THE SOCHI 2014 WINTER OLYMPICS The medal standings for the 2014 Winter Olympics place Germany, Netherlands and Norway as the top 3 countries so far. The standings are determined by the total amount of gold medals the country has earned, according to Google.com.
Gold
Silver
Bronze
Total
7
3
2
12
5
5
7
17
2014 OLYMPIC WINTER GAMES: U.S. MEDAL COUNT
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ESTABLISHED 1920 | An independent student press serving the campus and surrounding community
Volume 93, Issue 66
“The New Black” deals with issues in black community
Monday, February 17, 2014
WWW.BGNEWS.COM
Film to show at Woodland Mall Cinema on Feb. 19 By Amirah Adams Reporter
A documentary covering race, religion and sexual orientation is bound to be controversial, but it also has the power to bring important social issues to the forefront. “The New Black” will be shown at the Woodland Mall Cinema on Feb. 19 at 6:30 p.m. The film is about gay rights issues in the black community and homophobia in the black church. Senior Shaunda Brown arranged for the film to be shown because it covers a topic she feels needs to be discussed. “I saw a conversation that wasn’t being talked about on campus,” Brown said. “A lot of students have issues talking about it because of the religious aspect.” When she began to promote the event, people weren’t surprised that the film was being screened, but about where it was being screened. “I didn’t want to have it screened on campus because I wanted it to be a community conversation,” Brown said. “We’re all students but the community also makes up our experience here as well.” When her request to have the film viewed at the movie theater in Woodland Mall was accepted, she was just as surprised as her peers. “I was completely like ‘this is not happening,’” Brown said. “I was in complete disbelief because I’ve been here long enough to
know they don’t really have black movies at all.” The acceptance of the request was only the beginning. Her next goal for the screening was to sell 104 tickets, which would fill the theater. “I feel like if they were even willing to say yes, I needed to make it happen,” Brown said. Students like sophomore Luke Zona think the screening of this film is a great thing. “I think it’s great that she was able to do that,” Zona said. “It’s helping to do what’s right for human rights.” Other students weren’t aware that the film was being screened, but are interested in going. “A lot of things like that aren’t shown in BG,” sophomore Zack Sturkey said. “I think it’s great. I would go see it.” Brown expects people to be caught off guard by the film. She was shocked herself when she first saw the film at a conference. “Even being from what would be called a stereotypical black community, I had moments throughout the film where I was like ‘whoa,’” Brown said. She hopes that people will be inspired by the film, and take away a positive message. “I want people to understand the spaces that they are in and call their own, and then challenge those notions,” Brown said. Tickets can only be purchased online at http://www. tugg.com/events/6360 for $12 prior to Feb. 19.
festival offers
wintry mix
Winterfest connects community members, tourists in demonstrations, cook-offs By Kathryne Rubright Reporter
After two hours of work, Josh Smith was covered in snow and had turned two 300-pound blocks of ice into two sculptures of Cupid. Smith gave an ice sculpting demonstration at Winterfest on Saturday. “It’s just straight fun,” Smith said of his job.
He has been sculpting ice for a year and a half. Smith started working at Ice Creations by bagging and moving ice. Ice Creations is based in Napoleon and makes ice sculptures for various occasions, including all of the sculptures at Winterfest. “Once you start working there … [sculpting]
See WINTER | Page 8
ICE SCULPTER Josh Smith carves Cupid out of ice on Saturday in downtown Bowling Green for Winterfest.
RUBEN KAPPLER | THE BG NEWS
Potholes blamed on frigid temperatures By Stevon Duey Reporter
SAM RAYBURN | THE BG NEWS
THE WINTRY weather has caused several potholes to appear on campus and in the city.
Bowling Green city workers are struggling to keep up with road repairs on East Wooster Street. Potholes plague the city’s busiest street west of I-75. The Public Works Department has been trying its best to keep up with repairs, but continuous falling snow and ice has prevented city workers from making more permanent repairs. Public Works Director Brian Craft
said heavy snowfall and frigid temperatures are to blame. “This winter has been much worse [than usual],” Craft said. “But we aren’t alone.” Bowling Green and surrounding cities saw more than two times the average amount of snowfall accumulations last month than in past years, according to the National Weather Service website. Craft said the department is using a cold patch process to repair potholes, but those repairs are only a
short-term solution. A cold patch functions as a temporary solution when temperatures are too low and moisture is too high to put down a more permanent patch. As temperatures rise and fall, a freeze-thaw cycle breaks down paved roads and cold patches are easily undone. “Nothing is more frustrating for us than the freeze-thaw
See POTHOLES | Page 8
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