The Optimist Print Edition 2.24.17

WHAT'S INSIDE

NEWS

Students abroad weigh in on the American political environment from across the pond.

Page 3

OPINION

Texas lawmakers have proposed 5 bills cracking down on rape. Read our thoughts on the issue.

Page 4

FEATURE

Larry has been flipping better burgers on Treadaway since the 1950s.

His food keeps people coming back.

Page 5

Friday, February 24, 2017 Vol. 105, Issue 21

SPORTS

A freshman phenom for Men’s Basketball: Jalone Friday. He’s making good on his redshirt season.

Pages 6

A student publication of Abilene Christian University since 1912

SOCIAL SICKNESS SCREENSHOTS TAKE FROM TWITTER Students took to social media to share the news of their ailments. Many students begged for campus to shut down in order to recover from the post-Sing-Song sickness while some hoped to prevent any chance of falling ill.

Twitter infected with rumors of flu shutdown

BY ALLISON BROWN EDITOR IN CHIEF

During Sing Song week, rumors spread on Twitter that 17 percent of the student body had the flu and if the number got up to 20 percent of the student body, campus would shut down for a week.

However, according to the Office of Student Life, these rumors are “unfounded.”

OBITUARY

Remembering Wendell Broom: Missions advocate

BY HALEY REMENAR ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR

Known for wearing flowery Hawaiian shirts with dress shoes and having a beard before it was cool, Wendell Broom focused on missions and loving others, rather than on appearances. He made an impact on two generations of students, but his influence spread across the world as far as Siberia.

Broom, former professor of missions, died in Dallas Saturday, Feb. 18 at age 93.

He was born in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. He earned his bachelor’s degree in 1945 and returned to teach in the 1960s after doing missions in Nigeria with his wife, Betty.

Broom and his wife led a study abroad trip for graduate students to Israel in 1987 where they met Dr. Mark Hamilton, professor of Old Testament. Hamilton said he got to know Broom on the trip, and all SEE BROOM PAGE 2

Mark Lewis, dean of students, said he too heard of the rumors circulating on social media about school closures. But Lewis, along with Chris Riley, vice president of student life, verified that no such policy existed at the university, even with so many students coming down with the flu and other sicknesses like strep throat and bronchitis.

“Yes, it looks like the flu has hit the ACU community full force,” Lewis said in an email. “To use Chris’ word, the rumor is ‘unfounded’.

There is no policy in place that says the school will shut down.”

Steven Rowlands, director of the Medical and Counseling Care Center said in an email to students, “We also have received questions

about classes being canceled based on a certain number of students having the flu.

This is a rumor; what we are experiencing is similar to what is happening throughout Texas, and we expect it to pass in the near future.”

According to an Optimist twitter poll, 59 percent of the 425 respondents had the flu – which breaks down to roughly 250 people. 41 per-

cent of those sicklings participated in Sing Song.

Cindy Gravitt, office manager for the MACCC, said every appointment was booked this week through Friday, but the clinic does expect some cancellations.

“We have been very pleased with the increasing number of patients utilizing the patient portal to schedule and cancel appointments

online,” Gravitt said. “There have been mornings that we’ve come in to find twenty or more of our day’s appointments were booked overnight by patients using the portal. Our goal to be the most convenient choice of excellent acute medical care for the ACU community.”

AKB12B@ACU.EDU

Cost cuts doom Pura Vida for closure

BY ADRIENNE BARRICK STUDENT REPORTER

Pura Vida Salon and Spa across Campus Ct. from campus will be closing their doors on March 31. Administration has decided that the cost of keeping the store open does not benefit the school financially enough for it to remain open. VP and Chief Business Officer, Steven Holley, said that they will put a notice

out for the public letting them know that the store is closing.

With the school’s money going towards the new stadium and scholarships, etc., Holley expressed that they aim to have a cost effective outlook in all academic affairs. Pure Vida has reset their business model twice within the past four years to achieve the goal for the university but have not hit par. Holley said,

“At a high level, [keeping Pura Vida open] would be the equivalent of several scholarships, in the neighborhood of 5-7 scholarships easily as an example. They did great work. It’s a great customer experience and a nice thing to have. But I can’t turn around and not consider the other opportunities.”

Customers have exSEE SALON PAGE 2

ERIKA BOLADO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Pura Vida Salon and Spa, located on Campus Court, will its doors close in March.

BSA production honors cultural heritage

BY TORI ALDANA COPY EDITOR

The Black Students Association is putting on its 18th annual Black History Month Production at 7 p.m. Friday. Far from a typical play, the performance is utilizing the skill sets of its members to tell the story of the black community.

The production will feature acting, singing, dancing, spoken word, instruments, art and more to pull people in and deliver a message.

“We wanted to highlight

struggles and issues prevalent in the black community,” said BSA historian Amber Robinson, sophomore social work major from Waco. “Also, we use television shows and black film to show our reality.”

The show is split into three different chapters: racism, relationships and role models. The chapters’ titles highlight community, unity and love, said member liaison Summer Thompson, sophomore communications major from Missouri City.

BSA does not want the play to be mediocre.

“We have a certain standard of excellence that we wanted to uphold with this year’s production,” said Thompson. The group is highlighting not only issues prevalent in the ACU community revolving around minority students but also issues that are prevalent to the black community as a whole.

“The ACU community could gain a stronger understanding about why there’s still a Black History

W W W. A C U O P T I M I S T. C O M

Month in America and why we celebrate it, just having information on black community in general,” said Thompson.

“I’m hoping what the ACU community will take after watching this production is kind of basically getting a better understanding of what black culture really is and what is it like to be black,” said vice president Simone Haines, sophomore social work major from Desoto. “We shed a lot of positive light on the black community, too

– better in-depth understanding, not so much an entertainment viewpoint they see now through the radio and stuff on reality TV shows. What they see is not really truly black culture, and it’s only presented for entertainment.”

