challenge myself,” the Homestead High School alumni said.

“It has taught me how to be a better man, friend, brother, and teammate. Most importantly, it has shown me the same love that I have given it these past five years.”

Another member of the 2019 graduating class of Badgers is safety Eric Burrell, whose solid season filled the holes sophomore Scott Nelson left when he announced his season-ending leg injury earlier this year. Burrell was a crucial member of the Badger defense who ranked as one of the top in the nation.

The Severn, Maryland native recorded 34 solo tackles, two forced fumbles, three interceptions and nine pass breakups in his final season with the Badgers. Burrell, who is a personal finance major, plans on attending graduate school at UW in the Educational Leadership and Policy Analysis Program.

“Being a Badger has shown me how to create lasting, meaningful relationships,” Burrell said. “The people I have met here will continue to be in my life long after I leave Madison. I am thankful that I had the opportunity to be a Badger!”

There is little doubt each player mentioned is an incredibly talented football player. Simply making it on and contributing to the Badgers is an extremely impressive feat to have accomplished.

Yet, not everyone will make it to the league. Instead, many will build upon their experience as a Badger both in the classroom and on the field to make a positive impact on their communities.

No matter what the graduating seniors plan on doing with their future careers, it is quite clear the time they spent in Madison shaped them into becoming the best person they could possibly be, both personally and professionally. The memories and lessons they learned here will last them a lifetime, and the state of Wisconsin and Badger fans worldwide thank them for the many exciting moments they have delivered to them over the past three years.

February 11, 2020 • badgerherald.com • 21

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Wacky Valentine date ideas for all people, relationships included Romance the pants off your boo-thang or finally obtain said boo-thang with these budget-friendly, super fun tips

by Veronica Kuffle and Keagan Schlosser ArtsEtc. Editor, Banter Contributor

With Valentine’s Day around the corner, everyone’s either loving it or dreading it. But let’s be honest, most of us are dreading it, and yet the groans and eye roles won’t save us from the date.

So, how do we bear through it? Well, the Herald has a few options. Whether you’re in one of those “commitments,” tip-toeing around it or desperate to get in, we’ve created a list of activities suitable for any Valentine.

So sit back, gorge some chocolate, and let us give you something wacky to do on V-Day. Take a tour of Triangle Market! (free!)

Whether you’re in a love triangle or your relationship status is simply confusing, visiting the Triangle Market will certainly be symbolic of you and your date’s feels for each other.

The self-proclaimed “World Famous” Triangle Market is an absolute staple of Madison culture. Sure, you’ve passed it while walking down State — you may have even bought rolling papers or a bag of chips from the locale — but have you ever taken advantage of the “Tours Daily” sign painted on the building?

Nothing screams “date night” quite like a little peek of a baby blue, phallic building.

What’s more, Triangle can really add a bit of mystery to your V-Day. You’ll enter the date wondering, “What are we getting a tour of exactly?” and you’ll probably leave asking the same exact question.

Rock Climbing at the Sett ($5.65 per student + 3.65 for shoes) Sweat out your ‘Tines-Day worries with a session of rock climbing at the Sett. The cheap student price is perfect for those on a budget, and it’s a great activity to do with someone or no one.

You can compete with your S.O. in a race to the top or just have a good time testing your own limits. Wherever you land in your relationship status, all that matters in climbing is to not hit the ground.

And if you’re not into rock climbing, get off Reddit and go to the gym.

Datamatch (free … with the risk of losing dignity) Alone this Valentine’s Day? Take control of your destiny and sign up for Datamatch!

This isn’t necessarily a date idea, rather an opportunity to have a spontaneous gettogether with an absolute stranger … like tinder, but much sadder.

Find out what you value in a partner after answering quirky, clever questions such as, “What campus building do you find most sexually appealing?” Choose wisely!

You wouldn’t want to be with someone who is attracted to the “sleek, modern 22 • badgerherald.com • February 11, 2020

and sexy Hector F. DeLuca Biochemistry Building.”

We promise the survey is very Gen X-rel and you won’t feel kind of bad about yourself after signing up!

And who knows — maybe human love isn’t your thing and you’ll find the one on your tour. You can’t be ghosted by a ghost, right?

Karaoke Bar

Walk on Lake Mendota (free) Nothing screams “I’m single and proud of it” louder than standing on a frozen lake, screaming.

Spirits of the Capitol Square Ghost Walk ($20) What better way to woo your S.O. than with a spooky ghost tour of Madison? This walk is a perfect way for you and your boo to connect on a spiritual level.

State Street Ghost Walk researches all of their stories to give its customers an authentic and eerie scare. The tour guides are also friendly and well-reviewed.

If you truly want to learn anything about your lover this Valentine’s Day, go to Karaoke Bar. If you go at just the right time, you’ll wait in line behind 10 other couples who want to wail “Shallow” off-key.

It’s all worth the wait when you can finally show your person that you were born for the spotlight. Be careful, though.

If your partner is a timid loser, they might be a bad sport about you hogging the microphone and enacting the more vivid parts of “Baby Got Back.” Trust your instincts, eat your heart out.

Ice Skating at the Shell This late-night date is ideal for those who don’t want to be exclusive yet. It easily communicates that you’re cold-hearted and semi-athletic, but at times vulnerable and potentially anemic?

The best part of this date is you needn’t skate in tow with your date. Either skate ten feet in front of them to establish your dominance or skate ten feet behind them to laugh at them when they ultimately and embarrassingly fall.

These are a few of the many out-of-the-box options to be with, or without your Valentine.

And if you don’t have a date, maybe you’ll find one. You’ve got a better chance going out than if you stay sulking at home.

I mean, come on. Maybe you’ll find someone as special as you when you’re out on Mendota.

Photo ·Follow these sintilatingly salacious Valentines Day suggestions, and this graphic won’t mean a thing to you!! Wish I could say the same!

Abigail Steinberg The Badger Herald

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February 4 , 2020 • badgerherald.com • 23