“The production will also shed light to the fact that the African-American community is more than just entertainment to people,” said Thompson.

Entertainment is a part of SEE BSA PAGE 3

2

NEW S

Spanish journal taking entries

BY ASHLEY ALFRED STUDENT REPORTER

The ACU chapter of Sigma Delta Pi is giving students the opportunity to become a published author in its sponsored journal, Hispaniola.

Sigma Delta Pi is a National Collegiate Spanish Honors Society and is the largest foreign WALKER language honors society in the United States.

Since the ACU chapter, Omega Gamma, was started on campus in 2010, it has won three national awards.

The students from Omega Gamma have also translated many documents for ACU's speech and medical clinics, The Grace Museum and more.

The students of Omega Gamma have also started a movement called, “Seamos amables unos otros,” which means “Let’s be kind to one another,” to address issues that are being faced in the United States.

Omega Gamma will release its third compilation of short stories, poems, articles and essays this spring. The first edition of Hispaniola came out in the spring of 2015 and consisted of 60 pages produced by students on campus.

“Hispaniola is the jewel that crowns all of our achievements as an Honor Society, which is to honor Spanish language and culture,” Said Dr. Beatriz Alem-Walker, associate professor of Spanish language and literature, adviser of Sigma Delta Pi, and editor of Hispaniola.

Sigma Delta Pi is looking for contributions for its third volume of Hispaniola, the only requirement being that the work is written in Spanish. All of the submissions made so far have been accepted.

“It takes many hours to edit all these poems and essays but it is very rewarding for me, as a professor, to see that the students are embracing the language with such enthusiasm,” Alem-Walker said.

All submissions are due

by Feb. 28 to provide time for the work to be edited and for a letter of acceptance to be sent to the contributor. When the piece has been published, it will be presented publicly at the society’s ceremony later in the semester.

Submissions may be sent to acusdp@gmail.com.

OPTIMIST@ACU.EDU

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Campus remembers Wendell Broom OBITUARY

the students enjoyed his unique clothing style.

"It was more of 'I'm comfortable with who I am, I'm comfortable with you, let's BROOM all be comfortable,'" Hamilton said. "He'd make fun of himself. There's a kind of freedom that not very many people have."

On that same trip, Hamilton met his wife, Dr. Samjung Kang-Hamilton and a few years later, they asked Broom to officiate their wedding. Hamilton said he remembered Broom saying God was present at their wedding.

"He loved God, it's really that simple," Hamilton

said. "I always loved to hear him pray because you always felt like: this is a person who's done a lot of this.

This is not a contrivance."

Broom helped start the first missions department among Church of Christ-affiliated colleges at ACU, according to the ACU Today blog. The annual Broom Colloquium was named after him in 2007, said Chris Flanders, director of the Halbert Institute for Missions. Flanders said Broom was the perfect person to name the event after because of his impact on missions.

"He exemplified what a 'world Christian' was," Flanders said. "He was the first one who would say to people, 'You can still be missional, you can still be a part of God's mission.' He was one who got behind people who wanted to be a dentist, to see that as their

way to bless the world."

When Flanders started teaching in 2005, Broom still had an office in the department and often came to faculty meetings to offer support. Broom attended Highland Church of Christ until he moved to an assisted living center in Dallas a few years ago.

Flanders said Broom was modest and didn't seek attention, yet he received attention from Jack Maxwell, professor of art and design, who secretly studied his face every time he saw him at church. Maxwell decided to model the lowest angel in Jacob's Dream after Broom, although he never asked for permission.

"I think he was honored though when we told him later," Maxwell said in an email to Bible faculty. "I know he took a lot of interest in the sculpture's progress as he sat out at the site

BOTTOM PHOTO BY HALEY REMENAR

Wendell Broom is immortalized in the Jacob's Dream sculpture, as the face of the angel on the lowest rung of the ladder was modeled after him. in his lawn chair."

Services to honor Broom will take place at 2 p.m.

Saturday at Lake Highlands Church in Dallas.

Broom was preceded in death by his parents, Benjamin R. and Gladys Broom, his brother, Charlie Broom, and his son-in-

law, David Adams. He is survived by his wife, Betty, and their children: Wendell Jr., Mary Beth Best, David Broom, Margaret Broom Adams, Kathryn Broom Mick and Jonathan Broom; 11 grandchildren, and 11 great-grandchildren, according to ACU Today.

Eco club hosts sustainability workshop “

BY ERIKA BOLADO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER

Wildcats for Sustainability is a student organization with the goal of bringing recycling to campus and helping with earth week.

Wildcats for Sustainability came together this semester to create a sustainable organization that would maintain an active presence, because in the past, there wasn’t a support system to keep the club going.

Joshua M. Brokaw, associate professor of biology and current organization sponsor, said, “The first thing that has to happen is just that we start to create a culture in which sustainability is expected and valued.”

“You need a permanent person at ACU to help support that kind of thing.

Even if it’s a student organization, you want them

to feel like they have ownership; you need a stable support system,” said Brokaw.

For the organization to sustain, Brokaw said there will be monthly chapels, student projects and events.

Jaime Thompson, senior biology major from McKinney and president of the organization, said her goal before she graduates in May is to get more people involved, so it’s a bigger movement.

“It would also mean a lot if I could leave campus knowing there is a good permanent program for recycling, for just creating a culture that is looking after the earth,” said Thompson.

The short-term goals the organization hopes to accomplish are promoting the idea of bringing recycling to campus, helping host Earth Week

“It would also mean a lot if I could leave campus knowing there is a good permanent program for recycling, JAIME THOMPSON SENIOR BIOLOGY MAJOR FROM MCKINNEY

with other organizations on campus and increasing community support to implement ideas.

Brokaw said long-term, the organization “will always have a purpose to work for the hearts and minds of our community.

We want every student on campus to have at least one reminder each day about the implications of our choices, because we will be remembered for what we do today.”

A few ways some of the club officers said they live a sustainable lifestyle is by

recycling on their own, conserving energy, using less and buying sustainable food.

Catherine Longest, senior environmental science major from Chauncey, Oklahoma, said they want to give students the opportunity to host recycling bins on campus, so it’s physical, accessible and maintained.

Eric Dolezalik, senior environmental science major from Ennis, Texas, vice president of the organization said after an email was sent out to become a solidarity member to express support for their mission, over 200 students and staff/faculty have signed up.

“We hope other people around the world would see these relatively wealthy kids isolated in this university are not just out there for themselves, so we’re not the same as everybody

else,” said Brokaw. “We want to recognize that we’re not the same but that we have a responsibility to do something different even if the surrounding culture isn’t doing this.”

On Saturday, February 25, from 9 a.m. to 12 p.m., the Wildcat for Sustainability officers will take part in the Sustainable Landscape Workshop, which is located at ACU McDaniel House. The event is free for everyone and is sponsored by the Department of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences and Taylor Country AgriLife Extension Service Master Gardener Program.

If you’re interested in Wildcats for Sustainability, contact jmb97t@acu. edu.

EXB14A@ACU.EDU

Salon: customers react to Pura Vida closing CONTINUED FROM PAGE 1

Customers have expressed that Pura Vida will be missed. Charlie Lauerman, a sophomore marketing major from Chanhassen, MO, said, “My experience exceeded my expectations. They were very easy to deal with while making an appointment, and when I went to get a hair cut, I described what I wanted and she did exactly that.”

Other students are sad to see it go, many expressing satisfaction with the service and proximity to campus. Another student, Shelby Bridges, a

junior elementary education major from Abilene, said, “I’m very disappointed that Pura Vida is closing. I love going there because of the environment. The people were so nice and welcoming, and there was always Christian music playing on the radio.”

In addition, employees of the store are upset by the closing. Many expressed that it was a fun place to work and that losing a job is never easy.

ACU still remains very grateful to the employees, according to Holley.

Holley said he had two major take-aways

for the closing. “One, I am very appreciative of the Pura Vida staff for creating a unique and loving environment for our students. Secondly, my commitment is to identify a longer term investment that would even more enhance the student academic experience on this campus.”

As for customers with gift cards, they are prepared to honor the value with services before March 31 or offer a monetary refund. Holley said, “Those people on their sweat equity made a great brand. The problem for us is the in-

vestment versus many student activities. At the end of the day, we are an academic institution that’s creating a unique student experience.”

No advancements

have been made yet as to where the newly available funds will be directed.

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FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 24, 2017

3

Executive order makes waves across the pond Study abroad students and faculty observe the transfer of presidential power from overseas

BY ABBEY BOWLING FEATURES & ARTS EDITOR

The state of U.S. politics have long been a hot-button issue, but in recent months, it seems as though the controversy surrounding our government has increased. But for study abroad students spending the Spring semester in Oxford and Leipzig, they get the unique opportunity to observe American politics while living in a different country.

Dr. Neal Coates, chair of the political science and criminal justice department, is one of the professors staying with students in Oxford, England this semester, where he’s teaching two courses: Politics of West Europe and International Law and Organizations. He said he keeps up with American politics several times a day through the internet – the British press, Google news alerts and the Middle East press.

Coates said he’s had several interactions with Britons about American politics, and recently, the biggest topic has been Trump’s executive order on immigration.

“Everyone here and on the Continent has had an opinion on the executive order,” Coates said. “They say things like, ‘The U.S. is a country of immigrants,’ or ‘The U.K. is made up of people from all over the world.’ There is quite a bit of opposition here to the immigration order, including from the professors at the various Oxford colleges that we have heard speak in different venues.”

Coates also said that he and his wife, who is also in Oxford with him, have met an elderly Jewish woman who escaped Germany as a child during World War II. Since then, the Jewish woman has lived in England, Israel and the United Kingdom. Coates said the woman has seen so much in her life and very

ALLISON BROWN EDITOR IN CHIEF

Study abroad students may be witnessing the latest transfer of power from President Obama to President Trump from overseas, but they are still paying attention to American politics. much wants the U.S. to take more refugees and for Trump to lift his order.

“I have been struck again, and the ACU students are also seeing this, how important the U.S. and America are to the world and that we can make a difference as individuals and as a Christian university,” Coates said.

“Whether the U.S. government makes mistakes, or what it says or does, is watched closely elsewhere and debated and considered. And being on a study abroad and building relationships with local persons and going to events here in Oxford is so valuable to better understand U.S. and even Texas politics.”

Savannah Buchanan, junior psychology major from San Antonio, is living in Oxford this semester and is bad about keeping up with politics even when

finding out mine. I politely listen to them rant.”

However, the interest in foreign politics can go both ways; Buchanan said she met an English woman who travelled to the U.S. over the summer and was asked about Brexit by every stranger she met, so our country can be the same to English visitors.

“I did not leave America to keep talking about it,” Buchanan said. “I am in Europe to experience Europe. One Briton told me he pays more attention to American than British politics because, ‘As America goes, so the world goes.’”

Obviously, interest in American politics spreads

far beyond just England.

Lauren Meandro, sophomore multimedia major from Austin, is studying abroad in Leipzig, Germany, and said she mainly keeps up with American politics through social media. Just like in Oxford, Meandro has also interacted with Europeans who are interested to hear her opinion on U.S. politics.

“I wouldn’t say everyone here is very involved in American politics, but they definitely keep up,” Meandro said. “Probably more than a number of Americans. Basically, the analogy I’ve heard is if the U.S. sneezes, everyone else gets a cold. Most people

AKB12A@ACU.EDU

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The play is also aiming to decrease stereotypes that may have increased throughout the past couple of semesters while providing an understanding to people who are not aware of situations due to certain privileges they may hold. Everyone of every culture and community has something to learn and is encouraged to attend. The performance provides and opportunity to understand a culture that is misrepresented in society, said Thompson.

VJA14A@ACU.EDU

she’s home so she’s not making it a priority while she’s abroad, and it seems as though what’s happening in America is distant and irrelevant anyways, she said. Instead, she’s immersing herself in England and paying attention to the current events in Europe.

She also said she’s had several interactions with Europeans who brought up American politics.

“A few brought it up almost as soon as they found out I was an American,” Buchanan said. “Because politics tend to be a hot-button issue, I prefer not to discuss them with strangers. Most of the time they don’t want to debate it at length so much as just bring it up or see how I react. They say something like, ‘So, how do you like your new president?’ One or two Britons have been more interested in telling me their opinion than

I’ve talked to aren’t really happy with the election results. I’d say people range from sad, mad, to straight up confused or worried.”

Meandro voted for a third party candidate in the Presidential election.

She said when she tells Europeans that she didn’t vote for either of the main candidates, they seem to be put at ease, because they can’t automatically assume her position on political issues.

“I also kind of feel even more aware of every decision that our government makes,” Meandro said.

“Not necessarily that I’m more informed about the decisions, but that as an American in a foreign country, I now represent the U.S. to whomever I meet. I almost sometimes feel the need to be more apologetic about the actions my country is taking, though I have almost nothing to do with any of the decisions.”

Meandro said her time in Leipzig has helped her realize that she needs to have a more objective view of U.S. politics, seeing how Americans run things politically and thinking about why we run it the way we do.

“I feel removed from [U.S. politics] all a bit,” Meandro said. “I suppose as anyone would. I think for one, I came to feel even more removed when my Scottish tour guide in Berlin said I’ll be returning to a different America. That really struck me, because I feel like it’s true.”

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FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 24, 2017

Texas should pass stricter anti-rape laws THE ISSUE

In the current legislative session, Texas lawmakers have proposed five new laws cracking down on university rape reporting systems.

OUR TAKE

These laws should be passed in order to normalize the reporting of such instances. This kind of legal obligation will eliminate elements of shame and fear surrounding reporting cases.

In the aftermath of a sexual assault scandal at Baylor University, one state senator wrote several new bills to crack down on campus rape that will be voted on in the current session of the Texas legislature.

Baylor received national attention after 31 football players were accused of rape over the span of three years.

While Baylor fired football coach Art Briles and demoted President Ken Starr, people are still questioning how universities should handle these incidents.

ACU faces similar issues with rape culture, so laws that make it easier to report sexual assault will benefit this campus.

Senator Kirk Watson, a Baylor alumnus, filed five bills that would require universities to provide more ways for people to report sexual assault and would punish school employees or student leaders for not reporting incidents of rape.

“We need a new culture in higher education,” Watson said.

The term “rape culture” gets tossed around a lot in discussions or on social media, but it seems like everyone has a different meaning or agenda for the term.

Rape has been around for a long time, so what makes a “rape culture?” Rape culture happens when a society normalizes and even trivial-

izes the effects of rape and sexual assault. University systems make reporting sexual assault more difficult for various reasons and often have little to no punishment for those who commit sexual assault. In the case of Baylor, people knew and said nothing because they wanted to have a winning football program rather than deal with the perpetrators.

Although ACU has a Title IX team and strict dorm visitation rules, rape culture is still propagated at ACU for various reasons. Sexual assault is hard enough to report as it is, but at a Christian campus, many women experience heightened shame for moral reasons.

Let’s say a freshman woman goes to a party with a guy she just met. She drinks underage and while she’s intoxicated, the guy sexually assaults her. She wants to tell someone, but what would her parents, RA or teachers think of her

decision to drink underage?

Her parents could be upset and ashamed. She worries she could get punished for drinking.

Or say a sophomore woman sneaks into Edward’s Hall with her boyfriend who forces himself on her. She doesn’t want to report it because she broke the rules by coming into the dorm outside of visitation hours. She’s afraid if she tells Title IX, she’ll get in trouble for breaking the rules.

Rules prohibiting underage drinking or visiting dorms of the opposite sex are good, but they make it more shameful for students to report incidents. Even witnesses to sexual assault can fear repercussions if they were breaking university rules.

Watson’s bills would establish anonymous online reporting on all Texas college campuses, public and private. This would allow

students to report in a way that protects them from shame, even the added moral shame created by ACU’s many rules.The legislation would also establish “affirmative consent” laws, which have already passed in California, New York and other states. These laws, also called amnesty rules, would protect students from being punished for breaking school rules. So even if a student was assaulted while drinking underage or breaking other rules, the student could not be punished.

One of the bills would actually punish university employees and student leaders for not reporting sexual assaults. Any university employee -professor, RA, or student worker -would have to report the incident or face a fine if it’s later discovered that they knew about the incident and didn’t report it.

The highest ranking member of any student organization would also have to report

incidents of rape. There are about 60 student organizations, so at least 50 students would also be responsible for reporting incidents.

In the Baylor situation, university employees knew the football players had committed assaults, but didn’t remove them from the team or do anything about it. These new laws are an effort to prevent systemic rape culture from hiding under the surface of institutions. Such laws could lead to students being legally obligated to report assault cases involving their own friends – which gets messy and complex, but reporting assault is always the right thing to do.

We would rather see campuses normalize reporting or even over-reporting of rape and assault cases than hide rape culture under the facade of a successful institution.

OPINION@JMCNETWORK.COM

COLUMN

hashtagACU @acuoptimist @ZACHMOSES

Roomate 1: Galaxy Sing Song Director.

Roomate 2: Starting short stop on the baseball team.

Me: Decent at math n stuff

Welcome back again, baseball. “ DOWNTON ABBEY ABBEY BOWLING ARTS AND FEATURES EDITOR Senior convergence journalism major Keller

@BROOKERSM

thnx senior class for giving me the flu

@ZACHMOSES

At this rate, I see the ACU starting the zombie apocolypse by tomorrow

@SHELBY_STRAUSER

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@KENNEDY_BEACH

*goes to ACU for Sing Song Weekend* *gets flu* :,)

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Don’t say the senior class didn’t warn everyone. The flu is definitely in the air.

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If one more person close to me gets the flu, I’m driving myself to a seculded lake house for a week.

Democrats and Republicans, women and men, rich and poor, Christians and atheists, blacks and whites and everyone in between forgot their differences, for one night at least, to celebrate one thing they have in common: love for a baseball team.

Since I wrote a column when the Texas Rangers’ season ended back in October, I feel like it’s only right for me to write another column graciously welcoming the return of baseball after four long, cold months without it.

As Roger Hornsby said, “People ask me what I do in winter when there’s no baseball. I’ll tell you what I do. I stare out the window and wait for spring.”

I could talk about baseball forever, I really could.

Get me started on the Cubs, or Rougned Odor’s glorious punch (you know the one), or Mariano Rivera’s status as the best player

the sport has ever seen and I won’t stop. But while the record-setting players and legendary games definitely make the sport so interesting, that’s not why I love it. Okay, well, that’s part of why I love it – because watching the Rangers play is like watching art, maybe not-so-pretty art at times, but still art nonetheless – but the beauty that baseball offers stretches far beyond the players on the diamond.

Back in November, I watched the World Series to the end even though my favorite team wasn’t playing, because I am still a baseball fan and a Game

7 is still a Game 7. But it’s also more than that. The Cubs did more than just merely win – I mean, they also broke a 70-year-old curse, but I digress – they managed to bring millions of people together in spite of differences. Democrats and Republicans, women and men, rich and poor, Christians and atheists, blacks and whites and everyone in between forgot their differences, for one night at least, to celebrate one thing they have in common: love for a baseball team.

So to those who wonder

why baseball matters: it offers a diverse community of people who are both so much like you and also not like you at all. It offers a place to belong. Every time I watch baseball, I am reminded of the beauty and unity the sport unrelentingly offers to everyone.

So welcome back, springtime and sunshine and baseball and everything good. It’s nice to see you again.

HRR13BACU.EDU

COLUMN

How to survive the Flupocalypse of 2017 RATED R

HALEY REMENAR ONLINE MANAGING EDITOR Junior convergence journalism major Albuquerque, New Mexico

Day 6 (since Sing Song): I am still alive. Everyone who stood next to me at Sing Song fell ill as soon as the weekend ended.

Professors were sniffling. I couldn’t pay attention in my 8 a.m. class because of the mucousy coughing. But I am still alive. How did I do it?

I prioritized my immune system starting the first day of school. There isn’t one single thing that helped me, but a combination of every immune system tip I heard added up to a healthy body.

Here are my tips to surviving the flupocalypse of 2017.

1. Hot Baths –Take a 30-minute hot bath every

day. If you do nothing else, try this one. A warm bath is the perfect way to de-stress and since stress makes you more susceptible to the flu or other illnesses, forcing yourself to relax can be the key to survival. I can’t read or hold my phone in the bath without getting it wet, so taking a bath forces me to do literally nothing but sit still for 30 minutes. A Eucalyptus bubble bath can also help clear your sinuses.

2. Sunshine – Ever wonder why people don’t get as sick in the summer? I think it’s because we get so much more Vitamin D in the summer time. Vitamin D and Vitamin C are good for immune system boosting, so

I took Emergen-C packets every day. I also took one Zinc tablet everyday and I spent some time in the sun every time the temperature was warm.

3. Food –You are what you eat and that has never been truer than during this flupocalypse. If your body is running on Sonic drinks, French fries and sugar, how can you expect it to successfully fight flu and other viruses? I heard a few foods were good for the immune system so I stuck to them for the whole time leading up to Sing Song: eggs, mushrooms, avocados, spinach, kale, tomatoes. Tomato soup and grilled cheese was my go-to for dinner instead of loading up on Sharky’s or pizza.

4. Drinks –No Sonic. No soda. Just no. I drank about 5-8 24-ounce bottles of water every day. I also drank about 4-5 cups of tea everyday. Try Yogi Detox tea –it

T H E

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costs $3 at Wal-Mart and it works wonders.

5. Essential Oils –I’m not sure if this really works but my mom swears by it so I tried it. Thieves oil, which is a blend of clove, lemon, cinnamon and more, supposedly helps with cold symptoms.

6. Deep breathing –This helps you de-stress anytime

of the day, even in the middle of a big project. Take deep, full breaths from your abdomen, not your chest.

This also helps your body get extra oxygen, which makes you healthy overall, plus helps fight viruses.

7. Sleep –This can be really hard to do during busy times like Sing Song, but if you prioritize naps and

force yourself to go to bed early, you can do it.

This is how I survived the flupocalypse, and you can too. Keep your body strong, get sleep, eat right and may the odds be ever in your favor.

HRR13BACU.EDU

O P T I M IST

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5

F E ATUR E S

FRIDAY | FEBRUARY 24, 2017

BY EMILY GUAJARDO VISUALS MANAGING EDITOR

The original Abilene drivethru

I

t’s five o’clock on a Tuesday afternoon.

Cars and pick-up trucks begin to lineup the perimeters of the nostalgic baby blue shack.

The sliding order window opens ready for business.

Steak patties are slapped on a hot, metal grill as orders are taped to the corners of the window seals. Located on 1233 N. Treadaway Blvd, Larry’s Better Burgers has served hungry customers big, bold, juicy burgers for decades. The original Abilene drive-thru.

“We’ve done good business because we’ve sold to all sorts of people: rich people, poor people, Hispanic people, black people,” said Larry. “Don’t matter the color to me.”

With his thick country accent and blue plaid button down shirt, Larry said he grew up in Truby working in a wholesale house selling cuts of meat, cigarettes and raising cattle after he decided that college wasn’t necessary for him. After being offered the stand from its former owner Larry Rinzlee, Larry set up shop and decided to sell burgers.

Starting the meal price at

‘seven little ones or four big ones for a dollar’, Larry said business took off.

“This guy wanted to get rid of it, so he talked me into taking it,” said Larry. “So, I did this and worked on the side...Next thing you know, I own it.”

Served in a dark, brown bag, a Larry’s burger is quite different from your average joes. Instead of using a ground beef meat patty, the burger itself is a mini chicken fried steak placed on a single piece of crisp lettuce, tangy mustard, red tomatoes and good ol’ ketchup.

Accompanied with a greasy order of classic cut fries and a creamy vanilla shake, Larry’s makes mouths water. arry’s is open Monday through Saturday from 10 a.m through 9 p.m. and has been serving college students, locals and tourists passing through the windy city of Abilene since the 1950s. Larry said it’s not the flashy burgers that get the attention, but the good food and atmosphere that keeps people coming back.

Hailey Mills, junior social studies education major from Abilene, has been eating Larry’s burgers since she was four years old. She said she likes the nostalgic

L

aspect of it and how it’s been managed by the same people ever since she started to eat there. To this day, she still feels completely comfortable walking up to Larry and ordering her favorite meal – a small hamburger, fries and gravy to dip her fries in: something she has every single time.

Larry’s consistency reminds folk like Hailey to love this little shack of paradise.

“I know Larry and he’s just a nice man and the fact that it hasn’t changed makes me feel like an old person because I keep going back there again and again,” said Mills. “I just don’t like change, so I am so glad it hasn’t over these past years,” said Mills. “If it did, I honestly wouldn’t like it as much because it wouldn’t be the same as how it used to be.”

Known to many as just ‘Larry,’ Larry has made quite the mark on the community. From lending strangers money (who later become friend’s), to offering them a job and even wishing them good luck on their next game, Larry has been a real friend to the common man.

Sammy Cockerell, local business owner and longtime customer and friend,

One of Abilene’s oldest restaurants offers good food and better prices

LAUREN FRANCO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER Larry’s Better Burger, on N. Treadway Boulevard, has served the people of Abilene for years.

“

I know Larry, and he’s a nice man and the fact that it hasn’t changed makes me feel like an old person because I keep going back there again and again.”

HAILEY MILLS JUNIOR SOCIAL STUDIES EDUCATION MAJOR FROM ABILENE

said Larry’s Better Burgers are the best burgers in Abilene hands down.

“A lot of other people say they got the best, but I’ll tell you what I can call him up on the phone and tell him what to make me,” said Cockerell. “‘Course, I’d tell him ‘I ain’t got no money’ and he’d say ‘Well, write in on the wall.’ Everybody likes him, really.”

And just like Cockerell, dozens of hungry folk walk up to the window and order their favorite meal on any given day of the week.

Whether it be the Wildcat special featuring a classic Larry burger, the Cowboy special featuring savory chicken fingers or any food off the off-white paper menu taped to the outside windows, Larry’s has been a local favorite for years.

If you ever got a chance to meet the Larry, you’d know how he loves to have come’on back, get you a bite to eat and talk with you about the good times and the bad. Larry is a man with a big heart with an even bigger sense of how to treat people – with respect, honesty and a whole lot of laughter.

“The people that have eaten here for years and some came through the backdoor,” said Larry.

“It used to say, ‘the best business is through the backdoor,’” said Cockerell as he corrects Larry with a crooked smile.

“It still says that. Right there,” said Larry. Pointing to the old, wooden plaque hung over the leaking sink, droplets of water drip into the small sink beside the back door. A sound of humming cars outside fills the backroom. Yellow faded order tickets and official health code information papers are tacked to the off white walls. Photos of Larry’s family, local high school football teams and favorite customers are taped to a tiny board right beside Larry’s office along with two old office chairs and a landline telephone beside piles of unordered papers. Peace begins to settle.

Suddenly, the phone rings. ith only one ring, Larry grabs the phone and says “Better Burger. What can I get you?” as he grabs for the nearest pen and paper and franticly writes the order down. And with a quick ‘thank you,’ Larry yells out the order and the grill sizzles once more. And just like that, Larry is back on the clock.

“This place is really just a mom and pop place. We don’t serve anything fancy as you can tell by the inside,” said Larry. And he’s right. Nothing fancy or high tech lives within the small hut other than the landline connected in the back. Old Red Boy mustard cartons are scattered around the kitchen as cooks serve the last delicious meals yelling out, “Rick, your order is ready.”

It’s closing time. The bright overhead lights flicker off. The humming of cars has ceased. And just like any other Tuesday night, Larry jumps into his pickup truck and drives away with a cloud of dust following quickly behind him. Until tomorrow, when the day starts again.

W

EAG13B@ACU.EDU

6

S P O RT S TRACK

Hackett medals twice, Smith takes weight throw

BY JONATHAN RAITZ SPORTS EDITOR

Despite fighting off the flu like many ACU students, senior Michaela Hackett went a perfect two-for-two at the Southland Conference Indoor Championships, winning the 3K and 5K races.

Head coach Lance Bingham said the performance was nothing short of incredible.

“One of the best performances I have been associated with,” Bingham said.

“She was sick on the trip here and fought through while staying focused on the task at hand.”

On top of winning both the events, Hackett also broke the school and conference records in the 3K, beating the rest of the field by 25 seconds.

However, Hackett wasn’t the only Wildcat who walked away with gold.

Sophomore Lonnie Smith continued her dominance in the weight throw with another first place performance. Smith’s best throw of the meet was 58.925 feet, which was well short of her personal best, but good enough to earn her the indoor crown.

Smith also placed eighth in shotput, just behind Annina Brandenburg’s personal best of just over 47 feet, which earned Brandenburg a fouth place finish.

The women’s other fourth place finisher was Kimone Green in the 400 meter run.

Overall, the women finished with 55 points, 11 points of McNeese State, who finished in sixth place.

Meanwhile, the men were unable to bring home any gold medals, but earned a few silvers and had couple of fourth place finishers, including a silver medal in the 4x400m relay.

The team of freshman Avery Williams, senior Lee-Andrew Bloomfield, freshman Ryan Linton and senior Rosen Daniel posted a time of 3:15.28 to earn the silver. Individually the Wildcats struggled to gain ground in the running events.

The silver medal was Daniel’s 11th Southland medal since joining the team in the winter of 2015.

The other second-place finishe for the mean was recorded by junior Kai Schidmt with a personal record of 56 feet and 11 inches. Junior Morgan Knight also set a personal best in the weight throw, which proved good enough to earn him a fifth place finish.

In the Heptathlon, junior Wyatt French entered the meet with the top score, but was unable to finish the competition after he sustained an injury.

Overall, the men finished the meet in eight place with 29 points and thanks in large part to the 1600m relay’s medal in the last event of the meet.

Bingham said he and his staff were proud of the way both teams performed, despite sickness and injury.

“I’m very proud of our eam for performing well and doing their best to the very end,” Bingham said.

“Our ultimate goal is to Honor Christ in all we say and do and I am proud of this group in their effort to accomplish this goal.”

The teams will return to action March 17-18 for their first outdoor meet of the spring.

JMR13B@ACU.EDU

Offense struggles against Islanders

BY MAX PRESTON ASSISTANT SPORTS EDITOR

MEN’S BASKETBALL

Texas A&M Corpus Christi and lost in a low scoring game 56-44.

The Wildcats struggled shooting making just 17 shots out of 51 attempts and went five for 19 from three point range, 33 percent.

The Islanders shot 38 percent from the field making 18 of their 48 shots and made four three pointers out of 14 attempts.

The Islanders started out on top with an 8-2 score through the first five minutes of the first half.

At the 14:23 mark, sophomore point guard Jaylen Franklin got a steal and sophomore guard Jaren Lewis

made a jumper shortly after.

After the two points from Lewis, the men put together an 11-0 run that lasted until the 8:10 mark putting them in the lead with a 13-8 score.

The Wildcats could only put up 10 points for the next eight minutes however, and the Islanders were able to go on a 24-10 run to take a 3223 run going into halftime.

The men came out strong in the second half as they went on a 12-4 run to come within one point of the Islanders.

After this run, however, the men went cold and were not able to take the lead.

The Wildcats only put up

nine more points for the rest of the half while Corpus Christi scored 20 to make the final score 56-44.

Head coach Joe Golding talked about the struggles of the game.

“I don’t think we were aggressive, we weren’t attacking enough and getting to the foul line,” Golding said. “We have to do a better job coaching and giving our team an opportunity to score baskets.”

Lewis stood out for the men scoring 11 points and grabbing seven rebounds as well as junior guard Isaiah Tripp who scored eight points along with four assists and four rebounds.

Senior forward Rashawn Thomas continued his im-

pressive season putting up 18 points, 11 rebounds, and four steals.

With this loss the men fell to 6-9 in Southland play and 12-14 overall, however, they remained ninth in the conference.

“We have to continue to get better,” Golding said.

“We have a week and a half here together, every season is different, every journey is different, right now we just have to finish this thing out right.”

The men will next play on the road this Saturday against Sam Houston and will try to keep their chance at a .500 season alive.

MJP14B@ACU.EDU

It’s Friday

STANDINGS M Basketball Team

UNO SFA TAMU-CC SHSU HBU Lamar SELU UIW UCA ACU Nicholls McNeese NWSU

Ovrl. Div. 16-9 15-11 17-9 18-10 13-12 16-12 15-14 12-15 8-21 12-14 12-16 7-18 10-16

11-3 10-4 10-5 9-6 8-6 8-7 8-8 7-9 7-9 6-9 5-10 4-10 4-11

W Basketball Team

UCA ACU Lamar SFA UNO McNeese UIW NWSU TAMU-CC Nicholls HBU SELU SHSU

Ovrl. Div. 22-4 19-8 19-6 20-5 13-11 12-14 9-18 12-13 9-17 8-18 6-19 5-22 2-22

Softball

Team

Nicholls SELU HBU NWSU McNeese SHSU UIW TAMU-CC ACU UCA Lamar SFA

14-2 13-2 12-3 11-3 8-6 7-8 7-9 6-8 5-10 5-10 4-11 3-13 2-12

Ovrl. Div. 11-2 0-0 0-0 6-3 0-0 4-4 5-5-1 0-0 5-8 0-0 2-4 0-0 3-7 0-0 2-5 0-0 3-8 0-0 2-8 0-0 2-8 0-0 2-8 0-0

Baseball Team

LAUREN FRANCO STAFF PHOTOGRAPHER A Wildcat is poised to win the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year award for the second season in a row in Jalone Friday. Friday is averaging 14.2 points per game.

Another freshman phenom emerges

BY TREVOR WYATT SPORTS WRITER

In April of 2015, two members of the national homeschool champion basketball team, the Oklahoma City Storm, committed to the ACU men’s basketball team. One was a 6’4” guard B.J. Maxwell, who was chosen as a first-team selection on The Oklahoman’s Little all-City team, and averaged 18.7 points, 3.9 rebounds and 3.0 assists per game.

The other one? Maxwell’s self-described best friend, a forward who still had questions on what type of player exactly he was.

Coach Joe Golding remembers fondly the commitment of both Maxwell and redshirt freshman forward Jalone Friday, who had averaged 13.6 points, 6.0 rebounds and 1.2 blocks per game as a senior.

“We were excited to get both of them,” Golding said. “But there were still questions in Jalone’s game.

He could go outside and stretch the floor as a 6’8” forward, but his inside game still needed some work to get to the next level.”

Friday did something almost unheard of in college basketball today- he redshirted as a freshman to become the type of player Golding needed him to become. Coach remembers

having the conversation with him and being surprised at how selfless he was about it.

“Jalone agreed to redshirt his freshman season, and it was kind of a shock,” Golding said. “Not a lot of freshman want to sit out and redshirt their first year: they want to make a name for themselves. But Jalone got fit- he spent a lot of time in the weight room with the strength and conditioning coaches getting to the physical level he needed to be at- it was all him from this point on.”

Friday, however, is quick to point out that every single coach helped him with his transition.

“I credit all of that [gain] to the coaches and the strength coach,” Friday said.

“From day one I felt like he knew what he was doing and I thank him for that because he helped me a lot to get me to where I am today.”

And today Friday leads the team in points per game (14.2), three-point percentage(.452), offensive rebounds(1.6), and blocked shots(1.4). He also ranks second in many other categories like three-pointers attempted, defensive and overall rebounds, steals, and free throws made. But one intangible stat that everyone talks about when they

hear Friday’s name is his insane ability to knock down a clutch three in the fourth quarter.

In a game against New Orleans University this season, Friday not only hit a clutch three to put the team ahead before giving up a three to go to overtime, he hit a three-pointer to win the game for the Wildcats.

Junior guard Isaiah Tripp talks about the team’s comfortability passing the rock to Friday in tough situations.

“He’s a machine,” Tripp said. “He’s only a freshman, but he doesn’t play like it in the clutch. When he’s hot, the whole team knows we can pass it to him.”

Friday said it’s a welcoming sign to know that his teammates have his back.

“That’s just something that will boost your confidence level,” Friday said, “Knowing that there are upperclassmen who love getting you the ball and don’t have a problem passing it to a freshman at that. I just feel like none of this would have happened if it wasn’t for the teammates that I have.”

In fact, Coach Golding said this is one of the most closely-knit groups he’s ever coached.

“These guys do everything together,” Golding said. “They eat together, they practice together, they

study together, and they play together. They’re not just teammates. They’re a family.”

Friday’s stats are not only some of the best on the team, but also in the conference. Jalone ranks ninth in scoring (second out of freshman), fifth in Free Throw Percentage, 10th in field goal percentage, and 19th in three point field goals per game.

Add these stats together, and you have Friday as a clear front-runner for the Southland Conference Freshman of the Year. But Friday said he hopes it doesn’t stop there.

“Getting the award would mean a lot,” Friday said.

“But getting the award and playing in post-season would mean a lot more.”

Jalone’s game is not perfect. One of the biggest flaws of his game is his foulshe averages almost four a game and has fouled out a team-leading eight times.

But once he and his game matures, many think there is no ceiling to the talent Friday has.

Friday and the Wildcats travel to Sam Houston State Saturday, but he will be nursing a day-to-day ankle sprain, and because of ACU’s standing in the conference is unlikely to play.

TMW13A@ACU.EDU

Wildcats host UNC, PVAM in home opener

BY DAVIS DENTON SPORTS WRITER

After an 0-5 showing in the Arizona tournament last weekend, the Wildcats will look to get going this weekend as they return home against Northern Colorado (1-9) and Prairie View A&M (1-5).

The UNC Bears are young and inexperienced and struggled to pick up wins in the New Mexico State tournament, in-

SOFTBALL cluding a crushing 16-1 loss to Tennessee. ACU is 3-8 this season but has played some tough competition in Arizona, Boston College and Texas State.

“We came out with some positive stuff this weekend, we played Arizona they were No. 7 in the nation and they have 8 national championships.” said head

coach Bobby Reeves. “We played with everybody this weekend, we just didn’t get timely hits.”

Reeves also said a twohour rain delay didn’t help the team succeed either.

Junior Hannah Null, senior Casey May-Huff and freshman Sidney Holman will look to bolster a team ERA of 3.99.

The women fell by a margin of two runs or less in two of three games last

weekend, including an extra innings, 6-5 loss to Boston College in the tournament opener.

Reeves said playing in front of a home crowd and getting away from the weariness of travel will benefit the team tremendously.

“We’re ready to be at home and sleep in our own beds.” Reeves said.

DMD14A@ACU.EDU

Lamar McNeese UNO HBU UCA NWSU SHSU SELU UIW Nicholls SFA TAMU-CC ACU

Ovrl. Div. 4-0 0-0 4-0 0-0 5-0 0-0 3-1 0-0 2-1 0-0 2-1 0-0 2-1 0-0 2-1 0-0 3-2 0-0 2-2 0-0 2-3 0-0 1-2 0-0 0-4 0-0

MATCHUPS W Basketball 2/23/17 ACU 72 TAMUCC 64 2/25/17 ACU

(19-8, 13-2)

SHSU

(2-22, 2-12)

M Basketball 2/23/17 ACU

44

TAMUCC

56

2/11/17 ACU

(12-14, 6-9)

SHSU

(18-10, 9-6)

Tennis 2/23/17 Women’s ACU 6 Tarleton 1 2/23/17 Women’s ACU 5-3 UT-PB

1-3

2/25/17 Men’s ACU 8-6 Baylor 8-2

Baseball 2/24-26/17 ACU

0-4

NDSU 4-0

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